Four Nebraska state senators on Tuesday announced the establishment of the Herbster Victim Witness Fund. Senators Rita Sanders, Lou Ann Linehan, Joni Albrecht, and Suzanne Geist said the fund was set up to support victims of Herbster and witnesses who may incur legal costs from coming forward.
One of Herbster's accusers is fellow senator Julie Slama. Herbster has denied all the allegations and has filed a defamation lawsuit against Slama. Two of the senators at Tuesday's new conference said they have been contacted by Herbster's legal team. Senator Geist said she was one of the senators to receive a letter from Herbster's lawyers, and said she was not going to be intimidated into staying silent.
The website also is asking anyone else who has been a victim or has witnessed anything to leave information on the website.
In response to the news conference, Herbster's communications director sent out a news release that said in part:
"This is just another attempt by the Jim Pillen campaign and Ricketts establishment machine to sling mud at Charles W. Herbster before the May 10th primary election. All four Senators have been financially supported by Governor Ricketts in the past and were early supporters of Jim Pillen."