An outside investigator found that a Nebraska lawmaker violated the Legislature's workforce sexual harassment policy by invoking a colleague's name while reading a graphic account of rape on the floor of the Legislature. The lawmaker, a Republican state senator, was issued a letter of reprimand by the Legislature's governing board.
The incident occurred during a debate on a bill related to school librarians and teachers providing 'obscene material' to students. The lawmaker in question repeatedly called out the name of a Democratic state senator while reading from a best-selling memoir, causing distress to the targeted lawmaker and others in the chamber.
The report released by the investigator stated that the remarks made by the lawmaker were reprehensible and violated the workplace harassment policy. The investigator highlighted that such conduct could lead to a hostile work environment.
While some lawmakers criticized the decision to issue a reprimand instead of pursuing a censure vote by the full body, others expressed support for the targeted lawmaker and condemned the offensive remarks. Calls for accountability and rule changes within the Legislature were also made in response to the incident.
The targeted lawmaker thanked colleagues who defended her and spoke out against the offensive comments. She also called out those who remained silent or defended the lawmaker in question, labeling their actions as morally bankrupt.
Looking ahead, a lawmaker plans to introduce a rule change to allow more time for objections to be raised regarding language used in floor speeches. The aim is to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
