Video Exclusive: Nabity Says Proof Coming, Send Cash
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After months of accusing Omaha Fire Department officials of gross mismanagement costing taxpayers millions of dollars, the head of the Omaha Alliance for the Private Sector insists (see interview with Nebraska Watchdog below) he will “get to the proof.” At the same time Dave Nabity is asking for donations to pay his upcoming legal bills. 
Nabity announced Tuesday he has hired a team of attorneys to fight a lawsuit filed against Nabity by Steve LeClair, the head of the Omaha Fire Union. Among Nabity’s lawyers is former Douglas County Attorney Stu Dornan.
LeClair says that during a recent interview on KFAB radio, Nabity accused LeClair of “theft by deception” and “fraud”. Nabity has claimed that members of the fire union and others in the department have received “special perks.”
While Nabity argues his comments were protected political speech, LeClair says his personal and professional reputations have been damaged.
Nabity’s comments on KFAB were made just prior to a scathing report from Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley. Foley criticized the Fire Department’s bookkeeping and payroll systems, noting many records were missing. Foley stopped short of accusing anyone of any wrongdoing.
Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org
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Posted under News, Omaha Government.
Tags: Dave Nabity, Joe Jordan, Nebraska Watchdog, Steve LeCLair, Stu Dornan
6:54 am on November 10th, 2010
Nabity asking for money from the public to pay his legal bills. What a slap in the face………….Why doesn’t he just ask his handlers. Who do you think is fronting the cash for all the ads Nabity runs? Who do you think is behind the money for the recall effort? The Omaha Alliance? The Nebraska Alliance? The lobbyist group known as the Plains States Legal Foundation? Follow the money people this isn’t a little grassroots effort of “concerned” tax payers.
8:58 am on November 10th, 2010
If Nabity’s defense is his comments on KFAB are protected political speech, he’s in for a very hard time…and a big judgment payment to LeClair. LeClair also has the advantage of almost unlimited funding from firefighter union dues, both local and national. This is going to get really ugly really fast.
9:10 am on November 10th, 2010
Too many folks in the political arena play too loose and fast with the facts. maybe this lawsuit will make some of those folks, as my father used to say, “engage brain and then open mouth” in the future. It might also restore a dose of civility to the discussion of political issues in Omaha. Lord knows some civility is needed. Aren’t we all on the same side, after all?
2:31 pm on November 10th, 2010
@GeosUser
Defamation of character is a difficult thing to prove, not to mention it allows the character of the LeClair to be called into question; which is going to be interesting.
But I think Nabbity’s right, certainly LeClair’s lawyers know it’s going to be a difficult case to prove, so why are they doing it? Nabbity says that it is an intimidation tactic.
2:38 pm on November 10th, 2010
Biff,
If you aren’t in favor of breaking the grip the public employee unions have on Omaha city hall, then you aren’t on the same side as the taxpayers who want fiscal sanity restored. The first step in that process is removing Mayor Suttle from office since it has become obvious that he is a complete slave of the fire union.
7:13 pm on November 10th, 2010
Ben, I guess that you forgot that Steve LeClair is a decorated veteran, a dedicated father, a dedicated firefighter, how do you think calling his character into question is going to be interesting.
Everybody in Omaha should send Nabity and the omaha alliance against public safety chunks of charcoal.
geouser if suttle is a slave to the fire union, how come the union has not been presented with a contract yet.
12:16 am on November 11th, 2010
Steve LeClair may be all those nice things but he’s also a bully and a thug! The imagine of the Omaha Firefighter has been damaged by the actions of the union.
12:24 am on November 11th, 2010
PBL, what a joke, becka is fat and marble mouthed. Steve LeClair was the majority chosen leader of Local 385. He is the leader of the union. It has not been the unions actions that have hurt the “image” of Omaha Firefighters it has the spoiled bloviations of nagity the sore looser. When has LeClair bullied anybody, can you give a specific time and place. Since when is standing up for your union and the Proud Firefighters that he represents considered being a thug, it is not being a thug it is doing his job.
Anyways remember thug really means Those Helpful Union Guys.
11:51 am on November 11th, 2010
Why would the union pay for his defense? It’s not the union suing it’s LeClair right? Completely unprofessional the way the lawsuit was announced at a public hearing how clever of their attorney. He wouldn’t treat any other client this way why Nabity? It’s the same old stuff the fire and police unions don’t like when anyone questions their wages, benefits and how they operate. For too long they have been the golden children it has to stop.
3:11 am on December 13th, 2010
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2:39 am on February 16th, 2011
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9:16 pm on March 15th, 2011
He is the leader of the union. It has not been the unions actions that have hurt the “image” of Omaha Firefighters it has the spoiled bloviations of nagity the sore looser.