Author

Political reporter Aaron Sanderford has tackled various news roles in his 20-plus year career. He has reported on politics, crime, courts, government and business for the Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal-Star. He also worked as an assignment editor and editorial writer. He was an investigative reporter at KMTV.
Ricketts, House GOP leader, Speaker call on Fortenberry to resign
By: Paul Hammel and Aaron Sanderford - March 25, 2022
LOS ANGELES — Gov. Pete Ricketts, the Republican leader in the U.S. House and the House Speaker called Friday for U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry to resign, following his conviction for lying to federal investigators and trying to conceal illegal campaign donations. “I hope Jeff Fortenberry will do the right thing and resign so his constituents […]
Herbster goes off script in governor debate; Lindstrom stays on; Thibodeau attacks
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 24, 2022
LINCOLN — Four Republicans running to be Nebraska’s next governor stood on a soundstage Thursday and answered questions from reporters for an hour on live television statewide. That they did so is rarely news. But Thursday’s event, hosted by Nebraska Public Media, was the first and perhaps only debate of this GOP primary race. And […]
Fight is still on for Nebraska’s shot at millions of dollars in federal rent and utility aid
By: Aaron Sanderford and Cindy Gonzalez - March 24, 2022
LINCOLN — The Legislature’s push to collect at least part of $120 million in federal rental aid that Congress set aside for Nebraska — and that Gov. Pete Ricketts rejected — remains very much alive. That’s the word Thursday, a day after 26 state lawmakers passed a bill that would force the governor to apply for […]
Bill forcing Nebraska to seek $120 million in rental aid passes, but funds in peril
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 23, 2022
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Legislature mustered 26 votes Wednesday to force the state to apply for $120 million in federal funds for rental assistance that Gov. Pete Ricketts has opposed. But the state’s renters and landlords would get none of the funds unless Ricketts changes his mind or the federal government changes its rules to […]
Push for additional Nebraska rental assistance heads to final vote
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 22, 2022
LINCOLN — The Legislature plans to vote Wednesday on whether to force Nebraska to apply for $120 million in federal rental assistance funds that Gov. Pete Ricketts has resisted. The question is whether senators secure the 30th vote necessary to override a possible veto by the governor. Ricketts wouldn’t share his plans during a news […]
Massive income, corporate and property tax relief package finds a way forward
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 22, 2022
LINCOLN — State senators pushing for a grand bargain on tax relief appear to have found a path past threatened filibusters to craft a package that would cut Nebraska’s top income tax and corporate tax rates and offset property taxes paid to community colleges. The Legislature’s Revenue Committee settled Tuesday on a plan to combine […]
Sen. John Cavanaugh plans filibuster of tax relief package without changes
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 22, 2022
LINCOLN — State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha said Tuesday that he wants his colleagues to stop tinkering with Nebraska’s tax rate on top earners and instead hand middle-class folks $200 on a debit card. Cavanaugh discussed his direct refund proposal during an OpenSky Institute news conference Tuesday. He said he plans to filibuster the […]
Sasse sends 11th-hour letter to get WWII hero French into post office bill
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 21, 2022
OMAHA — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse’s office said Monday that the effort by Nebraska congressional colleagues to rename the Benson branch post office after a Navy World War II hero with Omaha ties now has what it needs to advance. Sasse spokesman Taylor Sliva confirmed that Sasse wrote a letter of support Monday to the […]
Sasse has Tuesday deadline to get post office named for Omaha WWII hero
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 20, 2022
OMAHA — The last hurdle preventing the naming of the Benson branch post office for World War II hero Charles Jackson French is a signature from U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. The rest of Nebraska’s congressional delegation have been involved in a months-long effort to honor French, who lived in Omaha when he enlisted. The […]
Polls: Herbster leads GOP race while Pillen, Lindstrom are nearly tied for second place
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 19, 2022
OMAHA — New polls from competing GOP campaigns for governor show three contenders and enough undecided voters to swing the race three ways, one month before early ballots go in the mail. A poll for Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster’s campaign indicated he led University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen by 9%: 27% to 18%. […]
Dark money ads hit Herbster and Lindstrom in Nebraska governor’s race
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 19, 2022
OMAHA — The first dark money dropped into Nebraska’s governor’s race Friday, with a pair of TV ads attacking two of the contest’s top three Republican candidates. Dark money group Conservative Nebraska funded a TV ad calling Conklin Co. CEO Charles Herbster a “Missouri millionaire” who does business out of state and pays his property […]
Is Fortenberry’s team fibbing about why he’s missing votes?
By: Aaron Sanderford - March 17, 2022
LINCOLN — Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, R-Neb., might not be telling congressional administrators the whole truth about why someone else is casting his votes in the U.S. House. Fortenberry is in Los Angeles this week for his trial in U.S. District Court on felony criminal charges of lying to or misleading federal investigators about foreign funds […]