A seven-week investigation into actions of former State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte has concluded that his behavior was “boorish, brainless and bizarre,” but not illegal.
Groene, who had served six years in the Nebraska Legislature, resigned in February shortly after allegations surfaced that he had taken allegedly sexually inappropriate photographs of a female legislative aide.
Groene denied the photos were sexual in nature. But he said he did apologize to the aide, Kristina Konecko, for taking pictures of her in his legislative office without her permission.
On Wednesday, the executive summary of an investigation undertaken by a Lincoln attorney hired by the Legislature was read to fellow senators by State Senator Anna Wishart of Lincoln, one of three senators appointed to look into the matter.
The attorney, Tara Paulson, interviewed 10 legislative employees and state senators after being hired Feb. 28, Wishart said, to determine whether Groene’s actions were “unlawful sexual discrimination or harassment.”
You can read Paul Hammel’s full story from the Nebraska Examiner here
(Photo: Nebraska Examiner)