OMAHA -- As expected the prosecutor in a racially charged and highly controversial Omaha shooting case is running for reelection, filing the necessary paperwork this week.

Long-time Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine decided not to charge a White downtown Omaha bar owner who shot and killed a Black man during Black Lives Matter protests, setting off a chain of political eruptions.

The Nebraska Democratic Party condemned Kleine, who then switched parties and voted for Donald Trump. Now Kleine is in what is likely to be his toughest race since he was first elected in 2006.

[View our full video report above]

 

OCTOBER, 2020

NCN's Joe Jordan: Are you going to vote for President Trump.

DON KLEINE: you know I figured that would be a question I would be asked. I already have.

OCTOBER 2021:

NCN: Do you regret that vote?

KLEINE: You know who I voted for in an election in the presidential or national election, whether it's this election or the last 10 elections doesn't have anything to do with my job as County Attorney.

NCN: Voters might disagree with you on that they might want to know how you feel about your vote for Donald Trump.

KLEINE: OK well I mean they can question that all they want they have a right to. I made it public most people don't tell people who they vote for.

NCN: Yes you told us who you voted for, my question is do you regret it?

KLEINE: I don't regret it.

Democrat Dave Pantos is off and running against Kleine, well aware of that Trump vote.

NCN: Is that a factor in this campaign, his vote, his support for Donald Trump?

DAVE PANTOS: You know something to look at is the January 6th insurrection which was a dramatic example of lawlessness in this country. Donald Trump led that insurrection and Don Kleine has yet to distance himself from that or from Donald Trump's leadership of that.

KLEINE: It's extremely troubling and horrible thing that happened. Those people should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; it was undeniably a terrible thing.

And Kleine tells me former President Trump is not blameless.

KLEINE: Unfortunately at the time the former president had encouraged people to some extent to do that, so it's very troubling.

JJ NCN: So you think former president Trump bears some responsibility for what took place on January 6th?

KLEINE: Some responsibility yes.

Pantos also says if elected he’ll be prosecuting “real crime and addressing the prison crisis.”

Kleine tells me Pantos has “no experience” running an operation like the Douglas County Attorney’s office.

As for January 6th Pantos isn’t letting go doubling down that Kleine voted for Trump and made a big deal of leaving the Democratic Party to support Trump.

Kleine says he’s done talking about January 6th adding its Pantos and the Democrats who started playing politics when they condemned Kleine for his handling of a highly publicized and deadly Old Market shooting during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

Of course it was that condemnation that pushed Kleine to switch parties and set up the first real fight for the Douglas County Attorney’s job in years.