Nebraska Liquor Control Commission suspends director, citing joint federal-state investigation
The Nebraska Liquor Control Commission suspended its executive director, Hobert “Hobie” Rupe, without pay Thursday after a federal search warrant was served on the commission a day before.
The now two-member commission met for less than 3 minutes. Commissioner Bruce Bailey of Lincoln, the commission chair, said the search warrant came based on “a joint federal-state investigation into alleged criminal conduct.”
“These alleged offenses relate to his fitness and ability to continue to serve in his present position,” Bailey said. “An immediate suspension is necessary pending receipt of further information.”
Bailey and Commissioner Kim Lowe of Kearney both voted to suspend Rupe. No other details were shared. Rupe’s current salary is $130,596.96.
A spokesperson for the FBI Omaha office confirmed federal agents executed the search warrant Wednesday, and no arrests were made.
“Because it is an ongoing investigation, I cannot comment further,” the FBI Omaha spokesperson said.
The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office declined to comment Thursday. A call to Rupe went to voicemail.
The Governor’s Office declined to comment on a legal issue for a state agency not directly under Governor Jim Pillen’s control.
Rupe began serving as the Liquor Control Commission’s executive director January 15, 2004. He previously served almost 10 years as an assistant attorney general. Rupe is admitted to practice before the Nebraska Supreme Court, the local U.S. District Court, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 1992, Rupe graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Pillen’s staff said the governor would “fill in due course” a vacancy in representation on the three-member commission for someone to represent the 2nd Congressional District. The six-year term of former Commissioner Harry Hoch, Jr., of Omaha expired last Saturday.
Voters in November gave the Liquor Control commissioners additional responsibility by placing the three commissioners also on the state’s new Medical Cannabis Commission. That new part of the job requires them to craft regulations by July 1 to begin licensing medical cannabis dispensaries by October 1.
At the end of the Thursday meeting, Bailey told those in attendance: “You all may be wondering a lot of things, as we are, and you’ll know more over the next few weeks.”
