Photos: Jeff Fortenberry through the years

Toufic Baaklini, who resigned on Sunday, had served as president and a board member for several years for In Defense of Christians, an organization that fights persecution of Christians. 

"The government's attempt to drag Congressman Fortenberry across the country to face a jury of Californians for these alleged offenses represents a gross abuse of power by the Department of Justice," the motion stated.

"With no basis to charge the congressman with a crime, the government instead concocted one," attorney John Littrell of Los Angeles alleged in the motion.

Prosecutors have turned over more than 11,600 pages of documents and more than 50 audio and video recordings to lawyers defending Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

The court filing accused the lead FBI investigator of "anti-Muslim" and "anti-Arab" bias that might have led to "hostility" toward Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, who has worked to help religious minorities in the Middle East.

Attorneys for indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry claim that a lead prosecutor misled the congressman into making incriminating statements.

Federal prosecutors are accusing lawyers representing indicted U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of smearing the reputation of an FBI agent by falsely claiming he was biased against Arabs and Muslims.

When federal prosecutors announced indictments against the Nebraska congressman, GOP operatives privately began discussing possible successors. But none have emerged.

"If our Republican nominee is waging a battle against prosecutors in a courtroom out of state instead of campaigning here in the 1st District, this seat is in jeopardy," Sen. Mike Flood said Sunday in announcing his candidacy.

Fortenberry has pleaded not guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents and one count of seeking to conceal the source of $30,000 in “conduit” political contributions.

The Nebraska congressman's trial on allegations he lied to federal agents now is set to start March 15.

Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, Nebraska's 1st District congressman, is set to go on trial in Los Angeles, facing three felony charges as he runs a reelection campaign.

Ultimately, Fortenberry’s fate will be decided by a jury of three men and nine women — a mix of Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander and white jurors.

For the first time Thursday, the public — and more importantly, jurors — heard an overview of U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry’s defense in his court case.

A Los Angeles doctor who funneled money from a Nigerian billionaire to Rep. Jeff Fortenberry recalled receiving a brown bag with $30,000 — and accidentally leaving it in his car when he went to lunch.

After federal agents first tried to contact Fortenberry at his Lincoln home in 2019, the congressman called the then-Lincoln police chief. Fortenberry said he was concerned for his family's safety.

Trey Gowdy testified Wednesday that Assistant U.S. Attorney Mack Jenkins, the lead prosecutor in the case, told him that Fortenberry shouldn’t return it to the donors, in part because it could tip off the donors that they were under federal investigation.

The jury took less than two hours deliberating in the federal case of Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry.

References to elephants, horses, opossums and raccoons weren't the only things that stood out about the Jeff Fortenberry trial.