Commission won't pursue complaint against Chambers

Oct. 21, 2016, 2:13 a.m. ·

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A sample of Sen. Ernie Chambers' pieces concerning Sen. Bill Kintner. (Photo by Fred Knapp, NET News)

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The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission decided Friday not to proceed with a complaint against Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers.


The complaint against Chambers was based on Chambers’ response to a complaint against another senator – Bill Kintner of Papillion. Kintner acknowledged using his state computer for cybersex and was fined $1,000 in August. But Kintner resisted calls to resign.

That led Chambers to create a series of poems, drawings and annotated newspaper clippings that he issued and mailed to senators and newspapers on his legislative stationary. Andrew Sullivan of Omaha complained Chambers was misusing public resources. Neither was present at Friday’s discussion.

Secretary of State John Gale said Chambers, like Gov. Pete Ricketts and other senators, was participating in the public discussion of whether Kintner should resign. And Gale compared it to Chambers often-successful ethics complaints against judges and others.

“He’s always been – maybe self-proclaimed but nevertheless -- a leading voice over the years of a very high standard of conduct, despite his ability to be abusive and controversial on the floor of the Senate (sic) or even in public,” Gale said.

Chambers writings have included scornful taunts about Kintner saying God wants him to stay in the Legislature, as well as salacious details from Kintner’s Skype encounter.

Commission vice chair Sean Conway said whether Chambers writings were crass or constructive, they were part of the public debate. “I think as a commission we’re not the etiquette police,” Conway said.

The Commission then voted without dissent to dismiss the complaint, saying there was no evidence Chambers used public resources for a non-public purpose.