LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — State Sen. Mike Groene is denying accusations that he took sexually inappropriate photographs of a female legislative aide.
Groene, who has served eight years in the Nebraska Legislature, admitted Friday that he took some individual photos of the long-time aide, Kristina Konecko. But he said that the photos were not sexual in nature and that they depicted her full body, not “body parts” as has been claimed.
“There were not pictures that were zoomed in or anything,” the 66-year-old senator said.
‘I apologized’
“In today’s world, if you want to take a picture of someone, you should say ‘I’m taking a picture.’ But I didn’t, and I apologized for it,” Groene said.
On Friday, an Omaha-based news website, Nebraska Sunrise News, reported that Konecko, who recently transferred to work for another state senator, had lodged a complaint with legislative authorities over photos of herself that she had discovered on Groene’s laptop computer.
Konecko, according to the website, considered the photos inappropriate.
“The pictures appeared to have been taken by Groene and then emailed from him to other parties with email captions of a sexual nature,” the website reported.
“Objectifying and demeaning’
Konecko described the photos as “objectifying and demeaning.” The Sunrise News story said some were “zoom-close-ups of provocative body parts with explicit subject lines.”
Konecko declined to comment Friday when reached by the Nebraska Examiner.
Groene, of North Platte, denied that there were captions of a sexual nature, that the photos were closeups of body parts or that the photos were shared with anyone else. He said legislative IT workers had gone through his computer and discovered nothing that would be considered sexually inappropriate.
He said that Konecko had worked for him on and off over six years and that she had been given access to his personal computer to screen and “clean up” unwanted emails. That’s when she discovered the photos.
Not a ‘sexual object’
Groene maintained that he had never treated the legislative aide as a “sexual object.” He said he had taken about 20 photographs of Konecko with other visitors to his office, including his wife, but said he had also taken a few of his aide individually.
“She’s kind of a strait-laced person, and I guess I did something I shouldn’t have,” said Groene, who is running for a seat on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.
About three or four weeks ago, the senator said, he was informed that Konecko was offended after discovering the photographs. That, Groene said, is when he apologized.
“I am keeping my part of the bargain,” he said.
Complaints about inappropriate behavior by a senator or legislative staff member are lodged with the Executive Board of the Legislature, which is headed by Sen. Dan Hughes of Venango. He did not immediately return a request for comment Friday, nor did the Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln.
Under legislative rules, such complaints are confidential, unless there is a finding of serious misconduct.
‘This is despicable’
Jane Kleeb, the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, lashed out at Groene on Friday, saying it was an example of the “corruption and harassment” that happens when one party, the Republican Party, dominates a state.
“This is despicable and the latest in a string of inappropriate behavior by Republican officials,” Kleeb said in a statement. “Groene should resign and the public deserves to know all the other senators or staff involved.”
Kleeb cited a handful of cases over the years, including the resignation of State Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion for using a state computer for cybersex, and Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, who stepped down after it was discovered he used a state cell phone to make dozens of calls to women other than his wife.
Groene insisted he treated Konecko “like a daughter” and had always maintained a professional relationship with her.
“If I’m going to be drug through the mud on the floor (of the Legislature), I’ll resign,” Groene said.
The Legislature is on a four-day recess before reconvening Tuesday at the State Capitol.
Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
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