Tensions rise between Lancaster County attorney candidates as election nears

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A group of Nebraska organizations hosted a forum on Thursday with Lancaster County attorney candidates Pat Condon and Adam Morfeld.

Tensions have been high leading up to November’s election.

Condon, who has been the county attorney for the past five years and is looking for reelection, said that with 34 years as a deputy county attorney, he is the candidate with more experience.

“You know that experience is just invaluable,” he said. “I’ve prosecuted pretty much everything that the County Attorney’s Office prosecutes, from thefts and traffic offenses, through homicides and sexual assault.”

Condon also announced Thursday morning that he has the support of four law enforcement unions, including the Lincoln Police Union.

He said that for any job, experience is key and that Morfeld isn’t as familiar with working alongside law enforcement and victims.

“And when you have somebody who doesn’t have that experience running the office, I am very concerned about what the outcomes would be for those victims of crimes,” Condon said.

Morfeld, a Nebraska state senator, said he has plenty of experience to be the county attorney.

He said he spent eight years on the Judiciary Committee creating a criminal code, manages a legal services organization and a litigation team, and has argued before the Nebraska Supreme Court.

“So, I bring all kinds of experience to the table,” Morfeld said. “And it’s a different type of experience, an experience that we need that’s different than my opponent.”

Just this week, Morfeld claimed Condon is behind a dark money PAC that’s deceiving voters by lying about the senator’s experience.

Morfeld criticized Condon for not being transparent and accountable enough as county attorney and says he would change that.

Earlier this year, the Lancaster County Republicans tried to oust Morfeld, an outspoken Democrat, from the ballot.

They argued that Morfeld wasn’t eligible because he hadn’t been practicing law while serving as a state senator.

Their case was later rejected by the State Supreme Court.

More recently, Condon accused Morfeld of wrongfully stating that he sends people to prison for simple possession of marijuana, saying the senator would cause a great disservice to victims.

Morfeld also called Condon ta “pro-life all-star” when it comes to abortion.

“I think there’s legitimate questions on what is he going to do if the Legislature fully bans abortion,” he said. “Because he kept telling people, including at the pro-life all-stars event, that he’s gonna follow the law no matter what it is. And that puts our women and doctors in danger.”

Morfeld also accused Condon and his supporters of creating homophobic posters of him with Hunter Biden that said, “Monkeypox. Get Vaccinated.”