WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Friday to fund most of the government through the end of September after President Donald Trump made a deal with Democrats to carve out Homeland Security funding and allow Congress to debate new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country.

With a weekend shutdown looming, Trump made the rare deal with Senate Democrats on Thursday in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis. Under the agreement, the Homeland Security money will continue at current levels for two weeks while lawmakers consider Democratic demands to unmask agents, require more warrants and allow local authorities to help investigate any incidents.

The bill passed in a 71-29 vote. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

The bill will now head to the House, which is not due back until Monday. That means the government could be in a partial shutdown temporarily over the weekend until they pass it.

As lawmakers in both parties called for investigations into the fatal shootings by federal agents, Trump said he didn’t want a shutdown and encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”

The president's concessions to Democrats prompted pushback from some Senate Republicans, delaying the final votes and providing a preview of the coming debate over the next two weeks. In a fiery floor speech, Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina warned that Republicans should not give away too much.

“To the Republican party, where have you been?” Graham said, adding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Border Patrol agents have been “slandered and smeared."

Still, some Republicans said they believe that changes to ICE’s operations were necessary, even as they were unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats’ requests.

“I think the last couple of days have been an improvement,” said Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. “I think the rhetoric has been dialed down a little bit, in Minnesota.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">Irate Democrats</a>&nbsp;say that they won't vote again to fund the Department of Homeland Security until Congress puts new curbs on ICE and other federal agencies conducting the raids.

“These are not radical demands,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. “They’re basic standards the American people already expect from law enforcement.”

Democrats have asked the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.

They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>, a 37 year-old ICU nurse, was killed by a border patrol agent on Jan. 24, two weeks after protester&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;was killed by an ICE officer. Administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">said that Pretti had aggressively approached officers</a>, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-alex-pretti-videos-immigration-809506eb23f44a3e8f6e53b9fda7b700">multiple videos</a>&nbsp;contradicted that claim.

Republicans countered with their own demands, including restrictions on so-called “sanctuary cities” that they say do not do enough to enforce illegal immigration.

“There no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats knee cap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” said Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., ahead of the vote.

Graham held the spending bills up until Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., agreed to give him a vote on his sanctuary cities bill at a later date.

Separately, Graham was also protesting a repeal of a new law giving senators the ability to sue the government for millions of dollars if their personal or office data is accessed without their knowledge — as happened to him and other senators as part of the so-called Arctic Frost investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by Trump supporters at the Capitol.

The spending bill, which was passed by the House last week, would repeal that law. But Graham said that Thune had agreed to consider a separate bill that would allow “groups and private citizens” who were caught up in Jack Smith's probe to sue.

The unusual bipartisan talks between Trump and Schumer, his frequent adversary, came after Pretti's death. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”

The standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.

That shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans. But Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he was opposed to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”

Johnson said he might have some “tough decisions” to make about when to bring the House back to Washington to approve the bills separated by the Senate.

House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to their bill.

“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote Trump.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that any change in the homeland bill needs to be “meaningful and it needs to be transformative.”

Absent “dramatic change,” Jeffries said, “Republicans will get another shutdown.”

Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, Seung Min Kim, Michelle L. Price and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769820803076.png" alt="Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted Friday to fund most of the government through the end of September after President Donald Trump made a deal with Democrats to carve out Homeland Security funding and allow Congress to debate new restrictions on federal immigration raids across the country.With a weekend shutdown looming, Trump made the rare deal with Senate Democrats on Thursday in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis. Under the agreement, the Homeland Security money will continue at current levels for two weeks while lawmakers consider Democratic demands to unmask agents, require more warrants and allow local authorities to help investigate any incidents.The bill passed in a 71-29 vote. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315749226.png" alt="The bill will now head to the House, which is not due back until Monday. That means the government could be in a partial shutdown temporarily over the weekend until they pass it.&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The bill will now head to the House, which is not due back until Monday. That means the government could be in a partial shutdown temporarily over the weekend until they pass it.&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The bill will now head to the House, which is not due back until Monday. That means the government could be in a partial shutdown temporarily over the weekend until they pass it.As lawmakers in both parties called for investigations into the fatal shootings by federal agents, Trump said he didn’t want a shutdown and encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”The president's concessions to Democrats prompted pushback from some Senate Republicans, delaying the final votes and providing a preview of the coming debate over the next two weeks. In a fiery floor speech, Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina warned that Republicans should not give away too much.“To the Republican party, where have you been?” Graham said, adding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Border Patrol agents have been “slandered and smeared."Still, some Republicans said they believe that changes to ICE’s operations were necessary, even as they were unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats’ requests.“I think the last couple of days have been an improvement,” said Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul. “I think the rhetoric has been dialed down a little bit, in Minnesota.”<h2>Democrats demand change</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">Irate Democrats</a>&nbsp;say that they won't vote again to fund the Department of Homeland Security until Congress puts new curbs on ICE and other federal agencies conducting the raids.“These are not radical demands,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer. “They’re basic standards the American people already expect from law enforcement.”Democrats have asked the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>, a 37 year-old ICU nurse, was killed by a border patrol agent on Jan. 24, two weeks after protester&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;was killed by an ICE officer. Administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, originally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">said that Pretti had aggressively approached officers</a>, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minneapolis-ice-alex-pretti-videos-immigration-809506eb23f44a3e8f6e53b9fda7b700">multiple videos</a>&nbsp;contradicted that claim.<h2>Republican pushback</h2>Republicans countered with their own demands, including restrictions on so-called “sanctuary cities” that they say do not do enough to enforce illegal immigration.“There no way in hell we’re going to let Democrats knee cap law enforcement and stop deportations in exchange for funding DHS,” said Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., ahead of the vote.Graham held the spending bills up until Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., agreed to give him a vote on his sanctuary cities bill at a later date.Separately, Graham was also protesting a repeal of a new law giving senators the ability to sue the government for millions of dollars if their personal or office data is accessed without their knowledge — as happened to him and other senators as part of the so-called Arctic Frost investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack by Trump supporters at the Capitol.The spending bill, which was passed by the House last week, would repeal that law. But Graham said that Thune had agreed to consider a separate bill that would allow “groups and private citizens” who were caught up in Jack Smith's probe to sue.<h2>Rare bipartisan talks</h2>The unusual bipartisan talks between Trump and Schumer, his frequent adversary, came after Pretti's death. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”The standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.That shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans. But Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.<h2>Uncertainty in the House</h2>House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he was opposed to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”Johnson said he might have some “tough decisions” to make about when to bring the House back to Washington to approve the bills separated by the Senate.House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to their bill.“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote Trump.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that any change in the homeland bill needs to be “meaningful and it needs to be transformative.”Absent “dramatic change,” Jeffries said, “Republicans will get another shutdown.”___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, Seung Min Kim, Michelle L. Price and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.

Moran, Marshall help Senate pass Trump's government funding deal

NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9">released many more records</a>&nbsp;from its investigative files on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here t</a>o view the latest files

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, posted to the department’s website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.

Congressional Democrats, who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein, are arguing that Friday’s release is only about half of the files that have been collected.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, a law enacted after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-e1fa3b7cb64b6c678073744c7744c4a9">months of public and political pressure</a>, requires the government to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">open its files</a>&nbsp;on the convicted sex offender as well as his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.

Justice Department didn’t fully redact all documents

At least one of the files appears to show personal information that was meant to be kept from the public.

It’s an email exchange that appears to be marked for redactions but leaves names and telephone numbers visible. The December 2019 emails captured officials discussing missing surveillance video from the New York jail where Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a104be68ede71c99f26c4e765d244e0e">survived an apparent suicide attempt</a>&nbsp;earlier that year.

Epstein advised Democrats to stop demonizing Trump

During Trump’s first term, Epstein emailed Kathy Ruemmler, a lawyer and former Obama White House official, to warn that Democrats should stop demonizing Trump as a Mafia-type figure even as he derided the president as a “maniac.”

“you might want to tell your dem friends that treatin= trump like a mafia don , ignores the fact that he has great dangerous pow.r..” Epstein wrote in a typo-filled email. “tightening the noose too slowly, risks a very bad =ituation.. gambino was never the commander in chief.”

Epstein supported Trump’s first-term efforts to oust Fed chair

In a 2018 exchange, Epstein and Trump advisor Steve Bannon discussed the president’s threats to oust Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom he had named to the post just the year prior.

“should have been done months ago too old!!!!” Epstein wrote.

“Can u get rid of Powell or really get rid of mnuchin,” Bannon replied, referring to then-Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

“no, mnuchin is ok,” Epstein replied.

Trump on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">named Kevin Warsh</a>&nbsp;to succeed Powell after spending the past year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">assailing him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

Some documents are related to Epstein’s incarceration and suicide

Others center around Ghislaine Maxwell’s incarceration and her grievances related to her imprisonment conditions.

The records contain emails between investigators that discuss Epstein’s death, including his last note — with the email stating that it does not appear to be a suicide note.

Thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein’s jail suicide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">have already been</a>&nbsp;released.

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”

Congressional Democrats criticize DOJ’s release as incomplete

Congressional Democrats who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein are arguing that Friday’s release by the Department of Justice is only about half of the files that have been collected.

“The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who sponsored the bill that mandated the disclosure.

Khanna said he was looking to see whether the files released Friday included FBI interviews with victims, a draft indictment and information prosecutors collected during a 2007 investigation into Epstein in Florida.

The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”

Records include unsubstantiated tips sent to investigators

Over the years, prosecutors received tips from people with wild stories about being sexually abused by famous figures. In some instances, FBI investigators diligently reached out to these tipsters and alleged victims and listened to their implausible sounding stories — some involving the occult and human sacrifice — then wrote dry reports summarizing what the people had to say and sent them to their superiors.

Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor says even more documents will be released

Attorney Jay Clayton told New York federal court judges overseeing records in the sex trafficking cases against Epstein and Maxwell that some documents are being withheld temporarily while the government awaits further guidance from civil and criminal courts.

In a letter to the judges, Clayton says his office continues to engage with victims and their lawyers, including during a call Thursday. He said the Justice Department has invited victims to reach out if they believe anything has been published that should be redacted.

Some of the documents we’ve seen so far

The huge cache of documents included email correspondence between prosecutors, printouts of thousands of emails that Epstein either sent or received, news clippings, and reports written by FBI agents summarizing their interviews with witnesses and alleged victims in the investigation.

As was the case with many previous releases of documents related to Epstein, much material was blacked out. Some of the reports on FBI interviews had entire pages blacked out, along with the name of the person who was being interviewed.

Blanche defends DOJ handling of Epstein release

The deputy U.S. attorney general also responded to criticism about the Justice Department’s handling of the files’ release.

He said federal attorneys had to review all 6 million pages to ensure no victim information is released, and couldn’t do so within the 30-day timeline set by the law. He noted various exemptions under the law, but said no material was being withheld under a national security or foreign policy exemption.

“There’s not some tranche of super-secret documents about Jeffrey Epstein that we’re withholding,” he said about redactions in the files.

Blanche acknowledges extensive redactions

Justice Department lawyers made extensive redactions to the released files, including victim information that included their medical files.

They redacted images and videos, including removing any woman depicted in videos except for Ghislaine Maxwell.

Lawyers also withheld child sex abuse materials or anything depicting images of death, physical abuse or injury, as well as anything that would hurt an ongoing federal investigation, Blanche said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769812323594.png" alt="Image released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday" />
 <figcaption>Image released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-justice-department-trump-ed743598c320b94bd9d91631618678d9">released many more records</a>&nbsp;from its investigative files on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>, resuming disclosures under a law intended to reveal what the government knew about the millionaire financier’s sexual abuse of young girls and his interactions with the rich and powerful.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/epstein">Click here t</a>o view the latest files<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769817863085.png" alt="Email exchange from Elon Musk in the files released Friday" />
 <figcaption>Email exchange from Elon Musk in the files released Friday</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department was releasing more than 3 million pages of documents in the latest Epstein disclosure, as well as more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images. The files, posted to the department’s website, include some of the several million pages of records that officials said were withheld from an initial release of documents in December.Congressional Democrats, who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein, are arguing that Friday’s release is only about half of the files that have been collected.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">The Epstein Files Transparency Act</a>, a law enacted after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-e1fa3b7cb64b6c678073744c7744c4a9">months of public and political pressure</a>, requires the government to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-files-release-justice-department-32cbc21a6ae8189dccd00455dc83d2be">open its files</a>&nbsp;on the convicted sex offender as well as his confidant and onetime girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Epstein killed himself in a New York jail cell in August 2019, a month after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges.Here's the latest:<h2>Justice Department didn’t fully redact all documents</h2>At least one of the files appears to show personal information that was meant to be kept from the public.It’s an email exchange that appears to be marked for redactions but leaves names and telephone numbers visible. The December 2019 emails captured officials discussing missing surveillance video from the New York jail where Epstein&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a104be68ede71c99f26c4e765d244e0e">survived an apparent suicide attempt</a>&nbsp;earlier that year.<h2>Epstein advised Democrats to stop demonizing Trump</h2>During Trump’s first term, Epstein emailed Kathy Ruemmler, a lawyer and former Obama White House official, to warn that Democrats should stop demonizing Trump as a Mafia-type figure even as he derided the president as a “maniac.”“you might want to tell your dem friends that treatin= trump like a mafia don , ignores the fact that he has great dangerous pow.r..” Epstein wrote in a typo-filled email. “tightening the noose too slowly, risks a very bad =ituation.. gambino was never the commander in chief.”<h2>Epstein supported Trump’s first-term efforts to oust Fed chair</h2>In a 2018 exchange, Epstein and Trump advisor Steve Bannon discussed the president’s threats to oust Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom he had named to the post just the year prior.“should have been done months ago too old!!!!” Epstein wrote.“Can u get rid of Powell or really get rid of mnuchin,” Bannon replied, referring to then-Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.“no, mnuchin is ok,” Epstein replied.Trump on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">named Kevin Warsh</a>&nbsp;to succeed Powell after spending the past year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-4821bb5d0baa9980c4c69ab26fab3ab4">assailing him</a>&nbsp;for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.<h2>Some documents are related to Epstein’s incarceration and suicide</h2>Others center around Ghislaine Maxwell’s incarceration and her grievances related to her imprisonment conditions.The records contain emails between investigators that discuss Epstein’s death, including his last note — with the email stating that it does not appear to be a suicide note.Thousands of pages of documents related to Epstein’s jail suicide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-jail-suicide-prison-death-8d194a756f2b429067f009a0c70f96c0">have already been</a>&nbsp;released.<h2>House committee wants more from Bondi</h2>The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled. Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”<h2>Congressional Democrats criticize DOJ’s release as incomplete</h2>Congressional Democrats who have been key to pushing for the release of case files on Epstein are arguing that Friday’s release by the Department of Justice is only about half of the files that have been collected.“The DOJ said it identified over 6 million potentially responsive pages but is releasing only about 3.5 million after review and redactions. This raises questions as to why the rest are being withheld,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat who sponsored the bill that mandated the disclosure.Khanna said he was looking to see whether the files released Friday included FBI interviews with victims, a draft indictment and information prosecutors collected during a 2007 investigation into Epstein in Florida.The House Oversight Committee has also issued a separate subpoena to Attorney General Pam Bondi for the files without redactions, but that has not been fulfilled.Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, called the limited release of documents “outrageous and incredibly concerning.”<h2>Records include unsubstantiated tips sent to investigators</h2>Over the years, prosecutors received tips from people with wild stories about being sexually abused by famous figures. In some instances, FBI investigators diligently reached out to these tipsters and alleged victims and listened to their implausible sounding stories — some involving the occult and human sacrifice — then wrote dry reports summarizing what the people had to say and sent them to their superiors.<h2>Manhattan’s top federal prosecutor says even more documents will be released</h2>Attorney Jay Clayton told New York federal court judges overseeing records in the sex trafficking cases against Epstein and Maxwell that some documents are being withheld temporarily while the government awaits further guidance from civil and criminal courts.In a letter to the judges, Clayton says his office continues to engage with victims and their lawyers, including during a call Thursday. He said the Justice Department has invited victims to reach out if they believe anything has been published that should be redacted.<h2>Some of the documents we’ve seen so far</h2>The huge cache of documents included email correspondence between prosecutors, printouts of thousands of emails that Epstein either sent or received, news clippings, and reports written by FBI agents summarizing their interviews with witnesses and alleged victims in the investigation.As was the case with many previous releases of documents related to Epstein, much material was blacked out. Some of the reports on FBI interviews had entire pages blacked out, along with the name of the person who was being interviewed.<h2>Blanche defends DOJ handling of Epstein release</h2>The deputy U.S. attorney general also responded to criticism about the Justice Department’s handling of the files’ release.He said federal attorneys had to review all 6 million pages to ensure no victim information is released, and couldn’t do so within the 30-day timeline set by the law. He noted various exemptions under the law, but said no material was being withheld under a national security or foreign policy exemption.“There’s not some tranche of super-secret documents about Jeffrey Epstein that we’re withholding,” he said about redactions in the files.<h2>Blanche acknowledges extensive redactions</h2>Justice Department lawyers made extensive redactions to the released files, including victim information that included their medical files.They redacted images and videos, including removing any woman depicted in videos except for Ghislaine Maxwell.Lawyers also withheld child sex abuse materials or anything depicting images of death, physical abuse or injury, as well as anything that would hurt an ongoing federal investigation, Blanche said.

View the latest release of millions of pages of Epstein file documents

Panel rejects trial judge’s sanction against KHP for using ‘Kansas Two-Step’

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court decision that the Kansas Highway Patrol engaged in unconstitutional targeting of out-of-state motorists, but it decided an injunction issued by the trial judge against the state law enforcement agency went too far.

On Thursday, the 10th Circuit affirmed the Kansas district court’s decision requiring KHP to alter trooper training related to targeting of motorists so those procedures adhered to the Fourth Amendment standard in the U.S. Constitution regarding searches and seizures. However, the appellate panel reviewing the outcome of Shaw v. Jones directed U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Vratil to revise her injunction imposing further restraints on KHP.

Monica Bennett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas, said the result was KHP must retrain its troopers to “observe and respect the rights of all people traveling Kansas highways.”

“Motorists in Kansas and across the country are entitled to expect law enforcement to comply with the Constitution,” said Patrick McInerney, a partner at the Spencer Fane law firm. “The court’s decision today demands it, and we are proud to have been part of the effort to hold the KHP accountable.”

The lawsuit was filed in 2020 by ACLU of Kansas and Spencer Fane to challenge KHP’s policy of homing in on motorists with out-of-state license plates. Under this KHP practice, troopers on Interstate 70 focused on vehicles traveling to or from Colorado, which allows recreational sales of marijuana.

Under the 2016 decision in Vasquez v. Lewis, the 10th Circuit previously held “a driver’s state of residency is a completely innocuous factor in determining whether a driver is suspicious.”

KHP declined to incorporate the Vasquez ruling into its training programs and continued to rely on a person’s residency for the basis of traffic stops along I-70. The reality of the 2016 Court of Appeals decision didn’t become part of KHP training materials until after plaintiffs in the case filed the lawsuit.

Statistical evidence presented during trial found out-of-state drivers comprised 35% of drivers on the I-70, but made up 77% of KHP traffic stops and 90% of KHP canine searches.

“Despite repeated warnings from the 10th Circuit, the Kansas Highway Patrol has continued to unconstitutionally target out-of-state drivers for suspicionless roadside detentions,” said Brian Hauss, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.

The lawsuit’s plaintiffs also sought to stop KHP officers from using a roadside tactic, referred to as the “Kansas Two-Step.” It involves KHP troopers taking a couple of steps toward a patrol vehicle to leave the impression of terminating traffic stops before reengaging drivers in a conversation designed to develop reasonable suspicion of drug trafficking and prompt a vehicle search for contraband.

Vratil’s injunction, put in place for up to four years, required KHP to reform its training to address the nonresident motorist problem.

She also forbid use by KHP of the two-step strategy for motorists on I-70, I-35, U.S. Route 54 or U.S. Route 36. She ordered KHP to alter its training curriculum so troopers informed drivers of their right to refuse whenever asked for consent to search their vehicle. She mandated a driver’s consent had to be documented in writing by KHP.

In addition, Vratil ordered KHP to collect data on traffic stops and seizures. She directed KHP to create video and audio recordings of all traffic stops and mandated KHP supervisors review the recordings within 72 hours for policy infractions.

After the district court ruled against KHP and ordered the agency to reform enforcement practices, KHP Superintendent Eric Smith appealed to the Court of Appeals.

The appellate judges considering the Kansas case agreed KHP should have long ago abandoned the “pretense that state citizenship is a permissible basis upon which to justify the detention and search of out-of-state motorists.”

The Court of Appeals also held the “district court abused its discretion by granting injunctive relief beyond ordering further training regarding the irrelevance of a driver’s state of origin.”

Specifically, the Court of Appeals faulted Vratil’s comprehensive injunction for inhibiting KHP’s use of the controversial two-step approach when engaged in traffic stops.

“This circuit has never held that this practice has violated a driver’s constitutional rights and has repeatedly upheld that practice in specific cases,” the appeals court said.

The KHP didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision of the federal Court of Appeals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586208701830.png" alt="The 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals published an opinion affirming a Kansas judge's conclusion the Kansas Highway Patrol engaged in unconstitutional traffic stops by targeting out-of-state motorists, but reversing a majority of sanctions imposed on the law enforcement agency for its controversial "Kansas Two-Step" approach to extending traffic stops to justify vehicle searches.-photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>The 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals published an opinion affirming a Kansas judge's conclusion the Kansas Highway Patrol engaged in unconstitutional traffic stops by targeting out-of-state motorists, but reversing a majority of sanctions imposed on the law enforcement agency for its controversial "Kansas Two-Step" approach to extending traffic stops to justify vehicle searches.-photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Panel rejects trial judge’s sanction against KHP for using ‘Kansas Two-Step’</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">Tim Carpenter</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court decision that the Kansas Highway Patrol engaged in unconstitutional targeting of out-of-state motorists, but it decided an injunction issued by the trial judge against the state law enforcement agency went too far.On Thursday, the 10th Circuit affirmed the Kansas district court’s decision requiring KHP to alter trooper training related to targeting of motorists so those procedures adhered to the Fourth Amendment standard in the U.S. Constitution regarding searches and seizures. However, the appellate panel reviewing the outcome of Shaw v. Jones directed U.S. District Court Judge Kathryn Vratil to revise her injunction imposing further restraints on KHP.Monica Bennett, legal director of the ACLU of Kansas, said the result was KHP must retrain its troopers to “observe and respect the rights of all people traveling Kansas highways.”“Motorists in Kansas and across the country are entitled to expect law enforcement to comply with the Constitution,” said Patrick McInerney, a partner at the Spencer Fane law firm. “The court’s decision today demands it, and we are proud to have been part of the effort to hold the KHP accountable.”The lawsuit was filed in 2020 by ACLU of Kansas and Spencer Fane to challenge KHP’s policy of homing in on motorists with out-of-state license plates. Under this KHP practice, troopers on Interstate 70 focused on vehicles traveling to or from Colorado, which allows recreational sales of marijuana.Under the 2016 decision in Vasquez v. Lewis, the 10th Circuit previously held “a driver’s state of residency is a completely innocuous factor in determining whether a driver is suspicious.”KHP declined to incorporate the Vasquez ruling into its training programs and continued to rely on a person’s residency for the basis of traffic stops along I-70. The reality of the 2016 Court of Appeals decision didn’t become part of KHP training materials until after plaintiffs in the case filed the lawsuit.Statistical evidence presented during trial found out-of-state drivers comprised 35% of drivers on the I-70, but made up 77% of KHP traffic stops and 90% of KHP canine searches.“Despite repeated warnings from the 10th Circuit, the Kansas Highway Patrol has continued to unconstitutionally target out-of-state drivers for suspicionless roadside detentions,” said Brian Hauss, deputy director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project.The lawsuit’s plaintiffs also sought to stop KHP officers from using a roadside tactic, referred to as the “Kansas Two-Step.” It involves KHP troopers taking a couple of steps toward a patrol vehicle to leave the impression of terminating traffic stops before reengaging drivers in a conversation designed to develop reasonable suspicion of drug trafficking and prompt a vehicle search for contraband.Vratil’s injunction, put in place for up to four years, required KHP to reform its training to address the nonresident motorist problem.She also forbid use by KHP of the two-step strategy for motorists on I-70, I-35, U.S. Route 54 or U.S. Route 36. She ordered KHP to alter its training curriculum so troopers informed drivers of their right to refuse whenever asked for consent to search their vehicle. She mandated a driver’s consent had to be documented in writing by KHP.In addition, Vratil ordered KHP to collect data on traffic stops and seizures. She directed KHP to create video and audio recordings of all traffic stops and mandated KHP supervisors review the recordings within 72 hours for policy infractions.After the district court ruled against KHP and ordered the agency to reform enforcement practices, KHP Superintendent Eric Smith appealed to the Court of Appeals.The appellate judges considering the Kansas case agreed KHP should have long ago abandoned the “pretense that state citizenship is a permissible basis upon which to justify the detention and search of out-of-state motorists.”The Court of Appeals also held the “district court abused its discretion by granting injunctive relief beyond ordering further training regarding the irrelevance of a driver’s state of origin.”Specifically, the Court of Appeals faulted Vratil’s comprehensive injunction for inhibiting KHP’s use of the controversial two-step approach when engaged in traffic stops.“This circuit has never held that this practice has violated a driver’s constitutional rights and has repeatedly upheld that practice in specific cases,” the appeals court said.The KHP didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about the decision of the federal Court of Appeals.

Appeals court affirms KHP traffic stops violate motorists’ constitutional rights

NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets churned on Friday as investors tried to figure out what President Donald Trump’s new nominee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">lead the Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will mean for interest rates.

U.S. stocks fell, with the S&amp;P 500 down 0.4% after sinking as much as 1.1% earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 179 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.9%.

The value of the U.S. dollar rallied, but only after swiveling a couple times following Trump’s nomination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-chair-48dcd3a768960eabb4e52183fa897aa1">Kevin Warsh</a>. And some of the wildest action was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-dollar-gold-fed-2a3715ff96ba5c10b97c49e04ad9f8ec">again in precious metals markets</a>, where gold and silver prices plunged following their stellar runs over the last year.

Whoever leads the Fed has a big influence on the economy and markets worldwide by helping to dictate where the U.S. central bank moves interest rates. Such decisions lift or weigh on prices for all kinds of investments, as the Fed tries to keep the U.S. job market humming without letting inflation get out of control. Trump has been pushing for lower interest rates, which usually help goose the economy but can also cause higher inflation.

A fear in financial markets has been that the Fed will lose some of its independence because of Trump. That fear in turn helped catapult the price of gold and weaken the U.S. dollar’s value over the last year.

The longtime assumption has been that the Fed should operate separately from the rest of Washington so that it can make moves that are painful in the short term but necessary for the long term. To get inflation down to the Fed’s goal of 2%, for example, may require the unpopular choice to keep interest rates high and grind down on the economy for a while.

The big question is what Warsh’s nomination, which still requires approval from the Senate, means for the Fed’s independence.

Warsh used to be a governor on the Fed’s board, so investors are familiar with him. That could also mean Warsh is familiar with and hopes to continue the institution of the Fed as an independent operator. And while with the Fed, Warsh criticized the central bank’s buying of bonds to keep interest rates low.

Some on Wall Street took Warsh’s nomination as an encouraging signal for a still-independent Fed that will keep rates high, if necessary. Besides slowing the economy, higher interest rates would push downward on stock prices.

But Warsh has also recently been critical of the Fed’s current chair, Jerome Powell, and has voiced support for lower rates.

“Indeed, Warsh is not the Fed’s guy, he is Trump’s guy, and has shadowed Trump on monetary policy almost every step of the way since 2009,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group. “This doesn’t necessarily mean that Warsh will push the Fed into rate cuts soon,” but it could indicate he may be quicker to do so when the time comes.

On Wall Street, stocks of metals miners tumbled as the price of gold dropped 11.4% to settle at $4,745.10 per ounce. Gold’s price suddenly ran out of momentum following a tremendous rally where it roughly doubled over 12 months. It topped $5,000 for the first time on Monday and was around $5,600 at one point on Thursday.

Silver, which had been on a similar, jaw-dropping tear, fell even more. It plunged 31.4%.

Prices for gold and other precious metals had been surging as investors looked for safer places for their money while weighing a wide range of risks, including a potentially less independent Fed, a U.S. stock market that critics say is expensive, threats of tariffs and heavy debt loads for governments worldwide.

The dramatic halt may have been inevitable given how far and how fast metal prices had surged over the last year. Nothing goes up in price forever.

Friday’s drops for metals prices helped send the stock of miner Newmont down 11.5%. Freeport-McMoRan, another miner, dropped 7.5%.

Helping to limit the market’s losses was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-trump-electric-vehicles-ev-robots-autonomous-selfdriving-bcb143e0bb16085f7b80b6bf0b759abf">Tesla</a>, which rose 3.3%. It bounced back after dropping on Thursday despite delivering better profit reports for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Apple added 0.5% after the iPhone maker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-sales-quarterly-earnings-d977caff8c186aa012570bc28e5caca2">reported a stronger profit</a>&nbsp;for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 29.98 points to 6,939.03. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 179.09 to 48,892.47, and the Nasdaq composite sank 223.30 to 23,461.82.

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.25% from 4.24% late Thursday. It got near 4.28% in the overnight and early-morning hours before falling back. A rise in a bond’s yield indicates that its price is weakening.

Yields may have felt some upward pressure from a report released Friday showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/producer-prices-inflation-december-55b6a370da197072f39e072379583c78">U.S. inflation at the wholesale level was hotter</a>&nbsp;last month than economists expected. That could put pressure on the Fed to keep interest rates steady for a while instead of cutting them, as it did late last year.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in much of Europe following a mixed performance in Asia.

Stocks rose 1.2% in Jakarta after the CEO of Indonesia’s stock market resigned Friday. Stocks had stumbled there in prior days after MSCI, an influential company in the investment industry that creates stock and other indexes, warned about market risks such as a lack of transparency.

___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File photo (AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Financial markets churned on Friday as investors tried to figure out what President Donald Trump’s new nominee to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warsh-trump-federal-reserve-chair-6b4441263c1b7ecb40b96adf17adeea2">lead the Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will mean for interest rates.U.S. stocks fell, with the S&amp;P 500 down 0.4% after sinking as much as 1.1% earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 179 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.9%.The value of the U.S. dollar rallied, but only after swiveling a couple times following Trump’s nomination of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-warsh-federal-reserve-chair-48dcd3a768960eabb4e52183fa897aa1">Kevin Warsh</a>. And some of the wildest action was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-dollar-gold-fed-2a3715ff96ba5c10b97c49e04ad9f8ec">again in precious metals markets</a>, where gold and silver prices plunged following their stellar runs over the last year.Whoever leads the Fed has a big influence on the economy and markets worldwide by helping to dictate where the U.S. central bank moves interest rates. Such decisions lift or weigh on prices for all kinds of investments, as the Fed tries to keep the U.S. job market humming without letting inflation get out of control. Trump has been pushing for lower interest rates, which usually help goose the economy but can also cause higher inflation.A fear in financial markets has been that the Fed will lose some of its independence because of Trump. That fear in turn helped catapult the price of gold and weaken the U.S. dollar’s value over the last year.The longtime assumption has been that the Fed should operate separately from the rest of Washington so that it can make moves that are painful in the short term but necessary for the long term. To get inflation down to the Fed’s goal of 2%, for example, may require the unpopular choice to keep interest rates high and grind down on the economy for a while.The big question is what Warsh’s nomination, which still requires approval from the Senate, means for the Fed’s independence.Warsh used to be a governor on the Fed’s board, so investors are familiar with him. That could also mean Warsh is familiar with and hopes to continue the institution of the Fed as an independent operator. And while with the Fed, Warsh criticized the central bank’s buying of bonds to keep interest rates low.Some on Wall Street took Warsh’s nomination as an encouraging signal for a still-independent Fed that will keep rates high, if necessary. Besides slowing the economy, higher interest rates would push downward on stock prices.But Warsh has also recently been critical of the Fed’s current chair, Jerome Powell, and has voiced support for lower rates.“Indeed, Warsh is not the Fed’s guy, he is Trump’s guy, and has shadowed Trump on monetary policy almost every step of the way since 2009,” according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie Group. “This doesn’t necessarily mean that Warsh will push the Fed into rate cuts soon,” but it could indicate he may be quicker to do so when the time comes.On Wall Street, stocks of metals miners tumbled as the price of gold dropped 11.4% to settle at $4,745.10 per ounce. Gold’s price suddenly ran out of momentum following a tremendous rally where it roughly doubled over 12 months. It topped $5,000 for the first time on Monday and was around $5,600 at one point on Thursday.Silver, which had been on a similar, jaw-dropping tear, fell even more. It plunged 31.4%.Prices for gold and other precious metals had been surging as investors looked for safer places for their money while weighing a wide range of risks, including a potentially less independent Fed, a U.S. stock market that critics say is expensive, threats of tariffs and heavy debt loads for governments worldwide.The dramatic halt may have been inevitable given how far and how fast metal prices had surged over the last year. Nothing goes up in price forever.Friday’s drops for metals prices helped send the stock of miner Newmont down 11.5%. Freeport-McMoRan, another miner, dropped 7.5%.Helping to limit the market’s losses was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-trump-electric-vehicles-ev-robots-autonomous-selfdriving-bcb143e0bb16085f7b80b6bf0b759abf">Tesla</a>, which rose 3.3%. It bounced back after dropping on Thursday despite delivering better profit reports for the latest quarter than analysts expected.Apple added 0.5% after the iPhone maker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-iphone-sales-quarterly-earnings-d977caff8c186aa012570bc28e5caca2">reported a stronger profit</a>&nbsp;for the latest quarter than analysts expected.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 29.98 points to 6,939.03. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 179.09 to 48,892.47, and the Nasdaq composite sank 223.30 to 23,461.82.In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.25% from 4.24% late Thursday. It got near 4.28% in the overnight and early-morning hours before falling back. A rise in a bond’s yield indicates that its price is weakening.Yields may have felt some upward pressure from a report released Friday showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/producer-prices-inflation-december-55b6a370da197072f39e072379583c78">U.S. inflation at the wholesale level was hotter</a>&nbsp;last month than economists expected. That could put pressure on the Fed to keep interest rates steady for a while instead of cutting them, as it did late last year.In stock markets abroad, indexes rose in much of Europe following a mixed performance in Asia.Stocks rose 1.2% in Jakarta after the CEO of Indonesia’s stock market resigned Friday. Stocks had stumbled there in prior days after MSCI, an influential company in the investment industry that creates stock and other indexes, warned about market risks such as a lack of transparency.___ AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

U.S. stocks fall and a break in gold fever sends metals prices plunging

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">Catherine O’Hara</a>, a gifted Canadian-born comic actor and “SCTV” alum who starred as Macaulay Culkin’s harried mother in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmy as the dramatically ditzy wealthy matriarch Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek,” died Friday. She was 71.

O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, Creative Artists Agency. Further details were not immediately available.

O’Hara’s career was launched at the Second City in Toronto in the in 1970s. It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator — and her “Schitt’s Creek” costar. The two would be among the original cast of the sketch show “SCTV,” short for “Second City Television.” The series, which began on Canadian TV in the 1970s and aired on NBC in the U.S. in the early '80s, spawned a legendary group of esoteric comedians including Martin Short, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Joe Flaherty.

Hollywood didn't entirely know what to do with O'Hara and her scattershot style. She played oddball supporting characters in Martin Scorsese's 1985 “After Hours” and Tim Burton's 1988 “Beetlejuice” — a role she would reprise in the 2024 sequel.

She played it mostly straight as a horrified mother who accidentally abandoned her child in the two “Home Alone” movies. The films were among the biggest box office earners of the early 1990s and their Christmas setting made them TV perennials

Her co-star Culkin was among those paying her tribute Friday.

“Mama, I thought we had time,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJTe8rEmO4/?hl=en">Culkin said on Instagram</a>&nbsp;alongside an image from “Home Alone” and a recent recreation of the same pose. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later."

O'Hara would find her groove with the crew of improv pros brought together by Christopher Guest for a series of mockumentaries that began with 1996's “Waiting for Guffman” and continued with 2000's “Best in Show,” 2003's “A Might Wind” and 2006's “For Your Consideration.”

“Best in Show” was the biggest hit and best remembered film of the series. It sees her paired as Levy's wife as the couple, Gerry and Cookie Fleck, takes their Norwich terrier to a dog show, and constantly run into Cookie's former lovers along the way.

“Schitt's Creek” would be a career-capping triumph and the perfect personification of her comic talents. The small show created by Levy and his son Dan about a wealthy family forced to live in a tiny town would dominate the Emmys in its sixth and final season. It brought O'Hara, always a beloved figure, a new generation of fans and put her at the center of cultural attention.

She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that she pictured Moira, a former soap opera star, as someone who had married rich and wanted to “remind everyone that (she was) special, too.” With an exaggerated Mid-Atlantic accent and obscure vocabulary, Moira spoke unlike anyone else, using words like “frippet,” “pettifogging” and “unasinous,” to show her desire to be different, O’Hara said. To perfect Moira’s voice, O’Hara would pore through old vocabulary books, “Moira-izing” the dialogue even further than what was already written.

The show also brought a career renaissance that led to a dramatic turn on HBO's “The Last of Us" and a straitlaced role as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/studio-seth-rogen-tv-show-52762ef0f06d28099924fecb020eabb9">Hollywood producer in “The Studio,”</a>&nbsp;both of which earned her Emmy nominations.

She is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, sons Matthew and Luke, and siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O‘Hara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallice.

Noveck reported from New York. AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr and AP Writer R.J. Rico contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769804880169.png" alt="FILE - Eugene Levy, left, and Catherine O'Hara appear at the 76th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. on Feb. 29, 2004. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Eugene Levy, left, and Catherine O'Hara appear at the 76th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles. on Feb. 29, 2004. (AP Photo/Laura Rauch, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">Catherine O’Hara</a>, a gifted Canadian-born comic actor and “SCTV” alum who starred as Macaulay Culkin’s harried mother in two “Home Alone” movies and won an Emmy as the dramatically ditzy wealthy matriarch Moira Rose in “Schitt’s Creek,” died Friday. She was 71.O’Hara died at her home in Los Angeles “following a brief illness,” according to a statement from her agency, Creative Artists Agency. Further details were not immediately available.O’Hara’s career was launched at the Second City in Toronto in the in 1970s. It was there that she first worked with Eugene Levy, who would become a lifelong collaborator — and her “Schitt’s Creek” costar. The two would be among the original cast of the sketch show “SCTV,” short for “Second City Television.” The series, which began on Canadian TV in the 1970s and aired on NBC in the U.S. in the early '80s, spawned a legendary group of esoteric comedians including Martin Short, John Candy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis and Joe Flaherty.Hollywood didn't entirely know what to do with O'Hara and her scattershot style. She played oddball supporting characters in Martin Scorsese's 1985 “After Hours” and Tim Burton's 1988 “Beetlejuice” — a role she would reprise in the 2024 sequel.She played it mostly straight as a horrified mother who accidentally abandoned her child in the two “Home Alone” movies. The films were among the biggest box office earners of the early 1990s and their Christmas setting made them TV perennialsHer co-star Culkin was among those paying her tribute Friday.“Mama, I thought we had time,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJTe8rEmO4/?hl=en">Culkin said on Instagram</a>&nbsp;alongside an image from “Home Alone” and a recent recreation of the same pose. “I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later."O'Hara would find her groove with the crew of improv pros brought together by Christopher Guest for a series of mockumentaries that began with 1996's “Waiting for Guffman” and continued with 2000's “Best in Show,” 2003's “A Might Wind” and 2006's “For Your Consideration.”“Best in Show” was the biggest hit and best remembered film of the series. It sees her paired as Levy's wife as the couple, Gerry and Cookie Fleck, takes their Norwich terrier to a dog show, and constantly run into Cookie's former lovers along the way.“Schitt's Creek” would be a career-capping triumph and the perfect personification of her comic talents. The small show created by Levy and his son Dan about a wealthy family forced to live in a tiny town would dominate the Emmys in its sixth and final season. It brought O'Hara, always a beloved figure, a new generation of fans and put her at the center of cultural attention.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/arts-and-entertainment-78c4fcc88b9c53b53a79b2d778e4ff2d">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;that she pictured Moira, a former soap opera star, as someone who had married rich and wanted to “remind everyone that (she was) special, too.” With an exaggerated Mid-Atlantic accent and obscure vocabulary, Moira spoke unlike anyone else, using words like “frippet,” “pettifogging” and “unasinous,” to show her desire to be different, O’Hara said. To perfect Moira’s voice, O’Hara would pore through old vocabulary books, “Moira-izing” the dialogue even further than what was already written.The show also brought a career renaissance that led to a dramatic turn on HBO's “The Last of Us" and a straitlaced role as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/studio-seth-rogen-tv-show-52762ef0f06d28099924fecb020eabb9">Hollywood producer in “The Studio,”</a>&nbsp;both of which earned her Emmy nominations.She is survived by her husband, Bo Welch, sons Matthew and Luke, and siblings Michael O’Hara, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Maureen Jolley, Marcus O‘Hara, Tom O’Hara and Patricia Wallice.___Noveck reported from New York. AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr and AP Writer R.J. Rico contributed.

Catherine O'Hara, award-winning 'Home Alone,' 'Schitt's Creek' star, dies at 71

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — In Vicki Schumacher’s nutrition services office at Wichita Public Schools, staff spend roughly two hours verifying one free lunch application from start to finish.

Under proposed legislation, the office could see its work increase twentyfold.

Current federal law requires schools to verify free and reduced lunch eligibility for a random sample amounting to 3% or 3,000 of recipients — whichever is less — but a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Doug Shane requires verifying the gross household income of every student who receives a free lunch.

For Schumacher, who supervises the financial and technical aspects of Wichita Public Schools’ nutrition services,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb387/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;would turn two months of work into a year-round responsibility.

“It would turn the focus of our office into an auditing firm rather than feeding children,” she said, testifying virtually at a Thursday hearing before the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE.

Shane, a veterinarian and professor from Louisburg, was one of three proponents who submitted testimony, and Schumacher was one of about 35 opponents.

To Shane, the change is not an unreasonable ask. The bill’s focus is broader than income verification for households receiving free and reduced lunch, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.

Kansas schools are eligible for at-risk funding that is calculated based on the number of students who apply for free lunch. At-risk funding, which comes from the state, is meant to address kids who are at risk of academic failure and does not automatically apply to students participating in free lunch programs.

The free lunch data is a proxy for determining at-risk funding levels, said Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner for the Kansas State Department of Education.

At-risk funds can only be used for a specific set of programs approved by the state board of education. For 2025, some of them included phonics and literacy practice, math instruction, suicide prevention, writing workshops, after school homework help and character development programs.

At least 12 of the programs support English language learners.

“This bill simply seeks to make sure that we are sustainably funding and fully funding our at-risk obligations, and ensuring that obligation is going to the students that really qualify and really need it,” Shane said.

The stage for the bill was set by an audit published in July, which found that the number of students who were used to determine at-risk funding levels appeared to be “significantly more” than the number of students eligible for the free lunch program.

The House Welfare Reform Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">discussed the audit Jan. 20</a>, honing in on a finding that estimated 54% to 72% of students who qualified for the free lunch program in Kansas were likely ineligible during the 2023-2024 academic year. Auditors said the USDA may have overpaid Kansas school districts between $10 million and $14 million that year, and the state may have overpaid between $38 million and $53 million in at-risk funding.

The audit, however, contained caveats that noted unverified data and data from sources outside the state education department. It found school districts and the state are limited in their ability to verify the accuracy of the list of students automatically enrolled in free lunch. Auditors couldn’t independently verify household income or size.

“The lack of income verification means the free lunch program is at high risk of fraud, waste and abuse,” the audit said.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office, the federal auditing arm, found in a 2019 report that payment error rates in the USDA’s national school lunch and breakfast programs have been high, indicating a potential vulnerability to fraud.

No instances of fraud were directly identified in the Kansas audit, but auditors did compare state data with U.S. Census Bureau data that estimated the number of public school students in households with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. Auditors found that the number of students receiving free lunch in Kansas was more than double what Census projections approximated.

The state education department maintains that free lunch eligibility lists are a snapshot in time and don’t account for potential life changes such as job losses or promotions.&nbsp;

The state auditing office recommended that lawmakers consider reworking the at-risk funding formula, which is not a part of Shane’s bill.&nbsp;

At-risk funding numbers are counted Sept. 20, per state law, and students are eligible for free and reduced lunch for one school year plus around six weeks into the following school year, so students whose eligibility may not continue into the next school year could still be counted for at-risk funding.

Harwood, who provided neutral testimony to the committee, emphasized to legislators the bill, if passed, would conflict with federal law.

In 2024, there were around 200,000 free lunch students in Kansas, and around 275,000 students were eligible to participate in at-risk programs, Harwood said. It’s never been a one-to-one match, he said.

“In many ways, I think the formula is working exactly the way it has been intended to work because this idea that free lunch had some eligibility issues is not new,” he said.

Another piece of the bill requires legislative approval if schools want to utilize the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools to provide free lunch to all students if 25% of a student population is directly certified for free lunch. A student is directly certified as a free lunch student if he or she experiences homelessness, is a runaway or a migrant, is in foster care or is part of a household that uses federal assistance benefits such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program or Medicaid.

Harwood again warned of being in conflict with federal law. The state department of education is not allowed to prohibit a school from utilizing the community eligibility provision.

Around 75% of schools in Kansas qualify for a program that would offer free lunch to all students regardless of eligibility. Only 13% have taken advantage, as of 2024 data.

All of the bill’s proposals are unfunded. The fiscal note indicates the heightened cost to schools, districts, the state education department and the Legislature to meet each of the criteria.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769799271273.png" alt=" Sen. Doug Shane, R-Louisburg, backs added requirements for school free lunch eligibility that could conflict with federal law at a Jan. 29, 2026, meeting in Topeka. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Doug Shane, R-Louisburg, backs added requirements for school free lunch eligibility that could conflict with federal law at a Jan. 29, 2026, meeting in Topeka. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/12/29/kansan-returns-to-the-catholic-church-as-the-states-first-woman-priest/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — In Vicki Schumacher’s nutrition services office at Wichita Public Schools, staff spend roughly two hours verifying one free lunch application from start to finish.Under proposed legislation, the office could see its work increase twentyfold.Current federal law requires schools to verify free and reduced lunch eligibility for a random sample amounting to 3% or 3,000 of recipients — whichever is less — but a bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Doug Shane requires verifying the gross household income of every student who receives a free lunch.For Schumacher, who supervises the financial and technical aspects of Wichita Public Schools’ nutrition services,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb387/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 387</a>&nbsp;would turn two months of work into a year-round responsibility.“It would turn the focus of our office into an auditing firm rather than feeding children,” she said, testifying virtually at a Thursday hearing before the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE.Shane, a veterinarian and professor from Louisburg, was one of three proponents who submitted testimony, and Schumacher was one of about 35 opponents.To Shane, the change is not an unreasonable ask. The bill’s focus is broader than income verification for households receiving free and reduced lunch, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.Kansas schools are eligible for at-risk funding that is calculated based on the number of students who apply for free lunch. At-risk funding, which comes from the state, is meant to address kids who are at risk of academic failure and does not automatically apply to students participating in free lunch programs.The free lunch data is a proxy for determining at-risk funding levels, said Frank Harwood, deputy commissioner for the Kansas State Department of Education.At-risk funds can only be used for a specific set of programs approved by the state board of education. For 2025, some of them included phonics and literacy practice, math instruction, suicide prevention, writing workshops, after school homework help and character development programs.At least 12 of the programs support English language learners.“This bill simply seeks to make sure that we are sustainably funding and fully funding our at-risk obligations, and ensuring that obligation is going to the students that really qualify and really need it,” Shane said.The stage for the bill was set by an audit published in July, which found that the number of students who were used to determine at-risk funding levels appeared to be “significantly more” than the number of students eligible for the free lunch program.The House Welfare Reform Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/kansas-house-studies-free-lunch-enrollment-audit-implications-of-at-risk-overpayment-to-schools/">discussed the audit Jan. 20</a>, honing in on a finding that estimated 54% to 72% of students who qualified for the free lunch program in Kansas were likely ineligible during the 2023-2024 academic year. Auditors said the USDA may have overpaid Kansas school districts between $10 million and $14 million that year, and the state may have overpaid between $38 million and $53 million in at-risk funding.The audit, however, contained caveats that noted unverified data and data from sources outside the state education department. It found school districts and the state are limited in their ability to verify the accuracy of the list of students automatically enrolled in free lunch. Auditors couldn’t independently verify household income or size.“The lack of income verification means the free lunch program is at high risk of fraud, waste and abuse,” the audit said.The U.S. Government Accountability Office, the federal auditing arm, found in a 2019 report that payment error rates in the USDA’s national school lunch and breakfast programs have been high, indicating a potential vulnerability to fraud.No instances of fraud were directly identified in the Kansas audit, but auditors did compare state data with U.S. Census Bureau data that estimated the number of public school students in households with incomes at or below 130% of the federal poverty level. Auditors found that the number of students receiving free lunch in Kansas was more than double what Census projections approximated.The state education department maintains that free lunch eligibility lists are a snapshot in time and don’t account for potential life changes such as job losses or promotions.&nbsp;The state auditing office recommended that lawmakers consider reworking the at-risk funding formula, which is not a part of Shane’s bill.&nbsp;At-risk funding numbers are counted Sept. 20, per state law, and students are eligible for free and reduced lunch for one school year plus around six weeks into the following school year, so students whose eligibility may not continue into the next school year could still be counted for at-risk funding.Harwood, who provided neutral testimony to the committee, emphasized to legislators the bill, if passed, would conflict with federal law.In 2024, there were around 200,000 free lunch students in Kansas, and around 275,000 students were eligible to participate in at-risk programs, Harwood said. It’s never been a one-to-one match, he said.“In many ways, I think the formula is working exactly the way it has been intended to work because this idea that free lunch had some eligibility issues is not new,” he said.Another piece of the bill requires legislative approval if schools want to utilize the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision, which allows schools to provide free lunch to all students if 25% of a student population is directly certified for free lunch. A student is directly certified as a free lunch student if he or she experiences homelessness, is a runaway or a migrant, is in foster care or is part of a household that uses federal assistance benefits such as the supplemental nutrition assistance program or Medicaid.Harwood again warned of being in conflict with federal law. The state department of education is not allowed to prohibit a school from utilizing the community eligibility provision.Around 75% of schools in Kansas qualify for a program that would offer free lunch to all students regardless of eligibility. Only 13% have taken advantage, as of 2024 data.All of the bill’s proposals are unfunded. The fiscal note indicates the heightened cost to schools, districts, the state education department and the Legislature to meet each of the criteria.

Kansas schools could be required to verify family income for every student receiving free lunch

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen will return to court Friday.

Gauge Brasher, now 20,&nbsp; will appear for an arraignment hearing in the courtroom of Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; Brasher may be asked to enter a plea in the case.

 The DA's office charged Brasher with 2nd degree murder in the death of&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa. He is also charged with failure to stop at an accident and criminal damage to property.

&nbsp;Wichita police took Brasher&nbsp; into custody shortly after 4 p.m. August 15, in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755346851465.png" alt="Brasher photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Brasher photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a teen will return to court Friday.Gauge Brasher, now 20,&nbsp; will appear for an arraignment hearing in the courtroom of Judge Jeffrey Goering, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; Brasher may be asked to enter a plea in the case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755212957933.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure> The DA's office charged Brasher with 2nd degree murder in the death of&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa. He is also charged with failure to stop at an accident and criminal damage to property.&nbsp;Wichita police took Brasher&nbsp; into custody shortly after 4 p.m. August 15, in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.Around 6:30 p.m. August 13, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the crash that killed&nbsp;14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.The preliminary investigation indicated the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. Police issued an alert in attempt to locate him. The passenger in the BMW is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brasher is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Arraignment hearing for Kan. driver who hid after crash that killed boy

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/graham-dunbar">GRAHAM DUNBAR</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-graves">WILL GRAVES</a>

GENEVA (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles may reclaim the bronze medal on floor exercise from the 2024 Paris Olympics that was stripped from her following an appeal by Romania after all.

Switzerland’s supreme court said on Thursday its judges sent the “highly exceptional circumstances” of the bronze medal awarded in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/simone-biles-olympics-floor-beam">women’s floor exercise</a>&nbsp;back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine new evidence.

The outcome of an event that created a celebrated Olympic photo featuring Chiles, floor exercise silver medalist Simone Biles and gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil — all women of color — rests on just a handful of seconds: Can the U.S. team prove it made a timely appeal in the Olympic arena on behalf of Chiles?

The federal judges’ ruling — highly unusual in cases of this nature — suggested Chiles could regain the bronze medal she originally got in Paris after challenging her judged score.

Chiles’ third-place finish was overturned within days on appeal by the Romanian team to the CAS’ Olympic court in Paris. The medal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romanian-gymnast-bronze-medal-chiles-3cec6ec6344b8d4ecc91270916b0d357">awarded in Bucharest</a>&nbsp;the next week to Ana Maria Barbosu.

The federal court wants CAS to examine a recording that could show the original U.S. challenge of the judged score was within a one-minute deadline on the field of play.

“In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question,” the Swiss Federal Tribunal said in a statement, “it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on Aug. 5, 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favor of the applicant (Chiles).”

The CAS said in a statement Thursday it “can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since been made available.”

The court based in Lausanne, across the Olympics’ home city from the supreme court, gave no timetable for the review. It likely will take at least one year to prepare and process before a verdict is ready.

Still, the federal court’s decision has given Chiles renewed hope of keeping her medal and putting the controversy behind her.

“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has righted a wrong and given Jordan the chance she deserves to reclaim her bronze medal,” Maurice M. Suh, part of the legal team representing Chiles, said in a statement. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.”

Suh added that Chiles will “fight vigorously” and is grateful to have a “full and fair opportunity to defend her bronze medal.”

USA Gymnastics praised the court for recognizing “the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.”

Chiles, now 24, has pressed forward with her life after dealing with significant online backlash — some of it racially tinged — in the immediate aftermath.

She returned to compete collegiately at UCLA while also leaning into her burgeoning celebrity, participating on the reality competition “Dancing With the Stars,” posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and is currently featured in a commercial for a female athleisure apparel line that also includes tennis icon Serena Williams and track star Sha’Carri Richardson.

Graves reported from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769785032769.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/graham-dunbar">GRAHAM DUNBAR</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/will-graves">WILL GRAVES</a>GENEVA (AP) — American gymnast Jordan Chiles may reclaim the bronze medal on floor exercise from the 2024 Paris Olympics that was stripped from her following an appeal by Romania after all.Switzerland’s supreme court said on Thursday its judges sent the “highly exceptional circumstances” of the bronze medal awarded in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/simone-biles-olympics-floor-beam">women’s floor exercise</a>&nbsp;back to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to examine new evidence.The outcome of an event that created a celebrated Olympic photo featuring Chiles, floor exercise silver medalist Simone Biles and gold medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil — all women of color — rests on just a handful of seconds: Can the U.S. team prove it made a timely appeal in the Olympic arena on behalf of Chiles?The federal judges’ ruling — highly unusual in cases of this nature — suggested Chiles could regain the bronze medal she originally got in Paris after challenging her judged score.Chiles’ third-place finish was overturned within days on appeal by the Romanian team to the CAS’ Olympic court in Paris. The medal was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/romanian-gymnast-bronze-medal-chiles-3cec6ec6344b8d4ecc91270916b0d357">awarded in Bucharest</a>&nbsp;the next week to Ana Maria Barbosu.The federal court wants CAS to examine a recording that could show the original U.S. challenge of the judged score was within a one-minute deadline on the field of play.“In the highly exceptional circumstances of the case in question,” the Swiss Federal Tribunal said in a statement, “it considers that there is a likelihood for the audio-visual recording of the final on Aug. 5, 2024 to lead to a modification of the contested award in favor of the applicant (Chiles).”The CAS said in a statement Thursday it “can now ensure a thorough judicial review of the new evidence that has since been made available.”The court based in Lausanne, across the Olympics’ home city from the supreme court, gave no timetable for the review. It likely will take at least one year to prepare and process before a verdict is ready.Still, the federal court’s decision has given Chiles renewed hope of keeping her medal and putting the controversy behind her.“We are delighted that the Swiss Federal Supreme Court has righted a wrong and given Jordan the chance she deserves to reclaim her bronze medal,” Maurice M. Suh, part of the legal team representing Chiles, said in a statement. “As the Court recognized, there is ‘conclusive’ video evidence that Jordan was the rightful winner of the bronze medal.”Suh added that Chiles will “fight vigorously” and is grateful to have a “full and fair opportunity to defend her bronze medal.”USA Gymnastics praised the court for recognizing “the flaws in the initial process and that Jordan’s case can now be heard inclusive of all relevant evidence.”Chiles, now 24, has pressed forward with her life after dealing with significant online backlash — some of it racially tinged — in the immediate aftermath.She returned to compete collegiately at UCLA while also leaning into her burgeoning celebrity, participating on the reality competition “Dancing With the Stars,” posing for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and is currently featured in a commercial for a female athleisure apparel line that also includes tennis icon Serena Williams and track star Sha’Carri Richardson.___Graves reported from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.