New criminal charges have been filed in Hall County as part of an ongoing investigation into fraudulent signatures on petitions related to Nebraska's medical cannabis initiatives. Hall County Attorney Marty Klein and Attorney General Mike Hilgers announced the charges against Jacy Todd, a notary public from York. Todd faces 24 counts of official misconduct for allegedly notarizing petition pages without the presence of circulators, which violates Nebraska law.
Previously, Michael Egbert, a petition circulator from Grand Island, was charged with felony false swearing. The probable cause affidavit suggests that Todd notarized pages at her business, Herban Pulse, outside the legal requirements.
Klein praised local efforts: “Hall County Election Commissioner Tracy Overstreet and the people with whom she works take election integrity very seriously. Their diligence and thoroughness in the petition signature verification and the work of the investigation team from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office led to these charges.”
Attorney General Hilgers emphasized the importance of election integrity: “Election integrity is the bedrock of our democratic republic... Notaries are officers of the public and held to a higher standard of trust and honesty."
The investigation continues beyond Hall County. "Our investigation is ongoing,” said Hilgers. "We will work with our local law enforcement partners to hold those who would interfere with our elections accountable under the law."