Nebraska senator Machaela Cavanaugh defended removing Founders’ portraits in viral Capitol video, claiming rule violations despite the governor’s criticism.

A Nebraska state senator caught on video removing portraits of America’s Founders from a hallway in the state Capitol is defending her actions.

Democratic State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh was shown on Capitol security footage taking down portraits from an exhibit celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. The exhibit was provided by conservative nonprofit PragerU and included images of signers of the Declaration of Independence and prominent women in American history, according to Gov. Jim Pillen, who criticized the lawmaker’s actions.

“Celebrating America during our 250th year should be a moment of unity and patriotism, not divisiveness and destructive partisanship,” Pillen wrote in a post on X. “I am disappointed in this shameful and selfish bad example.”

Cavanaugh told KETV7 Omaha that she removed the portraits because she believed they violated the rules and regulations of the State Capitol and did not believe they had been approved. She cited Rule 4.07, which limits displays to the first-floor rotunda for a one-week period in most cases and prohibits leafleting within the state Capitol or on its grounds.

Source: Nebraska state senator caught on video removing Founders’ portraits defends actions