A second woman who had accused Nebraska gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster of groping her has revealed her identity and repeated the allegations.
Herbster, a Republican, allegedly groped eight women from 2017 to this yr, the Nebraska Examiner reported earlier this month.
Republican state Sen. Julie Slama was the primary of them to publicly reveal her identity. She described the alleged actions at a Republican dinner in 2019 as “one of the crucial traumatizing things I’ve ever been through.”
On Friday, Elizabeth Todsen, a former Nebraska legislative assistant, got here forward to the Examiner, allowing her name for use, and said she was groped by Herbster at the identical dinner.
When the Republican megadonor greeted the people at Todsen’s table, she said, Herbster’s “hand went to my butt. It was a grab.”
“At that time, I attempted to push away, but I couldn’t. It was like he knew that I couldn’t say anything,” she said.
Todsen said she sat there, stunned, grappling with what had happened. “All I could take into consideration [was] … ‘How do you support this man?’” she said.
“For years I even have struggled with an experience I had with Charles W. Herbster,” Todsen said in a press release provided by her attorney to other media.
“This decision to return forward with my story has been extremely difficult because of my fear of repercussions from Charles W. Herbster, a strong voice in Nebraska politics. But after eager about this for years now, I do know that it’s time that Nebraskans know concerning the horrible actions,” she added.
Herbster, a company CEO with no political experience who has been endorsed by Donald Trump, has denied all of the claims, insisting they’re a part of a smear campaign to maintain him out of elected office.
“We’re going to stay by our statement that Charles 100% denies these allegations,” Herbster’s campaign spokeswoman, Emily Novotny, told the Examiner, referring to Todsen’s allegations.
Herbster has sued Slama for defamation; she has countersued for sexual battery. An aide said Herbster also plans to sue Todsen and anyone else who comes forward.
Todsen has hailed Slama’s courage for speaking out and called her a task model for other women in similar situations.
Slama lauded Todsen’s decision to return forward.
“I’m so grateful for Elizabeth’s bravery in coming forward, even within the face of unimaginable threats and pressure from Charles Herbster and his supporters to stay silent,” Slama said. “Charles Herbster is a predator, and I stand with all of his victims, known and unknown.”
All 13 female state senators within the Nebraska Legislature, including five Republicans, issued a press release earlier this month condemning the “highly credible, corroborated allegations.”
“Sexual assault is despicable and damaging,” the senators said. “This will not be a matter of politics — it’s an issue of character and basic human decency.”
