BUTLER, Pa. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt as he spoke during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, two law enforcement officials said. The former president, his ear covered in blood from what he said was a gunshot, was quickly pulled away by Secret Service agents and his campaign said he was “fine.”

A local prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead. The Secret Service said two spectators were critically injured.

Posting on his Truth Social media site about two and a half hours after the shooting, Trump said a bullet “pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

“I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin,” he said in the post. “Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

The attack, by a shooter who law enforcement officials say was then killed by the Secret Service, was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It comes amid a deeply polarized political atmosphere, just four months from the presidential elections and days before Trump is to be officially named the Republican nominee at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">his party’s convention</a>.

Trump's aides said late Saturday that the convention would proceed and Trump “looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee.”

“President Trump thanks law enforcement and first responders for their quick action during this heinous act,” spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement. “He is fine and is being checked out at a local medical facility. More details will follow.”

The Secret Service said the suspected shooter fired from “an elevated position outside of the rally venue.” Trump is “safe and being evaluated,” the agency said.

“There's no place in America for this type of violence,” President Joe Biden, who is running against Trump as the presumptive Democratic nominee, said in remarks. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

Two officials spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. They said the shooter was not an attendee at the rally and was killed by U.S. Secret Service agents.

The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team. The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the person at the center of protection.

Law enforcement recovered an AR-style rifle at the scene, according to a third person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department oversees the Secret Service, said officials were engaged with the Biden and Trump campaigns and “taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.”

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when the apparent shots began just after 6:10 p.m.

It took two minutes from the moment of the first shot for Trump to be placed in a waiting SUV.

As Trump was talking, a popping sound was heard, and the former president put his right hand up to his right ear, as people in the stands behind him appeared to be shocked.

As the first pop rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down. More shots are heard then.

Someone could be heard saying near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents tackled the former president. They piled atop him to shield him with their bodies, as is their training protocol, as other agents took up positions on stage to search for the threat.

Screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. A woman is heard screaming louder than the rest. Afterward, voices were heard saying “shooter’s down” several times, before someone asks “are we good to move?” and “are we clear?” Then, someone ordered, “Let’s move.”

Trump could be heard on the video saying at least twice, “Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,” with another voice heard saying, “I’ve got you sir.”

Trump got to his feet moments later and could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his face. There appeared to be blood on his face. He then pumped his fist in the air and appeared to mouth the word “Fight” twice his crowd of supporters, prompting loud cheers and then chants of “USA. USA. USA.”

The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.

His motorcade left the venue moments later. Video showed Trump turning back to the crowd and raising a fist right before he was put into a vehicle.

Witnesses heard multiple gunshots and ducked for cover

Reporters covering the rally heard five or six shots ring out and many ducked for cover, hiding under tables.

“Everybody went to their knees or their prone position, because we all knew, everyone becoming aware of the fact this was gunfire,” said Dave McCormick, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, who was sitting to Trump's right on stage.

As he saw Trump raise his fist, McCormick said, he looked over his shoulder and noticed someone had been hit while sitting in the bleachers behind the stage.

Eventually, first responders were able to carry the injured person out of a large crowd so he could get medical care, McCormick said.

After the first two or three bangs, people in the crowd looked startled, but not panicked. An AP reporter at the scene reported the noise sounded like firecrackers at first or perhaps a car backfiring.

But then there were more shots. Panic set in as people realized what was happening. Shouts of “Get down!” rang through the crowd.

When it was clear the situation had been contained and that Trump would not be returning to speak, attendees started filing out of the venue. One man in an electric wheelchair got stuck on the field when his chair’s battery died. Others tried to help him move.

Police soon told the people remaining to leave the venue and U.S. Secret Service agents told reporters to get “out now. This is a live crime scene.”

Two firefighters from nearby Steubenville, Ohio, who were at the rally told the AP that they helped people who appeared injured and heard bullets hitting broadcast speakers.

“The bullets rattled around the grandstand, one hit the speaker tower and then chaos broke. We hit the ground and then the police converged into the grandstands, said Chris Takach.

“The first thing I heard is a couple of cracks,” Dave Sullivan said.

Sullivan said he saw one of the speakers get hit and bullets rattling and, “we hit the deck.”

He said once Secret Service and other authorities converged on Trump, he and Takach assisted two people who may have been shot in the grandstand and cleared a path to get them out of the way.

“Just a sad day for America,” Sullivan said.

“After we heard the shots got fired, then the hydraulic line was spraying all around, you could see the hydraulic fluid coming out of it. And then the speaker tower started to fall down,” Sullivan said. “Then we heard another shot that, you could hear, you knew something was, it was bullets. It wasn’t firecrackers.”

“They weren’t super loud shots,” he said.

“You could hear it landing, ammunition landing, on metal,” Takach added.

Then they took cover behind a farm tractor.

Sullivan said they were concerned for Trump and saw him stand up.

“He got up and he gave a motion he was OK,” Sullivan said, raising a fist as Trump had.

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appeared to be the target of an assassination attempt as he spoke during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, law enforcement officials said. The former president, his ear covered in blood, was quickly pulled away by Secret Service agents and his campaign said he was “fine.”

The attack, by a shooter who law enforcement officials say was then killed by the Secret Service, was the first attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981. It comes amid a deeply polarized political atmosphere, just four months from the presidential elections and days before Trump is to be officially named the Republican nominee at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">his party’s convention</a>.

A local prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead.

The Secret Service said in a statement that “the former President is safe.” Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said after 8 p.m. that he spoke to his father on the phone and that “he is in great spirits.”

The officials said the shooter was engaged by members of the U.S. Secret Service counterassault team and killed. The heavily armed tactical team travels everywhere with the president and major party nominees and is meant to confront any active threats while other agents focus on safeguarding and evacuating the person at the center of protection.

It’s still not clear yet whether Trump was struck by gunfire or was injured as he was pulled to the ground by agents.

Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said in a phone interview that the suspected gunman was dead and at least one rally attendee was killed.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when the apparent shots began.

His motorcade left the venue moments later. Video showed Trump turning back to the crowd and raising a fist right before he is put into a vehicle.

Police began vacating the fairgrounds shortly after Trump left the stage in what local officers described as a crime scene.

The perils of campaigning took on a new urgency after the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in California in 1968, and again in 1972 when Arthur Bremer shot and seriously hurt George Wallace, who was running as an independent on a campaign platform that has sometimes been compared to Trump’s. That led to increased protection of candidates, even as the threats persisted, notably against Jesse Jackson in 1988 and Barack Obama in 2008.

Presidents, particularly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, have even greater layers of security. Trump is a rarity as both a former president and a current candidate.

Biden was briefed on the incident, the White House said. He received an updated briefing from Kimberly Cheatle, the director of the United States Secretary Service, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall.

He told reporters after 8 p.m. that he hadn't been able to reach Trump yet but was briefed that the former president was “doing well.”

“I hope I get to speak to him tonight,” he said.

After the shooting at Trump’s rally the Biden campaign was pausing all messaging to supporters and is working to pull down all of its television ads as quickly as possible, the campaign said.

Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., posted a photo on X of Trump, his fist raised and his face bloody in front of an American flag, with the words: “He’ll never stop fighting to Save America."

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the three men on Trump's shortlist for vice president, all quickly sent out statements expressing concern for the former president, with Rubio sharing an image taken as Trump was escorted off stage with his fist in the air and a streak of blood on his face along with the words “God protected President Trump.”

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, said in a statement on X that he had been briefed on the situation and Pennsylvania state police were on hand at the rally site.

“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States,” he said.

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;campaign said in a statement that the former president was “fine” after a shooting at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A local prosecutor says the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead.

The Secret Service said in a statement that “the former President is safe.”

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/republican-national-convention">Republican National Convention</a>&nbsp;opens Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd.

As the first pop rang out, Trump said, “Oh,” and grabbed his ear as two more pops could be heard and he crouched down.

Someone can be heard saying near the microphone at Trump’s lectern, “Get down, get down, get down, get down!” as agents tackled the former president.

Trump could later be seen reaching with his right hand toward his face. There appeared to be blood on his face.

He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.

His motorcade has since left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.

🎥2 dead, Trump describes shooting at campaign rally

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) —“There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

The president said “everybody must condemn” the attack, he is relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well” and he hopes to speak with his 2024 presidential rival soon.

Biden said he was waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination. “I have an opinion, but i don’t have any facts,” he told reporters, pledging to provide updates as he learns more.

The president also pledged to update the public later on whether they speak as well as additional details about the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720911723876.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) —“There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden Statement Following Shooting at Trump Rally: &quot;I have tried to get a hold of Donald. He&#39;s with his doctors. Apparently he is doing well. I plan on talking to him shortly, I hope...There&#39;s no place in America for this kind of violence. It&#39;s sick.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nDCoXiA8Cj">pic.twitter.com/nDCoXiA8Cj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1812282482881941750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president said “everybody must condemn” the attack, he is relieved that Trump is reportedly “doing well” and he hopes to speak with his 2024 presidential rival soon.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720915939919.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Biden said he was waiting for additional information before formally calling the attack an attempted assassination. “I have an opinion, but i don’t have any facts,” he told reporters, pledging to provide updates as he learns more.The president also pledged to update the public later on whether they speak as well as additional details about the investigation.

🎥Biden comments on apparent assassination attempt of Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Simmons, television's hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better, died Saturday. He turned 76 on Friday.

Los Angeles police and fire departments say they responded to a Los Angeles house where a man was declared dead from natural causes. Neither provided a name, but The Associated Press matched the address and age to Simmons through public records.

TMZ was first to report his death, which has also been reported by other outlets citing unnamed Simmons representatives.

Simmons, who had revealed a skin diagnosis in March 2024, had lately dropped out of sight, sparking speculating about his health and well-being.

Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight-loss tips as host of the Emmy-winning daytime "Richard Simmons Show," author of best-selling books and the diet plan Deal-A-Meal, as well as opening exercise studios and starring in millions of exercise videos, including the successful “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line.

"My food plan and diet are just two words — common sense. With a dash of good humor,” he told The Associated Press in 1982. "I want to help people and make the world a healthier, happy place."

Simmons embraced mass communication to get his message out, even as he eventually became the butt of jokes for his outfits and flamboyant flair. He was a guest on TV shows led by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and Phil Donahue. But David Letterman would prank him and Howard Stern would tease him until he cried. He was mocked in Neil Simon’s "The Goodbye Girl" on Broadway in 1993, and Eddie Murphy put on white makeup and dressed like him in "The Nutty Professor," screaming “I’m a pony!”

Asked if he thought he could motivate people by being silly, Simmons answered, "I think there's a time to be serious and a time to be silly. It's knowing when to do it. I try to have a nice combination. Being silly cures depression. It catches people off guard and makes them think. But in between that silliness is a lot of seriousness that makes sense. It's a different kind of training."

Simmons’ daytime show was seen on 200 stations in America, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan and South America. His first book, "Never Say Diet," was a smash best seller.

He was known to counsel the severely obese, including Rosalie Bradford, who held records for being the world's heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons for helping him lose 700 pounds. Simmons put real people — chubby, balding or non-telegenic — in his exercise videos to make the fitness goals seem reachable.

Throughout his career, Simmons was a reliable critic of fad diets, always emphasizing healthy eating and exercise plans. "There'll always be some weird thing about eating four grapes before you go to bed, or drinking a special tea, or buying this little bean from El Salvador," he told the AP in 2005 as the Atkins diet craze swept the country. "If you watch your portions and you have a good attitude and you work out every day you'll live longer, feel better and look terrific."

Simmons was a native of New Orleans, a chubby boy named Milton by his parents. (He renamed himself “Richard” around the age of 10 to improve his self-image). He would tell people he ate to excess because he believed his parents liked his older brother more. He was teased by schoolmates and ballooned to almost 200 pounds.

Simmons told the AP his mother watched exercise guru Jack LaLanne's TV show religiously when he was growing up, but he wasn't crazy about the fitness fanatic. "I hated him," Simmons said. "I wasn't ready for his message because he was fit and he was healthy and he had such a positive attitude, and I was none of those things."

Simmons went to Italy as a foreign exchange student and ended up doing peanut butter commercials and bacchanalian eating scenes for director Federico Fellini in his film "Fellini Satyricon." He told the AP: "I was fat, had curly hair. The Italians thought I was hysterical. I was the life of the party."

His life changed after getting an anonymous letter. "One dark, rainy day I went to my car and found a note. It said, 'Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die." He was so stunned that he went on the starvation diet that left him thin but very ill.

After the crash diet he gained back 65 pounds. Eventually, he was able to devise a sensible plan to take off the pounds and keep them off. "I went into the business because I couldn't find anything I liked," he said.

When Simmons hadn’t been seen in public for several years, some news outlets speculated that he was being held hostage in his own house. In telephone interviews with “Entertainment Tonight” and the “Today” show, Simmons refuted the claims and told his fans he was enjoying the time by himself. Filmmaker-writer Dan Taberski, one of his regular students, launched a podcast in 2017 called “Missing Richard Simmons.”

In 2022, Simmons broke his six-year silence, with his spokesperson telling The New York Post that the beloved fitness icon was “living the life he has chosen.”

___ Mark Kennedy is at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits">http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits</a>

Associated Press writers Stefanie Dazio and Andrew Dalton contributed from Los Angeles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720905406055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Richard Simmons, television's hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better, died Saturday. He turned 76 on Friday.Los Angeles police and fire departments say they responded to a Los Angeles house where a man was declared dead from natural causes. Neither provided a name, but The Associated Press matched the address and age to Simmons through public records.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard&mdash; Richard Simmons (@TheWeightSaint) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWeightSaint/status/1811857432001544349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>TMZ was first to report his death, which has also been reported by other outlets citing unnamed Simmons representatives.Simmons, who had revealed a skin diagnosis in March 2024, had lately dropped out of sight, sparking speculating about his health and well-being.Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight-loss tips as host of the Emmy-winning daytime "Richard Simmons Show," author of best-selling books and the diet plan Deal-A-Meal, as well as opening exercise studios and starring in millions of exercise videos, including the successful “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line."My food plan and diet are just two words — common sense. With a dash of good humor,” he told The Associated Press in 1982. "I want to help people and make the world a healthier, happy place."Simmons embraced mass communication to get his message out, even as he eventually became the butt of jokes for his outfits and flamboyant flair. He was a guest on TV shows led by Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and Phil Donahue. But David Letterman would prank him and Howard Stern would tease him until he cried. He was mocked in Neil Simon’s "The Goodbye Girl" on Broadway in 1993, and Eddie Murphy put on white makeup and dressed like him in "The Nutty Professor," screaming “I’m a pony!”Asked if he thought he could motivate people by being silly, Simmons answered, "I think there's a time to be serious and a time to be silly. It's knowing when to do it. I try to have a nice combination. Being silly cures depression. It catches people off guard and makes them think. But in between that silliness is a lot of seriousness that makes sense. It's a different kind of training."Simmons’ daytime show was seen on 200 stations in America, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan and South America. His first book, "Never Say Diet," was a smash best seller.He was known to counsel the severely obese, including Rosalie Bradford, who held records for being the world's heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons for helping him lose 700 pounds. Simmons put real people — chubby, balding or non-telegenic — in his exercise videos to make the fitness goals seem reachable.Throughout his career, Simmons was a reliable critic of fad diets, always emphasizing healthy eating and exercise plans. "There'll always be some weird thing about eating four grapes before you go to bed, or drinking a special tea, or buying this little bean from El Salvador," he told the AP in 2005 as the Atkins diet craze swept the country. "If you watch your portions and you have a good attitude and you work out every day you'll live longer, feel better and look terrific."Simmons was a native of New Orleans, a chubby boy named Milton by his parents. (He renamed himself “Richard” around the age of 10 to improve his self-image). He would tell people he ate to excess because he believed his parents liked his older brother more. He was teased by schoolmates and ballooned to almost 200 pounds.Simmons told the AP his mother watched exercise guru Jack LaLanne's TV show religiously when he was growing up, but he wasn't crazy about the fitness fanatic. "I hated him," Simmons said. "I wasn't ready for his message because he was fit and he was healthy and he had such a positive attitude, and I was none of those things."Simmons went to Italy as a foreign exchange student and ended up doing peanut butter commercials and bacchanalian eating scenes for director Federico Fellini in his film "Fellini Satyricon." He told the AP: "I was fat, had curly hair. The Italians thought I was hysterical. I was the life of the party."His life changed after getting an anonymous letter. "One dark, rainy day I went to my car and found a note. It said, 'Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die." He was so stunned that he went on the starvation diet that left him thin but very ill.After the crash diet he gained back 65 pounds. Eventually, he was able to devise a sensible plan to take off the pounds and keep them off. "I went into the business because I couldn't find anything I liked," he said.When Simmons hadn’t been seen in public for several years, some news outlets speculated that he was being held hostage in his own house. In telephone interviews with “Entertainment Tonight” and the “Today” show, Simmons refuted the claims and told his fans he was enjoying the time by himself. Filmmaker-writer Dan Taberski, one of his regular students, launched a podcast in 2017 called “Missing Richard Simmons.”In 2022, Simmons broke his six-year silence, with his spokesperson telling The New York Post that the beloved fitness icon was “living the life he has chosen.”___ Mark Kennedy is at&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits">http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits</a>___Associated Press writers Stefanie Dazio and Andrew Dalton contributed from Los Angeles.

Fitness guru Richard Simmons dead at 76

Case launched by Trump-era prosecutors based on bogus claims of spying for China

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

TOPEKA — The U.S. District Court of Appeals reversed Friday the false-statement conviction of a former University of Kansas tenured professor and brought to an end deconstruction of the federal government’s prosecution of the chemical engineering researcher who concealed his relationship with Fuzhou University in China.

Feng Tao, who was involved with federally funded research, was originally charged in 2019 with 10 crimes by the U.S. Department of Justice. The case was brought under the President Donald Trump administration’s now-defunct “China Initiative” in which alleged spies in U.S. research and industry fields were accused of espionage. It was launched in 2018, but terminated in 2022 due to assertions it operated on false evidence provided by the FBI and amounted to racial profiling of Chinese American citizens and people with Chinese ancestry.

In Tao’s case, he was accused of failing to disclose on a KU form his association with the Chinese university. In 2022, a jury found him guilty on three wire-fraud counts and one false-statement count, but acquitted him on four counts.

A U.S. District Court judge decided after the trial to acquit Tao on the wire-fraud charges, leaving only the false-statement conviction. The judge said the government failed to prove Tao engaged in a fraudulent scheme to deprive KU, the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Department of Energy of money or property.

In 2023, Tao was sentenced to time served. On the remaining false-statement verdict, Tao appealed. The three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed that conviction and ordered the district court to enter a judgment of acquittal.

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Nancy Moritz, who is a former member of the Kansas Supreme Court, wrote in the majority opinion that the government didn’t prove Tao’s false statement was material to any decision by the Department of Energy or the National Science Foundation.

The court’s 2-1 majority said research funding decisions by these agencies were made prior to Tao’s presentation of the form concealing his ties to the Chinese university. Additionally, the appellate court found no evidence Tao’s relationship with Fuzhou University created a disclosable financial interest under NSF policy.

“We agree with Tao that the government offered insufficient evidence for a rational jury to find that his statement to his employer was material to any DOE or NSF decisions,” Moritz said. “We reverse Tao’s conviction.”

In 2019, the Justice Department had relied on information provided by one of Tao’s former colleagues — a visiting scholar at KU angry with Tao amid an authorship dispute. The colleague had demanded $300,000 from Tao or she would tell the FBI that Tao was a spy.

Rebuffed by Tao, the Court of Appeals decision says, the former colleague submitted an anonymous tip to the FBI accusing Tao of espionage. The same person later impersonated others to make additional allegations, the document said.

The FBI investigation found no evidence of espionage involving Tao. However, the FBI concluded Tao had potentially accepted a second full-time job at Fuzhou University and hid that information from KU. He was charged with making false statements and wire fraud based on contents of email traffic related to the possibility he would conduct research and teach in China. KU promptly banned Tao from campus in Lawrence.

U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, who had served on the Kansas Court of Appeals and graduated from KU’s law school, dissented from the majority opinion. She said Tao’s failure to disclose the possibly he would contract with the Chinese university was significant even though federal research funding decisions linked to the case were made before he failed in 2018 to inform KU in writing of the association.

“This form not only required Tao to certify that his answers were ‘true, correct and complete,’ but also to report any changes to the form as soon as they became known to him,” Briscoe wrote. “I would also reject Tao’s remaining arguments for reversing his conviction or remanding for a new trial and would affirm his conviction.”

Tao was born in China and earned an undergraduate degree at Chongqing Normal University. His doctorate in physical chemistry was completed at Princeton University. He conducted postdoctoral research at University of California at Berkeley.

He was a Miller associate professor in KU’s department of chemical and petroleum engineer from 2014 to 2019. He worked on energy chemistry, nanoscience, surface science and catalysis. He published more than 180 papers in international journals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720889489293.png" alt=" Feng Tao, a former professor at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, had his final conviction overturned by the U.S. District Court of Appeals. He was prosecuted in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Justice under a Trump-era program, now disbanded, that sought to charge alleged spies with ties to China. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Feng Tao, a former professor at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, had his final conviction overturned by the U.S. District Court of Appeals. He was prosecuted in 2019 by the U.S. Department of Justice under a Trump-era program, now disbanded, that sought to charge alleged spies with ties to China. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Case launched by Trump-era prosecutors based on bogus claims of spying for China</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The U.S. District Court of Appeals reversed Friday the false-statement conviction of a former University of Kansas tenured professor and brought to an end deconstruction of the federal government’s prosecution of the chemical engineering researcher who concealed his relationship with Fuzhou University in China.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1566425403152.png" alt="Feng Tao photo University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Feng Tao photo University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>Feng Tao, who was involved with federally funded research, was originally charged in 2019 with 10 crimes by the U.S. Department of Justice. The case was brought under the President Donald Trump administration’s now-defunct “China Initiative” in which alleged spies in U.S. research and industry fields were accused of espionage. It was launched in 2018, but terminated in 2022 due to assertions it operated on false evidence provided by the FBI and amounted to racial profiling of Chinese American citizens and people with Chinese ancestry.In Tao’s case, he was accused of failing to disclose on a KU form his association with the Chinese university. In 2022, a jury found him guilty on three wire-fraud counts and one false-statement count, but acquitted him on four counts.A U.S. District Court judge decided after the trial to acquit Tao on the wire-fraud charges, leaving only the false-statement conviction. The judge said the government failed to prove Tao engaged in a fraudulent scheme to deprive KU, the National Science Foundation or the U.S. Department of Energy of money or property.In 2023, Tao was sentenced to time served. On the remaining false-statement verdict, Tao appealed. The three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals reversed that conviction and ordered the district court to enter a judgment of acquittal.U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Nancy Moritz, who is a former member of the Kansas Supreme Court, wrote in the majority opinion that the government didn’t prove Tao’s false statement was material to any decision by the Department of Energy or the National Science Foundation.The court’s 2-1 majority said research funding decisions by these agencies were made prior to Tao’s presentation of the form concealing his ties to the Chinese university. Additionally, the appellate court found no evidence Tao’s relationship with Fuzhou University created a disclosable financial interest under NSF policy.“We agree with Tao that the government offered insufficient evidence for a rational jury to find that his statement to his employer was material to any DOE or NSF decisions,” Moritz said. “We reverse Tao’s conviction.”In 2019, the Justice Department had relied on information provided by one of Tao’s former colleagues — a visiting scholar at KU angry with Tao amid an authorship dispute. The colleague had demanded $300,000 from Tao or she would tell the FBI that Tao was a spy.Rebuffed by Tao, the Court of Appeals decision says, the former colleague submitted an anonymous tip to the FBI accusing Tao of espionage. The same person later impersonated others to make additional allegations, the document said.The FBI investigation found no evidence of espionage involving Tao. However, the FBI concluded Tao had potentially accepted a second full-time job at Fuzhou University and hid that information from KU. He was charged with making false statements and wire fraud based on contents of email traffic related to the possibility he would conduct research and teach in China. KU promptly banned Tao from campus in Lawrence.U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Mary Beck Briscoe, who had served on the Kansas Court of Appeals and graduated from KU’s law school, dissented from the majority opinion. She said Tao’s failure to disclose the possibly he would contract with the Chinese university was significant even though federal research funding decisions linked to the case were made before he failed in 2018 to inform KU in writing of the association.“This form not only required Tao to certify that his answers were ‘true, correct and complete,’ but also to report any changes to the form as soon as they became known to him,” Briscoe wrote. “I would also reject Tao’s remaining arguments for reversing his conviction or remanding for a new trial and would affirm his conviction.”Tao was born in China and earned an undergraduate degree at Chongqing Normal University. His doctorate in physical chemistry was completed at Princeton University. He conducted postdoctoral research at University of California at Berkeley.He was a Miller associate professor in KU’s department of chemical and petroleum engineer from 2014 to 2019. He worked on energy chemistry, nanoscience, surface science and catalysis. He published more than 180 papers in international journals.

Federal appellate court tosses final conviction in case against former KU professor

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge in Kansas has refused to block the nationwide enforcement of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">a Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;requiring firearms dealers to do background checks of buyers at gun shows, leaving Texas as the only state so far where a legal challenge has succeeded.

U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse's ruling this week came in a lawsuit brought by Kansas and 19 other states, three individual gun collectors and a Wichita, Kansas-based association for collectors. They sought an order preventing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from enforcing the rule that took effect in May through the trial of their lawsuit.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gun-show-background-checks-lawsuit-25b1d7eb7711939e73bee89838f4c318">Twenty-six states</a>&nbsp;with Republican attorneys general, gun owner groups and individual gun collectors filed three federal lawsuits in May against the Biden administration. The rule is an attempt to close a loophole allowing tens of thousands of guns to be sold every year by unlicensed dealers without checks to see whether buyers are legally prohibited from having firearms. It applies not only to gun shows but also to other places outside brick-and-mortar firearms stores.

Critics contend the new rule violates gun rights protected by the Second Amendment and that Democratic President Joe Biden's administration doesn't have the legal authority to issue it. They also argue that the rule will depress gun sales, making firearms less available to collectors and costing states tax revenues.

But Crouse, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, said in his ruling Wednesday that predictions of harm to the states, gun collectors and groups are too speculative and create doubts that they actually have grounds to sue. He said such doubts undermine their argument that they are likely to win their lawsuit — a key question for the courts in deciding whether to block a rule or law ahead of a trial.

“While they may ultimately succeed on the merits, they have failed to make a strong showing that they are substantially likely to do so,” Crouse wrote.

Crouse's ruling contrasts one from another Trump appointee in Texas before the rule took effect.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matthew-kacsmaryk">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>&nbsp;blocked its enforcement in that state and against members of four groups, including Gun Owners of America. But Kacsmaryk didn't block it in three other states that joined Texas in its lawsuit — Louisiana, Mississippi and Utah.

Florida filed a lawsuit in federal court there, but a judge has yet to rule.

The states also sued U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the U.S. Department of Justice and the ATF's director. The DOJ declined to comment Friday on Crouse's ruling.

Phil Journey, one of the gun collectors involved in the Kansas case, said he doesn’t know whether Crouse’s ruling will be appealed.

“I am confident the rule and perhaps the underlying statute will ultimately be voided,” Journey, a former Kansas state senator who’s now a state district court judge in Wichita, said in a text.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach also said in a statement that he expects the rule ultimately to be struck down.

“This is a very early stage in a case that is likely to continue for a long time unless President Trump is elected and immediately rescinds the rule,” Kobach said.

In the lawsuit before Crouse, Kansas was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

The lawsuit originally was filed in federal court in Arkansas, with that state also suing. But in ruling just days after the rule took effect, U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr., an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said Arkansas had no standing to sue because its argument that it could lose tax revenue was too speculative. Moody then transferred the case to Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715730270249.png" alt="File photo -Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a statement that he expects the rule ultimately to be struck down." />
 <figcaption>File photo -Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a statement that he expects the rule ultimately to be struck down.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge in Kansas has refused to block the nationwide enforcement of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">a Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;requiring firearms dealers to do background checks of buyers at gun shows, leaving Texas as the only state so far where a legal challenge has succeeded.U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse's ruling this week came in a lawsuit brought by Kansas and 19 other states, three individual gun collectors and a Wichita, Kansas-based association for collectors. They sought an order preventing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from enforcing the rule that took effect in May through the trial of their lawsuit.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-gun-show-background-checks-lawsuit-25b1d7eb7711939e73bee89838f4c318">Twenty-six states</a>&nbsp;with Republican attorneys general, gun owner groups and individual gun collectors filed three federal lawsuits in May against the Biden administration. The rule is an attempt to close a loophole allowing tens of thousands of guns to be sold every year by unlicensed dealers without checks to see whether buyers are legally prohibited from having firearms. It applies not only to gun shows but also to other places outside brick-and-mortar firearms stores.Critics contend the new rule violates gun rights protected by the Second Amendment and that Democratic President Joe Biden's administration doesn't have the legal authority to issue it. They also argue that the rule will depress gun sales, making firearms less available to collectors and costing states tax revenues.But Crouse, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, said in his ruling Wednesday that predictions of harm to the states, gun collectors and groups are too speculative and create doubts that they actually have grounds to sue. He said such doubts undermine their argument that they are likely to win their lawsuit — a key question for the courts in deciding whether to block a rule or law ahead of a trial.“While they may ultimately succeed on the merits, they have failed to make a strong showing that they are substantially likely to do so,” Crouse wrote.Crouse's ruling contrasts one from another Trump appointee in Texas before the rule took effect.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/matthew-kacsmaryk">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>&nbsp;blocked its enforcement in that state and against members of four groups, including Gun Owners of America. But Kacsmaryk didn't block it in three other states that joined Texas in its lawsuit — Louisiana, Mississippi and Utah.Florida filed a lawsuit in federal court there, but a judge has yet to rule.The states also sued U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the U.S. Department of Justice and the ATF's director. The DOJ declined to comment Friday on Crouse's ruling.Phil Journey, one of the gun collectors involved in the Kansas case, said he doesn’t know whether Crouse’s ruling will be appealed.“I am confident the rule and perhaps the underlying statute will ultimately be voided,” Journey, a former Kansas state senator who’s now a state district court judge in Wichita, said in a text.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach also said in a statement that he expects the rule ultimately to be struck down.“This is a very early stage in a case that is likely to continue for a long time unless President Trump is elected and immediately rescinds the rule,” Kobach said.In the lawsuit before Crouse, Kansas was joined by Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.The lawsuit originally was filed in federal court in Arkansas, with that state also suing. But in ruling just days after the rule took effect, U.S. District Judge James Moody Jr., an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said Arkansas had no standing to sue because its argument that it could lose tax revenue was too speculative. Moody then transferred the case to Kansas.

Judge refuses to block Biden admin. rule on gun sales in Kansas

KANSAS CITY— The owner of an Olathe, Kansas, business pleaded guilty in federal court this week to her role in a money-laundering conspiracy to transfer the proceeds of heroin and methamphetamine trafficking to Mexico. A Kansas City, Mo., woman also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, according to the United State's Attorneh.

Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, 48, a citizen of Mexico residing in Overland Park, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering from May 23, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022.

Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal in Olathe, Kan., which offers money transfer services. By pleading guilty today, Leal-Martinez admitted that she accepted drug proceeds from co-conspirators, including Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, also known as “Michoacano,” 41, a Mexican national. Those drug proceeds were then sent by wire transfer to individuals in Michoacan, Mexico.

Between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 8, 2022, Leal-Martinez sent wires totaling $83,850 to Mexico from her business in furtherance of the money-laundering conspiracy. These transfers were structured and sent under assumed names in order to avoid suspicion and detection.

Leal-Martinez, one of 44 defendants indicted in this case, was identified in 2022 after Homeland Security Investigations initiated the investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine, 22 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, among other drugs, sourced from Mexico in the Kansas City area. Investigators identified numerous bulk cash smugglers and drug traffickers working for the drug-trafficking organization as part of the $4.7 million conspiracy.

Co-defendant Flor Gonzalez-Celestine, 54, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty today to participating in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Gonzalez-Celestine participated in four controlled drug buys that were monitored by law enforcement. She sold more than a kilogram of methamphetamine to a confidential informant and was observed in possession of approximately 2.2 additional kilograms of methamphetamine.

Sanchez-Mendez has pleaded guilty to his role in a continuing criminal enterprise, to his role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, and to illegally reentering the United States. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Under federal statutes, Leal-Martinez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gonzalez-Celestine is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

KANSAS CITY— The owner of an Olathe, Kansas, business pleaded guilty in federal court this week to her role in a money-laundering conspiracy to transfer the proceeds of heroin and methamphetamine trafficking to Mexico. A Kansas City, Mo., woman also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, according to the United State's Attorneh.Ana Lilia Leal-Martinez, 48, a citizen of Mexico residing in Overland Park, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering from May 23, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022.Leal-Martinez is the owner of Imagen Leal in Olathe, Kan., which offers money transfer services. By pleading guilty today, Leal-Martinez admitted that she accepted drug proceeds from co-conspirators, including Jose Jesus Sanchez-Mendez, also known as “Michoacano,” 41, a Mexican national. Those drug proceeds were then sent by wire transfer to individuals in Michoacan, Mexico.Between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 8, 2022, Leal-Martinez sent wires totaling $83,850 to Mexico from her business in furtherance of the money-laundering conspiracy. These transfers were structured and sent under assumed names in order to avoid suspicion and detection.Leal-Martinez, one of 44 defendants indicted in this case, was identified in 2022 after Homeland Security Investigations initiated the investigation of a drug-trafficking organization that distributed more than 335 kilograms of methamphetamine, 22 kilograms of heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl, among other drugs, sourced from Mexico in the Kansas City area. Investigators identified numerous bulk cash smugglers and drug traffickers working for the drug-trafficking organization as part of the $4.7 million conspiracy.Co-defendant Flor Gonzalez-Celestine, 54, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty today to participating in a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin from Feb. 28, 2020, to Sept. 20, 2022. Gonzalez-Celestine participated in four controlled drug buys that were monitored by law enforcement. She sold more than a kilogram of methamphetamine to a confidential informant and was observed in possession of approximately 2.2 additional kilograms of methamphetamine.Sanchez-Mendez has pleaded guilty to his role in a continuing criminal enterprise, to his role in the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies, and to illegally reentering the United States. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.Under federal statutes, Leal-Martinez is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Gonzalez-Celestine is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

Owner of business in Kan. admits wiring drug sales cash to Mexico

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Actress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-health-country-music-c5cd1763c84b551f3294ac7826e84d37">Ashley Judd</a>&nbsp;is adding her voice to calls for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-12-2024">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;to step aside from the presidential race following his performance in last month's debate, arguing that she worries he could lose to Republican Donald Trump in November.

In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2024/07/12/replace-biden-beat-trump-election/74375107007/">opinion piece</a>&nbsp;for USA Today published on Friday, Judd called on Biden to “voluntarily, gracefully step aside” so that his party can support a “talented, robust Democrat” for the presidency. She described Biden during the debate as “incapable of countering Trump, while he, unchecked, gushed a firehose of galling lies.”

Judd, who has been an outspoken supporter for Biden and other Democrats across the country, noted the political activism that has accompanied her multi-decade Hollywood career. Her allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement.

Warning that she fears Trump “would wield the power of the presidency with unprecedented, incalculable cruelty and unfairness” if voters return him to the White House, Judd said that time is of the essence for Democrats to replace Biden with a candidate who can defeat him.

“We do not have another day for distraction or division among ourselves," she said.

Judd did not posit a possible replacement for Biden atop the ticket, and a representative did not immediately return a message seeking comment as to whom she might suggest.

Her call comes as Democrats consider whether they want Biden to remain as his party's nominee, following concerns over his age and ability to win the general election against Trump.

Earlier this week, movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/opinion/joe-biden-democratic-nominee.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare&amp;sgrp=c-cb">New York Times opinion piece</a>&nbsp;that he loves Biden but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any in Congress with him as the nominee. He cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-clooney-joe-biden-presidential-race-2024-2419c5a66aac55a5f3cda1e676e6ffde">what he characterized</a>&nbsp;as a diminished Biden during interactions around a Los Angeles fundraiser last month.

Judd&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emhoff-ashley-judd-suicide-prevention-white-house-56fe0dfd60d27216af879d2662f3a9ba">was at the White House in April</a>&nbsp;to help the Biden administration promote its new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-abuse/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/index.html">national strategy to prevent suicide</a>, to which she lost her mother, singer Naomi Judd, in 2022. The Biden campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Ashley Judd's piece.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720800758357.png" alt="President Biden waves off a reporter as he left the stage following the press conference on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden waves off a reporter as he left the stage following the press conference on Thursday night -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —Actress&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-health-country-music-c5cd1763c84b551f3294ac7826e84d37">Ashley Judd</a>&nbsp;is adding her voice to calls for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/election-biden-trump-campaign-updates-07-12-2024">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;to step aside from the presidential race following his performance in last month's debate, arguing that she worries he could lose to Republican Donald Trump in November.In an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2024/07/12/replace-biden-beat-trump-election/74375107007/">opinion piece</a>&nbsp;for USA Today published on Friday, Judd called on Biden to “voluntarily, gracefully step aside” so that his party can support a “talented, robust Democrat” for the presidency. She described Biden during the debate as “incapable of countering Trump, while he, unchecked, gushed a firehose of galling lies.”Judd, who has been an outspoken supporter for Biden and other Democrats across the country, noted the political activism that has accompanied her multi-decade Hollywood career. Her allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement.Warning that she fears Trump “would wield the power of the presidency with unprecedented, incalculable cruelty and unfairness” if voters return him to the White House, Judd said that time is of the essence for Democrats to replace Biden with a candidate who can defeat him.“We do not have another day for distraction or division among ourselves," she said.Judd did not posit a possible replacement for Biden atop the ticket, and a representative did not immediately return a message seeking comment as to whom she might suggest.Her call comes as Democrats consider whether they want Biden to remain as his party's nominee, following concerns over his age and ability to win the general election against Trump.Earlier this week, movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/opinion/joe-biden-democratic-nominee.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare&amp;sgrp=c-cb">New York Times opinion piece</a>&nbsp;that he loves Biden but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any in Congress with him as the nominee. He cited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-clooney-joe-biden-presidential-race-2024-2419c5a66aac55a5f3cda1e676e6ffde">what he characterized</a>&nbsp;as a diminished Biden during interactions around a Los Angeles fundraiser last month.Judd&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emhoff-ashley-judd-suicide-prevention-white-house-56fe0dfd60d27216af879d2662f3a9ba">was at the White House in April</a>&nbsp;to help the Biden administration promote its new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/programs/prevention-and-wellness/mental-health-substance-abuse/national-strategy-suicide-prevention/index.html">national strategy to prevent suicide</a>, to which she lost her mother, singer Naomi Judd, in 2022. The Biden campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Ashley Judd's piece.

Actress adds her voice to those calling on Biden to leave the race

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Wichita.

Just before 6p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4800 block of South Gordon in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Just after 6p.m, another 911 call reported three additional shooting victims. While en route, officers encountered an unknown man with a gunshot wound at 47th and Seneca.

Upon arrival at the 4800 block of South Gordon, officers found one victim deceased from an apparent gunshot wound and three other victims suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Ford.

 All four victims were transported to St. Francis Hospital; one with non-life-threatening injuries and three with serious injuries.

Investigators are working to determine the circumstances leading to this incident. Police were questioning one of the victims as a person on interest in the case. He is also being treated for his injuries. There was no threat to the community, and the parties involved are known to each other.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720833197351.png" alt="Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Wichita.Just before 6p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 4800 block of South Gordon in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Just after 6p.m, another 911 call reported three additional shooting victims. While en route, officers encountered an unknown man with a gunshot wound at 47th and Seneca.Upon arrival at the 4800 block of South Gordon, officers found one victim deceased from an apparent gunshot wound and three other victims suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Ford. All four victims were transported to St. Francis Hospital; one with non-life-threatening injuries and three with serious injuries.Investigators are working to determine the circumstances leading to this incident. Police were questioning one of the victims as a person on interest in the case. He is also being treated for his injuries. There was no threat to the community, and the parties involved are known to each other.&nbsp;

Police: 1 dead, four injured in Kansas shooting

TOPEKA — The Kansas State Board of Education plans to finalize in August parameters of a 30-member task force that would be formed to develop policy recommendations on non-academic use of cellular telephones by prekindergarten through 12th-grade students while at school.

In public and private districts across the United States, officials are limiting or banning smartphones in classrooms to minimize distractions from academic obligations and to lower stress and anxiety among students. Some schools forbid students from accessing phones throughout the day, while others deprive students of devices during class time.

“It’s going to take a concerted effort to address the amount of time our children spend on their own devices during instructional time,” said state Board of Education chair Melanie Haas of Overland Park. “We as parents and elected officials need to help our children use technology and social media in safer, more beneficial ways.”

Randy Watson, the state commissioner of education, was given the task of forming a task force that included least two state school board members, students, classroom teachers, administrators and other education representatives. He suggested the co-chairs could be a student and a principal.

He anticipated the state Board of Education would ask the task force to provide a framework for state policy or guidance for school districts to address the issue. State board members plan to determine at their August meeting boundaries for the task force. The report would be due in late 2024.

“Then I would like the task force to present their recommendations to the board by November, no later than December,” Watson said. “In addition to addressing how our children are using their digital devices for non-academic purposes while they’re in the classroom, we also need to take a hard look at the impact social media is having on children’s mental health.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720819629981.png" alt=" Melanie Haas, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, says a task force will consider whether to recommend boundaries on non-academic use of cellphones by students in the classroom. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Melanie Haas, chair of the Kansas State Board of Education, says a task force will consider whether to recommend boundaries on non-academic use of cellphones by students in the classroom. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas State Board of Education plans to finalize in August parameters of a 30-member task force that would be formed to develop policy recommendations on non-academic use of cellular telephones by prekindergarten through 12th-grade students while at school.In public and private districts across the United States, officials are limiting or banning smartphones in classrooms to minimize distractions from academic obligations and to lower stress and anxiety among students. Some schools forbid students from accessing phones throughout the day, while others deprive students of devices during class time.“It’s going to take a concerted effort to address the amount of time our children spend on their own devices during instructional time,” said state Board of Education chair Melanie Haas of Overland Park. “We as parents and elected officials need to help our children use technology and social media in safer, more beneficial ways.”Randy Watson, the state commissioner of education, was given the task of forming a task force that included least two state school board members, students, classroom teachers, administrators and other education representatives. He suggested the co-chairs could be a student and a principal.He anticipated the state Board of Education would ask the task force to provide a framework for state policy or guidance for school districts to address the issue. State board members plan to determine at their August meeting boundaries for the task force. The report would be due in late 2024.“Then I would like the task force to present their recommendations to the board by November, no later than December,” Watson said. “In addition to addressing how our children are using their digital devices for non-academic purposes while they’re in the classroom, we also need to take a hard look at the impact social media is having on children’s mental health.”

Kan. Board of Education to study limitations on cellphone use in classrooms

NESS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.

Just after 11:30 p.m. July 11, deputies from the Ness County Sheriffs Office executed an arrest warrant at 414 S Kansas Avenue in Ransom, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Braydan Lee Fringer, 22,&nbsp; was arrested after a cooperative investigation between the Ness County Sheriffs Office and the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KBIKansas?__cft__[0]=AZXYnBtgVGJ0QHx-1EJXjViED43b1Dn-KwE2fQjy3eIpZnPQ_s65RfMGg1pmAJs-SQ3G621PEY5twfelp1DXQN5Dju27M64D4QlQ7Nu27KmfFXF1I7Z6ihkz7iCJ6xjkX9Syn78w92CF-6tRttfgEZMUpQ4M9pVk5JKlPLCPQR362hpbY24h4NZ3fNwHaFM2QYqSAgtxNSBKryDPpBCfmyLP1KVPsdZ0AUNWfXwoyxWDWH3eCE6KvMX-w-zcNrnn3eQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R"> Kansas Bureau of Investigatio</a>n.

Fringer was booked into the Ness County Jail for one count of Electronic Solicitation of a Child, and four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child.&nbsp;

NESS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on child sex allegations.Just after 11:30 p.m. July 11, deputies from the Ness County Sheriffs Office executed an arrest warrant at 414 S Kansas Avenue in Ransom, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Braydan Lee Fringer, 22,&nbsp; was arrested after a cooperative investigation between the Ness County Sheriffs Office and the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KBIKansas?__cft__[0]=AZXYnBtgVGJ0QHx-1EJXjViED43b1Dn-KwE2fQjy3eIpZnPQ_s65RfMGg1pmAJs-SQ3G621PEY5twfelp1DXQN5Dju27M64D4QlQ7Nu27KmfFXF1I7Z6ihkz7iCJ6xjkX9Syn78w92CF-6tRttfgEZMUpQ4M9pVk5JKlPLCPQR362hpbY24h4NZ3fNwHaFM2QYqSAgtxNSBKryDPpBCfmyLP1KVPsdZ0AUNWfXwoyxWDWH3eCE6KvMX-w-zcNrnn3eQ&amp;__tn__=-]K-y-R"> Kansas Bureau of Investigatio</a>n. Fringer was booked into the Ness County Jail for one count of Electronic Solicitation of a Child, and four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child.&nbsp;

KBI: Kansas man accused of child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court on Friday ruled that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inquiry-board-state-supreme-court-0103d6047d1caa04eefbb6ef262063fb">execution plans</a>&nbsp;for Marcellus Williams will move forward, even as a prosecutor works to overturn his 1998 murder conviction.

Judges on Friday decided against halting Williams’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-hearing-marcellus-williams-ceb2b400859cd053ce8c9717dfdf07b5">execution</a>&nbsp;despite a St. Louis County court hearing set for Aug. 21 to determine whether he is innocent.

Williams was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1998 death of Lisha Gayle during a robbery of her suburban St. Louis home.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion in January to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inmate-dna-evidence-0a179b0aafb1a0c0a3e144f7e3592a62">vacate</a>&nbsp;Williams’ conviction. Bell cited new DNA evidence and said he believed Williams was not involved in Gayle’s death.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">A 2021 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;allows prosecuting attorneys to file a motion to vacate a conviction if they believe the inmate could be innocent or was otherwise erroneously convicted. The filing prompts a hearing before a judge.

In the meantime, Williams had asked the Supreme Court to stay his execution pending the outcome of the August hearing. He faces execution Sept. 24.

Judges&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=209675">ruled</a>&nbsp;that they do not have the procedural authority to withdraw the execution order at this time.

Williams' attorney Tricia Bushnell in a statement said she's “confident that any court, when presented with all the evidence—including the DNA evidence—will come to the same conclusion as St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell: that Marcellus Williams is innocent and his conviction must be overturned.”

"There is still time to right this wrong," she said. "No one wants to see Missouri execute an innocent man.”

Bell said in a statement that his office is focused on the upcoming innocence hearing.

“While of course we would prefer that this motion before the Missouri Supreme Court had prevailed and there were no longer an execution date looming for Marcellus Williams, our focus is on the motion we filed before the 21st Judicial Circuit and the effort to have our concerns about the conviction of Mr. Williams heard in court,” Bell said.

A spokeswoman for the Missouri Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688086205294.png" alt="Williams photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Williams photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court on Friday ruled that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inquiry-board-state-supreme-court-0103d6047d1caa04eefbb6ef262063fb">execution plans</a>&nbsp;for Marcellus Williams will move forward, even as a prosecutor works to overturn his 1998 murder conviction.Judges on Friday decided against halting Williams’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-hearing-marcellus-williams-ceb2b400859cd053ce8c9717dfdf07b5">execution</a>&nbsp;despite a St. Louis County court hearing set for Aug. 21 to determine whether he is innocent.Williams was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1998 death of Lisha Gayle during a robbery of her suburban St. Louis home.St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell filed a motion in January to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inmate-dna-evidence-0a179b0aafb1a0c0a3e144f7e3592a62">vacate</a>&nbsp;Williams’ conviction. Bell cited new DNA evidence and said he believed Williams was not involved in Gayle’s death.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">A 2021 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;allows prosecuting attorneys to file a motion to vacate a conviction if they believe the inmate could be innocent or was otherwise erroneously convicted. The filing prompts a hearing before a judge.In the meantime, Williams had asked the Supreme Court to stay his execution pending the outcome of the August hearing. He faces execution Sept. 24.Judges&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=209675">ruled</a>&nbsp;that they do not have the procedural authority to withdraw the execution order at this time.Williams' attorney Tricia Bushnell in a statement said she's “confident that any court, when presented with all the evidence—including the DNA evidence—will come to the same conclusion as St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell: that Marcellus Williams is innocent and his conviction must be overturned.”"There is still time to right this wrong," she said. "No one wants to see Missouri execute an innocent man.”Bell said in a statement that his office is focused on the upcoming innocence hearing.“While of course we would prefer that this motion before the Missouri Supreme Court had prevailed and there were no longer an execution date looming for Marcellus Williams, our focus is on the motion we filed before the 21st Judicial Circuit and the effort to have our concerns about the conviction of Mr. Williams heard in court,” Bell said.A spokeswoman for the Missouri Attorney General's Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Friday.

Execution plans move forward for man convicted of killing newspaper reporter

COWLEY COUNTY —A small plane was damaged in a mishap just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Cowley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Kitfox 7 piloted by&nbsp;John Gaston&nbsp;Swofford, 60, Fort Worth, Texas, was enroute from Stol Creek Aviation in Whitewater, Kansas to a final destination at the airport in Fort Worth, Texas.

 Following a 3-point landing at Strother Field 22193 Tupper Street in Winfield, a gust of wind caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft.&nbsp; The pilot was unable to correct the aircraft and it came to a rest on the grass embankment east of the taxiway. Aircraft sustained major damage to prop and left wing.

Swofford was not injured. The NTSB and FAA will investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720834377356.png" alt="Strother Field 22193 Tupper Street in Winfield-Google map" />
 <figcaption>Strother Field 22193 Tupper Street in Winfield-Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —A small plane was damaged in a mishap just before 2:30p.m. Friday in Cowley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Kitfox 7 piloted by&nbsp;John Gaston&nbsp;Swofford, 60, Fort Worth, Texas, was enroute from Stol Creek Aviation in Whitewater, Kansas to a final destination at the airport in Fort Worth, Texas. Following a 3-point landing at Strother Field 22193 Tupper Street in Winfield, a gust of wind caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft.&nbsp; The pilot was unable to correct the aircraft and it came to a rest on the grass embankment east of the taxiway. Aircraft sustained major damage to prop and left wing.Swofford was not injured. The NTSB and FAA will investigate.

Small plane suffers major damage after mishap at Kan. airport

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a deadly shooting in Wichita made his first court appearance in the case last week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719921077048.png" alt="Peter McKinney-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Peter McKinney-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in a deadly shooting in Wichita made his first court appearance in the case last week. Peter McKinney, 22 of Wichita, is charged with 2nd&nbsp;degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Police also arrested McKinney's father at the scene on a requested charge of Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.&nbsp;&nbsp;More investigation is needed before further charges are filed against him, according to the district attorney's office.Just after 11a.m. July 1, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a call reporting a shooting at the&nbsp;Rockborough apartment complex, 202 N Rock Road in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719885319829.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located 25-year-old Sebastian Crawford of Wichita with a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.Multiple other individuals, including two juveniles, were located inside the apartment. EMS transported a woman to an area hospital to be evaluated for a condition apparently unrelated to the shooting.&nbsp;No other injuries were reported.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719921323757.png" alt="Jeffrey McKinney-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey McKinney-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Homicide investigators responded to the scene and worked with patrol officers to understand what led up to the shooting. According to Sedgwick County booking records, police arrested 22-year-old Peter McKinney and 50-year-old Jeffrey McKinney.At this time, police believe that Crawford and Peter McKinney knew each other and were involved in an argument before the shooting.Peter McKinney remains jailed on a half-million dollar bond. His next court hearing is July 15, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp; His father remains jailed on a $50,000 bond, according to online jail records.&nbsp;This is the 18th criminal homicide in Wichita this year, according to Ford.