Governor Jim Pillen is reacting after the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests of five out-of-state people in connection with massive paid signature fraud. LSO says the Election Commissioner called them about fraudulent signatures in a trio of petitions that organizers were seeking to place on the November ballot.
Chief Deputy Ben Houchin says arrest warrants have been obtained, and five people have been arrested in Washington, D.C., Missouri, Nevada and Florida. Houchin says none of the suspects are Nebraska residents and emphasized that investigators have found no evidence that any political organization was involved.
“Like most Nebraskans, I am deeply troubled by the reports breaking today of historic fraud in connection with signature-gathering campaigns in recent weeks,” Pillen said in a statement. “The Legislature made a terrible decision in 2015 when it repealed the prohibition on paid signature gathering. The results have been Nebraskans being harassed on the street by in-state and out-of-state signature gatherers, skyrocketing payouts per signature, and outright criminal activity.
Houchin says those collecting signatures were paid $20 for each one they obtained. “I call on the Legislature to reform this system and to restore the ban on pay-per-signature,” Pillen says. ” I’m grateful to the law enforcement who are protecting our election system and investigating this election fraud, and expect those responsible at every level to be held accountable to the fullest extent under the law.”
The investigation began July 23, just days after the Good Government Lincoln petition campaign turned in more than 30,0000 signatures on three proposed city charter amendments.