Nebraska Dems Call on Senate Nominee to Drop Out in Sexual-Harassment Scandal
The Democratic nominee in Nebraska’s Senate race is facing calls from his own party to step down following the revelation that he made a series of sexually explicit comments to and about a female staffer.
The Nebraska Democratic Party’s Executive Committee voted unanimously on Monday to withdraw all resources from the nominee, Chris Janicek, who owns a cupcake bakery in Omaha. In a series of text messages sent to a group of seven people, including the female staffer, he argued with her and then speculated whether the campaign should devote money to “getting her laid.”
“It will probably take three guys,” Janicek wrote, and then described an imagined group-sex scene involving the staffer in graphic detail, according to the AP.
“You are my boss and a candidate running for Senate, (an) office held by just 100 Americans representing approximately 330 million of her people,” the staffer wrote back. “There is zero tolerance for what you said.”
Janicek apologized for his comments, but told the AP he would not drop out of the race. The campaign of incumbent Republican Ben Sasse did not immediately comment on the incident.
“Our party will not extend resources or any type of support to any candidate that violates our code of conduct and doesn’t treat men and women with the dignity and respect they deserve,” Nebraska Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kleeb said in a statement.
“Anyone who reads the text knows that Janicek should not be a candidate for high office,” said Vince Powers, a Democratic activist and lawyer for the staffer. “My client has done nothing wrong, and by prolonging the inevitable [Janicek has] only made it worse.”
