'I was like Jesus Christ': Republican feels vindicated after avoiding charges for creeping on staffer

State Sen. Mike Groene of North Platte will not be prosecuted for taking photos of a female staffer without her knowledge, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office said Thursday.

Attorney General Doug Peterson’s spokeswoman, Suzanne Gage, said a Nebraska State Patrol investigation found “insufficient evidence to warrant a criminal prosecution.”

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha. (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)

Groene, reached Thursday, said he has been “vindicated.” He said his ordeal was “trumped up, over-exaggerated” and the result of a rush to judgment “because of pictures I took in public.”

“It was a kangaroo court,” Groene said. “I was like Jesus Christ. I couldn’t fight it. You asked if I regret anything. I regret resigning. I should’ve stood toe-to-toe.”

The staffer has said that while she was working on the senator’s laptop, she discovered about 50 photos of herself in his email. One was labeled “legs.” Another was labeled “rear tight.”

Groene has said in previous interviews that he had apologized to his then-aide, Kristina Konecko, for taking pictures of her without her permission. He also said he had deleted the photos.

On Thursday, he said he hopes Konecko loses her job in the Legislature. He argued that she went through his private email without permission, although Groene and Konecko have previously told the Nebraska Examiner that she did have his permission.

She did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. Human resources professionals from the private sector have told state senators the staffer was right to report the photos.

A report written for the Legislature by a lawyer found no clear violation of legislative policy on sexual harassment, but it described Groene’s behavior as unprofessional and inappropriate.

Groene, asked whether he thought he had done anything wrong, responded, “Why? It’s a free country. I can take a picture of somebody walking down the street. I didn’t take any pictures to harass somebody.”

Groene said he was waiting for an apology from State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha for accusing him of wrongdoing. Hunt had requested an investigation of the incident to determine whether any laws were broken.

Hunt offered no comment Thursday on the decision by the Attorney General’s Office. She said Groene’s actions did help many in the Legislature realize that senators need to update their policies.

Lawmakers need to work proactively to “ensure safety for Nebraskans here in the Capitol, whether they are staff or visitors or members,” Hunt said.

“There is an opportunity here for staff and members … to share their experiences with workplace harassment, adopt best practices, hold ourselves to a better standard,” she said.

Groene said Hunt and many of his other colleagues politically assassinated his character. But he saved his sharpest criticism for Gov. Pete Ricketts, whom he said pressured him to quit.

Groene said the governor and other Republicans were looking for excuses to oust him because he’s a “populist.” The governor, he said, knew Groene didn’t support an income tax cut. The governor has said the reason he called for Groene to resign is because of the senator’s behavior.

Groene criticized his legislative colleagues for lacking courage.

He said he is finished with politics. He said he went to Lincoln “like Mr. Smith going to Washington.” He left knowing he’d never go back into that “evil arena” again.

“The cowards I called my friends wouldn’t help me,” he said. “(Sens. Dan) Hughes and (Mike) Hilgers just wanted it gone. That man (Hilgers) shouldn’t be AG. I had no defense.”

Hilgers declined to comment.

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