Appeals Court Overturns Former Congressman Fortenberry's Conviction

Court rules trial was improperly held in Los Angeles, opens possibility for retrial in a proper venue

Former Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry's 2022 conviction for lying to federal authorities about illegal campaign contributions has been overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
The court ruled that Fortenberry's trial was improperly held in Los Angeles, where the investigation was based, rather than in Nebraska or Washington, D.C., where he made the false statements.
Fortenberry was convicted in March 2022 on charges of concealing information and making false statements to authorities about a $30,000 donation from a foreign billionaire at a 2016 Los Angeles fundraiser.
He resigned from his Congressional seat following his conviction and was sentenced to two years of probation, a $25,000 fine, and 320 hours of community service.
The court's decision allows for the possibility of a retrial in a proper venue.