Nebraska scrutinizes $2.5M emergency no-bid contract amid shifting explanations

Nebraska Gov. Pillen’s office faces renewed scrutiny over a $2.5 million emergency, no-bid contract awarded to lobbyist Julie Bushell to help secure federal bioeconomy funding. The administration has offered multiple explanations for the urgency, including a claim Bushell was working pro bono, but State Auditor Foley questions the emergency justification since key EPA grant applications were filed before the contract and the governor’s recommendation, and the timeline suggests bidding bypass and potential favoritism under LB 1412.