LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Governor Dave Heineman has appointed a retired U.S. Air Force colonel to an open seat in the Nebraska Legislature, only days after his first pick withdrew amid questions about his nonpayment of campaign finance fines.Heineman announced Wednesday his appointment of retired Colonel Tommy Garrett of Bellevue to finish the term of former state Senator Scott Price. Price resigned in November.
The 59-year-old Garrett is the founder and president of a Bellevue company that specializes in defense contracting.
On Friday, Heineman had announced his appointment of Patrick Shannon of Bellevue. Within hours, Shannon withdrew his name, saying his father in Oklahoma had suffered a heart attack.
The withdrawal also followed news that Shannon owes the state $16,000 for campaign-disclosure violations during an unsuccessful bid for the Legislature in 2004.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.