Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen says his office had nothing to do with awarding a $2.5 million no-bid contract that is now the subject of an active Lincoln Police Department investigation, and he insists he did everything by the book. In a new interview, Pillen also explained why he's refusing to debate his three challengers ahead of the November 3 general election, even as the contracting controversy continues to shadow his reelection bid.
The contract at the center of the probe was awarded in May 2024, when the Nebraska Department of Economic Development handed a $2.5 million no-bid deal to Global Sustainability Developers LLC, led by bioeconomy consultant Julie Bushell, according to Nebraska Public Media. Bushell had previously accompanied Pillen on state trade delegations to Japan, South Korea, and Washington, D.C., the outlet reported. In an interview with WOWT, Pillen said responsibility for the contract rests with the Department of Economic Development, not his office.
Auditor Flagged Blank Forms and a Backdated Report
Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley issued a report in January 2026 alleging the contract showed signs of favoritism. Per the station's report, Foley found that the Department of Economic Development left the emergency justification section blank on its procurement form, a document required under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 73-815 of the Nebraska State Procurement Act whenever a contract exceeds $50,000 without competitive bidding. Foley also alleged the agency later backdated a report to June 30, 2025, to make it appear a legislative deadline had been met, an act he said could constitute misdemeanor deception of the auditor's office.
Foley referred his findings to the Nebraska State Patrol and the Attorney General in February 2026. The State Patrol transferred the case to the Lincoln Police Department the following month specifically to avoid a conflict of interest, since the patrol reports directly to the governor, according to Nebraska Examiner. Lincoln Police Department officials said in March that the inquiry would likely take months, and the outlet reported in August that the case remains under active police investigation.
Governor Says He Has Not Been Interviewed by Police
WOWT reports that Lincoln police have not interviewed Pillen as part of the investigation, and the station said it contacted the department directly to ask why. In his own account, Pillen told WOWT he did everything by the book and that there was a reason the emergency no-bid process was used, adding that he does not worry about criticism he cannot control.
Pillen had defended the emergency contract by saying rapid action was needed to secure federal funds before the Biden administration ended. But reporting by the Nebraska Examiner in February showed that key federal grant applications were actually submitted before the contract was executed, raising questions about that timeline. The state quietly terminated the contract with Global Sustainability Developers in February 2025, shortly after the State Auditor began requesting agency records, and Bushell went on to offer private consulting services to regional bioenergy developers, according to the Examiner.
Internal Warnings Never Reached Lawmakers
State records obtained by the Flatwater Free Press in September showed that top environmental officials had warned Pillen's chief of staff before the contract was awarded that Bushell's proposed ag-tech was “developing and aspiring at best.” Those concerns, the outlet reported, were never communicated to the state lawmakers who were funding the initiative.
The Nebraska state contracting office revised its form.
Why Pillen Won't Debate Walz, Lindstrom or Beard
Pillen faces three challengers in the November 3 election: Democratic former state senator Lynne Walz, Independent former Republican state senator Brett Lindstrom, and Legal Marijuana NOW candidate Rick Beard, per Nebraska Public Media. He told WOWT he won't be debating any of them, calling the format political theater — the same label he used when he declined to debate Carol Blood during the 2022 governor's race. Pillen said political season is silly season and that he has four years of action to point to instead.
Asked about a potential second term, Pillen said he plans to communicate more effectively, spend more time with people, and work to identify Nebraska's biggest economic opportunities. He said he has learned to have more patience in office, and argued that economic growth could expand the tax base and ultimately reduce the tax burden. WOWT reported it reached out to the other major candidates in the governor's race for one-on-one interviews and plans to air those conversations in the coming days.
