TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health is reporting additional measles cases in the state. According to the department's online reportable infections disease web site,&nbsp; there are now 23 cases of measles in six Kansas counties including Stevens, Morton, Grant, Gray, Haskell and Kiowa.

 Last week, the state reported just 10 cases.

On March 13, the state reported the first Measles case in Kansas since 2018.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.

Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.

The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.

If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:

Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;

Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.

For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743011018377.png" alt="Image KDHE" />
 <figcaption>Image KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health is reporting additional measles cases in the state. According to the department's online reportable infections disease web site,&nbsp; there are now 23 cases of measles in six Kansas counties including Stevens, Morton, Grant, Gray, Haskell and Kiowa. Last week, the state reported just 10 cases.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743011119644.png" alt="KDHE" />
 <figcaption>KDHE</figcaption>
 </figure>On March 13, the state reported the first Measles case in Kansas since 2018.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908251964.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after these early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.&nbsp;Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure. Symptoms can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, according to the Kansas Department of Health.Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread from an infected person to others from four days before, to four days after the rash appears.Because measles is a highly infectious disease, it is very important for anyone exposed and experiencing symptoms to isolate from others with the exception of visiting a health care provider.The best way to prevent measles is to get the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children get their first dose at 12 to 15 months of age, and a second dose at age 4 to 6 years. Infants ages 6 through 11 months old should get the MMR vaccination if traveling outside the United States. Adults are protected from measles if they have had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, were born before 1957, or have evidence of immunity from a blood test.If an individual has known exposure to someone with measles and they are not immune through vaccination or prior infection, they are recommended to:<ol>
 <li>Consult with a health care provider to determine if post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended.</li><li>Exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the last time they were exposed unless symptoms develop.</li><li>If&nbsp;symptoms&nbsp;develop, individuals should notify their local health department and stay away from public areas until four days after the rash appeared.</li><li>Individuals seeking health care are advised to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know their symptoms and exposure concerns. This will help limit exposure within the healthcare setting.</li>
 </ol>Per K.A.R. 28-1-2, measles is a four-hour reportable disease. If a health care provider, laboratory or hospital suspects, tests, or diagnoses an individual with measles, KDHE should be notified immediately. KDHE will work with the health care provider on testing recommendations. Teachers and school administrators are also required by law to report suspected cases to KDHE. &nbsp;Measles cases rarely occur in Kansas and are usually associated with international travel.For questions, call the Stevens County Health Department at 620-544-7177 or KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 (option 5).

More measles: Now in six counties in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY — A child told the baby sitter there was a monster under their bed. They baby sitter found a man prohibited from being in the home.&nbsp;

Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 2000 block of Patton Road, just outside the City of Great Bend. The deputies were responding to a reported disturbance call.

Upon arrival, the deputies contacted the victim who stated she was babysitting children at the residence. When putting the children to bed, one child complained there was a “monster” under their bed. When the victim attempted to show the child there was nothing under the bed, she came face-to-face with a male suspect who was hiding there. An altercation ensued with the babysitter and one child was knocked over in the struggle. The suspect then fled the scene before deputies arrived.

The victim identified the suspect as Martin Villalobos, Jr., who once lived at the residence but there was currently a protection from abuse order issued against him to stay away from the property. Deputies searched the area that evening for the suspect but were unable to locate him.

On March 25, deputies were in the area still looking for Villalobos. He&nbsp; was seen in the 2000 block of Patton Road at which point he attempted to flee from law enforcement. After a short foot pursuit, officers captured him.

&nbsp;Villalobos, Jr., is being held in the Barton County Jail on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, child endangerment, felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and violation of a protection from abuse order.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743003352309.png" alt="Villalobos photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Villalobos photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY — A child told the baby sitter there was a monster under their bed. They baby sitter found a man prohibited from being in the home.&nbsp;Just after 10:30p.m. Monday, Barton County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 2000 block of Patton Road, just outside the City of Great Bend. The deputies were responding to a reported disturbance call.Upon arrival, the deputies contacted the victim who stated she was babysitting children at the residence. When putting the children to bed, one child complained there was a “monster” under their bed. When the victim attempted to show the child there was nothing under the bed, she came face-to-face with a male suspect who was hiding there. An altercation ensued with the babysitter and one child was knocked over in the struggle. The suspect then fled the scene before deputies arrived.The victim identified the suspect as Martin Villalobos, Jr., who once lived at the residence but there was currently a protection from abuse order issued against him to stay away from the property. Deputies searched the area that evening for the suspect but were unable to locate him.On March 25, deputies were in the area still looking for Villalobos. He&nbsp; was seen in the 2000 block of Patton Road at which point he attempted to flee from law enforcement. After a short foot pursuit, officers captured him.&nbsp;Villalobos, Jr., is being held in the Barton County Jail on a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, child endangerment, felony obstruction of a law enforcement officer and violation of a protection from abuse order.

Kan. baby sitter found "monster' hiding under child's bed

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson will retire, effective July 4, following a recent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Wilson’s letter of resignation submitted Monday to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly began: “Life changes, so plans change.”&nbsp;

She wrote in the letter that the diagnosis has progressed to such a point that her ability to perform the job is “no longer at the level of excellence sufficient to suit me.” Wilson, 65, added she intends to stay in her position until July 4 to see unfinished projects through.

Wilson has served on the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/03/newest-kansas-supreme-court-justice-promises-tenure-free-of-external-influences/">since 2020</a>. Kelly appointed Wilson in 2019. She served as a Shawnee County district judge beginning in 2004, and the final five of those years before her appointment to the Supreme Court were spent as the district’s chief judge. Before the bench, Wilson practiced law in Topeka and northwest Kansas, and she graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg and Washburn University School of Law. She is from Smith Center.

The vacancy will mean a fourth state Supreme Court appointment for Kelly, a Democrat, which will occur through a vetting process by a nominating commission made up of five lawyers and four people appointed by the governor. The nominating commission selects three names from a group of applicants to forward to the governor, who selects one appointee. Justices undergo retention votes after their first year on the Supreme Court and every six years after.

“I know from experience the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, and the KBI, will investigate any applicant for my position as thoroughly and vigorously as they investigated me,” Wilson wrote in her letter to Kelly. “And so will you.”

Kansans are set to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/19/kansas-house-endorses-plan-to-elect-supreme-court-justices-placing-question-on-august-2026-ballot/">vote in August 2026</a>&nbsp;on whether the process ought to change. Republican legislators pushed a resolution through the Legislature earlier this month that will create a ballot question asking voters if justices should be elected by popular vote instead of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">the merit-based current process</a>.&nbsp;

Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who also served as a district judge in Shawnee County, called Wilson a valued colleague and a “dear friend.”

“My high esteem for her has risen to new heights as I’ve observed her courage facing her health challenges,” Luckert said in a Monday news release. “We will miss her presence on our court, but we understand and support her decision to focus on her health.”

Wilson described the job “as extremely and unrelentingly difficult as it is rewarding.” She said her time on the Supreme Court has been “a rare gift.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743002890644.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson, pictured here in May 2022, will retire from the bench in July following a Lou Gehrig's disease diagnosis. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson, pictured here in May 2022, will retire from the bench in July following a Lou Gehrig's disease diagnosis. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Wilson will retire, effective July 4, following a recent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.Wilson’s letter of resignation submitted Monday to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly began: “Life changes, so plans change.”&nbsp;She wrote in the letter that the diagnosis has progressed to such a point that her ability to perform the job is “no longer at the level of excellence sufficient to suit me.” Wilson, 65, added she intends to stay in her position until July 4 to see unfinished projects through.Wilson has served on the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/03/newest-kansas-supreme-court-justice-promises-tenure-free-of-external-influences/">since 2020</a>. Kelly appointed Wilson in 2019. She served as a Shawnee County district judge beginning in 2004, and the final five of those years before her appointment to the Supreme Court were spent as the district’s chief judge. Before the bench, Wilson practiced law in Topeka and northwest Kansas, and she graduated from Bethany College in Lindsborg and Washburn University School of Law. She is from Smith Center.The vacancy will mean a fourth state Supreme Court appointment for Kelly, a Democrat, which will occur through a vetting process by a nominating commission made up of five lawyers and four people appointed by the governor. The nominating commission selects three names from a group of applicants to forward to the governor, who selects one appointee. Justices undergo retention votes after their first year on the Supreme Court and every six years after.“I know from experience the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, and the KBI, will investigate any applicant for my position as thoroughly and vigorously as they investigated me,” Wilson wrote in her letter to Kelly. “And so will you.”Kansans are set to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/19/kansas-house-endorses-plan-to-elect-supreme-court-justices-placing-question-on-august-2026-ballot/">vote in August 2026</a>&nbsp;on whether the process ought to change. Republican legislators pushed a resolution through the Legislature earlier this month that will create a ballot question asking voters if justices should be elected by popular vote instead of&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/18/plan-to-elect-kansas-supreme-court-justices-scrutinized-by-critics-including-courts-former-chief/">the merit-based current process</a>.&nbsp;Chief Justice Marla Luckert, who also served as a district judge in Shawnee County, called Wilson a valued colleague and a “dear friend.”“My high esteem for her has risen to new heights as I’ve observed her courage facing her health challenges,” Luckert said in a Monday news release. “We will miss her presence on our court, but we understand and support her decision to focus on her health.”Wilson described the job “as extremely and unrelentingly difficult as it is rewarding.” She said her time on the Supreme Court has been “a rare gift.”

Kansas Supreme Court justice to step down, citing Lou Gehrig’s disease

TOPEKA – An Arizona man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting his victim at gunpoint as he transported her across state lines, according to the United State's Attorney.

 A federal judge also sentenced&nbsp;Martin Brandon Gillen, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona,  to 95 years in prison for other related crimes, to be served concurrent with his life sentence.

Gillen pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity, one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

In late 2021, Gillen began an online relationship with a minor female who was then 17 years of age. He persuaded her to take and send him sexually explicit images and videos which he kept and later used to threaten the victim. Over the course of the online relationship, Gillen repeatedly made violent threats against the victim. 

In March 2024, Gillen traveled to Illinois to pick up the victim then transported her across state lines, from Illinois to Missouri to Kansas. During this trip, Gillen sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.

Gillen and the victim were found in Kansas by officers with the Iola Police Department. In his possession, Gillen had a firearm, multiple magazines, and zip ties. Gillen admitted to officers that his cell phone contained child sexual abuse materials. Subsequent examination by law enforcement revealed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse materials on his cell phone, as well as sexually explicit images of the female from when she was 17 years old. 

Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also found images of Gillen sexually abusing an unrelated 4-year-old child from Utah on the phone.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Iola Police Department, the New Baden, Illinois Police Department, and the Illinois State Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720647510208.png" alt="Gillen is being held in Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Gillen is being held in Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – An Arizona man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting his victim at gunpoint as he transported her across state lines, according to the United State's Attorney. A federal judge also sentenced&nbsp;Martin Brandon Gillen, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona, to 95 years in prison for other related crimes, to be served concurrent with his life sentence.Gillen pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of transportation for criminal sexual activity, one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.In late 2021, Gillen began an online relationship with a minor female who was then 17 years of age. He persuaded her to take and send him sexually explicit images and videos which he kept and later used to threaten the victim. Over the course of the online relationship, Gillen repeatedly made violent threats against the victim. In March 2024, Gillen traveled to Illinois to pick up the victim then transported her across state lines, from Illinois to Missouri to Kansas. During this trip, Gillen sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.Gillen and the victim were found in Kansas by officers with the Iola Police Department. In his possession, Gillen had a firearm, multiple magazines, and zip ties. Gillen admitted to officers that his cell phone contained child sexual abuse materials. Subsequent examination by law enforcement revealed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse materials on his cell phone, as well as sexually explicit images of the female from when she was 17 years old. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also found images of Gillen sexually abusing an unrelated 4-year-old child from Utah on the phone.This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Iola Police Department, the New Baden, Illinois Police Department, and the Illinois State Police.

Online relationship: Man captured in Kan. admits to kidnapping, sex crimes

The highly anticipated <a href="https://www.tonyspizzaeventscenter.com/events/60th-annual-mid-america-farm-exposition">Mid America Farm Expo</a>&nbsp;returns to Salina, Kansas, from March 26-28, 2025, bringing together farmers, agribusiness professionals, and agricultural enthusiasts for three days of cutting-edge innovation, valuable networking, and industry insights.

The Mid-America Farm Expo, held annually, is celebrating its 60th anniversary and is considered to be one of the best places for anyone involved in the farming and agricultural sectors to get connected with dealers showcasing equipment.&nbsp; This year’s Expo will offer a wide range of exhibitors, including the latest agricultural technologies, equipment, machinery, and services, designed to help the farming community improve efficiency and sustainability.

Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest products and services transforming the agricultural landscape, attend informative sessions featuring thought leaders and industry experts, network with fellow professionals, suppliers, and farmers, and participate in live demonstrations of advanced farming equipment and technologies.

“I think there’s a misconception that agriculture is a dying industry, when of course, here in the Midwest, we know that couldn’t be any further from the truth,” Renee Duxler, President and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “The Farm Expo continues to evolve as the industry evolves with advanced technology, innovative methods, and emerging research. The Farm Expo is a great place for farmers and industry leaders to capture that knowledge.”

Special features of the Expo, in addition to the farm equipment displays, will include a variety of programs and seminars. Wednesday morning’s session will be Kansas Forage &amp; Grassland Council Talks with a panel of experts from across the region and will be held on the second floor of Tony’s Pizza Events Center. Wednesday afternoon will host a Central Kansas Irrigation Panel in the 4-H Building with a panel consisting of Dr. Johnathan Aguilar, KSU Extension Irrigation Specialist; Mark Billinger, KDA Assistant Water Commissioner; and Ryan Flickner, KFB Senior Director of Public Policy &amp; Central Kansas Farmer.

On Thursday, Washburn University’s Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation, Roger McEowen, will discuss Hot Topics in Agricultural Law at 10:30 a.m. on the second floor of Tony’s Pizza Events Center. In addition to the morning session, McEowen will be discussing farm succession planning at 1:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building.

To conclude the 60th Annual Mid America Farm Expo, there will be a Women in Agriculture session on Friday morning at 10 a.m. at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center on the second floor.

The Expo began 60 years ago as a project of the Agriculture Committee of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. It was named the Salina Materials Handling Show and had 44 exhibits on display at the Saline County Fairgrounds, now called the Saline County Livestock and Expo Center. With the construction of the Tony’s Pizza Events Center directly across from the Expo Center, the Farm Expo expanded and is now one of the largest spring farm shows in the Midwest, attracting a few thousand attendees over the three days.

The Expo is headquartered in the Tony’s Pizza Events Center, with additional displays in the Saline County Livestock &amp; Expo Center's Agricultural Hall. Exhibits are also located outside in front of Ag Hall and in the Events Center's west parking lot.

There is no charge for admission or parking. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 27, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 28. The event is sponsored by the Agriculture Committee of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743003798464.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The highly anticipated <a href="https://www.tonyspizzaeventscenter.com/events/60th-annual-mid-america-farm-exposition">Mid America Farm Expo</a>&nbsp;returns to Salina, Kansas, from March 26-28, 2025, bringing together farmers, agribusiness professionals, and agricultural enthusiasts for three days of cutting-edge innovation, valuable networking, and industry insights.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742998261596.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Mid-America Farm Expo, held annually, is celebrating its 60th anniversary and is considered to be one of the best places for anyone involved in the farming and agricultural sectors to get connected with dealers showcasing equipment.&nbsp; This year’s Expo will offer a wide range of exhibitors, including the latest agricultural technologies, equipment, machinery, and services, designed to help the farming community improve efficiency and sustainability.Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest products and services transforming the agricultural landscape, attend informative sessions featuring thought leaders and industry experts, network with fellow professionals, suppliers, and farmers, and participate in live demonstrations of advanced farming equipment and technologies.“I think there’s a misconception that agriculture is a dying industry, when of course, here in the Midwest, we know that couldn’t be any further from the truth,” Renee Duxler, President and CEO of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, said. “The Farm Expo continues to evolve as the industry evolves with advanced technology, innovative methods, and emerging research. The Farm Expo is a great place for farmers and industry leaders to capture that knowledge.”Special features of the Expo, in addition to the farm equipment displays, will include a variety of programs and seminars. Wednesday morning’s session will be Kansas Forage &amp; Grassland Council Talks with a panel of experts from across the region and will be held on the second floor of Tony’s Pizza Events Center. Wednesday afternoon will host a Central Kansas Irrigation Panel in the 4-H Building with a panel consisting of Dr. Johnathan Aguilar, KSU Extension Irrigation Specialist; Mark Billinger, KDA Assistant Water Commissioner; and Ryan Flickner, KFB Senior Director of Public Policy &amp; Central Kansas Farmer.On Thursday, Washburn University’s Professor of Agricultural Law and Taxation, Roger McEowen, will discuss Hot Topics in Agricultural Law at 10:30 a.m. on the second floor of Tony’s Pizza Events Center. In addition to the morning session, McEowen will be discussing farm succession planning at 1:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building.To conclude the 60th Annual Mid America Farm Expo, there will be a Women in Agriculture session on Friday morning at 10 a.m. at the Tony’s Pizza Events Center on the second floor.The Expo began 60 years ago as a project of the Agriculture Committee of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce. It was named the Salina Materials Handling Show and had 44 exhibits on display at the Saline County Fairgrounds, now called the Saline County Livestock and Expo Center. With the construction of the Tony’s Pizza Events Center directly across from the Expo Center, the Farm Expo expanded and is now one of the largest spring farm shows in the Midwest, attracting a few thousand attendees over the three days.The Expo is headquartered in the Tony’s Pizza Events Center, with additional displays in the Saline County Livestock &amp; Expo Center's Agricultural Hall. Exhibits are also located outside in front of Ag Hall and in the Events Center's west parking lot.There is no charge for admission or parking. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 27, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 28. The event is sponsored by the Agriculture Committee of the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

Schedule for 60th Annual Mid America Farm Expo in Salina

By WILL WEISSERT&nbsp; Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The attempts by President Donald Trump and top leaders of his administration to downplay a security breach that revealed military strike plans in a Signal group chat including a journalist stand in stark contrast to their reaction to Hillary Clinton's use of a home server as secretary of state.

This time, they've largely focused their ire not on sweeping potential security lapses, or punishments as a result, but on the journalist who was errantly added to the group text and reported on it: editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg. Some of the text's participants who spoke out against Clinton haven't commented publicly at all about the Signal leak.

One of the chief concerns about Clinton's email server was that it was insecure, and that sensitive information could fall into the wrong hands. But former FBI Director James Comey said in recommending that no charges be brought against Clinton that there was no evidence that her email account had been hacked by hostile actors.

Trump insisted Tuesday that no classified information was divulged in the group chat, though Goldberg wrote that messaging revealed "precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing" of strikes in Yemen. The White House's National Security Council has said it is investigating.

For her part, Clinton's reaction to Goldberg's reporting was one of astonishment: "You have got to be kidding me," Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.

Here's a look at what some of the officials in the group chat, and some of those steadfastly standing by them, are saying now versus then.

Now: "The main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful," Trump said during a meeting with a group of his ambassadors at the White House on Tuesday.

He also called his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, "a very good man" and insisted "he will continue to do a very good job," while adding, "I think it's very unfair how they attacked Michael" and labeling Goldberg a "total sleazebag."

Later, in an interview with Newsmax, Trump said a Waltz aide had Goldberg's number and "this guy ended up on the call." He also added that he felt good about what occurred. "I can only go by what I've been told ... but I feel very comfortable, actually."

Then: "Hillary is the one who sent and received classified information on an insecure server, putting the safety of the American people under threat," Trump said in an October 2016 speech in Warren, Michigan.

"The rigged system refused to prosecute her for conduct that put all of us, everybody in this room, everybody in this country at risk. Hillary Clinton went to great lengths to create a private email server and to bypass government security in order to keep her emails from being read by the public and by federal officials," he said in a November 2016 speech in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

And, during a Florida rally in July 2016, he even urged Russian hackers to help find a batch of emails said to have vanished from Clinton's private server. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing."

Now: "I think there's a lot in the lessons for a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president," Waltz said during Tuesday's White House meeting with Trump and the ambassadors.

He also said of Goldberg, "This journalist, Mr. President, wants the world talking about more hoaxes."

In a subsequent interview on Fox News Channel's "The Ingraham Angle," Waltz said, "I take full responsibility. I built the group." He also contradicted Trump by saying that no staffer was responsible.

Waltz further acknowledged, "embarrassing, yes" and said, "We made a mistake. We're moving forward."

Then: "How is it Hillary Clinton can delete 33,000 government emails on a private server, yet President Trump gets indicted for having documents he could declassify?" Waltz posted in June 2023, referencing charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents. The case was scrapped after Trump won a second term.

Now: "Nobody was texting war plans," Hegseth told journalists traveling with him in Hawaii on Monday. He said of Goldberg, "You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes."

Then: "Any security professional, military, government or otherwise, would be fired on the spot for this type of conduct and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information," Hegseth, then a regular contributor for Fox News Channel, said of Clinton's emails on the network in 2016.

That same year, Hegseth asked on Fox News, "How damaging is it to your ability to recruit or build allies with others when they are worried that our leaders may be exposing them because of their gross negligence or their recklessness in handling information?"

In another 2016 Fox News segment, Hegseth said, "If it was anyone other than Hillary Clinton, they would be in jail right now for what has been done. Because the assumption is, in the intelligence community, if you are using unclassified means, there is the potential for, and likelihood, that foreign governments are targeting those accounts and gathering intelligence from them."

Now: No public comment on the Signal group chat.

Then: "Nobody is above the law, not even Hillary Clinton – even though she thinks she is," Rubio told Fox News in January 2016.

The previous year in a Fox News interview, Rubio referred to the same emails when he said, "What they did is reckless — it's complete recklessness and incompetence."

Deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller

Now: No public comment on the Signal leak.

Then: Miller posted in 2022: "One point that doesn't get made enough about Hillary's unsecured server illegally used to conduct state business (obviously created to hide the Clintons' corrupt pay-for-play): foreign adversaries could easily hack classified ops &amp; intel in real time from other side of the globe."

Now: "My communications, to be clear, in a Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information," Ratcliffe said at a Tuesday congressional hearing.

Then: On Fox News in 2018, Ratcliffe suggested of officials who mishandle sensitive information: "It's always a good thing that we see that there is investigation and prosecution of folks if they're not handling that information appropriately."

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard

Now: "There's a difference between inadvertent release versus careless and sloppy, malicious leaks of classified information," Gabbard said at the same congressional hearing.

Then: Gabbard posted on X earlier this month, "Any unauthorized release of classified information is a violation of the law and will be treated as such."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742932610024.png" alt="President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By WILL WEISSERT&nbsp; Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — The attempts by President Donald Trump and top leaders of his administration to downplay a security breach that revealed military strike plans in a Signal group chat including a journalist stand in stark contrast to their reaction to Hillary Clinton's use of a home server as secretary of state.This time, they've largely focused their ire not on sweeping potential security lapses, or punishments as a result, but on the journalist who was errantly added to the group text and reported on it: editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg. Some of the text's participants who spoke out against Clinton haven't commented publicly at all about the Signal leak.One of the chief concerns about Clinton's email server was that it was insecure, and that sensitive information could fall into the wrong hands. But former FBI Director James Comey said in recommending that no charges be brought against Clinton that there was no evidence that her email account had been hacked by hostile actors.Trump insisted Tuesday that no classified information was divulged in the group chat, though Goldberg wrote that messaging revealed "precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing" of strikes in Yemen. The White House's National Security Council has said it is investigating.For her part, Clinton's reaction to Goldberg's reporting was one of astonishment: "You have got to be kidding me," Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.Here's a look at what some of the officials in the group chat, and some of those steadfastly standing by them, are saying now versus then.Trump<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on Signal group chat: &quot;There was no classified information as I understand it.&quot; National Security Adviser Michael Waltz: &quot;We have our technical experts looking at it. We have our legal teams looking at it...the attack was phenomenal and it&#39;s ongoing.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2DjG0idfJa">pic.twitter.com/2DjG0idfJa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904617345160532395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now: "The main thing was nothing happened. The attack was totally successful," Trump said during a meeting with a group of his ambassadors at the White House on Tuesday.He also called his national security adviser, Michael Waltz, "a very good man" and insisted "he will continue to do a very good job," while adding, "I think it's very unfair how they attacked Michael" and labeling Goldberg a "total sleazebag."Later, in an interview with Newsmax, Trump said a Waltz aide had Goldberg's number and "this guy ended up on the call." He also added that he felt good about what occurred. "I can only go by what I've been told ... but I feel very comfortable, actually."Then: "Hillary is the one who sent and received classified information on an insecure server, putting the safety of the American people under threat," Trump said in an October 2016 speech in Warren, Michigan."The rigged system refused to prosecute her for conduct that put all of us, everybody in this room, everybody in this country at risk. Hillary Clinton went to great lengths to create a private email server and to bypass government security in order to keep her emails from being read by the public and by federal officials," he said in a November 2016 speech in Virginia Beach, Virginia.And, during a Florida rally in July 2016, he even urged Russian hackers to help find a batch of emails said to have vanished from Clinton's private server. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. Cotton: &quot;They testified...that there&#39;s no intelligence community classified information, is that correct?&quot; Ratcliffe: &quot;That&#39;s correct.&quot; Gabbard: &quot;Yes.&quot; Sen. King: &quot;That&#39;s not correct! She said repeatedly there&#39;s nothing classified. Period.&quot; Sen. Warner: &quot;Period.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ta27JnxKXt">pic.twitter.com/Ta27JnxKXt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904564790569156611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>WaltzNow: "I think there's a lot in the lessons for a lot of journalists in this city who have made big names for themselves making up lies about this president," Waltz said during Tuesday's White House meeting with Trump and the ambassadors.He also said of Goldberg, "This journalist, Mr. President, wants the world talking about more hoaxes."In a subsequent interview on Fox News Channel's "The Ingraham Angle," Waltz said, "I take full responsibility. I built the group." He also contradicted Trump by saying that no staffer was responsible.Waltz further acknowledged, "embarrassing, yes" and said, "We made a mistake. We're moving forward."Then: "How is it Hillary Clinton can delete 33,000 government emails on a private server, yet President Trump gets indicted for having documents he could declassify?" Waltz posted in June 2023, referencing charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents. The case was scrapped after Trump won a second term.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Hegseth on Signal group chat: &quot;Nobody&#39;s texting war plans. I know exactly what I&#39;m doing. Exactly what we&#39;re directing. Really proud of what we accomplished, successful missions that night and going forward.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qgB69C5vnK">pic.twitter.com/qgB69C5vnK</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904736411292487955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now: "Nobody was texting war plans," Hegseth told journalists traveling with him in Hawaii on Monday. He said of Goldberg, "You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes."Then: "Any security professional, military, government or otherwise, would be fired on the spot for this type of conduct and criminally prosecuted for being so reckless with this kind of information," Hegseth, then a regular contributor for Fox News Channel, said of Clinton's emails on the network in 2016.That same year, Hegseth asked on Fox News, "How damaging is it to your ability to recruit or build allies with others when they are worried that our leaders may be exposing them because of their gross negligence or their recklessness in handling information?"In another 2016 Fox News segment, Hegseth said, "If it was anyone other than Hillary Clinton, they would be in jail right now for what has been done. Because the assumption is, in the intelligence community, if you are using unclassified means, there is the potential for, and likelihood, that foreign governments are targeting those accounts and gathering intelligence from them."Secretary of State Marco RubioNow: No public comment on the Signal group chat.Then: "Nobody is above the law, not even Hillary Clinton – even though she thinks she is," Rubio told Fox News in January 2016.The previous year in a Fox News interview, Rubio referred to the same emails when he said, "What they did is reckless — it's complete recklessness and incompetence."Deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen MillerNow: No public comment on the Signal leak.Then: Miller posted in 2022: "One point that doesn't get made enough about Hillary's unsecured server illegally used to conduct state business (obviously created to hide the Clintons' corrupt pay-for-play): foreign adversaries could easily hack classified ops &amp; intel in real time from other side of the globe."CIA Director John Ratcliffe<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Heated exchange between <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorBennet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorBennet</a> and CIA Director Ratcliffe. Sen. Bennet: &quot;This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable! It&#39;s an embarrassment! You need to do better!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/fUCywRlqHO">pic.twitter.com/fUCywRlqHO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904563032769925300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now: "My communications, to be clear, in a Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information," Ratcliffe said at a Tuesday congressional hearing.Then: On Fox News in 2018, Ratcliffe suggested of officials who mishandle sensitive information: "It's always a good thing that we see that there is investigation and prosecution of folks if they're not handling that information appropriately."Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DNIGabbard</a>: &quot;There was no classified material that was shared in that Signal chat.&quot; Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkWarner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarkWarner</a>: &quot;If there was no classified material share it with the committee. You can&#39;t have it both ways. These are important jobs. This is our national security.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/E4y43cSRPE">pic.twitter.com/E4y43cSRPE</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904550509312454829?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Now: "There's a difference between inadvertent release versus careless and sloppy, malicious leaks of classified information," Gabbard said at the same congressional hearing.Then: Gabbard posted on X earlier this month, "Any unauthorized release of classified information is a violation of the law and will be treated as such."

🎥In their own words: Trump officials shrugging off Signal chat leak

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after altercation with sheriff's deputies in Douglas County.

Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, deputies arrested&nbsp;a 40-year-old Lawrence man who had displayed a knife while they sought to apprehend him on a warrant, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

The man had an outstanding warrant for an alleged parole violation.

Deputies saw the suspect display the knife as they directed him to stop walking in the 1000 block between Kentucky and Vermont streets in Lawrence. The suspect eventually dropped the knife, and deputies took him to the Douglas County Jail. No one was injured.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the suspect or list requested charges.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after altercation with sheriff's deputies in Douglas County.Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, deputies arrested&nbsp;a 40-year-old Lawrence man who had displayed a knife while they sought to apprehend him on a warrant, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.The man had an outstanding warrant for an alleged parole violation.Deputies saw the suspect display the knife as they directed him to stop walking in the 1000 block between Kentucky and Vermont streets in Lawrence. The suspect eventually dropped the knife, and deputies took him to the Douglas County Jail. No one was injured.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the name of the suspect or list requested charges.

Sheriff: Kansas man threatened deputies with a knife

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in for a double murder is due back in court Wednesday.

Elias Cerda, 15, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Christopher Magana's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In December, Judge Shawn Elliot charged Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In January 2024, police responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested Cerda, who was 14 at the time. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp; 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734098604588.png" alt="Cerda-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Cerda-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen charged as an adult in for a double murder is due back in court Wednesday.Elias Cerda, 15, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Christopher Magana's courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December, Judge Shawn Elliot charged Cerda with two counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In January 2024, police responded to reports of shots being fired in the area of 5200 E Kensington in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Around the same time, officers were dispatched to an area hospital for the report of two walk-in shooting victims later identified as 14-year-old Emoni Shears and 19-year-old Jhiquez Roberts both of Wichita. They were later pronounced deceased at the hospital.Detectives and patrol officers immediately began investigating this case and following up on leads. Police arrested Cerda, who was 14 at the time. He was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on November 27, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Kan. boy, charged as an adult, due back in court for double murder

MIAMI COUNTY—Searchers have located the body of a missing Kansas man.&nbsp; Just before 5:30p.m. Monday,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible body found in a pond near U.S. 69 Highway and 247th&nbsp;Street, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

Law enforcement responded and located the body. On Tuesday an autopsy was conducted, confirming the identity as 37-year-old Jordan Yust.

Yust was last seen just before 11a.m. March 3 when he left his home in&nbsp; 14100 Block of W 141st Place in Olathe, according to Moncayo. His&nbsp; Silver Honda Odyssey was later found on U.S. 69 near 247th Street.

The cause of death is still under investigation; however, there were no signs of foul play.

This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department and Miami County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742953898172.png" alt="Yust photo Olathe Police" />
 <figcaption>Yust photo Olathe Police</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI COUNTY—Searchers have located the body of a missing Kansas man.&nbsp; Just before 5:30p.m. Monday,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible body found in a pond near U.S. 69 Highway and 247th&nbsp;Street, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.Law enforcement responded and located the body. On Tuesday an autopsy was conducted, confirming the identity as 37-year-old Jordan Yust.Yust was last seen just before 11a.m. March 3 when he left his home in&nbsp; 14100 Block of W 141st Place in Olathe, according to Moncayo. His&nbsp; Silver Honda Odyssey was later found on U.S. 69 near 247th Street.The cause of death is still under investigation; however, there were no signs of foul play.This case remains under investigation by the Olathe Police Department and Miami County Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;

Police confirm body found in a pond was missing Kansas man

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">documentary proof of citizenship</a>&nbsp;to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.

The order says the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and calls on states to work with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. It threatens to pull federal funding from states where election officials don't comply.

The move, which is likely to face swift challenges from voting rights organizations, is consistent with Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-voting-b113864e625242ceb86d73cc1d87bd25">long history</a>&nbsp;of railing against election processes. He often&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-election-lies-voter-fraud-biden-f3f3691c2ea0667ad694e3bee577d802">claims elections are being rigged</a>, even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-voting-turnout-election-day-a8ae22f34417dcda060b430dac89bdbc">before the results are known,</a>&nbsp;and has waged battles against certain voting methods since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">he lost</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">to Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-lies-explainer-816a43ed964e6d35f03b0930e6e56c82?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">falsely blamed it</a>&nbsp;on widespread fraud.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-rnc-mailed-ballots-voting-759f2277e00532dedaaa93e17f7329a1">focused particularly on mail voting</a>, arguing without evidence that it’s insecure and invites fraud even as he has shifted his position on the issue given its popularity with voters, including Republicans. While fraud occurs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">it’s rare</a>, limited in scope and gets prosecuted.

The order’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement signals that the president is not waiting for congressional Republicans to pass their long-anticipated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-citizenship-voter-id-republicans-17c6e7877b7ba63a08b68a771c92da92">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act</a>, or SAVE Act, which has aimed to do the same thing.

Republicans have defended that measure as necessary to restore public confidence in elections. Voting by noncitizens is already illegal and can result in felony charges and deportation.

Voting rights groups have expressed concerns that the requirement could disenfranchise people. An estimated 9% of U.S. citizens of voting age, or 21.3 million people, do not have proof of citizenship readily available, according to a 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups.

There are also concerns that married women who have changed their names will encounter trouble when trying to register because their birth certificates list their maiden names.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/save-act-voting-proof-citizenship-new-hampshire-5105986c3fc354d3d61ec3480b49c788">Such hiccups happened</a>&nbsp;in recent town elections in New Hampshire, which has a new state law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.

The order also says votes should be “cast and received” by Election Day and says federal funding should be conditional on state compliance. Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-11-receipt-and-postmark-deadlines-for-absentee-mail-ballots">accept mailed ballots received after Election Day</a>&nbsp;as long they are postmarked on or before that date, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Trump's executive order is likely to face legal challenges, given that the Constitution gives authority over elections to the states. While Congress has the power to regulate voting — and has done so to pass such laws as the Voting Rights Act — the Constitution makes clear that states have primary authority to set the “times, places and manner” for elections.

Colorado’s Democratic secretary of state, Jena Griswold, called the order an “unlawful” weaponization of the federal government and said Trump is “trying to make it harder for voters to fight back at the ballot box.”

The executive branch does have some authority over elections, said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law expert and former White House senior policy adviser during the Biden administration. He said some federal agencies provide election support, including the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which distributes federal grant money to states and runs a voluntary certification program for voting systems. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency helps election officials protect their systems.

Former President Biden issued an executive order in 2021 directing federal agencies to take steps to boost voter registration, which drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-voter-registration-executive-order-republicans-election-efe62f90c25bf25549bc436ecfc47d13">complaints from Republicans</a>&nbsp;who called it federal overreach. Trump has since rescinded that order.

Several Republican lawmakers and election officials quickly applauded Trump’s move, including Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state in Georgia. The state's barcode-based vote tallying system doesn't match standards Trump called for in the order and would need to change in order to not jeopardize the state's federal funding.

“Thank you, President Trump, for this executive order ensuring that only American citizens decide American elections,” Raffensperger said. “This is a great first step for election integrity reform nationwide.”

Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, the chairman of the House committee that oversees elections, said the order is a “welcome action to secure our elections and prevent foreign influence.”

Trump referenced election fraud as he signed the order Tuesday, saying, “this will end it, hopefully.” He added that more election actions would be taken in coming weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742940038269.png" alt="President Trump after he signed the order -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump after he signed the order -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive action to overhaul elections in the U.S., including requiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">documentary proof of citizenship</a>&nbsp;to register to vote in federal elections and demanding that all ballots be received by Election Day.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump signs executive order on election integrity, which will include putting a citizenship question on the federal voting form. <a href="https://t.co/dcUmya6Z8y">pic.twitter.com/dcUmya6Z8y</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904612626480402735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The order says the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protections” and calls on states to work with federal agencies to share voter lists and prosecute election crimes. It threatens to pull federal funding from states where election officials don't comply.The move, which is likely to face swift challenges from voting rights organizations, is consistent with Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-voting-b113864e625242ceb86d73cc1d87bd25">long history</a>&nbsp;of railing against election processes. He often&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-election-lies-voter-fraud-biden-f3f3691c2ea0667ad694e3bee577d802">claims elections are being rigged</a>, even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-voting-turnout-election-day-a8ae22f34417dcda060b430dac89bdbc">before the results are known,</a>&nbsp;and has waged battles against certain voting methods since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">he lost</a>&nbsp;the 2020 election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-claims-biden-won-explained-bd53b14ce871412b462cb3fe2c563f18">to Democrat Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-riot-trump-election-lies-explainer-816a43ed964e6d35f03b0930e6e56c82?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">falsely blamed it</a>&nbsp;on widespread fraud.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-republicans-rnc-mailed-ballots-voting-759f2277e00532dedaaa93e17f7329a1">focused particularly on mail voting</a>, arguing without evidence that it’s insecure and invites fraud even as he has shifted his position on the issue given its popularity with voters, including Republicans. While fraud occurs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voter-fraud-election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-7fcb6f134e528fee8237c7601db3328f">it’s rare</a>, limited in scope and gets prosecuted.The order’s documentary proof of citizenship requirement signals that the president is not waiting for congressional Republicans to pass their long-anticipated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-citizenship-voter-id-republicans-17c6e7877b7ba63a08b68a771c92da92">Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act</a>, or SAVE Act, which has aimed to do the same thing.Republicans have defended that measure as necessary to restore public confidence in elections. Voting by noncitizens is already illegal and can result in felony charges and deportation.Voting rights groups have expressed concerns that the requirement could disenfranchise people. An estimated 9% of U.S. citizens of voting age, or 21.3 million people, do not have proof of citizenship readily available, according to a 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups.There are also concerns that married women who have changed their names will encounter trouble when trying to register because their birth certificates list their maiden names.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/save-act-voting-proof-citizenship-new-hampshire-5105986c3fc354d3d61ec3480b49c788">Such hiccups happened</a>&nbsp;in recent town elections in New Hampshire, which has a new state law requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.The order also says votes should be “cast and received” by Election Day and says federal funding should be conditional on state compliance. Currently, 18 states and Puerto Rico&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-11-receipt-and-postmark-deadlines-for-absentee-mail-ballots">accept mailed ballots received after Election Day</a>&nbsp;as long they are postmarked on or before that date, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.Trump's executive order is likely to face legal challenges, given that the Constitution gives authority over elections to the states. While Congress has the power to regulate voting — and has done so to pass such laws as the Voting Rights Act — the Constitution makes clear that states have primary authority to set the “times, places and manner” for elections.Colorado’s Democratic secretary of state, Jena Griswold, called the order an “unlawful” weaponization of the federal government and said Trump is “trying to make it harder for voters to fight back at the ballot box.”The executive branch does have some authority over elections, said Justin Levitt, a constitutional law expert and former White House senior policy adviser during the Biden administration. He said some federal agencies provide election support, including the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, which distributes federal grant money to states and runs a voluntary certification program for voting systems. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency helps election officials protect their systems.Former President Biden issued an executive order in 2021 directing federal agencies to take steps to boost voter registration, which drew&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-voter-registration-executive-order-republicans-election-efe62f90c25bf25549bc436ecfc47d13">complaints from Republicans</a>&nbsp;who called it federal overreach. Trump has since rescinded that order.Several Republican lawmakers and election officials quickly applauded Trump’s move, including Brad Raffensperger, the secretary of state in Georgia. The state's barcode-based vote tallying system doesn't match standards Trump called for in the order and would need to change in order to not jeopardize the state's federal funding.“Thank you, President Trump, for this executive order ensuring that only American citizens decide American elections,” Raffensperger said. “This is a great first step for election integrity reform nationwide.”Rep. Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, the chairman of the House committee that oversees elections, said the order is a “welcome action to secure our elections and prevent foreign influence.”Trump referenced election fraud as he signed the order Tuesday, saying, “this will end it, hopefully.” He added that more election actions would be taken in coming weeks.

Proof of citizenship: Trump signs sweeping action overhauling US elections

BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged sex crimes in Butler County and made seven arrests.

On March 21 and 22, the Butler County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Andover Police Department, and El Dorado Police Department conducted a joint counter-human trafficking operation to deter human trafficking and commercial sex crimes in Butler County, according to Sheriff Monty Hughey.

Investigators and officers worked with ICTSOS, a local advocacy group providing support to survivors of trafficking. They met with potential victims of trafficking and offered paths to survivorship to ten people who were engaged in commercial sex work during the course of the operation. One suspect was identified as a sex trafficker during this advocacy initiative, located nearby, and arrested for promoting the sale of sexual relations, a felony.

This operation also identified and arrested six men who agreed to purchase sexual relations from a minor child in Butler County. These men have been arrested and booked into the Butler County jail on a variety of felony charges:

Kimron Charvell Burris, 31, has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Driving While Suspended.

Shane Anthony Pitman (39) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Indecent Solicitation of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.

Jose Campos-Urrutia (36) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation of a Child.

Andrew Jordan Bikar (22) has been charged with Aggravated Human trafficking, Electronic Soliciatation Of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Indecent Solicitation Of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.

Anthony Joseph Blakely (35) has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child,&nbsp;Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.

Joseph Frank Patrick III, 31, has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Aggravated Indecent Liberties With a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.

Alexander Jamal Lane was arrested and is awaiting charges of Promoting The Sale of Sexual Relations

This operation was carefully designed to create a perception of risk to anyone willing to come to Butler County to exploit trafficking victims, vulnerable children, or engage in commercial sex. It was also designed to create hope and path to freedom for those who being exploited by these suspects.

The investigative team received incredible support from the Butler County Attorney's Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, Clinton County (MO) Sheriff's Office, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, and the Ray County (MO) Counter-Human Trafficking Task Force. This operation represents the ongoing commitment of all the agencies and organizations to combat human trafficking.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742934932573.png" alt="Pitman Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Pitman Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged sex crimes in Butler County and made seven arrests.On March 21 and 22, the Butler County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Andover Police Department, and El Dorado Police Department conducted a joint counter-human trafficking operation to deter human trafficking and commercial sex crimes in Butler County, according to Sheriff Monty Hughey.Investigators and officers worked with ICTSOS, a local advocacy group providing support to survivors of trafficking. They met with potential victims of trafficking and offered paths to survivorship to ten people who were engaged in commercial sex work during the course of the operation. One suspect was identified as a sex trafficker during this advocacy initiative, located nearby, and arrested for promoting the sale of sexual relations, a felony.This operation also identified and arrested six men who agreed to purchase sexual relations from a minor child in Butler County. These men have been arrested and booked into the Butler County jail on a variety of felony charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935004769.png" alt="Burris -photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Burris -photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kimron Charvell Burris, 31, has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Driving While Suspended.Shane Anthony Pitman (39) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Indecent Solicitation of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935047933.png" alt="Campos-Urrutia-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Campos-Urrutia-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Jose Campos-Urrutia (36) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935091849.png" alt="Bikar photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Bikar photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Andrew Jordan Bikar (22) has been charged with Aggravated Human trafficking, Electronic Soliciatation Of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Indecent Solicitation Of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935152063.png" alt="Blakely photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Blakely photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anthony Joseph Blakely (35) has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child,&nbsp;Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935210342.png" alt="Patrick photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Patrick photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Joseph Frank Patrick III, 31, has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Aggravated Indecent Liberties With a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935284256.png" alt="Lane photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Lane photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Alexander Jamal Lane was arrested and is awaiting charges of Promoting The Sale of Sexual RelationsThis operation was carefully designed to create a perception of risk to anyone willing to come to Butler County to exploit trafficking victims, vulnerable children, or engage in commercial sex. It was also designed to create hope and path to freedom for those who being exploited by these suspects.The investigative team received incredible support from the Butler County Attorney's Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, Clinton County (MO) Sheriff's Office, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, and the Ray County (MO) Counter-Human Trafficking Task Force. This operation represents the ongoing commitment of all the agencies and organizations to combat human trafficking.

6 Kan. men accused of wanting to purchase sexual relations from a minor child 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The House and Senate on Tuesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation that could result in thousands of advance ballots being disqualified.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;moves the deadline for counting mail-in ballots to 7 p.m. on Election Day. From 2018 to 2024, the law allowed ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.

Kelly, a Democrat, had&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/24/kansas-governor-vetoes-legislation-that-would-disqualify-slow-arriving-mail-in-ballots/">vetoed the bill Monday</a>&nbsp;over concerns that the new law would disenfranchise voters. The Secretary of State’s Office earlier this year provided written testimony that showed more than 2,000 ballots from the November 2024 election would have been disqualified by getting rid of the three-day grace period.

But Republicans embraced talking points associated with lies about the 2020 presidential election, when ballots that were counted after Election Day gave Joe Biden and edge over Donald Trump.

House Republican leadership in a joint statement said the governor’s “misguided veto was a slight to voter confidence.”

“Kansas voters — whether in rural communities or urban centers — deserve an election system that is transparent, fair, and trusted,” the statement said. “This override reflects House Republicans’ commitment to ensuring all Kansans’ votes will be counted.”

The override of a veto requires support from two-thirds of the members of both chambers — 27 out of 40 in the Senate and 84 out of 125 in the House.

The Senate overrode the veto by a 30-10 vote that matched the total earlier this month when the Senate passed the bill. Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, joined the chamber’s nine Democrats in opposition.

The House completed the override with an 84-41 vote, with three Republicans opposed: Rep. Jesse Borjon of Topeka, Rep. Ken Collins of Mulberry and Rep. Laura Williams, of Lenexa.

One Republican, Rep. Angel Roeser of Manhattan, flipped her vote from earlier in the month to support the override.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, said the legislation would harm seniors, college students and rural Kansans.

“Senate Bill 4 directly undermines the integrity of our elections and disenfranchises those who are most vulnerable,” Woodard said in a statement. “House Democrats will never support these types of partisan Republican efforts that deliberately make it harder for Kansans to vote.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The House and Senate on Tuesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation that could result in thousands of advance ballots being disqualified.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;moves the deadline for counting mail-in ballots to 7 p.m. on Election Day. From 2018 to 2024, the law allowed ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.Kelly, a Democrat, had&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/24/kansas-governor-vetoes-legislation-that-would-disqualify-slow-arriving-mail-in-ballots/">vetoed the bill Monday</a>&nbsp;over concerns that the new law would disenfranchise voters. The Secretary of State’s Office earlier this year provided written testimony that showed more than 2,000 ballots from the November 2024 election would have been disqualified by getting rid of the three-day grace period.But Republicans embraced talking points associated with lies about the 2020 presidential election, when ballots that were counted after Election Day gave Joe Biden and edge over Donald Trump.House Republican leadership in a joint statement said the governor’s “misguided veto was a slight to voter confidence.”“Kansas voters — whether in rural communities or urban centers — deserve an election system that is transparent, fair, and trusted,” the statement said. “This override reflects House Republicans’ commitment to ensuring all Kansans’ votes will be counted.”The override of a veto requires support from two-thirds of the members of both chambers — 27 out of 40 in the Senate and 84 out of 125 in the House.The Senate overrode the veto by a 30-10 vote that matched the total earlier this month when the Senate passed the bill. Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, joined the chamber’s nine Democrats in opposition.The House completed the override with an 84-41 vote, with three Republicans opposed: Rep. Jesse Borjon of Topeka, Rep. Ken Collins of Mulberry and Rep. Laura Williams, of Lenexa.One Republican, Rep. Angel Roeser of Manhattan, flipped her vote from earlier in the month to support the override.House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, said the legislation would harm seniors, college students and rural Kansans.“Senate Bill 4 directly undermines the integrity of our elections and disenfranchises those who are most vulnerable,” Woodard said in a statement. “House Democrats will never support these types of partisan Republican efforts that deliberately make it harder for Kansans to vote.”

Kansas Legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill to limit advance voting

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just before 9:30a.m. March 22, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the junction of K-68 and K-268 highways, near Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.

Deputies took Curtis W. McCammon, 46, of Waverly into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742568954237.png" alt="McCammon photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>McCammon photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just before 9:30a.m. March 22, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the junction of K-68 and K-268 highways, near Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.Deputies took Curtis W. McCammon, 46, of Waverly into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

Kansas man without a driver's license caught transporting meth

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-3-25-2025">downplayed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-plans-trump-hegseth-atlantic-230718a984911dd8663d59edbcb86f2a">texting of sensitive plans for a military strike</a>&nbsp;against Yemen's Houthis this month to a group chat that included a journalist, saying it was “the only glitch in two months” of his administration as Democratic lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration for handling highly sensitive information carelessly.

Trump told NBC News that the lapse “turned out not to be a serious one," and articulated his continued support for national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">Mike Waltz</a>, who mistakenly added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chain that included 18 senior administration officials discussing planning for the strike.

“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said. He also appeared to point blame on an unnamed Waltz aide for Goldberg being added to the chain. “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there."

But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">use of messaging app Signal</a>&nbsp;to discuss a sensitive operation has opened the administration to blistering criticism from Democratic lawmakers who expressed outrage at the White House's and senior administration officials' insistence that no classified information was shared. Senior administration officials have struggled to explain why the publicly available app was used to discuss such a delicate matter.

One Democrat calls the mistake ‘an embarrassment’

One official reported to be on the Signal chain, Director of National Intelligence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tulsi-gabbard">Tulsi Gabbard,</a>&nbsp;acknowledged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday that she was traveling overseas during the exchange. She wouldn't say whether she was using her personal or government-issued phone because the matter is under review by the White House National Security Council.

Both Gabbard and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-ratcliffe">John Ratcliffe</a>, who also was a participant in the Signal exchange and also testified at Tuesday's intelligence hearing, faced blistering criticism from lawmakers.

“This is an embarrassment,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat. “This is utterly unprofessional. There’s been no apology. There’s been no recognition of the gravity of this error.”

In the run-up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fb2e92a47f054019a2589ace78d20836">his 2016 election victory</a>&nbsp;over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump urged criminal prosecution of the former secretary of state for communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up. The matter was investigated, but the FBI ultimately recommended against charges. None were brought.

Clinton was among Democrats this week to criticize Trump administration officials' use of Signal.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.

Trump also faced charges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-182ac44fde89767bc0c3e634f61686bd">for mishandling</a>&nbsp;classified information at his Mar-a-Lago resort following his first White House term. Those charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">later dismissed.</a>

Administration says Democrats shouldn't be outraged

But on Tuesday, top administration officials were insistent the Democratic outrage was misplaced.

On Capitol Hill, Ratcliffe and Gabbard told lawmakers that no classified information was included in the texts about U.S. attack plans in the message chain.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">the Atlantic reported</a>&nbsp;that the messages included precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, but did not publish those details.

Pressed on whether such information should be classified, Gabbard hedged. “I defer to the secretary of defense, the National Security Council, on that question,” she said.

Democrats pushed back, saying the leaked military plans show a sloppy disregard for security, but Ratcliffe insisted no rules were violated.

“My communications to be clear in the Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information,” Ratcliffe told lawmakers in the hearing that was supposed to be focused on global security threats.

Facing heated questions from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, Gabbard said there’s a difference between “inadvertent” releases of information and intentional leaks. “There was no classified material that was shared,” Gabbard said.

Warner, though, said the lapse in security could have cost lives.

“If this information had gotten out, American lives could have been lost. If the Houthis had this information they could reposition their defensive systems,” Warner said.

In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Gabbard and Ratcliffe said they would participate in an audit looking into administration officials' use of Signal. Wyden said it must be investigated.

“I’m of the view that there ought to be resignations,” Wyden said.

FBI Director Kash Patel, appearing with Ratcliffe and Gabbard at the hearing, said he was only recently briefed on the Signal chat matter and doesn’t have an update on whether the FBI has opened an investigation into it. Warner asked for an update by the end of the day.

The White House in a statement Tuesday called the uproar a “coordinated effort to distract from the successful actions taken by President Trump and his administration to make America’s enemies pay and keep Americans safe.”

White House communications director Steven Cheung grumbled that the article triggering the criticism of the administration was the work of a segment of Washington's "NatSec establishment community running the same, tired gameplay from years past.

“From the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax of the first term to the fake documents case of the last four years … at every turn anti-Trump forces,” Cheung posted on X, referring to investigations into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump's classified documents case.

Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, in his first comments on the matter on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hegseth-slams-journalist-after-officials-text-yemen-war-plans-to-a-group-chat-in-a-secure-app-signal">attacked the journalist</a>&nbsp;who received the messages, Goldberg, as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication.

“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters on Monday.

Signal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/privacy-encryption-signal-whatsapp-9faf31ed3411bc5b7cab0647b4ab224d">an app</a>&nbsp;that can be used for direct messaging and group chats as well as phone and video calls. It uses end-to-end encryption for its messaging and calling services that prevents any third party from viewing conversation content or listening in on calls.

In other words, messages and calls sent on Signal are scrambled; only the sender and recipient at each end will have the key to decipher them.

Signal’s encryption protocol is open source, meaning that it’s freely available for anyone to inspect, use or modify. The encryption protocol is also used by another popular chat service, social media company Meta’s WhatsApp platform.

Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, such as scheduling sensitive meetings. But in the Biden administration, people who had permission to download it on their White House-issued phones were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the administration.

The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to notify someone that they should check for a classified message sent through other means.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742932610024.png" alt="President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-3-25-2025">downplayed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-plans-trump-hegseth-atlantic-230718a984911dd8663d59edbcb86f2a">texting of sensitive plans for a military strike</a>&nbsp;against Yemen's Houthis this month to a group chat that included a journalist, saying it was “the only glitch in two months” of his administration as Democratic lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration for handling highly sensitive information carelessly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on Signal group chat: &quot;There was no classified information as I understand it.&quot; National Security Adviser Michael Waltz: &quot;We have our technical experts looking at it. We have our legal teams looking at it...the attack was phenomenal and it&#39;s ongoing.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2DjG0idfJa">pic.twitter.com/2DjG0idfJa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904617345160532395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump told NBC News that the lapse “turned out not to be a serious one," and articulated his continued support for national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">Mike Waltz</a>, who mistakenly added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chain that included 18 senior administration officials discussing planning for the strike.“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said. He also appeared to point blame on an unnamed Waltz aide for Goldberg being added to the chain. “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there."But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">use of messaging app Signal</a>&nbsp;to discuss a sensitive operation has opened the administration to blistering criticism from Democratic lawmakers who expressed outrage at the White House's and senior administration officials' insistence that no classified information was shared. Senior administration officials have struggled to explain why the publicly available app was used to discuss such a delicate matter.<h2>One Democrat calls the mistake ‘an embarrassment’</h2>One official reported to be on the Signal chain, Director of National Intelligence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tulsi-gabbard">Tulsi Gabbard,</a>&nbsp;acknowledged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday that she was traveling overseas during the exchange. She wouldn't say whether she was using her personal or government-issued phone because the matter is under review by the White House National Security Council.Both Gabbard and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-ratcliffe">John Ratcliffe</a>, who also was a participant in the Signal exchange and also testified at Tuesday's intelligence hearing, faced blistering criticism from lawmakers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenOssoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenOssoff</a>: &quot;This is an embarrassment. This is utterly unprofessional. There&#39;s been no apology. There has been no recognition of the gravity of this error...We will get the full transcript of this chain and your testimony will be measured carefully against its content.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/rgeBxLrbKS">pic.twitter.com/rgeBxLrbKS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904568753917943950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This is an embarrassment,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat. “This is utterly unprofessional. There’s been no apology. There’s been no recognition of the gravity of this error.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. Cotton: &quot;They testified...that there&#39;s no intelligence community classified information, is that correct?&quot; Ratcliffe: &quot;That&#39;s correct.&quot; Gabbard: &quot;Yes.&quot; Sen. King: &quot;That&#39;s not correct! She said repeatedly there&#39;s nothing classified. Period.&quot; Sen. Warner: &quot;Period.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ta27JnxKXt">pic.twitter.com/Ta27JnxKXt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904564790569156611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the run-up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fb2e92a47f054019a2589ace78d20836">his 2016 election victory</a>&nbsp;over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump urged criminal prosecution of the former secretary of state for communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up. The matter was investigated, but the FBI ultimately recommended against charges. None were brought.Clinton was among Democrats this week to criticize Trump administration officials' use of Signal.“You have got to be kidding me,” Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.Trump also faced charges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-182ac44fde89767bc0c3e634f61686bd">for mishandling</a>&nbsp;classified information at his Mar-a-Lago resort following his first White House term. Those charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">later dismissed.</a><h2>Administration says Democrats shouldn't be outraged</h2>But on Tuesday, top administration officials were insistent the Democratic outrage was misplaced.On Capitol Hill, Ratcliffe and Gabbard told lawmakers that no classified information was included in the texts about U.S. attack plans in the message chain.But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">the Atlantic reported</a>&nbsp;that the messages included precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, but did not publish those details.Pressed on whether such information should be classified, Gabbard hedged. “I defer to the secretary of defense, the National Security Council, on that question,” she said.Democrats pushed back, saying the leaked military plans show a sloppy disregard for security, but Ratcliffe insisted no rules were violated.“My communications to be clear in the Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information,” Ratcliffe told lawmakers in the hearing that was supposed to be focused on global security threats.Facing heated questions from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, Gabbard said there’s a difference between “inadvertent” releases of information and intentional leaks. “There was no classified material that was shared,” Gabbard said.Warner, though, said the lapse in security could have cost lives.“If this information had gotten out, American lives could have been lost. If the Houthis had this information they could reposition their defensive systems,” Warner said.In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Gabbard and Ratcliffe said they would participate in an audit looking into administration officials' use of Signal. Wyden said it must be investigated.“I’m of the view that there ought to be resignations,” Wyden said.FBI Director Kash Patel, appearing with Ratcliffe and Gabbard at the hearing, said he was only recently briefed on the Signal chat matter and doesn’t have an update on whether the FBI has opened an investigation into it. Warner asked for an update by the end of the day.The White House in a statement Tuesday called the uproar a “coordinated effort to distract from the successful actions taken by President Trump and his administration to make America’s enemies pay and keep Americans safe.”White House communications director Steven Cheung grumbled that the article triggering the criticism of the administration was the work of a segment of Washington's "NatSec establishment community running the same, tired gameplay from years past.“From the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax of the first term to the fake documents case of the last four years … at every turn anti-Trump forces,” Cheung posted on X, referring to investigations into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump's classified documents case.Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, in his first comments on the matter on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hegseth-slams-journalist-after-officials-text-yemen-war-plans-to-a-group-chat-in-a-secure-app-signal">attacked the journalist</a>&nbsp;who received the messages, Goldberg, as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication.“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters on Monday.<h2>Examining the security of Signal</h2>Signal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/privacy-encryption-signal-whatsapp-9faf31ed3411bc5b7cab0647b4ab224d">an app</a>&nbsp;that can be used for direct messaging and group chats as well as phone and video calls. It uses end-to-end encryption for its messaging and calling services that prevents any third party from viewing conversation content or listening in on calls.In other words, messages and calls sent on Signal are scrambled; only the sender and recipient at each end will have the key to decipher them.Signal’s encryption protocol is open source, meaning that it’s freely available for anyone to inspect, use or modify. The encryption protocol is also used by another popular chat service, social media company Meta’s WhatsApp platform.Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, such as scheduling sensitive meetings. But in the Biden administration, people who had permission to download it on their White House-issued phones were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the administration.The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to notify someone that they should check for a classified message sent through other means.The use of Signal became more prevalent during the last year of the Biden administration after federal law enforcement officials warned that China and Iran were hacking the White House as well as officials in the first Trump administration, according to the official.Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent, questioned Ratcliffe and Gabbard over their assertion that no classified information was included in the chat.“It’s hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified,” he said.___