A federal appeals court ruled in favor of reversing former Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction for lying to the FBI. Fortenberry, who served nine terms for Nebraska’s first congressional district, was convicted last year of three federal felonies for lying to the FBI about a 2016 foreign campaign contribution.He served no jail time and was sentenced to two years of probation.In a ruling filed Tuesday, a panel of judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the conviction, stating his trial happened “in a state where no charged crime was committed.”The charges against Fortenberry were filed in California — where the federal agents were based, but the statements were made in person in Nebraska and Washington, D.C., according to court documents.”Fortenberry’s convictions are reversed so that he may be retried, if at all, in a proper venue,” the judges wrote in their ruling.Read more: Federal appeals court ruling on Jeff Fortenberry’s convictionPatricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, declined to comment on the ruling’s potential impact for federal prosecutors in Washington.”We cannot comment on matters where we don’t have charges filed,” she said in an email to the Associated Press Tuesday.A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska did not immediately return a phone message to the Associated Press.Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, said in a statement that prosecutors are evaluating the next steps.“The ruling does not preclude a retrial on the charges that then-Congressman Fortenberry made multiple false statements to federal agents. We are evaluating potential next steps before deciding how best to move forward,” Mrozek said.Fortenberry and his wife, Celeste Fortenberry, praised the court’s decision.“We are gratified by the Ninth Circuit’s decision,” Jeff Fortenberry said in a statement. “Celeste and I would like to thank everyone who has stood by us and supported us with their kindness and friendship.”This report includes information from the Associated PressClick here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7
A federal appeals court ruled in favor of reversing former Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction for lying to the FBI.
Fortenberry, who served nine terms for Nebraska’s first congressional district, was convicted last year of three federal felonies for lying to the FBI about a 2016 foreign campaign contribution.
He served no jail time and was sentenced to two years of probation.
In a ruling filed Tuesday, a panel of judges for the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed the conviction, stating his trial happened “in a state where no charged crime was committed.”
The charges against Fortenberry were filed in California — where the federal agents were based, but the statements were made in person in Nebraska and Washington, D.C., according to court documents.
“Fortenberry’s convictions are reversed so that he may be retried, if at all, in a proper venue,” the judges wrote in their ruling.
Read more: Federal appeals court ruling on Jeff Fortenberry’s conviction
Patricia Hartman, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, declined to comment on the ruling’s potential impact for federal prosecutors in Washington.
“We cannot comment on matters where we don’t have charges filed,” she said in an email to the Associated Press Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska did not immediately return a phone message to the Associated Press.
Thom Mrozek, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, said in a statement that prosecutors are evaluating the next steps.
“The ruling does not preclude a retrial on the charges that then-Congressman Fortenberry made multiple false statements to federal agents. We are evaluating potential next steps before deciding how best to move forward,” Mrozek said.
Fortenberry and his wife, Celeste Fortenberry, praised the court’s decision.
“We are gratified by the Ninth Circuit’s decision,” Jeff Fortenberry said in a statement. “Celeste and I would like to thank everyone who has stood by us and supported us with their kindness and friendship.”
This report includes information from the Associated Press
Click here for the latest headlines from KETV NewsWatch 7