Nebraska Lt. Gov. resigns after phone scandal

Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, R-Neb., resigned Saturday after the disclosure of thousands of "late night telephone calls" Sheehy placed to four women, none of whom were his wife, during the last four years.

His resignation was announced at a morning press conference by Gov. Dave Heinemann, also a Republican, who said that Sheehy had broken "the public trust."

"As public officials, we are rightly held to a higher standard," Heinema said. "I had trusted him, and that trust was broken."

"I've got a knot in my stomach," he added. "I'm deeply disappointed."

The Omaha World-Herald reported that Sheehy, a rising star in the Nebraska GOP who was viewed as the party's likely gubernatorial nominee in 2014, had placed thousands of "late night telephone calls" from his state-issued cell phone to the four women during the last four years.

For much of those four years, Sheehy was married. His wife, Connie Sheehy, filed for divorce last July after being together for nearly 29 years. In her divorce filing, she cited an "irretrievably broken" marriage.

Sheehy's resignation likely ends his gubernatorial ambitions, a fact underscored by Heineman at his press conference when he indicated that he does not expect Sheehy to forge ahead with his bid.

"I doubt he will continue his campaign for governor," Heineman said, "and no, I would not support him under the circumstances."

Before serving as lieutenant governor, Sheehy, 53, was the mayor of Hastings.