The Slama-Herbster Scandal Continues
The Slama-Herbster Scandal Continues
What of Slama's Two-Faced Claims?
“Early on, when I got into politics at age 22 in Nebraska, I was groped at a political event by someone who is not a member of this body and not a current or former office-holder,” Slama said in her floor speech. “I buried it, because I had gone through a worse trauma in college and tried to minimize it, just as I try to minimize it when I’ve been touched inappropriately on this floor and in committee by members of this body.”
Senator Slama’s allegations against Charles Herbster continue to bait people into heated debates. Lots of people are skating on thin ice at the same time. I, personally, am being slammed in the World Herald's Public Pulse and hate the topic. Yet, Senator Slama was single and in her 20s and in need of money. Herbster is an old widower and millionaire. Both are attending a political fundraiser. Anyone could write the script which is why Senator Slama’s clothes are a valid concern over motive, although small may be the concern over clothes.
However, Senator Slama’s quote should raise more concerns about sexual harassment as if it is merely being used as a political commodity. She has not accused any state senators.... yet. She is being two-faced about sexual harassment. Apparently, one form of sexual harassment can be ignored as not politically useful, while another must be announced for political gain. In doing so, she has managed to gain support from other state senators but not Megan Hunt, Machaela Cavanaugh, or Carol Blood. Instead, four women state senators, all Republican, have come to Senator Slama’s defense, and like Senator Slama, they all endorsed Jim Pillen for Governor (https://herbstervictimwitnessfund.com/). I, for some reason, expected all these senators to endorse Thibodeau or choose a variety of candidates, but I failed.
To make matters worse, Theresa Thibodeau was Chair of the Douglas County Republican Party at the time of the alleged assault at the Elephants Remember event in 2019, but none of the people making these allegations brought their concerns to her.
Thibodeau is nice and listens and she is not intimidating at all, in part because she is short. I can understand why victims might not want to speak out but not the alleged witnesses. They had a responsibility to speak to her. Thibodeau would have taken the allegations seriously and done something, but she never had the opportunity to do so. This is blatantly unfair to her. Thibodeau and her campaign is under a shadow over Herbster. Had she been told about Herbster's bad acts, perhaps things would be radically different for her. In the end, we all suffer as Nebraska will elect a governor on the least common denominator of: they didn't sexually assault anyone.
I am not alone in having concerns. Mary Jane Truemper, President of the Omaha Liberty Ladies, LLC also has spoken out. See her article at Cornhustker Guardian at this link:
Nebraska Freedom Coalition shared evidence on this scandal on their website at link below: