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

TOPEKA — Eleven former Emporia State University professors in federal court documents accuse school administrators, Kansas Board of Regents members and unknown other individuals of conspiring to fire tenured and “problematic” professors.

The federal lawsuit is a response to the university’s decision last year to fire 30 tenured or tenure-track professors as part of a KBOR-approved “framework” to stabilize finances and restructure the university. The lawsuit argues that defendants willfully violated constitutional rights to due process, equal protection, liberty, property and free speech.

The 11 former professors were targeted, the lawsuit alleges, because they were tenured, not Republicans, involved in efforts to form a union or outspoken critics of ESU president Ken Hush. The university relied on KBOR’s pandemic-era Workforce Management Policy, which stripped professors of the right to determine why they were fired, or examine reports or other evidence that was used to determine who would be fired.

The professors are asking for damages in excess of $75,000, the threshold for filing a civil lawsuit, and to be reinstated with full pay and benefits. The lawsuit attempts to sue the defendants as individuals, rather than public officials.

“These defendants saw tenure as an impediment to terminating tenured faculty who were ‘problematic’ concerning issues disfavored by the ESU administration,” the lawsuit contends. “These issues included being members or former members of the faculty senate committee, being perceived to or having friction with the administration, policy sticklers, liberals, advocates, unionizers, and department or campus leaders.”

The 11 professors involved in the federal lawsuit are Christopher Lovett, Amanda Miracle, Michael Behrens, Rob Catlett, Dan Colson, Charles Emmer, Brenda Koerner, Sheryl Lidzy, Max McCoy, Michael Morales and Lynnette Sievert.

They were called to an off-campus building on Sept. 15, where they were given termination letters signed by Hush. The letters said professors were being dismissed for reasons that may include but were not limited to nine possibilities.

The Office of Administrative Hearings, a state agency that handled appeals,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/19/two-emporia-state-university-professors-reinstated-as-bonus-tension-swirls/">reinstated five of the professors</a>&nbsp;on the basis that the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them. But in about-face, the office then upheld the firing of Lidzy and Lovett. The office has not yet ruled on the Emmer, Koerner, McCoy or Morales cases.

ESU has asked the Lyon County District Court to review and reverse the OAH decisions to reinstate Behrens, Catlett, Colson, Miracle and Sievert. The university placed those five on paid leave but required them to clear out their office and turn in badges that give them access to campus facilities. They won’t be allowed to teach or provide services to students before the legal wrangling is resolved.

The 72-page lawsuit makes 30 references to an alleged conspiracy by regents members, ESU officials and others to target “problematic” professors.

In the months before they were fired, the lawsuit says, several plaintiffs organized meetings and worked to obtain signatures to support unionization. ESU provost Brent Thomas and other ESU administrators attended some of those meetings.

McCoy, a journalism professor, spoke in favor of effort to form a union. He also wrote an opinion article,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/13/emporia-state-university-is-about-to-suspend-tenure-heres-why-you-should-care/">published by Kansas Reflector</a>, criticizing the decision to suspend tenure.

“I may be fired for writing this,” McCoy wrote.

The lawsuit argues that tenure is a recognized property right under Kansas law. ESU chief counsel Kevin Johnson, the lawsuit notes, co-wrote a paper in 2015 in which he acknowledged tenure was a property right. But during appeals hearings, the university argued that tenure was merely a privilege.

The university presented its framework for realignment to the KBOR under the pretense of financial exigency. But, the lawsuit says, ESU enrollment had increased, operating revenues had increased, and operating expenditures had decreased. The financial position was further bolstered by federal COVID-19 relief funds.

The lawsuit also notes that after firing professors, ESU&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/emporia-state-university-awarded-bonuses-to-68-faculty-after-firing-tenured-professors/">secretly awarded $137,741 in performance bonuses</a>&nbsp;to 68 faculty members for undisclosed reasons. The bonuses were made public through reporting by Kansas Reflector.

The lawsuit was filed against Hush, Thomas, Johnson, ESU associate general counsel Steven Lovett, KBOR general counsel Julene Miller, and current and former KBOR members.

The lawsuit also identifies “John Doe” as a defendant — a placeholder for anybody involved in the drafting of the KBOR policy or ESU framework.

“Defendants conspired, had a meeting of the minds, and took action in furtherance of the conspiracy to deprive plaintiffs of their property right in tenure, liberty right in their good names, reputation in employment and their equal protection rights, without due process by adopting and implementing the WMP and ESU’s framework in KBOR meetings, among KBOR members and ESU officials, ultimately resulting in the publication of the termination letter,” the lawsuit says.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254914902.png" alt="Former professors sued Emporia State University administrators and Kansas Board of Regents members in federal court, alleging a conspiracy and constitutional violations associated with the dismissal of tenured faculty members in September. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Former professors sued Emporia State University administrators and Kansas Board of Regents members in federal court, alleging a conspiracy and constitutional violations associated with the dismissal of tenured faculty members in September. (Max McCoy/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 — Eleven former Emporia State University professors in federal court documents accuse school administrators, Kansas Board of Regents members and unknown other individuals of conspiring to fire tenured and “problematic” professors.The federal lawsuit is a response to the university’s decision last year to fire 30 tenured or tenure-track professors as part of a KBOR-approved “framework” to stabilize finances and restructure the university. The lawsuit argues that defendants willfully violated constitutional rights to due process, equal protection, liberty, property and free speech.The 11 former professors were targeted, the lawsuit alleges, because they were tenured, not Republicans, involved in efforts to form a union or outspoken critics of ESU president Ken Hush. The university relied on KBOR’s pandemic-era Workforce Management Policy, which stripped professors of the right to determine why they were fired, or examine reports or other evidence that was used to determine who would be fired.The professors are asking for damages in excess of $75,000, the threshold for filing a civil lawsuit, and to be reinstated with full pay and benefits. The lawsuit attempts to sue the defendants as individuals, rather than public officials.“These defendants saw tenure as an impediment to terminating tenured faculty who were ‘problematic’ concerning issues disfavored by the ESU administration,” the lawsuit contends. “These issues included being members or former members of the faculty senate committee, being perceived to or having friction with the administration, policy sticklers, liberals, advocates, unionizers, and department or campus leaders.”The 11 professors involved in the federal lawsuit are Christopher Lovett, Amanda Miracle, Michael Behrens, Rob Catlett, Dan Colson, Charles Emmer, Brenda Koerner, Sheryl Lidzy, Max McCoy, Michael Morales and Lynnette Sievert.They were called to an off-campus building on Sept. 15, where they were given termination letters signed by Hush. The letters said professors were being dismissed for reasons that may include but were not limited to nine possibilities.The Office of Administrative Hearings, a state agency that handled appeals,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/19/two-emporia-state-university-professors-reinstated-as-bonus-tension-swirls/">reinstated five of the professors</a>&nbsp;on the basis that the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them. But in about-face, the office then upheld the firing of Lidzy and Lovett. The office has not yet ruled on the Emmer, Koerner, McCoy or Morales cases.ESU has asked the Lyon County District Court to review and reverse the OAH decisions to reinstate Behrens, Catlett, Colson, Miracle and Sievert. The university placed those five on paid leave but required them to clear out their office and turn in badges that give them access to campus facilities. They won’t be allowed to teach or provide services to students before the legal wrangling is resolved.The 72-page lawsuit makes 30 references to an alleged conspiracy by regents members, ESU officials and others to target “problematic” professors.In the months before they were fired, the lawsuit says, several plaintiffs organized meetings and worked to obtain signatures to support unionization. ESU provost Brent Thomas and other ESU administrators attended some of those meetings.McCoy, a journalism professor, spoke in favor of effort to form a union. He also wrote an opinion article,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/13/emporia-state-university-is-about-to-suspend-tenure-heres-why-you-should-care/">published by Kansas Reflector</a>, criticizing the decision to suspend tenure.“I may be fired for writing this,” McCoy wrote.He was fired two days later.The lawsuit argues that tenure is a recognized property right under Kansas law. ESU chief counsel Kevin Johnson, the lawsuit notes, co-wrote a paper in 2015 in which he acknowledged tenure was a property right. But during appeals hearings, the university argued that tenure was merely a privilege.The university presented its framework for realignment to the KBOR under the pretense of financial exigency. But, the lawsuit says, ESU enrollment had increased, operating revenues had increased, and operating expenditures had decreased. The financial position was further bolstered by federal COVID-19 relief funds.The lawsuit also notes that after firing professors, ESU&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/emporia-state-university-awarded-bonuses-to-68-faculty-after-firing-tenured-professors/">secretly awarded $137,741 in performance bonuses</a>&nbsp;to 68 faculty members for undisclosed reasons. The bonuses were made public through reporting by Kansas Reflector.The lawsuit was filed against Hush, Thomas, Johnson, ESU associate general counsel Steven Lovett, KBOR general counsel Julene Miller, and current and former KBOR members.The lawsuit also identifies “John Doe” as a defendant — a placeholder for anybody involved in the drafting of the KBOR policy or ESU framework.“Defendants conspired, had a meeting of the minds, and took action in furtherance of the conspiracy to deprive plaintiffs of their property right in tenure, liberty right in their good names, reputation in employment and their equal protection rights, without due process by adopting and implementing the WMP and ESU’s framework in KBOR meetings, among KBOR members and ESU officials, ultimately resulting in the publication of the termination letter,” the lawsuit says.

Fired Emporia State professors file lawsuit, allege conspiracy against tenure

WASHINGTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers foiled Microsoft’s cloud-based security in hacking the email accounts of officials at multiple U.S. agencies that deal with China ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing last month, officials said Wednesday.

The surgical, targeted espionage accessed the email of a small number of individuals at an unspecified number of U.S. agencies and was discovered in mid-June by the State Department, U.S. officials said. They said none of the breached systems were classified, nor was any of the stolen data.

The hacked officials included Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, The Washington Post reported, citing anonymous U.S. officials. Export controls imposed by her agency have stung multiple Chinese companies.

One person familiar with the investigation said U.S. military and intelligence agencies were not among the agencies impacted in the monthlong spying campaign, which also affected unnamed foreign governments.

The officials spoke on condition they not be further identified.

In a technical advisory Wednesday and a call with reporters, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-193a" target="_blank">said Microsoft determined the hackers gained access</a>&nbsp;by impersonating authorized users.

Officials did not specify the nature of the stolen data. But one U.S. official said the intrusion was “directly targeted” at diplomats and others who deal with the China portfolio at the State Department and other agencies. The official added that it was not yet clear if there had been any significant compromise of information.

The Blinken trip went ahead as planned, although with customary information security procedures in place, which required his delegation to use “burner” phones and computers in China.

The hack was disclosed late Tuesday by Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/07/microsoft-mitigates-china-based-threat-actor-storm-0558-targeting-of-customer-email/" target="_blank">in a blog post</a>. It said it was alerted to the breach, which it blamed on a state-backed, espionage-focused Chinese hacking group “known to target government agencies in Western Europe,” on June 16. Microsoft said the group, which it calls Storm-0558, had gained access to email accounts affecting about 25 organizations, including government agencies, since mid-May as well as to consumer accounts of individuals likely associated with those agencies.

Neither Microsoft nor U.S. officials would identify the agencies or governments impacted. A senior CISA official told reporters in a press call that the number of affected organizations in the United States is in the single digits.

While the official declined to say whether U.S. officials are displeased with Microsoft over the breach, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge noted that it was “government safeguards” that detected the intrusion and added, “We continue to hold the procurement providers of the U.S. Government to a high security threshold.”

In fact, those safeguards consist of a data-logging feature for which Microsoft charges a premium. The CISA official noted that some of the victims lacked the data-logging feature and, unable to detect the breach, learned of it from Microsoft.

But of greater concern to cybersecurity experts is that The Storm-0558 hackers broke in using forged authentication tokens — which are used to verify the identity of a user. Microsoft’s executive vice president for security, Charlie Bell, said on the company’s website that the&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2023/07/11/mitigation-china-based-threat-actor/" target="_blank">hackers had done that by acquiring a “consumer signing key.”</a>

Cybersecurity researcher Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency offensive hacker, said it remains unclear how the hackers accomplished that. Microsoft did not immediately respond to emailed questions, including whether it was breached by the hackers to obtain the signing key.

Williams was concerned the hackers could have forged tokens for wide use to hack any number of non-enterprise Microsoft users. “I can’t imagine China didn’t also use this access to target dissidents on personal subscriptions, too.”

The head of intelligence for the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, Adam Meyers, said in a statement that the incident highlights the systemic risk of relying on a single technology provider in Microsoft. He said “having one monolithic vendor that is responsible for all of your technology, products, services and security - can end in disaster.”

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, called the U.S. accusation of hacking “disinformation” aimed at diverting attention from U.S. cyberespionage against China.

“No matter which agency issued this information, it will never change the fact that the United States is the world’s largest hacker empire conducting the most cyber theft,” Wang said in a routine briefing.

U.S. intelligence agencies also use hacking as a critical espionage tool and it is not a violation of international law.

Last month, Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barracuda-mandiant-cybersecurity-china-hackers-a52d1595c9108d2c58df11e38756600d" target="_blank">suspected state-backed Chinese hackers broke into the networks</a>&nbsp;of hundreds of public and private sector organizations globally exploiting a vulnerability in a popular email security tool.

Earlier this year, Microsoft said state-backed Chinese hackers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-china-hacking-us-infrastructure-d4a4faefcc5d4d3c9f72e9acc24a71f9" target="_blank">targeting U.S. critical infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and could be laying the technical groundwork to disrupt critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689250128374.png" alt="The hacked officials included Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo&nbsp;-courtesy. photo" />
 <figcaption>The hacked officials included Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo&nbsp;-courtesy. photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — State-backed Chinese hackers foiled Microsoft’s cloud-based security in hacking the email accounts of officials at multiple U.S. agencies that deal with China ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing last month, officials said Wednesday.The surgical, targeted espionage accessed the email of a small number of individuals at an unspecified number of U.S. agencies and was discovered in mid-June by the State Department, U.S. officials said. They said none of the breached systems were classified, nor was any of the stolen data.The hacked officials included Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, The Washington Post reported, citing anonymous U.S. officials. Export controls imposed by her agency have stung multiple Chinese companies.One person familiar with the investigation said U.S. military and intelligence agencies were not among the agencies impacted in the monthlong spying campaign, which also affected unnamed foreign governments.The officials spoke on condition they not be further identified.In a technical advisory Wednesday and a call with reporters, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-193a" target="_blank">said Microsoft determined the hackers gained access</a>&nbsp;by impersonating authorized users.Officials did not specify the nature of the stolen data. But one U.S. official said the intrusion was “directly targeted” at diplomats and others who deal with the China portfolio at the State Department and other agencies. The official added that it was not yet clear if there had been any significant compromise of information.The Blinken trip went ahead as planned, although with customary information security procedures in place, which required his delegation to use “burner” phones and computers in China.The hack was disclosed late Tuesday by Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://msrc.microsoft.com/blog/2023/07/microsoft-mitigates-china-based-threat-actor-storm-0558-targeting-of-customer-email/" target="_blank">in a blog post</a>. It said it was alerted to the breach, which it blamed on a state-backed, espionage-focused Chinese hacking group “known to target government agencies in Western Europe,” on June 16. Microsoft said the group, which it calls Storm-0558, had gained access to email accounts affecting about 25 organizations, including government agencies, since mid-May as well as to consumer accounts of individuals likely associated with those agencies.ADVERTISEMENTNeither Microsoft nor U.S. officials would identify the agencies or governments impacted. A senior CISA official told reporters in a press call that the number of affected organizations in the United States is in the single digits.While the official declined to say whether U.S. officials are displeased with Microsoft over the breach, U.S. National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge noted that it was “government safeguards” that detected the intrusion and added, “We continue to hold the procurement providers of the U.S. Government to a high security threshold.”In fact, those safeguards consist of a data-logging feature for which Microsoft charges a premium. The CISA official noted that some of the victims lacked the data-logging feature and, unable to detect the breach, learned of it from Microsoft.But of greater concern to cybersecurity experts is that The Storm-0558 hackers broke in using forged authentication tokens — which are used to verify the identity of a user. Microsoft’s executive vice president for security, Charlie Bell, said on the company’s website that the&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2023/07/11/mitigation-china-based-threat-actor/" target="_blank">hackers had done that by acquiring a “consumer signing key.”</a>Cybersecurity researcher Jake Williams, a former National Security Agency offensive hacker, said it remains unclear how the hackers accomplished that. Microsoft did not immediately respond to emailed questions, including whether it was breached by the hackers to obtain the signing key.Williams was concerned the hackers could have forged tokens for wide use to hack any number of non-enterprise Microsoft users. “I can’t imagine China didn’t also use this access to target dissidents on personal subscriptions, too.”ADVERTISEMENTThe head of intelligence for the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike, Adam Meyers, said in a statement that the incident highlights the systemic risk of relying on a single technology provider in Microsoft. He said “having one monolithic vendor that is responsible for all of your technology, products, services and security - can end in disaster.”A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, called the U.S. accusation of hacking “disinformation” aimed at diverting attention from U.S. cyberespionage against China.“No matter which agency issued this information, it will never change the fact that the United States is the world’s largest hacker empire conducting the most cyber theft,” Wang said in a routine briefing.U.S. intelligence agencies also use hacking as a critical espionage tool and it is not a violation of international law.Last month, Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barracuda-mandiant-cybersecurity-china-hackers-a52d1595c9108d2c58df11e38756600d" target="_blank">suspected state-backed Chinese hackers broke into the networks</a>&nbsp;of hundreds of public and private sector organizations globally exploiting a vulnerability in a popular email security tool.Earlier this year, Microsoft said state-backed Chinese hackers were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-china-hacking-us-infrastructure-d4a4faefcc5d4d3c9f72e9acc24a71f9" target="_blank">targeting U.S. critical infrastructure</a>&nbsp;and could be laying the technical groundwork to disrupt critical communications between the U.S. and Asia during future crises.

Chinese hackers breached email of multiple U.S. agencies

WASHINGTON —The Pentagon reported on June 20 that it overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years — about&nbsp;double early estimates&nbsp;— resulting in a surplus that will be used for future security packages.

Kansas U.S. Junior Senator Roger Marshall joined colleagues in a letter to the Biden administration demanding answers. "Does the Department of Defense "accidentally" send an extra $6.2 billion in additional aid to Ukraine without congressional approval?"&nbsp;As President Biden was in Lithuania for a critical NATO summit, the Senators called for limits on military aid to Ukraine and questioned the DoD’s accounting procedures.

"This raises major concerns about the Biden Administration's basic ability to do their jobs," Marshall wrote.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30.

As the letter to the Defense Department states, "These so-called 'valuation errors' are particularly concerning given the nature and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine—over $113 billion thus far&nbsp;[…] This is a transparent attempt to bypass Congress for additional funds, while continuing to prioritize Ukraine over more vital U.S. interests, including deterring China in the Pacific.”

"By using creative accounting to conceal the actual cost of supporting Ukraine, you appear to be circumventing the American people’s elected representatives. Congress, not DoD, possesses the power of the purse,"&nbsp;the Senators concluded.

Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.

Singh said the accounting mistake won't affect the ongoing delivery of aid to Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689162807618.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The Pentagon reported on June 20 that it overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years — about&nbsp;double early estimates&nbsp;— resulting in a surplus that will be used for future security packages.Kansas U.S. Junior Senator Roger Marshall joined colleagues in a letter to the Biden administration demanding answers. "Does the Department of Defense "accidentally" send an extra $6.2 billion in additional aid to Ukraine without congressional approval?"&nbsp;As President Biden was in Lithuania for a critical NATO summit, the Senators called for limits on military aid to Ukraine and questioned the DoD’s accounting procedures."This raises major concerns about the Biden Administration's basic ability to do their jobs," Marshall wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687304849422.png" alt="Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh made the unusual announcement June 20.-photo from the video of the announcement provided by DoD." />
 <figcaption>Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh made the unusual announcement June 20.-photo from the video of the announcement provided by DoD.</figcaption>
 </figure>Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said a detailed review of the accounting error found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. She said final calculations show there was an error of $3.6 billion in the current fiscal year and $2.6 billion in the 2022 fiscal year, which ended last Sept. 30.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689162867518.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As the letter to the Defense Department states, "These so-called 'valuation errors' are particularly concerning given the nature and scope of U.S. aid to Ukraine—over $113 billion thus far&nbsp;[…] This is a transparent attempt to bypass Congress for additional funds, while continuing to prioritize Ukraine over more vital U.S. interests, including deterring China in the Pacific.”"By using creative accounting to conceal the actual cost of supporting Ukraine, you appear to be circumventing the American people’s elected representatives. Congress, not DoD, possesses the power of the purse,"&nbsp;the Senators concluded.Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.Singh said the accounting mistake won't affect the ongoing delivery of aid to Ukraine.

Kan. Senator demands answers for $6.2B Ukraine aid accounting error

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in&nbsp;connection to an aggravated burglary that happened earlier in the week.

On July 9, police responded to the north part of Garden City for a reported aggravated burglary, according to a media release.

 Officers learned that 22-year-old Angel Ayala entered a residence without permission and was involved in a physical altercation with a woman known to him before leaving. 

Through further investigation, it was revealed that domestic incidents between Ayala and the victim allegedly occurred. 

On Wednesday, police took Ayala into custody without incident and he is being was held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Stalking, Aggravated Burglary,&nbsp; Aggravated Assault,&nbsp; Domestic Battery,&nbsp; Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Batter and&nbsp; Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness.

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new charges after an incident in SW Kansas.

Just after 11:30p.m. July 9, officers responded to the north part of Garden City for a reported aggravated burglary, according to a media release.

Officers learned that an individual had entered a residence without permission and left. Through further investigation, it was revealed that 33-year-old James Fernandez followed the the victim in their vehicle and confronted them.

During the altercation, Fernandez allegedly pulled out a handgun and&nbsp; threatened the individual and a passenger and began punching the victim.

The passenger ran from the scene, at which point Fernandez entered the vehicle and forced the victim to drive to their residence. After arriving at the residence, Fernandez allegedly threatened the victim and a third individual before leaving.On July 10,

Police located Fernandez at his residence and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, three counts of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $75,000 bond, according to online jail records

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689209842334.png" alt="Ayala photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Ayala photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in&nbsp;connection to an aggravated burglary that happened earlier in the week.On July 9, police responded to the north part of Garden City for a reported aggravated burglary, according to a media release. Officers learned that 22-year-old Angel Ayala entered a residence without permission and was involved in a physical altercation with a woman known to him before leaving. Through further investigation, it was revealed that domestic incidents between Ayala and the victim allegedly occurred. On Wednesday, police took Ayala into custody without incident and he is being was held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Stalking, Aggravated Burglary,&nbsp; Aggravated Assault,&nbsp; Domestic Battery,&nbsp; Aggravated Endangerment of a Child, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Batter and&nbsp; Aggravated Intimidation of a Witness.--------------FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new charges after an incident in SW Kansas.Just after 11:30p.m. July 9, officers responded to the north part of Garden City for a reported aggravated burglary, according to a media release.Officers learned that an individual had entered a residence without permission and left. Through further investigation, it was revealed that 33-year-old James Fernandez followed the the victim in their vehicle and confronted them.During the altercation, Fernandez allegedly pulled out a handgun and&nbsp; threatened the individual and a passenger and began punching the victim.The passenger ran from the scene, at which point Fernandez entered the vehicle and forced the victim to drive to their residence. After arriving at the residence, Fernandez allegedly threatened the victim and a third individual before leaving.On July 10,Police located Fernandez at his residence and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, three counts of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Burglary and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.&nbsp; He remains jailed on a $75,000 bond, according to online jail records

SW Kan. man accused of stalking after incident at woman's home

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will let American women and girls buy contraceptive medication from the same aisle as aspirin and eyedrops.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it cleared Perrigo's once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The company won't start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales.

Hormone-based pills have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used by tens of millions of women since the 1960s. Until now, all of them required a prescription.

Medical societies and women's health groups have pushed for wider access, noting that an estimated 45% of the 6 million annual pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. Teens and girls, women of color and those with low incomes report greater hurdles in getting prescriptions and picking them up.

Some of the challenges can include paying for a doctor's visit, getting time off from work and finding child care.

"This is really a transformation in access to contraceptive care," said Kelly Blanchard, president of Ibis Reproductive Health, a non-profit group that supported the approval. "Hopefully this will help people overcome those barriers that exist now."

Ireland-based Perrigo did not announce a price. Over-the-counter medicines are generally much cheaper than prescriptions, but they typically aren't covered by insurance.

Forcing insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the federal government, which women's advocates are urging the Biden administration to implement.

Many common medications have made the switch to non-prescription status in recent decades, including drugs for pain, heartburn and allergies. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.

Perrigo submitted years of research to FDA to show that women could understand and follow instructions for using the pill. Thursday's approval came despite some concerns by FDA scientists about the company's results, including whether women with certain underlying medical conditions would understand they shouldn't take the drug.

FDA's action only applies to Opill. It's in an older class of contraceptives, sometimes called minipills, that contain a single synthetic hormone and generally carry fewer side effects than more popular combination hormone pills.

But women's health advocates hope the decision will pave the way for more over-the-counter birth control options and, eventually, for abortion pills to do the same.

That said, FDA's decision has no relation to the ongoing court battles over the abortion pill mifepristone. The studies in Perrigo's FDA application began years before the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, which has upended abortion access across the U.S.

With some states curtailing women's reproductive rights, the FDA has faced pressure from Democratic politicians, health advocates and medical professionals to ease access to birth control. The American Medical Association and the leading professional society for obstetricians and gynecologists backed Opill's application for over-the-counter status.

An outside panel of FDA advisers unanimously voted in favor of the switch at a hearing in May where dozens of public speakers called for Opill's approval.

Dyvia Huitron was among those who presented, explaining how she has been unable to get prescription birth control more than three years after becoming sexually active. The 19-year-old University of Alabama student said she still isn't comfortable getting a prescription because the school's health system reports medical exams and medications to parents.

"My parents did not let me go on the pill," Huitron said in a recent interview. "There was just a lot of cultural stigma around being sexually active before you're married."

While she uses other forms of contraception, "I would have much preferred to have birth control and use these additional methods to ensure that I was being as safe as possible."

Huitron spoke on behalf of Advocates for Youth, one of the dozens of groups that have pushed to make prescription contraceptives more accessible.

The groups helped fund some of the studies submitted for Opill and they encouraged HRA Pharma, later acquired by Perrigo, to file its application with the FDA.

Advocates were particularly interested in Opill because it raised fewer safety concerns. The pill was first approved in the U.S. five decades ago but hasn't been marketed here since 2005.

"It's been around a long time and we have a large amount of data supporting that this pill is safe and effective for over-the-counter use," said Blanchard, of Ibsis Reproductive Health.

Newer birth control pills typically combine two hormones, estrogen and progestin, which can help make periods lighter and more regular. But their use carries a heightened risk of blood clots and they shouldn't be used by women at risk for heart problems, such as those who smoke and are over 35.

Opill has only progestin, which prevents pregnancy by blocking sperm from reaching the cervix. It must be taken around the same time daily to be most effective.

In its internal review published in May, the FDA noted that some women in Perrigo's study had trouble understanding the drug's labeling information. In particular, the instructions warn that women with a history of breast cancer should not take the pill because it could spur tumor growth. And women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to talk to a doctor first, because it could indicate a medical problem.

Common side effects of the pill include bleeding, headaches, dizziness, nausea and cramps, according to the FDA. The label also cautions that certain drugs can interfere with Opill's effectiveness, including medications for seizures, HIV and hypertension.

Perrigo executives said the company will spend the rest of the year manufacturing the pill and its packaging so it can be available in stores early next year.

By MATTHEW PERRONE AP Health WriterWASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will let American women and girls buy contraceptive medication from the same aisle as aspirin and eyedrops.The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it cleared Perrigo's once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The company won't start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales.Hormone-based pills have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used by tens of millions of women since the 1960s. Until now, all of them required a prescription.Medical societies and women's health groups have pushed for wider access, noting that an estimated 45% of the 6 million annual pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. Teens and girls, women of color and those with low incomes report greater hurdles in getting prescriptions and picking them up.Some of the challenges can include paying for a doctor's visit, getting time off from work and finding child care."This is really a transformation in access to contraceptive care," said Kelly Blanchard, president of Ibis Reproductive Health, a non-profit group that supported the approval. "Hopefully this will help people overcome those barriers that exist now."Ireland-based Perrigo did not announce a price. Over-the-counter medicines are generally much cheaper than prescriptions, but they typically aren't covered by insurance.Forcing insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the federal government, which women's advocates are urging the Biden administration to implement.Many common medications have made the switch to non-prescription status in recent decades, including drugs for pain, heartburn and allergies. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.Perrigo submitted years of research to FDA to show that women could understand and follow instructions for using the pill. Thursday's approval came despite some concerns by FDA scientists about the company's results, including whether women with certain underlying medical conditions would understand they shouldn't take the drug.FDA's action only applies to Opill. It's in an older class of contraceptives, sometimes called minipills, that contain a single synthetic hormone and generally carry fewer side effects than more popular combination hormone pills.But women's health advocates hope the decision will pave the way for more over-the-counter birth control options and, eventually, for abortion pills to do the same.That said, FDA's decision has no relation to the ongoing court battles over the abortion pill mifepristone. The studies in Perrigo's FDA application began years before the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, which has upended abortion access across the U.S.With some states curtailing women's reproductive rights, the FDA has faced pressure from Democratic politicians, health advocates and medical professionals to ease access to birth control. The American Medical Association and the leading professional society for obstetricians and gynecologists backed Opill's application for over-the-counter status.An outside panel of FDA advisers unanimously voted in favor of the switch at a hearing in May where dozens of public speakers called for Opill's approval.Dyvia Huitron was among those who presented, explaining how she has been unable to get prescription birth control more than three years after becoming sexually active. The 19-year-old University of Alabama student said she still isn't comfortable getting a prescription because the school's health system reports medical exams and medications to parents."My parents did not let me go on the pill," Huitron said in a recent interview. "There was just a lot of cultural stigma around being sexually active before you're married."While she uses other forms of contraception, "I would have much preferred to have birth control and use these additional methods to ensure that I was being as safe as possible."Huitron spoke on behalf of Advocates for Youth, one of the dozens of groups that have pushed to make prescription contraceptives more accessible.The groups helped fund some of the studies submitted for Opill and they encouraged HRA Pharma, later acquired by Perrigo, to file its application with the FDA.Advocates were particularly interested in Opill because it raised fewer safety concerns. The pill was first approved in the U.S. five decades ago but hasn't been marketed here since 2005."It's been around a long time and we have a large amount of data supporting that this pill is safe and effective for over-the-counter use," said Blanchard, of Ibsis Reproductive Health.Newer birth control pills typically combine two hormones, estrogen and progestin, which can help make periods lighter and more regular. But their use carries a heightened risk of blood clots and they shouldn't be used by women at risk for heart problems, such as those who smoke and are over 35.Opill has only progestin, which prevents pregnancy by blocking sperm from reaching the cervix. It must be taken around the same time daily to be most effective.In its internal review published in May, the FDA noted that some women in Perrigo's study had trouble understanding the drug's labeling information. In particular, the instructions warn that women with a history of breast cancer should not take the pill because it could spur tumor growth. And women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to talk to a doctor first, because it could indicate a medical problem.Common side effects of the pill include bleeding, headaches, dizziness, nausea and cramps, according to the FDA. The label also cautions that certain drugs can interfere with Opill's effectiveness, including medications for seizures, HIV and hypertension.Perrigo executives said the company will spend the rest of the year manufacturing the pill and its packaging so it can be available in stores early next year.___

FDA approves first over-the-counter birth control pill

BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teenagers in connection with fentanyl distribution.

Just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the United States Postal Inspection Service, conducted an undercover operation involving the controlled delivery of a package containing approximately 20,000 counterfeit M30 pills suspected of containing Fentanyl, according to Butler County Undersheriff&nbsp;Daimon Cundiff.

The estimated street value could be as high as $200,000. The package was delivered to an address in the 800 block of N. Taylor in El Dorado, Kansas. 

After a short period of time, a vehicle drove up to the residence. One of the occupants retrieved the package, took it back to the car, and started to leave as deputies, in several marked Butler County Sheriff’s Office vehicles, attempted a traffic stop.

The vehicle fled and law enforcement pursued the vehicle from El Dorado, down the Kansas Turnpike, where one of the occupants of the vehicle threw the package out, causing it to break open on the highway.

The fleeing vehicle then exited to westbound K-96 where the pursuit ended at the Hillside exit when the car became disabled after driving over a concrete median. 

The driver, 18-year-old Jordan R. Cooper as well as the male passenger, 18-year-old Kavonte Horton both of Wichita were booked into the Butler County Detention Facility on charges related to the possession of the pills as well the pursuit.

Authorities spent several hours on the turnpike cleaning up the pills to reduce the risk of Fentanyl exposure to the public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689252765240.png" alt="Horton-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two teenagers in connection with fentanyl distribution.Just after 11:30a.m. Wednesday, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the United States Postal Inspection Service, conducted an undercover operation involving the controlled delivery of a package containing approximately 20,000 counterfeit M30 pills suspected of containing Fentanyl, according to Butler County Undersheriff&nbsp;Daimon Cundiff.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689252742208.png" alt="Cooper-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Cooper-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The estimated street value could be as high as $200,000. The package was delivered to an address in the 800 block of N. Taylor in El Dorado, Kansas. After a short period of time, a vehicle drove up to the residence. One of the occupants retrieved the package, took it back to the car, and started to leave as deputies, in several marked Butler County Sheriff’s Office vehicles, attempted a traffic stop.The vehicle fled and law enforcement pursued the vehicle from El Dorado, down the Kansas Turnpike, where one of the occupants of the vehicle threw the package out, causing it to break open on the highway.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689252926882.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The fleeing vehicle then exited to westbound K-96 where the pursuit ended at the Hillside exit when the car became disabled after driving over a concrete median. The driver, 18-year-old Jordan R. Cooper as well as the male passenger, 18-year-old Kavonte Horton both of Wichita were booked into the Butler County Detention Facility on charges related to the possession of the pills as well the pursuit.Authorities spent several hours on the turnpike cleaning up the pills to reduce the risk of Fentanyl exposure to the public.

Kan. teens jailed: Undercover operation discovers 20,000 fentanyl pills

Department of Revenue sought to lift order, extend services to transgender Kansans

By TIM CARPENTER AND SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Shawnee County District Court judge rejected Wednesday a request by a Kansas Department of Revenue lawyer to lift a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly from issuing driver’s licenses amended to reflect gender preferences of transgender individuals.

Judge Teresa Watson, who conducted a technology-plagued hearing by livestream, affirmed her decision to impose the restraining order to make certain the state agency abided by Senate Bill 180. The statute adopted over a veto by Kelly became law July 1, and Attorney General Kris Kobach contended the law superseded previous policy or law guiding the Department of Revenue’s handling of requests to modify gender markers on licenses to drive.

Watson sided with Kobach on preservation of the temporary injunction. Her order said issuance of driver’s licenses in conflict with state law represented an “immediate and irreparable injury” given the influx of 172 requests for gender reclassifications on driver’s licenses in June.

“Driver’s licenses are issued for a period of six years and are difficult to take back and out of circulation once issued,” Watson said. “Compliance with stated legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern.”

Department of Revenue attorney Ted Smith urged Watson to dissolve the restraining order with the understanding the driver’s license division would continue to collect information on applicants’ gender status and biological sex at birth. He said a hold had been placed on gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.

He argued the new law inspired by an out-of-state conservative organization and embraced by GOP lawmakers in Kansas was generic and didn’t apply to issuance of driver’s licenses because there was a more specific statute on the books.

“Can you tell me why Senate Bill 180, which went into effect on July 1st, is not the status quo?” the judge asked Smith.

“Senate Bill 180 … basically doesn’t overwrite any existing driver’s license statutes,” Smith replied. “We have a more specific statute that deals with gender in the context of driver’s licenses. Senate Bill 180 doesn’t deal with driver’s licenses. Nowhere in that one-page bill does it reference driver’s licenses.”

“Doesn’t Senate Bill 180 say it applies to any state law?” the judge said. “And, wouldn’t it include driver’s license statutes?”

“Basically, that’s an implicit assumption, right?” Smith said. “It’s not specific to driver’s licenses. So, we’re always going to defer to the more specific statutes.”

Smith dismissed the nonbinding legal opinion issued by Kobach that asserted the law forbid gender changes to driver’s licenses and birth certificates.

“I don’t conflate his advisory opinion or interpretation of law to be equivalent to a specific statutory legal requirement,” Smith said. “And, I think there is a good faith and reasonable argument for our interpretation. We’re not bound, again, by the attorney general’s legal theories. We’re bound by the statutes.”

Kobach said in court documents and in his oral remarks that it would be improper for the Shawnee County judge to allow the state to deflect a law requiring Kansas government agencies gathering vital statistics to document a person’s sex at birth as either male or female.

The Department of Revenue’s approach to driver’s licenses, which was endorsed by the governor’s office, amounted to violation of state law, Kobach said.

“Violation of the statute itself is an injury to the state,” the Republican attorney general said. “If a state’s statutes are being violated by a state agency or in any large-scale fashion then the state is injured.”

Kobach said controversy about implementation of the law aimed at transgender Kansans had arisen in Johnson County in terms of law enforcement’s ability to to its job. He said failure by the Department of Revenue to comply with the new law could impede identification of suspects or the issuance of search or arrest warrants.

He said allowing the Department of Revenue to decide which statutes it followed and which it sidestepped away from would defy intent of the Legislature, which was the authorizing authority for the state agency. It was common understanding, established by the Kansas Supreme Court, new law trumped old law on a subject, he said.

“The status quo is the position of the individuals affected by the law, not the agency’s process,” Kobach said. “SB180 contains the phrase, ‘notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary.’ Clearly, SB180 was drafted with the intent of sweeping aside any possible contrary language in any other Kansas statute.”

The livestreamed hearing had to be halted twice due to technology woes, including problems with the attorney general’s internet connection that resulted in garbling of about half of his spoken words. The initial portion of the livestream wasn’t broadcast to dozens of online viewers.

Kobach filed the lawsuit July 7 against two employees in the Department of Revenue. The judge responded with the restraining order Monday. In wake of that action, the Department of Revenue sought a hearing to argue for repeal of the order.

On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed a request to intervene in Kobach’s lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. No decision has been released regarding the ACLU motion.

In a statement following the judge’s decision, the ACLU of Kansas said “we will continue to fight for transgender Kansans’ right to have identification that reflects who they are, and that fight is far from over.”

Watson, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, instructed the attorney general’s office and the Department of Revenue lawyers to confer about scheduling the filing of documents and conducting a hearing on Kobach’s request for a temporary injunction in the case. If adopted by the judge, it would prevent the Department of Revenue from taking action central to the dispute before the conflict was resolved through a trial or settlement.

<h2>Department of Revenue sought to lift order, extend services to transgender Kansans</h2>By TIM CARPENTER AND SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Shawnee County District Court judge rejected Wednesday a request by a Kansas Department of Revenue lawyer to lift a temporary restraining order prohibiting the administration of Gov. Laura Kelly from issuing driver’s licenses amended to reflect gender preferences of transgender individuals.Judge Teresa Watson, who conducted a technology-plagued hearing by livestream, affirmed her decision to impose the restraining order to make certain the state agency abided by Senate Bill 180. The statute adopted over a veto by Kelly became law July 1, and Attorney General Kris Kobach contended the law superseded previous policy or law guiding the Department of Revenue’s handling of requests to modify gender markers on licenses to drive.Watson sided with Kobach on preservation of the temporary injunction. Her order said issuance of driver’s licenses in conflict with state law represented an “immediate and irreparable injury” given the influx of 172 requests for gender reclassifications on driver’s licenses in June.“Driver’s licenses are issued for a period of six years and are difficult to take back and out of circulation once issued,” Watson said. “Compliance with stated legal requirements for identifying license holders is a public safety concern.”<h2>Motion to dissolve</h2>Department of Revenue attorney Ted Smith urged Watson to dissolve the restraining order with the understanding the driver’s license division would continue to collect information on applicants’ gender status and biological sex at birth. He said a hold had been placed on gender adjustments to driver’s licenses.He argued the new law inspired by an out-of-state conservative organization and embraced by GOP lawmakers in Kansas was generic and didn’t apply to issuance of driver’s licenses because there was a more specific statute on the books.“Can you tell me why Senate Bill 180, which went into effect on July 1st, is not the status quo?” the judge asked Smith.“Senate Bill 180 … basically doesn’t overwrite any existing driver’s license statutes,” Smith replied. “We have a more specific statute that deals with gender in the context of driver’s licenses. Senate Bill 180 doesn’t deal with driver’s licenses. Nowhere in that one-page bill does it reference driver’s licenses.”“Doesn’t Senate Bill 180 say it applies to any state law?” the judge said. “And, wouldn’t it include driver’s license statutes?”“Basically, that’s an implicit assumption, right?” Smith said. “It’s not specific to driver’s licenses. So, we’re always going to defer to the more specific statutes.”Smith dismissed the nonbinding legal opinion issued by Kobach that asserted the law forbid gender changes to driver’s licenses and birth certificates.“I don’t conflate his advisory opinion or interpretation of law to be equivalent to a specific statutory legal requirement,” Smith said. “And, I think there is a good faith and reasonable argument for our interpretation. We’re not bound, again, by the attorney general’s legal theories. We’re bound by the statutes.”<h2>Violation of state law</h2>Kobach said in court documents and in his oral remarks that it would be improper for the Shawnee County judge to allow the state to deflect a law requiring Kansas government agencies gathering vital statistics to document a person’s sex at birth as either male or female.The Department of Revenue’s approach to driver’s licenses, which was endorsed by the governor’s office, amounted to violation of state law, Kobach said.“Violation of the statute itself is an injury to the state,” the Republican attorney general said. “If a state’s statutes are being violated by a state agency or in any large-scale fashion then the state is injured.”Kobach said controversy about implementation of the law aimed at transgender Kansans had arisen in Johnson County in terms of law enforcement’s ability to to its job. He said failure by the Department of Revenue to comply with the new law could impede identification of suspects or the issuance of search or arrest warrants.He said allowing the Department of Revenue to decide which statutes it followed and which it sidestepped away from would defy intent of the Legislature, which was the authorizing authority for the state agency. It was common understanding, established by the Kansas Supreme Court, new law trumped old law on a subject, he said.“The status quo is the position of the individuals affected by the law, not the agency’s process,” Kobach said. “SB180 contains the phrase, ‘notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary.’ Clearly, SB180 was drafted with the intent of sweeping aside any possible contrary language in any other Kansas statute.”The livestreamed hearing had to be halted twice due to technology woes, including problems with the attorney general’s internet connection that resulted in garbling of about half of his spoken words. The initial portion of the livestream wasn’t broadcast to dozens of online viewers.Kobach filed the lawsuit July 7 against two employees in the Department of Revenue. The judge responded with the restraining order Monday. In wake of that action, the Department of Revenue sought a hearing to argue for repeal of the order.On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed a request to intervene in Kobach’s lawsuit on behalf of five transgender Kansans. No decision has been released regarding the ACLU motion.In a statement following the judge’s decision, the ACLU of Kansas said “we will continue to fight for transgender Kansans’ right to have identification that reflects who they are, and that fight is far from over.”Watson, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, instructed the attorney general’s office and the Department of Revenue lawyers to confer about scheduling the filing of documents and conducting a hearing on Kobach’s request for a temporary injunction in the case. If adopted by the judge, it would prevent the Department of Revenue from taking action central to the dispute before the conflict was resolved through a trial or settlement.

Kan. judge affirms restraining order: No driver’s licenses with gender changes

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential homicide after a man was found dead Wednesday.

The victim has been identified as David Blaine Sullivan, 62, of Lawrence, according to a media release.

Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, police were called about a person near the intersection of 6th&nbsp;Street and Vermont Street, near the Kansas River, that the caller believed was dead. 

Officers responded and found Blaine on the ground near trees northwest of the intersection who was confirmed to be dead. Crime scene investigators processed the scene and discovered evidence that suggests foul play was involved in the death. 

A definitive determination on manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s office following an autopsy later this week. While police await that determination, they will continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the man’s death. It is currently unknown how long Blaine had been in the location he was found.

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a potential homicide after a man was found dead Wednesday.The victim has been identified as David Blaine Sullivan, 62, of Lawrence, according to a media release.Just before 11 a.m. Wednesday, police were called about a person near the intersection of 6th&nbsp;Street and Vermont Street, near the Kansas River, that the caller believed was dead. Officers responded and found Blaine on the ground near trees northwest of the intersection who was confirmed to be dead. Crime scene investigators processed the scene and discovered evidence that suggests foul play was involved in the death. A definitive determination on manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s office following an autopsy later this week. While police await that determination, they will continue to investigate the circumstances leading up to the man’s death. It is currently unknown how long Blaine had been in the location he was found.

Possible homicide: 62-year-old man found dead near Kansas River

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly was elected to serve as Chair of Education Commission of the States (ECS) for the 2023-25 term, according to a media release from her office.

 This election, by a bipartisan group of commissioners from every state, happened during ECS’s annual National Forum on Education Policy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Serving in this role, Governor Kelly continues her commitment to be the “Education Governor” by elevating Kansas to this national leadership role.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“I&nbsp;am&nbsp;looking forward to working with&nbsp;ECS&nbsp;to continue&nbsp;its&nbsp;legacy as a key partner for education leaders across the country,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The organization has been absolutely invaluable to me and my team, and I want to be a champion for it by leading it through its next chapter.”&nbsp;

Education Commission of the States is the premier education policy organization working to support state leaders nationwide. ECS provides policy and technical assistance to elected officials and policy leaders from all education sectors. ECS comprises over 300 appointed commissioners from every state and territory representing governor’s offices, state legislatures, state boards of education, chief state school officers, higher education authorities, and local education officials. ECS brings together these leaders to encourage collaboration across states and advance educational best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We are so pleased to have Gov. Kelly’s leadership and involvement with ECS,”&nbsp;said Matt Padilla, interim president of Education Commission of the States.&nbsp;“Gov. Kelly embodies the bipartisanship that is so instrumental to our mission. We look forward to working alongside her to advance innovation and best practices in state education policy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

As Chair, Governor Kelly will develop and lead a Chair’s Initiative to highlight innovative practices underway in the Kansas education system that can serve as a model for how other states can build upon Kansas’ leadership. Governor Kelly’s Chair’s Initiative will focus on expanding educational opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. On July 1, 2023, Pell Grant eligibility was restored for incarcerated populations across the country, opening an avenue for around 760,000 incarcerated individuals to participate in college coursework nationwide.

In Kansas, correctional populations have had access to Pell-eligible coursework since 2020 through the Second Chance Pell Experimental Site Initiative, which piloted the provision of college coursework in correctional settings. Now that Pell eligibility has been restored for justice-impacted individuals across the country, Kansas is a model for creating partnerships that expand programming into correctional facilities and prepare incarcerated individuals to reenter society with significant work and educational experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America and how states can come together to solve pressing challenges. Governor Hutchinson, the outgoing Chair of ECS, also presided over the official gavel exchange—marking the transition to Governor Kelly’s term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689195695324.png" alt="While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America- courtesy photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America- courtesy photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Wednesday, Governor Laura Kelly was elected to serve as Chair of Education Commission of the States (ECS) for the 2023-25 term, according to a media release from her office. This election, by a bipartisan group of commissioners from every state, happened during ECS’s annual National Forum on Education Policy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Serving in this role, Governor Kelly continues her commitment to be the “Education Governor” by elevating Kansas to this national leadership role.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689195835480.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“I&nbsp;am&nbsp;looking forward to working with&nbsp;ECS&nbsp;to continue&nbsp;its&nbsp;legacy as a key partner for education leaders across the country,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“The organization has been absolutely invaluable to me and my team, and I want to be a champion for it by leading it through its next chapter.”&nbsp;Education Commission of the States is the premier education policy organization working to support state leaders nationwide. ECS provides policy and technical assistance to elected officials and policy leaders from all education sectors. ECS comprises over 300 appointed commissioners from every state and territory representing governor’s offices, state legislatures, state boards of education, chief state school officers, higher education authorities, and local education officials. ECS brings together these leaders to encourage collaboration across states and advance educational best practices.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We are so pleased to have Gov. Kelly’s leadership and involvement with ECS,”&nbsp;said Matt Padilla, interim president of Education Commission of the States.&nbsp;“Gov. Kelly embodies the bipartisanship that is so instrumental to our mission. We look forward to working alongside her to advance innovation and best practices in state education policy.”&nbsp;&nbsp;As Chair, Governor Kelly will develop and lead a Chair’s Initiative to highlight innovative practices underway in the Kansas education system that can serve as a model for how other states can build upon Kansas’ leadership. Governor Kelly’s Chair’s Initiative will focus on expanding educational opportunities for justice-impacted individuals. On July 1, 2023, Pell Grant eligibility was restored for incarcerated populations across the country, opening an avenue for around 760,000 incarcerated individuals to participate in college coursework nationwide.In Kansas, correctional populations have had access to Pell-eligible coursework since 2020 through the Second Chance Pell Experimental Site Initiative, which piloted the provision of college coursework in correctional settings. Now that Pell eligibility has been restored for justice-impacted individuals across the country, Kansas is a model for creating partnerships that expand programming into correctional facilities and prepare incarcerated individuals to reenter society with significant work and educational experience.&nbsp;&nbsp;While in Minneapolis, Governor Kelly participated in a panel discussion with former Republican Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on the state of education in America and how states can come together to solve pressing challenges. Governor Hutchinson, the outgoing Chair of ECS, also presided over the official gavel exchange—marking the transition to Governor Kelly’s term.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gov. Kelly elected to Chair Education Commission of the States

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;

The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.

EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

KIOWA COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Kiowa County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Mercedes C300 driven by&nbsp;&nbsp;Angela D. Carroll, 54, Chandler, Oklahoma, was northbound on 11th Avenue at U.S. 54.&nbsp;The car crossed the railroad tracks and a train struck the vehicle.EMS transported Carroll and a passenger identified as Christian T. Norris, 28, Edmond, Oklahoma, to the Kiowa County Memorial Hospital in Greensburg where Norris was pronounced deceased. Both were properly restrained, according to the KHP. One juvenile was present in the car; juvenile record is protected data.

Man dies, woman injured after car, train crash in Kansas

WASHINGTON — A Kansas City man was sentenced Tuesday for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

Cale Douglas Clayton, 42, of Drexel, Missouri, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol.

&nbsp;Clayton pleaded guilty, on March 10, 2023, to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.

According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Clayton traveled from his home in Drexel to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally and afterward walked to the north side of the Capitol building. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Clayton was present at the upper west terrace as law enforcement began to clear the area and protestors began to clash with police. While protestors were pushing against police, Clayton picked up a police baton that had been dropped by an officer. Clayton then forcibly grabbed a riot shield held by a police officer.

&nbsp;Later, at approximately 4:28 p.m., Clayton made his way to another confrontation between police and protestors.&nbsp; At this time, police attempted to recover the baton from Clayton. In response, Clayton forcibly made contact with a police officer by grabbing the face shield of the officer’s helmet and pushing the officer backward.

This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

&nbsp;This case was investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, Arlington County, Virginia Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689157947463.png" alt="photo- United State's Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>photo- United State's Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A Kansas City man was sentenced Tuesday for assaulting law enforcement officers during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a Joint Session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.Cale Douglas Clayton, 42, of Drexel, Missouri, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, 24 months of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the Architect of the Capitol.&nbsp;Clayton pleaded guilty, on March 10, 2023, to the felony charge of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689157830427.png" alt="Douglas photo&nbsp; United State's Dept. of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Douglas photo&nbsp; United State's Dept. of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Clayton traveled from his home in Drexel to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally and afterward walked to the north side of the Capitol building. At approximately 4:15 p.m., Clayton was present at the upper west terrace as law enforcement began to clear the area and protestors began to clash with police. While protestors were pushing against police, Clayton picked up a police baton that had been dropped by an officer. Clayton then forcibly grabbed a riot shield held by a police officer.&nbsp;Later, at approximately 4:28 p.m., Clayton made his way to another confrontation between police and protestors.&nbsp; At this time, police attempted to recover the baton from Clayton. In response, Clayton forcibly made contact with a police officer by grabbing the face shield of the officer’s helmet and pushing the officer backward.This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.&nbsp;This case was investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office and the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Metropolitan Police Department, Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department, Arlington County, Virginia Police Department, and the U.S. Capitol Police.In the 30 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,069 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

KC-area man admits assaulting officers during Jan. 6 Capitol breach

TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities reported on Wednesday evening that a Silver Alert issued July 1, for 74-year-old George Smith has been canceled, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found Smith deceased&nbsp;on July 5, after he was involved in a fatal crash. It took some time for authorities to positively identify him.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.

The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.

George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.

If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688258232709.png" alt="George Smith-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>George Smith-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – Law enforcement authorities reported on Wednesday evening that a Silver Alert issued July 1, for 74-year-old George Smith has been canceled, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.The Oklahoma Highway Patrol found Smith deceased&nbsp;on July 5, after he was involved in a fatal crash. It took some time for authorities to positively identify him.&nbsp;-------SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Wichita Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man.The whereabouts of 74-year-old George C. Smith are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.George is likely driving a black 2002 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 881PKK. He was last seen in the 7700 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, Friday June 30, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He may have traveled southbound on I-35 toward Oklahoma.George is described as a black male who is 5-feet-5 inches tall and weighs around 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and blue shorts. George requires dialysis several times a week and missed his appointment. He is also diabetic and doesn't have necessary medication.If you see George Smith or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4111.

Kansas man in Silver Alert dies after pickup crash in Oklahoma

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Caleb A. Cummins, of&nbsp; Atchison, in the 400 block U.S.59 for a traffic violation, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer found drugs and and arrested Cummins.

He is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal use of a vehicle license tag.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689167435732.png" alt="Cummins-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Cummins-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 11p.m. Tuesday, police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 21-year-old Caleb A. Cummins, of&nbsp; Atchison, in the 400 block U.S.59 for a traffic violation, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer found drugs and and arrested Cummins.He is being held on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, possession of fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, and illegal use of a vehicle license tag.

Police: Kansas man was transporting fentanyl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/meta-platforms-inc">Facebook parent company Meta</a>&nbsp;over the course of at least two years, a group of congressional Democrats reported on Wednesday.

They say some of that data was then used by Meta to create targeted advertising to its own users, other companies, and to train Meta's algorithms.

The Democrats' report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that H&amp;R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with the social media giant.

In a letter to the heads of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service">the IRS</a>, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”

Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers' income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.

That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.

The program collected information on taxpayers’ filing status, income, refund amounts, names of dependents, approximate federal tax owed, which buttons were clicked on the tax preparers' websites and the names of text entry forms that the taxpayer navigated, the report states.

Taxpayer data was also shared with Google, through its own tracking tools — though the firm told lawmakers that it never used the information to track users on the internet, according to the report.

The letter to federal agencies was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Katie Porter. The lawmakers called for the agencies to “immediately open an investigation into this incident.”

They ask the agencies to investigate “and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law," saying it could result in billions of dollars in criminal liability to the firms.

The Markup, a nonprofit journalism outlet focusing on technology,&nbsp;<a href="https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/11/22/tax-filing-websites-have-been-sending-users-financial-information-to-facebook">initially reported</a>&nbsp;on the data-sharing between tax firms and Meta in November. TaxAct told The Markup then that it takes the privacy of its customers’ data “very seriously” and ”endeavors to comply with all IRS regulations.” TaxSlayer said then that its customers’ privacy is “of utmost importance” and that it had removed the Pixel to evaluate its use.

H&amp;R Block said on Wednesday that it takes protecting client privacy very seriously and has taken steps to prevent the sharing of information through the Pixel coding.

And Meta said that it has been clear in its policies that advertisers “should not send sensitive information about people through our Business Tools.”

“Doing so is against our policies and we educate advertisers on properly setting up Business tools to prevent this from occurring,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect.”

Representatives from the IRS, the DOJ, the FTC and the IRS watchdog also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Democrats say their report serves as an argument for the creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">an electronic free-file system</a>&nbsp;for submitting tax returns that would be run by the government, which the IRS is currently piloting.

The IRS plans to launch a pilot program for the 2024 filing season to test a “direct file” system and help the federal government decide whether to move forward with potentially implementing it in the future.

The IRS in May published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5788.pdf">a feasibility report</a>&nbsp;laying out taxpayer interest in direct file, how the system could work, its potential cost, operational challenges and more.

The report shows that the majority of surveyed taxpayers would be interested in using an IRS-provided tool to prepare and file their taxes electronically — almost 50% of respondents who preferred the IRS free-file option over commercial tax preparation firms said they preferred to give their financial information directly to the IRS instead of the third party.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three large tax preparation firms sent “extraordinarily sensitive” information on tens of millions of taxpayers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/meta-platforms-inc">Facebook parent company Meta</a>&nbsp;over the course of at least two years, a group of congressional Democrats reported on Wednesday.They say some of that data was then used by Meta to create targeted advertising to its own users, other companies, and to train Meta's algorithms.The Democrats' report urges federal agencies to investigate and potentially go to court over the wealth of information that H&amp;R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer shared with the social media giant.In a letter to the heads of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/internal-revenue-service">the IRS</a>, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers' income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.The program collected information on taxpayers’ filing status, income, refund amounts, names of dependents, approximate federal tax owed, which buttons were clicked on the tax preparers' websites and the names of text entry forms that the taxpayer navigated, the report states.Taxpayer data was also shared with Google, through its own tracking tools — though the firm told lawmakers that it never used the information to track users on the internet, according to the report.The letter to federal agencies was signed by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal, Tammy Duckworth, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Katie Porter. The lawmakers called for the agencies to “immediately open an investigation into this incident.”They ask the agencies to investigate “and prosecute any company or individuals who violated the law," saying it could result in billions of dollars in criminal liability to the firms.The Markup, a nonprofit journalism outlet focusing on technology,&nbsp;<a href="https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/11/22/tax-filing-websites-have-been-sending-users-financial-information-to-facebook">initially reported</a>&nbsp;on the data-sharing between tax firms and Meta in November. TaxAct told The Markup then that it takes the privacy of its customers’ data “very seriously” and ”endeavors to comply with all IRS regulations.” TaxSlayer said then that its customers’ privacy is “of utmost importance” and that it had removed the Pixel to evaluate its use.H&amp;R Block said on Wednesday that it takes protecting client privacy very seriously and has taken steps to prevent the sharing of information through the Pixel coding.And Meta said that it has been clear in its policies that advertisers “should not send sensitive information about people through our Business Tools.”“Doing so is against our policies and we educate advertisers on properly setting up Business tools to prevent this from occurring,” the company said in an emailed statement. “Our system is designed to filter out potentially sensitive data it is able to detect.”Representatives from the IRS, the DOJ, the FTC and the IRS watchdog also did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The Democrats say their report serves as an argument for the creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-tax-free-electronic-filing-option-700e54251a39791091966bc0b356d342">an electronic free-file system</a>&nbsp;for submitting tax returns that would be run by the government, which the IRS is currently piloting.The IRS plans to launch a pilot program for the 2024 filing season to test a “direct file” system and help the federal government decide whether to move forward with potentially implementing it in the future.The IRS in May published&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5788.pdf">a feasibility report</a>&nbsp;laying out taxpayer interest in direct file, how the system could work, its potential cost, operational challenges and more.The report shows that the majority of surveyed taxpayers would be interested in using an IRS-provided tool to prepare and file their taxes electronically — almost 50% of respondents who preferred the IRS free-file option over commercial tax preparation firms said they preferred to give their financial information directly to the IRS instead of the third party.