County Attorney Candidates Differ On Abortion, Rape Kits, Pot Enforcement

Lincoln, NE (October 18, 2022)  The two candidates for Lancaster County Attorney traded potshots today.   Incumbent Republican County Attorney Pat Condon called reporters together to claim that Morfeld’s advertising is false and misleading, and that Morfeld “does not understand how the criminal process works.”

Morfeld said that Condon has allowed numerous rape kits to go untested.  Condon said many don’t need to be tested.

“If it’s a consent case, where the victim is saying ‘I didn’t consent to the sex’ and the defendant is saying ‘Yes, they did consent to the sex’, having the DNA tested won’t show whether that consent was given or  not.”

Condon added that cases in which the victim is tested, then refuses to cooperate with the prosecution, are also a waste of lab time and taxpayer dollars.

Morfeld also accused Condon of being too heavy handed with marijuana prosecution.

“He charged someone with simple possession of marijuana.”

Condon replied by saying Morfeld doesn’t understand the law.

“To reach a felony level, you have to have more than a pound of marijuana to get to a felony level.  Not so with THC, so that’s why we charged the THC in that case. ”  Condon also said that in the case cited by Morfeld the individual charged also had $60,000 in cash after delivering drugs, and had a firearm with two full clips in his possession, also felony charges.

Morfeld also said Condon would enforce a ban on abortions with criminal charges if such a ban is passed by the Legislature.  Morfeld said he would not enforce any ban on abortion.

“I would not enforce an abortion ban when I am County Attorney because it does not contribute to Public Safety.  What it does is it leads to people fearing getting health care from their doctors.”

Condon reacted by saying that Morfeld is criticizing him for following the law, and for saying that’s what I will do, and he is saying ‘I will not follow the law’.”

Television and print ads by several Political Action Groups criticize Morfeld for seeking the County Attorney’s Office even though he has never practiced Criminal Law.  Morfeld responded by saying “I have created the Criminal Code, and argued before the Nebraska Supreme Court, I have managed a litigation team, I currently manage a Legal Services non-profit, and so I have all the qualifications necessary.”