Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster, who loves wearing cowboy costumes on the campaign trail almost as much as he loves authoritarian ex-presidents, has been accused of groping a GOP state senator and seven other women, reports the Nebraska Examiner.
During an event in 2019, for example, Republican State Sen. Julie Slama confirmed that as she walked by Herbster, he reached up her skirt, without her consent, and touched her inappropriately. The incident happened in the middle of a crowded ballroom at the Douglas County Republican Party's annual Elephant Remembers dinner.
At the time, Slama had been recently appointed to the District 1 legislative seat representing southeast Nebraska. Herbster owns a farm and a house in the district.
Another person attending the 2019 event saw Herbster reach up Slama's skirt and had told the Examiner about it. That witness and two others said they saw Herbster grope another young woman on her buttocks at the same event.
The Nebraska Examiner said it "corroborated six of the women's accounts with at least one witness to each incident. The other two women told at least one person about the incident on the same day it occurred. Each witness and confidant confirmed the women's description of what happened."
Herbster's campaign manager, Ellen Keast, said Slama and the other seven women are liars. In a statement she said, "this is a political hit-piece built on 100% false and baseless claims," she said, accusing the "political establishment" for "smearing and trying to destroy him with lies."
