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A28 u.s. news
Diasabra 26 Maart 2022

House leaders call on Nebraska Rep. Fortenberry to resign

literally all around the world,
who’ve been praying for us The winner of the GOP pri-
and pulling for us,” he said. mary is likely to face state
Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, a
The judge set sentencing for Democrat from Lincoln, but
June 28. Each count carries Nebraska’s 1st Congressional
a potential five-year prison District is heavily Republican
sentence and fines. and hasn’t been competitive
in decades.
Felons are eligible to run for
and serve in Congress, but On Friday, Pansing Brooks
the vast majority choose to said Fortenberry’s convic-
resign under threat of expul- tion was a “wake-up call” that
sion. Congressional rules also the district needs a change
bar members from voting on and called for an overhaul of
legislation after a felony con- campaign finance laws to in-
viction unless their constitu- crease transparency.
ents reelect them.
“We cannot allow a return to
It was the first trial of a sitting business as usual as this dust
congressman since Rep. Jim settles,” Pansing Brooks said,
(AP) — Republican U.S. tainty while he focuses on his after denying to the FBI that Traficant, D-Ohio, was con- adding that Nebraska is like-
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry on Fri- family and other affairs.” he was aware he had received victed of bribery and other ly “to be the brunt of some
day faced growing pressure illicit funds from Gilbert Ch- felony charges in 2002. jokes” because of Fortenber-
from congressional leaders McCarthy said he texted agoury, a Nigerian billionaire ry’s conviction.
and Nebraska’s GOP gover- Fortenberry about the con- of Lebanese descent who Campaign spokesman Chad
nor to resign after a Califor- viction and planned to talk lives in Paris. Kolton said Friday that Fortenberry, 61, did not tes-
nia jury found him guilty of to him about the matter on Fortenberry had no immedi- tify at trial but his lawyers
lying to federal authorities Friday. The three men who funneled ate response to the calls for argued that he wasn’t aware
about an illegal $30,000 cam- money to Fortenberry from his resignation. of the contribution and that
paign donation from a Nige- “I think when someone’s Chagoury were all of Leba- agents directed an informant
rian billionaire. convicted, it’s time to re- nese descent and had ties to “He’s spending time with to feed him the information
sign,” McCarthy told report- In Defense of Christians, a his family right now,” Kolton in a 10-minute call to set him
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ers in Jacksonville, Florida. nonprofit Fortenberry sup- said. “That’s what’s most im- up.
and House Minority Leader ported that was devoted to portant today.”
Kevin McCarthy both urged Pelosi said Fortenberry’s con- fighting religious persecution Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack
the nine-term congressman viction “represents a breach in the Middle East. Fortenberry’s indictment in Jenkins said there was ample
to leave office, as did Nebras- of the public trust and confi- October drew a serious Re- recorded evidence in the case
ka Gov. Pete Ricketts, who dence in his ability to serve. Outside the courthouse, publican primary challenge and the jury’s swift verdict
has endorsed Fortenberry’s No one is above the law.” Fortenberry said the process from state Sen. Mike Flood, vindicated the prosecution’s
top Republican primary chal- had been unfair and that he a former speaker of the Ne- efforts.
lenger. A federal jury in Los An- would appeal immediately. braska Legislature who has
geles deliberated for about He would not say if he would since won the endorsements “Our view is that it was a
“The people of Nebraska de- two hours Thursday before suspend his campaign for re- of Ricketts and former Gov. simple story,” Jenkins said.
serve active, certain represen- finding Fortenberry guilty election, saying he was going Dave Heineman. A Flood “A politician caught up in the
tation,” Ricketts said. “I hope of concealing information to spend time with his family. campaign spokesman de- cycle of money and power.
Jeff Fortenberry will do the and two counts of making clined to comment Friday And like I said, he lost his
right thing and resign so his false statements to authori- “I’m getting so many beau- on the news of Fortenberry’s way.”
constituents have that cer- ties. Fortenberry was charged tiful messages from people conviction.

Lawsuit: EPA fails to protect Montana rivers from pollution

(AP) — A conservation cording to the lawsuit filed has been assessed for pollu- rules would protect rivers that the rules would degrade
group has filed a lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District tion and most of it was found and streams that are vital to waterways.
against U.S. environmen- Court in Great Falls. to be impaired, or harmed by the state’s tourism and recre-
tal officials for alleged pollution, to at least some de- ation industries, while creat- EPA spokesperson Richard
failure to intervene after Nutrient pollution comes gree, according to federal and ing flexibility in how nutri- Mylott said the agency had
the Montana Legislature from farm fertilizer, indus- state agencies. ents get reduced by polluters. no comment on the litigation
rolled back longstanding trial plants, treated sewage against the agency.
water pollution rules. waste, pet waste and numer- Montana’s Republican-dom- They have rejected concerns
ous other sources. It can be inated Legislature last year
The Bozeman-based Upper harmful to fish and human repealed longstanding rules
Missouri Waterkeeper group health by encouraging the that dictated specific water
said a set of replacement rules growth of algae blooms that pollution limits, also known
proposed by the Montana are sometimes toxic. as numeric standards. Those
Department of Environmen- limits are being replaced
tal Quality will allow more Montana has almost 60,000 with “narrative” standards
nutrient pollution to enter miles (97,000 kilometers) of that describe what conditions
streams, rivers and other wa- perennial rivers and streams, should be present for a water-
terways across the state. including major rivers such body that’s free of pollution.
as the Missouri that drains
The U.S. Environmental into North Dakota and the A broad framework for the
Protection Agency has over- Clark Fork of the Columbia new rules was released earlier
sight of the state’s pollution that drains into Idaho. this month and more details
rules and is required to ap- are due later this year.
prove or reject the changes Water quality for about a third
but has failed to do so, ac- of Montana’s river mileage State officials have said the