Jury selection to start in Nebraska congressman’s trial

By GRANT SCHULTE
Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Jury selection begins Wednesday in the trial of a little-known Republican congressman from Nebraska who’s accused of lying to federal authorities about illegal campaign contributions from a Nigerian billionaire. U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry faces a high-stakes trial in Los Angeles that could cost him his job and his freedom. The nine-term congressman faces allegations that he lied to federal investigators about an illegal 2016 contribution to his campaign from a foreign national and didn’t properly disclose it in campaign filings. He’s also running for a reelection at a time when many prominent Nebraska Republicans have already abandoned him ahead of the state’s May 10 primary.