Tea Party official sues regulators in Nebraska

Omaha World-Herald:
Tea Party leader Bob Bennie has already sued Nebraska securities regulators for $6 million. Now he wants them charged with crimes.

Bennie, who owns a Lincoln financial planning firm that the state temporarily suspended in 2011, delivered a letter Thursday asking Attorney General Jon Bruning to appoint a special prosecutor to the case.

Bennie said during a press conference that Bruning has investigated the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance but has refused to file criminal charges. Bennie accused the attorney general of stalling.

Bennie sued last year in U.S. District Court in Lincoln, alleging that banking department officials violated his constitutional rights by preventing him from soliciting clients for three months. Bennie alleges the suspension order cost his firm $25 million in assets under management.

His lawsuit names banking director John Munn and three staff members and seeks $6.4 million in damages.

Munn declined to comment about the criminal allegations because of the pending civil case.

Shannon Kingery, Bruning's spokeswoman, said the office looked into Bennie's accusations "in good faith" but later asked the Lancaster County Attorney's Office to review them.
...
There is more.

You can see a copy of the lawsuit here.   Suing bureaucrats for millions is not likely to be rewarding, however if he can tie their conduct to the state he might get something.  That is perhaps why a criminal prosecution is being pushed.  In reading the pleadings, it appears that Mr. Bennie was pursued because of his anti Obama agenda.  The states allegations against him also look insufficient to support a case.

The case also may have an effect on the GOP senate primary race since Bennie's lawyer is a former AG and is running against Bruning.  The litigation and the race are both worth watching.

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