The Nebraska Legislature’s Executive Board issued a letter of reprimand to Republican state Sen. Steve Halloran after an investigation found that he violated the body’s workplace sexual harassment policy. This came after Halloran invoked the name of Democratic state Sen. John Cavanaugh while reading a graphic account of rape on the floor of the Legislature. The incident occurred during a debate about a bill that aimed to hold school librarians and teachers accountable for providing what some consider to be “obscene material” to students in grades K-12.
The report concluded that Halloran’s remarks were in violation of the workplace harassment policy, which prohibits verbal abuse of a sexual nature, graphic comments about a person’s body or sexual activity, and sexually oriented discussion. However, some lawmakers, including Sen. Cavanaugh, expressed disappointment that the Executive Board did not push for a full censure vote by the entire Legislature. The report suggested that Halloran’s conduct could have warranted a censure, which would not have limited his legislative duties.
Halloran defended himself by stating that he was not harassing anyone and was merely trying to get Sen. Cavanaugh’s attention with the graphic reading. He also expressed bewilderment at the backlash from his colleagues, emphasizing the lack of concern about how the graphic content may impact children. Meanwhile, Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh appreciated the support from lawmakers who defended her and condemned Halloran’s comments. She criticized Republican lawmakers who either supported Halloran or stayed silent, labeling their actions as morally bankrupt and complicit.
Republican state Sen. Julie Slama openly criticized Halloran for his remarks and argued that he should resign if he truly respects the Legislature and his colleagues. Sen. Wendy DeBoer, a lawyer by profession, announced plans to introduce a rule change that would allow lawmakers more time to object to objectionable language used during floor speeches. Currently, legislative rules require an immediate objection after offensive remarks, but DeBoer believes this rule has resulted in difficulties and should be revised to hold lawmakers accountable for their language. The controversy surrounding Halloran’s comments has sparked debate and calls for accountability within the Nebraska Legislature.
