Felony Charge Filed in Nebraska Over Fraudulent Medical Marijuana Petition Signatures
09/20/2024
Hall County Attorney Martin Klein and Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers have announced a felony charge in connection with fraudulent signatures on petitions supporting the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Regulation and Medical Cannabis Patient Protection.
The case centers around Michael Egbert of Grand Island, who has been charged with false swearing into a circulator’s affidavit—a Class IV felony. If convicted, Egbert could face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. His arraignment is scheduled for October 2 at 1:30 p.m.
The investigation began when Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet noticed irregularities in some of the petition signatures during the verification process. Several signatures were found to be incorrectly spelled, included wrong birthdates, or belonged to deceased individuals. All the suspected fraudulent signatures were traced back to Egbert, who worked as a petition circulator for the initiative.
Attorney General Hilgers emphasized the importance of maintaining election integrity, especially as Nebraska heads into the upcoming election season. “Nebraskans expect secure elections. Election and law enforcement officials are working together to identify and investigate any fraudulent activity,” Hilgers stated.
Meanwhile, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), the group behind the petitions, reaffirmed their commitment to legal compliance. “Circulators are held to an extremely high standard and are required to strictly follow all legal requirements for collecting signatures,” said Christa Eggers of NMM. The group condemned any illegal activities, calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
The medical marijuana petitions remain eligible to be presented to voters in November, pending certification by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen. However, a separate lawsuit was filed in Lancaster County challenging the petitions' validity due to both fraudulent signatures and alleged obstruction of access to petition documents in some counties. The outcome of this lawsuit may further affect the petition's future.
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The case centers around Michael Egbert of Grand Island, who has been charged with false swearing into a circulator’s affidavit—a Class IV felony. If convicted, Egbert could face up to two years in prison or a fine of up to $10,000. His arraignment is scheduled for October 2 at 1:30 p.m.
The investigation began when Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet noticed irregularities in some of the petition signatures during the verification process. Several signatures were found to be incorrectly spelled, included wrong birthdates, or belonged to deceased individuals. All the suspected fraudulent signatures were traced back to Egbert, who worked as a petition circulator for the initiative.
Attorney General Hilgers emphasized the importance of maintaining election integrity, especially as Nebraska heads into the upcoming election season. “Nebraskans expect secure elections. Election and law enforcement officials are working together to identify and investigate any fraudulent activity,” Hilgers stated.
Meanwhile, Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana (NMM), the group behind the petitions, reaffirmed their commitment to legal compliance. “Circulators are held to an extremely high standard and are required to strictly follow all legal requirements for collecting signatures,” said Christa Eggers of NMM. The group condemned any illegal activities, calling for those responsible to be held accountable.
The medical marijuana petitions remain eligible to be presented to voters in November, pending certification by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen. However, a separate lawsuit was filed in Lancaster County challenging the petitions' validity due to both fraudulent signatures and alleged obstruction of access to petition documents in some counties. The outcome of this lawsuit may further affect the petition's future.
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