I have met Senator Groene more than once over the years. I can tell, he is deeply embarrassed by his actions. I understand he wants to resign, but he should not. Perhaps the emails were very crude, but overall it is just plain juvenile and petty. Yes, he should apologize (he did) and perhaps accept censure, but he should serve out his term. Wear the leftists down, by refusing to leave.
Of course, the Governor wants him to resign, but this is because the Governor has the power to appoint a senator to replace Groene. If Groene was a Democrat, the woman probably would have been discouraged by progressives from filing a complaint. If Groene was a Democrat, his fellow Democrats would work to find a way for him to stay in office. But, because he is a conservative, Republicans are happy to boot him out the door. If Groene was a Democrat, citizens would demand senators have better cybersecurity and training, as I did years ago.
Speaker Mike Hilgers needs to audit the senators’ laptops and move to have senators better trained on computer security. There needs to be a set of expected practices and processes to review the laptops and their use. This should also include training on the use of social media. Years ago, Sen. Bill Kintner suffered a similar event but also a more devastating extortion attempt. The lesson is always the same. Don’t say on a computer what you are not willing to say in public. The difference between private and public should always be in forefront when using public devices or using such devices in public. In addition, the laptops should be configured in such a way as to determine how they are being used and this should be done, merely for the point of having a public record of their use. Of course, Senators are likely to reject such incursion but improvements can be made and senators can always use their own devices.
To another point, my social conservative friends tend to be optimistic about the human condition. Yes, people are basically good, but people are basically weak. Virtues are necessary and many people do not have them, such as fortitude, patience, honesty and courage. Biology pulls them under.
I remember as a small child when I lost my two front teeth and new teeth started to come in. My friend and I were in a new class. He wanted to go somewhere and was proficient in riding a bicycle and he wanted me to walk with him. To where, I did not know. We went up one block, and down the next and up another. I became worried but he said we were almost there. He was not afraid of anything. Not even girl cooties. We arrived at a house and he walked up to the door and knocked, asking about the girl who lived there. She was our classmate and he had a very hard crush on her. How he got her address, I can only suspect. She was not home, so we went home and I never bothered sharing the story with anyone. Never teased him for liking a “cootie infected” girl. It was just one of those male moments you tolerate, forgive, reminiscent and sometimes forget.
Senator Groene, I forgive you, but stay in the fight. Please email the Senator at mgroene@leg.ne.gov and encourage him to stay.
Also, email Speaker Hilgers at mhilgers@leg.ne.gov and share with him my post I have here.