<i>By Clark Kauffman | <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/20/lawsuit-claims-farm-bureau-hid-fraudulent-activity-from-insurance-regulators/">Nebraska Examiner</a></i>

DES MOINES — Two alleged whistleblowers are suing Farm Bureau Property &amp; Casualty Insurance Co. and its affiliates for alleged racketeering, wrongful termination and concealment of information from state regulators.

The lawsuit alleges Farm Bureau officials repeatedly concealed from regulators in Iowa and other states instances of fraudulent activity committed by company agents or employees. The defendants’ conduct in the matter amounts to racketeering, obstruction of justice, and mail fraud or wire fraud, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit was filed by James Newton and Brent Meskimen, former police officers who later became special investigators for Farm Bureau. They are suing Farm Bureau Property &amp; Casualty Insurance Co., FBL Financial Group, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and the West Des Moines law firm of Wickham &amp; Geadelmann in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Also named as defendants in the case are several Farm Bureau executives and attorneys.

The lawsuit claims Farm Bureau officials “engaged in a scheme to defraud insurance policyholders, insurance and other governmental regulatory authorities, and other participants in the insurance industry who are complying with their mandatory duty of reporting fraud and other fraudulent or other illegal acts.”

It also claims the defendants violated Iowa’s law on the wrongful discharge of employees in violation of public policy. That law prohibits the termination of employees for refusing to participate in illegal conduct or for acting as whistleblowers by reporting or objecting to illegal conduct.

The defendants in the case have yet to file a response to the lawsuit. Calls to Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Financial Services and the law firm of Wickham &amp; Geadelmann were not immediately returned Wednesday.

The lawsuit claims that as far back as 2011, Farm Bureau officials failed to report to state regulators evidence of fraudulent activity within the company, but the “straw that broke the camel’s back” was an insurance adjuster’s alleged break-in on a policyholder’s property.

According to the lawsuit, a residential fire occurred at the policyholder’s Nebraska residence on May 5, 2023, and the policyholder immediately filed a claim for losses.

In the course of investigating the claim, Farm Bureau’s Special Investigation Unit learned that an adjuster working for the company had used a credit card to pick the lock of the policyholder’s garage near the scene of the fire to determine whether it contained items the insured claimed as being lost in the fire, the lawsuit alleges.

Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Farm Bureau’s general counsel, Wickham, and advised him Farm Bureau had an obligation to inform the policyholder of the illegal access to their garage.

According to the lawsuit, the company’s assistant general counsel, Karl Olson, “eventually agreed” to allow Meskimen and Newton to meet with the policyholder and inform them of the illegal garage entry by the adjuster, but barred Meskimen and Newton from disclosing that two third-party vendors hired to investigate the claim had also been inside the garage.

The lawsuit claims Olson and Property Casualty Claims Vice President Anthony Kimmi then agreed that all “poisonous” documentation pertaining to the illegal entry, including photographs, should be placed in a separate file using a canceled insurance policy associated with a Minnesota policyholder who had no association at all with Nebraska fire.

After the new file was created for information about the garage, efforts were made to “lock down” the file to ensure limited access to its contents, and Kimmi directed the staff to suppress all printout capabilities from the file, the lawsuit alleges.

On June 9, 2023, Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Wickham, the general counsel, at the Farm Bureau home office in West Des Moines and reported that they “could no longer in good conscience be associated with this file,” the lawsuit claims, telling Wickham “it was wrong ethically and that it violated state statutes, claims best practices, Farm Bureau core values, doing what’s right, and that it could very well be criminal and could potentially violate privacy rights.”

According to the lawsuit, Wickham responded by saying he’d speak to Farm Bureau leadership “to make sure this never happens again,” to which Meskimen allegedly said the directive to create the file “came straight from General Counsel Wickham’s own assistant general counsel, Olson.”

After Newton, Meskimen and the Special Investigations Unit concluded fraud had been committed by the company, the findings were allegedly relayed to Paul Swinton, a vice president and assistant general counsel of property and casualty at FBL Financial Group, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims Swinton refused to forward “the significant majority of the findings” to regulators in Iowa and Nebraska for their review and investigation, despite mandatory-reporting requirements.

Lawsuit: State regulators kept in the dark

According to the lawsuit, the 2023 incident was not the first time Swinton and Newton clashed over information that wasn’t being shared with state regulators.

“Newton and Meskimen were often and continually directed not to make mandatory referrals to the appropriate Departments of Insurance for review and investigation by the appropriate insurance regulators in states where FBL Financial Group was operating and conducting business, including Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico,” the lawsuit alleges.

Among the alleged examples cited in the lawsuit:

The lawsuit alleges that while the unreported instances of fraudulent activity date back to 2011, it was the May 2023 garage break-in that “the tipping point for Newton and Meskimen.”

The lawsuit alleges that on Aug. 30, 2023, Newton had an in-person meeting with Wickham and insisted the information related to that case needed to be referred to the Nebraska Department of Insurance. “Wickham responded by telling Newton that if he made that referral his career would be over,” the lawsuit claims.

On Nov. 9, 2023, Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Karen Rieck, the vice president of human resources for Farm Bureau Financial Services, and voiced their concerns about the lack of referrals to state regulators.

A week later, Newton received a phone call from Wickham and Rieck, in which Wickham said Newton had “essentially resigned” by refusing to report directly to Swinton. The lawsuit alleges Newton indicated he had no problem reporting to Swinton but that if Swinton was not going to make the mandatory referrals related to fraud, he would do so himself.

“As a result, Newton was fired,” the lawsuit claims. Meskimen was allegedly fired five days later after telling his superiors that he, too, would make such referrals if they were required by law.

The lawsuit claims that shortly before the two men were fired they each were given positive performance reviews, with Newton described by his superiors as “one of the most well-respected employees in the organization” and Meskimen described as a trusted leader whose “integrity is beyond reproach.”

In addition to Swinton, Olson, Kimmi and Wickham, the named defendants in the lawsuit include Daniel Pitcher, chief executive officer of FBL Financial Group and Farm Bureau Financial Services, and Ronald Mead Jr., the chief operating officer for property casualty of FBL Financial Group and Farm Bureau Financial Services.

<p><i>By Clark Kauffman | <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/20/lawsuit-claims-farm-bureau-hid-fraudulent-activity-from-insurance-regulators/">Nebraska Examiner</a></i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763666192734.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DES MOINES — Two alleged whistleblowers are suing Farm Bureau Property &amp; Casualty Insurance Co. and its affiliates for alleged racketeering, wrongful termination and concealment of information from state regulators.</p><p>The lawsuit alleges Farm Bureau officials repeatedly concealed from regulators in Iowa and other states instances of fraudulent activity committed by company agents or employees. The defendants’ conduct in the matter amounts to racketeering, obstruction of justice, and mail fraud or wire fraud, the lawsuit claims.</p><p>The lawsuit was filed by James Newton and Brent Meskimen, former police officers who later became special investigators for Farm Bureau. They are suing Farm Bureau Property &amp; Casualty Insurance Co., FBL Financial Group, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and the West Des Moines law firm of Wickham &amp; Geadelmann in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Also named as defendants in the case are several Farm Bureau executives and attorneys.</p><p>The lawsuit claims Farm Bureau officials “engaged in a scheme to defraud insurance policyholders, insurance and other governmental regulatory authorities, and other participants in the insurance industry who are complying with their mandatory duty of reporting fraud and other fraudulent or other illegal acts.”</p><p>It also claims the defendants violated Iowa’s law on the wrongful discharge of employees in violation of public policy. That law prohibits the termination of employees for refusing to participate in illegal conduct or for acting as whistleblowers by reporting or objecting to illegal conduct.</p><p>The defendants in the case have yet to file a response to the lawsuit. Calls to Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Financial Services and the law firm of Wickham &amp; Geadelmann were not immediately returned Wednesday.</p><h2>Break-in at policyholder’s residence</h2><p>The lawsuit claims that as far back as 2011, Farm Bureau officials failed to report to state regulators evidence of fraudulent activity within the company, but the “straw that broke the camel’s back” was an insurance adjuster’s alleged break-in on a policyholder’s property.</p><p>According to the lawsuit, a residential fire occurred at the policyholder’s Nebraska residence on May 5, 2023, and the policyholder immediately filed a claim for losses.</p><p>In the course of investigating the claim, Farm Bureau’s Special Investigation Unit learned that an adjuster working for the company had used a credit card to pick the lock of the policyholder’s garage near the scene of the fire to determine whether it contained items the insured claimed as being lost in the fire, the lawsuit alleges.</p><p>Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Farm Bureau’s general counsel, Wickham, and advised him Farm Bureau had an obligation to inform the policyholder of the illegal access to their garage.</p><p>According to the lawsuit, the company’s assistant general counsel, Karl Olson, “eventually agreed” to allow Meskimen and Newton to meet with the policyholder and inform them of the illegal garage entry by the adjuster, but barred Meskimen and Newton from disclosing that two third-party vendors hired to investigate the claim had also been inside the garage.</p><p>The lawsuit claims Olson and Property Casualty Claims Vice President Anthony Kimmi then agreed that all “poisonous” documentation pertaining to the illegal entry, including photographs, should be placed in a separate file using a canceled insurance policy associated with a Minnesota policyholder who had no association at all with Nebraska fire.</p><p>After the new file was created for information about the garage, efforts were made to “lock down” the file to ensure limited access to its contents, and Kimmi directed the staff to suppress all printout capabilities from the file, the lawsuit alleges.</p><p>On June 9, 2023, Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Wickham, the general counsel, at the Farm Bureau home office in West Des Moines and reported that they “could no longer in good conscience be associated with this file,” the lawsuit claims, telling Wickham “it was wrong ethically and that it violated state statutes, claims best practices, Farm Bureau core values, doing what’s right, and that it could very well be criminal and could potentially violate privacy rights.”</p><p>According to the lawsuit, Wickham responded by saying he’d speak to Farm Bureau leadership “to make sure this never happens again,” to which Meskimen allegedly said the directive to create the file “came straight from General Counsel Wickham’s own assistant general counsel, Olson.”</p><p>After Newton, Meskimen and the Special Investigations Unit concluded fraud had been committed by the company, the findings were allegedly relayed to Paul Swinton, a vice president and assistant general counsel of property and casualty at FBL Financial Group, according to the lawsuit.</p><p>The lawsuit claims Swinton refused to forward “the significant majority of the findings” to regulators in Iowa and Nebraska for their review and investigation, despite mandatory-reporting requirements.</p><h2>Lawsuit: State regulators kept in the dark</h2><p>According to the lawsuit, the 2023 incident was not the first time Swinton and Newton clashed over information that wasn’t being shared with state regulators.</p><p>“Newton and Meskimen were often and continually directed not to make mandatory referrals to the appropriate Departments of Insurance for review and investigation by the appropriate insurance regulators in states where FBL Financial Group was operating and conducting business, including Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico,” the lawsuit alleges.</p><p>Among the alleged examples cited in the lawsuit:</p><ul>
                        <li>Forged signatures:&nbsp;In the spring of 2023, a Farm Bureau agent in Kansas admitted he had forged the signatures of approximately 50 of his policyholders, without their permission, over a period of three to four years, and that the forms contained false and misleading information to support of the clients’ insurance policy applications. Farm Bureau “refused to allow Newton and/or Meskimen to submit this admitted fraudulent conduct to the Kansas Department of Insurance,” the lawsuit alleges, despite a state law requiring such reporting.</li>
                    </ul><ul>
                        <li>Two fired agents:&nbsp;In 2022, Swinton refused to share information with regulators about two fired Farm Bureau agents. In one of the two cases, a Kansas agent admitted to having forged at least 900 various documents with clients’ signatures, allegedly with the clients’ consent, and another 100 documents without the clients’ consent. Swinton allegedly refused to share information with regulators about the two firings. The lawsuit claims that after Newton wrote in an annual report that he had concerns with such matters going unreported, Wickham “was furious” and instructed him to never put anything in writing like that again.</li>
                    </ul><ul>
                        <li>Fraudulent claim:&nbsp;In 2023, after a Farm Bureau agent was fired for filing a fraudulent claim on his own home in Utah, Swinton or others within the company refused to allow Newton and Meskimen to submit information on the agent’s conduct to the Utah Department of Insurance, despite a state law requiring such a referral.</li>
                    </ul><ul>
                        <li>Father’s altered policy:&nbsp;In 2018, the company’s Special Investigations Unit determined an Iowa agent had altered a customer’s policy after a fire so that the policy included a Ford Mustang that was consumed in the blaze. The customer was the agent’s father and a retired Farm Bureau agent. The lawsuit claims Swinton barred the unit from referring the incident to the Iowa Department of Insurance.</li>
                    </ul><h2>Newton and Meskimen are fired</h2><p>The lawsuit alleges that while the unreported instances of fraudulent activity date back to 2011, it was the May 2023 garage break-in that “the tipping point for Newton and Meskimen.”</p><p>The lawsuit alleges that on Aug. 30, 2023, Newton had an in-person meeting with Wickham and insisted the information related to that case needed to be referred to the Nebraska Department of Insurance. “Wickham responded by telling Newton that if he made that referral his career would be over,” the lawsuit claims.</p><p>On Nov. 9, 2023, Newton and Meskimen allegedly met with Karen Rieck, the vice president of human resources for Farm Bureau Financial Services, and voiced their concerns about the lack of referrals to state regulators.</p><p>A week later, Newton received a phone call from Wickham and Rieck, in which Wickham said Newton had “essentially resigned” by refusing to report directly to Swinton. The lawsuit alleges Newton indicated he had no problem reporting to Swinton but that if Swinton was not going to make the mandatory referrals related to fraud, he would do so himself.</p><p>“As a result, Newton was fired,” the lawsuit claims. Meskimen was allegedly fired five days later after telling his superiors that he, too, would make such referrals if they were required by law.</p><p>The lawsuit claims that shortly before the two men were fired they each were given positive performance reviews, with Newton described by his superiors as “one of the most well-respected employees in the organization” and Meskimen described as a trusted leader whose “integrity is beyond reproach.”</p><p>In addition to Swinton, Olson, Kimmi and Wickham, the named defendants in the lawsuit include Daniel Pitcher, chief executive officer of FBL Financial Group and Farm Bureau Financial Services, and Ronald Mead Jr., the chief operating officer for property casualty of FBL Financial Group and Farm Bureau Financial Services.</p>

Lawsuit claims Farm Bureau hid fraudulent activity from insurance regulators

State lawmakers now tasked with filling larger shortfall than they just filled earlier this year

LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers will begin their 60-day legislative session in January with a larger projected deficit than the hole they just filled during the 90-day session this year.

The new projected deficit stands at roughly $471 million, as confirmed by Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent during a meeting Thursday of the Nebraska Legislature’s Tax Rate Review Committee.

“I wish it was rosier, but we’ll figure it out,” said State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the committee’s chair, at the end of the meeting.

Lawmakers this spring grappled with a fluctuating deficit that at one point grew to $432 million. After some cuts, they ended the session with a projected surplus of about $4 million by the end of the biennium in 2027.

However, state senators left a structural deficit that would have grown to about $129 million by the end of the following biennium in 2029.

Shortly after the session ended, new estimates and revenue numbers pushed the current two-year budget back into a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/24/nebraska-is-back-in-a-projected-deficit-of-95-million-due-to-lower-tax-revenues/">projected shortfall of about $95 million</a>&nbsp;at the previous Tax Rate Review Committee meeting in July. That meeting also grew the next biennium’s projected deficit to $218 million.

Then,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/31/nebraskas-projected-budget-deficit-grows-to-451-million-after-new-forecasts/">at Nebraska’s Economic Forecasting Advisory Board’s latest meeting Oct. 31</a>, board members lowered predictions for expected state revenues by roughly $367 million over the next two fiscal years.

Those adjustments alone grew the shortfall to about $451 million. In addition, higher-than-expected obligations for community college aid and special education reimbursements brought the projected deficit to $471 million.

The next biennium’s projected deficit grew to at least $690 million, but Patent said it could be up to $1 billion more based on the forecasting board’s latest projections. She said she calculated the out-year deficit based on Nebraska’s historical revenue growth, which typically ebbs and flows every few years.

The state’s monthly tax receipts for 2025 have been a mixed bag, but overall monthly revenues have fallen below past forecasts. The latest receipts for October show a net gain of $311 million, which Patent said was modestly above the projections for that month.

Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista, who serves on the committee, noted that the state’s current trend of lower revenues can be explained in part by the Legislature’s decision in 2023 to gradually lower individual and corporate income tax rates, which subsequently lowered the state’s annual revenues. These reductions are slated to halt at 3.99% in 2027, at which point Arch said he expects to see more growth in Nebraska’s economy.

“It’s kind of a reset over a period of years as you lower the rates,” Patent said. “So that’s anticipated that we’d get back on trend with the economy.”

Another contributor to the deficit is the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Congress passed this summer. Nebraska’s Department of Revenue released a report in September estimating that the bill would cost Nebraska’s state government about $216 million over the next two fiscal years, which was factored into the latest forecast.

Patent’s report outlined an avenue for lawmakers to potentially lower the projected shortfall to about $311 million, based on state agencies’ mid-biennium budget requests. A majority of agencies requested budget reductions, which would total roughly $160 million in additional general fund dollars over both years, if lawmakers approve the requests as written.

Typically, Patent said she calculates for an extra $5 million in general fund spending through mid-biennium adjustments.

Appropriations Committee Chair State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, said he was surprised by a few of the budget requests asking for higher appropriations. The largest of these would cover the state’s Medicaid shortfall, with the Department of Health and Human Services requesting an extra $56.5 million for the current fiscal year, and $77.1 million for fiscal year 2026-27. Patent said the increase is linked to higher-than-expected utilization of the service.

<h2>State lawmakers now tasked with filling larger shortfall than they just filled earlier this year</h2><p><i>By Erin Bamer | Nebraska Examiner</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/arch_ZJW_103025-04-1536x1024.jpg" alt="&nbsp;State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, speaker of the Nebraska Legislature. Oct. 30, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, speaker of the Nebraska Legislature. Oct. 30, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers will begin their 60-day legislative session in January with a larger projected deficit than the hole they just filled during the 90-day session this year.</p><p>The new projected deficit stands at roughly $471 million, as confirmed by Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent during a meeting Thursday of the Nebraska Legislature’s Tax Rate Review Committee.</p><p>“I wish it was rosier, but we’ll figure it out,” said State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, the committee’s chair, at the end of the meeting.</p><p>Lawmakers this spring grappled with a fluctuating deficit that at one point grew to $432 million. After some cuts, they ended the session with a projected surplus of about $4 million by the end of the biennium in 2027.</p><p>However, state senators left a structural deficit that would have grown to about $129 million by the end of the following biennium in 2029.</p><p>Shortly after the session ended, new estimates and revenue numbers pushed the current two-year budget back into a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/07/24/nebraska-is-back-in-a-projected-deficit-of-95-million-due-to-lower-tax-revenues/">projected shortfall of about $95 million</a>&nbsp;at the previous Tax Rate Review Committee meeting in July. That meeting also grew the next biennium’s projected deficit to $218 million.</p><p>Then,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/10/31/nebraskas-projected-budget-deficit-grows-to-451-million-after-new-forecasts/">at Nebraska’s Economic Forecasting Advisory Board’s latest meeting Oct. 31</a>, board members lowered predictions for expected state revenues by roughly $367 million over the next two fiscal years.</p><p>Those adjustments alone grew the shortfall to about $451 million. In addition, higher-than-expected obligations for community college aid and special education reimbursements brought the projected deficit to $471 million.</p><p>The next biennium’s projected deficit grew to at least $690 million, but Patent said it could be up to $1 billion more based on the forecasting board’s latest projections. She said she calculated the out-year deficit based on Nebraska’s historical revenue growth, which typically ebbs and flows every few years.</p><p>The state’s monthly tax receipts for 2025 have been a mixed bag, but overall monthly revenues have fallen below past forecasts. The latest receipts for October show a net gain of $311 million, which Patent said was modestly above the projections for that month.</p><p>Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista, who serves on the committee, noted that the state’s current trend of lower revenues can be explained in part by the Legislature’s decision in 2023 to gradually lower individual and corporate income tax rates, which subsequently lowered the state’s annual revenues. These reductions are slated to halt at 3.99% in 2027, at which point Arch said he expects to see more growth in Nebraska’s economy.</p><p>“It’s kind of a reset over a period of years as you lower the rates,” Patent said. “So that’s anticipated that we’d get back on trend with the economy.”</p><p>Another contributor to the deficit is the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Congress passed this summer. Nebraska’s Department of Revenue released a report in September estimating that the bill would cost Nebraska’s state government about $216 million over the next two fiscal years, which was factored into the latest forecast.</p><p>Patent’s report outlined an avenue for lawmakers to potentially lower the projected shortfall to about $311 million, based on state agencies’ mid-biennium budget requests. A majority of agencies requested budget reductions, which would total roughly $160 million in additional general fund dollars over both years, if lawmakers approve the requests as written.</p><p>Typically, Patent said she calculates for an extra $5 million in general fund spending through mid-biennium adjustments.</p><p>Appropriations Committee Chair State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, said he was surprised by a few of the budget requests asking for higher appropriations. The largest of these would cover the state’s Medicaid shortfall, with the Department of Health and Human Services requesting an extra $56.5 million for the current fiscal year, and $77.1 million for fiscal year 2026-27. Patent said the increase is linked to higher-than-expected utilization of the service.</p>

Nebraska’s projected budget deficit grows to $471 million ahead of 2026 legislative session

<i>By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post</i><br>

Lincoln, Neb. — University of Nebraska track star Meghan Walker has officially signed a full-time developmental contract with WWE, moving from its NIL “Next In Line” program into the Performance Center/NXT system.&nbsp;

Walker, 21, had been part of WWE’s NIL cohort while competing as a Cornhusker sprinter. According to multiple reports, her new deal means she will now relocate to WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando to train full-time.&nbsp;

In college, Walker competes in the 200m and 400m events and has contributed to relay teams. Before <a href="https://huskers.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/season/2023-24/player/meghan-walker?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Nebraska</a>, she was a two-time state champion in high school track in Brandon, South Dakota.

Her path to WWE included a <a href="https://wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/university-nebraska-sprinter-meghan-walker-participated-wwe-tryouts-during-summerslam-week/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">tryout </a>during SummerSlam week, a key milestone that insiders say helped solidify her full-time contract. Walker’s signing is part of a broader talent push: she is one of <a href="https://www.ringsidenews.com/wwe-signs-three-new-full-time-nxt-talents/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">three new</a> developmental signees announced by WWE, joining Russian gymnast/pole dancer Jessica Bognadov and former Boise State running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio.&nbsp;

This move underscores WWE’s growing strategy of recruiting high-level collegiate athletes through its NIL program and transitioning them into its developmental system.

<p><i>By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post</i><br></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763606083729.png" alt="Meghan Walker, UNL track star, signs with WWE." />
                        <figcaption>Meghan Walker, UNL track star, signs with WWE.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Lincoln, Neb. — University of Nebraska track star Meghan Walker has officially signed a full-time developmental contract with WWE, moving from its NIL “Next In Line” program into the Performance Center/NXT system.&nbsp;</p><p>Walker, 21, had been part of WWE’s NIL cohort while competing as a Cornhusker sprinter. According to multiple reports, her new deal means she will now relocate to WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando to train full-time.&nbsp;</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL-h5fGPzw2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL-h5fGPzw2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DL-h5fGPzw2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by High Level (@highlevelmediasports)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>In college, Walker competes in the 200m and 400m events and has contributed to relay teams. Before <a href="https://huskers.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/season/2023-24/player/meghan-walker?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Nebraska</a>, she was a two-time state champion in high school track in Brandon, South Dakota.</p><p>Her path to WWE included a <a href="https://wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/university-nebraska-sprinter-meghan-walker-participated-wwe-tryouts-during-summerslam-week/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">tryout </a>during SummerSlam week, a key milestone that insiders say helped solidify her full-time contract. Walker’s signing is part of a broader talent push: she is one of <a href="https://www.ringsidenews.com/wwe-signs-three-new-full-time-nxt-talents/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">three new</a> developmental signees announced by WWE, joining Russian gymnast/pole dancer Jessica Bognadov and former Boise State running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio.&nbsp;</p><p>This move underscores WWE’s growing strategy of recruiting high-level collegiate athletes through its NIL program and transitioning them into its developmental system.</p>

Nebraska Sprinter Meghan Walker Signs Full-Time WWE Developmental Deal

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Epstein photo New York sex offender registry" />
                        <figcaption>Epstein photo New York sex offender registry</figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/1wOibgzIvg">pic.twitter.com/1wOibgzIvg</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1991315973425754570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump rips Dems as he signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein case files

<i>Dr. Klepser, who joined UNMC in 2005, will become the ninth dean of the college.</i>

Don Klepser, PhD, professor of pharmacy practice and science and interim dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy, has been named the permanent Joseph D. Williams Endowed Dean of the college, UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, announced.

Dr. Klepser will become the ninth dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at its December board meeting.

“I am pleased to appoint Dr. Klepser as dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy,” Dr. Davies said. “He has long been a trusted leader within the college, and a comprehensive review process reaffirmed the strong confidence our faculty, staff, students, alumni, internal and external peer deans and directors and community partners have in his ability to serve in this role. The feedback underscored Dr. Klepser's clear vision for the college’s future, and I am confident that under his leadership, we will continue to advance pharmacy education, research and patient care across Nebraska and beyond.

“I am grateful to everyone who participated in the review process and helped us reach this decision.”

As Dr. Davies noted, Dr. Klepser’s candidacy for the position was reviewed by a 14-person committee chaired by Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, dean and director of the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute. The process included focus group listening sessions and feedback from internal and external stakeholders.&nbsp;<a>Dr. Klepser had served as interim dean since January 2025 when Keith Olsen, PharmD, stepped down from the role</a>.

Dr. Klepser came to UNMC in 2005 and helped the medical center ascend to national leadership in point-of-care testing and diseases management service in community pharmacies, the expanded role for pharmacists in the changing health care environment, rural pharmacy access, cost containment and managed care benefit design. This work has not just brought praise in academic circles but also resulted in real benefits in underserved areas of rural and urban Nebraska.

Dr. Klepser is a former UNMC Distinguished Scientist who has built a 21-year career marked by steady advancement at the college of pharmacy. He served previously as senior associate dean for academic affairs and has taken on leadership roles in several initiatives, including pharmacy’s expansion to Kearney. He is also a graduate of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/provosts-office/academic-affairs/developing-excellence-in-academic-leaders-program" target="_blank">Nebraska University Developing Excellence in Academic Leaders (NU DEAL) Program</a>.&nbsp;He has been named both a Research Fellow and Academic Leadership Fellow by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.

“I see our college leading the way in transforming health,” Dr. Klepser said. “Not just in Nebraska but across the globe. We will achieve this by driving groundbreaking pharmaceutical research, by educating and empowering the next generation of visionary pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists and by supporting exceptional patient-centered care in every community we serve.”

While about half of the nation’s pharmacy schools are singly focused as educational institutions, Dr. Klepser called research and creative activity at the UNMC College of Pharmacy “a critical pillar to everything we do.” The college is recognized as a pound-for-pound research powerhouse, regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2023/06/06/college-of-pharmacy-reflects-impressive-research-tally/" target="_blank">finishing in the national&nbsp;top 10</a>&nbsp;for research grant dollars per full-time faculty member.

Under his leadership, the college would be “open for business,” and “start from yes,” in looking for collaborative partnerships and opportunities.

“We want to amplify the scientific impact of our faculty, our grad students, our postdocs,” he said.

He would assume leadership of a college that is, in his own words, in “a position of strength.”

But, “Just as important as what we do is how we do it. I am deeply committed to fostering a strong and supportive culture, one where collaboration thrives, innovation is encouraged, and every member of our college feels valued and inspired to reach their full potential.”

<p><i>For Immediate Release&nbsp;</i></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1757447050560.jpeg" alt="<br>" />
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                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763584111586.jpeg" alt="Donald Klepser, PhD" />
                        <figcaption>Donald Klepser, PhD</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><i>Dr. Klepser, who joined UNMC in 2005, will become the ninth dean of the college.</i></p><p>Don Klepser, PhD, professor of pharmacy practice and science and interim dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy, has been named the permanent Joseph D. Williams Endowed Dean of the college, UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, announced.</p><p>Dr. Klepser will become the ninth dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy, pending approval by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at its December board meeting.</p><p>“I am pleased to appoint Dr. Klepser as dean of the UNMC College of Pharmacy,” Dr. Davies said. “He has long been a trusted leader within the college, and a comprehensive review process reaffirmed the strong confidence our faculty, staff, students, alumni, internal and external peer deans and directors and community partners have in his ability to serve in this role. The feedback underscored Dr. Klepser's clear vision for the college’s future, and I am confident that under his leadership, we will continue to advance pharmacy education, research and patient care across Nebraska and beyond.</p><p>“I am grateful to everyone who participated in the review process and helped us reach this decision.”</p><p>As Dr. Davies noted, Dr. Klepser’s candidacy for the position was reviewed by a 14-person committee chaired by Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, dean and director of the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute. The process included focus group listening sessions and feedback from internal and external stakeholders.&nbsp;<a>Dr. Klepser had served as interim dean since January 2025 when Keith Olsen, PharmD, stepped down from the role</a>.</p><p>Dr. Klepser came to UNMC in 2005 and helped the medical center ascend to national leadership in point-of-care testing and diseases management service in community pharmacies, the expanded role for pharmacists in the changing health care environment, rural pharmacy access, cost containment and managed care benefit design. This work has not just brought praise in academic circles but also resulted in real benefits in underserved areas of rural and urban Nebraska.</p><p>Dr. Klepser is a former UNMC Distinguished Scientist who has built a 21-year career marked by steady advancement at the college of pharmacy. He served previously as senior associate dean for academic affairs and has taken on leadership roles in several initiatives, including pharmacy’s expansion to Kearney. He is also a graduate of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/offices-policies/provosts-office/academic-affairs/developing-excellence-in-academic-leaders-program" target="_blank">Nebraska University Developing Excellence in Academic Leaders (NU DEAL) Program</a>.&nbsp;He has been named both a Research Fellow and Academic Leadership Fellow by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.</p><p>“I see our college leading the way in transforming health,” Dr. Klepser said. “Not just in Nebraska but across the globe. We will achieve this by driving groundbreaking pharmaceutical research, by educating and empowering the next generation of visionary pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists and by supporting exceptional patient-centered care in every community we serve.”</p><p>While about half of the nation’s pharmacy schools are singly focused as educational institutions, Dr. Klepser called research and creative activity at the UNMC College of Pharmacy “a critical pillar to everything we do.” The college is recognized as a pound-for-pound research powerhouse, regularly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unmc.edu/newsroom/2023/06/06/college-of-pharmacy-reflects-impressive-research-tally/" target="_blank">finishing in the national&nbsp;top 10</a>&nbsp;for research grant dollars per full-time faculty member.</p><p>Under his leadership, the college would be “open for business,” and “start from yes,” in looking for collaborative partnerships and opportunities.</p><p>“We want to amplify the scientific impact of our faculty, our grad students, our postdocs,” he said.</p><p>He would assume leadership of a college that is, in his own words, in “a position of strength.”</p><p>But, “Just as important as what we do is how we do it. I am deeply committed to fostering a strong and supportive culture, one where collaboration thrives, innovation is encouraged, and every member of our college feels valued and inspired to reach their full potential.”</p><p><b>UNMC College of Pharmacy</b></p><ul>
                        <li>Has trained most of Nebraska’s pharmacists who serve urban and rural communities throughout the state; and now trains them both in Omaha and in Kearney.</li><li>Holds a top-20 ranking in the latest list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/pharmacy-rankings" target="_blank">“Best Pharmacy Schools”</a>&nbsp;by U.S. News &amp; World Report.</li><li>Is perennially among the nation’s leaders in first-time pass rates for their licensure boards exams – they led the nation in 2024 and 2023. UNMC has never had a first-time pass rate lower than 90% since keeping records.</li><li>Is among the strongest benefactor-supported pharmacy schools in the country, with support including an endowed deanship and endowed matching funds, to spur further philanthropy.</li><li>Is the home for the new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unmc.edu/pharmacy/research/cddi/index.html" target="_blank">Center for Drug Design and Innovation</a>. This is the college’s second Board of Regents-approved center, joining the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unmc.edu/pharmacy/research/cddn/index.html" target="_blank">Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine</a>.</li><li>Boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure in Omaha, at the UNMC Center for Drug Discovery and Lozier Center for Pharmacy Sciences and Education, and in Kearney, at the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex.</li><li>Recently had a record enrollment cohort of pharmaceutical sciences graduate students and is undergoing an impressive comeback in PharmD program numbers following a COVID-19 recruiting slump.</li><li>Has nationally and internationally lauded faculty who, among multiple honors, serve on the executive committee of the American Chemical Society Division of Medicinal Chemistry (MEDI), have been awarded for distinguished achievement in pharmacy practice by American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management (APhA-APPM), and are in the American Chemical Society Division of Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame.</li>
                    </ul>

Don Klepser, PhD, named dean of UNMC College of Pharmacy

Resolution calls on NU regents, president to evaluate Bennett’s continued service on flagship campus

By Zach Wendling | <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/18/unl-faculty-overwhelmingly-pass-historic-no-confidence-vote-against-chancellor/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Faculty leaders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln overwhelmingly passed a resolution Tuesday expressing “no confidence” in Chancellor Rodney Bennett and urging his bosses to reconsider his employment.

It is the first “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/05/unl-faculty-senate-to-weigh-no-confidence-vote-against-campus-chancellor-nov-18/">no confidence</a>” vote to pass against a UNL chancellor in the university’s nearly 157-year history.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://facultysenate.unl.edu/faculty-senate/faculty-senate-members/" target="_blank">UNL Faculty Senate</a>&nbsp;voted 60-14 to pass the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Confidence-FS-Motion-with-Procedural-Directions-Timeline-and-Text_110325-1.pdf">advisory resolution</a>&nbsp;from Elizabeth Lewis, a professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. It calls on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and NU President Jeffrey Gold to immediately review Bennett’s “continued fitness to serve” and urges them to consider firing him or negotiating his departure.

Lewis told her colleagues that her resolution came as public education is “under attack” at all levels. She said the “battleground has shifted” and that some people not as committed to defending higher education are being “invited in” and “embedded” in roles where faculty need an advocate.

“It is possible that you may find his [Bennett’s] actions honorable and selfless. If so, feel free to vote against the motion,” Lewis said. “If you, too, are aggrieved, now is the time to vote in favor of this resolution of no confidence to advocate for better stewardship at UNL.”

After the vote, Lewis said faculty needed to take action but took no pleasure in the vote. She said it was not “mean-spirited” and that faculty couldn’t keep fighting “on all fronts.”

“Our community is amazing, and this is not something that we did lightly,” Lewis told the Nebraska Examiner.

Bennett declined to comment on Tuesday’s vote, according to a spokesperson.

A major part of the resolution also asks the regents to pause consideration of a Bennett-led plan to eliminate four academic programs at UNL, a combined $6.74 million cut that the regents will consider at a Dec. 5 meeting.&nbsp;

Those cuts are part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/breaking-down-unls-final-27-5-million-budget-cut-proposal/">larger $27.5 million budget reduction plan</a>. Of the plan,&nbsp;$21 million is meant to close a “structural deficit” at UNL, and the rest are considered “proactive” cuts to prevent the need for additional ones in the future.

The program areas proposed to be cut are Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ($1.85 million), Statistics ($1.75 million), Educational Administration ($1.69 million) and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design ($1.45 million). Each will be subject to a Board of Regents vote in December.

A spokesperson for Dr. Gold and the NU system said faculty-shared governance is “one of many voices” in higher education and that NU values their input at UNL.

“However, ultimate decisions rest with the Board of Regents,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Reached Tuesday, Regent Paul Kenney, chair of the NU Board of Regents, said he knew faculty were talking about a no-confidence vote, and “what they do is 100% their opinion.”&nbsp;

Kenney said he doesn’t think it changes how he’ll approach budget-related votes come Dec. 5.

“We were short a lot of money to start with,” Kenney said. “That hasn’t changed.”

Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, the longest current serving member of the regents, declined to comment. The six other elected regents did not respond to Examiner calls seeking comment.&nbsp;

Multiple UNL faculty said Bennett, who joined UNL as chancellor in July 2023, should have implemented a plan to close UNL’s structural budget deficit with more faculty involvement sooner. Instead, many faculty argue Bennett and his executive team created and used faulty data that led to improper and statistically flawed results without faculty input.

<a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/transparency/contracts/rodney-bennett-contract-of-employment.pdf" target="_blank">Bennett’s contract</a>&nbsp;expires June 30, unless extended by the regents. Bennett, in October, told the Examiner he had “no idea” if or when a vote extending his contract might come.

“But I sure hope it comes quickly, because I love being here, love being a part of the community and clearly we have important work yet to do,” Bennett said Oct. 5.

That same day, Gold said he favored extending Bennett’s contract but that it was up to the regents.

Corey Rumann, a professor of educational administration, said the symbolic vote Tuesday was not solely meant to influence Bennett’s contract or whether he should resign. Rumann said it shows faculty will not “stand by” and let administrators determine UNL’s future without them.

“A vote of no confidence is not just about one person,” Rumann said. “It is about systemic failures at the administrative level that have led to decisions being made that are not in the best interest of this institution or the State of Nebraska.”

A committee of faculty, staff and students&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/05/advisory-committee-splits-with-unl-chancellor-on-key-academic-program-cuts/">advising the chancellor on academic budget reductions</a>&nbsp;also criticized Bennett in an&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.budget-process/files/media/file/20251024_apc_recommendation.pdf" target="_blank">unsigned Oct. 24 letter</a>. A majority of members split from him on key academic cuts that he continues to pursue. The letter said the short time frame —&nbsp;cuts were announced Sept. 12 and finalized Nov. 10 —&nbsp;made it difficult to find alternatives.

John Lindquist, a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, said all faculty members in his department he heard back from supported the no-confidence resolution. He and multiple faculty said it was an indictment not just on Bennett but on all upper administrators.

“Maybe, after all this is said and done, there will be people in our administration who start to think, ‘Huh, how do I begin to repair the damage that has been done to this institution, to the people of the institution?” Lidquist said.

L. J. McElravy, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, said his department was mixed on Lewis’ resolution. In part, that’s because McElravy’s department is planned to be merged with another, and some faculty feared passing the resolution could open up the budget process and change the outcome for his department.

However, McElravy said the review of the process by the advisory committee alone, plus other budgetary problems, pushed him to support a “no confidence” vote.

The UNL Faculty Senate previously considered a “no confidence” resolution against former Chancellor Harvey Perlman in 2003 over budgetary decisions. The resolution ultimately didn’t come to a Faculty Senate vote, and in a “straw vote” of faculty campuswide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/perlman-persevering-through-tough-times/article_72ebd6bc-da63-512f-878b-fca7f9e931a6.html" target="_blank">faculty overwhelmingly opposed punitive action</a>.

Perlman continued as chancellor until 2016.

Scott Gardner, a professor in UNL’s School of Biological Sciences, said he was part of one of those areas slashed in 2003. Gardner said Perlman had open forums once a week and “at least entertained what we were attacking him with. But in this case, there’s nothing.”

“We need to make some changes,” Gardner said. “If we don’t make the changes now, it’ll happen again in the same way very soon.”

John Shrader, president of the UNL Faculty Senate and a professor in sports media and communication, emailed faculty representatives Monday and said there was “action” going on “behind the scenes” related to Bennett. So Shrader said he would entertain a motion to “table” Lewis’ resolution or effectively delay its consideration at Tuesday’s meeting.

“In the end, it appears we are going to get the personnel outcome that many faculty members were hoping for, regardless of this vote,” Shrader wrote Monday.

On Tuesday, Colin Meiklejohn, of the School of Biological Sciences, told Shrader that his emails were “incredibly cryptic.” Meiklejohn and others asked Shrader to clarify, who responded: “It is my understanding that serious action is being discussed at this time to come to a resolution about the leadership of our campus.”

“Do I have to draw a picture?” Shrader said, adding later he was “aware of what’s going on” but couldn’t say exactly what.&nbsp;

From the crowd, Sarah Zuckerman, a professor of educational administration and president of UNL’s Association of American University Professors, interrupted Shrader and shouted: “Bulls—, tell us!”

Meiklejohn told Shrader he wasn’t accusing him of “deception” but asked how other faculty members could trust and believe the information.

“You can either trust me, or you can’t, and that’s fine,” Shrader said. “I won’t be hurt either way, honestly. I have the same interest in this as every single person in this room.”

The resolution overcame the motion to wait, with 41 faculty opposing it and 28 others in support. Had it passed, the resolution would have been delayed until Dec. 2.

Some faculty told the Examiner that Tuesday’s effort was also a message for Nebraska state lawmakers and Gov. Jim Pillen, who decide how many state dollars go to NU. The annual increase in state dollars going to the university has slowed and not kept up with inflation, particularly since Pillen became governor in 2023 after serving 10 years as a regent.

Zuckerman said Tuesday that the no-confidence vote shows faculty won’t accept a lack of transparency, exclusion from decision-making or “erosion” to NU’s mission to educate students.

Lewis said without further investment, the university would be a college that just “happens to be located in Nebraska,” instead of the land-grant, public-facing University of Nebraska that faculty, staff, students and all university supporters are asking for.

“To view this institution in only dollars and cents is the wrong lens,” Lewis said. “We’re just basically begging them to keep investing into the future of our young people and our professionals.”

<h2>Resolution calls on NU regents, president to evaluate Bennett’s continued service on flagship campus</h2><p>By Zach Wendling | <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/18/unl-faculty-overwhelmingly-pass-historic-no-confidence-vote-against-chancellor/">Nebraska Examiner</a></p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/bennett_ZJW_090524-01-1536x1024.jpg" alt="University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett speaks at University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold’s investiture ceremony. Sept. 5, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett speaks at University of Nebraska President Jeffrey Gold’s investiture ceremony. Sept. 5, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Faculty leaders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln overwhelmingly passed a resolution Tuesday expressing “no confidence” in Chancellor Rodney Bennett and urging his bosses to reconsider his employment.</p><p>It is the first “<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/05/unl-faculty-senate-to-weigh-no-confidence-vote-against-campus-chancellor-nov-18/">no confidence</a>” vote to pass against a UNL chancellor in the university’s nearly 157-year history.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://facultysenate.unl.edu/faculty-senate/faculty-senate-members/" target="_blank">UNL Faculty Senate</a>&nbsp;voted 60-14 to pass the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/No-Confidence-FS-Motion-with-Procedural-Directions-Timeline-and-Text_110325-1.pdf">advisory resolution</a>&nbsp;from Elizabeth Lewis, a professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. It calls on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents and NU President Jeffrey Gold to immediately review Bennett’s “continued fitness to serve” and urges them to consider firing him or negotiating his departure.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/lewis_ZJW_111825-02-300x200.jpg" alt="Beth Lewis, a professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Beth Lewis, a professor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Lewis told her colleagues that her resolution came as public education is “under attack” at all levels. She said the “battleground has shifted” and that some people not as committed to defending higher education are being “invited in” and “embedded” in roles where faculty need an advocate.</p><p>“It is possible that you may find his [Bennett’s] actions honorable and selfless. If so, feel free to vote against the motion,” Lewis said. “If you, too, are aggrieved, now is the time to vote in favor of this resolution of no confidence to advocate for better stewardship at UNL.”</p><p>After the vote, Lewis said faculty needed to take action but took no pleasure in the vote. She said it was not “mean-spirited” and that faculty couldn’t keep fighting “on all fronts.”</p><p>“Our community is amazing, and this is not something that we did lightly,” Lewis told the Nebraska Examiner.</p><p>Bennett declined to comment on Tuesday’s vote, according to a spokesperson.</p><h2>Regents have final say</h2><p>A major part of the resolution also asks the regents to pause consideration of a Bennett-led plan to eliminate four academic programs at UNL, a combined $6.74 million cut that the regents will consider at a Dec. 5 meeting.&nbsp;</p><p>Those cuts are part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/17/breaking-down-unls-final-27-5-million-budget-cut-proposal/">larger $27.5 million budget reduction plan</a>. Of the plan,&nbsp;$21 million is meant to close a “structural deficit” at UNL, and the rest are considered “proactive” cuts to prevent the need for additional ones in the future.</p><p>The program areas proposed to be cut are Earth and Atmospheric Sciences ($1.85 million), Statistics ($1.75 million), Educational Administration ($1.69 million) and Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design ($1.45 million). Each will be subject to a Board of Regents vote in December.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/faculty-senate_ZJW_111825-01-300x200.jpg" alt="The UNL Faculty Senate meets in a special meeting to consider a “no confidence” resolution against Chancellor Rodney Bennett. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>The UNL Faculty Senate meets in a special meeting to consider a “no confidence” resolution against Chancellor Rodney Bennett. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>A spokesperson for Dr. Gold and the NU system said faculty-shared governance is “one of many voices” in higher education and that NU values their input at UNL.</p><p>“However, ultimate decisions rest with the Board of Regents,” the spokesperson said in a statement.</p><p>Reached Tuesday, Regent Paul Kenney, chair of the NU Board of Regents, said he knew faculty were talking about a no-confidence vote, and “what they do is 100% their opinion.”&nbsp;</p><p>Kenney said he doesn’t think it changes how he’ll approach budget-related votes come Dec. 5.</p><p>“We were short a lot of money to start with,” Kenney said. “That hasn’t changed.”</p><p>Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, the longest current serving member of the regents, declined to comment. The six other elected regents did not respond to Examiner calls seeking comment.&nbsp;</p><h2>‘Not just about one person’</h2><p>Multiple UNL faculty said Bennett, who joined UNL as chancellor in July 2023, should have implemented a plan to close UNL’s structural budget deficit with more faculty involvement sooner. Instead, many faculty argue Bennett and his executive team created and used faulty data that led to improper and statistically flawed results without faculty input.</p><p><a href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/transparency/contracts/rodney-bennett-contract-of-employment.pdf" target="_blank">Bennett’s contract</a>&nbsp;expires June 30, unless extended by the regents. Bennett, in October, told the Examiner he had “no idea” if or when a vote extending his contract might come.</p><p>“But I sure hope it comes quickly, because I love being here, love being a part of the community and clearly we have important work yet to do,” Bennett said Oct. 5.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/gold-sotu_ZJW_090425-02-300x200.jpg" alt="Dr. Jeffrey Gold, president of the University of Nebraska system, gives his first “State of the University” address in the Nebraska State Capitol. Sept. 4, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Dr. Jeffrey Gold, president of the University of Nebraska system, gives his first “State of the University” address in the Nebraska State Capitol. Sept. 4, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>That same day, Gold said he favored extending Bennett’s contract but that it was up to the regents.</p><p>Corey Rumann, a professor of educational administration, said the symbolic vote Tuesday was not solely meant to influence Bennett’s contract or whether he should resign. Rumann said it shows faculty will not “stand by” and let administrators determine UNL’s future without them.</p><p>“A vote of no confidence is not just about one person,” Rumann said. “It is about systemic failures at the administrative level that have led to decisions being made that are not in the best interest of this institution or the State of Nebraska.”</p><p>A committee of faculty, staff and students&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/11/05/advisory-committee-splits-with-unl-chancellor-on-key-academic-program-cuts/">advising the chancellor on academic budget reductions</a>&nbsp;also criticized Bennett in an&nbsp;<a href="https://budgetprocess.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.budget-process/files/media/file/20251024_apc_recommendation.pdf" target="_blank">unsigned Oct. 24 letter</a>. A majority of members split from him on key academic cuts that he continues to pursue. The letter said the short time frame —&nbsp;cuts were announced Sept. 12 and finalized Nov. 10 —&nbsp;made it difficult to find alternatives.</p><h2>A message to all administrators</h2><p>John Lindquist, a professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, said all faculty members in his department he heard back from supported the no-confidence resolution. He and multiple faculty said it was an indictment not just on Bennett but on all upper administrators.</p><p>“Maybe, after all this is said and done, there will be people in our administration who start to think, ‘Huh, how do I begin to repair the damage that has been done to this institution, to the people of the institution?” Lidquist said.</p><p>L. J. McElravy, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, said his department was mixed on Lewis’ resolution. In part, that’s because McElravy’s department is planned to be merged with another, and some faculty feared passing the resolution could open up the budget process and change the outcome for his department.</p><p>However, McElravy said the review of the process by the advisory committee alone, plus other budgetary problems, pushed him to support a “no confidence” vote.</p><p>The UNL Faculty Senate previously considered a “no confidence” resolution against former Chancellor Harvey Perlman in 2003 over budgetary decisions. The resolution ultimately didn’t come to a Faculty Senate vote, and in a “straw vote” of faculty campuswide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/perlman-persevering-through-tough-times/article_72ebd6bc-da63-512f-878b-fca7f9e931a6.html" target="_blank">faculty overwhelmingly opposed punitive action</a>.</p><p>Perlman continued as chancellor until 2016.</p><p>Scott Gardner, a professor in UNL’s School of Biological Sciences, said he was part of one of those areas slashed in 2003. Gardner said Perlman had open forums once a week and “at least entertained what we were attacking him with. But in this case, there’s nothing.”</p><p>“We need to make some changes,” Gardner said. “If we don’t make the changes now, it’ll happen again in the same way very soon.”</p><h2>‘Do I have to draw a picture?’</h2><p>John Shrader, president of the UNL Faculty Senate and a professor in sports media and communication, emailed faculty representatives Monday and said there was “action” going on “behind the scenes” related to Bennett. So Shrader said he would entertain a motion to “table” Lewis’ resolution or effectively delay its consideration at Tuesday’s meeting.</p><p>“In the end, it appears we are going to get the personnel outcome that many faculty members were hoping for, regardless of this vote,” Shrader wrote Monday.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/shrader_ZJW_111825-01-300x200.jpg" alt="John Shrader, president of the UNL Faculty Senate and a professor in sports media and communication. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>John Shrader, president of the UNL Faculty Senate and a professor in sports media and communication. Nov. 18, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>On Tuesday, Colin Meiklejohn, of the School of Biological Sciences, told Shrader that his emails were “incredibly cryptic.” Meiklejohn and others asked Shrader to clarify, who responded: “It is my understanding that serious action is being discussed at this time to come to a resolution about the leadership of our campus.”</p><p>“Do I have to draw a picture?” Shrader said, adding later he was “aware of what’s going on” but couldn’t say exactly what.&nbsp;</p><p>From the crowd, Sarah Zuckerman, a professor of educational administration and president of UNL’s Association of American University Professors, interrupted Shrader and shouted: “Bulls—, tell us!”</p><p>Meiklejohn told Shrader he wasn’t accusing him of “deception” but asked how other faculty members could trust and believe the information.</p><p>“You can either trust me, or you can’t, and that’s fine,” Shrader said. “I won’t be hurt either way, honestly. I have the same interest in this as every single person in this room.”</p><p>The resolution overcame the motion to wait, with 41 faculty opposing it and 28 others in support. Had it passed, the resolution would have been delayed until Dec. 2.</p><h2>The need for investment</h2><p>Some faculty told the Examiner that Tuesday’s effort was also a message for Nebraska state lawmakers and Gov. Jim Pillen, who decide how many state dollars go to NU. The annual increase in state dollars going to the university has slowed and not kept up with inflation, particularly since Pillen became governor in 2023 after serving 10 years as a regent.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/unl-budget-cuts-event_ZJW_100925-01-300x177.jpg" alt="Faculty protest a plan at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to trim $27.5 million from the campus budget, which now includes the proposed elimination of four academic programs. Oct. 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
                        <figcaption>Faculty protest a plan at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to trim $27.5 million from the campus budget, which now includes the proposed elimination of four academic programs. Oct. 9, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Zuckerman said Tuesday that the no-confidence vote shows faculty won’t accept a lack of transparency, exclusion from decision-making or “erosion” to NU’s mission to educate students.</p><p>Lewis said without further investment, the university would be a college that just “happens to be located in Nebraska,” instead of the land-grant, public-facing University of Nebraska that faculty, staff, students and all university supporters are asking for.</p><p>“To view this institution in only dollars and cents is the wrong lens,” Lewis said. “We’re just basically begging them to keep investing into the future of our young people and our professionals.”</p>

UNL faculty overwhelmingly pass historic ‘no confidence’ vote against chancellor

WASHINGTON —Both the House and Senate acted decisively Tuesday to pass a bill to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender&nbsp;Jeffrey Epstein.

Members of the House were forced to go on the record on whether to release the files. U.S. Senators did not face a roll call vote on the bill.

The House voted overwhelmingly 427-1 in favor of the bill Tuesday afternoon. Nebraska members of the House of Representatives&nbsp; voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp; U.S. Senators did not have to go on the record on whether to release the files.&nbsp; The U.S. Senate agreed by unanimous consent to approve the House-passed bill.

Unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate is a procedure where a measure is passed, or action is taken, as long as no senator objects. This allows for the swift passage of legislation without the need for a formal roll call vote.

The only no vote in Congress against releasing the files came from Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican who is a fervent supporter of Trump.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The bill now goes to President Trump’s desk for his signature compelling the Justice Department to release the files.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763502796963.png" alt="Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, and Donna Powell, 67, of Washington, D.C., held signs outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, ahead of a U.S. House vote on releasing the Epstein files. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
                        <figcaption>Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, and Donna Powell, 67, of Washington, D.C., held signs outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, ahead of a U.S. House vote on releasing the Epstein files. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON —Both the House and Senate acted decisively Tuesday to pass a bill to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender&nbsp;Jeffrey Epstein.</p><p>Members of the House were forced to go on the record on whether to release the files. U.S. Senators did not face a roll call vote on the bill.</p><p>The House voted overwhelmingly 427-1 in favor of the bill Tuesday afternoon. Nebraska members of the House of Representatives&nbsp; voted in favor of the bill.&nbsp; U.S. Senators did not have to go on the record on whether to release the files.&nbsp; The U.S. Senate agreed by unanimous consent to approve the House-passed bill.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Senate agrees by unanimous consent to approve the House-passed bill requiring the Justice Department to release the Epstein files. <a href="https://t.co/LqfA3TfDgB">pic.twitter.com/LqfA3TfDgB</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1990918894240809216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate is a procedure where a measure is passed, or action is taken, as long as no senator objects. This allows for the swift passage of legislation without the need for a formal roll call vote.</p><p>The only no vote in Congress against releasing the files came from Rep. Clay Higgins, a Louisiana Republican who is a fervent supporter of Trump.&nbsp;</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763495349874.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;The bill now goes to President Trump’s desk for his signature compelling the Justice Department to release the files.</p>

U.S. Senators avoid roll call vote on release of Epstein files

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Prince Mohammed on a red carpet and under a white tent ahead of a special dinner at the White House Tuesday.&nbsp;A military band was playing as they walked inside to the East Room.

List of people attending the official dinner of the Saudi Crown Prince at the White House : 

The President of the United States and Mrs. Melania Trump

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

His Highness Prince Badr Bin Abdullah M. N. S. Alfarhan Al Saud

His Highness Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud

His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud

His Excellency Mosaad bin Mohammad Alaiban

His Excellency Salman Bin Yousef Al-Dossary

His Excellency Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih

His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah A Aljadaan

His Excellency Majid Abdullah O. Alkasabi

His Excellency Yasir Othman H. AlRumayyan

Her Highness Princess Haifa Mohammed Al-Saud

His Excellency Mohammad Bin Abdulmalik Bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh

His Excellency Abdullah Bin Amer Al-Swaha

His Excellency Mohammad Bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri

Mr. Cristiano Amon and Mrs. Adriana Gamba Amon

The Honorable Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury

The Honorable Pam Bondi, Attorney General and Mr. John Wakefield

Mr. Stefan Brodie and Mrs. Elizabeth Brodie

The Honorable Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior

Mr. William Clay Ford Jr. and Mrs. Lisa Ford

The Honorable Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative and Mrs. Marlo Greer

The Honorable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War and Mrs. Jennifer Hegseth

The Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mrs. Kelly Johnson

The Honorable Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary of State 

The Honorable Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce and Mrs. Allison Lutnick

The Honorable Brian Mast, United States Representative from Florida

The Honorable Dave McCormick, United States Senator from Pennsylvania and Ms. Dina Powell

Mr. Kelly Ortberg and Mrs. Valerie Ortberg

The Honorable James Risch, United States Senator from Idaho and Mrs. Vicki Risch

The Honorable John F.W. Rogers and Ms. Deborah Lehr

The Honorable Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture and Mr. Mark Rollins

Mr. Cristiano Ronaldo and Ms. Georgina Rodríguez

The Honorable Marco Rubio, Secretary of State and Mrs. Jeanette Rubio

Mr. Stephen Schwarzman and Mrs. Christine Schwarzman

Mr. Jeffrey Sprecher and the Honorable Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the Small Business Administration

<p>President Trump and first lady Melania Trump greeted Prince Mohammed on a red carpet and under a white tent ahead of a special dinner at the White House Tuesday.&nbsp;A military band was playing as they walked inside to the East Room.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince back to White House for dinner. <a href="https://t.co/6aGcLbiCJa">pic.twitter.com/6aGcLbiCJa</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1990941062790074400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> arrives for dinner at the White House 👀 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/seMABdhfWY">pic.twitter.com/seMABdhfWY</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990944982510006712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">OH, WHAT A NIGHT!<br><br>Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a>, for hosting the most lovely dinner — pure class from start to finish.<br><br>So proud of our peacemaking, world-changing President Trump. 🇺🇸<br><br>(…and sitting with the incredible <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a> and his amazing wife Gio was pretty special!!!) <a href="https://t.co/3blgStm3qY">pic.twitter.com/3blgStm3qY</a></p>&mdash; Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1991132252109950977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump: &quot;Tonight, I&#39;m pleased to announce that we&#39;re taking our military cooperation to even greater heights by formally designating Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vDJs2XOMHJ">pic.twitter.com/vDJs2XOMHJ</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1990970655223824479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;This opening up of the new avenues of cooperation between the United States and Saudi Arabia is really unprecedented. On that trip, Saudi Arabia announced that it will invest an incredible $600 billion... he said, &#39;I am going to up that to $1 TRILLION.&#39;&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FB6qHuqjDJ">pic.twitter.com/FB6qHuqjDJ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990948338641088858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;It&#39;s a special privilege to welcome His Royal Highness to Washington this year as we mark the 80th anniversary of the first meeting between a U.S. President and a Saudi King... right now, you have the best friend you&#39;ve ever had.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/5Leq7t55ob">pic.twitter.com/5Leq7t55ob</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990947419417420105?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;My son is a big fan of <a href="https://twitter.com/Cristiano?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cristiano</a>... Barron got to meet him and I think he respects his father a little bit more now.&quot; 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/uLPY84DHcu">https://t.co/uLPY84DHcu</a> <a href="https://t.co/nmOQotP9I9">pic.twitter.com/nmOQotP9I9</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1990946183859032382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump welcomes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House 🇺🇸🇸🇦 <a href="https://t.co/dHLj9Gep86">pic.twitter.com/dHLj9Gep86</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1990820614974636113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>List of people attending the official dinner of the Saudi Crown Prince at the White House : </p><p>The President of the United States and Mrs. Melania Trump</p><p>His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia</p><p>Mr. Mohammad Abunayyan</p><p>Mr. Bill Ackman and Ms. Neri Oxman</p><p>His Highness Prince Badr Bin Abdullah M. N. S. Alfarhan Al Saud</p><p>His Highness Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud</p><p>His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud</p><p>Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud</p><p>His Excellency Mosaad bin Mohammad Alaiban</p><p>Ms. Adwa AlArifi</p><p>His Excellency Salman Bin Yousef Al-Dossary</p><p>His Excellency Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih</p><p>His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah A Aljadaan</p><p>His Excellency Majid Abdullah O. Alkasabi</p><p>Mr. Jeremy Allaire</p><p>Ms. Lubna AlOlayan</p><p>Mr. Abdulrahman Rashed AlRashed</p><p>Mr. Abdulrahman Hamad AlRashed</p><p>His Excellency Yasir Othman H. AlRumayyan</p><p>Her Highness Princess Haifa Mohammed Al-Saud</p><p>His Excellency Mohammad Bin Abdulmalik Bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh</p><p>Ms. Sarah AlSuhaimi</p><p>His Excellency Abdullah Bin Amer Al-Swaha</p><p>His Excellency Mohammad Bin Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri</p><p>Mr. Tareq Amin</p><p>Mr. Cristiano Amon and Mrs. Adriana Gamba Amon</p><p>Mr. Brian Armstrong</p><p>Mr. Bret Baier and Mrs. Amy Baier</p><p>Mrs. Mary Barra and Mr. Tony Barra</p><p>Ms. Maria Bartiromo</p><p>Mr. Brendan Bechtel</p><p>Mr. Marc Beckman</p><p>Mr. Marc Benioff</p><p>The Honorable Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury</p><p>The Honorable Pam Bondi, Attorney General and Mr. John Wakefield</p><p>Mr. Albert Bourla</p><p>Mr. Greg Brockman and Mrs. Anna Brockman</p><p>Mr. Stefan Brodie and Mrs. Elizabeth Brodie</p><p>The Honorable Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior</p><p>General Dan Caine</p><p>Mr. Charles Cascarilla</p><p>Mr. Derek Chang</p><p>Mr. Tim Cook</p><p>Mr. Larry Culp and Mrs. Wendy Culp</p><p>Mr. Bryson DeChambeau</p><p>Mr. Michael Dell and Mrs. Susan Dell</p><p>Dr. Hala Altuwaigri</p><p>Mr. David Ellison</p><p>Mr. William Clay Ford Jr. and Mrs. Lisa Ford</p><p>Ms. Jane Fraser</p><p>The Honorable Jamieson Greer, United States Trade Representative and Mrs. Marlo Greer</p><p>Mr. Charles Hallab</p><p>Mr. Josh Harris and Mrs. Marjorie Harris</p><p>The Honorable Pete Hegseth, Secretary of War and Mrs. Jennifer Hegseth</p><p>Mr. Jensen Huang and Mrs. Lori Huang</p><p>Mr. Gianni Infantino</p><p>The Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mrs. Kelly Johnson</p><p>Mr. Khaled Juffali</p><p>Mr. Abdullah bin Saleh Kamel</p><p>Mr. Vimal Kapur</p><p>Dr. Alexander Karp</p><p>Mr. Arvind Krishna</p><p>The Honorable Christopher Landau, Deputy Secretary of State </p><p>The Honorable Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce and Mrs. Allison Lutnick</p><p>Mr. Kris Marszalek</p><p>The Honorable Brian Mast, United States Representative from Florida</p><p>The Honorable Dave McCormick, United States Senator from Pennsylvania and Ms. Dina Powell</p><p>Mr. Bill McDermott</p><p>Mr. Sanjay Mehrotra</p><p>The Honorable Stephen Miller</p><p>Mr. Elon Musk</p><p>Mr. Amin Nasser</p><p>Ms. Phebe Novakovic</p><p>Mr. Scott O'Neil and Mrs. Lisa O'Neil</p><p>Mrs. Meredith O'Rourke</p><p>Mr. Kelly Ortberg and Mrs. Valerie Ortberg</p><p>Mr. Ross Perot Jr. and Mrs. Sarah Perot</p><p>The Honorable James Risch, United States Senator from Idaho and Mrs. Vicki Risch</p><p>Mr. Chuck Robbins</p><p>The Honorable John F.W. Rogers and Ms. Deborah Lehr</p><p>The Honorable Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture and Mr. Mark Rollins</p><p>Mr. Cristiano Ronaldo and Ms. Georgina Rodríguez</p><p>The Honorable Marco Rubio, Secretary of State and Mrs. Jeanette Rubio</p><p>Mr. David Sacks</p><p>Mr. Charles Schwab and Mrs. Helen Schwab</p><p>Mr. Stephen Schwarzman and Mrs. Christine Schwarzman</p><p>Mr. Jeffrey Sprecher and the Honorable Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the Small Business Administration</p><p>Mr. Scott Strazik</p><p>Dr. Lisa Su and Mr. Daniel Lin</p><p>Mr. James Taiclet and Mrs. Carol Taiclet</p><p>Mr. Vlad Tenev</p><p>Mr. Donald Trump Jr. and Mrs. Bettina Anderson</p><p>Ms. Tiffany Trump and Mr. Boulos</p><p>Mr. Jim Umpleby</p><p>The Vice President of the United States and Mrs. Usha Vance</p><p>Mrs. Kathy Warden and Mr. Charles Warden</p><p>Mr. Mike Wirth</p><p>The Honorable Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy</p><p>Mr. Stephen Wynn and Mrs. Andrea Wynn</p><p>Mr. Eric Yuan</p>

🎥Highlights of White House dinner for Saudi Crown Prince

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — A bill is heading to President Donald Trump’s desk compelling the release of unclassified investigative files from the case against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a friend to the rich and powerful who died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 awaiting federal trial on sex trafficking charges.

Senate Republicans on Tuesday night did not object to a unanimous consent request from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to accept and pass the legislation, as is, after the U.S. House overwhelmingly approved the measure earlier in the day.

A senior administration official told States Newsroom the president will sign the bill “whenever it gets to the White House.”

The lawmakers in the lower chamber voted&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025289" target="_blank">427-1</a>&nbsp;to compel the Department of Justice to release materials related to the government’s investigation of the financier who harmed over 1,000 victims, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the lone “no” vote.

Survivors and their supporters watched the vote from the chamber’s gallery seats. Among them was Sky Roberts, the brother of the late Virginia Giuffre, who sued Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and the British royal family’s Andrew Windsor, who recently was stripped of his title of prince. Giuffre died by suicide in April.

“I’m very happy with the outcome, but this is just the beginning, and we have a lot of work ahead of us, a lot more to do,” Haley Robson told States Newsroom in an interview after the vote. Robson is prominent among those who have shared their stories of abuse by Epstein.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/581" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;now goes to Trump, who said Monday he will sign it.

‘Courage and advocacy’ of survivors cited

Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote on social media earlier the vote would “not have been possible without the courage and advocacy of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors. They made this vote possible. They risked their safety coming out of the darkness to share their stories and to tell the truth.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said earlier Tuesday he expected the bill to move through the Senate “fairly quickly” and likely without changes, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/18/politics/what-happens-next-epstein-bill" target="_blank">reporting</a>&nbsp;by CNN.

The legislation compels the Justice Department to publicly disclose “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Maxwell.” They include records related to Epstein’s detention and death; flight logs from Epstein’s planes; names of those connected with Epstein’s alleged crimes; records of civil settlements, and sealed and unsealed immunity deals and plea bargains; records pertaining to entities with ties to Epstein’s trafficking or financial networks; and internal DOJ communications “concerning decisions to investigate or charge Epstein or his associates.”&nbsp;

The bill carves out exceptions for records containing victims’ identities, images of death or physical abuse, and information that could jeopardize a federal investigation.&nbsp;

The bill also notes that the “DOJ may not withhold or redact records on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”

Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the House effort to release the files until this week.

Johnson said Tuesday morning that he will vote for the measure that has been forced to the floor after Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., gathered enough signatures on a discharge petition to override leadership.

The Louisiana Republican told reporters at his regular House leadership press conference that the “forcing mechanism here prevents the very deliberate, professional, careful manner in which Congress is supposed to do this.”

“But having now forced the vote, none of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency,” Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/house-republican-leaders-hold-news-conference/669234" target="_blank">said</a>.

The vote comes less than a week after lawmakers on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dems-say-newly-released-epstein-emails-show-trump-knew-about-abuse" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;some 20,000 pages of emails from Epstein’s estate that repeatedly mentioned Trump’s name.&nbsp;

In one email from Epstein to convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier and sex offender claimed Trump “knew about the girls.”

Trump denies any involvement with Epstein’s alleged crimes, and has said that he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/politics/epstein-trump-falling-out-analysis" target="_blank">kicked Epstein out</a>&nbsp;of his private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, because he alleged the financier had poached young female staffers from the club. Epstein was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/01/us/jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury" target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;in Florida of soliciting minors for sex in 2008.&nbsp;

During a press conference in the Oval Office Tuesday alongside the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump told reporters, “As far as the Epstein files, I have nothing to do with Jeffery Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.”

Trump added, as he has repeatedly said before, that the files are a “Democratic hoax.”

Women who told stories of being abused by Epstein as teens rallied outside the U.S. Capitol Tuesday morning, alongside Massie, Khanna and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., whom Trump attacked online this weekend, nicknaming her a “traitor.”

Robson told the crowd that as a Republican herself, the advocacy from Massie and Greene is “unbelievable to watch, and we are so grateful.”

“And to the president of the United States of America, who is not here today, I want to send a clear message to you: While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files, and I’m grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is,” Robson said.

In a Sunday night post on his own social media platform, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-about-face-urges-us-house-republicans-vote-release-epstein-files" target="_blank">told Republicans</a>&nbsp;to vote in favor of the bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/581" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, which lawmakers have named the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763495156325.jpeg" alt="View of the House floor as the vote count ended Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>View of the House floor as the vote count ended Tuesday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a></p><p>WASHINGTON — A bill is heading to President Donald Trump’s desk compelling the release of unclassified investigative files from the case against convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a friend to the rich and powerful who died in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 awaiting federal trial on sex trafficking charges.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763502796963.png" alt="Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, and Donna Powell, 67, of Washington, D.C., held signs outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, ahead of a U.S. House vote on releasing the Epstein files. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
                        <figcaption>Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, and Donna Powell, 67, of Washington, D.C., held signs outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, ahead of a U.S. House vote on releasing the Epstein files. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Senate Republicans on Tuesday night did not object to a unanimous consent request from Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to accept and pass the legislation, as is, after the U.S. House overwhelmingly approved the measure earlier in the day.</p><p>A senior administration official told States Newsroom the president will sign the bill “whenever it gets to the White House.”</p><p>The lawmakers in the lower chamber voted&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025289" target="_blank">427-1</a>&nbsp;to compel the Department of Justice to release materials related to the government’s investigation of the financier who harmed over 1,000 victims, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.</p><p>Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., was the lone “no” vote.</p><p>Survivors and their supporters watched the vote from the chamber’s gallery seats. Among them was Sky Roberts, the brother of the late Virginia Giuffre, who sued Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell and the British royal family’s Andrew Windsor, who recently was stripped of his title of prince. Giuffre died by suicide in April.</p><p>“I’m very happy with the outcome, but this is just the beginning, and we have a lot of work ahead of us, a lot more to do,” Haley Robson told States Newsroom in an interview after the vote. Robson is prominent among those who have shared their stories of abuse by Epstein.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/581" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;now goes to Trump, who said Monday he will sign it.</p><h2>‘Courage and advocacy’ of survivors cited</h2><p>Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote on social media earlier the vote would “not have been possible without the courage and advocacy of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors. They made this vote possible. They risked their safety coming out of the darkness to share their stories and to tell the truth.”</p><p>Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said earlier Tuesday he expected the bill to move through the Senate “fairly quickly” and likely without changes, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/18/politics/what-happens-next-epstein-bill" target="_blank">reporting</a>&nbsp;by CNN.</p><p>The legislation compels the Justice Department to publicly disclose “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in its possession that relate to Epstein or Maxwell.” They include records related to Epstein’s detention and death; flight logs from Epstein’s planes; names of those connected with Epstein’s alleged crimes; records of civil settlements, and sealed and unsealed immunity deals and plea bargains; records pertaining to entities with ties to Epstein’s trafficking or financial networks; and internal DOJ communications “concerning decisions to investigate or charge Epstein or his associates.”&nbsp;</p><p>The bill carves out exceptions for records containing victims’ identities, images of death or physical abuse, and information that could jeopardize a federal investigation.&nbsp;</p><p>The bill also notes that the “DOJ may not withhold or redact records on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.”</p><h2>Trump, Johnson opposition</h2><p>Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson opposed the House effort to release the files until this week.</p><p>Johnson said Tuesday morning that he will vote for the measure that has been forced to the floor after Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., gathered enough signatures on a discharge petition to override leadership.</p><p>The Louisiana Republican told reporters at his regular House leadership press conference that the “forcing mechanism here prevents the very deliberate, professional, careful manner in which Congress is supposed to do this.”</p><p>“But having now forced the vote, none of us want to go on record and in any way be accused of not being for maximum transparency,” Johnson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/news-conference/house-republican-leaders-hold-news-conference/669234" target="_blank">said</a>.</p><p>The vote comes less than a week after lawmakers on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dems-say-newly-released-epstein-emails-show-trump-knew-about-abuse" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;some 20,000 pages of emails from Epstein’s estate that repeatedly mentioned Trump’s name.&nbsp;</p><p>In one email from Epstein to convicted co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier and sex offender claimed Trump “knew about the girls.”</p><p>Trump denies any involvement with Epstein’s alleged crimes, and has said that he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/29/politics/epstein-trump-falling-out-analysis" target="_blank">kicked Epstein out</a>&nbsp;of his private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, because he alleged the financier had poached young female staffers from the club. Epstein was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/01/us/jeffrey-epstein-grand-jury" target="_blank">convicted</a>&nbsp;in Florida of soliciting minors for sex in 2008.&nbsp;</p><p>During a press conference in the Oval Office Tuesday alongside the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump told reporters, “As far as the Epstein files, I have nothing to do with Jeffery Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.”</p><p>Trump added, as he has repeatedly said before, that the files are a “Democratic hoax.”</p><h2>Stories of abuse&nbsp;</h2><p>Women who told stories of being abused by Epstein as teens rallied outside the U.S. Capitol Tuesday morning, alongside Massie, Khanna and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., whom Trump attacked online this weekend, nicknaming her a “traitor.”</p><p>Robson told the crowd that as a Republican herself, the advocacy from Massie and Greene is “unbelievable to watch, and we are so grateful.”</p><p>“And to the president of the United States of America, who is not here today, I want to send a clear message to you: While I do understand that your position has changed on the Epstein files, and I’m grateful that you have pledged to sign this bill, I can’t help to be skeptical of what the agenda is,” Robson said.</p><p>In a Sunday night post on his own social media platform, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-about-face-urges-us-house-republicans-vote-release-epstein-files" target="_blank">told Republicans</a>&nbsp;to vote in favor of the bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-resolution/581" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, which lawmakers have named the Epstein Files Transparency Act.</p><p>Greene, who also spoke at the press conference, said the administration’s refusal to release what are collectively referred to as the Epstein files “has ripped MAGA apart.”</p><p>“The only thing that will speak to the powerful, courageous women behind me is when action is actually taken to release these files, and the American people won’t tolerate any other b- – – -t,” Greene said.</p><p>GOP Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Lauren Boebert of Colorado were the other Republicans to join Massie, Greene and all Democrats to sign the petition.</p><h2>Grijalva signature</h2><p>In a second press conference outside the Capitol later Tuesday morning, the House’s newest Democratic member, Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva, spoke alongside sexual abuse prevention advocates.&nbsp;</p><p>“The momentum behind this did not come from politicians. It came from survivors and the public who demanded answers. This is why the discharge petition crossed 218 signatures, despite Speaker Johnson doing everything in his power to prevent this from happening, including calling an early summer release, and delaying myself my swearing in for seven weeks,” Grijalva said.</p><p>Grijalva became the petition’s 218th signature on Wednesday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/arizonas-adelita-grijalva-sworn-us-house-signs-epstein-petition" target="_blank">immediately after</a>&nbsp;her swearing-in ceremony.&nbsp;</p><p>Johnson refused to swear in Grijalva, who won her seat on Sept. 23, during the government shutdown despite precedent of other representatives swearing an oath while the House is out of session.</p><p>U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., also spoke at the press conference, warning that Senate leadership should not “delay this any further.”</p><p>“They need to schedule a vote on this so this can get passed into law,” Kelly said.</p><p>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/live-blog/trump-congress-jeffrey-epstein-files-venezuela-maduro-live-updates-rcna244133" target="_blank">told</a>&nbsp;NBC News Monday he would sign the legislation.</p><p>Roughly a dozen public protesters stood outside the police barricade surrounding the press conference, holding signs demanding the release of the Epstein files.</p><p>Robin Galbraith, 61, of Maryland, held a sign protesting Johnson’s refusal to allow an earlier floor vote to disclose the files.</p><p>“These survivors deserve justice. And you know, all women and girls deserve justice,” Galbraith told States Newsroom in an interview. “Like when you have the richest people in the world trafficking girls, I mean, as somebody who has daughters and sons, we all want to see that children are not victims like this anymore.”</p><h2>FBI memo&nbsp;</h2><p>In July, the FBI issued a memo stating the department would not publicly release any further information on the Epstein case.</p><p>The sudden reversal, after Trump and his supporters campaigned on releasing the files, sparked upheaval among the president’s base and trained a magnifying glass on Trump’s well-documented friendship with Epstein.</p><p>Trump denies any wrongdoing.</p><p>The president sued The Wall Street Journal for reporting on a 50th&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank">birthday card</a>&nbsp;Trump allegedly gave to Epstein. The card featured a cryptic message and a doodle of a naked woman with Trump’s apparent signature mimicking pubic hair. Trump denies that he created and signed the birthday doodle.</p><p>The Journal also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Attorney General Pam Bondi briefed the president in May that his name appeared in the Epstein case files. The context in which his name appeared is unclear.&nbsp;</p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/article221404845.html" target="_blank">series</a>&nbsp;in the Miami Herald in 2018 by journalist Julie K. Brown drew wide attention to Epstein’s crimes and Trump’s appointment in 2017 of former Miami federal prosecutor Alex Acosta, who cut a deal in 2008 to end a federal investigation into Epstein, as the secretary of Labor.</p><p>Jennifer Shutt contributed to this report.</p>