There is at least one call today for GOP Congressman Jeff Fortenberry’s resignation.

Jane Kleeb, the head of the Nebraska Democratic Party, tells News Channel Nebraska that Fortenberry, who has been indicted by a federal grand jury in California for lying to the FBI, knew he had a legal problem in 2019 and did not tell voters.

“What else has Fortenberry not told Nebraskans? He has lost our faith and should resign,” says Kleeb.

In these early hours of his criminal case Fortenberry has shown no signs of walking away from the 1st District post he has held since 2005.

During a videotaped statement he released Tuesday, the 60-year-old, nine-term Congressman denied the charges adding; “Now we will have to fight.”

Several of his fellow Nebraska Republicans have initially rallied behind Fortenberry.

GOP National Committeeman J.L. Spray tells the Omaha World-Herald, “I do have a very difficult time believing the allegations. It would be very out of character for him.”

Should Fortenberry resign, voters would apparently choose his successor.

According to the Congressional Research Service, “The Constitution requires that all House vacancies must be filled by special election…In contrast with the Senate, there is no constitutional provision for the appointment of interim Representatives.”

There’s little doubt a special election would find several candidates stepping up.

One likely name: GOP Lt. Governor Mike Foley, who was elected as Governor Pete Ricketts’ running mate in 2015. Before that Foley served two terms as state auditor and is a former state senator from Lincoln.

Kleeb tells NCN she suspects GOP State Senator Julie Slama would have a key edge, the “scheming” of Governor Pete Ricketts. Ricketts appointed Slama to the Legislature in 2019; in 2020 she was elected to serve a full four year term that ends January 7, 2025.

At the age of 25 (born May 2, 1996) Slama is just old enough to be in Congress. According to Article I, Section 2, Clause 2 of the US Constitution, “No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained the Age of twenty five Years.”

One potential drawback for Slama: her address.  She currently lives in the 3rd Congressional District although according to the Constitution a House member only need be “an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.”

While not a legal problem some statehouse insiders do wonder if Slama’s residency would be a political issue with opponents making the case that she’s carpetbagging.

All this while Fortenberry was scheduled to appear in US District Court in Los Angeles today officially charged with concealing information and making false statements to federal authorities.

The US Attorney’s office says Fortenberry’s wrongdoing occurred during an investigation into illegal contributions made to the congressman’s 2016 re-election campaign; contributions that involve Gilbert Chagoury, a foreign national prohibited by federal law from contributing to federal elections, and a Chagoury associate Toufic Joseph Baaklini.

The indictment alleges that “Fortenberry falsely told investigators that he was not aware of Baaklini ever being involved in illegal campaign contributions, that the individuals who made contributions at the 2016 fundraiser were all publicly disclosed, and that he was not aware of any contributions to his campaign from a foreign national.”

The New York Times reports that Chagoury is a Lebanese Nigerian billionaire who was accused of making illegal campaign contributions “to American politicians in exchange for access to them.”

If convicted on all counts Fortenberry is facing a maximum 15 years in federal prison.