Due in part to the efforts of Jack Gould and Common Cause Nebraska, proponents of campaign finance reform won a great victory last week. On Friday, suspended University of Nebraska Regent David Hergert was convicted of impeachment charges by the Nebraska Supreme Court. Hergert, the second official in the U.S. removed for campaign finance laws, was found guilty of falsely reporting campaign funds and obstructing government operations. The conviction stemmed from the 2004 election, when he underreported what he had planned to spend, thus depriving incumbent Don Blank of matching funds per Nebraska campaign finance law.

Candidates for Nebraska state offices have voluntary spending caps. The cap for regent races is $25,000 for the primary and $50,000 overall. When a candidate exceeds the spending cap, matching public funds are triggered for the opposing candidate. In the 2004 campaign, Hergert underreported his primary election spending and used his surplus funds to run an aggressive campaign versus his opponent in the closing days of the election.

The ruling by the state Supreme Court is a great victory for campaign finance reform. Here are links to three articles on the decision: An article on the decision by the Nebraska Supreme Court; the Hergert Case Timeline; and an article on what this means for advocates of campaign finance reform. To Mr. Gould and everyone involved in Nebraska, congratulations on a job well done.