Courthouse News Service reports:
Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska may worry a little less about payback from outspoken opponents of his party’s politics as he goes on trial in Los Angeles — a Democratic stronghold — over illegal campaign contributions from a Parisian billionaire.
At a lengthy jury selection Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld carefully questioned potential jurors about whether they could give Fortenberry a fair and impartial trial if they learned he was a Republican. For a number of them, the answer was a clear and unambiguous “no.”
The judge, a Donald Trump appointee, didn’t ask jurors to declare which political party they supported, but he struck the jurors with the most outspoken dislike of Republicans or politicians in general from the pool.
Read the full article. Fortenberry has claimed that he didn’t purposely lie to the FBI, blaming his “forgetfulness” on his age. Fortenberry is 61.
Jury selection for the trial of Nebraska Congressman Jeff Fortenberry weeded out the most outspoken opponents of his political party. @edpettersson https://t.co/bMufFq3c39
— Courthouse News (@CourthouseNews) March 17, 2022