LINCOLN — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Monday that he has requested Amherst State Sen. Dan McKeon’s resignation after news broke that the lawmaker had been cited for public indecency.

McKeon was cited for misdemeanor “public indecency” stemming from an incident at lawmakers’ end-of-session party in the spring. An adult woman reported McKeon “made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing,” the Nebraska State Patrol told the Examiner.

The report says the incident happened during the evening hours of May 29 at Lincoln Country Club. That is the same time and location that lawmakers attended the first of two post-legislative session parties.

McKeon is a registered Republican who was elected to the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature in 2024, replacing former State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul. McKeon’s biographical page on the Nebraska Legislature’s website highlights that he has been married for 30 years and has four children.

During his first session in office, McKeon passed two bills to ease agricultural regulations and has another bill pending that aims to protect veterans from “predatory claim sharks.”

The Examiner is not naming the woman making the allegation, because it is the policy of States Newsroom and the Examiner not to identify people who say they have been abused unless they wish to talk publicly. The woman has not yet made a public statement.

Pillen’s office did not comment on the allegations last week. But during a separate press conference Monday, Pillen said the accusations against McKeon refer to a “serious” and “unacceptable” offense.

The governor said he called McKeon Friday evening to request his resignation. While he declined to share details of their conversation, he confirmed that his office had not received a resignation from McKeon.

McKeon issued a statement shortly before 6 p.m. Monday denying the allegations his lawyer said were made by a “legislative staffer regarding a light-hearted exchange” after the Legislature’s post-session gathering.

The statement from his lawyer says McKeon is considering filing a countersuit for defamation.

“Senator McKeon is a devoted husband, father of four … a proud Christian, coach, farming consultant, and a public servant of the highest integrity who has never engaged in any activity that could constitute ‘public indecency’ or wrongdoing of that nature,” said Perry Pirsch, McKeon’s attorney. “The claims are intentionally false or misguided and will be met with a full legal defense.”

The statement called the allegations unfounded and possibly politically motivated. The lawyer said McKeon has no plans to resign, saying the senator “remains focused on serving Nebraskans — farmers, families, faith-based communities — and on continuing to speak truth to power.”

He added that McKeon would “not allow manufactured controversies to negate the will of the voters or otherwise distract from the important work ahead.”

McKeon is expected in Lancaster County Court Dec. 10, authorities said.

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