Embattled Nebraska State Senator Bill Kintner of Papillion has resigned.
Kintner has been under fire for retweeting a post on Twitter that implied three women who attended the women's march in Washington, D.C last weekend where too unattractive to be victims of sexual assault.
Kintner resigned Wednesday morning less than an hour before lawmakers were scheduled to debate a measure to expel him. It would have been the first time the Legislature would have taken that action in recent history. Senators who spoke to KMTV said they expected there would've been at least 33 votes to support passing the resolution.
"As much as my heart says to fight, my head says it’s time to step away from the Legislature,” Kintner explained. "I hesitate to resign as I know that my resignation will be hailed as a victory to the progressive liberal movement.”
Last year Kintner was under fire for using a state computer to engage in cybersex with a woman who was not his wife. Kintner paid a $1,000 fine and ignored calls for his resignation then.
Governor Pete Ricketts issued the following statement after Kintner's resignation: "Senator Kintner did the right thing. I will move swiftly to fill the vacancy created by this resignation, so the people of District Two have a voice."
The Governor's Office will begin immediately accepting applications to fill the District Two vacancy.
Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb issued the following statement: "The Nebraska Democratic Party welcomes the resignation of Bill Kintner and we look forward to electing a candidate who stands up for women and working class families. We stand ready to recruit and elect a leader who will not betray working class families with disgusting and illegal behavior in the legislature. Sexist comments and illegal behavior should have forced Gov. Ricketts to take action over a year ago. But today, we welcome the resignation of Bill Kintner and look forward to the 2018 election."
