Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry’s trial has been scheduled for March 15 and it will be held in California after a federal judge denied a motion to move it to Nebraska.
The nine-term Republican is accused of lying to federal authorities who were investigating an illegal 2016 campaign contribution from a foreign national at a Los Angeles fundraiser. Fortenberry has pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying and concealing material facts and making false statements.
The trial was supposed to begin on February 15, but was delayed until March due to high rates of COVID-19 in Los Angeles. Chad Kolton is a spokesman for Congressman Fortenberry and issued this statement to KLIN News:
“This case was a set-up from the beginning and never should have been brought. It is vital to get this injustice corrected at the earliest possible opportunity and when California suspended jury trials the motion to change venue became necessary to do that. With California courts now re-opening, the judge’s ruling is consistent with our top priority to have a jury hear this case and clear Jeff Fortenberry’s name as soon as possible.”