Evidently Nebraska state auditor Mike Foley didn’t get the memo.  Maybe it got lost in the mail. 

The memo that states that a Republican needs to turn a blind eye when they see that another Republican leader has possibly done something wrong or potentially broken the law.  

In an age where so many Republican Congressmen and Senators have kept quiet about President Trump’s inappropriate and in some cases, illegal actions, it’s refreshing to see someone like Mike Foley not be afraid to do his job to look after the taxpayer’s money. 

Mike Foley has referred the results of his investigative audit of Governor Pillen’s 2.5 million dollar no bid contract, to the Attorney General and the Nebraska State Patrol.  This controversial contract that he awarded to a friend.

By now you’re probably aware that no bid contracts are only supposed to be awarded when there is an emergency and there’s no time to wait for proposals to be submitted. According to the research Mr. Foley has done it appears that there was no such emergency. Not only that, but a report to try to explain what the emergency was had to be filed by June 30th, 2025.  But it still hadn’t been filed when Mr. Foley asked for it in July. Foley alleges that someone on the Governor’s staff then submitted a back dated report to make it look like the Pillen administration followed the law.  

Filing a false report is a misdemeanor. 

The Governor’s office has given at least three different explanations about why this grant was given to Julie Bushell of Global Sustainability Developers. Ms. Bushell is a lobbyist who has traveled with the governor on overseas trade missions and has been seen with him at events like the AkSarBen ball. 

Former and possible future political opponent Charles Herbster put out a post criticizing Governor Pillen about his changing stories. He added Ronald Reagan ‘s quote that if you’re explaining you’re losing and finished with the political truism that the cover up is often worse than the crime. 

Mike Foley is the kind of person you want to have in government service.  He served as Governor Ricketts Lt. Governor between his stints as state auditor.  At a time when so many political figures are faced with scandals and dubious official actions, Foley appears to be a Boy Scout.   

Now the ball’s in Attorney General’s Mike Hilgers court.  I wonder if he got the memo.

I hate that’s even a question to be asked.  There should be no doubt that Mr. Hilger’s will do the right thing.   

But when you see how Attorney General Pam Bondi, has handled the Epstein files, it’s hard not to be cynical. Decisions by an Attorney General should not be guided by politics.  But lately politics has played too big of a role in what should be purely legal decisions. I believe General Hilgers has higher political aspirations. Will politics get in the way of prosecuting someone in the Pillen administration if it’s warranted? 

Recently Attorney General Hilgers has filed frivolous lawsuits to try to block the implementation of legalizing medical marijuana.  He’s lost those cases in court, but it’s slowed down the process to get that medicine to the people who need it.  These actions have pleased Governor Pillen and Senator Pete Ricketts to the detriment of the 70% of Nebraskans who voted for it.

If the State Patrol finds there is enough evidence to press charges against the governor, or any of the staff members that allegedly attempted to deceive the auditor, will he do it?  And if he does decide to prosecute, will he do it before the election?  

If charges aren’t warranted, then it’s incumbent on the AG and the State Patrol to be totally transparent and show us why no charges should be filed.

This no bid contract is a big deal.  It’s possible that Mike Foley might uncover more questionable financial activity in the future.  And if he does, I have no doubt that much to Governor Pillen’s chagrin, he will bring it to the public’s attention.

Mike Foley’s memo got lost in the mail.  Let’s hope Mike Hilger’s memo got lost in the mail as well. 

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.