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A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 28 March 2022
US Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska announces resignation

(AP) — Republican U.S. “wake-up call” that the dis-
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of trict needs a change.
Nebraska on Saturday re- In a statement Saturday,
signed from office after a Pansing Brooks said “This
California jury convicted opens the door for a new
him of lying to federal au- approach to serving (the
thorities about an illegal 1st Congressional District).
campaign donation from a I am ready and able to
foreign national. meet that challenge and
In a letter to the House, lead with integrity.”
Fortenberry said he was re- The timing of Fortenberry’s
signing from Congress, ef- resignation is expected to
fective March 31. trigger a special election.
“It has been my honor to Governors aren’t able to
serve with you in the United appoint a person to the
States House of Represen- seat. Under Nebraska state
tatives,” he said in the let- law, the governor has to
ter. “Due to the difficulties schedule a special election
of my current circumstanc- within 90 days once a con-
es, I can no longer effec- gressional seat becomes
tively serve.” vacant. Each political par-
Fortenberry’s resignation ty gets to pick a nominee
letter opened with a poem, who will run to serve the
“Do It Anyway,” that’s asso- remainder of the congres-
ciated with fellow Catholic thing for his constituents” edly warned that the con- Congressional District. State sional member’s term.
Mother Teresa. One line and leave the office he has tributions came from Gil- Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, Flood and Pansing Brooks
from the poem says “What held since 2005. bert Chagoury, a Nigerian a Democrat from Lincoln, is will both run in the special
you spend years building, Fortenberry was indicted billionaire of Lebanese de- also running for the seat. election to fill the seat and
someone could destroy in October after authorities scent. The donations were In a statement from his run in November so they
overnight. Build anyway.” said he lied to FBI agents funneled through three campaign, Flood thanked can serve the subsequent
Fortenberry’s announce- in two separate interviews strawmen at a 2016 fund- Fortenberry for “his many term.
ment followed concert- about his knowledge of an raiser in Los Angeles. years of honorable service” Nebraska’s primary is May
ed pressure from political illegal $30,000 contribution Fortenberry’s withdrawal and wished him and his 10. Because counties have
leaders in Nebraska and from his campaign from a from the primary leaves family the best. already mailed ballots to
Washington for him to step foreign billionaire. Forten- state Sen. Mike Flood as “Working together, we will military members serving
down. House Speaker Nan- berry was interviewed at his the likely GOP nominee. keep this seat in Repub- abroad and other absen-
cy Pelosi and House Minor- home in Lincoln, and then The former speaker of the lican hands,” Flood said, tee voters, it’s too late to re-
ity Leader Kevin McCarthy again with his lawyers pres- Nebraska Legislature, who promising to “continue the move Fortenberry’s name
on Friday urged Fortenber- ent in Washington, D.C. has won endorsements fight for our families, our from the primary ballot.
ry to resign. At trial, prosecutors pre- from Ricketts and former economy and our conser- Election officials have said
Nebraska Republican Gov. sented recorded phone Gov. Dave Heineman, has vative values in Congress.” there isn’t time to schedule
Pete Ricketts said Forten- conversations in which a strong advantage in the Pansing Brooks said Forten- a special election to coin-
berry should “do the right Fortenberry was repeat- Republican-leaning 1st berry’s conviction is a cide with the primary.q

US-backed group gets lifesaving meds to Ukrainians amid war

(AP) — Thousands of pa- Officials say the quiet work erated for more than 20 In areas of Ukraine that medicine, humanitarian
tients in Ukraine are receiv- of the Alliance for Public years. It has received mil- have escaped the worst, work, public health, human
ing lifesaving medicines to Health shows how Ameri- lions of dollars from the U.S. the organization is still able rights __ that’s my area,
treat HIV and opioid addic- can assistance is reaching Agency for International to deliver medications via and I will do the maximum
tion through a U.S.-funded individuals in the besieged Development as well as the postal and parcel services. possible.”
group still operating de- nation, on a different wave- Centers for Disease Control For refugees who have left He was interviewed by
spite the Russian invasion. length from U.S. diplomatic and Prevention, and other the country, caseworkers telephone several times re-
Supplies are running short and military support for the federal programs to coun- are making connections cently.
and making deliveries is a Ukrainian government. ter HIV globally. with aid groups that can “We are still serving thou-
complicated calculus with The Ukraine-based humani- Executive director Andriy restock medications. In sands of people” with med-
unpredictable risks. tarian organization has op- Klepikov said shutting down places under attack but still ications, Klepikov said. “It’s
was not an option during in Ukrainian control, medi- more than five thousand.”
the invasion. Ukraine has cal vans are bringing in The group’s fleet of medi-
one of the most serious HIV supplies via convoys. The cal vans has been pressed
epidemics in Western Eu- group has even been able into service to transport in-
rope, and patients need to get some deliveries into jured civilians to hospitals
their medications daily. Russian-controlled areas, that can treat complex
He said his group made a with the help of intermedi- cases, and to deliver essen-
“risk management plan” to aries. It also is distributing tial supplies for daily living.
continue its work if fighting medicines for tuberculosis. U.S. officials say they have
broke out. But it did not en- Asked how long it can keep been impressed with the
vision the scale of the on- going, Klepikov responded: attitude of the Ukrainians,
slaught unleashed by Rus- “We Ukrainians are quite which evokes the tenacity
sian forces, and that has resilient. I am not the best of Britons during the Lon-
forced the group to adapt. soldier. But in the area of don Blitz in World War II.q