In a newsletter sent to his constituents, he added, “It is my sincerest hope that I have made a contribution to the betterment of America and the well-being of our great state of Nebraska.”
Mr. Fortenberry, who was first elected to Congress in 2004, had already given up his committee positions, including a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, under Republican conference rules for members facing federal indictments.
“He had his day in court — I think if he wants to appeal, he can go do that as a private citizen,” Mr. McCarthy said after the verdict was announced. “When someone’s convicted, it’s time to resign.”
The charges came after Mr. Fortenberry denied knowledge that he had received $30,000 in donations at a 2016 campaign fund-raiser in Los Angeles from Gilbert Chagoury, a Lebanese Nigerian billionaire, who had been accused of conspiring to make illegal donations to American politicians. (Foreign citizens cannot donate to American election campaigns, and Mr. Chagoury has since paid a $1.8 million fine after a deal with the U.S. government.)
Mr. Chagoury had funneled the donation through an intermediary, according to the indictment. But prosecutors said that despite being told by a cooperating witness who helped transfer the money to his campaign that the donations “probably did come from Gilbert Chagoury,” Mr. Fortenberry denied knowing that the money had come from a foreign citizen.