NDP Chair Jane Kleeb, Auditor Candidate Jane Skinner, Call Out Republican Auditor Charlie Janssen After Investigation Reveals He Spends Long Hours Drinking Beer Instead of Doing His Job

An Omaha World-Herald investigation revealing that Republican state Auditor Charlie Janssen often comes to work late and spends time swilling beer in a sports bar instead of doing his job underscores the need for voters to reject his bid for a second term in office, said Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb on Friday.

“Nebraska voters did not send ‘Chugging Charlie’ to Lincoln and pay him $85,000 a year to sit around with his buddies drinking beer in a sports bar,” Kleeb said. “He should remove his name from the ballot.”

The World-Herald’s three-month investigation found that in the past month alone, over the course of 20 working days, Janssen was observed 10 times spending beer-drinking “lunches” — some more than three hours long — at Brewsky’s, a popular sports bar about 15 blocks south of the State Capitol.

Kleeb noted that the auditor has a watchdog role and is charged with rooting out government mismanagement, waste and misconduct.

“The state auditor is supposed to make sure taxpayers’ money is not being wasted,” Kleeb said. “I guess the auditor needs an auditor.”

When confronted by the newspaper about his drinking escapades, Janssen said, “It’s unfortunate that you’re focusing on that.”

Said Skinner: “It’s been clear for years to anyone who has been paying attention that Janssen’s heart is not in his work.

“The people of Nebraska deserve better, and I want to be the full-time auditor Nebraskans deserve,” Skinner said.

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