We first learned about this Nebraska Examiner story via the Dakota Free Press's post Eight Women Accuse Noem’s Pal Herbster of Pattern of Sexual Harassment.
Cory Allen Heidelberger makes the connection between the aspiring candidate for Nebraska governor, a frontrunner in the 2022 GOP primary race, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem:
Just days after Kristi Noem was caught consorting again with her formerly forsworn campaign advisor and accused sexual harasser Corey Lewandowski, the Nebraska Examiner reports that the man Noem has endorsed in Nebraska’s gubernatorial race, Corey and Kristi’s mutual pal Charles Herbster, faces accusations of sexual harassment. One of the accusers is Herbster’s own Republican State Senator . . .
Back on Groundhog's Day, Aaron Sanderford reported in South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorses Herbster in his run for Nebraska gov for the Examiner:
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a fixture on conservative television and radio for her state’s relaxed-regulation approach to COVID-19, on Wednesday endorsed Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster.
Herbster, an early favorite in the Republican primary race, announced the endorsement by press release a day after his top opponent, Jim Pillen, got the support of the Nebraska Farm Bureau.
Herbster was Noem’s first endorsement for governor this election cycle, her campaign manager said. . . .
Herbster has donated thousands to Noem’s campaigns over the years. She has flown to political events on private planes Herbster supplied. . . .
Minnesota readers might recognize Herbster as the CEO of Conklin Company, which maintains manufacturing operations and distribution warehouse in Shakopee. Herbster has not made donations recorded in the contributors database at the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board; looking back ten years in the Federal Election Commission contributors database, we found an October 7, 2020 contribution to the Republican Party of Minnesota'a federal account for $10,000, and another $10,000 contribution to the state Republican party on October 17, 2016.
The Daily Nonpareil reported this week that Herbster continues to bankroll his campaign for Nebraska governor.
Sanderson has followed up in the Nebraska Examiner with Ricketts, Orr and all 13 women Nebraska state senators condemn Herbster over groping allegations:
Nebraska’s governor, a former governor and all 13 women senators in the State Legislature issued statements Thursday expressing horror at allegations of groping aimed at Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster.
Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Kay Orr and the state senators also expressed support for the eight women who came forward, including Republican State Sen. Julie Slama, who confirmed witness accounts that Herbster had reached up her skirt at a GOP event. Ricketts and Orr are also Republicans. . . .
There's this:
One supporter of Herbster, former Omaha Mayor and U.S. Rep. Hal Daub, criticized the Examiner’s report, saying journalists should be “drilling down” on the “origins of the story,” suggesting that it was Ricketts and his camp who pushed for the story.
Then, Daub added, “Maybe ask Sen. Slama what she was wearing. Was she nude? Was she wearing a one-piece or two-piece?”
Slama, upon hearing Daub’s comments, posted a picture of the dress she wore at the GOP event.
During an interview on KFAB radio Thursday afternoon, Slama said it was comments like Daub’s that “keeps women from coming forward.”
“Clothes don’t equal consent,” Slama added. . . .
Read the whole mess at the Examiner, and read the original story in the Nebraska Examiner: GOP state senator, seven other women say Charles Herbster groped them; he denies allegations.
We certainly hope Governor Noem starts picking her political companions with greater care.
Photo: Charles Herbster and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (Courtesy of Herbster for Nebraska), via the Nebraska Examiner.
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