Nebraska’s GOP Governor Calls on Trump-Backed Candidate to Drop Out of Race to Replace Him and Seek ‘Help’
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Nebraska’s Republican Governor, Pete Ricketts, called on the Trump-backed candidate vying to replace him to drop out of the race and seek “help” amid allegations he groped multiple women – including a state senator.
Last Thursday Charles Herbster was accused of having groped 8 women in a detailed expose in the Nebraska Examiner.
The Examiner reported that “all the incidents occurred between 2017 and this year” and “the women ranged in age from their late teens to mid-20s at the time of the incidents.”
“Herbster is saying the Republican establishment somehow created a conspiracy, that these eight women are somehow behind, to accuse him of sexual assault and groping them and so forth,” Ricketts told reporters on Monday when asked to comment.
“And I would say read the article because that article is one of the most well researched, corroborated articles I’ve ever seen on this topic,” the term-limited governor added.
“I think he needs to apologize to the women, then I think he should seek help, then he should step out of the race,” concluded Ricketts, whose father founded TD Ameritrade and was easily reelected in 2018.
Seven of the women alleging unwanted touching from Herbster spoke to the Examiner under the condition of anonymity, but an eighth woman, Republican State Sen. Julie Slama made her allegation publicly.
Slama told the Examiner that at an event in 2019 “as she walked by Herbster, he reached up her skirt, without her consent, and touched her inappropriately.”
Ricketts told reporters he believed Slama and again blasted Herbster for calling her allegation part of an elaborate conspiracy.
“The incident happened in the middle of a crowded ballroom at the Douglas County Republican Party’s annual Elephant Remembers dinner,” the report notes. Another woman details an encounter with the Republican hopeful, alleging he “cornered her privately and kissed her forcibly.”
Herbster is the CEO of Conklin Co. and has received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump to replace Ricketts.
Herbster, however, was already a somewhat controversial figure in Nebraska and Ricketts publicly broke with Trump in October of 2021 when the former president endorsed Herbster. Ricketts said after Trump’s endorsement, “While I agree with President Trump on many things, I strongly disagree that Charles Herbster is qualified to be our next governor.”
Gov. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) says Charles Herbster, GOP candidate for governor, should “seek help” and drop out after allegations of groping by 8 women.
When asked if that logic applies to Donald Trump and his comments on the Access Hollywood tape, he says “it’s very different.” pic.twitter.com/YLv8lZPIej
— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) April 18, 2022
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