PHOENIX (AP) — Kamala Harris said Thursday that Donald Trump’s comment that he would protect women whether they “like it or not” shows that the Republican presidential nominee does not understand women’s rights “to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies."

“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way," Harris said before she set out to spend the day campaigning in the Western battleground states of Arizona and Nevada.

She followed up those remarks at her rally in Phoenix: “He simply does not respect the freedom of women or the intelligence of women to know what’s in their own best interests and make decisions accordingly. But we trust women."

The comments by Trump come as he has struggled to connect with women voters and as Harris courts women in both parties with a message centered on freedom. She's making the pitch that women should be free to make their own decisions about their bodies and that if Trump is elected, more restrictions will follow.

Trump appointed three of the justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who formed the conservative majority that overturned federal abortion rights.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-states-cadff0d905d1c4d7b9825c8406aadffb#:~:text=in%20the%20US-,The%20Supreme%20Court%20overturned%20Roe%20v.,rights%20now%20in%20the%20US&amp;text=Email-,Judges%2C%20state%20lawmakers%20and%20voters%20are%20deciding%20the%20future%20of,ruling%20that%20overturned%20Roe%20v.">As the fallout from the 2022 decision spreads</a>, he has taken to claiming at public events and in social media posts that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-women-protector-abortion-election-697ce355f7386bfd192b99bb00322705">he would “protect women”</a>&nbsp;and ensure they wouldn’t be “thinking about abortion.”

At a rally Wednesday evening near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump told his supporters that aides had urged him to stop using the phrase because it was “inappropriate.”

Then he added a new bit to the protector line. He said he told his aides: “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.”

Harris said the remark was part of a pattern of troubling statements by Trump.

“This is just the latest on a long series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency," she said.

Harris tied Trump’s comments to his approach to reproductive rights, but Trump generally speaks more of protecting women from criminals, terrorists and foreign adversaries, in keeping with the bleak picture he paints of a country in decline.

“I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles and lots of other things,” Trump said during a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

He seemed to tie in abortion when he first used the “protector” language in a Truth Social post and at a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 20. He assured the women who would be “protected” that they "will no longer be thinking about abortion.”

The dispute showed signs Thursday of further entrenching each candidate's supporters.

It was not only women who described Trump's remarks as offensive. At the Harris rally in Phoenix, Edison Kinlicheenie, 50, said he sees Trump more as a threat than a protector, noting that the former president has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">track record of preying on women</a>.

“I have a wife and a daughter, so I wouldn’t let no predator like that come around" them, Kinlicheenie said.

At a Trump rally in Albuquerque, Sarah Pyle, 41, cited the opposition to allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's events to portray Trump as someone who helps women.

“I don’t want my girls to grow up in a world like this,” the Albuquerque mother said, referring to the controversy. “We fought for women’s rights for so long, and now we’re giving them back to men. It makes no sense.”

More broadly, Trump and Republicans have struggled with how to talk about abortion rights, particularly as women around the nation are grappling with obtaining proper medical care because of abortion restrictions that have had implications far beyond the ability to end an unwanted pregnancy.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">has given contradictory answers</a>&nbsp;about his position on abortion, at some points saying that women should be punished for having abortions and showcasing the justices he appointed. During his successful 2016 campaign, he told voters that if he were elected, he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and said he was “pro-life.”

But in recent weeks he's promised to veto a national abortion ban, after repeatedly refusing to make such a pledge. He's said the states should regulate care and said some laws were “too tough.”

Since 2022, the patchwork of state laws on abortion has created uneven medical care.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-georgia-mifepristone-misoprostol-kamala-harris-fd3c817f42ccc74b04d12450efb92f4a">Some women have died</a>. Others have bled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">in emergency room parking lots</a>&nbsp;or became critically ill from sepsis as doctors in states with strict abortion bans send pregnant women away until they are sick enough to warrant medical care. That includes women who never intended to end pregnancies. Both infant and maternal mortality has risen.

Harris’ campaign has highlighted Trump’s statements around women. In one campaign ad, a woman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-abortion-rights-democrats-texas-trump-f5b4a28874f6abcf2a9d5eeeeb0d6d37">who became gravely ill with sepsis after a pregnancy complication</a>&nbsp;stands in front of a mirror looking at a large scar on her abdomen, as audio plays of Trump’s comments about protecting women.

Harris hopes abortion will be a strong motivator for women at the ballot box.

In early voting so far, 1.2 million more women than men have voted across the seven battleground states, according to data from analytics firm TargetSmart.

That doesn’t necessarily translate into Democratic gains. But in the 2020 presidential election, there was a 9 percentage point difference between men and women in support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-race-class-divide-elections-27cfbd82c14d6649097bd706f4158e4e">AP VoteCast</a>, a survey of more than 110,000 voters.

The Democratic ticket was supported by 55% of women and 46% of men. That was essentially unchanged from the 2018 midterms, when VoteCast found a 10-point gender gap, with 58% of women and 48% of men backing Democrats in congressional races.

PHOENIX (AP) — Kamala Harris said Thursday that Donald Trump’s comment that he would protect women whether they “like it or not” shows that the Republican presidential nominee does not understand women’s rights “to make decisions about their own lives, including their own bodies."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">VP Harris responds to former President Trump&#39;s comments that he&#39;ll be the protector of women &#39;whether the women like or not&#39;: &quot;It actually is I think very offensive to women...He is not going to be fighting for women&#39;s reproductive rights.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/o7pcbZcqNu">pic.twitter.com/o7pcbZcqNu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1852009136701214894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I think it’s offensive to everybody, by the way," Harris said before she set out to spend the day campaigning in the Western battleground states of Arizona and Nevada.She followed up those remarks at her rally in Phoenix: “He simply does not respect the freedom of women or the intelligence of women to know what’s in their own best interests and make decisions accordingly. But we trust women."The comments by Trump come as he has struggled to connect with women voters and as Harris courts women in both parties with a message centered on freedom. She's making the pitch that women should be free to make their own decisions about their bodies and that if Trump is elected, more restrictions will follow.Trump appointed three of the justices to the U.S. Supreme Court who formed the conservative majority that overturned federal abortion rights.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-states-cadff0d905d1c4d7b9825c8406aadffb#:~:text=in%20the%20US-,The%20Supreme%20Court%20overturned%20Roe%20v.,rights%20now%20in%20the%20US&amp;text=Email-,Judges%2C%20state%20lawmakers%20and%20voters%20are%20deciding%20the%20future%20of,ruling%20that%20overturned%20Roe%20v.">As the fallout from the 2022 decision spreads</a>, he has taken to claiming at public events and in social media posts that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-women-protector-abortion-election-697ce355f7386bfd192b99bb00322705">he would “protect women”</a>&nbsp;and ensure they wouldn’t be “thinking about abortion.”At a rally Wednesday evening near Green Bay, Wisconsin, Trump told his supporters that aides had urged him to stop using the phrase because it was “inappropriate.”Then he added a new bit to the protector line. He said he told his aides: “Well, I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.”Harris said the remark was part of a pattern of troubling statements by Trump.“This is just the latest on a long series of reveals by the former president of how he thinks about women and their agency," she said.Harris tied Trump’s comments to his approach to reproductive rights, but Trump generally speaks more of protecting women from criminals, terrorists and foreign adversaries, in keeping with the bleak picture he paints of a country in decline.“I’m going to protect them from migrants coming in. I’m going to protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles and lots of other things,” Trump said during a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.He seemed to tie in abortion when he first used the “protector” language in a Truth Social post and at a rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 20. He assured the women who would be “protected” that they "will no longer be thinking about abortion.”The dispute showed signs Thursday of further entrenching each candidate's supporters.It was not only women who described Trump's remarks as offensive. At the Harris rally in Phoenix, Edison Kinlicheenie, 50, said he sees Trump more as a threat than a protector, noting that the former president has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">track record of preying on women</a>.“I have a wife and a daughter, so I wouldn’t let no predator like that come around" them, Kinlicheenie said.At a Trump rally in Albuquerque, Sarah Pyle, 41, cited the opposition to allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's events to portray Trump as someone who helps women.“I don’t want my girls to grow up in a world like this,” the Albuquerque mother said, referring to the controversy. “We fought for women’s rights for so long, and now we’re giving them back to men. It makes no sense.”More broadly, Trump and Republicans have struggled with how to talk about abortion rights, particularly as women around the nation are grappling with obtaining proper medical care because of abortion restrictions that have had implications far beyond the ability to end an unwanted pregnancy.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-abortion-election-2024-ivf-contraception-d91f0959087e803db390be11eb60975b">has given contradictory answers</a>&nbsp;about his position on abortion, at some points saying that women should be punished for having abortions and showcasing the justices he appointed. During his successful 2016 campaign, he told voters that if he were elected, he would appoint justices to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and said he was “pro-life.”But in recent weeks he's promised to veto a national abortion ban, after repeatedly refusing to make such a pledge. He's said the states should regulate care and said some laws were “too tough.”Since 2022, the patchwork of state laws on abortion has created uneven medical care.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-georgia-mifepristone-misoprostol-kamala-harris-fd3c817f42ccc74b04d12450efb92f4a">Some women have died</a>. Others have bled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnancy-emergency-care-abortion-supreme-court-roe-9ce6c87c8fc653c840654de1ae5f7a1c">in emergency room parking lots</a>&nbsp;or became critically ill from sepsis as doctors in states with strict abortion bans send pregnant women away until they are sick enough to warrant medical care. That includes women who never intended to end pregnancies. Both infant and maternal mortality has risen.Harris’ campaign has highlighted Trump’s statements around women. In one campaign ad, a woman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-abortion-rights-democrats-texas-trump-f5b4a28874f6abcf2a9d5eeeeb0d6d37">who became gravely ill with sepsis after a pregnancy complication</a>&nbsp;stands in front of a mirror looking at a large scar on her abdomen, as audio plays of Trump’s comments about protecting women.Harris hopes abortion will be a strong motivator for women at the ballot box.In early voting so far, 1.2 million more women than men have voted across the seven battleground states, according to data from analytics firm TargetSmart.That doesn’t necessarily translate into Democratic gains. But in the 2020 presidential election, there was a 9 percentage point difference between men and women in support for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/votecast-race-class-divide-elections-27cfbd82c14d6649097bd706f4158e4e">AP VoteCast</a>, a survey of more than 110,000 voters.The Democratic ticket was supported by 55% of women and 46% of men. That was essentially unchanged from the 2018 midterms, when VoteCast found a 10-point gender gap, with 58% of women and 48% of men backing Democrats in congressional races.

🎥Harris hits Trump over his ‘protector’ of women comment

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Kansas who cut his ankle monitor following his arrest and fled to Mexico is back in a Kansas jail.

On Wednesday, deputies booked&nbsp;33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez into the Sedgwick County Jail.

On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.

On June 16, police originally arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.

Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.&nbsp; &nbsp;On June 21,&nbsp;Gonzalez-Gutierrez cut his ankle monitor and left for Mexico.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748837&amp;currentInmatesOnly=True"> He is being held on bonds</a> totaling $3 million dollars, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730371257170.png" alt="Gonzalez-Gutierrez-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez-Gutierrez-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day in Kansas who cut his ankle monitor following his arrest and fled to Mexico is back in a Kansas jail.On Wednesday, deputies booked&nbsp;33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez into the Sedgwick County Jail.On October 15, the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Gonzalez-Gutierrez&nbsp; in Mexico, according to Wichita Police Officer Kris Gupilan.On June 16, police originally arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.&nbsp; &nbsp;On June 21,&nbsp;Gonzalez-Gutierrez cut his ankle monitor and left for Mexico.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=748837&amp;currentInmatesOnly=True"> He is being held on bonds</a> totaling $3 million dollars, according to online jail records.

Kansas murder suspect captured in Mexico is back in a Kan. jail

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri will not be charged after a reporter was slightly injured from flyaway metal during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lucas-kunce-josh-hawley-senate-missouri-85c88a3d4b6c8299440ba7b66ec1f90f">campaign event</a>&nbsp;at a shooting range.

Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish in a Monday report said there was no “ill intent” by Democrat Lucas Kunce or other shooters at the Oct. 22 event on a private shooting range about 30 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

The KSHB-TV reporter felt a pinch and later noticed he was bleeding, according to the police report. He continued to cover the event after being bandaged by Kunce, then was treated for a minor injury at a hospital.

He declined to press charges, calling it a “freak” accident, according to the police report.

Fish wrote that it's also unclear who fired the round that led to the injury.

The shooting event, which also featured a former Republican U.S. congressman who is backing Kunce's bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, appeared to be aimed at garnering support for Kunce among gun-owners, Republicans and moderates in a state now defined by the GOP's political dominance, including a strong belief in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06798574625a4a07ba0d00e5aeb25f58">gun rights</a>.

Speaking last week at rally on a farm near Jefferson City, Hawley said that Kunce’s campaign has long needed “a shot in the arm” but that “he’s taken it too literally.”

He criticized the Kunce event as unsafe, saying that Kunce was too close to steel targets to be firing an AR-15-style rifle. Fish said that after the event he measured the distance between the firing range and targets at about 10 yards. The reporter said he was about 10 yards back from the shooters.

“I know we’ve got some reporters here today. I just want to say to you guys: Listen, I promise you I will not shoot you — no matter how many tough questions you ask," Hawley told journalists covering his farm rally. "And I call on Lucas Kunce right now to pledge never to shoot another reporter again.”

Kunce in a statement last week said safety is important to the campaign, “which is why the range was set up and run by a NRA Training Counselor.”

“But any time you are handling weapons, you need to be prepared,” he said. “We acted quickly and I’m glad the reporter was okay and able to keep reporting.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729709021542.png" alt=" Lucas Kunce applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm while former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger looks on (photo: Lucas Kunce for Missouri)." />
 <figcaption> Lucas Kunce applies first aid to KSHB reporter Ryan Gamboa after a bullet fragment ricocheted off a target and struck him in the arm while former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger looks on (photo: Lucas Kunce for Missouri).</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Democratic U.S. Senate candidate from Missouri will not be charged after a reporter was slightly injured from flyaway metal during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lucas-kunce-josh-hawley-senate-missouri-85c88a3d4b6c8299440ba7b66ec1f90f">campaign event</a>&nbsp;at a shooting range.Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish in a Monday report said there was no “ill intent” by Democrat Lucas Kunce or other shooters at the Oct. 22 event on a private shooting range about 30 miles northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.The KSHB-TV reporter felt a pinch and later noticed he was bleeding, according to the police report. He continued to cover the event after being bandaged by Kunce, then was treated for a minor injury at a hospital.He declined to press charges, calling it a “freak” accident, according to the police report.Fish wrote that it's also unclear who fired the round that led to the injury.The shooting event, which also featured a former Republican U.S. congressman who is backing Kunce's bid to unseat Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, appeared to be aimed at garnering support for Kunce among gun-owners, Republicans and moderates in a state now defined by the GOP's political dominance, including a strong belief in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/06798574625a4a07ba0d00e5aeb25f58">gun rights</a>.Speaking last week at rally on a farm near Jefferson City, Hawley said that Kunce’s campaign has long needed “a shot in the arm” but that “he’s taken it too literally.”He criticized the Kunce event as unsafe, saying that Kunce was too close to steel targets to be firing an AR-15-style rifle. Fish said that after the event he measured the distance between the firing range and targets at about 10 yards. The reporter said he was about 10 yards back from the shooters.“I know we’ve got some reporters here today. I just want to say to you guys: Listen, I promise you I will not shoot you — no matter how many tough questions you ask," Hawley told journalists covering his farm rally. "And I call on Lucas Kunce right now to pledge never to shoot another reporter again.”Kunce in a statement last week said safety is important to the campaign, “which is why the range was set up and run by a NRA Training Counselor.”“But any time you are handling weapons, you need to be prepared,” he said. “We acted quickly and I’m glad the reporter was okay and able to keep reporting.”

Sheriff: Shooting injury of KC reporter at candidate's event an accident

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The man suspected of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">setting fires in ballot drop boxes</a>&nbsp;in Oregon and Washington state is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks, authorities said Wednesday.

Investigators believe the man who set the incendiary devices at ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and nearby Vancouver, Washington, had a “wealth of experience” in metal fabrication and welding, said Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner.

The way the devices were constructed and the way they were attached to the metal drop boxes showed that expertise, Benner said.

Authorities described the suspect as a white man, age 30 to 40, who is balding or has very short hair.

Police previously said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ballot-drop-boxes-explainer-2024-portland-vancouver-ff3023c566fcc0282eb8ee84de297bf9">surveillance video showed</a>&nbsp;the man driving a black or dark-colored 2001 to 2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle did not have a front license plate, but it did have a rear plate with unknown letters or numbers.

The incendiary devices were marked with the message “Free Gaza,” according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

A third device placed at a different drop box in Vancouver earlier this month also carried the words “Free Palestine” in addition to “Free Gaza,” the official said.

Investigators are trying to identify the person responsible and the motive for the suspected arson attacks, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">destroyed or damaged hundreds of ballots</a>&nbsp;at the drop box in Vancouver on Monday when the box’s fire suppression system didn't work as intended. Authorities are trying to figure out whether the suspect actually had pro-Palestinian views or used the message to try to create confusion, according to the official.

Surveillance images captured a Volvo pulling up to a drop box in Portland just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box on Monday, according to Benner. The early-morning fire was extinguished quickly thanks to the box's suppression system and a nearby security guard, police said. Just three of the ballots inside were damaged.

The ballot box in Vancouver that burned also had a fire suppression system inside, but it failed to prevent hundreds of ballots from being scorched, said Greg Kimsey, the longtime elected auditor in Clark County, Washington, which includes Vancouver. Kimsey said Tuesday that the exact number of destroyed ballots wasn't known, and that about 475 damaged ballots had been retrieved from the box.

Election staff on Wednesday planned to sort through the damaged ballots for information about who cast them, in the hopes that those voters can be given replacement ballots. Kimsey urged voters who dropped their ballots in the transit center box between 11 a.m. Saturday and early Monday to contact his office for a replacement ballot.

Authorities in Portland said Monday that enough material from the incendiary devices was recovered to show that the two fires were connected — and that they were connected to an Oct. 8 incendiary device at a different ballot drop box in Vancouver. No ballots were damaged in that incident.

Voters in Washington are encouraged to check the status of their ballots at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.votewa.gov/">www.votewa.gov</a>&nbsp;to track their return status. If a returned ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot or visit their local elections department for a replacement, the secretary of state’s office said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730325219672.png" alt="Elections staff have been able to identify 488 damaged ballots retrieved from the ballot box. 345 of those identified voters had already contacted the Elections Office to request a replacement ballot. Elections staff will mail 143 ballots to the additional identified voters tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 31.-photo Clark County Auditor's office" />
 <figcaption>Elections staff have been able to identify 488 damaged ballots retrieved from the ballot box. 345 of those identified voters had already contacted the Elections Office to request a replacement ballot. Elections staff will mail 143 ballots to the additional identified voters tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 31.-photo Clark County Auditor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The man suspected of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">setting fires in ballot drop boxes</a>&nbsp;in Oregon and Washington state is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks, authorities said Wednesday.Investigators believe the man who set the incendiary devices at ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and nearby Vancouver, Washington, had a “wealth of experience” in metal fabrication and welding, said Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner.The way the devices were constructed and the way they were attached to the metal drop boxes showed that expertise, Benner said.Authorities described the suspect as a white man, age 30 to 40, who is balding or has very short hair.Police previously said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ballot-drop-boxes-explainer-2024-portland-vancouver-ff3023c566fcc0282eb8ee84de297bf9">surveillance video showed</a>&nbsp;the man driving a black or dark-colored 2001 to 2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle did not have a front license plate, but it did have a rear plate with unknown letters or numbers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730165077840.png" alt="photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>The incendiary devices were marked with the message “Free Gaza,” according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.A third device placed at a different drop box in Vancouver earlier this month also carried the words “Free Palestine” in addition to “Free Gaza,” the official said.Investigators are trying to identify the person responsible and the motive for the suspected arson attacks, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vote-ballot-drop-box-democracy-fire-f66c52f774955106fb9e7c8172825cff">destroyed or damaged hundreds of ballots</a>&nbsp;at the drop box in Vancouver on Monday when the box’s fire suppression system didn't work as intended. Authorities are trying to figure out whether the suspect actually had pro-Palestinian views or used the message to try to create confusion, according to the official.Surveillance images captured a Volvo pulling up to a drop box in Portland just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box on Monday, according to Benner. The early-morning fire was extinguished quickly thanks to the box's suppression system and a nearby security guard, police said. Just three of the ballots inside were damaged.The ballot box in Vancouver that burned also had a fire suppression system inside, but it failed to prevent hundreds of ballots from being scorched, said Greg Kimsey, the longtime elected auditor in Clark County, Washington, which includes Vancouver. Kimsey said Tuesday that the exact number of destroyed ballots wasn't known, and that about 475 damaged ballots had been retrieved from the box.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730325175614.png" alt="Photo Clark Co. Auditor's office" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clark Co. Auditor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>Election staff on Wednesday planned to sort through the damaged ballots for information about who cast them, in the hopes that those voters can be given replacement ballots. Kimsey urged voters who dropped their ballots in the transit center box between 11 a.m. Saturday and early Monday to contact his office for a replacement ballot.Authorities in Portland said Monday that enough material from the incendiary devices was recovered to show that the two fires were connected — and that they were connected to an Oct. 8 incendiary device at a different ballot drop box in Vancouver. No ballots were damaged in that incident.Voters in Washington are encouraged to check the status of their ballots at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.votewa.gov/">www.votewa.gov</a>&nbsp;to track their return status. If a returned ballot is not marked as “received,” voters can print a replacement ballot or visit their local elections department for a replacement, the secretary of state’s office said.___

Police: Man behind ballot box fires might plan more attacks

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Peterbilt semi driven by Nicholas James Butera, 26, Boynton Beach, Florida,&nbsp;was stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 235 just south of Kansas 42.

The semi moved left into the right lane and began accelerating northbound up to interstate speeds. A northbound&nbsp;2007 Chevy Express Cargo van driven by Levi Louis Hauserman, 37, Wichita,&nbsp; was unable to stop in time and struck the rear left corner of semi's trailer.

EMS transported Hauserman and a passenger in the van Justin R.&nbsp;Higgins, 49, Wichita, to Ascension via Christi St. Francis. Just before 6p.m. Higgins was pronounced deceased. Butera was not injured.&nbsp; Hauserman and Higgins were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730392653998.png" alt="Image KanDrive" />
 <figcaption>Image KanDrive</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person died from injuries in an accident that occurred just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday in Sedgwick County. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Peterbilt semi driven by Nicholas James Butera, 26, Boynton Beach, Florida,&nbsp;was stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 235 just south of Kansas 42.The semi moved left into the right lane and began accelerating northbound up to interstate speeds. A northbound&nbsp;2007 Chevy Express Cargo van driven by Levi Louis Hauserman, 37, Wichita,&nbsp; was unable to stop in time and struck the rear left corner of semi's trailer.EMS transported Hauserman and a passenger in the van Justin R.&nbsp;Higgins, 49, Wichita, to Ascension via Christi St. Francis. Just before 6p.m. Higgins was pronounced deceased. Butera was not injured.&nbsp; Hauserman and Higgins were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead after van rear-ends semi  on the interstate

TOPEKA — The Virginia-based political action committee controlled by a former U.S. secretary of state took the unusual step Wednesday of endorsing a Kansas Senate candidate for the seat serving portions of Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties.

Mike Pompeo, the nation’s top diplomat from 2018 to 2021 in the administration of President Donald Trump, said Champion American Values PAC of Springfield, Virginia, favored Republican nominee Jeff Klemp in the 5th District. Pompeo was a GOP congressman from Wichita from 2011 to 2017.

“The fight to restore American greatness begins at the state and local level,” Pompeo said. “Jeff has spent years building successful businesses and serving his community, and he is a leader who understands the challenges facing families throughout Kansas.”

Klemp, of Lansing, is attempting to win the seat held by Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat elected to the Senate in 2020 who previously served four years in the Kansas House.

Pittman said Pompeo’s preference for legislative representation of Leavenworth, Lansing, Basehor and western Wyandotte County wasn’t significant to the Senate contest.

“He’s irrelevant to Kansas, especially because he sold out and went to the D.C. swamp to serve his own interests,” Pittman said. “He doesn’t understand anything about Senate District 5.”

Pittman said the endorsement by Pompeo’s PAC suggested Klemp had grown desperate less than one week before the Tuesday election.

“I think he’s desperate because I’ve delivered for my community over and over again,” Pittman said.

Pittman has been endorsed by the Mainstream Coalition, Kansas Fraternal Order of Police, Kansas National Education Association PAC as well as the Kansas Farm Bureau PAC, Kansas Livestock Association, Game On for Kansas Schools and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce PAC.

In a statement, Klemp said Pompeo’s expression of support meant a great deal to his campaign.

“Secretary Pompeo’s dedication to our nation and his strong record of serving Kansans are truly admirable, and I’ve long respected his commitment to our shared values,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647123002389.png" alt="Pompeo served the 4th District of Kansas in the U.S. House before joining the administration of President Donald Trump -Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pompeo served the 4th District of Kansas in the U.S. House before joining the administration of President Donald Trump -Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — The Virginia-based political action committee controlled by a former U.S. secretary of state took the unusual step Wednesday of endorsing a Kansas Senate candidate for the seat serving portions of Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties.Mike Pompeo, the nation’s top diplomat from 2018 to 2021 in the administration of President Donald Trump, said Champion American Values PAC of Springfield, Virginia, favored Republican nominee Jeff Klemp in the 5th District. Pompeo was a GOP congressman from Wichita from 2011 to 2017.“The fight to restore American greatness begins at the state and local level,” Pompeo said. “Jeff has spent years building successful businesses and serving his community, and he is a leader who understands the challenges facing families throughout Kansas.”Klemp, of Lansing, is attempting to win the seat held by Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat elected to the Senate in 2020 who previously served four years in the Kansas House.Pittman said Pompeo’s preference for legislative representation of Leavenworth, Lansing, Basehor and western Wyandotte County wasn’t significant to the Senate contest.“He’s irrelevant to Kansas, especially because he sold out and went to the D.C. swamp to serve his own interests,” Pittman said. “He doesn’t understand anything about Senate District 5.”Pittman said the endorsement by Pompeo’s PAC suggested Klemp had grown desperate less than one week before the Tuesday election.“I think he’s desperate because I’ve delivered for my community over and over again,” Pittman said.Pittman has been endorsed by the Mainstream Coalition, Kansas Fraternal Order of Police, Kansas National Education Association PAC as well as the Kansas Farm Bureau PAC, Kansas Livestock Association, Game On for Kansas Schools and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce PAC.In a statement, Klemp said Pompeo’s expression of support meant a great deal to his campaign.“Secretary Pompeo’s dedication to our nation and his strong record of serving Kansans are truly admirable, and I’ve long respected his commitment to our shared values,” he said.

Former U.S. Secretary of State offers endorsement in Kansas Senate campaign

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigitng a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 10:30a.m.&nbsp;October 29, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at exit 160 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, the deputy found illegal drugs. Jenni E. Hardin, 40, of Olathe was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730215702855.png" alt="Hardin-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Hardin-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigitng a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 10:30a.m.&nbsp;October 29, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop at exit 160 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Osage County Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, the deputy found illegal drugs. Jenni E. Hardin, 40, of Olathe was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff's K9 unit found illegal drugs during Kan. traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time.

The first lady had participated in the National Zoo’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-washington-zoo-china-764f8016d98c01ab579bdbb6dcc3dd6b">announcement</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that pandas would be returning to Washington.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandas-national-zoo-china-8537ae9f9be4134c795fc5f007c02064">They arrived in the nation’s capital</a>&nbsp;in mid-October and Jill Biden donned the panda suit Wednesday as a “welcoming gesture,” the White House said.

Jill Biden added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to help encourage reading. She has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jill-biden-6a025ecc48cd6efed9c99ce578fb7fb4">a teacher for 40 years.</a>&nbsp;Earlier Wednesday, she read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the lawn.

She and the president later ventured outside at sunset and spent about an hour handing out treats. Biden, in a suit and tie, dropped boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses chocolates in the kids’ tote bags while the first lady handed out copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”

Up to 8,000 people, including students and children tied to the military, were expected to pass through the White House gates during the day.

A large orange moon and a sign that said “Hallow-Read at the White House” decorated the south face of the executive mansion. The decorations also included cardboard representations of Willow,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-jill-biden-cats-e3164173bf418f28495a79cd9319ce11">the family cat</a>&nbsp;who is rarely seen in public, and stacks of books. Giant pumpkin decorations flanked the door.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">dropped his bid for reelection</a>&nbsp;in July. He leaves office in January.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730338279283.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time.(click below to watch the festivities)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F908720494097747%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The first lady had participated in the National Zoo’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-washington-zoo-china-764f8016d98c01ab579bdbb6dcc3dd6b">announcement</a>&nbsp;earlier this year that pandas would be returning to Washington.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pandas-national-zoo-china-8537ae9f9be4134c795fc5f007c02064">They arrived in the nation’s capital</a>&nbsp;in mid-October and Jill Biden donned the panda suit Wednesday as a “welcoming gesture,” the White House said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730338124916.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Jill Biden added an educational theme to the event and named it “Hallo-Read” to help encourage reading. She has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-jill-biden-6a025ecc48cd6efed9c99ce578fb7fb4">a teacher for 40 years.</a>&nbsp;Earlier Wednesday, she read a short story about spooky pumpkins to a group of costumed children gathered on the lawn.She and the president later ventured outside at sunset and spent about an hour handing out treats. Biden, in a suit and tie, dropped boxes of White House Hershey’s Kisses chocolates in the kids’ tote bags while the first lady handed out copies of “10 Spooky Pumpkins.”Up to 8,000 people, including students and children tied to the military, were expected to pass through the White House gates during the day.A large orange moon and a sign that said “Hallow-Read at the White House” decorated the south face of the executive mansion. The decorations also included cardboard representations of Willow,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-jill-biden-cats-e3164173bf418f28495a79cd9319ce11">the family cat</a>&nbsp;who is rarely seen in public, and stacks of books. Giant pumpkin decorations flanked the door.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">dropped his bid for reelection</a>&nbsp;in July. He leaves office in January.

🎥First lady dressed as a panda; Bidens host Halloween trick-or-treat event

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The city Wichita reported that Sporty, retired Wichita Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 passed away Wednesday morning. 

Sporty served the community from 2010-2015. Once retired, she lived at home and continued her skillset by searching for every ounce of bacon that entered the home. Sporty would have been 16 years old this December. "Rest in peace, sweet girl."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730324702942.png" alt="Sporty photo city of Wichita" />
 <figcaption>Sporty photo city of Wichita</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The city Wichita reported that Sporty, retired Wichita Fire Department Accelerant Detection K-9 passed away Wednesday morning. Sporty served the community from 2010-2015. Once retired, she lived at home and continued her skillset by searching for every ounce of bacon that entered the home. Sporty would have been 16 years old this December. "Rest in peace, sweet girl."

Retired Kansas fire department K9 has died

JOHNSON COUNTY — An Emporia State University placed&nbsp; on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes is due back in court Wednesday.

Last week, 72-year-old Howard Pitler was booked into the Johnson County jail on requested charges of&nbsp; electronic solicitation of a child under 14 years old, according to online jail records. He met the requirements of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in&nbsp; custody.

According to Emporia State, "Upon being made aware of the arrest of Howard Pitler, the university responded immediately and placed Pitler on administrative leave. With our rich tradition as a premier Teachers College, the care and safety of students of all ages is of the utmost importance. Pitler taught fully online master’s level courses as an associate professor of School Leadership, Middle &amp; Secondary Teacher Education in The Teachers College. He has been at ESU since 2018. Emporia State will cooperate fully with authorities. We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729898976418.png" alt="Pitler-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Pitler-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY — An Emporia State University placed&nbsp; on administrative leave following an arrest for alleged child sex crimes is due back in court Wednesday.Last week, 72-year-old Howard Pitler was booked into the Johnson County jail on requested charges of&nbsp; electronic solicitation of a child under 14 years old, according to online jail records. He met the requirements of a $25,000 bond and is no longer in&nbsp; custody.According to Emporia State, "Upon being made aware of the arrest of Howard Pitler, the university responded immediately and placed Pitler on administrative leave. With our rich tradition as a premier Teachers College, the care and safety of students of all ages is of the utmost importance. Pitler taught fully online master’s level courses as an associate professor of School Leadership, Middle &amp; Secondary Teacher Education in The Teachers College. He has been at ESU since 2018. Emporia State will cooperate fully with authorities. We cannot comment further on an ongoing investigation."

Emporia State professor due in court for alleged child sex crime

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.

Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.

The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730324449445.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka.Just after 9a.m. Wednesday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department&nbsp; responded to a medical call in the 500 block of NE Gordon Street in Topeka, according to Police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Medical personnel found a man who was later pronounced deceased. Due to the nature of the incident, firefighters requested police investigators to respond.The incident is currently being investigated as a homicide. Additional updates will be provided as the investigation allows. This is the 16th homicide investigation of 2024.

Homicide: Fire department medical call at Kansas home

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name, walked across a rain-soaked tarmac and, after twice missing the handle, climbed into the passenger seat of a white garbage truck that also carried his name.

The former president, once a reality TV star known for his showmanship, wanted to draw attention to a remark made a day earlier by his successor, Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-2024-c7d5aadbe44e51012f6fcfde374fdcc5">suggested Trump's supporters were garbage</a>. Trump has used the remark as a cudgel against his Democratic rival, Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.

“How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump said, wearing an orange and yellow safety vest over his white dress shirt and red tie. “This is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”

Trump and other Republicans were facing pushback of their own for comments by a comedian at a weekend Trump rally who disparaged Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Trump then seized on a comment Biden made on a late Wednesday call that "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”

The president tried to clarify the comment afterward, saying he had intended to say Trump's demonization of Latinos was unconscionable. But it was too late.

On Thursday, after arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump climbed into the garbage truck, carrying on a brief discussion with reporters while looking out the window — similar to what he did earlier this month during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3">photo opportunity</a>&nbsp;he staged at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.

He again tried to distance himself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke had set off the firestorm, but Trump did not denounce it. He also said he did not need to apologize to Puerto Ricans.

“I don’t know anything about the comedian,” Trump said. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was a statement that he made. He’s a comedian, what can I tell you. I know nothing about him.”

A spokesperson for Trump said the joke doesn't reflect his views, but the former president has not addressed it himself.

“I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me,” Trump said from the garbage truck.

He ended the brief appearance by telling reporters: “I hope you enjoyed this garbage truck. Thank you very much.”

When he took the stage a short time later, he was still wearing the orange vest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730336694776.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name, walked across a rain-soaked tarmac and, after twice missing the handle, climbed into the passenger seat of a white garbage truck that also carried his name.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump answers questions while sitting in a garbage truck in Green Bay, WI. <a href="https://t.co/jglxM8s1bm">pic.twitter.com/jglxM8s1bm</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851769842686181677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The former president, once a reality TV star known for his showmanship, wanted to draw attention to a remark made a day earlier by his successor, Democratic President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-2024-c7d5aadbe44e51012f6fcfde374fdcc5">suggested Trump's supporters were garbage</a>. Trump has used the remark as a cudgel against his Democratic rival, Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.“How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump said, wearing an orange and yellow safety vest over his white dress shirt and red tie. “This is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”Trump and other Republicans were facing pushback of their own for comments by a comedian at a weekend Trump rally who disparaged Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Trump then seized on a comment Biden made on a late Wednesday call that "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”The president tried to clarify the comment afterward, saying he had intended to say Trump's demonization of Latinos was unconscionable. But it was too late.On Thursday, after arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump climbed into the garbage truck, carrying on a brief discussion with reporters while looking out the window — similar to what he did earlier this month during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-mcdonalds-2024-presidential-election-pennsylvania-73e55c8c1db4adc2a547b62bd5142be3">photo opportunity</a>&nbsp;he staged at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.He again tried to distance himself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke had set off the firestorm, but Trump did not denounce it. He also said he did not need to apologize to Puerto Ricans.“I don’t know anything about the comedian,” Trump said. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was a statement that he made. He’s a comedian, what can I tell you. I know nothing about him.”A spokesperson for Trump said the joke doesn't reflect his views, but the former president has not addressed it himself.“I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me,” Trump said from the garbage truck.He ended the brief appearance by telling reporters: “I hope you enjoyed this garbage truck. Thank you very much.”When he took the stage a short time later, he was still wearing the orange vest.

🎥 Trump in a garbage truck to draw attention to Biden remark

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes against several known ISIS camps in Syria in the early evening of Oct. 28, resulting in up to 35 ISIS operatives killed, the U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday.

The strikes targeted multiple ISIS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple ISIS senior leaders. There are no indications of civilian casualties, according to the Central Command.

The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISUS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians as well as U.S. allies and partners throughout the region and beyond.

"Central Command forces alongside allies and partners in the region will continue to aggressively degrade ISUS operation capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730298603773.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates over the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility." />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II operates over the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS —U.S. forces conducted a series of air strikes against several known ISIS camps in Syria in the early evening of Oct. 28, resulting in up to 35 ISIS operatives killed, the U.S. Central Command reported Wednesday.The strikes targeted multiple ISIS locations in the Syrian desert, targeting multiple ISIS senior leaders. There are no indications of civilian casualties, according to the Central Command.The strikes will disrupt the ability of ISUS to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians as well as U.S. allies and partners throughout the region and beyond."Central Command forces alongside allies and partners in the region will continue to aggressively degrade ISUS operation capabilities to ensure its enduring defeat."

U.S. forces conduct airstrikes against terrorist camps in Syria

JOHNSON COUNTY—A man is going to prison for the sex abuse of a nursing home patient in Olathe.

Last week, Samuel Maniu Wambugu was sentenced to a total of 208 months in prison for rape and mistreatment of dependent adult, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wambugu is also required to register as a sex offender.

The case involves a rape of an 85-year-old nursing home patient in January of 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729886349958.png" alt="Wambugu photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Wambugu photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A man is going to prison for the sex abuse of a nursing home patient in Olathe.Last week, Samuel Maniu Wambugu was sentenced to a total of 208 months in prison for rape and mistreatment of dependent adult, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; &nbsp;Wambugu is also required to register as a sex offender.The case involves a rape of an 85-year-old nursing home patient in January of 2021.

Man going to prison for sex assault of Kan. nursing home patient

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;among people who ate at McDonald’s, as government investigators seeking the outbreak’s source identified an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state.

The Food and Drug Administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024">90 people across 13 states</a>&nbsp;have fallen ill in the outbreak, up from 75 at the end of last week. The number of people hospitalized increased by five, to 27 people. One death has been tied to the outbreak.

Officials have said raw, slivered onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers are the likely source of the E. coli. McDonald's said the onions came from a single supplier, the California-based Taylor Farms. The company has since recalled the yellow onions it sent to McDonald's and other restaurant chains.

The FDA said Wednesday it has begun inspecting Taylor Farm’s processing center in Colorado Springs as well as an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state. It did not name the grower.

More than 80% of people with E. coli interviewed by government investigators reported eating McDonald's items containing fresh, slivered onions, the FDA noted.

McDonald’s said last week that onions from the Colorado Springs facility were distributed to approximately 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs like airports. The restaurant chain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-beef-fe0b86b40857b09dc01c001eacea3b67">announced</a>&nbsp;that it would resume serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;at hundreds of its restaurants after testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">ruled out beef patties</a>&nbsp;as the source of the outbreak.

The strain of E. coli behind the outbreak can cause dangerous diarrhea and lead to kidney failure and other serious problems. It causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

FDA officials said Wednesday the current risk of illness “is low because the onions have been recalled and should no longer be available.” They noted that all of the reported cases occurred before Taylor Farms and McDonald's removed the onions from the market.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729872051879.png" alt="Image CDC" />
 <figcaption>Image CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">E. coli poisoning</a>&nbsp;among people who ate at McDonald’s, as government investigators seeking the outbreak’s source identified an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state.The Food and Drug Administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-e-coli-o157h7-onions-october-2024">90 people across 13 states</a>&nbsp;have fallen ill in the outbreak, up from 75 at the end of last week. The number of people hospitalized increased by five, to 27 people. One death has been tied to the outbreak.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730328270903.png" alt="-This map shows where the 90 people in this E. coli outbreak lived.&nbsp;This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported.&nbsp;This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. CDC image" />
 <figcaption>-This map shows where the 90 people in this E. coli outbreak lived.&nbsp;This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported.&nbsp;This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>Officials have said raw, slivered onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers are the likely source of the E. coli. McDonald's said the onions came from a single supplier, the California-based Taylor Farms. The company has since recalled the yellow onions it sent to McDonald's and other restaurant chains.The FDA said Wednesday it has begun inspecting Taylor Farm’s processing center in Colorado Springs as well as an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state. It did not name the grower.More than 80% of people with E. coli interviewed by government investigators reported eating McDonald's items containing fresh, slivered onions, the FDA noted.McDonald’s said last week that onions from the Colorado Springs facility were distributed to approximately 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs like airports. The restaurant chain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-beef-fe0b86b40857b09dc01c001eacea3b67">announced</a>&nbsp;that it would resume serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-sick-onions-d4a37726f2669016decedcf9f928a9d9">Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;at hundreds of its restaurants after testing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-quarter-pounder-a1ec3dc14636f5e713b15b32aedcd524">ruled out beef patties</a>&nbsp;as the source of the outbreak.The strain of E. coli behind the outbreak can cause dangerous diarrhea and lead to kidney failure and other serious problems. It causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.FDA officials said Wednesday the current risk of illness “is low because the onions have been recalled and should no longer be available.” They noted that all of the reported cases occurred before Taylor Farms and McDonald's removed the onions from the market.

McDonald's E. coli case count continues to grow

TOPEKA —On Wednesday, Kansas Governor Laura cast her advance ballot in the 2024 general election. 

This November, we can elect commonsense leaders at the local, state, and federal levels. 

"Kansans: make your voice heard and get out to vote now!"

8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. Kansas covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in western counties are casting ballots until 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET).

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (independent).

U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.

2020: Trump (R) 56%, Biden (D) 42%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 9:59 p.m. ET.

Registered voters: 1,994,621 (as of Sep. 2024). About 26% Democrats, about 45% Republicans, about 28% unaffiliated.

Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 71% of registered voters.

Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 61% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 40% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/2024-early-voting-tracker/">Advance Vote tracker</a>.

First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:07 p.m. ET.

By midnight ET: about 87% of total votes cast were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730317369534.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —On Wednesday, Kansas Governor Laura cast her advance ballot in the 2024 general election. This November, we can elect commonsense leaders at the local, state, and federal levels. "Kansans: make your voice heard and get out to vote now!"<h2>Election Day</h2>Nov. 5.<h2>Poll closing time</h2>8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET. Kansas covers two time zones, so most of the state will start reporting results while some voters in western counties are casting ballots until 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET).<h2>Presidential electoral votes</h2>6 awarded to statewide winner.<h2>Key races and candidates</h2>President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (independent).<h2>Other races of interest</h2>U.S. House, state Senate, state House and state Board of Education.<h2>Past presidential results</h2>2020: Trump (R) 56%, Biden (D) 42%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 9:59 p.m. ET.<h2>Voter registration and turnout</h2>Registered voters: 1,994,621 (as of Sep. 2024). About 26% Democrats, about 45% Republicans, about 28% unaffiliated.Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 71% of registered voters.<h2>Pre-Election Day voting</h2>Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 61% of the total vote.Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 40% of the total vote.Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/2024-early-voting-tracker/">Advance Vote tracker</a>.<h2>How long does vote-counting take?</h2>First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:07 p.m. ET.By midnight ET: about 87% of total votes cast were reported.

Kansas Governor casts her advance ballot in 2024 election

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday left in place Virginia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-rolls-lawsuit-purge-immigrant-488e9b52ae81f03b7cd1ea28bc384b69">purge voter registrations</a>&nbsp;that the state says is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-registration-noncitizens-purge-appeal-b1d174ea90a7ac6e6fb1b9c623b7402e">stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting</a>.

One Virginian, whose registration was canceled despite living in the state her entire life, called the purge “a very bad October surprise.”

The high court, over the dissents of the three liberal justices, granted an emergency appeal from Virginia's Republican administration led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The court provided no rationale for its action, which is typical in emergency appeals.

The justices acted on Virginia's appeal after a federal judge found that the state illegally purged more than 1,600 voter registrations in the past two months. A federal appeals court had previously allowed the judge's order to remain in effect.

The specter of immigrants voting illegally has been a main part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-immigrants-noncitizen-trump-republicans-2024-1c65429c152c2a10514b5156eacf9ca7">political messaging</a>&nbsp;this year from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">such voting is rare in American elections</a>.

Trump had criticized the earlier ruling, calling it “a totally unacceptable travesty” on social media. “Only U.S. Citizens should be allowed to vote,” Trump wrote.

Youngkin said voters who believe they were improperly removed from the rolls can still vote in the election because Virginia has same-day registration.

“And so there is the ultimate, ultimate safeguard in Virginia, no one is being precluded from voting, and therefore, I encourage every single citizen go vote,” Youngkin told reporters.

That option was noted also by the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the White House.

“Every eligible voter has a right to cast their ballot and have their vote counted, and this ruling does not change that," campaign spokesman Charles Lutvak said in a statement. “Our campaign is going to make sure every eligible voter is able to vote. Voting by noncitizens remains illegal under federal law.”

Rina Shaw, 22, of Chesterfield, Virginia, said she was born in Virginia, has lived in the state her whole life and has never left the U.S.

Shaw thinks she may have forgotten to check a citizenship box on a form when she was updating her voter registration at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles while getting her learner’s permit.

“My first reaction was that that was just ridiculous and it shouldn’t have been allowed in October, of all months. It should have been something that happened six months before the election rather than right on the eve of it,” Shaw said.

She planned to cast her ballot during early voting on Wednesday and said she still found the error troubling. Shaw said her voter registration has now been restored.

The Justice Department and a coalition of private groups sued the state earlier in October, arguing that Virginia election officials, acting on an executive order issued in August by Youngkin, were striking names from voter rolls in violation of federal election law.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra">The National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;requires a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act">90-day “quiet period” ahead of elections</a>&nbsp;for the maintenance of voter rolls so that legitimate voters are not removed from the rolls by bureaucratic errors or last-minute mistakes that cannot be quickly corrected.

Youngkin issued his order on Aug. 7, the 90th day before the Nov. 5 election. It required daily checks of data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles against voter rolls to identify people who are not U.S. citizens.

Protect Democracy, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit, cited media interviews with other voters as showing that the Youngkin administration’s purge has removed U.S. citizens from the voter rolls.

One example is Nadra Wilson, who lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, and told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5169204/virginia-noncitizen-voter-purge">NPR</a>&nbsp;she got swept up in the purge. “I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a citizen,” Wilson said, before showing her American passport as proof of her citizenship.

Project Democracy said in a statement that “this program removes eligible voters. Virginia has not presented any evidence of noncitizens participating in elections. Because there is none. And it’s actually eligible VA voters that have been caught in the middle of this election-subversion scheme.”

U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles said elections officials still could remove names on an individualized basis, but not through a systematic purge.

Giles had ordered the state to notify affected voters and local registrars by Wednesday that the registrations have been restored.

Virginia’s deadline to register to vote was Oct. 15, but since 2022, the state has allowed same-day registration, which allows people to register to vote in-person and immediately submit a provisional ballot after the deadline to register has passed. The state Department of Elections does not remove names from the voting rolls after the Oct. 15 deadline unless they they are names of deceased people.

Nearly 6 million Virginians are registered to vote.

In a similar lawsuit in Alabama, a federal judge this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971">ordered the state</a>&nbsp;to restore eligibility for more than 3,200 voters who had been deemed ineligible noncitizens. Testimony from state officials in that case showed that roughly 2,000 of the 3,251 voters who were made inactive were actually legally registered citizens.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court's conservative majority on Wednesday left in place Virginia's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-rolls-lawsuit-purge-immigrant-488e9b52ae81f03b7cd1ea28bc384b69">purge voter registrations</a>&nbsp;that the state says is aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virginia-voter-registration-noncitizens-purge-appeal-b1d174ea90a7ac6e6fb1b9c623b7402e">stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Great news out of Virginia today for election integrity! Only U.S. citizens should be voting in U.S. elections. <a href="https://t.co/vZ6ufCFxpI">https://t.co/vZ6ufCFxpI</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1851700155822547202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>One Virginian, whose registration was canceled despite living in the state her entire life, called the purge “a very bad October surprise.”The high court, over the dissents of the three liberal justices, granted an emergency appeal from Virginia's Republican administration led by Gov. Glenn Youngkin. The court provided no rationale for its action, which is typical in emergency appeals.The justices acted on Virginia's appeal after a federal judge found that the state illegally purged more than 1,600 voter registrations in the past two months. A federal appeals court had previously allowed the judge's order to remain in effect.The specter of immigrants voting illegally has been a main part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-immigrants-noncitizen-trump-republicans-2024-1c65429c152c2a10514b5156eacf9ca7">political messaging</a>&nbsp;this year from former President Donald Trump and other Republicans, even though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noncitizens-voting-republicans-election-2024-immigration-09b86e6768f755fd875f3c51b0e8ea70">such voting is rare in American elections</a>.Trump had criticized the earlier ruling, calling it “a totally unacceptable travesty” on social media. “Only U.S. Citizens should be allowed to vote,” Trump wrote.Youngkin said voters who believe they were improperly removed from the rolls can still vote in the election because Virginia has same-day registration.“And so there is the ultimate, ultimate safeguard in Virginia, no one is being precluded from voting, and therefore, I encourage every single citizen go vote,” Youngkin told reporters.That option was noted also by the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for the White House.“Every eligible voter has a right to cast their ballot and have their vote counted, and this ruling does not change that," campaign spokesman Charles Lutvak said in a statement. “Our campaign is going to make sure every eligible voter is able to vote. Voting by noncitizens remains illegal under federal law.”Rina Shaw, 22, of Chesterfield, Virginia, said she was born in Virginia, has lived in the state her whole life and has never left the U.S.Shaw thinks she may have forgotten to check a citizenship box on a form when she was updating her voter registration at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles while getting her learner’s permit.“My first reaction was that that was just ridiculous and it shouldn’t have been allowed in October, of all months. It should have been something that happened six months before the election rather than right on the eve of it,” Shaw said.She planned to cast her ballot during early voting on Wednesday and said she still found the error troubling. Shaw said her voter registration has now been restored.The Justice Department and a coalition of private groups sued the state earlier in October, arguing that Virginia election officials, acting on an executive order issued in August by Youngkin, were striking names from voter rolls in violation of federal election law.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra">The National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;requires a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/crt/about-national-voter-registration-act">90-day “quiet period” ahead of elections</a>&nbsp;for the maintenance of voter rolls so that legitimate voters are not removed from the rolls by bureaucratic errors or last-minute mistakes that cannot be quickly corrected.Youngkin issued his order on Aug. 7, the 90th day before the Nov. 5 election. It required daily checks of data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles against voter rolls to identify people who are not U.S. citizens.Protect Democracy, one of the groups that brought the lawsuit, cited media interviews with other voters as showing that the Youngkin administration’s purge has removed U.S. citizens from the voter rolls.One example is Nadra Wilson, who lives in Lynchburg, Virginia, and told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/10/29/nx-s1-5169204/virginia-noncitizen-voter-purge">NPR</a>&nbsp;she got swept up in the purge. “I was born in Brooklyn, New York. I’m a citizen,” Wilson said, before showing her American passport as proof of her citizenship.Project Democracy said in a statement that “this program removes eligible voters. Virginia has not presented any evidence of noncitizens participating in elections. Because there is none. And it’s actually eligible VA voters that have been caught in the middle of this election-subversion scheme.”U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles said elections officials still could remove names on an individualized basis, but not through a systematic purge.Giles had ordered the state to notify affected voters and local registrars by Wednesday that the registrations have been restored.Virginia’s deadline to register to vote was Oct. 15, but since 2022, the state has allowed same-day registration, which allows people to register to vote in-person and immediately submit a provisional ballot after the deadline to register has passed. The state Department of Elections does not remove names from the voting rolls after the Oct. 15 deadline unless they they are names of deceased people.Nearly 6 million Virginians are registered to vote.In a similar lawsuit in Alabama, a federal judge this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-voter-purge-allen-secretary-state-judge-6cec74a5bc2afef14beae6827d4cf971">ordered the state</a>&nbsp;to restore eligibility for more than 3,200 voters who had been deemed ineligible noncitizens. Testimony from state officials in that case showed that roughly 2,000 of the 3,251 voters who were made inactive were actually legally registered citizens.

Kan. U.S. Senator praised Supreme Court ruling on election integrity

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said she disagrees “with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” reacting after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-supporters-garbage-puerto-rico-comic-e62ccf9108ba0ca8d1ee694f91a6867e">President Joe Biden's reference to Donald Trump's supporters and “garbage.”</a>

“I will represent all Americans, including those who don’t vote for me," the vice president said.

Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made the comment to reporters as she prepared to campaign in three states. Her words were an attempt to blunt the controversy over Biden's rhetoric with less than a week until the end of the campaign.

The tumult began Tuesday night around the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-closing-argument-ellipse-washington-139a7b390dc30ceab85d9ac56fcc521d">Harris was delivering a unifying message</a>&nbsp;in a speech near the White House. Inside the building, Biden was criticizing Trump’s recent Madison Square Garden rally, where a comedian described Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage.”

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American,” Biden said in a campaign call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino. “It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”

Biden and the White House rushed to explain that the president was talking about the rhetoric on stage, not Trump’s supporters themselves. But Republicans seized on Biden’s comments, claiming they were an echo of the time when Hillary Clinton, as the Democratic nominee against Trump in 2016, said half of Trump’s supporters belong to a “basket of deplorables.”

In attacking Biden, and by extension, Harris, Republicans are glossing over Trump’s own history of insulting and demonizing rhetoric, such as calling the United States a “garbage can for the world” or describing political opponents as “the enemy within.” Trump has also described Harris as a “stupid person” and “lazy as hell,” and he’s questioned whether she was on drugs.

Trump has also refused demands to apologize for the comment about Puerto Rico at his rally, acknowledging “somebody said some bad things” but “I can’t imagine it’s a bid deal.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;said she disagrees “with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” reacting after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-supporters-garbage-puerto-rico-comic-e62ccf9108ba0ca8d1ee694f91a6867e">President Joe Biden's reference to Donald Trump's supporters and “garbage.”</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Vice President Harris responds to President Biden&#39;s &#39;garbage&#39; comments: &quot;He clarified his comments. Let me clear, I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kmUfjIrytz">pic.twitter.com/kmUfjIrytz</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851632924438806883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“I will represent all Americans, including those who don’t vote for me," the vice president said.Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, made the comment to reporters as she prepared to campaign in three states. Her words were an attempt to blunt the controversy over Biden's rhetoric with less than a week until the end of the campaign.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> on President Biden&#39;s &#39;garbage&#39; comment: &quot;He was not calling Trump supporters garbage...He was regarding to the comedian...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nvLs6taPso">pic.twitter.com/nvLs6taPso</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1851693129671598170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The tumult began Tuesday night around the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-closing-argument-ellipse-washington-139a7b390dc30ceab85d9ac56fcc521d">Harris was delivering a unifying message</a>&nbsp;in a speech near the White House. Inside the building, Biden was criticizing Trump’s recent Madison Square Garden rally, where a comedian described Puerto Rico as an “island of garbage.”“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American,” Biden said in a campaign call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino. “It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.”Biden and the White House rushed to explain that the president was talking about the rhetoric on stage, not Trump’s supporters themselves. But Republicans seized on Biden’s comments, claiming they were an echo of the time when Hillary Clinton, as the Democratic nominee against Trump in 2016, said half of Trump’s supporters belong to a “basket of deplorables.”In attacking Biden, and by extension, Harris, Republicans are glossing over Trump’s own history of insulting and demonizing rhetoric, such as calling the United States a “garbage can for the world” or describing political opponents as “the enemy within.” Trump has also described Harris as a “stupid person” and “lazy as hell,” and he’s questioned whether she was on drugs.Trump has also refused demands to apologize for the comment about Puerto Rico at his rally, acknowledging “somebody said some bad things” but “I can’t imagine it’s a bid deal.”Political attack lines have a history of occasionally boomeranging back on people who use them. For example, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, now Trump's running mate, once described Democrats as beholden to “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.”Vance's 3-year-old comments were resurfaced once he became the vice presidential nominee, energizing Harris supporters who repurposed the label as a point of pride on shirts and bumper stickers — much like Trump’s supporters once cheerfully branded themselves as “deplorables.”On Wednesday morning, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, downplayed Biden’s comments in television interviews.He told “CBS Mornings” that Biden “was very clear that he’s speaking about the rhetoric we heard,” not the supporters themselves.Walz made a similar comment on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” where he emphasized that Democrats’ inclusive message.