KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 36-year-old&nbsp;Crystal Rayner, according to a statement from Kansas City Police.

Just after 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an injury crash on Interstate 670 and Broadway. They found a woman later identified as Rayner inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds.

EMS transported her to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

Police have not reported additional details or suspect information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686323898803.png" alt="Police have not released possible suspect information in connection with the shooting -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police have not released possible suspect information in connection with the shooting -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting have identified the victim as 36-year-old&nbsp;Crystal Rayner, according to a statement from Kansas City Police.Just after 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to an injury crash on Interstate 670 and Broadway. They found a woman later identified as Rayner inside a vehicle with gunshot wounds.EMS transported her to an area hospital where she was pronounced deceased.Police have not reported additional details or suspect information.

Police ID woman who died after being shot on Kansas City highway

MANHATTAN–&nbsp;A registered Kansas drug offender being held in the Riley County Jail has been arrested on child sex crime charges stemming from his involvement with a minor online while incarcerated, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Just after 2p.m. June 8, police arrested 39-year-old Alvin Mason of Abilene after officers found he abused his inmate privileges with a tablet by engaging in inappropriate acts with a 15-year-old girl online. 

Officers identified the crime while monitoring the device’s activity.

This arrest holds requested charges of electronic solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, aggravated intimidation of a witness, contributing to a child’s misconduct, and promoting obscenity to a child.

Mason was being held in the Riley County Jail for multiple failure to appear charges with a bond of $201,000 at the time of the crimes.

Mason has been listed as a registered offender since July of 2017 for a drug distribution conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The added requested charges hold a bond of $500,000. Mason remains confined with a total bond of $701,000, according to the RCPD.

The tablets in the Riley County Jail are an extension of the video kiosks which are available to inmates for video visitation. They are facilitated through TurnKey Corrections. Unlike other facilities, the tablets at the Riley County Jail do not have access to web browsers or social media, they are strictly used for video visitation, text messaging, and phone calls&nbsp;through TurnKey software. All activity on the tablets are monitored and recorded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686317095662.png" alt="Mason-photo KBI offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Mason-photo KBI offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN–&nbsp;A registered Kansas drug offender being held in the Riley County Jail has been arrested on child sex crime charges stemming from his involvement with a minor online while incarcerated, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Just after 2p.m. June 8, police arrested 39-year-old Alvin Mason of Abilene after officers found he abused his inmate privileges with a tablet by engaging in inappropriate acts with a 15-year-old girl online. Officers identified the crime while monitoring the device’s activity.This arrest holds requested charges of electronic solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, aggravated intimidation of a witness, contributing to a child’s misconduct, and promoting obscenity to a child.Mason was being held in the Riley County Jail for multiple failure to appear charges with a bond of $201,000 at the time of the crimes.Mason has been listed as a registered offender since July of 2017 for a drug distribution conviction, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.The added requested charges hold a bond of $500,000. Mason remains confined with a total bond of $701,000, according to the RCPD.The tablets in the Riley County Jail are an extension of the video kiosks which are available to inmates for video visitation. They are facilitated through TurnKey Corrections. Unlike other facilities, the tablets at the Riley County Jail do not have access to web browsers or social media, they are strictly used for video visitation, text messaging, and phone calls&nbsp;through TurnKey software. All activity on the tablets are monitored and recorded.

Kan. drug offender accused of online child sex crimes while in custody

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of former President Donald Trump have reacted with anger to Thursday's news of the federal indictment against former President Donald Trump and are criticizing the Biden administration. The White House, meanwhile, has declined to comment and referred questions to the Department of Justice. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt used social media to criticize the indictment.

Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran and other members of the Kansas congressional delegation have not issued a statements.

“The Biden Regime, which is realizing they can't beat or cheat their way to another victory, has taken the unprecedented step to indict President Trump,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC backing Trump's bid for a return to the White House.

A White House official said it had no foreknowledge of the indictment and learned of it from news reports.

In an interview Thursday night on Fox News, Sen. Tim Scott said he felt the justice system’s “scales are weighted” based on politics.

“In America, every single person is presumed innocent, not guilty,” Scott said, decrying “the weaponization of the Department of Justice against the former president.”

Scott said he had not spoken to Trump and would “continue to pray for our nation and continue to pray that justice prevails.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supporters of former President Donald Trump have reacted with anger to Thursday's news of the federal indictment against former President Donald Trump and are criticizing the Biden administration. The White House, meanwhile, has declined to comment and referred questions to the Department of Justice. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt used social media to criticize the indictment.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on the unprecedented indictment of President Trump by Biden&#39;s DOJ: <a href="https://t.co/NtSd8hwqqy">pic.twitter.com/NtSd8hwqqy</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1666988328523034624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joe Biden has used his Justice Department to go after parents as “domestic terrorists,” to spy on Catholic parishes, to terrorize &amp; harass prolife Christians - and tonight to indict his top political opponent, Trump. He has trampled the rule of law to benefit himself. He has led…&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1666958453225529378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joe Biden has now indicted his top political opponent. Full on Banana Republic stuff.&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1666981314572984320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686273373802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas senior Senator Jerry Moran and other members of the Kansas congressional delegation have not issued a statements.“The Biden Regime, which is realizing they can't beat or cheat their way to another victory, has taken the unprecedented step to indict President Trump,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Make America Great Again Inc., a super PAC backing Trump's bid for a return to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today is indeed a dark day for the United States of America. It is unconscionable for a President to indict the leading candidate opposing him. Joe Biden kept classified documents for decades. I, and every American who believes in the rule of law, stand with President Trump…&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1666979107681325064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A White House official said it had no foreknowledge of the indictment and learned of it from news reports.In an interview Thursday night on Fox News, Sen. Tim Scott said he felt the justice system’s “scales are weighted” based on politics.“In America, every single person is presumed innocent, not guilty,” Scott said, decrying “the weaponization of the Department of Justice against the former president.”Scott said he had not spoken to Trump and would “continue to pray for our nation and continue to pray that justice prevails.”

Kansas, Missouri Senators critical of Trump indictment

WICHITA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly visited Wesley Medical Center Thursday, where she ceremonially signed&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cua3NsZWdpc2xhdHVyZS5vcmcvbGkvYjIwMjNfMjQvbWVhc3VyZXMvdm90ZV92aWV3L2plXzIwMjMwNDI3MTgwNTI3XzE1OTQyMC8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNjA4Ljc3OTY1MDAxIn0.nd-lGwK7oGpNIhHe-Yqkvs47Z2ZpVxiWQtoMMyV7iJc/s/1303160919/br/204527180003-l" target="_blank">Senate Bill 174</a>. The bipartisan bill increases the criminal penalties for people convicted of battery of a health care provider, according to a media release from her office.

“The number of stories we’ve heard over the last few years of health care workers being harassed and abused while doing their jobs is appalling and unacceptable,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “This bill is a win for our state, showing that both sides of the aisle can come together to save lives and protect health care workers.”

Governor Kelly was joined by legislators, health care workers, advocates, and hospital leadership to celebrate the passage of the legislation.

“At a time when health care is facing a staffing crisis, we are pleased legislation that provides protections for health care workers has been signed into law,”&nbsp;said Chad Austin, president and CEO, Kansas Hospital Association. “There are now criminal penalties for assault and battery of a health care worker.”

Battery against a health care provider is now a Class A misdemeanor.

SB 174 also decriminalizes fentanyl test strips, which is a step toward reducing overdose deaths resulting from the presence of fentanyl in drugs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686305895398.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly visited Wesley Medical Center Thursday, where she ceremonially signed&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cua3NsZWdpc2xhdHVyZS5vcmcvbGkvYjIwMjNfMjQvbWVhc3VyZXMvdm90ZV92aWV3L2plXzIwMjMwNDI3MTgwNTI3XzE1OTQyMC8iLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMjMwNjA4Ljc3OTY1MDAxIn0.nd-lGwK7oGpNIhHe-Yqkvs47Z2ZpVxiWQtoMMyV7iJc/s/1303160919/br/204527180003-l" target="_blank">Senate Bill 174</a>. The bipartisan bill increases the criminal penalties for people convicted of battery of a health care provider, according to a media release from her office.“The number of stories we’ve heard over the last few years of health care workers being harassed and abused while doing their jobs is appalling and unacceptable,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said. “This bill is a win for our state, showing that both sides of the aisle can come together to save lives and protect health care workers.”Governor Kelly was joined by legislators, health care workers, advocates, and hospital leadership to celebrate the passage of the legislation.“At a time when health care is facing a staffing crisis, we are pleased legislation that provides protections for health care workers has been signed into law,”&nbsp;said Chad Austin, president and CEO, Kansas Hospital Association. “There are now criminal penalties for assault and battery of a health care worker.”Battery against a health care provider is now a Class A misdemeanor.SB 174 also decriminalizes fentanyl test strips, which is a step toward reducing overdose deaths resulting from the presence of fentanyl in drugs.

Gov. ceremonially signs bill Increasing protections for health care workers

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident that took the life of a teen.

Just after 10a.m. Thursday,&nbsp;officers and emergency crews responded to the Lee’s Summit Resource Recovery Park in the 2100 block of SE Hamblen Road on the report of an injured person, according to Lee's Summit&nbsp; Police.

&nbsp;When officers arrived, they located&nbsp; a 16-year-old employee of a private company who had become pinned between a tractor trailer rig and its trailer. 

EMS transported the injured boy to a local trauma center where he was pronounced dead.  Traffic Investigators are working to reconstruct the scene and gather evidence. 

Police have not released the name of the teen.

The incident occurred on property within the Lee’s Summit Resource Recovery Park leased from the City of Lee’s Summit by a private third-party company.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident that took the life of a teen.Just after 10a.m. Thursday,&nbsp;officers and emergency crews responded to the Lee’s Summit Resource Recovery Park in the 2100 block of SE Hamblen Road on the report of an injured person, according to Lee's Summit&nbsp; Police.&nbsp;When officers arrived, they located&nbsp; a 16-year-old employee of a private company who had become pinned between a tractor trailer rig and its trailer. EMS transported the injured boy to a local trauma center where he was pronounced dead. Traffic Investigators are working to reconstruct the scene and gather evidence. Police have not released the name of the teen.The incident occurred on property within the Lee’s Summit Resource Recovery Park leased from the City of Lee’s Summit by a private third-party company.

16-year-old dies in work accident at KC-area landfill

STONE COUNTY —A child died Wednesday after an incident on Monday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the 2-year-old from Ozark, Missouri, entered the water in an an unknown manner without a life jacket seven miles north of Blue Eye. 

The girl was transported to Children's Mercy in Kansas City where she was pronounced deceased in the intensive care unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

STONE COUNTY —A child died Wednesday after an incident on Monday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the 2-year-old from Ozark, Missouri, entered the water in an an unknown manner without a life jacket seven miles north of Blue Eye. The girl was transported to Children's Mercy in Kansas City where she was pronounced deceased in the intensive care unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

2-year-old has died after incident at Table Rock Lake

MIAMI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">mishandling classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, a remarkable development that makes him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw.

The Justice Department was expected to make public a seven-count indictment ahead of a historic court appearance next week in the midst of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by criminal prosecutions in multiple states.

The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted.

But it also has enormous political implications, potentially upending a Republican presidential primary that Trump had been dominating and testing anew the willingness of GOP voters and party leaders to stick with a now twice-indicted candidate who could face still more charges. And it sets the stage for a sensational trial centered on claims that a man once entrusted to safeguard the nation's most closely guarded secrets willfully, and illegally, hoarded sensitive national security information.

The Justice Department did not immediately confirm the indictment publicly. But two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.

Within minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, began fundraising off it for his presidential campaign. He declared his innocence in a video and repeated his familiar refrain that the investigation is a “witch hunt.”

The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he faces, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.

Appearing Thursday night on CNN, Trump attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act, which polices the handling of government secrets — obstruction, false statements and conspiracy.

The inquiry took a major step forward last November when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, a soft-spoken former federal judge who has long stated that no one person should be regarded as above the law, appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Jack Smith</a>, a war crimes prosecutor with an aggressive, hard-charging reputation to lead both the documents probe as well as a separate investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election.

The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. The most notable investigation was an earlier special counsel probe into ties between his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">2016 campaign and Russia,</a>&nbsp;but prosecutors in that probe cited Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Once he left office, though, he lost that protection.

The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property</a>, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.

Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.

Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">including the retention of national defense information</a>, destruction of government records and obstruction.

Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-grand-jury-justice-department-623428540a6cff1b5dcdf697cdf45b5d">including his own lawyers</a>. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.

Even so, it remains unclear how much it will damage Trump's standing given that his first indictment generated millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t weaken him in the polls.

The former president has long sought to use his legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.

Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.

Smith is separately investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.

Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-classified-documents-maralago-455e06ae11fecd5fc6aa565bee6b3878">Monday meeting between Trump’s lawyers</a>&nbsp;and Justice Department officials. His lawyers had also recently been notified that he was the target of the investigation, the clearest sign yet that an indictment was looming.

Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors took place.

The Justice Department has said Trump repeatedly resisted efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration to get the documents back. After months of back-and-forth, Trump representatives returned 15 boxes of records in January 2022, including about 184 documents that officials said had classified markings on them.

FBI and Justice Department investigators issued a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents that remained in Trump’s possession. But after a Trump lawyer provided three dozen records and asserted that a diligent search of the property had been done, officials came to suspect even more documents remained.

The investigation had simmered for months before bursting into front-page news in remarkable fashion last August. That’s when FBI agents served a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago and removed 33 boxes containing classified records, including top-secret documents stashed in a storage room and desk drawer and commingled with personal belongings. Some records were so sensitive that investigators needed upgraded security clearances to review them, the Justice Department has said.

The investigation into Trump had appeared complicated — politically, if not legally — by the discovery of documents with classified markings in the Delaware home and former Washington office of President Joe Biden, as well as in the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence. The Justice Department recently informed Pence that he would not face charges, while a second special counsel continues to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents.

But compared with Trump, there are key differences in the facts and legal issues surrounding Biden’s and Pence’s handling of documents, including that representatives for both men say the documents were voluntarily turned over to investigators as soon as they were found. In contrast, investigators quickly zeroed on whether Trump, who for four years as president expressed disdain for the FBI and Justice Department, had sought to obstruct the inquiry by refusing to turn over all the requested documents.

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.

The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. But two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's team had been informed that he had been indicted on seven counts and that prosecutors had contacted lawyers to advise them of the indictment shortly before Trump announced it himself on his Truth Social platform.

“This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America,” Trump posted. “We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”

Within 20 minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, had begun fundraising off it for his 2024 presidential campaign.

The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta that also could lead to criminal charges. As the prosecution moves forward, it will pit Trump’s claims of sweeping executive power against Attorney General Merrick Garland’s oft-stated mantra that no person, including a former commander in chief, should be regarded as above the law.

The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.

Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation.

Trump and his team have long seen the special counsel investigation as far more perilous than the New York matter — both politically and legally. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.

But it remains unclear what the immediate and long-term political consequences will be for Trump. His first indictment spurred millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t damage Trump in the polls. No matter what, the indictment — and the legal fight that follows -- will throw Trump back into the spotlight, sucking attention away from the other candidates who are trying to build momentum in the 2024 presidential race.

Trump has insisted he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.

The former president has long sought to use mounting legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.

The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden, who is seeking reelection in 2024.

Among the various state and federal investigations that Trump faces, legal experts — including Trump’s own former attorney general — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as one of the most likely to result in indictment and the one where evidence seemed to favor the government. Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed, including the retention of national defense information, destruction of government records and obstruction of an investigation.

Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump, including his own lawyers. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.

Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a June 5 meeting between Trump’s lawyers and Justice Department officials. After that meeting, Trump said on social media that he anticipated he could be charged, even as he insisted he had done nothing wrong.

Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors — including efforts to move the boxes — took place.

The special counsel has a separate probe underway focused on efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.

The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment.

Trump is currently in Bedminster, New Jersey. A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.

Trump said he is due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">mishandling classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, a remarkable development that makes him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw.The Justice Department was expected to make public a seven-count indictment ahead of a historic court appearance next week in the midst of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by criminal prosecutions in multiple states.<figure>
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 </figure>The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted.But it also has enormous political implications, potentially upending a Republican presidential primary that Trump had been dominating and testing anew the willingness of GOP voters and party leaders to stick with a now twice-indicted candidate who could face still more charges. And it sets the stage for a sensational trial centered on claims that a man once entrusted to safeguard the nation's most closely guarded secrets willfully, and illegally, hoarded sensitive national security information.The Justice Department did not immediately confirm the indictment publicly. But two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.Within minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, began fundraising off it for his presidential campaign. He declared his innocence in a video and repeated his familiar refrain that the investigation is a “witch hunt.”The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he faces, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.Appearing Thursday night on CNN, Trump attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act, which polices the handling of government secrets — obstruction, false statements and conspiracy.The inquiry took a major step forward last November when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, a soft-spoken former federal judge who has long stated that no one person should be regarded as above the law, appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Jack Smith</a>, a war crimes prosecutor with an aggressive, hard-charging reputation to lead both the documents probe as well as a separate investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election.The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. The most notable investigation was an earlier special counsel probe into ties between his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">2016 campaign and Russia,</a>&nbsp;but prosecutors in that probe cited Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Once he left office, though, he lost that protection.The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property</a>, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">including the retention of national defense information</a>, destruction of government records and obstruction.Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-grand-jury-justice-department-623428540a6cff1b5dcdf697cdf45b5d">including his own lawyers</a>. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.Even so, it remains unclear how much it will damage Trump's standing given that his first indictment generated millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t weaken him in the polls.The former president has long sought to use his legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.Smith is separately investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-classified-documents-maralago-455e06ae11fecd5fc6aa565bee6b3878">Monday meeting between Trump’s lawyers</a>&nbsp;and Justice Department officials. His lawyers had also recently been notified that he was the target of the investigation, the clearest sign yet that an indictment was looming.Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors took place.The Justice Department has said Trump repeatedly resisted efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration to get the documents back. After months of back-and-forth, Trump representatives returned 15 boxes of records in January 2022, including about 184 documents that officials said had classified markings on them.FBI and Justice Department investigators issued a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents that remained in Trump’s possession. But after a Trump lawyer provided three dozen records and asserted that a diligent search of the property had been done, officials came to suspect even more documents remained.The investigation had simmered for months before bursting into front-page news in remarkable fashion last August. That’s when FBI agents served a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago and removed 33 boxes containing classified records, including top-secret documents stashed in a storage room and desk drawer and commingled with personal belongings. Some records were so sensitive that investigators needed upgraded security clearances to review them, the Justice Department has said.The investigation into Trump had appeared complicated — politically, if not legally — by the discovery of documents with classified markings in the Delaware home and former Washington office of President Joe Biden, as well as in the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence. The Justice Department recently informed Pence that he would not face charges, while a second special counsel continues to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents.But compared with Trump, there are key differences in the facts and legal issues surrounding Biden’s and Pence’s handling of documents, including that representatives for both men say the documents were voluntarily turned over to investigators as soon as they were found. In contrast, investigators quickly zeroed on whether Trump, who for four years as president expressed disdain for the FBI and Justice Department, had sought to obstruct the inquiry by refusing to turn over all the requested documents.--------------MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. But two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's team had been informed that he had been indicted on seven counts and that prosecutors had contacted lawyers to advise them of the indictment shortly before Trump announced it himself on his Truth Social platform.<figure>
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 </figure>“This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America,” Trump posted. “We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”Within 20 minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, had begun fundraising off it for his 2024 presidential campaign.The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta that also could lead to criminal charges. As the prosecution moves forward, it will pit Trump’s claims of sweeping executive power against Attorney General Merrick Garland’s oft-stated mantra that no person, including a former commander in chief, should be regarded as above the law.The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation.Trump and his team have long seen the special counsel investigation as far more perilous than the New York matter — both politically and legally. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.But it remains unclear what the immediate and long-term political consequences will be for Trump. His first indictment spurred millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t damage Trump in the polls. No matter what, the indictment — and the legal fight that follows -- will throw Trump back into the spotlight, sucking attention away from the other candidates who are trying to build momentum in the 2024 presidential race.Trump has insisted he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.The former president has long sought to use mounting legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden, who is seeking reelection in 2024.Among the various state and federal investigations that Trump faces, legal experts — including Trump’s own former attorney general — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as one of the most likely to result in indictment and the one where evidence seemed to favor the government. Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed, including the retention of national defense information, destruction of government records and obstruction of an investigation.Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump, including his own lawyers. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a June 5 meeting between Trump’s lawyers and Justice Department officials. After that meeting, Trump said on social media that he anticipated he could be charged, even as he insisted he had done nothing wrong.Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors — including efforts to move the boxes — took place.Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.The special counsel has a separate probe underway focused on efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment.Trump is currently in Bedminster, New Jersey. A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.Trump said he is due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami.

Trump indicted in classified documents case; historic first for a former president

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Leavenworth man accused of killing his two sons before fleeing to Oklahoma with his two young daughters could face the death penalty if he is convicted.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Wednesday he will seek the death penalty against Donald Ray Jackson Jr., 43, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-leavenworth-cbf7ad5d94bcb20112d9b6e1f82184e5">charged with capital murder</a>&nbsp;in his sons' death.

Jackson stood silent for his arraignment on Wednesday and a not guilty plea was entered for him, Thompson said in a statement.

At the hearing, Jackson’s defense team announced it is unlikely to be ready to face a jury until 2025.

Jackson has been jailed in Leavenworth County since November 2020. Prosecutors allege he shot his sons — 12-year-old Austin and 14-year-old Logan — at their home in rural Leavenworth on Oct. 24, 2020.

The boys' bodies were found after Jackson and his sons didn't show up for a soccer game. An Amber Alert was issued for Jackson and his two daughters, ages 3 and 7.

Jackson was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-kansas-leavenworth-c03f7c571db80021218b3f96f4b21c72">stopped hours later</a>&nbsp;in Beckham County, Oklahoma, with the two girls inside his car.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686252737322.png" alt="Jackson-photo Leavenworth Co.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Jackson-photo Leavenworth Co.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Leavenworth man accused of killing his two sons before fleeing to Oklahoma with his two young daughters could face the death penalty if he is convicted.Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Wednesday he will seek the death penalty against Donald Ray Jackson Jr., 43, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-leavenworth-cbf7ad5d94bcb20112d9b6e1f82184e5">charged with capital murder</a>&nbsp;in his sons' death.Jackson stood silent for his arraignment on Wednesday and a not guilty plea was entered for him, Thompson said in a statement.At the hearing, Jackson’s defense team announced it is unlikely to be ready to face a jury until 2025.Jackson has been jailed in Leavenworth County since November 2020. Prosecutors allege he shot his sons — 12-year-old Austin and 14-year-old Logan — at their home in rural Leavenworth on Oct. 24, 2020.The boys' bodies were found after Jackson and his sons didn't show up for a soccer game. An Amber Alert was issued for Jackson and his two daughters, ages 3 and 7.Jackson was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-kansas-leavenworth-c03f7c571db80021218b3f96f4b21c72">stopped hours later</a>&nbsp;in Beckham County, Oklahoma, with the two girls inside his car.

Kansas man accused of killing two sons faces death penalty

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

TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.

The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.

“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”

In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.

Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.

Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.

The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.

ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.

“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”

A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.

As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.

“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”

Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.

“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”

If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.

Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.

Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.

Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.

The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.

The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.

ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.

The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.

Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.

When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.

Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.

Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.

The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.

Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.

ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.

The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.

“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”

What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.

ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.

“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254914902.png" alt=" Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Emporia State University is asking a Lyon County District Court judge to review and reverse decisions by state appeals officers to reinstate professors who were fired last fall. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Emporia State University has asked a district court judge to review and reverse the reinstatement of five professors fired last year as part of a university-wide restructuring.The Office of Administrative Hearings ordered the reversal of the terminations of Amanda Miracle, Robert Catlett, Michael Behrens, Lynette Sievert and Dan Colson because the university failed to provide a specific reason for firing them.&nbsp;ESU responded with petitions in Lyon County District Court seeking to reverse the OAH orders and rule in favor of the university.“It was kind of a short-lived victory, I guess, in that we then have to go to district court,” said Sievert, a professor of biological sciences. “They’re appealing the fact that we won.”In October 2022, ESU and the OAH signed an interagency agreement outlining the appeals assignments and service agreements. Kansas Reflector obtained a copy of the contract, which shows ESU agreed to pay a service bill of $115 per hour for OAH services.Gwen Larson, spokeswoman for ESU, said the university has not yet received any billing statements from the OAH so she does not know the cost of the hearings. OAH didn’t immediately respond to a Kansas Open Records Act request for related documents.Four additional professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for decisions on their cases, and two other professors’ terminations were affirmed by OAH.The university informed some of the professors they were being placed on administrative leave and told them to clear out their offices at the end of the school year.<h2>Appealing termination</h2>ESU president Ken Hush went before the Kansas Board of Regents in September 2022 to adopt the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/esubulletin.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/52/75242d50-2f8e-11ed-940c-dbfa9ec4e384/631a1046d2625.pdf.pdf">Framework for Workforce Management</a>, a document allowing the termination of professors on campus regardless of their tenure status. The next day, the university fired 33 faculty members, effective May 16.“Honestly, I did not think what they did could be done,” Sievert said. “It was such a shock, because I thought tenure actually meant something, not that people could come along and just say, well, we’re going to ignore it for a little while.”A spokesman for KBOR did not respond to a request for an interview.As outlined in the framework, the fired faculty members had 30 days to file an appeal to OAH. Once the administrative officer assigned to a professor’s case decided on the appeal, the ruling would be final and neither KBOR nor the university could appeal the case. However, state law allows the university or employee to seek judicial review of the administrative officer’s legal reasoning.“An appeal under this policy will not stay the effective date of the suspension, dismissal, or termination,” read the last section of the framework. “An employee who wins their appeal will be entitled to reinstatement, back pay and restoration of other lost benefits.”Larson objected to Kansas Reflector’s use of the word “reinstated” to describe faculty members who won their appeal. Larson said the final decision regarding the status of the professors has not been made, despite the terminations being “reversed” through the appeals decisions.“We’re not really using the term reinstatement,” Larson said. “I know that that is the easiest description for what it looks like happened with some of those wage decisions, but essentially, what some of those decisions said is that the administrative judge ruled that we did not follow our procedure to terminate these appointments. That does not necessarily give a person their position back.”If a Lyon County District Court judge upholds the decision made by OAH, the university may file additional legal action. If the judge disagrees with the decision to reverse the termination, the case may be sent back to OAH for reconsideration.Jess Mack, legal assistant for OAH, said the university filing the petition is standard and all decisions made by the office are subject to appeal.Four professors who appealed their terminations are still waiting for rulings from OAH, months after the appeals began.Three of the appealing professors decided to drop their appeals and retire. Factors that may have contributed to their decisions include unused sick leave that is not available after being fired, the possibility of teaching as an adjunct professor, eligibility for emeritus status, and financial strain through the continual appeals process.The OAH officers affirmed the decisions to terminate two professors, Christopher Lovett and Sheryl Lidzy, because the university provided explanations for their dismissals, as required by the framework policy adopted by KBOR. Lovett and Lidzy have been removed from the university directory.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686254820369.png" alt="Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Fired history professor Chris Lovett appears at an April 18, 2023, meeting of the faculty senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Unfit to lead’</h2>The American Association of University Professors found KBOR members and ESU administrators “<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/emporia-state-university-kansas-board-of-regents-members-unfit-to-lead-investigation-finds/">unfit to lead</a>” following a monthslong investigation into the university’s restructuring and firing of tenured professors.ESU is the only Kansas institution to be&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.aaup.org/our-programs/academic-freedom/censure-list">censured by the AAUP</a>&nbsp;and is one of three U.S. institutions censured in 2023.The investigative report was released May 1, just days after ESU announced its plan to restructure the university into large schools, eliminating departments and department chairs.Michael Smith, a political science professor and former chairman of the department of social sciences, sociology and criminology, said he was notified via email at 1 p.m. the day grades were due for the spring semester that his duties as chairman of the department would conclude at 5 p.m. that afternoon.When asked if Smith was the only department chair asked to step down before the end of the fiscal year, Larson said ESU does not comment on personnel-related matters.Smith said that while he is grateful he is still getting paid as a department chairman through the end of the fiscal year, he doesn’t understand the university’s rush. One of his duties as chairman was to file the assessment report on the previous year that reviews the learning outcomes of the program and uses assessment data in order to determine how well those outcomes were achieved. Based on the findings, recommendations for the following year are offered.Larson said the reports will still be completed through the restructuring.The assessment report is critical for the Higher Learning Commission accreditation, Smith said.Accreditation “validates the quality” of an institution’s academic programs and instruction at all degree levels, according to the HLC&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/accreditation-overview.html">website</a>. A degree from an unaccredited institution is not transferable to other institutions.ESU is scheduled for its 10-year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hlcommission.org/Accreditation/comprehensive-evaluation.html">comprehensive evaluation</a>&nbsp;to reaffirm accreditation by HLC in 2024-25, said Laura Janota, HLC spokeswoman. The university will host a visit from reviewers in fall 2024.The AAUP finding ESU administration unfit to lead will be a consideration in the HLC evaluation, said Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, a Kansas AAUP committee officer.“If the institution loses accreditation, then essentially the degree from ESU would become worthless,” Barrett-Gonzalez said. “So right now, in many ways, the AAUP censure is the canary in the coal mine, and the canary has basically died.”What has happened at ESU was “brutal to teachers,” Barrett-Gonzalez said.ESU was listed as one of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thefire.org/news/10-worst-colleges-free-speech-2023?utm_source=FIRE_Update&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Update&amp;fb_subscribed=true">10 worst colleges for free speech</a>&nbsp;in February by The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.Smith said he has entered the job market and is hoping to find an institution that is not censured by AAUP and values free speech where he can continue working in academia.“I love being chair and would have been happy to continue doing that, or I’d like to be maybe a different kind of administrator,” Smith said. “The glitch there is since I’m strongly opposed to ESU’s new direction, I don’t see any role for me there, and so it becomes a question of looking to do that role at another school.”

‘Short-lived victory:’ Emporia State takes reinstated professors to court

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in a fatal shooting last month made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday and is out of jail after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.

La’Niha Banks, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, attempted 1st degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and four counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On Tuesday, police arrested&nbsp; Banks after a 17 day search.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located&nbsp; 19-year-old Lationna Johnson &nbsp;with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. 

EMS transported Johnson to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. 

The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.

&nbsp;Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss future dates on June 22, according to the. District Attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686138861430.png" alt="Banks photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Banks photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused in a fatal shooting last month made her first court appearance in the case Wednesday and is out of jail after meeting the requirements of a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.La’Niha Banks, 19 of Wichita, is charged with 1st degree murder, attempted 1st degree murder, two counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and four counts of aggravated assault, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On Tuesday, police arrested&nbsp; Banks after a 17 day search.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after 11 pm May 20, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 1000 block of E 1st Street N. in Wichita. Upon arrival, officers located&nbsp; 19-year-old Lationna Johnson &nbsp;with two gunshot wounds to her upper body. EMS transported Johnson to an area hospital in critical condition and with life-threatening injuries. She died on May 23, according to Rebolledo. The investigation revealed that Johnson was trying to break up a physical altercation between an acquaintance of hers and Banks in a parking lot. After the victim managed to stop the fight, she started to drive away, but the Banks produced a handgun and started to shoot into the occupied vehicle.&nbsp;Attorneys in the case are scheduled to discuss future dates on June 22, according to the. District Attorney's office.----------

Kan. murder suspect who hid from from police 17 days is out of jail

WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.

Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.

And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”

“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.

“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.

“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”

Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”

“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.(click below to watch the ceremony)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/icmwM9y618o?start=511" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.Officials also recognized Alston.“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”___

🎥 Statue of noted author Willa Cather unveiled in US Capitol

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two top Republican state officials argued Wednesday over how much it would cost Missouri to restore the right to abortion, with the state attorney general insisting that the figure should account for lost revenue that wouldn't be collected from people who otherwise would be born.

The issue came up during a trial over a proposed ballot measure that would let voters decide in 2024 whether to amend the state constitution to guarantee abortion rights.

Abortions were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">almost completely banned</a>&nbsp;in Missouri following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There are exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for cases of rape or incest.

Supporters are trying to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-voters-election-0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;before voters next year that would protect abortion rights and pregnant women, as well as access to birth control.

But the effort stalled in April because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">a spat</a>&nbsp;between Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick and newly appointed Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argues that the cost could be far greater than what his Republican peer estimated.

ACLU of Missouri lawyer Tony Rothert told Beetem on Wednesday that his clients at the abortion rights campaign are stuck in limbo because the two officeholders are at an impasse, and that the campaign can't begin collecting voter signatures without an official fiscal note.

“If we sit around and wait indefinitely, then that defeats the right of initiative,” Rothert said.

Fitzpatrick's office in March found that the proposal would have no known impact on state funds and an estimated cost of at least $51,000 annually in reduced local tax revenues, although “opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.”

Bailey contends that the cost would be closer to between $12.5 billion and $51 billion because of potential violations of federal Medicaid laws and lost tax revenue from fewer citizens — people who would be born if abortion weren't an option — and he directed Fitzpatrick to change the cost estimate to reflect that.

But Fitzpatrick refused, arguing that a multibillion-dollar projection for the initiative petition is inaccurate, despite Fitzpatrick's personal opposition to abortion.

“As much as I would prefer to be able to say this IP would result in a loss to the state of Missouri of $12.5 billion in federal funds, it wouldn’t,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an April 21 letter to Bailey. “To submit a fiscal note summary that I know contains inaccurate information would violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.”

In the past, Missouri auditors have analyzed potential costs of ballot measures and attorneys general have approved those estimates without issue.

Lawyers for Fitzpatrick argued on Wednesday that the attorney general does not have the authority to second-guess the auditor's financial expertise and that allowing the attorney general to demand changes could theoretically result in “a never-ending cycle" of revisions.

The attorney general’s office argued that Bailey’s role goes beyond approving whatever price tag the auditor calculates.

“There's no rubber-stamping involved,” said Jason Lewis, of the attorney general's office. “Otherwise, why have the process at all?”

Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem is not expected to rule on the case until June 14 at the earliest.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Two top Republican state officials argued Wednesday over how much it would cost Missouri to restore the right to abortion, with the state attorney general insisting that the figure should account for lost revenue that wouldn't be collected from people who otherwise would be born.The issue came up during a trial over a proposed ballot measure that would let voters decide in 2024 whether to amend the state constitution to guarantee abortion rights.Abortions were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">almost completely banned</a>&nbsp;in Missouri following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. There are exceptions for medical emergencies, but not for cases of rape or incest.Supporters are trying to put a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-voters-election-0d2fdde552c2478b283937a6fab78cfc">proposed amendment</a>&nbsp;before voters next year that would protect abortion rights and pregnant women, as well as access to birth control.But the effort stalled in April because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-attorney-general-auditor-fbe60ab843041b3509c5275e8a703207">a spat</a>&nbsp;between Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick and newly appointed Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who argues that the cost could be far greater than what his Republican peer estimated.ACLU of Missouri lawyer Tony Rothert told Beetem on Wednesday that his clients at the abortion rights campaign are stuck in limbo because the two officeholders are at an impasse, and that the campaign can't begin collecting voter signatures without an official fiscal note.“If we sit around and wait indefinitely, then that defeats the right of initiative,” Rothert said.Fitzpatrick's office in March found that the proposal would have no known impact on state funds and an estimated cost of at least $51,000 annually in reduced local tax revenues, although “opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.”Bailey contends that the cost would be closer to between $12.5 billion and $51 billion because of potential violations of federal Medicaid laws and lost tax revenue from fewer citizens — people who would be born if abortion weren't an option — and he directed Fitzpatrick to change the cost estimate to reflect that.But Fitzpatrick refused, arguing that a multibillion-dollar projection for the initiative petition is inaccurate, despite Fitzpatrick's personal opposition to abortion.“As much as I would prefer to be able to say this IP would result in a loss to the state of Missouri of $12.5 billion in federal funds, it wouldn’t,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an April 21 letter to Bailey. “To submit a fiscal note summary that I know contains inaccurate information would violate my duty as State Auditor to produce an accurate fiscal note summary.”In the past, Missouri auditors have analyzed potential costs of ballot measures and attorneys general have approved those estimates without issue.Lawyers for Fitzpatrick argued on Wednesday that the attorney general does not have the authority to second-guess the auditor's financial expertise and that allowing the attorney general to demand changes could theoretically result in “a never-ending cycle" of revisions.The attorney general’s office argued that Bailey’s role goes beyond approving whatever price tag the auditor calculates.“There's no rubber-stamping involved,” said Jason Lewis, of the attorney general's office. “Otherwise, why have the process at all?”Cole County Presiding Judge Jon Beetem is not expected to rule on the case until June 14 at the earliest.

Judge weighs GOP dispute over estimated cost of allowing abortions

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;unveiled new initiatives Thursday to protect LGBTQ+ communities but hastily postponed a big Pride Month celebration on the White House lawn with thousands of guests from around the country because of poor air quality from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5">the Canadian wildfires</a>.

The event, which will now be held on Saturday, was intended to be a high-profile show of support at a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community feel under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.

The Biden administration announced initiatives designed to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attack, help young people with mental health issues and homelessness, and counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">book bans</a>, though the effects may be limited. Biden was to discuss them at the event, which the White House had said would be the largest Pride Month celebration ever held there.

Thousands of guests had been invited from around the country for an evening filled with food, games and other activities on the South Lawn. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music, and singer Betty Who was on tap to perform.

But the nation’s capital by late morning Thursday was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that everyone limit their exposure to the hazardous smoke wafting south from Canada. District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday, and the National Zoo also closed.

The White House initially resisted altering its plans for the celebration, saying there were no changes, even as the air quality steadily worsened along the East Coast on Wednesday and into Thursday.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Wednesday that Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions. She said LGBTQ+ people need to know Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.

Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.

Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education.

"This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”

Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.

Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.

To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.

The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. He has appointed many to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and throughout the federal government. He signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>&nbsp;and continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.

Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.

But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.

At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has invited thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.

Biden announced new initiatives to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attacks, help youths with mental health resources and homelessness and counter book bans, though the impacts may be limited.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656015992947.png" alt="President Biden during a White House Pride Month reception in June of 2022-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during a White House Pride Month reception in June of 2022-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;unveiled new initiatives Thursday to protect LGBTQ+ communities but hastily postponed a big Pride Month celebration on the White House lawn with thousands of guests from around the country because of poor air quality from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-canada-quebec-3291016eaa4905177c90feae02a139c5">the Canadian wildfires</a>.The event, which will now be held on Saturday, was intended to be a high-profile show of support at a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community feel under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.The Biden administration announced initiatives designed to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attack, help young people with mental health issues and homelessness, and counter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-book-bans-91b2d4c086eb082cbecfdda2800ef29a">book bans</a>, though the effects may be limited. Biden was to discuss them at the event, which the White House had said would be the largest Pride Month celebration ever held there.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671017343149.png" alt="In December the White House lit up&nbsp; rainbow to celebrate Biden's signature on a gay marriage bill- White House&nbsp; photo" />
 <figcaption>In December the White House lit up&nbsp; rainbow to celebrate Biden's signature on a gay marriage bill- White House&nbsp; photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Thousands of guests had been invited from around the country for an evening filled with food, games and other activities on the South Lawn. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music, and singer Betty Who was on tap to perform.But the nation’s capital by late morning Thursday was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that everyone limit their exposure to the hazardous smoke wafting south from Canada. District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday, and the National Zoo also closed.The White House initially resisted altering its plans for the celebration, saying there were no changes, even as the air quality steadily worsened along the East Coast on Wednesday and into Thursday.Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Wednesday that Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions. She said LGBTQ+ people need to know Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education."This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals. He has appointed many to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and throughout the federal government. He signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>&nbsp;and continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.___WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has invited thousands of LGBTQ+ individuals to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday in a high-profile show of support at a time when the community feels under attack like never before and the White House has little recourse to beat back a flood of state-level legislation against them.Biden announced new initiatives to protect LGBTQ+ communities from attacks, help youths with mental health resources and homelessness and counter book bans, though the impacts may be limited.Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary, said Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses are strong supporters of the LGBTQ+ community and think that having a celebration is an important way to “lift up” their accomplishments and contributions.She said LGBTQ+ people need to know that Biden “has their back” and “will continue to fight for them. And that’s the message that we want to make sure that gets out there.”The White House was closely monitoring air quality due to hazardous smoke from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/canada-wildfires-air-quality-8af805b127ba4d4f5933463cf8fdc746">Canadian wildfires</a>&nbsp;to determine whether to proceed with plans for a Thursday night picnic featuring food, games, face painting and photos. Queen HD the DJ was handling the music; singer Betty Who was on tap to perform. The nation's capital was under a “code purple” air quality alert, the fifth-highest level on the six-level&nbsp;<a href="https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/">U.S. air quality index</a>, with authorities recommending that all people limit their exposure to smoke, and District of Columbia schools canceled all outdoor activities for a second day Thursday.The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer individuals, earlier this week declared a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-emergency-human-rights-campaign-guidebook-5a1195f8a6759bdfd37cd7f5a6c5ee34">state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals</a>&nbsp;in the United States and released a guidebook outlining laws it deems discriminatory in each state.Just a few days into June's Pride Month, the campaign said it acted in response to an “unprecedented and dangerous” spike in discriminatory laws sweeping statehouses this year, with more than 525 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced and more than 70 signed into law so far — more than double last year’s number.Kelley Robinson, the campaign's president, called for a “swift and powerful” response by people in power, including in government, business and education."This is a full-out crisis for our communities that demands a concerted response," she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think this is kind of a national call to action and a call to arms to stand up and fight back.”Biden, a Democrat, announced that the Department of Homeland Security, working with the Justice and Health and Human Services departments, will partner with LGBTQ+ community organizations to provide safety resources and training to help thwart violent attacks.Separately, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide resources to help LGBTQ+ young people with mental health needs, support in foster care and homelessness.To confront a spike in book bans, the Department of Education's civil rights office will appoint a new coordinator to work with schools to address that threat. The White House said banning books erodes democracy, deprives students of material needed for learning and can contribute to the stigma and isolation that LGBTQ+ youth feel because books about them are often the ones that are prohibited.Hundreds of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-transgender-rights-rainbow-flag-gay-pride-bbab91ca858e13b3aca88afbbef35843">bills have been proposed</a>&nbsp;restricting the rights of transgender people, including limiting their access to certain forms of health care, and LGBTQ+ advocates say they’ve seen a record number of such measures&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/restrictions-targeting-transgender-people-legislative-updates-df66b5a86be47b03dd5a50449d239275">in statehouses</a>.The White House points to Biden's support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, including appointing them to prominent positions in the White House, such as Jean-Pierre, and across the federal government.After the Supreme Court last year overturned a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, Biden signed legislation to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-marriage-united-states-government-virginia-state-4968ff59107e511609fc3e301890942e">marriage equality</a>. He continues to urge Congress to send him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-vote-lgbtq-protections-9347578b80d3ad3ac4b92365da81096e">the Equality Act</a>, which would add civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ individuals to federal law.Polls show public support for the rights of people who are gay and lesbian has expanded dramatically over the last two decades, with about 7 in 10 U.S. adults in polling by Gallup saying that marriages between same-sex adults should be legally valid and that gay and lesbian relationships are morally acceptable.But attitudes toward transgender people are complex: In polls conducted in 2022 by KFF and the Washington Post and by the Pew Research Center, majorities said they support laws prohibiting discrimination against transgender people in areas such as housing, jobs and schools.At the same time, both polls found that a majority of Americans think that whether someone is a man or a woman is determined by sex assigned at birth, and many also support restrictive policies aimed at people who are transgender, for example preventing transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams matching their gender identity, along with restrictions on access to medical treatment like puberty blockers and hormone treatment for transgender teens and children.The Log Cabin Republicans, which represents LGBTQ+ conservatives, criticized the Human Rights Campaign's declaration of a “state of emergency” as a “PR stunt so ignorantly detached” from the community's progress over the past decade.Charles Moran, the group's president, noted the gay marriage legislation Biden signed, increased public support for equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans and their higher visibility across society and accused the campaign of “destructively redefining” support for these individuals around trans surgeries for minors, biological men competing in women’s sports, and sex and gender identity lessons in kindergarten.“While these issues can be emotional and complex, they in no way pose an unprecedented ‘state of emergency’ to the LGBT community, which has persevered through far worse,” Moran said.___