<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>

An appellate court in Missouri ruled Tuesday that a lower court was right when it decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-sandra-hemme-conviction-overturned-killing-3cb4c9ae74b2e95cb076636d52453228">overturn</a>&nbsp;the murder conviction of a woman who spent 43 years behind bars for a killing that her attorneys argue was committed by a discredited police officer.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-sandra-hemme-conviction-overturned-killing-3cb4c9ae74b2e95cb076636d52453228">Sandra Hemme</a>&nbsp;was freed in July while the decision to overturn her conviction was reviewed -- at the insistence of Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argued she should remain imprisoned.

Presiding Judge Cynthia Martin wrote in the scathing 71-page ruling that some arguments raised by Bailey's office bordered “on the absurd” and gave prosecutors 10 days to refile charges.

“It is time for this miscarriage of justice to end,” Hemme’s attorneys said in a statement following the ruling in the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District.

Hemme had been the longest-held wrongly incarcerated woman known in the U.S., according to her legal team at the Innocence Project.

A spokeswoman for Bailey didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Hemme was being treated with heavy doses of antipsychotic drugs when she was first questioned about the 1980 murder of 31-year-old library worker Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph. One of Hemme's attorneys, Sean O'Brien, likened the drugs to a “chemical straightjacket” in an October hearing and said they raised questions about her ultimate confession.

“It makes her compliant,” he said. “It makes her subject to susceptibility.”

O'Brien also outlined evidence that was withheld that pointed to Michael Holman — a former police officer, who died in 2015. Evidence showed that Holman’s pickup truck was seen outside Jeschke’s apartment, that he tried to use her credit card, and that her earrings were found in his home.

The appellate court's ruling said the record “strongly suggests” that police buried their investigation into Holman.

The same conclusion was reached in June when Judge Ryan Horsman in Livingston County overturned her conviction. He found that Hemme's attorney had established “clear and convincing evidence” of “actual innocence."

But Bailey asked the appellate court to review that decision, arguing that Horsman had exceeded his authority and that Hemme failed to present sufficient evidence on some of her claims.

What ensued was a month-long fight over whether she should be freed while that review took place. A circuit judge, an appellate court and the Missouri Supreme Court all agreed Hemme should be released, but she was still held behind bars as Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/84f20b9c3560bcd8770ce348bae023f2">argued</a>&nbsp;that she still had time to serve on decades-old prison assault cases.

Hemme walked free only after Horsman threatened to hold the attorney general’s office in contempt.

At the latest hearing in October, Andrew Clarke, an assistant attorney general, faced tough questioning.

One of the appellate court judges noted particular concern about what happened when Holman, the discredited police officer, couldn’t be ruled out as the source of a palm print detected on a TV antenna cable found next to the victim’s body.

The FBI asked for clearer prints, but police didn’t follow up. Jurors never heard about that or other evidence because the police never informed prosecutors.

“The court," Clarke said in response to questions about the significance of suppressed evidence, "has to consider what its value is at a future trial, what it would look like. And if it undermines confidence in the prior verdict.”

Clarke contended that some of the evidence at issue might not have met the bar to be presented in court — a contention the judges questioned.

Bailey has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc213e05442642428638fe5c1bf95b99">history</a>&nbsp;of fighting overturned conviction cases. In July, a St. Louis circuit judge overturned Christopher Dunn’s murder conviction and ordered his immediate release. Among the key evidence used to convict him of first-degree murder was testimony from two boys who later recanted, saying they had been coerced by police and prosecutors.

Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f128653d7b67aa4099faa91d0fcba31c">appealed</a>&nbsp;to try and keep Dunn locked up before he ultimately was released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721436949388.png" alt="Sandra Hemme walks out of prison after 43 years-photo courtesy The Innocence Project" />
 <figcaption>Sandra Hemme walks out of prison after 43 years-photo courtesy The Innocence Project</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>An appellate court in Missouri ruled Tuesday that a lower court was right when it decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-sandra-hemme-conviction-overturned-killing-3cb4c9ae74b2e95cb076636d52453228">overturn</a>&nbsp;the murder conviction of a woman who spent 43 years behind bars for a killing that her attorneys argue was committed by a discredited police officer.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-sandra-hemme-conviction-overturned-killing-3cb4c9ae74b2e95cb076636d52453228">Sandra Hemme</a>&nbsp;was freed in July while the decision to overturn her conviction was reviewed -- at the insistence of Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argued she should remain imprisoned.Presiding Judge Cynthia Martin wrote in the scathing 71-page ruling that some arguments raised by Bailey's office bordered “on the absurd” and gave prosecutors 10 days to refile charges.“It is time for this miscarriage of justice to end,” Hemme’s attorneys said in a statement following the ruling in the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District.Hemme had been the longest-held wrongly incarcerated woman known in the U.S., according to her legal team at the Innocence Project.A spokeswoman for Bailey didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.Hemme was being treated with heavy doses of antipsychotic drugs when she was first questioned about the 1980 murder of 31-year-old library worker Patricia Jeschke in St. Joseph. One of Hemme's attorneys, Sean O'Brien, likened the drugs to a “chemical straightjacket” in an October hearing and said they raised questions about her ultimate confession.“It makes her compliant,” he said. “It makes her subject to susceptibility.”O'Brien also outlined evidence that was withheld that pointed to Michael Holman — a former police officer, who died in 2015. Evidence showed that Holman’s pickup truck was seen outside Jeschke’s apartment, that he tried to use her credit card, and that her earrings were found in his home.The appellate court's ruling said the record “strongly suggests” that police buried their investigation into Holman.The same conclusion was reached in June when Judge Ryan Horsman in Livingston County overturned her conviction. He found that Hemme's attorney had established “clear and convincing evidence” of “actual innocence."But Bailey asked the appellate court to review that decision, arguing that Horsman had exceeded his authority and that Hemme failed to present sufficient evidence on some of her claims.What ensued was a month-long fight over whether she should be freed while that review took place. A circuit judge, an appellate court and the Missouri Supreme Court all agreed Hemme should be released, but she was still held behind bars as Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/84f20b9c3560bcd8770ce348bae023f2">argued</a>&nbsp;that she still had time to serve on decades-old prison assault cases.Hemme walked free only after Horsman threatened to hold the attorney general’s office in contempt.At the latest hearing in October, Andrew Clarke, an assistant attorney general, faced tough questioning.One of the appellate court judges noted particular concern about what happened when Holman, the discredited police officer, couldn’t be ruled out as the source of a palm print detected on a TV antenna cable found next to the victim’s body.The FBI asked for clearer prints, but police didn’t follow up. Jurors never heard about that or other evidence because the police never informed prosecutors.“The court," Clarke said in response to questions about the significance of suppressed evidence, "has to consider what its value is at a future trial, what it would look like. And if it undermines confidence in the prior verdict.”Clarke contended that some of the evidence at issue might not have met the bar to be presented in court — a contention the judges questioned.Bailey has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/bc213e05442642428638fe5c1bf95b99">history</a>&nbsp;of fighting overturned conviction cases. In July, a St. Louis circuit judge overturned Christopher Dunn’s murder conviction and ordered his immediate release. Among the key evidence used to convict him of first-degree murder was testimony from two boys who later recanted, saying they had been coerced by police and prosecutors.Bailey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f128653d7b67aa4099faa91d0fcba31c">appealed</a>&nbsp;to try and keep Dunn locked up before he ultimately was released.

Court upholds freedom for woman whose conviction was overturned after 43 years 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race.

WASHINGTON — Democrats have increasingly cried out for new rules for the nation’s highest court, and the 2024 presidential election reflects a clear party divide over how Supreme Court justices should behave and whether they should remain on the bench for life.

The erasure of a nearly 50-year-old national right to abortion, the granting of wide latitude for former presidents to escape criminal accountability and several ethics scandals magnified these questions. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are giving voters very different answers.

Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;calls for “common-sense” reforms that include term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code that mirrors the rules that apply to lower federal judges.

When President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-term-limits-us-supreme-court-justices-new-ethics-rules" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;his proposals for Supreme Court ethics reform roughly one week after dropping his bid for reelection, Harris issued a statement reinforcing the need to “restore confidence” in the court.

“That is why President Biden and I are calling on Congress to pass important reforms — from imposing term limits for Justices’ active service, to requiring Justices to comply with binding ethics rules just like every other federal judge. And finally, in our democracy, no one should be above the law. So we must also ensure that no former President has immunity for crimes committed while in the White House,” she said.

While Harris’ campaign did not provide additional details on her platform, Harris has a record of supporting such measures. As a senator in 2019, Harris co-sponsored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/393?s=4&amp;r=476" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;to enforce a uniform ethics code at every level of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court.

When asked for comment about Trump’s stance on enforceable ethics rules or term limits at the Supreme Court, Trump campaign Senior Advisor Brian Hughes responded: “President Trump has said that, apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make. As president, he appointed constitutionalist judges who interpret the law as written, and he will do so again when voters send him back to the White House.”

The former president has made his opposition to change known on social media.

Nearly two weeks before Biden’s speech in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/29/joe-biden-reform-supreme-court-presidential-immunity-plan-announcement/" target="_blank">roll out</a>&nbsp;his ideas for improving the court, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112798594310559815" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social that the “Radical Left Democrats are desperately trying to ‘Play the Ref’ by calling for an illegal and unConstitutional attack on our SACRED United States Supreme Court.”

“The reason that these Communists are so despondent is that their unLawful Witch Hunts are failing everywhere. The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country. MAGA2024!” he continued, randomly capitalizing words as he often does.

The Republican National Committee stated in its&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*1rfs4mg*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3Mjc3MDk0MDAuQ2owS0NRandtT20zQmhDOEFSSXNBT1NiYXBWZlV5WUV5Z0VCSlVrdS1UUFhsSzlBdFlzU1d0cUxVSEJ6Y0dNaEEyaFNrR2NsTm5GOU9TNGFBamVlRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*MTc2MjY5MTQ3Ny4xNzI1Mzc2OTQwLjg5MTAzNzIyNy4xNzI4Mzk4NzIwLjE3MjgzOTg5MDQ.&amp;_ga=2.5949424.2129307976.1729440058-1161412080.1725376940&amp;_gac=1.186981850.1727709400.Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapVfUyYEygEBJUku-TPXlK9AtYsSWtqLUHBzcGMhA2hSkGclNnF9OS4aAjeeEALw_wcB" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;that the party unequivocally opposes any changes to the number of Supreme Court justices.

“We will maintain the Supreme Court as it was always meant to be, at 9 Justices. We will not allow the Democrat Party to increase this number, as they would like to do, by 4, 6, 8, 10, and even 12 Justices. We will block them at every turn.”

At the Economic Club of Chicago on Oct. 15, Trump appeared to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539131-1/president-trump-interview-economic-club-chicago" target="_blank">accuse</a>&nbsp;Democrats of wanting to add up to 25 new justices to the Supreme Court bench.

Harris’ 2024 campaign position on the Supreme Court does not include a plan to change the number of justices. During her 2020 presidential run, Harris expressed an openness to expanding the court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/31/harris-biden-supreme-court-reform-00172010?is_magic_link=true&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;template_variant_id=OTVPXN5JGTYRX" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;and other reports. Biden, at the time, remained&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1320842408549093378" target="_blank">opposed</a>&nbsp;to changes, including justice term limits.

When Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fueled-lies-trump-charged-seeking-overturn-2020-election-6" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with federal fraud and obstruction crimes for his attempts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-pause-federal-trial-over-presidential-immunity-question" target="_blank">escalated</a>&nbsp;his appeal for presidential immunity all the way to the Supreme Court.

On July 1, the justices issued a 6-3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">opinion</a>&nbsp;granting former presidents criminal immunity for “core constitutional” duties and presumptive immunity for actions on the “outer perimeter” of official duties, but none for unofficial, personal acts.

Two of the justices who joined the conservative majority ruling — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — were Trump appointees. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, also appointed during Trump’s time in the Oval Office, joined them, concurring in part.

Trump’s case was delayed for the better part of 2024, tied up in the high court process as he campaigned for a second presidency. The delay ultimately closed the door on a trial before November’s election.

The high-profile case not only highlighted the fact that Trump was being judged by his own appointees, but also that two other justices had been recently exposed in ethics scandals involving Republican donors and appearing to show support for Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election.

In April 2023, ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow" target="_blank">uncovered</a>&nbsp;that Justice Clarence Thomas had been accepting luxury travel and other big ticket gifts from Republican billionaire donor Harlan Crow.

In May of this year, the New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;photos of an upside-down American flag flying outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito following the violent riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The upside-down flag, a general symbol of protest, had been adopted by Trump supporters who believed the 2020 election was stolen.

All parties have denied any wrongdoing, and Alito&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20from%20Justice%20Alito%20to%20Senators%20Durbin%20and%20Whitehouse.pdf" target="_blank">declined</a>&nbsp;to recuse himself from Trump’s 2020 election subversion case, and another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/divided-us-supreme-court-wrestles-case-pennsylvania-man-who-joined-jan-6-mob" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;brought by a Jan. 6 defendant.

While the Thomas and Alito scandals attracted the most attention, observers of the court say many of the justices’ actions raise ethics questions.

Gabe Roth, founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Fix the Court, said “no justice has totally behaved ethically.”

Roth cited transgressions by both conservative and liberal justices: socializing with litigants who argue before the court, the use of government resources to promote a personal book and instances of justices not recusing themselves from cases in which they appear to have a stake.

“It hasn’t been to the scale of the things that ProPublica uncovered, but no justice is fully pure when it comes to ethics issues, which is not to say that they’re all corrupt or they’re all compromised by any means. It’s just more, to me, a fact that the whole institution needs to focus more on ethical leadership,” Roth said.

ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/propublica-work-joshua-kaplan-justin-elliott-brett-murphy-alex-mierjeski-and-kirsten-berg" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;numerous stories in 2023 detailing gifts Thomas never disclosed, as well as a luxury fishing expedition Alito took with a Republican billionaire who argued before the court.

The Supreme Court currently polices itself with its own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf" target="_blank">code</a>&nbsp;of conduct and maintains justices already follow rules that apply to lower federal judges.

Congressional Democrats have introduced several bills aiming to impose ethics rules on the justices and limit life-time appointments, for example to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4423/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22supreme+court+term+limits%22%7D" target="_blank">18 years</a>.

A bill led by Senate Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ethics-rules-supreme-court-justices-approved-party-line-vote-us-senate-panel" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;the Democratic-led Senate Committee on the Judiciary in July 2023.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/359/text?s=1&amp;r=4&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22supreme+court+ethics%22%5D%7D" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed to mandate an enforceable ethics code, tighten recusal and gift disclosure requirements, and establish a complaints process similar to that of the lower courts.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1djxXNlOjOkGZ" target="_blank">attempt</a>&nbsp;at unanimous consent passage on the Senate floor in June was blocked by Senate Judiciary’s top Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

“Let’s be clear, this is not about improving the court, this is about undermining the court,” Graham said on the floor.

Roth said no matter who wins the presidency and which party takes control of the Senate, the longtime fight for an ethics overhaul and term limits at the high court will continue — and that it shouldn’t be partisan.

“If they’re done right, it doesn’t favor one party or another or one ideology or another. It’s a bit weird that one side is saying they don’t love ethics right now,” Roth continued. “I don’t get it.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race.WASHINGTON — Democrats have increasingly cried out for new rules for the nation’s highest court, and the 2024 presidential election reflects a clear party divide over how Supreme Court justices should behave and whether they should remain on the bench for life.The erasure of a nearly 50-year-old national right to abortion, the granting of wide latitude for former presidents to escape criminal accountability and several ethics scandals magnified these questions. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are giving voters very different answers.Harris’&nbsp;<a href="https://kamalaharris.com/issues/" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;calls for “common-sense” reforms that include term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code that mirrors the rules that apply to lower federal judges.When President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-urges-term-limits-us-supreme-court-justices-new-ethics-rules" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;his proposals for Supreme Court ethics reform roughly one week after dropping his bid for reelection, Harris issued a statement reinforcing the need to “restore confidence” in the court.“That is why President Biden and I are calling on Congress to pass important reforms — from imposing term limits for Justices’ active service, to requiring Justices to comply with binding ethics rules just like every other federal judge. And finally, in our democracy, no one should be above the law. So we must also ensure that no former President has immunity for crimes committed while in the White House,” she said.While Harris’ campaign did not provide additional details on her platform, Harris has a record of supporting such measures. As a senator in 2019, Harris co-sponsored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/393?s=4&amp;r=476" target="_blank">bill</a>&nbsp;to enforce a uniform ethics code at every level of the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court.<h2>Trump position</h2>When asked for comment about Trump’s stance on enforceable ethics rules or term limits at the Supreme Court, Trump campaign Senior Advisor Brian Hughes responded: “President Trump has said that, apart from matters of war and peace, the nomination of a Supreme Court justice is the most important decision an American President can make. As president, he appointed constitutionalist judges who interpret the law as written, and he will do so again when voters send him back to the White House.”The former president has made his opposition to change known on social media.Nearly two weeks before Biden’s speech in July to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/07/29/joe-biden-reform-supreme-court-presidential-immunity-plan-announcement/" target="_blank">roll out</a>&nbsp;his ideas for improving the court, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112798594310559815" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on Truth Social that the “Radical Left Democrats are desperately trying to ‘Play the Ref’ by calling for an illegal and unConstitutional attack on our SACRED United States Supreme Court.”“The reason that these Communists are so despondent is that their unLawful Witch Hunts are failing everywhere. The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country. MAGA2024!” he continued, randomly capitalizing words as he often does.The Republican National Committee stated in its&nbsp;<a href="https://rncplatform.donaldjtrump.com/?_gl=1*1rfs4mg*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3Mjc3MDk0MDAuQ2owS0NRandtT20zQmhDOEFSSXNBT1NiYXBWZlV5WUV5Z0VCSlVrdS1UUFhsSzlBdFlzU1d0cUxVSEJ6Y0dNaEEyaFNrR2NsTm5GOU9TNGFBamVlRUFMd193Y0I.*_gcl_au*MTc2MjY5MTQ3Ny4xNzI1Mzc2OTQwLjg5MTAzNzIyNy4xNzI4Mzk4NzIwLjE3MjgzOTg5MDQ.&amp;_ga=2.5949424.2129307976.1729440058-1161412080.1725376940&amp;_gac=1.186981850.1727709400.Cj0KCQjwmOm3BhC8ARIsAOSbapVfUyYEygEBJUku-TPXlK9AtYsSWtqLUHBzcGMhA2hSkGclNnF9OS4aAjeeEALw_wcB" target="_blank">platform</a>&nbsp;that the party unequivocally opposes any changes to the number of Supreme Court justices.“We will maintain the Supreme Court as it was always meant to be, at 9 Justices. We will not allow the Democrat Party to increase this number, as they would like to do, by 4, 6, 8, 10, and even 12 Justices. We will block them at every turn.”At the Economic Club of Chicago on Oct. 15, Trump appeared to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?539131-1/president-trump-interview-economic-club-chicago" target="_blank">accuse</a>&nbsp;Democrats of wanting to add up to 25 new justices to the Supreme Court bench.Harris’ 2024 campaign position on the Supreme Court does not include a plan to change the number of justices. During her 2020 presidential run, Harris expressed an openness to expanding the court, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/07/31/harris-biden-supreme-court-reform-00172010?is_magic_link=true&amp;template_id=OTJIR2CRKUD6&amp;template_variant_id=OTVPXN5JGTYRX" target="_blank">Politico</a>&nbsp;and other reports. Biden, at the time, remained&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1320842408549093378" target="_blank">opposed</a>&nbsp;to changes, including justice term limits.<h2>Immunity ruling</h2>When Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/fueled-lies-trump-charged-seeking-overturn-2020-election-6" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with federal fraud and obstruction crimes for his attempts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results, he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-asks-us-supreme-court-pause-federal-trial-over-presidential-immunity-question" target="_blank">escalated</a>&nbsp;his appeal for presidential immunity all the way to the Supreme Court.On July 1, the justices issued a 6-3&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">opinion</a>&nbsp;granting former presidents criminal immunity for “core constitutional” duties and presumptive immunity for actions on the “outer perimeter” of official duties, but none for unofficial, personal acts.Two of the justices who joined the conservative majority ruling — Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — were Trump appointees. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, also appointed during Trump’s time in the Oval Office, joined them, concurring in part.Trump’s case was delayed for the better part of 2024, tied up in the high court process as he campaigned for a second presidency. The delay ultimately closed the door on a trial before November’s election.The high-profile case not only highlighted the fact that Trump was being judged by his own appointees, but also that two other justices had been recently exposed in ethics scandals involving Republican donors and appearing to show support for Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election.In April 2023, ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow" target="_blank">uncovered</a>&nbsp;that Justice Clarence Thomas had been accepting luxury travel and other big ticket gifts from Republican billionaire donor Harlan Crow.In May of this year, the New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/16/us/justice-alito-upside-down-flag.html" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;photos of an upside-down American flag flying outside the home of Justice Samuel Alito following the violent riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The upside-down flag, a general symbol of protest, had been adopted by Trump supporters who believed the 2020 election was stolen.All parties have denied any wrongdoing, and Alito&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Letter%20from%20Justice%20Alito%20to%20Senators%20Durbin%20and%20Whitehouse.pdf" target="_blank">declined</a>&nbsp;to recuse himself from Trump’s 2020 election subversion case, and another&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/divided-us-supreme-court-wrestles-case-pennsylvania-man-who-joined-jan-6-mob" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;brought by a Jan. 6 defendant.<h2>The call for a new ethics code</h2>While the Thomas and Alito scandals attracted the most attention, observers of the court say many of the justices’ actions raise ethics questions.Gabe Roth, founder of the nonpartisan nonprofit Fix the Court, said “no justice has totally behaved ethically.”Roth cited transgressions by both conservative and liberal justices: socializing with litigants who argue before the court, the use of government resources to promote a personal book and instances of justices not recusing themselves from cases in which they appear to have a stake.“It hasn’t been to the scale of the things that ProPublica uncovered, but no justice is fully pure when it comes to ethics issues, which is not to say that they’re all corrupt or they’re all compromised by any means. It’s just more, to me, a fact that the whole institution needs to focus more on ethical leadership,” Roth said.ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/propublica-work-joshua-kaplan-justin-elliott-brett-murphy-alex-mierjeski-and-kirsten-berg" target="_blank">published</a>&nbsp;numerous stories in 2023 detailing gifts Thomas never disclosed, as well as a luxury fishing expedition Alito took with a Republican billionaire who argued before the court.The Supreme Court currently polices itself with its own&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/about/Code-of-Conduct-for-Justices_November_13_2023.pdf" target="_blank">code</a>&nbsp;of conduct and maintains justices already follow rules that apply to lower federal judges.Congressional Democrats have introduced several bills aiming to impose ethics rules on the justices and limit life-time appointments, for example to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/4423/text?s=1&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22supreme+court+term+limits%22%7D" target="_blank">18 years</a>.A bill led by Senate Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ethics-rules-supreme-court-justices-approved-party-line-vote-us-senate-panel" target="_blank">passed</a>&nbsp;the Democratic-led Senate Committee on the Judiciary in July 2023.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/359/text?s=1&amp;r=4&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22supreme+court+ethics%22%5D%7D" target="_blank">legislation</a>&nbsp;aimed to mandate an enforceable ethics code, tighten recusal and gift disclosure requirements, and establish a complaints process similar to that of the lower courts.An&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1djxXNlOjOkGZ" target="_blank">attempt</a>&nbsp;at unanimous consent passage on the Senate floor in June was blocked by Senate Judiciary’s top Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.“Let’s be clear, this is not about improving the court, this is about undermining the court,” Graham said on the floor.Roth said no matter who wins the presidency and which party takes control of the Senate, the longtime fight for an ethics overhaul and term limits at the high court will continue — and that it shouldn’t be partisan.“If they’re done right, it doesn’t favor one party or another or one ideology or another. It’s a bit weird that one side is saying they don’t love ethics right now,” Roth continued. “I don’t get it.”

Reforms at the U.S. Supreme Court: Where do Harris and Trump stand?

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a traffic stop.

Just after 7a.m. Oct. 20, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2024 Nissan Altima for alleged multiple traffic infractions on U.S. Highway 75 near 223rd Lane, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp;The driver was identified as 37-year-old Katrina Chantel Barthelemy of Wichita, Kansas. A probable cause search was conducted and resulted in the discovery of ecstasy, hallucinogenic drugs and drug paraphernalia. Barthelemy was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of ecstasy, possession of hallucinogenic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729615513335.png" alt="Barthelemy-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Barthelemy-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations following a traffic stop.Just after 7a.m. Oct. 20, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2024 Nissan Altima for alleged multiple traffic infractions on U.S. Highway 75 near 223rd Lane, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;The driver was identified as 37-year-old Katrina Chantel Barthelemy of Wichita, Kansas. A probable cause search was conducted and resulted in the discovery of ecstasy, hallucinogenic drugs and drug paraphernalia. Barthelemy was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of ecstasy, possession of hallucinogenic drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kansas deputy found ecstasy during traffic stop 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;Law enforcement continue their investigation weekend pedestrian accident that left a child dead.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a traffic collision involving a pedestrian, later identified as 12-year-old Esamay Heese, and a motor vehicle in 7000 block of W. 13th Street&nbsp; in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders found the girl who had been struck by a westbound Jeep SUV. EMS transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; &nbsp;Friends of the family have established<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mvuuc-help-esamay-hesses-family-in-their-time-of-grief"> an online fundraiser</a> to assist them.

The Wichita Police Department's Critical Accident Team is conducting a thorough investigation, interviewing witnesses to gather additional information on the incident.

Anyone with information regarding this incident who has not yet spoken to investigators is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4407. For those wishing to remain anonymous, please reach out to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729600729468.png" alt="Esamay Heese GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Esamay Heese GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;Law enforcement continue their investigation weekend pedestrian accident that left a child dead.Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a traffic collision involving a pedestrian, later identified as 12-year-old Esamay Heese, and a motor vehicle in 7000 block of W. 13th Street&nbsp; in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders found the girl who had been struck by a westbound Jeep SUV. EMS transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; &nbsp;Friends of the family have established<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/mvuuc-help-esamay-hesses-family-in-their-time-of-grief"> an online fundraiser</a> to assist them.The Wichita Police Department's Critical Accident Team is conducting a thorough investigation, interviewing witnesses to gather additional information on the incident.Anyone with information regarding this incident who has not yet spoken to investigators is encouraged to contact the Wichita Police Department at 316-268-4407. For those wishing to remain anonymous, please reach out to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Online fundraiser for family of Kan. girl struck, killed by SUV

GOP’s two-thirds majorities in House, Senate important on veto overrides

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly expressed optimism a group of quality Democratic candidates and influence of her $2 million political action committee would break in the Nov. 5 election the partisan supermajorities held by Republicans in the both the House and Senate.

Democrats’ priority in this election cycle is picking up a total of five seats in the Legislature to end the GOP’s two-thirds advantage. The GOP supermajorities have been a thorn in the Democratic governor’s side whether the Legislature was voting on individual bills or attempted overrides of Kelly’s vetoes.

“I do think that we will get the two seats that we need in the House and the three that we need in the Senate. Would I like more? Sure, yeah,” Kelly said for the Kansas Reflector podcast.

“I do know that we have&nbsp;really superb candidates running in a lot of our targeted races. Many of them are based in Johnson County, and I think the road to breaking the supermajority will go through Johnson County,” the governor said.

The House is divided among 85 Republicans and 40 Democrats. A two-thirds majority in the House equals 84, meaning Democrats must snatch two seats from Republicans to move the partisan split below the supermajority threshold. Republicans have led the House with a supermajority since 2010.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the Election Day clash over the supermajority was nothing new. He anticipated the GOP would hold onto their House seats and possibly knock off a couple Democrats to pad their margin heading into the 2025 legislative session.

Over in the Senate, there are 29 Republicans and 11 Democrats. A two-thirds majority would be 27, so Democrats set their sights on claiming three seats. Republicans have operated with a Senate supermajority since the election of 1992.

Kelly, who served in the Kansas Senate and is halfway through her second term as governor, said outcome of 2024 legislative elections would color her final two years in office.

“We’ve really been able to get a whole lot of things done, but there are other things that we’ve got to get done if Kansas is going to continue to move forward,” Kelly said. “If we don’t break the supermajority, then the Legislature is going to continue to pass bad bills that impact our ability in Kansas to really prosper and grow.”

The large numerical advantage of Republicans has blocked bills tied to medicinal marijuana and expansion of eligibility for Medicaid health benefits, she said.

She said if voters perpetuated GOP supermajorities in Kansas it would embolden Republicans to push for more restrictions on abortion, resume attacks on the LGBTQ community and advance questionable tax reform.

“I need Democrats in those seats now to help sustain vetoes on bad legislation,” Kelly said. “That way we’re more attractive for our own people to stay here …&nbsp;instead of leaving the state&nbsp;and much more attractive to businesses coming in.”

Kelly said the campaign work of Democrats in this election cycle was heightened because a cadre of Republican legislators who occasionally crossed party lines to sustain her vetoes decided not to seek reelection.

“If we break the supermajority, then it will require leadership in both the House and the Senate to work with us and with the Democrat caucus in their respective chambers,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729533905311.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly predicts voters in the Nov. 5 election will enable Democrats to claim at least two more seats in the Kansas House and three more seats in the Kansas Senate to eliminate the two-thirds supermajority held by Republicans at the Statehouse. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly predicts voters in the Nov. 5 election will enable Democrats to claim at least two more seats in the Kansas House and three more seats in the Kansas Senate to eliminate the two-thirds supermajority held by Republicans at the Statehouse. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GOP’s two-thirds majorities in House, Senate important on veto overrides</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly expressed optimism a group of quality Democratic candidates and influence of her $2 million political action committee would break in the Nov. 5 election the partisan supermajorities held by Republicans in the both the House and Senate.Democrats’ priority in this election cycle is picking up a total of five seats in the Legislature to end the GOP’s two-thirds advantage. The GOP supermajorities have been a thorn in the Democratic governor’s side whether the Legislature was voting on individual bills or attempted overrides of Kelly’s vetoes.“I do think that we will get the two seats that we need in the House and the three that we need in the Senate. Would I like more? Sure, yeah,” Kelly said for the Kansas Reflector podcast.“I do know that we have&nbsp;really superb candidates running in a lot of our targeted races. Many of them are based in Johnson County, and I think the road to breaking the supermajority will go through Johnson County,” the governor said.The House is divided among 85 Republicans and 40 Democrats. A two-thirds majority in the House equals 84, meaning Democrats must snatch two seats from Republicans to move the partisan split below the supermajority threshold. Republicans have led the House with a supermajority since 2010.House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the Election Day clash over the supermajority was nothing new. He anticipated the GOP would hold onto their House seats and possibly knock off a couple Democrats to pad their margin heading into the 2025 legislative session.Over in the Senate, there are 29 Republicans and 11 Democrats. A two-thirds majority would be 27, so Democrats set their sights on claiming three seats. Republicans have operated with a Senate supermajority since the election of 1992.Kelly, who served in the Kansas Senate and is halfway through her second term as governor, said outcome of 2024 legislative elections would color her final two years in office.“We’ve really been able to get a whole lot of things done, but there are other things that we’ve got to get done if Kansas is going to continue to move forward,” Kelly said. “If we don’t break the supermajority, then the Legislature is going to continue to pass bad bills that impact our ability in Kansas to really prosper and grow.”The large numerical advantage of Republicans has blocked bills tied to medicinal marijuana and expansion of eligibility for Medicaid health benefits, she said.She said if voters perpetuated GOP supermajorities in Kansas it would embolden Republicans to push for more restrictions on abortion, resume attacks on the LGBTQ community and advance questionable tax reform.“I need Democrats in those seats now to help sustain vetoes on bad legislation,” Kelly said. “That way we’re more attractive for our own people to stay here …&nbsp;instead of leaving the state&nbsp;and much more attractive to businesses coming in.”Kelly said the campaign work of Democrats in this election cycle was heightened because a cadre of Republican legislators who occasionally crossed party lines to sustain her vetoes decided not to seek reelection.“If we break the supermajority, then it will require leadership in both the House and the Senate to work with us and with the Democrat caucus in their respective chambers,” Kelly said.

Gov. Kelly predicts Democrats will break Republican supermajorities in Kansas Legislature

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a home burglary and made an arrest.

Just after 8p.m. October 19, sheriff’s deputies responded to a residential alarm in the 30500 block of South Stubbs Road, near Quenemo, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

Deputies discovered that the residence had been burglarized. Information was gathered from a neighbor, the homeowner, and surveillance cameras that revealed suspect and vehicle descriptions.

On October 20, a deputy patrolling Quenemo located a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle used in the burglary. Deputies contacted 44-year-old Travis King at a residence in the 100 block of South 8th Street in Quenemo. A search warrant for King’s residence was executed, revealing items taken from the burglary on Stubbs Road. All items were recovered.

&nbsp;King was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Burglary and Criminal damage to property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729539942799.png" alt="King-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>King-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a home burglary and made an arrest.Just after 8p.m. October 19, sheriff’s deputies responded to a residential alarm in the 30500 block of South Stubbs Road, near Quenemo, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.Deputies discovered that the residence had been burglarized. Information was gathered from a neighbor, the homeowner, and surveillance cameras that revealed suspect and vehicle descriptions.On October 20, a deputy patrolling Quenemo located a vehicle matching the description of the vehicle used in the burglary. Deputies contacted 44-year-old Travis King at a residence in the 100 block of South 8th Street in Quenemo. A search warrant for King’s residence was executed, revealing items taken from the burglary on Stubbs Road. All items were recovered.&nbsp;King was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Burglary and Criminal damage to property.

Deputies recover items taken in Kansas home burglary

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister announced Tuesday that the Islamic State militant group’s leader in Iraq was killed in a military operation along with eight of the group’s other senior leaders.‎ U.S. officials said two American service members were injured in the joint raid overnight Monday that was conducted by U.S. and Iraqi forces.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Jassim al-Mazroui Abu Abdul Qader was killed in an operation by counterterrorism forces and the national security service under the Joint Operations Command in the Hamrin Mountains in Salahuddin province.

“There is no place for terrorists in Iraq, and we will pursue them to their hideouts and eliminate them,” al-Sudani said in a statement.

The two U.S. troops are in stable condition, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. He and other U.S. officials said the raid targeted senior Islamic State group leaders, but he could not confirm that Abdul Qader was killed.

He and a second U.S. official said the Pentagon is awaiting final test analysis before confirming who was killed. The second official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a military operation, said the two U.S. troops were being treated in Baghdad.

The Joint Operations Command said in a statement that the operation was carried out “with technical support and exchange of accurate intelligence information by the international coalition forces.”

The identities of the others killed in the operation along with Abdul Qader will be announced after they are confirmed by DNA tests, it said.

The statement also indicated that “large quantities of weapons, ammunition and equipment were seized.”

Last month, the U.S. announced an agreement with the Iraqi government to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-troops-military-withdrawal-iran-a79aa83dca8f776f87a138bfe5697fa3">wrap up the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition</a>&nbsp;fighting the Islamic State group by next year, with U.S. troops departing some bases that they have long occupied during a two-decade-long military presence in the country.

A coalition of more than 80 countries, led by the United States, was formed to fight the group, which lost its hold on the territory it controlled in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, although sleeper cells remain in both countries and abroad.

For years, Iraqi officials had periodically called for a withdrawal of coalition forces, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-talks-to-end-coalition-mission-f782db4c6550ab31ef02ef3c1793ee7b">formal talks to wind down the U.S. presence</a>&nbsp;in the country were ongoing for months. Iraqi officials have maintained that Iraqi security forces are able to deal with the remaining sleeper cells and prevent the group from staging a resurgence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729640015401.png" alt="U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary during the briefing on Tuesday afternoon- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary during the briefing on Tuesday afternoon- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister announced Tuesday that the Islamic State militant group’s leader in Iraq was killed in a military operation along with eight of the group’s other senior leaders.‎ U.S. officials said two American service members were injured in the joint raid overnight Monday that was conducted by U.S. and Iraqi forces.Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Jassim al-Mazroui Abu Abdul Qader was killed in an operation by counterterrorism forces and the national security service under the Joint Operations Command in the Hamrin Mountains in Salahuddin province.“There is no place for terrorists in Iraq, and we will pursue them to their hideouts and eliminate them,” al-Sudani said in a statement.The two U.S. troops are in stable condition, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. He and other U.S. officials said the raid targeted senior Islamic State group leaders, but he could not confirm that Abdul Qader was killed.He and a second U.S. official said the Pentagon is awaiting final test analysis before confirming who was killed. The second official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a military operation, said the two U.S. troops were being treated in Baghdad.The Joint Operations Command said in a statement that the operation was carried out “with technical support and exchange of accurate intelligence information by the international coalition forces.”The identities of the others killed in the operation along with Abdul Qader will be announced after they are confirmed by DNA tests, it said.The statement also indicated that “large quantities of weapons, ammunition and equipment were seized.”Last month, the U.S. announced an agreement with the Iraqi government to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-troops-military-withdrawal-iran-a79aa83dca8f776f87a138bfe5697fa3">wrap up the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition</a>&nbsp;fighting the Islamic State group by next year, with U.S. troops departing some bases that they have long occupied during a two-decade-long military presence in the country.A coalition of more than 80 countries, led by the United States, was formed to fight the group, which lost its hold on the territory it controlled in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, although sleeper cells remain in both countries and abroad.For years, Iraqi officials had periodically called for a withdrawal of coalition forces, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-us-talks-to-end-coalition-mission-f782db4c6550ab31ef02ef3c1793ee7b">formal talks to wind down the U.S. presence</a>&nbsp;in the country were ongoing for months. Iraqi officials have maintained that Iraqi security forces are able to deal with the remaining sleeper cells and prevent the group from staging a resurgence.

2 US soldiers injured in mission that killed ISIS Commander in Iraq

With less than two weeks before the 2024 presidential election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;are hitting the campaign trail in strategic battleground states.

Obama says America doesn't need ‘older, loonier’ version of Trump in office

Obama took the stage in Detroit alongside rapper Eminem, joking that he doesn’t often get nervous but that he “noticed my palms are sweaty,” in a reference to Eminem’s song “Lose Yourself.”

Obama focused the opening of his remarks on Donald Trump, saying that the country doesn’t need to see an “older, loonier,” version of Trump “with no guardrails.”

Trump concludes North Carolina rally with familiar refrains

Trump has concluded a dark political rally in Greensboro where he bemoaned the state of North Carolina’s economy, warned about the prospects of war if his opponent is elected and hurled personal insults at Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump wrapped up the packed event by asserting that world events such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or the Hamas raid of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, would never have happened if he were in office.

“All these things never would have never happened,” Trump claimed.

“I will end the war in Ukraine very quickly, I will stop the chaos in the Middle East and I will prevent World War III from happening. We’re so close,” Trump said.

Tulsi Gabbard says she's now a Republican

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard says she is officially joining the Republican Party.

Gabbard ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020, but broke from the party and has endorsed Trump.

She says during an appearance at his rally in North Carolina that Trump is “our best and only hope in this election.”

Former Trump chief of staff John Kelly says the former president fits the ‘general definition of fascist'

Former Trump chief of staff John Kelly says the former president — his former boss — “certainly falls into the general definition of fascist, for sure.” Speaking to the New York Times, Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general, told the paper that Trump “certainly prefers the dictator approach to government.”

They marked the former top aides’ most extended public comments about the former Republican president and the party’s 2024 nominee for the White House. Kelly declined to endorse any candidate for the White House, but told the paper, “it’s a very dangerous thing to have the wrong person elected to high office.”

Trump is lashing out at former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who has been campaigning with Kamala Harris in a bid to appeal to Republican voters who are uneasy about Trump.

Trump says of Cheney that “her father brought years of war and death to the Middle East.” He was referring to former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush.

He asserted that Harris would do poorly in Michigan for aligning with Cheney.

“Why would a Muslim or why would an Arab want to vote for someone that has Liz Cheney as her hero,” Trump said.

Trump has a long history of Islamophobic rhetoric, including, at one point, calling for a ban on Muslims entering the country during his 2016 campaign.

Eniminem joins Harris rally in native Michigan

Eminem welcomes former President Barack Obama to the stage in Detroit as the Detroit rapper’s “Lose Yourself” plays.

Trump campaign focuses on immigration and border security in campaign's final stretch

Trump in a campaign rally is focusing heavily on border security and claiming that illegal immigrants are taking jobs from African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

Economic data shows Black and Hispanic unemployment at the lower end of recent decades. In September, the unemployment rate stood at 5.7% for Blacks and 5.1% for Hispanics, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rates for both populations have plummeted since the pandemic.

Just before the pandemic, the unemployment rate for African Americans was 5.6% in December 2019 and 4.2% for Hispanics that same month.

Trump says campaign may do more big city rallies before Election Day

Trump says that Madison Square Garden isn’t the only big city mega rally he’s hoping to hold as he closes out his third campaign for the White House.

He says his staff are looking at booking big arenas in Atlanta as well as Philadelphia, after his event in liberal Manhattan this coming Sunday.

Trump is also waxing nostalgic that his campaigning days are coming to a close.

“It’s sad because we’re sort of wrapping it up,” he says. “We’re wrapping up something that has been incredible.”

He adds: “It’s been great to be with you and now we want to close it out with a beautiful bang.”

Trump has said that, regardless of what happens, he does not plan to run again - though he has been known to change his mind.

Trump campaign sizes on Biden's ‘lock him up' remark

Trump’s campaign is seizing on President Joe Biden saying “lock him up” in reference to Trump during an appearance in New Hampshire.

“Joe Biden just admitted the truth: he and Kamala’s plan all along has been to politically persecute their opponent President Trump because they can’t beat him fair and square,” said Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, calling on Harris to “condemn Joe Biden’s disgraceful remark.”

Biden, during his appearance, had been casting Trump as a threat to Democracy when he made the remark.

“Politically lock him up,” Biden continued. “Lock him out, that’s what we have to do.”

Trump has routinely blamed Biden for the indictments against him, though there is no evidence the president had anything to do with them.

Trump says North Carolina will be ‘wasteland’ under Harris but data says otherwise

Trump is portraying the nation’s economy as in shambles during a campaign stop in Greensboro, N.C. He claims that “with four more years of Kamala Harris, North Carolina will be an economic wasteland.”

But that’s in contrast to a CNBC study earlier this year that named North Carolina as the second best state to do business, and it’s been in the top three of CNBC’s survey for five years in a row.

The state’s Department of Commerce says that since 2017, North Carolina has announced more than 115,300 jobs and promised capital investments of $53.45 billion. Major projects have been announced by companies including Apple, Toyota and Wolfspeed.

Trump urges rallygoers to vote and — again — floats election conspiracies

Trump is kicking off his rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, by asking his audience if they’re better off now than they were four years ago. And he’s going after Harris, calling her the country’s worst-ever vice president and “a radical left lunatic.”

He’s calling the country “a failing nation” and saying this election “is a choice between whether we will have four more years of incompetent failure and disaster, or whether we’ll begin the four greatest years in the history of our country.”

“We’re going to take care of you. We’re going to work together”

Trump is urging those who were displaced by Hurricane Helene to visit his campaign’s website to see how they can vote.

Trump’s team and Republicans have backed a series of modifications to make it easier for those in the state to vote, despite having railed against changes so that people could more safely vote during the pandemic.

He says his supporters need to make the election “too big too rig.”

Trump tells North Carolina that he will fix the state post-Helene if elected

Trump is speaking to supporters at a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, saying he’s seen a lot of the state lately and has followed the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

Trump began his rally complaining that the state’s residents “haven’t had much help from our government in Washington. I can tell you that.”

He says that following Jan. 20th, “you’re going to be seeing a lot of me. We’re going to fix it up and make it better than ever.”

Harris says she will build an economy that 'supports the working class'

In an interview with Telemundo, Harris said she will help construct an economy that “supports the working class.”

The Spanish-language news channel spoke to Harris in English, but her interview was dubbed into Spanish for listeners. In response to claims by Donald Trump that she’s a socialist, she said she was a “capitalist. A pragmatic capitalist.”

And she said she would focus on bringing capital to community banks to help Latino men get small business loans

Harris says Biden is ‘capable in every way’ to be president

Harris says she still believes Joe Biden is “capable in every way” of being president, after his disastrous debate against Trump forced him to abandon his reelection campaign, clearing the way for her to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Speaking to NBC News, Harris says “you’d have to ask him if that’s the only reason why” he dropped out of the race, but that she has “no reluctance” in saying he’s up for the job.

Harris says she won't entertain hypotheticals about a Trump pardon

Harris says she’s not going to “get into those hypotheticals” about potentially pardoning Trump if she wins the White House. Trump has been convicted in a New York hush money trial and faces federal charges over his role in trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Asked if she thought pardoning Trump would help the country move on, she says, “Let me tell you what’s going to help us move on. I get elected President of the United States.”

Harris says she doesn’t want religious exceptions in restoring abortion access

Harris tells NBC News she doesn’t believe that religious exceptions should be granted as Democrats look to restore a national right to abortion. Harris says she’s not “going to engage in hypotheticals” about negotiations with Congress, but appears to reject having a carve-out for providers with a religious objection to providing abortions. “I don’t think we should be making concessions when we’re talking about a fundamental freedom to make decisions about your own body,” she says.

Harris says she’s not focused on highlighting historic candidacy

Harris says she’s not focused on pointing out the historic nature of her candidacy. She tells NBC News: “I’m clearly a woman, I don’t need to point that out to anyone.”

Harris would be the first woman elected to the White House if she wins. She says she’s not worried about sexism harming her candidacy, saying she’s focused on speaking to all voters.

“I will never assume that anyone in our country should elect a leader based on their gender or their race, instead that that leader needs to earn the vote based on substance and what they will do to address challenges and to inspire people,” she said.

Harris says lowering costs will be feature of her administration

Vice President Kamala Harris says that if elected she will be more focused on lowering costs for American families than President Joe Biden.

Speaking to NBC News, Harris says: “Mine will not be a continuation of the Biden administration. I bring my own experiences, my own ideas to it, and it has informed a number of my areas of focus.” She added that those focus areas are on “lowering costs.”

Biden says Trump is a ‘genuine threat to democracy’

President Joe Biden has laid into his predecessor, Donald Trump, declaring during a visit to New Hampshire that the former president is a “genuine threat to democracy.”

Biden gave a speech focused on prescription drug prices but used the end to suggest that world leaders are terrified of a second Trump term. He said they often pull him aside at summits and quietly wonder what a Trump return to the White House will do to democratic rule around the world.

Biden got so wrapped up in his criticism that he declared at one point of Trump, “lock him up,” echoing similar calls that some supporters make at the rallies of Vice

“Politically lock him up,” Biden continued over applause from attendees. “Lock him out, that’s what we have to do.”

More than 19 million people have already cast ballots in the presidential election

Record numbers of people are voting early, driven partly by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/early-vote-records-trump-harris-1c219d0d27d56996388f2e2be5a58fac">a surge of Republicans</a>&nbsp;convinced to do so by Donald Trump. Trump previously turned his party off voting early with his election lies, but he’s changed direction this year and now encourages it.

The early vote doesn’t tell you who’s going to win an election. You just know who’s casting a ballot, not who they’re voting for. Wait until Election night to find that out.

▶ Meanwhile, you can see who’s voting in your state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/election-results-2024/2024-early-voting-tracker/">here</a>.

Biden urges people to vote, saying ‘so much at stake’

Biden veered into talking about the election as he closed his prescription speech in New Hampshire.

“Folks, there’s so much at stake so please call your neighbors, get your friends, get your relatives,” the president said, urging people to vote in the presidential election.

Biden made veiled references to Trump when he said that every world leader he meets pulls him aside to tell him they don’t want Trump to win.