In this episode of Go Fact Yourself, host Dan Parsons breaks down a major developing story in Nebraska politics. State Auditor Mike Foley has officially referred Governor Jim Pillen’s administration to law enforcement following a controversial $2.5 million no-bid emergency contract.
We dive into the details of the alleged cover-up attempts, the lack of transparency in the bidding process, and what this means for the Pillen administration moving forward.
Read the Nebraska Examiner story: DED, Pillen no-bid contract fight with auditor heads to State Patrol, AG: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/05/ded-pillen-no-bid-contract-fight-with-auditor-heads-to-state-patrol-ag/

Former Nebraska State Senator John Stinner joins the show to discuss his recent Nebraska Examiner column challenging claims that the state is facing a true budget crisis. A former chair of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, Stenner breaks down why the projected $472 million shortfall is not a revenue problem, but the result of policy choices, heavy reliance on one-time money, and the removal of long-standing fiscal guardrails. He also walks through how transfers, tax cuts, shrinking reserves, and agency funding decisions are shaping the current budget debate as lawmakers head into budget hearings.

Read Stinner’s column here: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/01/29/opinion-nebraska-has-no-budget-crisis/

More from the Nebraska Examiner: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Support the show by becoming a ‘Friend of Dan’ on Patreon – https://patreon.com/thedanparsonsshow
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Additional music provided by friend of the show Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, support them at: https://www.joshhoyer.com/
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
Connect with The Dan Parsons Show on Social Media:
– TikTok – https://tiktok.com/@thedanparsonsshow
– Instagram – https://instagram.com/thedanparsonsshow
– Twitter [NOT calling it “X”] – https://x.com/DanParsonsShow2
– Facebook – https://facebook.com/TheDanParsonsShow
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
On the go? Listen to the audio version of The Dan Parsons Show at: https://shows.acast.com/the-dan-parsons-show
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
—Chapters—
⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻
#Nebraska #Omaha #Lincoln #Election2026 #JimPillen #NebraskaExaminer #Unicameral #NEleg