TD Ameritrade fortune fueling referendum to reinstate death penalty in Nebraska

Neb. Gov. Pete Ricketts (right) with father Joe.

Nebraskans for the Death Penalty reports it has raised $244,866 so far from 12 donors, including $25,000 from Michael Cassling, an Omaha CEO, $10,000 from the Omaha Police Union, and $100,000 each from Joe Ricketts (reputedly worth $1.6 billion), the founder of TD Ameritrade and his son Peter, Nebraska's current governor.
     Last month the Nebraska Unicameral repealed Nebraska's death penalty, Ricketts vetoed the bill, but the Legislature overrode his veto
     Two appalling miscarriages of justice involving eight innocent Nebraskans charged with murder persuaded even many Republican's to abandon GOP death penalty support.

     Nebraskans for the Death Penalty said it paid roughly $192,000 to Lincoln Strategy Group, an Arizona-based consultant that is using paid circulators to gather signatures. Peterson estimated that the petition drive could cost his group $900,000, roughly the same amount spent by a petition group that sought last year to raise the minimum wage.