NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.

The charges center on payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. They mark an extraordinary development after years of investigations into Trump’s business, political and personal dealings.

The indictment injects a local district attorney’s office into the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home. Arriving at a time of deep political divisions, the charges are likely to reinforce rather than reshape dueling perspectives of those who see accountability as long overdue and those who, like Trump, feel the Republican is being targeted for political purposes by a Democratic prosecutor.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump "did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”

A spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney's office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump's defense team to arrange a surrender. A person familiar with the matter, who was not authorized to discuss sealed proceedings, said the surrender was expected to happen next week.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-alvin-bragg-trump-manhattan-da-d77a4ec8df9a2b2b35f6e8bb9a52a5a7?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">District Attorney Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;left his office Thursday evening without commenting.

The case centers on well-chronicled allegations from a period in 2016 when Trump’s celebrity past collided with his political ambitions. Prosecutors scrutinized money paid to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal</a>, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.

The timing of the indictment appeared to come as a surprise to Trump campaign officials following news reports that criminal charges was likely weeks away. The former president was at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, on Thursday and had filmed an interview with a conservative commentator earlier in the day.

For a man whose presidency was defined by one obliterated norm after another, the indictment presents yet another never-before-seen spectacle. It will require a former president, and current hopeful, to simultaneously fight for his freedom and his political future while also fending off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">potentially more perilous legal threats</a>, including investigations into attempts by him and his allies to undo the 2020 election as well into as the hoarding of hundreds of classified documents.

In fact, New York until recently had been seen as an unlikely contender to be the first place to prosecute Trump, who continues to face long-running investigations in Atlanta and Washington that could also result in charges. Unlike those inquiries, the Manhattan case concerns conduct by Trump that occurred before he became president and is unrelated to much-publicized efforts to overturn a presidential election.

As he seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who are seeking or are likely to oppose him for the presidential nomination, the indictment sets the stage for an unprecedented scene — a former president having his fingerprints and mug shot taken, and then facing arraignment and possibly a criminal trial. For security reasons, his booking is expected to be carefully choreographed to avoid crowds inside or outside the courthouse.

In bringing the charges, Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, is embracing an unusual case that had been investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment.

In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump, who is seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and . railed about the investigation on social media and urged supporters to protest on his behalf, prompting tighter security around the Manhattan criminal courthouse.

The fate of the hush-money investigation seemed uncertain until word got out in early March that Bragg had invited Trump to testify before a grand jury, a signal that prosecutors were close to bringing charges.

Trump’s attorneys declined the invitation, but a lawyer closely allied with the former president briefly testified in an effort to undercut the credibility of Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.

Late in the 2016 presidential campaign, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her silent about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament.

Cohen was then reimbursed by Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, which also rewarded the lawyer with bonuses and extra payments logged internally as legal expenses. Over several months, Cohen said, the company paid him $420,000.

Earlier in 2016, Cohen had also arranged for the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to squelch her story of a Trump affair in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”

The payments to the women were intended to buy secrecy, but they backfired almost immediately as details of the arrangements leaked to the news media.

Federal prosecutors in New York ultimately charged Cohen in 2018 with violating federal campaign finance laws, arguing that the payments amounted to impermissible help to Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to those charges and unrelated tax evasion counts and served time in federal prison.

Trump was implicated in court filings as having knowledge of the arrangements, but U.S. prosecutors at the time balked at bringing charges against him. The Justice Department has a longtime policy that it is likely unconstitutional to prosecute a sitting president in federal court.

Bragg’s predecessor as district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., then took up the investigation in 2019. While that probe initially focused on the hush money payments, Vance’s prosecutors moved on to other matters, including an examination of Trump’s business dealings and tax strategies.

Vance ultimately charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax fraud related to fringe benefits paid to some of the company’s top executives.

The hush money matter became known around the D.A.’s office as the “zombie case,” with prosecutors revisiting it periodically but never opting to bring charges.

Bragg saw it differently. After the Trump Organization was convicted on the tax fraud charges in December, he brought fresh eyes to the well-worn case, hiring longtime white-collar prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to oversee the probe and convening a new grand jury.

Cohen became a key witness, meeting with prosecutors nearly two-dozen times, turning over emails, recordings and other evidence and testifying before the grand jury.

Trump has long decried the Manhattan investigation as “the greatest witch hunt in history.” He has also lashed out at Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, racist against white people.

The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.

Trump, who famously riffed in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and “wouldn’t lose voters,” now faces a threat to his liberty or at least his reputation in a borough where more than 75% of voters — many of them potential jurors — went against him in the last election.

NEW YORK (AP) — A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, his lawyers said Thursday, producing the first criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024.

The indictment is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.

In a statement, his lawyers, Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina, said: “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”

The district attorney's investigation centered on money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.

Trump was expected to surrender to authorities next week, though the details were still being worked out, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.

In bringing the charges, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is embracing an unusual case that had been investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment.

In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump railed about the investigation on social media and urged supporters to protest on his behalf, prompting tighter security around the Manhattan criminal courthouse.

Trump faces other potential legal perils as he seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who are seeking or are likely to oppose him for the presidential nomination.

The district attorney in Atlanta has for two years been investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to meddle in Georgia’s 2020 vote count. And a U.S. Justice Department special counsel is investigating Trump’s storage of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and his efforts to reverse his election loss.

NEW YORK (AP) —A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.

The indictment, confirmed Thursday by Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, and other people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss sealed criminal charges, is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation as politically motivated, was expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.

NEW YORK (AP) —A lawyer for Donald Trump said Thursday he's been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.

It becomes the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.

Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, told The Associated Press he had been told that a grand jury that had been meeting for months voted to indict Trump. The specific charges were not immediately made public.

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has attacked the investigation, was expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.

The grand jury indictment of Trump, 76, is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660098261521.png" alt="This becomes the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.&nbsp; -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>This becomes the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.&nbsp; -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.The charges center on payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. They mark an extraordinary development after years of investigations into Trump’s business, political and personal dealings.The indictment injects a local district attorney’s office into the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home. Arriving at a time of deep political divisions, the charges are likely to reinforce rather than reshape dueling perspectives of those who see accountability as long overdue and those who, like Trump, feel the Republican is being targeted for political purposes by a Democratic prosecutor.Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump "did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”A spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney's office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump's defense team to arrange a surrender. A person familiar with the matter, who was not authorized to discuss sealed proceedings, said the surrender was expected to happen next week.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-alvin-bragg-trump-manhattan-da-d77a4ec8df9a2b2b35f6e8bb9a52a5a7?utm_source=hubpage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">District Attorney Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;left his office Thursday evening without commenting.The case centers on well-chronicled allegations from a period in 2016 when Trump’s celebrity past collided with his political ambitions. Prosecutors scrutinized money paid to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-karen-mcdougal-26f0b7e7cf464f5fc0681e04efe5fe9b">porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal</a>, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.The timing of the indictment appeared to come as a surprise to Trump campaign officials following news reports that criminal charges was likely weeks away. The former president was at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida estate, on Thursday and had filmed an interview with a conservative commentator earlier in the day.For a man whose presidency was defined by one obliterated norm after another, the indictment presents yet another never-before-seen spectacle. It will require a former president, and current hopeful, to simultaneously fight for his freedom and his political future while also fending off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">potentially more perilous legal threats</a>, including investigations into attempts by him and his allies to undo the 2020 election as well into as the hoarding of hundreds of classified documents.In fact, New York until recently had been seen as an unlikely contender to be the first place to prosecute Trump, who continues to face long-running investigations in Atlanta and Washington that could also result in charges. Unlike those inquiries, the Manhattan case concerns conduct by Trump that occurred before he became president and is unrelated to much-publicized efforts to overturn a presidential election.As he seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who are seeking or are likely to oppose him for the presidential nomination, the indictment sets the stage for an unprecedented scene — a former president having his fingerprints and mug shot taken, and then facing arraignment and possibly a criminal trial. For security reasons, his booking is expected to be carefully choreographed to avoid crowds inside or outside the courthouse.In bringing the charges, Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, is embracing an unusual case that had been investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment.In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump, who is seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and . railed about the investigation on social media and urged supporters to protest on his behalf, prompting tighter security around the Manhattan criminal courthouse.The fate of the hush-money investigation seemed uncertain until word got out in early March that Bragg had invited Trump to testify before a grand jury, a signal that prosecutors were close to bringing charges.Trump’s attorneys declined the invitation, but a lawyer closely allied with the former president briefly testified in an effort to undercut the credibility of Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.Late in the 2016 presidential campaign, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her silent about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament.Cohen was then reimbursed by Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, which also rewarded the lawyer with bonuses and extra payments logged internally as legal expenses. Over several months, Cohen said, the company paid him $420,000.Earlier in 2016, Cohen had also arranged for the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to squelch her story of a Trump affair in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”The payments to the women were intended to buy secrecy, but they backfired almost immediately as details of the arrangements leaked to the news media.Federal prosecutors in New York ultimately charged Cohen in 2018 with violating federal campaign finance laws, arguing that the payments amounted to impermissible help to Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to those charges and unrelated tax evasion counts and served time in federal prison.Trump was implicated in court filings as having knowledge of the arrangements, but U.S. prosecutors at the time balked at bringing charges against him. The Justice Department has a longtime policy that it is likely unconstitutional to prosecute a sitting president in federal court.Bragg’s predecessor as district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., then took up the investigation in 2019. While that probe initially focused on the hush money payments, Vance’s prosecutors moved on to other matters, including an examination of Trump’s business dealings and tax strategies.Vance ultimately charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax fraud related to fringe benefits paid to some of the company’s top executives.The hush money matter became known around the D.A.’s office as the “zombie case,” with prosecutors revisiting it periodically but never opting to bring charges.Bragg saw it differently. After the Trump Organization was convicted on the tax fraud charges in December, he brought fresh eyes to the well-worn case, hiring longtime white-collar prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to oversee the probe and convening a new grand jury.Cohen became a key witness, meeting with prosecutors nearly two-dozen times, turning over emails, recordings and other evidence and testifying before the grand jury.Trump has long decried the Manhattan investigation as “the greatest witch hunt in history.” He has also lashed out at Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, racist against white people.The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.Trump, who famously riffed in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and “wouldn’t lose voters,” now faces a threat to his liberty or at least his reputation in a borough where more than 75% of voters — many of them potential jurors — went against him in the last election.-------------NEW YORK (AP) — A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, his lawyers said Thursday, producing the first criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House.Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024.The indictment is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.In a statement, his lawyers, Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina, said: “He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”The district attorney's investigation centered on money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him.Trump was expected to surrender to authorities next week, though the details were still being worked out, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.In bringing the charges, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is embracing an unusual case that had been investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment.In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump railed about the investigation on social media and urged supporters to protest on his behalf, prompting tighter security around the Manhattan criminal courthouse.Trump faces other potential legal perils as he seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who are seeking or are likely to oppose him for the presidential nomination.The district attorney in Atlanta has for two years been investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to meddle in Georgia’s 2020 vote count. And a U.S. Justice Department special counsel is investigating Trump’s storage of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and his efforts to reverse his election loss.The fate of the hush-money investigation seemed uncertain until word got out in early March that Bragg had invited Trump to testify before a grand jury, a signal that prosecutors were close to bringing charges.Trump’s attorneys declined the invitation, but a lawyer closely allied with the former president briefly testified in an effort to undercut the credibility of Trump’s former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen.Late in the 2016 presidential campaign, Cohen paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her silent about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier after they met at a celebrity golf tournament.Cohen was then reimbursed by Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, which also rewarded the lawyer with bonuses and extra payments logged internally as legal expenses. Over several months, Cohen said, the company paid him $420,000.Earlier in 2016, Cohen had also arranged for the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer to pay Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to squelch her story of a Trump affair in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch-and-kill.”The payments to the women were intended to buy secrecy, but they backfired almost immediately as details of the arrangements leaked to the news media.Federal prosecutors in New York ultimately charged Cohen in 2018 with violating federal campaign finance laws, arguing that the payments amounted to impermissible help to Trump’s presidential campaign. Cohen pleaded guilty to those charges and unrelated tax evasion counts and served time in federal prison.Trump was implicated in court filings as having knowledge of the arrangements, but U.S. prosecutors at the time balked at bringing charges against him. The Justice Department has a longtime policy that it is likely unconstitutional to prosecute a sitting president in federal court.Bragg’s predecessor as district attorney, Cyrus Vance Jr., then took up the investigation in 2019. While that probe initially focused on the hush money payments, Vance’s prosecutors moved on to other matters, including an examination of Trump’s business dealings and tax strategies.Vance ultimately charged the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer with tax fraud related to fringe benefits paid to some of the company’s top executives.The hush money matter became known around the D.A.’s office as the “zombie case,” with prosecutors revisiting it periodically but never opting to bring charges.Bragg saw it differently. After the Trump Organization was convicted on the tax fraud charges in December, he brought fresh eyes to the well-worn case, hiring longtime white-collar prosecutor Matthew Colangelo to oversee the probe and convening a new grand jury.Cohen became a key witness, meeting with prosecutors nearly two-dozen times, turning over emails, recordings and other evidence and testifying before the grand jury.Trump has long decried the Manhattan investigation as “the greatest witch hunt in history.” He has also lashed out at Bragg, calling the prosecutor, who is Black, racist against white people.The criminal charges in New York are the latest salvo in a profound schism between Trump and his hometown — a reckoning for a one-time favorite son who grew rich and famous building skyscrapers, hobnobbing with celebrities and gracing the pages of the city’s gossip press.Trump, who famously riffed in 2016 that he “could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody” and “wouldn’t lose voters,” now faces a threat to his liberty or at least his reputation in a borough where more than 75% of voters — many of them potential jurors — went against him in the last election.NEW YORK (AP) —A Manhattan grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter, the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.The indictment, confirmed Thursday by Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, and other people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss sealed criminal charges, is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly attacked the investigation as politically motivated, was expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.In bringing the charges, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is embracing an unusual case that had been investigated by two previous sets of prosecutors, both of which declined to take the politically explosive step of seeking Trump’s indictment.In the weeks leading up to the indictment, Trump railed about the investigation on social media and urged supporters to protest on his behalf, prompting tighter security around the Manhattan criminal courthouse.Trump faces other potential legal perils as he seeks to reassert control of the Republican Party and stave off a slew of one-time allies who are seeking or are likely to oppose him for the presidential nomination.The district attorney in Atlanta has for two years been investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to meddle in Georgia’s 2020 vote count. And a U.S. Justice Department special counsel is investigating Trump’s storage of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida and his efforts to reverse his election loss.--------------NEW YORK (AP) —A lawyer for Donald Trump said Thursday he's been told that the former president has been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.It becomes the first ever criminal case against a former U.S. president and a jolt to Trump’s bid to retake the White House in 2024.Joe Tacopina, a lawyer for Trump, told The Associated Press he had been told that a grand jury that had been meeting for months voted to indict Trump. The specific charges were not immediately made public.Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has attacked the investigation, was expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss a matter that remained under seal.The grand jury indictment of Trump, 76, is an extraordinary development after years of investigations into his business, political and personal dealings. It is likely to galvanize critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel the Republican is being unfairly targeted by a Democratic prosecutor.

Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime

SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department reported Thursday evening&nbsp; 54-year-old Garret Crutchfield turned himself in.

SALINE COUNTY —The cause of the death of a man whose body was found dumped along the side of the road in north Salina in late January has been ruled a fentanyl overdose and one of two people sought in the case has been arrested, according to a media release from Salina Police Department.

On Jan. 28, a citizen contacted police about a body in the 1900 block of N. Fifth Street. Police later identified the body as that of 20-year-old Brendon Thomas Wade Reed.

According to a statement from police, On January 29, an autopsy was conducted and no signs of fatal trauma were located during the examination. The autopsy and toxicology findings determined Reed’s cause of death a fentanyl overdose.&nbsp;

This week, warrants were issued for 44-year-old Jack Allen Kelley and 54-year-old Garret Clayton Crutchfield, both Salina residents for criminal desecration of a body and interference with law enforcement.

On Wednesday, police booked Kelley into the Saline County Jail for one count of criminal desecration of a body and one count of interference with law enforcement.

Police are looking for Crutchfield. He has previous felony convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp; 

If you know where he is, please contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210 and ask for dispatch to report his location.

The autopsy findings, toxicology report, and information from the case investigation have been provided to the Saline County Attorney, Jeff Ebel. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680205560645.png" alt="Police are asking for help to locate Garret Clayton Crutchfield in connection with the overdose death. Crutchfield has previous convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Police are asking for help to locate Garret Clayton Crutchfield in connection with the overdose death. Crutchfield has previous convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —The Salina Police Department reported Thursday evening&nbsp; 54-year-old Garret Crutchfield turned himself in.--------------SALINE COUNTY —The cause of the death of a man whose body was found dumped along the side of the road in north Salina in late January has been ruled a fentanyl overdose and one of two people sought in the case has been arrested, according to a media release from Salina Police Department.On Jan. 28, a citizen contacted police about a body in the 1900 block of N. Fifth Street. Police later identified the body as that of 20-year-old Brendon Thomas Wade Reed.According to a statement from police, On January 29, an autopsy was conducted and no signs of fatal trauma were located during the examination. The autopsy and toxicology findings determined Reed’s cause of death a fentanyl overdose.&nbsp;This week, warrants were issued for 44-year-old Jack Allen Kelley and 54-year-old Garret Clayton Crutchfield, both Salina residents for criminal desecration of a body and interference with law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680181055668.jpeg" alt="Jack Allen Kelley-photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Jack Allen Kelley-photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, police booked Kelley into the Saline County Jail for one count of criminal desecration of a body and one count of interference with law enforcement.Police are looking for Crutchfield. He has previous felony convictions for burglary and theft, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.&nbsp; If you know where he is, please contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210 and ask for dispatch to report his location.The autopsy findings, toxicology report, and information from the case investigation have been provided to the Saline County Attorney, Jeff Ebel.

Police: 2nd suspect in Kan. man's fentanyl death turns himself in

RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; Kansas man who was in possession of fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.

The Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations Division arrested 31-year-old Holden S. Walden for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Officers seized over one hundred suspected fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680206140730.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Police</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a&nbsp; Kansas man who was in possession of fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680206198324.jpeg" alt="Walden-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Walden-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations Division arrested 31-year-old Holden S. Walden for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Officers seized over one hundred suspected fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.&nbsp;

Police seize oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in Hutchinson

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Nine people were killed in a crash involving two Army <a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-helicopters-crash-d8ebd81d05f0b917df61d7dbcdb1752f">Black Hawk</a> medical evacuation helicopters conducting a nighttime training exercise in Kentucky, Army officials said Thursday.

Nondice
 Thurman, a spokesperson for Fort Campbell, said the deaths happened 
Wednesday night in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training 
mission.

A statement from Fort Campbell said the two HH-60 Black 
Hawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, crashed around 10
 p.m. Wednesday in Trigg County, Kentucky. The 101st Airborne confirmed 
the crash about 30 miles northwest of Fort Campbell. The
 crash is under investigation.

The helicopters crashed in a field 
near a residential area with no injuries on the ground, Brig. Gen. John 
Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, said. One helicopter had 
five people aboard and the other had four, Lubas said.

An Army spokesperson declined to comment on whether the helicopters collided in the air.

"At
 this time, there is no determination on the specifics regarding the 
accident,” Daniel Matthews, a public affairs officer for the 101st 
Airborne Division, said in an emailed statement Thursday afternoon. 
Matthews said an aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, will 
investigate the accident.

Speaking a news conference Thursday 
morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the state would do everything 
it can to support the families of those killed.

“We’re going to do
 what we always do. We’re going to wrap our arms around these families, 
and we’re going to be there with them, not just for the days, but the 
weeks and the months and the years to come," Beshear said.

Lubas said it is unclear what caused the crash.

“This
 was a training progression, and specifically they were flying a 
multi-ship formation, two ships, under night vision goggles at night," 
Lubas said. He said officials believe the accident occurred when "they 
were doing flying, not deliberate medical evacuation drills.”

The 
helicopters have something similar to the black boxes on passenger 
planes, which records the performance of aircrafts in flight and are 
used by investigators to analyze crashes.

“We’re hopeful that will provide quite a bit of information of what occurred,” Lubas said.

The
 Black Hawk helicopter is a critical workhorse for the U.S. Army and is 
used in security, transport, medical evacuations, search and rescue and 
other missions. The helicopters are known to many people from the 2001 
movie “Black Hawk Down,” which is about a violent battle in Somalia 
eight years earlier.

Black Hawks were a frequent sight in the 
skies over Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars conducting combat 
missions and are also used by the Army’s 160th Special Operations 
Aviation Regiment. They were also often used to ferry visiting senior 
leaders to headquarters locations in the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones.

Fort
 Campbell is located near the Tennessee border, about 60 miles orthwest of Nashville, and the crash occurred in the Trigg 
County, Kentucky, community of Cadiz.

Nick Tomaszewski, who lives 
about a mile from where the crash occurred, said he saw two helicopters 
flying over his house moments before the crash.

“For whatever 
reason last night my wife and I were sitting there looking out on the 
back deck and I said 'Wow, those two helicopters look low and they look 
kind of close to one another tonight,’” he said.

The helicopters flew over and looped back around and moments later “we saw what looked like a firework went off in the sky.”

“All
 of the lights in their helicopter went out. It was like they just 
poofed ... and then we saw a huge glow like a fireball,” Tomaszewski 
said.

Flyovers for training exercises happen almost daily and the helicopters typically fly low but not so close together, he said.

“There
 were two back to back. We typically see one and then see another one a 
few minutes later, and we just saw two of them flying together last 
night,” he said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin offered his condolences to the families of those killed.

“My
 heart goes out to the families of these servicemembers and to the 
members of the 101st Airborne Division who bravely and proudly serve our
 country each and every day," Lloyd said in a statement.

In the 
Kentucky House and in the Senate, members stood for a moment of silence 
Thursday morning in honor of the crash victims. Kentucky state Rep. 
Walker Thomas said the crash occurred about 15 to 20 minutes from his 
home.

“They’re there to protect us,” Thomas said. “And we’re constantly seeing these helicopters flying over our communities.”

Thomas spoke about how connected Fort Campbell soldiers and their families are to the communities near the Army post.

“The
 Fort Campbell soldiers that live in our communities, go to our churches
 ... they go to our schools, their kids do,” he added. “And this really 
hurts.”

By Thursday morning, word of the crash was spreading 
through the community of Clarksville, Tennessee, just outside Fort 
Campbell.

Chaterra Watts, a former Army soldier who was stationed 
at Fort Campbell from about 2015 to 2019, said once she heard about the 
crash, she jumped on social media to try to find out more and if she 
knew any of the victims.

“I pray for their friends and their 
families and just hope that we can all come together as a community and 
that something positive will come out of something so tragic,” Watts 
said.

Last month, two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed when their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-alabama-tennessee-helicopter-crashes-70e5fa88184336305ed7ef435fd23248">Black Hawk helicopter crashed</a> along an Alabama highway during a training exercise.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680208722157.jpeg" alt="Military officials hold a news conference in Fort Campbell, KY, on Thursday March 30, 2023, to discuss a fatal helicopter crash. Nine people were killed in a crash involving two Army Black Hawk helicopters conducting a nighttime training exercise in Kentucky, a military spokesperson said. (AP Photo/Sharon Johnson)" />
 <figcaption>Military officials hold a news conference in Fort Campbell, KY, on Thursday March 30, 2023, to discuss a fatal helicopter crash. Nine people were killed in a crash involving two Army Black Hawk helicopters conducting a nighttime training exercise in Kentucky, a military spokesperson said. (AP Photo/Sharon Johnson)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressFORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) — Nine people were killed in a crash involving two Army <a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-hawk-helicopters-crash-d8ebd81d05f0b917df61d7dbcdb1752f">Black Hawk</a> medical evacuation helicopters conducting a nighttime training exercise in Kentucky, Army officials said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> on incident in which nine Army soldiers were killed in a crash involving two Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Kentucky, which occurred during a routine training mission. <a href="https://t.co/QZg8GivRaE">pic.twitter.com/QZg8GivRaE</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1641525073474461699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Nondice
 Thurman, a spokesperson for Fort Campbell, said the deaths happened 
Wednesday night in southwestern Kentucky during a routine training 
mission.A statement from Fort Campbell said the two HH-60 Black 
Hawk helicopters, part of the 101st Airborne Division, crashed around 10
 p.m. Wednesday in Trigg County, Kentucky. The 101st Airborne confirmed 
the crash about 30 miles northwest of Fort Campbell. The
 crash is under investigation.The helicopters crashed in a field 
near a residential area with no injuries on the ground, Brig. Gen. John 
Lubas, the 101st Airborne deputy commander, said. One helicopter had 
five people aboard and the other had four, Lubas said.An Army spokesperson declined to comment on whether the helicopters collided in the air."At
 this time, there is no determination on the specifics regarding the 
accident,” Daniel Matthews, a public affairs officer for the 101st 
Airborne Division, said in an emailed statement Thursday afternoon. 
Matthews said an aviation safety team from Fort Rucker, Alabama, will 
investigate the accident.Speaking a news conference Thursday 
morning, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said the state would do everything 
it can to support the families of those killed.“We’re going to do
 what we always do. We’re going to wrap our arms around these families, 
and we’re going to be there with them, not just for the days, but the 
weeks and the months and the years to come," Beshear said.Lubas said it is unclear what caused the crash.“This
 was a training progression, and specifically they were flying a 
multi-ship formation, two ships, under night vision goggles at night," 
Lubas said. He said officials believe the accident occurred when "they 
were doing flying, not deliberate medical evacuation drills.”The 
helicopters have something similar to the black boxes on passenger 
planes, which records the performance of aircrafts in flight and are 
used by investigators to analyze crashes.“We’re hopeful that will provide quite a bit of information of what occurred,” Lubas said.The
 Black Hawk helicopter is a critical workhorse for the U.S. Army and is 
used in security, transport, medical evacuations, search and rescue and 
other missions. The helicopters are known to many people from the 2001 
movie “Black Hawk Down,” which is about a violent battle in Somalia 
eight years earlier.Black Hawks were a frequent sight in the 
skies over Iraq and Afghanistan during the wars conducting combat 
missions and are also used by the Army’s 160th Special Operations 
Aviation Regiment. They were also often used to ferry visiting senior 
leaders to headquarters locations in the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones.Fort
 Campbell is located near the Tennessee border, about 60 miles orthwest of Nashville, and the crash occurred in the Trigg 
County, Kentucky, community of Cadiz.Nick Tomaszewski, who lives 
about a mile from where the crash occurred, said he saw two helicopters 
flying over his house moments before the crash.“For whatever 
reason last night my wife and I were sitting there looking out on the 
back deck and I said 'Wow, those two helicopters look low and they look 
kind of close to one another tonight,’” he said.The helicopters flew over and looped back around and moments later “we saw what looked like a firework went off in the sky.”“All
 of the lights in their helicopter went out. It was like they just 
poofed ... and then we saw a huge glow like a fireball,” Tomaszewski 
said.Flyovers for training exercises happen almost daily and the helicopters typically fly low but not so close together, he said.“There
 were two back to back. We typically see one and then see another one a 
few minutes later, and we just saw two of them flying together last 
night,” he said.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin offered his condolences to the families of those killed.“My
 heart goes out to the families of these servicemembers and to the 
members of the 101st Airborne Division who bravely and proudly serve our
 country each and every day," Lloyd said in a statement.In the 
Kentucky House and in the Senate, members stood for a moment of silence 
Thursday morning in honor of the crash victims. Kentucky state Rep. 
Walker Thomas said the crash occurred about 15 to 20 minutes from his 
home.“They’re there to protect us,” Thomas said. “And we’re constantly seeing these helicopters flying over our communities.”Thomas spoke about how connected Fort Campbell soldiers and their families are to the communities near the Army post.“The
 Fort Campbell soldiers that live in our communities, go to our churches
 ... they go to our schools, their kids do,” he added. “And this really 
hurts.”By Thursday morning, word of the crash was spreading 
through the community of Clarksville, Tennessee, just outside Fort 
Campbell.Chaterra Watts, a former Army soldier who was stationed 
at Fort Campbell from about 2015 to 2019, said once she heard about the 
crash, she jumped on social media to try to find out more and if she 
knew any of the victims.“I pray for their friends and their 
families and just hope that we can all come together as a community and 
that something positive will come out of something so tragic,” Watts 
said.Last month, two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed when their <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-alabama-tennessee-helicopter-crashes-70e5fa88184336305ed7ef435fd23248">Black Hawk helicopter crashed</a> along an Alabama highway during a training exercise.

🎥9 killed in Army Black Hawk helicopter crash in Kentucky

By JENNIFER SHUTT, ARIANA FIGUEROA and&nbsp; ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Health insurance 
companies may no longer need to cover a wide swath of preventive health 
care services that were required by the 2010 Affordable Care Act, under a
 federal judge’s ruling issued Thursday in Texas.

The decision could affect millions of Americans’ access to no-cost preventive health care — including pregnancy-related care, cancer screenings, HIV prevention pharmaceuticals and more — that a federal agency given new powers under Obamacare required health insurance companies to cover.

It wasn’t immediately clear when or 
how the decision could take effect in consumer insurance plans. The 
Biden administration is likely to appeal the case.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck 
Schumer called for an immediate stay and appeal of the ruling and for 
insurance providers to “publicly commit they will retain free preventive
 care.”

“This ruling is not only misguided, 
it is outright dangerous and could cost lives,” Schumer, a New York 
Democrat, said in a statement.

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Frank 
Pallone, ranking member on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee,
 said in a written statement the judge’s decision “imperils access to 
lifesaving care including mammograms, lung cancer and skin cancer 
screenings, screenings for pregnant women and newborns, and PrEP.”

“It has no basis in the law, will 
unnecessarily cause confusion, and will put lives at risk if people are 
forced to forgo routine screenings and treatment,” he added. “The 
Department of Justice should immediately move to appeal this reckless 
decision and have it stayed so that Americans do not lose access to 
care.”

The U.S. Justice Department and the 
Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for 
comment Thursday morning on the case, Braidwood Management v. Becerra. 
The White House also did not return a request for comment on the ruling.

Judge Reed O’Connor, from the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas, wrote in his <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.330381/gov.uscourts.txnd.330381.113.0_2.pdf">ruling</a>
 that preventive services required by the U.S. Preventive Services Task 
Force to be covered are unlawful because they violate the Appointments 
Clause.

That <a target="_blank" href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-3-1/ALDE_00013092/">section of the Constitution</a>
 requires the president to nominate certain positions, sometimes 
referred to as principal officers, that the U.S. Senate then confirms.

Government officials whose positions 
are generally considered “inferior” are often left for the president, 
Cabinet secretaries, or others in the executive branch to hire without 
Senate involvement.&nbsp;

The conservative Christian business 
owners who filed the lawsuit argue the preventive care measure mandates 
are unconstitutional, due to a lack of oversight on how recommendations 
are made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The business owners argue that 
because the ACA does not allow the secretary of HHS — or other leaders 
of the agency — to reject recommendations made by that committee, it has
 insufficient oversight.

O’Connor, nominated by former president George W. Bush, sided in his ruling with the businesses owners, who
 want to provide health insurance without coverage for “PrEP drugs, the 
HPV vaccine, contraceptives, and screenings and behavioral counseling 
for STDs and drug use.” They argued their employees had no need for such
 coverage and that it violated their religious beliefs under the 
Religious Freedom Restoration Act.&nbsp;

PrEP, also known as pre-exposure 
prophylaxis, are drugs that have a 99% prevention rate for HIV, and are 
used by all Americans, but primarily by men who have sex with men. The 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/fact-sheets/hiv/PrEP-for-hiv-prevention-in-the-US-factsheet.html">found</a> the drugs “played a part in recent decreases in new HIV infections.” The CDC estimates that 1.2 million Americans are eligible for PrEP.&nbsp;

The business owners argue that 
requiring health insurance to cover preventive HIV medication, such as 
PrEP, violates their faith. They also argue it’s unconstitutional for 
the federal government to recommend covered preventive services.

O’Connor wrote in Thursday’s ruling 
that Braidwood Management Inc. and Kelley Orthodontics, as well as 
others “need not comply with the preventive care coverage 
recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued on or 
after March 23, 2010, because the members of the Task Force have not 
been appointed in a manner consistent with Article II’s Appointments 
Clause.” The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on that date.

Numerous medical groups — the 
American Medical Association, The American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American 
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Women’s Association, the 
American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Medical Association 
and the Infectious Diseases Society of America — warned against revoking
 no-cost preventive care services in a <a target="_blank" href="https://searchltf.ama-assn.org/case/documentDownload?uri=%2Funstructured%2Fbinary%2Fcasebriefs%2FBraidwood_Management_v__Becerra_Northern_District_of_Texas_Brief.pdf">brief</a> filed in November.&nbsp;

“​​Ultimately, if this Court 
invalidates the Task Force’s recommendations nationwide, physicians and 
healthcare professionals will be left in an untenable situation,” they 
wrote.

“Amici will struggle to encourage 
their patients to accept services that they know will save lives and to 
help their patients navigate a new and confusing insurance situation,” 
they added. “Amici will see many of their patients, including some of 
their most vulnerable, turn down medically indicated services because of
 the very financial barriers that Congress sought to remove.”&nbsp;

“The past ten years have shown the 
benefits of no-cost preventive coverage, and amici ask that the Court 
hesitate before ordering a remedy that could upset that substantial 
progress,” they said.&nbsp;

The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations"> preventive care services </a>&nbsp;in
 question receive either an “A” or “B” rating from the Preventive 
Services Task Force. They include domestic violence counseling, 
postpartum depression counseling, breastfeeding support, and treatment 
for heart disease.&nbsp;

Some of the screenings for cancer 
include breast, colorectal, ovarian, lung and skin for patients as young
 as 6 months to 24-year-olds with fair skin.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HHS <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/786fa55a84e7e3833961933124d70dd2/preventive-services-ib-2022.pdf">estimated</a>
 in 2020 that nearly 152 million people had access to preventive care 
services under the law. That breaks down to about 58 million women, 57 
million men, and 37 million children, according to HHS data.

Several cases challenging whether 
employers should have to comply with the ACA’s birth control mandate 
have come before the U.S. Supreme Court. Thursday’s ruling does not 
change that section of the ACA.&nbsp;

In 2020 the court granted a victory to those opposed to offering health plans that cover contraception.

In a 7-2 decision, with an opinion 
written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of 
the Little Sisters of the Poor, which challenged that the mandate 
violated its rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The case brought by the nonprofit 
Catholic religious organization, which operates homes for the elderly, 
upheld a Trump administration expansion of an exemption under the ACA 
that allowed private employers to object to the birth control mandate 
for religious or moral reasons.

The Trump administration widened the exemptions in November 2018.

In 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously returned a case brought by a Pittsburgh-based Catholic priest to the lower court level.&nbsp;

Bishop David Zubik, the main 
plaintiff, had argued that religious freedoms were violated by the 
contraceptive mandate. Zubik argued that a special carve-out exemption 
for religious organizations did not go far enough and therefore burdened
 the exercise of their religious freedoms. The Catholic Diocese of 
Pittsburgh and Erie, as well as the nonprofit Catholic Charities, joined
 as plaintiffs.

In 2014, Hobby Lobby, a 
Christian-owned craft supply retailer, won at the Supreme Court level 
after it became the first high-profile plaintiff to challenge coverage 
of birth control under the ACA.

In a 5-4 decision, Justice Samuel 
Alito wrote in the majority opinion that a requirement for “closely 
held” for-profit corporations to provide employees with access to 
no-cost contraception under ACA plans violated the Religious Freedom and
 Restoration Act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680202853184.jpg" alt=" Insurance companies would not be required to cover preventative screening if a federal judge’s ruling on the 2010 Affordable Care Act stands. Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption> Insurance companies would not be required to cover preventative screening if a federal judge’s ruling on the 2010 Affordable Care Act stands. Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT, ARIANA FIGUEROA and&nbsp; ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Health insurance 
companies may no longer need to cover a wide swath of preventive health 
care services that were required by the 2010 Affordable Care Act, under a
 federal judge’s ruling issued Thursday in Texas.The decision could affect millions of Americans’ access to no-cost preventive health care — including pregnancy-related care, cancer screenings, HIV prevention pharmaceuticals and more — that a federal agency given new powers under Obamacare required health insurance companies to cover.It wasn’t immediately clear when or 
how the decision could take effect in consumer insurance plans. The 
Biden administration is likely to appeal the case.U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck 
Schumer called for an immediate stay and appeal of the ruling and for 
insurance providers to “publicly commit they will retain free preventive
 care.”“This ruling is not only misguided, 
it is outright dangerous and could cost lives,” Schumer, a New York 
Democrat, said in a statement.New Jersey Democratic Rep. Frank 
Pallone, ranking member on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee,
 said in a written statement the judge’s decision “imperils access to 
lifesaving care including mammograms, lung cancer and skin cancer 
screenings, screenings for pregnant women and newborns, and PrEP.”“It has no basis in the law, will 
unnecessarily cause confusion, and will put lives at risk if people are 
forced to forgo routine screenings and treatment,” he added. “The 
Department of Justice should immediately move to appeal this reckless 
decision and have it stayed so that Americans do not lose access to 
care.”The U.S. Justice Department and the 
Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for 
comment Thursday morning on the case, Braidwood Management v. Becerra. 
The White House also did not return a request for comment on the ruling.Judge Reed O’Connor, from the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas, wrote in his <a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.330381/gov.uscourts.txnd.330381.113.0_2.pdf">ruling</a>
 that preventive services required by the U.S. Preventive Services Task 
Force to be covered are unlawful because they violate the Appointments 
Clause.That <a target="_blank" href="https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S2-C2-3-1/ALDE_00013092/">section of the Constitution</a>
 requires the president to nominate certain positions, sometimes 
referred to as principal officers, that the U.S. Senate then confirms.Government officials whose positions 
are generally considered “inferior” are often left for the president, 
Cabinet secretaries, or others in the executive branch to hire without 
Senate involvement.&nbsp;The conservative Christian business 
owners who filed the lawsuit argue the preventive care measure mandates 
are unconstitutional, due to a lack of oversight on how recommendations 
are made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.The business owners argue that 
because the ACA does not allow the secretary of HHS — or other leaders 
of the agency — to reject recommendations made by that committee, it has
 insufficient oversight.O’Connor, nominated by former president George W. Bush, sided in his ruling with the businesses owners, who
 want to provide health insurance without coverage for “PrEP drugs, the 
HPV vaccine, contraceptives, and screenings and behavioral counseling 
for STDs and drug use.” They argued their employees had no need for such
 coverage and that it violated their religious beliefs under the 
Religious Freedom Restoration Act.&nbsp;PrEP, also known as pre-exposure 
prophylaxis, are drugs that have a 99% prevention rate for HIV, and are 
used by all Americans, but primarily by men who have sex with men. The 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/fact-sheets/hiv/PrEP-for-hiv-prevention-in-the-US-factsheet.html">found</a> the drugs “played a part in recent decreases in new HIV infections.” The CDC estimates that 1.2 million Americans are eligible for PrEP.&nbsp;The business owners argue that 
requiring health insurance to cover preventive HIV medication, such as 
PrEP, violates their faith. They also argue it’s unconstitutional for 
the federal government to recommend covered preventive services.O’Connor wrote in Thursday’s ruling 
that Braidwood Management Inc. and Kelley Orthodontics, as well as 
others “need not comply with the preventive care coverage 
recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued on or 
after March 23, 2010, because the members of the Task Force have not 
been appointed in a manner consistent with Article II’s Appointments 
Clause.” The Affordable Care Act was signed into law on that date.Numerous medical groups — the 
American Medical Association, The American College of Obstetricians and 
Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American 
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Women’s Association, the 
American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Medical Association 
and the Infectious Diseases Society of America — warned against revoking
 no-cost preventive care services in a <a target="_blank" href="https://searchltf.ama-assn.org/case/documentDownload?uri=%2Funstructured%2Fbinary%2Fcasebriefs%2FBraidwood_Management_v__Becerra_Northern_District_of_Texas_Brief.pdf">brief</a> filed in November.&nbsp;“​​Ultimately, if this Court 
invalidates the Task Force’s recommendations nationwide, physicians and 
healthcare professionals will be left in an untenable situation,” they 
wrote.“Amici will struggle to encourage 
their patients to accept services that they know will save lives and to 
help their patients navigate a new and confusing insurance situation,” 
they added. “Amici will see many of their patients, including some of 
their most vulnerable, turn down medically indicated services because of
 the very financial barriers that Congress sought to remove.”&nbsp;“The past ten years have shown the 
benefits of no-cost preventive coverage, and amici ask that the Court 
hesitate before ordering a remedy that could upset that substantial 
progress,” they said.&nbsp;The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation-topics/uspstf-a-and-b-recommendations"> preventive care services </a>&nbsp;in
 question receive either an “A” or “B” rating from the Preventive 
Services Task Force. They include domestic violence counseling, 
postpartum depression counseling, breastfeeding support, and treatment 
for heart disease.&nbsp;Some of the screenings for cancer 
include breast, colorectal, ovarian, lung and skin for patients as young
 as 6 months to 24-year-olds with fair skin.&nbsp;&nbsp;HHS <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/786fa55a84e7e3833961933124d70dd2/preventive-services-ib-2022.pdf">estimated</a>
 in 2020 that nearly 152 million people had access to preventive care 
services under the law. That breaks down to about 58 million women, 57 
million men, and 37 million children, according to HHS data.<h2>Other legal challenges to ACA coverage</h2>Several cases challenging whether 
employers should have to comply with the ACA’s birth control mandate 
have come before the U.S. Supreme Court. Thursday’s ruling does not 
change that section of the ACA.&nbsp;In 2020 the court granted a victory to those opposed to offering health plans that cover contraception.In a 7-2 decision, with an opinion 
written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of 
the Little Sisters of the Poor, which challenged that the mandate 
violated its rights under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.The case brought by the nonprofit 
Catholic religious organization, which operates homes for the elderly, 
upheld a Trump administration expansion of an exemption under the ACA 
that allowed private employers to object to the birth control mandate 
for religious or moral reasons.The Trump administration widened the exemptions in November 2018.In 2016, the Supreme Court unanimously returned a case brought by a Pittsburgh-based Catholic priest to the lower court level.&nbsp;Bishop David Zubik, the main 
plaintiff, had argued that religious freedoms were violated by the 
contraceptive mandate. Zubik argued that a special carve-out exemption 
for religious organizations did not go far enough and therefore burdened
 the exercise of their religious freedoms. The Catholic Diocese of 
Pittsburgh and Erie, as well as the nonprofit Catholic Charities, joined
 as plaintiffs.In 2014, Hobby Lobby, a 
Christian-owned craft supply retailer, won at the Supreme Court level 
after it became the first high-profile plaintiff to challenge coverage 
of birth control under the ACA.In a 5-4 decision, Justice Samuel 
Alito wrote in the majority opinion that a requirement for “closely 
held” for-profit corporations to provide employees with access to 
no-cost contraception under ACA plans violated the Religious Freedom and
 Restoration Act.

Judge: Insurers don’t have to cover many preventive measures

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Thursday approved a sprawling energy package that seeks to undo virtually all of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-climate-health-bill-9a7f349fa7b07387d20ad603f2ff4875">President Joe Biden's agenda to address climate change.</a>

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527072-1/house-republicans-speak-energy-bill-passage">Click here to watch the </a>House Speaker's press conference

The legislation would sharply increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects. It would boost production of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are used in electric vehicles, computers, cellphones and other products.

By a 225-204 vote, the House sent the measure to the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it “dead on arrival.”

Biden has threatened to veto the bill, saying it would replace “pro-consumer policies” adopted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">the landmark climate law approved last year</a>&nbsp;“with a thinly veiled license to pollute.'' The bill would roll back Democratic investments in clean energy and ”pad oil and gas company profits,'' the White House said.

Republicans call the bill the&nbsp;<a href="https://scalise.house.gov/press-releases/Scalise%3A-Unleashing-American-Energy-Lowers-Costs-for-Families">“Lower Energy Costs Act”</a>&nbsp;and gave it the symbolic label H.R. 1 — the top legislative priority of the new GOP majority, which took control of the House in January.

The measure combines dozens of separate proposals and represents more than two years of work by Republicans who have chafed at Biden's environmental agenda. They say Biden's efforts have thwarted U.S. energy production and increased costs at the gas pump and grocery store.

“Families are struggling because of President Biden's war on American energy,'' said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., one of the bill's main authors.

The GOP bill will “unleash" abundant U.S. natural resources "so we can produce energy in America,'' Scalise said. “We don't have to be addicted to foreign countries that don't like us.''

Democrats called the bill a giveaway to big oil companies.

"Republicans refuse to hold polluters accountable for the damage they cause to our air, our water, our communities and our climate,'' said New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“While Democrats delivered historic wins for the American people by passing historic climate legislation, Republicans are actively working to undermine that progress and do the bidding of their polluter friends,″ Pallone said.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the bill “restores American energy leadership by repealing unnecessary taxes and overregulation on American energy producers,'' and "makes it easier to build things in America'' by placing a two-year time limit on environmental reviews that now take an average of seven years.

“Every time we need a pipeline, a road or a dam, it gets held up five to seven years and adds millions of dollars in costs for the project to comply with Washington’s permitting process,'' McCarthy said in speech on the House floor. “It’s too long, it’s unaffordable, it’s not based on science and it’s holding us back.''

He pointed to a project to modify and improve Lake Isabella Dam in his central California district that has lasted 18 years and still is not completed.

“Permitting reform isn’t for everyone,'' McCarthy added. “If you like paying more at the pump, you don’t want to make it faster for American workers to build more pipelines. If you’re China, you’d rather America sit back and let others lead. And if you’re a bureaucrat, maybe you really do enjoy reading the 600-page environmental impact studies.''

Most Americans want lower prices and more U.S. energy production, McCarthy said — results he said the bill will deliver.

Democrats called that misleading and said the GOP plan was a thinly disguised effort to reward oil companies and other energy producers that have contributed millions of dollars to GOP campaigns.

Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, derided the bill as the “Polluters Over People Act'' and “a nearly 200-page love letter to polluting industries.''

Instead of reining in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-exxon-mobil-corp-business-0de95b8421a658f020717a148a63c9c5">“Big Oil” companies that have reported record profits</a>&nbsp;while “hoarding thousands of unused leases'' on public lands and waters, the GOP bill lowers royalty rates paid by energy producers and reinstates noncompetitive leasing of public lands, Grijalva said.

The bill also gives mining companies “a veritable free-for-all on our public lands” and “makes mockery of tribal consultation'' required under federal law, he said.

Under the GOP plan, mining companies will “destroy sacred and special places" throughout the West, "ruin the landscape and leave behind a toxic mess that pollutes our water and hurts our health — all without paying a cent to the American people,'' Grijalva said.

Schumer called the measure “a giveaway to Big Oil pretending to be an energy package.”

The House energy package “would gut important environmental safeguards on fossil fuel projects,'' locking America "into expensive, erratic and dirty energy sources while setting us back more than a decade on our transition to clean energy,'' Schumer said.

Schumer said he supports streamlining the nation's cumbersome permitting process for energy projects, especially those that will deliver “clean energy” such as wind, solar and geothermal power. “But the Republican plan falls woefully short on this front as well,'' he said, calling on Republicans to back reforms that would help ease the transition to renewable energy and accelerate construction of transmission lines to bolster the nation's aging power grid.

Schumer and other Democrats said the Republican bill would repeal a new $27 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-and-environment-financial-services-us-environmental-protection-agency-business-664750a30b238523bc025663f4a1f002">Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund</a>&nbsp;and other parts of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">the climate and health care law passed by Democrats last year</a>. The bill also would eliminate a new tax on methane pollution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1567081192406.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Thursday approved a sprawling energy package that seeks to undo virtually all of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-climate-health-bill-9a7f349fa7b07387d20ad603f2ff4875">President Joe Biden's agenda to address climate change.</a><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527072-1/house-republicans-speak-energy-bill-passage">Click here to watch the </a>House Speaker's press conferenceThe legislation would sharply increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects. It would boost production of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are used in electric vehicles, computers, cellphones and other products.By a 225-204 vote, the House sent the measure to the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called it “dead on arrival.”Biden has threatened to veto the bill, saying it would replace “pro-consumer policies” adopted in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">the landmark climate law approved last year</a>&nbsp;“with a thinly veiled license to pollute.'' The bill would roll back Democratic investments in clean energy and ”pad oil and gas company profits,'' the White House said.Republicans call the bill the&nbsp;<a href="https://scalise.house.gov/press-releases/Scalise%3A-Unleashing-American-Energy-Lowers-Costs-for-Families">“Lower Energy Costs Act”</a>&nbsp;and gave it the symbolic label H.R. 1 — the top legislative priority of the new GOP majority, which took control of the House in January.The measure combines dozens of separate proposals and represents more than two years of work by Republicans who have chafed at Biden's environmental agenda. They say Biden's efforts have thwarted U.S. energy production and increased costs at the gas pump and grocery store.“Families are struggling because of President Biden's war on American energy,'' said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., one of the bill's main authors.The GOP bill will “unleash" abundant U.S. natural resources "so we can produce energy in America,'' Scalise said. “We don't have to be addicted to foreign countries that don't like us.''Democrats called the bill a giveaway to big oil companies."Republicans refuse to hold polluters accountable for the damage they cause to our air, our water, our communities and our climate,'' said New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.“While Democrats delivered historic wins for the American people by passing historic climate legislation, Republicans are actively working to undermine that progress and do the bidding of their polluter friends,″ Pallone said.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said the bill “restores American energy leadership by repealing unnecessary taxes and overregulation on American energy producers,'' and "makes it easier to build things in America'' by placing a two-year time limit on environmental reviews that now take an average of seven years.“Every time we need a pipeline, a road or a dam, it gets held up five to seven years and adds millions of dollars in costs for the project to comply with Washington’s permitting process,'' McCarthy said in speech on the House floor. “It’s too long, it’s unaffordable, it’s not based on science and it’s holding us back.''He pointed to a project to modify and improve Lake Isabella Dam in his central California district that has lasted 18 years and still is not completed.“Permitting reform isn’t for everyone,'' McCarthy added. “If you like paying more at the pump, you don’t want to make it faster for American workers to build more pipelines. If you’re China, you’d rather America sit back and let others lead. And if you’re a bureaucrat, maybe you really do enjoy reading the 600-page environmental impact studies.''Most Americans want lower prices and more U.S. energy production, McCarthy said — results he said the bill will deliver.Democrats called that misleading and said the GOP plan was a thinly disguised effort to reward oil companies and other energy producers that have contributed millions of dollars to GOP campaigns.Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, derided the bill as the “Polluters Over People Act'' and “a nearly 200-page love letter to polluting industries.''Instead of reining in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-exxon-mobil-corp-business-0de95b8421a658f020717a148a63c9c5">“Big Oil” companies that have reported record profits</a>&nbsp;while “hoarding thousands of unused leases'' on public lands and waters, the GOP bill lowers royalty rates paid by energy producers and reinstates noncompetitive leasing of public lands, Grijalva said.The bill also gives mining companies “a veritable free-for-all on our public lands” and “makes mockery of tribal consultation'' required under federal law, he said.Under the GOP plan, mining companies will “destroy sacred and special places" throughout the West, "ruin the landscape and leave behind a toxic mess that pollutes our water and hurts our health — all without paying a cent to the American people,'' Grijalva said.Schumer called the measure “a giveaway to Big Oil pretending to be an energy package.”The House energy package “would gut important environmental safeguards on fossil fuel projects,'' locking America "into expensive, erratic and dirty energy sources while setting us back more than a decade on our transition to clean energy,'' Schumer said.Schumer said he supports streamlining the nation's cumbersome permitting process for energy projects, especially those that will deliver “clean energy” such as wind, solar and geothermal power. “But the Republican plan falls woefully short on this front as well,'' he said, calling on Republicans to back reforms that would help ease the transition to renewable energy and accelerate construction of transmission lines to bolster the nation's aging power grid.Schumer and other Democrats said the Republican bill would repeal a new $27 billion&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-and-environment-financial-services-us-environmental-protection-agency-business-664750a30b238523bc025663f4a1f002">Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund</a>&nbsp;and other parts of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-congress-climate-and-environment-f084d23d61ebb068068d4aa92c82fdbb">the climate and health care law passed by Democrats last year</a>. The bill also would eliminate a new tax on methane pollution.

House approves broad bill to 'unleash' American energy

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Salina man who allegedly head-butted a police officer was arrested on multiple requested charges after two incidents overnight.

Just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to a residence in the 800 block of Plaza Drive for the report of an aggravated burglary, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus. 

A couple at the residence said they noticed a light go on in their house. When they got up to investigate, they saw a man inside the residence who then left through the back door.

Items missing included a black duffle bag with miscellaneous welding equipment, two sets of vehicle keys, and a mailbox key, Hanus said.

As the officers were talking with the couple, their son returned home and told police that a short time before that, as he was leaving the residence, he saw the same person in his 2001 Ford four-door vehicle. The person left when he saw the son coming out of the house. The son locked the front door of the residence and left without telling his parents that he had seen someone in his vehicle, Hanus said.

At approximately 12:40 a.m. Thursday, police received a report of a suspicious person in the 900 block of Vassar Drive. When officers made contact with the person, they found him to be in possession of a black bag with welding equipment in it, Hanus said. The person was detained at that time and officers then found the stolen keys in his possession.

The person was identified as James David Laughlin, 21, of Salina.

While officers were attempting to take Laughlin into custody and put a safety wrap on him, he allegedly head-butted an officer and threatened the officer, Hanus said. 

Because of a medical issue, Laughlin was transported to the Salina Regional Health Center emergency room before he was booked into the Saline County Jail.

Hanus said Laughlin was arrested on the following requested charges, Aggravated burglary, Felony interference, Battery of a law enforcement officer, Four counts of assault of a law enforcement officer, Trespassing and Theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678200604446.jpeg" alt="James David Laughlin- Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>James David Laughlin- Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Salina man who allegedly head-butted a police officer was arrested on multiple requested charges after two incidents overnight.Just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to a residence in the 800 block of Plaza Drive for the report of an aggravated burglary, according to Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus. A couple at the residence said they noticed a light go on in their house. When they got up to investigate, they saw a man inside the residence who then left through the back door.Items missing included a black duffle bag with miscellaneous welding equipment, two sets of vehicle keys, and a mailbox key, Hanus said.As the officers were talking with the couple, their son returned home and told police that a short time before that, as he was leaving the residence, he saw the same person in his 2001 Ford four-door vehicle. The person left when he saw the son coming out of the house. The son locked the front door of the residence and left without telling his parents that he had seen someone in his vehicle, Hanus said.At approximately 12:40 a.m. Thursday, police received a report of a suspicious person in the 900 block of Vassar Drive. When officers made contact with the person, they found him to be in possession of a black bag with welding equipment in it, Hanus said. The person was detained at that time and officers then found the stolen keys in his possession.The person was identified as James David Laughlin, 21, of Salina.While officers were attempting to take Laughlin into custody and put a safety wrap on him, he allegedly head-butted an officer and threatened the officer, Hanus said. Because of a medical issue, Laughlin was transported to the Salina Regional Health Center emergency room before he was booked into the Saline County Jail.Hanus said Laughlin was arrested on the following requested charges, Aggravated burglary, Felony interference, Battery of a law enforcement officer, Four counts of assault of a law enforcement officer, Trespassing and Theft.

Kansas burglary suspect allegedly head-butted police officer 

Washington –&nbsp;On Wednesday evening, a&nbsp;resolution championed by&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall to terminate the COVID-19 National Emergency Declaration passed the Senate for the third time. The resolution passed 68-23, with 21 Democrats joining Republicans in support of the bill. In February, the measure passed the House in a 229-197 vote.&nbsp;

 The measure now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

(Click below to watch Senator Marshall's speech on the bill)

Senator Marshall’s resolution to end the COVID-19 National State of Emergency previously passed the U.S. Senate twice.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-marshalls-resolution-to-end-covid-state-of-emergency/" target="_blank">Once</a>&nbsp;by a vote of 48-47 on March 3, 2022, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-resolution-to-end-covid-national-emergency-declaration-overwhelmingly-passes-senate/" target="_blank">once</a>&nbsp;by a vote of 62-36 on November 15, 2022. Senator Marshall&nbsp;addressed the Senate Floor Wednesday ahead of the vote and called on this Administration to immediately terminate their authoritarian emergency declaration.&nbsp;

As per law it expires on May 11, 2023, and can't be extended.&nbsp;

Washington –&nbsp;On Wednesday evening, a&nbsp;resolution championed by&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall to terminate the COVID-19 National Emergency Declaration passed the Senate for the third time. The resolution passed 68-23, with 21 Democrats joining Republicans in support of the bill. In February, the measure passed the House in a 229-197 vote.&nbsp; The measure now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.(Click below to watch Senator Marshall's speech on the bill)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zECSvB4ukqM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Senator Marshall’s resolution to end the COVID-19 National State of Emergency previously passed the U.S. Senate twice.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-passes-marshalls-resolution-to-end-covid-state-of-emergency/" target="_blank">Once</a>&nbsp;by a vote of 48-47 on March 3, 2022, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-resolution-to-end-covid-national-emergency-declaration-overwhelmingly-passes-senate/" target="_blank">once</a>&nbsp;by a vote of 62-36 on November 15, 2022. Senator Marshall&nbsp;addressed the Senate Floor Wednesday ahead of the vote and called on this Administration to immediately terminate their authoritarian emergency declaration.&nbsp;As per law it expires on May 11, 2023, and can't be extended.&nbsp;

🎥Senate votes to end COVID-19 emergency for 3rd time

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a standoff at a Kansas home.

On Monday, police in Cherryvale asked the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department to assist with a situation involving 48-year-old Aaron E. Whittley, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

Police had several encounters with Whittley over the past week including an encounter involving him entering into a convenience store and leaving without paying for some items. 

While investigating the theft, police learned about several social media posts Whittley made throughout the day, threatening multiple people, and making homicidal/suicidal statements. 

A&nbsp; police officer attempted to make contact with Whittley at his home in the 400 block of East 4th Street Cherryvale.&nbsp;

 Whittley was at the residence the observed Whittley fire two shots in the air with a handgun then run into the residence.  Due to the nature of this incident, the Montgomery County Emergency Response Team (SWAT) was activated and responded to the scene at 8:00pm and began the “armed and barricaded subject” procedure. &nbsp;

The Coffeyville Police Department SWAT team was requested to respond to the scene while the Kansas Bureau of Investigations SWAT team was placed on standby. 

The SWAT teams worked together giving announcements over the loudspeaker for Whittley to come out of the residence peacefully. He did not comply. 

The SWAT teams used less lethal gas munitions, robots, and drones to assist in receiving a response and locating where Whittley was inside of the residence. 

After a couple of hours and no response from Whittley, the KBI SWAT team respond to the scene to assist.  The KBI SWAT team was supported by the Pratt County Kansas Sheriff’s Office who brought additional tools and robots. 

KBI SWAT continued announcements and deployed less lethal gas munitions into the residence all through the night in attempt for Whittley to comply.

Just before 8a.m. on Tuesday, the KBI SWAT team entered the residence and located Whittley inside of a bedroom. Whitley was responsive but appeared to be lethargic. 

Whittley admitted to ingesting a large amount of sleeping aide medication at some point throughout the night. 

The KBI took Whittley into custody without further incident and transported him to Labette Health ER in Independence, Kansas where he later was released and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. 

 Montgomery County Detectives conducted a search of the residence and located what appeared to be explosives inside of the room where Whittley was located. 

The Kansas Highway Patrol Bomb Squad determined that the explosives were Improvised Explosive Device’s.  KHP Bomb squad took custody of the IED’s and began the procedure to disarm them. 

Whittley is being held on requested charges of Criminal Threat. There will be additional charges from the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office, according to Wade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680084419780.png" alt="Whittley-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Whittley-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a standoff at a Kansas home.On Monday, police in Cherryvale asked the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department to assist with a situation involving 48-year-old Aaron E. Whittley, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.Police had several encounters with Whittley over the past week including an encounter involving him entering into a convenience store and leaving without paying for some items. While investigating the theft, police learned about several social media posts Whittley made throughout the day, threatening multiple people, and making homicidal/suicidal statements. A&nbsp; police officer attempted to make contact with Whittley at his home in the 400 block of East 4th Street Cherryvale.&nbsp; Whittley was at the residence the observed Whittley fire two shots in the air with a handgun then run into the residence. Due to the nature of this incident, the Montgomery County Emergency Response Team (SWAT) was activated and responded to the scene at 8:00pm and began the “armed and barricaded subject” procedure. &nbsp;The Coffeyville Police Department SWAT team was requested to respond to the scene while the Kansas Bureau of Investigations SWAT team was placed on standby. The SWAT teams worked together giving announcements over the loudspeaker for Whittley to come out of the residence peacefully. He did not comply. The SWAT teams used less lethal gas munitions, robots, and drones to assist in receiving a response and locating where Whittley was inside of the residence. After a couple of hours and no response from Whittley, the KBI SWAT team respond to the scene to assist. The KBI SWAT team was supported by the Pratt County Kansas Sheriff’s Office who brought additional tools and robots. KBI SWAT continued announcements and deployed less lethal gas munitions into the residence all through the night in attempt for Whittley to comply.Just before 8a.m. on Tuesday, the KBI SWAT team entered the residence and located Whittley inside of a bedroom. Whitley was responsive but appeared to be lethargic. Whittley admitted to ingesting a large amount of sleeping aide medication at some point throughout the night. The KBI took Whittley into custody without further incident and transported him to Labette Health ER in Independence, Kansas where he later was released and transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. Montgomery County Detectives conducted a search of the residence and located what appeared to be explosives inside of the room where Whittley was located. The Kansas Highway Patrol Bomb Squad determined that the explosives were Improvised Explosive Device’s. KHP Bomb squad took custody of the IED’s and began the procedure to disarm them. Whittley is being held on requested charges of Criminal Threat. There will be additional charges from the Montgomery County Attorney’s Office, according to Wade.

Kan. deputies found explosives after 12-hour standoff 

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Wichita Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau said enactment of a Kansas Senate bill written to deny federal food stamp benefits to noncustodial parents not making child support payments would lead to an increase in the number of children going hungry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/P1131061-1024x683.jpg" alt="Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, said she was mystified a Kansas Senate committee endorsed a bill withholding food stamps from parents not making child support payments. The House-passed bill was rejected 20-20 by the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, D-Wichita, said she was mystified a Kansas Senate committee endorsed a bill withholding food stamps from parents not making child support payments. The House-passed bill was rejected 20-20 by the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Wichita Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau said enactment of a Kansas Senate bill written to deny federal food stamp benefits to noncustodial parents not making child support payments would lead to an increase in the number of children going hungry.Faust-Goudeau, a Democrat, delivered an emotional speech on the Senate floor during debate on House Bill 2141, which would make Kansas the fourth state in the country to withhold Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits from a parent who owed child support.She expressed outrage the Legislature would contemplate withholding food as a tactic to extract cash from poor parents.“The bill would sock it to them. We’re going to deny them some measly food stamps. Find another way. Don’t starve them to death,” Faust-Goudeau said. “This bill would make it less likely that parents can support their children and more likely that children and their parents will go hungry. Reducing access to food for Kansans who are already struggling financially is unnecessarily harsh and ineffective.”The Senate by the most narrow margin voted Wednesday to defeat the bill disqualifying noncustodial parents from food stamps if delinquent on child support payments or found uncooperative with state enforcement of child support orders. Existing law applied this standard to the parent with custody of children, but Kansas hadn’t extended that to noncustodial parents.The vote was 20-20 after Sen. Mike Petersen, R-Wichita, and Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, changed their votes to “no.”“I’d like to change my vote,” Kloos said. “This is a difficult decision, but I do think there’s a lot of kids we do need to keep in mind.”In Kansas, 280,000 people and 100,000 children endure hunger, meaning one in seven kids were subject to food insecurity. The challenge for low-income adults responsible for feeding a family deepened as inflation pushed grocery costs higher in Kansas, despite a cut in the state’s sales tax on food. Congress ordered emergency SNAP assistance extended to the states during the COVID-19 pandemic to expire April 1.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Kloos-2-1024x768.jpg" alt="Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, changed his vote to “no” on a bill blocking food assistance to poor parents unable to make child support payments. His decision Wednesday resulted in a 20-20 tally and rejection of the bill by the Kansas Senate. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Berryton, changed his vote to “no” on a bill blocking food assistance to poor parents unable to make child support payments. His decision Wednesday resulted in a 20-20 tally and rejection of the bill by the Kansas Senate. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Pro-family, pro-children’</h2>The Senate bill generated fierce opposition from organizations and individuals testifying before House and Senate committees.Support in both the House and Senate came only from the Florida think tank Opportunity Solutions Project, which argued Kansas ought to strengthen limitations on welfare assistance in a manner reminiscent of action taken by the 2015 Kansas Legislature and Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.The food stamp and child support bill was passed by the Kansas House in February with a 76-46 majority. Three states have adopted laws comparable to the Kansas measure praised by Sen. Beverly Gossage, the Eudora Republican and chair of the Senate health committee.She said Kansas parents with custody of children had been subject since 2017 to this food stamp compliance mandate enforced by the Kansas Department for Children and Families. The reform bill was designed to compel “supposedly deadbeat” parents to reconnect with their children and provide financial support to the family or lose access to food assistance, Gossage said.“We believe that the children and their families should be due their rightfully owed … money from a noncustodial parent before the state pays for welfare,” Gossage said. “This is pro-family, pro-children and pro-personal responsibility.”<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/PA291442-1024x615.jpg" alt="Sen. Pat Pettey, a Democrat from Kansas City, said House Bill 2141 denying federal food assistance to noncustodial parents who didn’t make child support payments was “insensitive to our poorest families.” The Senate rejected the bill 20-20. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Pat Pettey, a Democrat from Kansas City, said House Bill 2141 denying federal food assistance to noncustodial parents who didn’t make child support payments was “insensitive to our poorest families.” The Senate rejected the bill 20-20. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Thank God’</h2>Opponents of the bill included Kansas Action for Children, Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Harvesters — The Community Food Network, Kansas Food Bank, Second Harvest Community Food Bank, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas Public Health Association, United Community Services of Johnson County and DCF.“This is not a program that has been adopted by other states because, one, it doesn’t achieve its goal, two, it’s very insensitive to our poorest families,” said Sen. Pat Pettey, D-Kansas City.A concern expressed about the legislation was suspension of food benefits could undermine a parent’s ability to maintain employment, earn a sustainable income and result in unintended consequences for other family members.“This bill is cruel and punitive, and negatively impacts hungry children living in poverty,” said Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park. “We should be creative enough to find other ways to get individuals to make child support payments.”Another issue was a custodial parent could be found noncompliant with DCF if not participating in the effort to secure child support even if that collaboration might place the custodial parent at personal risk. The DCF secretary would have leeway to exempt a parent if that individual had “good cause” to avoid compliance with child support enforcement.Faust-Goudeau, whose mother lobbied at the Capitol decades ago on behalf of impoverished single parents, said she couldn’t believe the Legislature would contemplate a bill exacerbating food deficit problems of her Wichita constituents.“Thank God for the safety net clinics,” she said. “Thank God for the Red Cross. Thank God for the food bank. Thank God for the churches that fill in the gaps.”