Nebraska

No matter who you’re lobbying for, follow the rules • Nebraska Examiner

Published

2 years ago

May 7, 2024

No matter who you’re lobbying for, follow the rules • Nebraska Examiner

When it comes to transparency and ethical behavior, telling the truth is a key tenet. So, imagine the surprise when the Nebraska Examiner reported that Arin Hess, who has pledged to be “more careful” about his work “lobbying for Jesus” at the Capitol, was recently caught in a scheme to deceive the Clerk of the Legislature to expand his access to legislators.

If you’re not familiar with Hess, he is a self-proclaimed chaplain for the State Legislature, and he holds weekly “Bible studies” with senators. Last year, Common Cause Nebraska filed a complaint with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission because Hess was using materials from explicitly political sources during his meetings — sources that didn’t restrain themselves to the teaching of Jesus but had a lot to say about issues being debated in the Legislature.

The commission dismissed the complaint, but Hess pledged to be more careful with how he engaged legislators and maintained that his work was only religious, not political.

Fast forward a year. In March, State Sen. Loren Lippincott requested to reserve a hearing room in the Capitol for “district community leaders,” which was approved by Clerk of the Legislature Brandon Metzler. A Nebraska Examiner reporter discovered the meeting in progress and found it was Hess’s Bible study, not “district community leaders.”

Just two days before Lippincott submitted his request, the Governor’s Office had put in a request for the same date and time, which was denied after the Clerk determined the stated purpose, “Pastors and Ministry Workers Day,” was actually for Hess. Within hours of Metzler denying the governor’s request, Lippincott made the second misleading attempt, which got by Metzler. When Metzler learned Hess was using the hearing room, he was reported to have said, “I got lied to.”

Hearing rooms in the Capitol cannot be used for religious purposes of any kind. Common Cause Nebraska does not lose sight of the irony of the fraudulent attempts on behalf of Hess. If Hess claimed he would be using the hearing room for legislative rather than religious purposes, it would have been a valid request, but it would have looked very much like the lobbying we had objected to last year.

We do not consider these to be minor slip-ups: Senators and the governor all swear to support the United States and Nebraska Constitutions, which enshrine the separation of church and state in law and prevent elected officials from showing preference to any religious society. Showing favoritism to Hess by helping him gain access to hearing rooms in the Capitol violates that oath of office. When the people we elect are willing to skirt the law to favor their own religious leaders, it’s clear that power is being abused to our detriment.

We deserve public officials who will not muddy the waters and lie to advance one person’s lobbying or religious beliefs in the Capitol. It’s in their oath of office, and in our Nebraska and U.S. Constitutions.

Lippincott went against his oath of office when he lied to the Clerk of the Legislature about the reason for wanting to reserve a hearing room; he may have also breached Nebraska law. When he intentionally misled the Clerk, Lippincott prevented Metzler from carrying out the duties of his office, that is, the duty to enforce the policies governing legislative space. (28-901) The governor’s similar misleading reservation request also violated his oath of office, but fortunately, it was quickly thwarted when the Clerk learned the true reason.

Lying about a room reservation may seem minor, but we should expect nothing less than our elected officials to honor their oaths in word and deed by fully complying with the law.

Our Unicameral Legislature or Attorney General’s Office appear unlikely to act. We have been down this road before — it’s now up to us, the citizens of Nebraska, to set aside our differences and use the power of the ballot box to ensure our elected officials uphold their oath of office and that Nebraska laws apply equally to all — without reservation.

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What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Published

46 minutes ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

Iowa coach Ben McCollum met with the media following his team’s 77-71 victory over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Sweet 16. The Cornhuskers led by three at the half but Iowa was able to outscore Nebraska 34-25 in the second half.

Pryce Sandfort led all scorers with 25 points while shooting 8 of 13 from the field and 6 of 10 from the 3-point line. Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 20 points and played for all 40 minutes.

Iowa shot 52% (27-52) from the floor, 43% (13-30) from beyond the arc and 83% (10-12) from the free throw line. Nebraska struggled shooting 41% (24-58) from the field, 34% (13-38) from the 3-point line and 91% (10-11) from the charity stripe.

The Hawkeyes’ head coach acknowledged that his team had a poor start but a great finish and said that his team will need to play better to advance beyond the Elite Eight.

Yeah, I think to start we weren’t fantastic to start. They had an elite game plan to start. They played with elite pace. They adjusted their defense quite a bit. I think a lot of people will talk about the rivalry. I was around it when I was in Iowa, you know, and grew up in Iowa and understand the rivalry and whatnot. It’s nice to have — I guess if you would a call it rival that runs such a class program.
I think Coach Hoiberg, they have got great kids. They completely turned everything around from the previous season, and they have absolutely nothing to hang their heads about or anything. I have the utmost respect for them, all their players, and especially Coach Hoiberg. Heck of a season. I know it’s no consolation, but we still want to beat ’em every time and they want to beat us every time.
But from and internal perspective, there’s not a lot of bad blood there. It’s actually a lot of respect. I was really pleased with our second-half performance. I thought we actually decided we were going to try — not try. They had a lot to do with it, but kind of. Yeah, they’re smiling over there because they saw me break my marker.
And I thought our kids did a good job of executing offensively in both halves. We spent a lot of time trying to make sure that we could score, and you saw the result of that. We didn’t defend. But we were able to score, so we were able to stay in the game long enough and then get enough stops and had some big possessions down the stretch. Really good program win for everybody, coaches, managers, everybody included.

Iowa advances to the Elite Eight with the victory. Nebraska’s season ends with a record of 28-7.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: What Iowa coach Ben McCollum said after defeating Nebraska on Thursday

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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

Published

13 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen appoints Antonio Gomez to Racing and Gaming Commission

LINCOLN, Neb — Gov. Jim Pillen has appointed Antonio Gomez of Jackson to the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, adding a longtime Siouxland business leader and public servant to the panel.

Commission members serve four-year terms and are subject to approval by the Nebraska Legislature.

Gomez launched Gomez Pallets in South Sioux City in 1983. He has since retired from daily operations, but last year the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce recognized him with the W. Edwards Deming Business Leadership and Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

Gomez previously served on the Nebraska Commission on Latino Americans from 1981 to 2002. He also served as a Dakota County commissioner for 12 years and was on the Foundation Board for Northeast Community College.

Gomez’s appointment is effective April 1.

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CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will face the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. This is the Huskers’ first Sweet 16 in program history, while Iowa is playing in its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

Nebraska defeated Vanderbilt 74-72 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa advanced after beating the defending national champion, the Florida Gators, 73-72.

CBS Sports reporter Isaac Trotter broke down Thursday’s Sweet 16 matchup. Trotter started by looking at the two previous matchups in this series.

These teams have played twice. Iowa won at home in a 57-52 rockfight. Nebraska returned the favor by winning at home, 84-75 in overtime, in another to-the-death brawl.

It’s no secret that Nebraska’s defense caused significant problems for the Iowa offense in the second game, and if the Hawkeyes are going to win the rubber match, Trotter believes that turnovers will be the key.

There are no secrets in the rubber match. Nebraska’s no-middle defense has given Iowa real problems both times. The Hawkeyes turned it over 20% of the time in Game 1 and 26% of the time in Game 2. That can’t happen in the third encounter.

CBS Sports believes that Iowa has the best player on the floor in Bennett Stirtz, but Trotter also believes that Nebraska’s defense is just too much in the end for Iowa.

Iowa has the best player on the floor, Bennett Stirtz, and can hurt Nebraska on the glass, but the Huskers get the nod because of this pick-and-roll defense. You have to be able to guard ball screens effectively to shut down Iowa, and Nebraska has been an elite pick-and-roll defense, rating in the 99th percentile nationally, per Synergy.

In the end, Trotter selected Nebraska as his pick. Should the Huskers advance to the Elite Eight, Nebraska would play the winner of the Illinois-Houston game. Nebraska-Iowa play in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. CT on TBS.

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: CBS Sports predicts Nebraska-Iowa basketball in the Sweet 16

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