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NE: Dems file complaint against Fischer; say she failed to disclose interests

By   /   October 9, 2012  /   42 Comments

Deb Fischer and Bob Kerrey debate in Omaha.

By Deena Winter | Nebraska Watchdog

LINCOLN — The state Democratic Party on Tuesday asked for an investigation into a possible violation of state campaign finance and ethics statutes by Valentine Sen. Deb Fischer, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

Democrats are going after Fischer for two pieces of legislation she sponsored that could be related to a lawsuit Fischer and her husband filed over disputed property along the fence line with their elderly (now deceased) neighbors, Leslie and Elizabeth Kime, who owned Snake Falls Ranch. The Fischers own Sunny Slope Ranch, 30 miles south of Valentine.

Last week, Democrats accused Fischer of failing to disclose a personal interest in two bills. This week, they’ve gone a step further, filing a complaint and asking for an investigation by the Nebraska Accountability & Disclosure Commission.

Democrats contend Fischer should have disclosed that she had “historical personal interest” and a potential financial gain or loss in the sale of a neighboring ranch to the state of Nebraska.

Deb and her husband, Bruce, sued their neighbors in 1995, seeking rights to 104 acres of the Kimes’ land along the fence line that the Fischer family had maintained and pastured cattle on since the 1970s. The Kimes won the lawsuit. After a county fencing committee re-fenced the boundary line, the Fischers didn’t pay their portion of the bill until 2002, when the county clerk threatened to add it to their property tax bill.

In the wake of all that, Fischer in 2006 introduced a bill in the Legislature that changed the way fencing disputes were mediated. Then in 2011, Fischer introduced a bill that Democrats contend was intended to prevent the sale of the Kimes’ Snake Falls Ranch to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission by gutting the Nebraska Environmental Trust budget. In the end, the cut wasn’t as severe as Fischer proposed, and a private group bought Snake Falls Ranch.

Democrats say Fischer should have filed a conflict-of-interest statement with the A&D.

“The ownership and control of this land was a longstanding personal and financial concern of Deb Fischer,” said Democratic National Committeewoman Patricia Zieg.

“Fischer had a duty to alert the public, her constituents and her fellow state senators about her interest in the sale of the Kime family ranch when she introduced LB 229. Her failure to do so shows an inability to tell the difference between her own self-interest and that of the larger community. There’s already too much of that attitude and conduct in Washington D.C. now.”

Fischer’s campaign spokesman, Daniel Keylin, called it “shameful” that the Democrats would attack Fischer for passing what he called “a bipartisan water conservation bill that helps fund the Platte River Recovery Program and protects the environment” while Nebraska is in the midst of a drought. He said the Democrats are “desperately resorting to blatantly frivolous accusations and outrageous character smears because they can’t win on the issues.”

Fischer is running for the Senate against former Nebraska governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey, who was asked about the Fischer complaint today during a press conference. He said he doesn’t know the facts of the case, but he knew the Kimes and had never heard of such a situation before.

“Senator Fischer said this was a routine border dispute but I don’t think so,” Kerrey said. “I just never heard of it before where somebody gives you access and the opportunity to use their property and then you bring a lawsuit against them in order to seize that property. It doesn’t seem to me to be a Nebraska value. Perhaps it happens all the time. I just never heard of it before.”

Nebraska GOP Chairman Mark Fahleson called the complaint meritless and called it  another example of Kerrey trying to innoculate himself from his own ethical issues, such as his trading cattle future contracts in 1989 while he was a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Contact Deena Winter at deena@nebraskawatchdog.org.

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Deena Winter

  • OmaSteak

    Looks like last minute desperation by Vince Powers and the Cosmic Bob campaign. Nothing is off limits to these ambulance chasers and war criminals.

  • Biffster

    OmaSteak, if this doesn’t sound at least a LITTLE bit fischy — especially the attempt to gut funding for the Nebraska Environmental Trust — then you’re operating with a long and deep set of blinders.

  • Anne

    Wow, I am not surprised to hear what a sore loser and vindictive B deb fischer is, and refusing to pay her share of the refencing when she didn’t get away with stealing her elderly neighbors’ land that she probably planned to use for more tax money for her welfare grazing.
    I have already (early) voted for Bob Kerrey and more and more thankful every day that I did! Thank you Bob.

  • Joe Sixpack

    I want Deb Fisher to represent me in Congress. If she has the B__LS to sue her life-long, elderly neighbors to try to steal 104 acres of their land, she should put up a good fight with Mexico over our boarder. Maybe she will try to solve the immigration problem by just moving the USA fence to the south side of Mexico and say “IT IS MINE NOW!!”
    If she were a Christian would she burn in hell for trying to steal, or is it just a sin if you actually are able to steal your neighbors land?

  • Rodney Callahan

    Referring Bob Kerrey to a war criminal is severly out of line. You must be one sad POS. (PIECE OF SHIT)

  • Laughing

    Fishy Fischer’s 30-something son arrested 3rd time for DUI & bribery of cop who stopped him (other 2 sons each have a DUI). Six months before Deceitful Deb announces her candidacy for U.S. Senate, son was ‘allowed’ to plea 2nd DUI offense, bribery charge dropped and son avoids 3rd offense felony & jail time, in June, 2011. Since Deceitful Deb won’t be eligible for NE’s Mother of the Year Award, Nebraskans will send an Fischy to the U.S. Senate: R for ruthless, rough, rude, rotten, rigid, right-wing redneck! Ignorance is blissful among zealous right wingers who admire Fischy’s “Christian values.”

  • Buzz

    Typical Deb Fischer — what’s in it for me and how much will I profit, The same way she will legislate in Washington, only if she is elected. Let’s hope she stays in Valentine.

  • D. Mark

    Ms. Fischer is going to Washington as the future Senator from Nebraska, so get used to that! We have had enough with Democrats in Washington and time to make a change! VOTE IN NOVEMBER!!!!!

  • Joan

    OMG, OmaSteak…you are slime, how dare you call a person who went to war for your stinky A*S and lost a limb so you could live in the land of the free! I will boycott your business from this day forward and I will spread the word to everyone I know. May you rot in HELL!

  • Dan

    Last ditch desperation of the dying democrat party of nebraska.

  • Real Nebraskan

    Mother of the year award for your 30 something year old kids???? Look at who’s laughing at you! (everyone who read your post)

  • Real Nebraskan

    Or we can hope that you move with Bob Kerry back to New York when he loses.

  • Roger Yant

    Here we go with lets throw the kitchen sink at someone. You know we can raise good children and yes they can make mistakes. I know for sure that my children should not be chastised for things I do, I am my own person. So if I say or do something stupid why should my children have to be chastised for it, just as a parent should not be for their children. We all screw up in our lives and most of us figure it out at sometime, and say OMG that was soooooo stupid I can’t believe I ever did it. At my age of 66 I have made many, but yes I have learned from them. So lets get off her kids and concentrate on the the two people who are running for the office. If you want to hear some sh-t about Kerry and Debra Winger I have some good ones, but you see that is personal, it’s not anyone’s business but his. But if you want to know about things that he did while in office that had affects on the people of Nebraska ask about the Commonwealth Savings and State Security Savings deals in the early 1980s.
    Pick up a book by John DeCamp called “The Franklin Cover-Up”. That will turn your hair gray. (Chapter 6 pages 38 to 52) Lets leave the personal things about family out of this race and others, stick to the facts about their lives while in office.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ijinkins Ira Jinkins

    Could this be why Fischer called on members of congress to pass the farm bill? Personal enrichment! Fischer is also being funded by the Koch Brothers, Karl Rove and Corporate Interests. We already have too many Nebraskan member of congress and state legislators who are being used by Trans Canada, Karl Rove, Koch Brothers and let’s not forget ALEC/American Legislative Exchange Council which gets together each years with our elected officials and corporate elites to write legislation and spoon feed it to the states. If you think that I am being too harsh, let’s review just a few bills and tax cuts driven through in the state capital and halls of congress which have given away billions and trillions of dollars in tax cuts/tax subsidies to the rich and corporate elites. If you need more proof take a look at the voting records of Republican members of congress. All Republicans voted against the Fair Pay Act, Violence Against Women Act, Veterans Jobs Bill, Cost of Living Increases for Military Survivors and Disabled Veterans, the American Jobs Act which would have created millions of jobs was not given a vote in the House or Senate. Why any Nebraskan or any American would vote for Republicans and let them get away with their treasonous activities is beyond me. I have been observing and involved in politics for 40+years and I have never witnessed so much fraud, corruption and bribery going unchallenged by the news media or the American People. I watched Richard Nixon and the Watergate Hearings as they unfolded. I saw Colonel Oliver North take one for the “Gipper” in the Iran Contra Arms Deal, I watched Republicans in congress go after Clinton but yet in America today, we are seeing corruption at the local, state and federal government levels going unchallenged. I can’t believe that I risk my life for this nation and not only me but my brothers, daughters, son and nephews.

  • Jazzee

    wow so deb’s a dork and what about old bob’s kids? were they perfect? if bob hadn’t gone to harry reid FIRST and if he would stop lying because he voted 90% for the lefties..he is just another ben nelson
    lies at home and votes left…nice try bob back to new york even though personally you are a really nice guy….but don’t trust you one iota

  • Watcher

    Really? The dems come to Brenda Council’s defense for stealing campaign funds and gambling with it … 194 withdrawals…and she gets leniency. Vince came to court as her ‘friend’. They’ve got help from the republicans on that one. And yes Fischer should have seen to it her clout didn’t help her sons, she IS responsible for their being treated with leniency. I haven’t time for either Kerrey or Fischer.

  • blakhalo

    yea b/c OmaSteak is totally the owner and CEO of the company…give me a break…its a frkin stupid screen name. Land of the free? where are you living…last time I checked we were slaves to the IRS and the “Federal” reserve. Take the blinders off already.

  • jack

    Classic liberal – slander and attack the individual when they get desperate and lose the debate of ideas.

  • name_withheld

    “Never heard of such a thing?” What rock does Mr.Kerrey claim to live under? It does indeed happen all the time and not just in Nebraska. It doesn’t seem as if Mr. Kerrey has led any kind of sheltered life.
    As well, there are two sides to every story. I don’t see where Mrs. Fischer has been given any opportunity to respond to what the Dem party alleges. Apparently, only Mr. Kerrey was sought out for comment for this story. The Fischer quote is old.

  • Kevin

    And what is the under the table fishy reason for Kerrey moving back to Nebraska after a 10 year absence? His story has as many holes as it as Fischer’s record. Kerrey is not as “across the aisle” as he is believes congress should be. Look at his voting record.

  • just saying

    Why would anyone from NE want a New Yorker to be their Senator – he only came back to NE to get elected. And he was a crappy left wing vote along the party line voter when he was in the last time – so why put anothe rYES man in the senate?

  • resistwemuch

    Mr. Laughing: If Ms. Fischer was a democrat the information you posted would be considered a resume enchancer. PEOPLE DIED. OBAMA, HILLARY AND SUSAN RICE LIED!

  • http://www.facebook.com/john.barnes.902 John Barnes

    The so-called ‘welfare grazing’ is entirely deliberate misinformation. What it amounts to is this: The Sunny Slope Ranch leases grazing land from the federal government AT EXACTLY THE SAME RATES AS ANY OTHER RANCH THAT DOES THE SAME. The rates paid for the lease are based on the fact that the leased land is wooded, and is therefore capable of supporting fewer cattle than pasture land would support. If the Sunny Slope Ranch were leasing privately owned pasture land, the lease would be at much higher rates. The lower rate being paid for less suitable land is being CALLED welfare, though the ranch does not RECEIVE anything from the BLM (and in fact PAYS to use the land)

  • Joe

    At least she didn’t murder old men, women and children in cold blood. Too bad Kerry can’t say the same.

  • Joe

    And yet, you have no problem with this:|

    http://www.fair.org/extra/0108/kerrey.html
    Sadly, your post says a LOT more about you than Deb.

  • Dan Dutch

    The Dems are out slinging mud again.

  • Dan

    Fwiw, cosmic bob was on kfab this am and basically sounded conceited, he knows it’s over. Even his slavish butt kisser jim rose who’s obviously fighting joe and deena here for that #1 spot after glorifying him like always whined that it’s over for gob.

  • ProgressiveOasis

    I knew there was something fishy about that Deb Fischer. Going into office for personal gain seems to permeate the GOP mythos. But what did you expect? Jon Bruning lost the GOP primary because of his own ethical issues. Lee Terry caught lying about his opponent and canceling the ad he used that lie in. Lee Terry’s been in Congress longer than Obama’s been President, yet Lee Terry’s votes have contributed to at least $10 trillion of our nation’s debt. Republicans seem to have a lot of ethical issues. No wonder local conservatives are running ignorant campaigns!

  • ProgressiveOasis

    Oh yes, the left wing is just so crappy. The GOP caused the debt, the Bush years contributed to $10 Trillion of it and Lee Terry voted for the programs and tax breaks for the rich that led to most of the debt we have now. Den Fischer doesn’t even care about Omaha. She cares about her ranch. her welfare ranching on that ranch and her access to other people’s land.

  • ProgressiveOasis

    Bob Kerrey is more “across the aisle” than Deb Fischer’s pledges will ever allow her to be.

  • ProgressiveOasis

    I don’t remember Deb Fischer being drafted for war. When did Deb Fischer serve her country anyway?

  • Fetus1

    Progressive is identified with pelosi hardly an example of the USA Americans.

  • Fetus1

    I think there is something pelosi about oasis.

  • Fetus1

    obama will be lucky to carry 7 states and will get less then 35% of the votes. and kerrey will go back to New York

  • ProgressiveOasis

    And every American can remember that time they were a fetus. Too bad the GOP doesn’t care if that fetus turns out to gay, black or progressive. So much for life.

  • ProgressiveOasis

    Right, the Democrats are really dying, especially in the two biggest cities where its growing. Good one. The more the two progressive oases of Lincoln and Omaha grow, the stronger the Democrats will get. Before too long the tri-cities will be Demcoratic strongholds too. Progressive issues are going to start dominating the Unicam. Deal with it. Gget ready to move to Wyoming, Dan.

  • Dan

    Oasis, you’re like a monkey throwing its own feces, but if you wanna get into specifics
    1. Dems are barely breaking even in omaha, and kerrey is losing 55-43 in lincoln, registration numbers in 2000 for this state was about 44/41 repub/dem, now its 50/38 according to gallup, so it looks to me that indeed the democrat party is slipping in this state.
    2. The two wars, which kerrey supported btw, have cost about 1.5 tril, so the 10 tril number you spout is pure bs.
    3. Please explain to us how tax breaks for the rich caused the debt, and include specifics, including defining “rich” and how you came to your conclusions for how exactly those rich people stole from the poor as i assume you are going to claim. It’s sorta like by my refusing to pay for a womans birth control, somehow that means I’m denying her access to birth control, please anyone explain that logic.
    I can go on, but it’s tiring to argue with useful idiots as karl marx called you.

  • Dan

    And it proves how bad a shape that the dem party is in this state that the only guy they could dredge up in this race is an old ny liberal retread has-been, running against a politicial newbie, and he’s STILL getting stomped.

  • sickinne

    Kerry needs to go back to New York, he does not care about Nebraska. He had to buy a house so he could run, bet he is still living in his New York mansion. Neighbors have said his wife refuses to live in Nebraska, Lets fact check that. He has taken enough $$ from this state. Go home to New York, or wherever you have called home the last 10 years. We don’t want you.

  • Watching_From_Lincoln

    Yeah, Dilbit Deb has broken at least three of the Ten Commandments in her dealings with her Good Samaritan neighbors, the Kimes – Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbors, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s belongings, Thou shalt not take the Lord’s name in vain (the lawsuit is a sworn document), and let’s not forget Thou shalt not Steal!

  • Watching_From_Lincoln

    Your # 2 is wrong. Take it from somebody who was involved with the logistical planning of the Theater Operations of Desert Shield/Storm. THAT operation cost the U.S. approximately $1T for the year we were involved, with a large part of it reimbursed back to us by our coalition allies, mainly Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

    Extrapolating from 1991 dollars to now, the “war” in Iraq, Operation Freedom, cost the U.S. approximately $1T while we had full combat (armor, air, etc) forces in country, and approximately $600B PER YEAR for the forces we had in Iraq following the “victory”. Let us not forget the invasion of Afghanistan, either. That little adventure cost the U.S. $500B PER YEAR until Bush the Lesser had a case of AADD and dropped the ball to invade Iraq on the lies of WMD (and the reality of enriching Darth Cheney and himself securing the world’s third largest known oil reserves for Big Oil). Now operations in Afghanistan are back full on, it is costing the U. S. $600B PER YEAR. Add it up, and throw in the unfunded Medicare Prescription expansion passed under Bush the Lesser’s watch combined with the $100B PER YEAR in lost revenue from the Bush Tax Cuts to the Wealthy and now you have the $10T in deficits the Bush Administration ran up and added to the National Debt!

    Dan, you are a useful, ignorant tool to the Kochs and oligarchs who would use you as a pawn to turn this country into a fascist state – that is one in which the Corporations are essentially the government. Use a real dictionary, not Flush Rimjob’s rantings of a lunatic.

  • Watching_From_Lincoln

    Take that REAL carpetbagger, Jeff Fortenberry with you in that case!