JEFFERSON CITY (AP) —The attorney for a man who was executed this week is calling for an investigation, accusing Missouri officials of moving ahead with the lethal injection while federal appeals were pending.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed Tuesday night for the 2004 deaths of his girlfriend and her three children in suburban St. Louis. Taylor claimed he was out of state when the family was killed. Investigators don't deny he was in California when the bodies were found but a medical examiner determined the victims had died up to three weeks earlier — at a time when Taylor was still in Missouri.

The innocence claim was turned aside repeatedly in the days leading up to the execution. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-st-louis-crime-f527565eb092ff8f1df97db3f216c37c">declined to ask a judge for a new hearing</a>, stating the “facts are not there to support a credible case of innocence.”

Republican Gov. Mike Parson denied clemency, saying evidence showed that “Taylor committed these atrocities and a jury found him guilty.” The Missouri Supreme Court declined to grant a stay on Monday, and the U.S. Supreme Court did the same about two hours before the execution.

While appeals over Taylor's claims of innocence had been exhausted, Taylors attorneys asked a federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay because Taylor's spiritual adviser, Anthony Shahid, was not allowed to be in the execution room. A Supreme Court decision last year allows inmates to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-state-government-missouri-legal-proceedings-religion-dbc253bef85af688a63a42a836e00028">spiritual advisers</a>&nbsp;near them at executions. The appeal also questioned why two lawyers who supported Taylor couldn’t witness the execution.

“It was being appealed at the time they killed him,” Kent Gipson, an attorney for Taylor, said Thursday. “And although there technically wasn't a stay in place, they've never done this before — this has never happened before in almost 100 executions. That's what's disturbing about it.”

Taylor's lawyers urged an internal investigation by the Missouri Department of Corrections and investigations by “other law enforcement agencies.”

Madeline Sieren, spokeswoman for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, said there was no reason not to move ahead with the execution.

“As there was no stay in place, the Attorney General’s Office fulfilled its legal obligation to notify the Governor’s Office and the Department of Corrections at the appropriate time that there was no legal impediment to carrying out the execution warrant set forth by the Missouri Supreme Court,” Sieren said in a statement on Thursday.

Missouri Department of Corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said Taylor initially declined to have Shahid with him for the execution. He changed his mind over the weekend but by then it was too late to change the witness list because the prison needs time to conduct background checks, Pojmann said. The lawyers also sought approval to be witnesses too late, she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673437071153.png" alt="-<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed Tuesday night for the 2004 deaths of his girlfriend and her three children-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>-<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed Tuesday night for the 2004 deaths of his girlfriend and her three children-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY (AP) —The attorney for a man who was executed this week is calling for an investigation, accusing Missouri officials of moving ahead with the lethal injection while federal appeals were pending.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed Tuesday night for the 2004 deaths of his girlfriend and her three children in suburban St. Louis. Taylor claimed he was out of state when the family was killed. Investigators don't deny he was in California when the bodies were found but a medical examiner determined the victims had died up to three weeks earlier — at a time when Taylor was still in Missouri.The innocence claim was turned aside repeatedly in the days leading up to the execution. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-st-louis-crime-f527565eb092ff8f1df97db3f216c37c">declined to ask a judge for a new hearing</a>, stating the “facts are not there to support a credible case of innocence.”Republican Gov. Mike Parson denied clemency, saying evidence showed that “Taylor committed these atrocities and a jury found him guilty.” The Missouri Supreme Court declined to grant a stay on Monday, and the U.S. Supreme Court did the same about two hours before the execution.While appeals over Taylor's claims of innocence had been exhausted, Taylors attorneys asked a federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay because Taylor's spiritual adviser, Anthony Shahid, was not allowed to be in the execution room. A Supreme Court decision last year allows inmates to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-state-government-missouri-legal-proceedings-religion-dbc253bef85af688a63a42a836e00028">spiritual advisers</a>&nbsp;near them at executions. The appeal also questioned why two lawyers who supported Taylor couldn’t witness the execution.“It was being appealed at the time they killed him,” Kent Gipson, an attorney for Taylor, said Thursday. “And although there technically wasn't a stay in place, they've never done this before — this has never happened before in almost 100 executions. That's what's disturbing about it.”Taylor's lawyers urged an internal investigation by the Missouri Department of Corrections and investigations by “other law enforcement agencies.”Madeline Sieren, spokeswoman for Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, said there was no reason not to move ahead with the execution.“As there was no stay in place, the Attorney General’s Office fulfilled its legal obligation to notify the Governor’s Office and the Department of Corrections at the appropriate time that there was no legal impediment to carrying out the execution warrant set forth by the Missouri Supreme Court,” Sieren said in a statement on Thursday.Missouri Department of Corrections spokeswoman Karen Pojmann said Taylor initially declined to have Shahid with him for the execution. He changed his mind over the weekend but by then it was too late to change the witness list because the prison needs time to conduct background checks, Pojmann said. The lawyers also sought approval to be witnesses too late, she said.

Lawyer: Killer executed despite appeal still pending

PAWNEE COUNTY—Officials in Pawnee County were notified Thursday that John Freeman Colt was sentenced in the Federal District Court of Utah to a 21 month term with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, according to a statement from Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

In June of 2021, Colt escaped from the Sexual Predator Treatment program on the campus of Larned State Hospital. Following a nationwide manhunt, he was arrested in Wayne County, Utah on September 27, 2021. 

On August 11, 2022, Colt entered a Guilty plea to a single count of Failing to Register under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

He is currently charged under Kansas Law with Aggravated Escape from Custody, a severity level 8 non-person felony. Additionally, he is still subject to his civil commitment to the Kansas Sexual Predator Treatment Program. Once he completes his sentence on the federal conviction, arrangements will be made for Colt’s extradition back to Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632850718422.png" alt="Colt after his arrest in Wayne County Utah" />
 <figcaption>Colt after his arrest in Wayne County Utah</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY—Officials in Pawnee County were notified Thursday that John Freeman Colt was sentenced in the Federal District Court of Utah to a 21 month term with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, according to a statement from Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1625086515798.png" alt="-Colt during his escape from the Larned State Hospital-photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>-Colt during his escape from the Larned State Hospital-photo Pawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>In June of 2021, Colt escaped from the Sexual Predator Treatment program on the campus of Larned State Hospital. Following a nationwide manhunt, he was arrested in Wayne County, Utah on September 27, 2021. On August 11, 2022, Colt entered a Guilty plea to a single count of Failing to Register under the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.He is currently charged under Kansas Law with Aggravated Escape from Custody, a severity level 8 non-person felony. Additionally, he is still subject to his civil commitment to the Kansas Sexual Predator Treatment Program. Once he completes his sentence on the federal conviction, arrangements will be made for Colt’s extradition back to Kansas.

Escapee from Kan. sex offender program sentenced on federal charges

Trump signed law setting benchmark at 21, 41 states now compliant

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/kansas-physician-legislator-working-to-light-fire-under-peers-to-raise-tobacco-age-limit-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Physician John Eplee 
hasn’t accepted hesitancy of Kansas lawmakers to raise the threshold for
 purchase, possession and consumption of cigarettes to 21 years of age 
from the current standard of 18.

Eplee, who also serves as a Republican state representative from 
Atchison, said Thursday he was convinced financial and health arguments 
for the higher age were persuasive enough to keep pushing for adoption 
of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2269_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2269</a>.
 He said many of his patients, as well as his parents in their mid-70s, 
succumbed to tobacco-related diseases. If he were king for a day, Eplee 
said he would impose a permanent ban on tobacco for all ages.

Still, Eplee told the House Federal and State Affairs Committee that he recognized some in the Capitol remained <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/22/kansas-legislators-consider-raising-minimum-age-for-tobacco-to-21/">unconvinced despite his years of advocacy</a>.

“I have been surprised at the pushback on this bill in past 
sessions,” he said. “We are hung up on taking someone’s rights away over
 … a product that causes long-term addiction, dependency and death. I 
thought one of government’s core values was to protect citizens from 
omnious threats, even if from within ourselves.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/5754266/trump-tobacco-age-21/">President Donald Trump signed legislation in 2019</a>
 amending the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to set the age to buy 
tobacco products at 21 or older. Incentive for states to accept the 
federal standard — so far, 41 have signed on, including Colorado, 
Nebraska and Oklahoma — was availability of millions of dollars in 
funding for state enforcement and addiction programs. If Kansas declined
 to act on the House bill or something comparable to bring the state 
into compliance, Kansas could lose $1.2 million annually in federal aid.

While the Trump administration’s tobacco reform did preempt state 
law, Kansas would lack jurisdictional authority to enforce federal law 
on tobacco products without action by the Legislature and Gov. Laura 
Kelly. Some Kansas vendors voluntarily accepted the higher age 
restriction, but all businesses wouldn’t be required to conform until 
state law was aligned with the age barrier embraced by Trump.

Kevin Gregg, who lobbies for Fuel True Independent Energy and 
Convenience, said the association of 300 petroleum distribution 
companies and convenience store retailers would support a “clean bill” 
simply raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.

He said the industry group wouldn’t support amendments attaching 
fines to punish retailers that sold tobacco products to underage 
customers. The industry’s compliance rate of 95% on tobacco sales made 
sanctions unnecessary, he said.

If the bill was implemented as written, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_h_fed_st_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_h_fed_st_1_20230209_13_testimony.html">Kansas Department of Revenue said state tobacco tax revenue</a>
 would fall $7.6 million in the upcoming fiscal year. The projection was
 based on federal reports suggesting Kansas had 17,000 smokers aged 18 
t0 20. That’s less than 5% of all adult smokers in the state.

Sara Prem, president of the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, lauded a 
shift in the state’s minimum legal age of tobacco sales to 21, but would
 like the bill to repeal criminal penalties on youth caught purchasing, 
using or possessing tobacco products. She said penalties on youth 
weren’t an effective deterrent.

“Penalties for youth may divert attention from more effective tobacco
 control strategies, like strengthening retailer penalties who illegally
 sell tobacco, e-cigarettes and other nicotine products to youth,” Prem 
said. “It relieves the tobacco industry of responsibility for its 
marketing practices and retailers’ irresponsible sale to minors.”

Kari Rinker, who represents the American Heart Association in Kansas,
 said passage of the House bill without amendments would be a missed 
opportunity to work of the corporate tobacco inustry. She said those 
companies aggressively targeted Kansas kids with e-cigarettes and were 
developing new products containing addictive substances appealing to 
younger consumers.

She said lawmakers ought to consider repealing state sanctions on 
young smokers and updating definitions of tobacco or tobacco-like 
products in the statute book to stay ahead of the product curve.

Physician Dena Hubbard, public policy chair of the Kansas chapter of 
the American Academy of Pediatrics, had another suggestion for the House
 Federal and State Affairs Committee. She urged lawmakers to approve the
 age change, but also incorporate a ban on flavored nicotine products.

“The exponential rise of e-cigarette use by children and adolescents 
is a public health emergency,” she said. “E-cigarettes are now the most 
common tobacco product used by teens. We should not allow any flavoring 
for products as dangerous as tobacco.”

Roy Jensen, a physician and director of the University of Kansas 
Cancer Center in Kansas City, said cancer killed an estimated 5,600 
Kansans annually to rank as the state’s second leading cause of death. 
Tobacco-related disease was associated with 4,400 deaths in Kansas each 
year, he said.

“One way we can dramatically cut Kansans chances of developing cancer
 is to prevent our youth from using tobacco products and becoming 
dependent on them,” Jensen said. “For many years, adolescent smoking 
rates have been declining. However, nearly one in five high school 
seniors still use tobacco.”

He said upward shift in the legal smoking age in Kansas law would 
sqeeze the supply of tobacco purchased by people 18 to 21 and resold to 
those under 18. Raising the minimum tobacco age to 21 could reduce high 
school smoking by 50%, the doctor said.

Tara Mays, vice president of legislative relations with the Kansas 
Hospital Association, said the age change would benefit Kansans age 15 
to 20. She said research indicated 85% of daily smokers began before 21,
 and raising the minimum age from 18 could delay or reduce smoking 
rates.

Eplee said there was irony in the approach of some politicians to regulation of tobacco and marijuana.

“I find it so fascinating that we live in a time where we debate the 
appropriateness of allowing young adults to ingest or smoke chemicals 
from a plant (tobacco) that has zero medicinal value and only causes 
loss, destruction and ultimately death,” he said. “And, yet, in the same
 session of this body, we will have debated on the chemicals derived 
from another plant (marijuana) that, at the margins, may have some 
medicinal value for some patients and yet is illegal for everyone. Very 
ironic.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675979429036.png" alt="Physician and state Rep. John Eplee, center, asked the House Federal and State Affairs Committee to support raising the age to purchase, possess or consume tobacco products in Kansas from 18 to 21. The change would comply with federal law. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Physician and state Rep. John Eplee, center, asked the House Federal and State Affairs Committee to support raising the age to purchase, possess or consume tobacco products in Kansas from 18 to 21. The change would comply with federal law. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Trump signed law setting benchmark at 21, 41 states now compliant</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/kansas-physician-legislator-working-to-light-fire-under-peers-to-raise-tobacco-age-limit-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Physician John Eplee 
hasn’t accepted hesitancy of Kansas lawmakers to raise the threshold for
 purchase, possession and consumption of cigarettes to 21 years of age 
from the current standard of 18.Eplee, who also serves as a Republican state representative from 
Atchison, said Thursday he was convinced financial and health arguments 
for the higher age were persuasive enough to keep pushing for adoption 
of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2269_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2269</a>.
 He said many of his patients, as well as his parents in their mid-70s, 
succumbed to tobacco-related diseases. If he were king for a day, Eplee 
said he would impose a permanent ban on tobacco for all ages.Still, Eplee told the House Federal and State Affairs Committee that he recognized some in the Capitol remained <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/22/kansas-legislators-consider-raising-minimum-age-for-tobacco-to-21/">unconvinced despite his years of advocacy</a>.“I have been surprised at the pushback on this bill in past 
sessions,” he said. “We are hung up on taking someone’s rights away over
 … a product that causes long-term addiction, dependency and death. I 
thought one of government’s core values was to protect citizens from 
omnious threats, even if from within ourselves.”<a target="_blank" href="https://time.com/5754266/trump-tobacco-age-21/">President Donald Trump signed legislation in 2019</a>
 amending the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to set the age to buy 
tobacco products at 21 or older. Incentive for states to accept the 
federal standard — so far, 41 have signed on, including Colorado, 
Nebraska and Oklahoma — was availability of millions of dollars in 
funding for state enforcement and addiction programs. If Kansas declined
 to act on the House bill or something comparable to bring the state 
into compliance, Kansas could lose $1.2 million annually in federal aid.While the Trump administration’s tobacco reform did preempt state 
law, Kansas would lack jurisdictional authority to enforce federal law 
on tobacco products without action by the Legislature and Gov. Laura 
Kelly. Some Kansas vendors voluntarily accepted the higher age 
restriction, but all businesses wouldn’t be required to conform until 
state law was aligned with the age barrier embraced by Trump.Kevin Gregg, who lobbies for Fuel True Independent Energy and 
Convenience, said the association of 300 petroleum distribution 
companies and convenience store retailers would support a “clean bill” 
simply raising the minimum age to buy tobacco products to 21.He said the industry group wouldn’t support amendments attaching 
fines to punish retailers that sold tobacco products to underage 
customers. The industry’s compliance rate of 95% on tobacco sales made 
sanctions unnecessary, he said.If the bill was implemented as written, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_h_fed_st_1/misc_documents/download_testimony/ctte_h_fed_st_1_20230209_13_testimony.html">Kansas Department of Revenue said state tobacco tax revenue</a>
 would fall $7.6 million in the upcoming fiscal year. The projection was
 based on federal reports suggesting Kansas had 17,000 smokers aged 18 
t0 20. That’s less than 5% of all adult smokers in the state.<h2>Other reform ideas</h2>Sara Prem, president of the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, lauded a 
shift in the state’s minimum legal age of tobacco sales to 21, but would
 like the bill to repeal criminal penalties on youth caught purchasing, 
using or possessing tobacco products. She said penalties on youth 
weren’t an effective deterrent.“Penalties for youth may divert attention from more effective tobacco
 control strategies, like strengthening retailer penalties who illegally
 sell tobacco, e-cigarettes and other nicotine products to youth,” Prem 
said. “It relieves the tobacco industry of responsibility for its 
marketing practices and retailers’ irresponsible sale to minors.”Kari Rinker, who represents the American Heart Association in Kansas,
 said passage of the House bill without amendments would be a missed 
opportunity to work of the corporate tobacco inustry. She said those 
companies aggressively targeted Kansas kids with e-cigarettes and were 
developing new products containing addictive substances appealing to 
younger consumers.She said lawmakers ought to consider repealing state sanctions on 
young smokers and updating definitions of tobacco or tobacco-like 
products in the statute book to stay ahead of the product curve.Physician Dena Hubbard, public policy chair of the Kansas chapter of 
the American Academy of Pediatrics, had another suggestion for the House
 Federal and State Affairs Committee. She urged lawmakers to approve the
 age change, but also incorporate a ban on flavored nicotine products.“The exponential rise of e-cigarette use by children and adolescents 
is a public health emergency,” she said. “E-cigarettes are now the most 
common tobacco product used by teens. We should not allow any flavoring 
for products as dangerous as tobacco.”<h2>‘Very ironic’</h2>Roy Jensen, a physician and director of the University of Kansas 
Cancer Center in Kansas City, said cancer killed an estimated 5,600 
Kansans annually to rank as the state’s second leading cause of death. 
Tobacco-related disease was associated with 4,400 deaths in Kansas each 
year, he said.“One way we can dramatically cut Kansans chances of developing cancer
 is to prevent our youth from using tobacco products and becoming 
dependent on them,” Jensen said. “For many years, adolescent smoking 
rates have been declining. However, nearly one in five high school 
seniors still use tobacco.”He said upward shift in the legal smoking age in Kansas law would 
sqeeze the supply of tobacco purchased by people 18 to 21 and resold to 
those under 18. Raising the minimum tobacco age to 21 could reduce high 
school smoking by 50%, the doctor said.Tara Mays, vice president of legislative relations with the Kansas 
Hospital Association, said the age change would benefit Kansans age 15 
to 20. She said research indicated 85% of daily smokers began before 21,
 and raising the minimum age from 18 could delay or reduce smoking 
rates.Eplee said there was irony in the approach of some politicians to regulation of tobacco and marijuana.“I find it so fascinating that we live in a time where we debate the 
appropriateness of allowing young adults to ingest or smoke chemicals 
from a plant (tobacco) that has zero medicinal value and only causes 
loss, destruction and ultimately death,” he said. “And, yet, in the same
 session of this body, we will have debated on the chemicals derived 
from another plant (marijuana) that, at the margins, may have some 
medicinal value for some patients and yet is illegal for everyone. Very 
ironic.”

Kansas doc, legislator working to raise tobacco age limit to 21

WASHINGTON (AP) — The China balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">shot down by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.

A fleet of balloons operates under the direction of the People's Liberation Army and is used specifically for spying, outfitted with high-tech equipment designed to gather sensitive information from targets across the globe, the U.S. said. Similar balloons have sailed over five continents, according to the administration.

A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China’s military to the balloon that was shot down by the U.S. last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. The public details outlining the program's scope and capabilities were meant to refute China’s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to “information warfare."

President Joe Biden defended the U.S. action.

And, asked in an interview with Spanish language Telemundo Noticias whether the balloon episode represented a major security breach, he said no.

“Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that’s going on by every country around the world is overwhelming,” he said. “Anyway, it’s not a major breach. I mean, look ... it’s a violation of international law. It’s our airspace. And once it comes into our space, we can do what we want with it.”

On Capitol Hill, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb">House voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.” Republicans have criticized Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties' lawmakers came together on the vote, 419-0.

In Beijing, before the U.S. offered its new information, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated her nation's insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the U.S. had “overreacted” by shooting it down.

“It is irresponsible,” Mao said. The latest accusations, she said, “may be part of the U.S. side’s information warfare against China.”

Underscoring the tensions, China’s defense minister refused to take a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the balloon issue on Saturday, the Pentagon said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned weekend trip to Beijing.

The U.S. flatly contradicted China's version of events, saying that imagery of the balloon collected by American U-2 spy planes as it crossed the country showed that it was “capable of conducting signals intelligence collection” with multiple antennas and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information and solar panels to power them.

Jedidiah Royal, the U.S. assistant defense secretary for the Indo-Pacific, told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the military has “some very good guesses” about what intelligence China was seeking. More information was expected to be provided in a classified setting.

Senior FBI officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the bureau said just a few pieces of the balloon had arrived at the FBI’s Quantico, Virginia, lab for investigation. So far, investigators have parts of the balloon canopy, wiring, and what one official called “a very small amount of electronics.” The official said it was “very early for us to assess what the intent was and how the device was operating.”

According to two U.S. officials, the balloon recovery efforts were temporarily suspended on Thursday due to high seas. They said some balloon debris was intact on the ocean floor and divers had recovered potentially high-value equipment over the past day and a half. Another official said that some of the recovered equipment components had English writing or markings on them but it wasn't clear if they were American parts or from another English speaking country. The official said the more highly technical parts recovered did not have any overt markings.

Much of the debris is concentrated in two separate sections of an area 15 football fields long and 15 fields across, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the collection process.

The State Department official, providing details to reporters by email, also on condition of anonymity, said an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said.

The U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon shot down on Saturday has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the” army, the official said, citing an official PLA procurement portal as evidence.

State Department spokesman Ned Price would not identify the other countries the U.S. says have also been targeted. Nor would he reveal how the U.S. knows there have been Chinese incursions over those countries' territory, saying to do so could compromise intelligence sources and methods.

The release of new information appeared part of a coordinated administration response, with multiple officials appearing before congressional committees to face questions about the balloon.

Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials had taken “all necessary steps to protect sensitive information” and had been able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment.

“We will continue to answer the dangers posed by the PRC with determination and resolve,” Sherman said, referring to the People's Republic of China. "We will make clear to the PRC that violations of our sovereignty and the sovereignty of other countries are unacceptable.”

At a separate Senate subcommittee hearing, lawmakers repeatedly pressed administration officials, including Pentagon military leaders, about why the balloon was not shot down over sparsely populated areas of Alaska. And they questioned whether allowing the balloon to transit such a large area set a precedent for future spying efforts by China and others.

“It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot this spy balloon prior to the coast of South Carolina,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “By the administration’s logic we would allow the Chinese to fly surveillance balloons over the Pentagon or other sensitive sites and populated areas.”

Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary of Homeland Defense, and Lt. Gen. Doug Sims, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. wanted to avoid any injuries or deaths from the debris field if the balloon was shot down over Alaska.

And they added that shooting it down over the frigid, icy waters in that region would have made it more difficult and dangerous to recover the pieces for more analysis.

“We thought before we shot,” said Sims.This is not the first time the U.S. government has publicly called out alleged activities of the People’s Liberation Army. In a first-of-its-kind prosecution in 2014, the Obama administration Justice Department indicted five accused PLA hackers of breaking into the computer networks of major American corporations in an effort to steal trade secrets.

On Capitol Hill, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb">House voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.” Republicans have criticized President Joe Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties' lawmakers came together on the vote, 419-0.

According to two U.S. officials, the balloon recovery efforts were temporarily suspended on Thursday due to high seas. They said some balloon debris was intact on the ocean floor and divers had recovered potentially high-value equipment over the past day and a half.

Much of the debris is concentrated in two separate sections of an area that’s 15 football fields long and 15 football fields across, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the collection process.

The State Department official, providing details to reporters by email, also on condition of anonymity, said an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said, to discuss the scope of the Chinese surveillance program, and is looking into potential action that “supported the balloon’s incursion into U.S. airspace.”

The official said the U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon shot down on Saturday has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the” army. The official cited information from an official PLA procurement portal as evidence for the connection between the company and the military.

WASHINGTON (AP) — China’s military is likely behind a huge aerial spy program that has targeted more than 40 countries on five continents with high-altitude surveillance balloons similar to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">one the U.S. shot down over</a>&nbsp;the Atlantic Ocean coast last weekend, the Biden administration said Thursday.

The statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China’s People’s Liberation Army to the balloon that traversed the United States, with the administration asserting that China has developed a vast surveillance program capable of collecting sensitive intelligence.

The public details are meant to refute China’s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to “information warfare” against Beijing.

The U.S. official said imagery of that balloon collected by American U-2 spy planes as it floated across the country showed that it was “capable of conducting signals intelligence collection” with multiple antennas and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information and solar panels to power them.

The official said an analysis of the balloon debris is “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said, to discuss the scope of the Chinese surveillance program.

The official provided details to reporters by email on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, which had already forced the cancellation of a planned visit to China earlier this week by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675809745976.jpeg" alt="This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Navy via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2 recovering a high-altitude surveillance balloon off the coast of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Feb. 5, 2023. (U.S. Navy via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The China balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">shot down by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Defense Dept. officials defends shoot down of balloon over east coast waters versus the waters or mountains of Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/8slP2r9lsc">pic.twitter.com/8slP2r9lsc</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1623733421938774016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A fleet of balloons operates under the direction of the People's Liberation Army and is used specifically for spying, outfitted with high-tech equipment designed to gather sensitive information from targets across the globe, the U.S. said. Similar balloons have sailed over five continents, according to the administration.A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China’s military to the balloon that was shot down by the U.S. last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. The public details outlining the program's scope and capabilities were meant to refute China’s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to “information warfare."President Joe Biden defended the U.S. action.And, asked in an interview with Spanish language Telemundo Noticias whether the balloon episode represented a major security breach, he said no.“Look, the total amount of intelligence gathering that’s going on by every country around the world is overwhelming,” he said. “Anyway, it’s not a major breach. I mean, look ... it’s a violation of international law. It’s our airspace. And once it comes into our space, we can do what we want with it.”On Capitol Hill, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb">House voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.” Republicans have criticized Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties' lawmakers came together on the vote, 419-0.In Beijing, before the U.S. offered its new information, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated her nation's insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the U.S. had “overreacted” by shooting it down.“It is irresponsible,” Mao said. The latest accusations, she said, “may be part of the U.S. side’s information warfare against China.”Underscoring the tensions, China’s defense minister refused to take a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the balloon issue on Saturday, the Pentagon said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned weekend trip to Beijing.The U.S. flatly contradicted China's version of events, saying that imagery of the balloon collected by American U-2 spy planes as it crossed the country showed that it was “capable of conducting signals intelligence collection” with multiple antennas and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information and solar panels to power them.Jedidiah Royal, the U.S. assistant defense secretary for the Indo-Pacific, told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the military has “some very good guesses” about what intelligence China was seeking. More information was expected to be provided in a classified setting.Senior FBI officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the bureau said just a few pieces of the balloon had arrived at the FBI’s Quantico, Virginia, lab for investigation. So far, investigators have parts of the balloon canopy, wiring, and what one official called “a very small amount of electronics.” The official said it was “very early for us to assess what the intent was and how the device was operating.”According to two U.S. officials, the balloon recovery efforts were temporarily suspended on Thursday due to high seas. They said some balloon debris was intact on the ocean floor and divers had recovered potentially high-value equipment over the past day and a half. Another official said that some of the recovered equipment components had English writing or markings on them but it wasn't clear if they were American parts or from another English speaking country. The official said the more highly technical parts recovered did not have any overt markings.Much of the debris is concentrated in two separate sections of an area 15 football fields long and 15 fields across, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the collection process.The State Department official, providing details to reporters by email, also on condition of anonymity, said an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said.The U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon shot down on Saturday has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the” army, the official said, citing an official PLA procurement portal as evidence.State Department spokesman Ned Price would not identify the other countries the U.S. says have also been targeted. Nor would he reveal how the U.S. knows there have been Chinese incursions over those countries' territory, saying to do so could compromise intelligence sources and methods.The release of new information appeared part of a coordinated administration response, with multiple officials appearing before congressional committees to face questions about the balloon.Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials had taken “all necessary steps to protect sensitive information” and had been able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment.“We will continue to answer the dangers posed by the PRC with determination and resolve,” Sherman said, referring to the People's Republic of China. "We will make clear to the PRC that violations of our sovereignty and the sovereignty of other countries are unacceptable.”At a separate Senate subcommittee hearing, lawmakers repeatedly pressed administration officials, including Pentagon military leaders, about why the balloon was not shot down over sparsely populated areas of Alaska. And they questioned whether allowing the balloon to transit such a large area set a precedent for future spying efforts by China and others.“It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot this spy balloon prior to the coast of South Carolina,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “By the administration’s logic we would allow the Chinese to fly surveillance balloons over the Pentagon or other sensitive sites and populated areas.”Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary of Homeland Defense, and Lt. Gen. Doug Sims, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. wanted to avoid any injuries or deaths from the debris field if the balloon was shot down over Alaska.And they added that shooting it down over the frigid, icy waters in that region would have made it more difficult and dangerous to recover the pieces for more analysis.“We thought before we shot,” said Sims.This is not the first time the U.S. government has publicly called out alleged activities of the People’s Liberation Army. In a first-of-its-kind prosecution in 2014, the Obama administration Justice Department indicted five accused PLA hackers of breaking into the computer networks of major American corporations in an effort to steal trade secrets._____WASHINGTON (AP) — The China balloon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">shot down by the U.S.</a>&nbsp;was equipped to detect and collect intelligence signals as part of a huge, military-linked aerial surveillance program that targeted more than 40 countries, the Biden administration declared Thursday, citing imagery from American U-2 spy planes.A fleet of balloons operates under the direction of the People's Liberation Army and is used specifically for spying, outfitted with high-tech equipment designed to gather sensitive information from targets across the globe, the U.S. said. Similar balloons have sailed over five continents, according to the administration.A statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China’s military to the balloon that was shot down by the U.S. last weekend over the Atlantic Ocean. The public details outlining the program's scope and capabilities were meant to refute China’s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to “information warfare."On Capitol Hill, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-beijing-f56da0416e019a2d32217af5334fc4cb">House voted unanimously</a>&nbsp;to condemn China for a “brazen violation” of U.S. sovereignty and efforts to “deceive the international community through false claims about its intelligence collection campaigns.” Republicans have criticized President Joe Biden for not acting sooner to down the balloon, but both parties' lawmakers came together on the vote, 419-0.In Beijing, before the U.S. offered its new information, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning repeated her nation's insistence that the large unmanned balloon was a civilian meteorological airship that had blown off course and that the U.S. had “overreacted” by shooting it down.“It is irresponsible,” Mao said. The latest accusations, she said, “may be part of the U.S. side’s information warfare against China.”Underscoring the tensions, China’s defense minister refused to take a phone call from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the balloon issue on Saturday, the Pentagon said. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a planned weekend trip to Beijing.The U.S. flatly contradicted China's version of events, saying that imagery of the balloon collected by American U-2 spy planes as it crossed the country showed that it was “capable of conducting signals intelligence collection” with multiple antennas and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information and solar panels to power them.Jedidiah Royal, the U.S. assistant defense secretary for the Indo-Pacific, told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the military has “some very good guesses” about what intelligence China was seeking. More information was expected to be provided in a classified setting.Senior FBI officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the bureau said just a few pieces of the balloon had arrived at the FBI’s Quantico, Virginia, lab for investigation. So far, investigators have parts of the balloon canopy, wiring, and what one official called “a very small amount of electronics.” The official said it was “very early for us to assess what the intent was and how the device was operating.”According to two U.S. officials, the balloon recovery efforts were temporarily suspended on Thursday due to high seas. They said some balloon debris was intact on the ocean floor and divers had recovered potentially high-value equipment over the past day and a half.Much of the debris is concentrated in two separate sections of an area that’s 15 football fields long and 15 football fields across, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the collection process.The State Department official, providing details to reporters by email, also on condition of anonymity, said an analysis of the balloon debris was “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said, to discuss the scope of the Chinese surveillance program, and is looking into potential action that “supported the balloon’s incursion into U.S. airspace.”The official said the U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon shot down on Saturday has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the” army. The official cited information from an official PLA procurement portal as evidence for the connection between the company and the military.The release of new information appeared part of a coordinated administration response, with multiple officials appearing before congressional committees to face questions about the balloon.Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said officials had taken “all necessary steps to protect sensitive information” and had been able to study and scrutinize the balloon and its equipment.“We will continue to answer the dangers posed by the PRC with determination and resolve,” Sherman said, referring to the People's Republic of China. "We will make clear to the PRC that violations of our sovereignty and the sovereignty of other countries are unacceptable.”At a separate Senate subcommittee hearing, lawmakers repeatedly pressed administration officials, including Pentagon military leaders, about why the balloon was not shot down over sparsely populated areas of Alaska. And they questioned whether allowing the balloon to transit such a large area set a precedent for future spying efforts by China and others.“It defies belief that there was not a single opportunity to safely shoot this spy balloon prior to the coast of South Carolina,” said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. “By the administration’s logic we would allow the Chinese to fly surveillance balloons over the Pentagon or other sensitive sites and populated areas.”Melissa Dalton, assistant defense secretary of Homeland Defense, and Lt. Gen. Doug Sims, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. wanted to avoid any injuries or deaths from the debris field if the balloon was shot down over Alaska.And they added that shooting it down over the frigid, icy waters in that region would have made it more difficult and dangerous to recover the pieces for more analysis.“We thought before we shot,” said Sims.This is not the first time the U.S. government has publicly called out alleged activities of the People’s Liberation Army. In a first-of-its-kind prosecution in 2014, the Obama administration Justice Department indicted five accused PLA hackers of breaking into the computer networks of major American corporations in an effort to steal trade secrets._____WASHINGTON (AP) — China’s military is likely behind a huge aerial spy program that has targeted more than 40 countries on five continents with high-altitude surveillance balloons similar to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-china-antony-blinken-51e49202f2a0a50541cde059934c4cfb">one the U.S. shot down over</a>&nbsp;the Atlantic Ocean coast last weekend, the Biden administration said Thursday.The statement from a senior State Department official offered the most detail to date linking China’s People’s Liberation Army to the balloon that traversed the United States, with the administration asserting that China has developed a vast surveillance program capable of collecting sensitive intelligence.The public details are meant to refute China’s persistent denials that the balloon was used for spying, including a claim Thursday that U.S. accusations about the balloon amount to “information warfare” against Beijing.The U.S. official said imagery of that balloon collected by American U-2 spy planes as it floated across the country showed that it was “capable of conducting signals intelligence collection” with multiple antennas and other equipment designed to upload sensitive information and solar panels to power them.The official said an analysis of the balloon debris is “inconsistent” with China’s explanation that it was a weather balloon that went off course. The U.S. is reaching out to countries that have also been targeted, the official said, to discuss the scope of the Chinese surveillance program.The official provided details to reporters by email on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter, which had already forced the cancellation of a planned visit to China earlier this week by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.The official said the U.S. has confidence that the manufacturer of the balloon shot down on Saturday has “a direct relationship with China’s military and is an approved vendor of the” army. The official cited information from an official PLA procurement portal as evidence for the connection between the company and the military.

🎥Congress presses for answers on China spy balloon 

THOMAS COUNTY—A Kansas man with four convictions for driving under the influence has been sentenced to prison for a fatal crash.

This week, the Thomas County District Court sentenced 37-year-old Alan Dible to 13-years and 5 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter While Driving Under the Influence and 12 months in the custody of the Thomas County Sheriff for one count of Driving Under the Influence 4th conviction, according to a statement from the Thomas County Attorney.

The case stems from a fatal accident that occurred on April 9, 2022, in Thomas County.&nbsp;

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1984 GMC Jimmy driven by&nbsp; Dibble backed out of a shop on private property at&nbsp; 1710 S Country Club Drive.

The driver accelerated excessively and began traveling westbound for approximately 132 feet before overturning. One occupant was partially ejected out of the rear window.

EMS transported Dalton M. Ellis, 25, Colby, to Citizen's Medical Center. <a href="https://memorials.baalmannmortuary.com/dalton-ellis/4907629/obit.php?&amp;printable=true">He died at a </a>Colorado hospital three days later, according to his&nbsp;obituary.&nbsp;&nbsp;The occupants of the vehicle were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676027667700.png" alt="Dible-photo Thomas Co." />
 <figcaption>Dible-photo Thomas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>THOMAS COUNTY—A Kansas man with four convictions for driving under the influence has been sentenced to prison for a fatal crash.This week, the Thomas County District Court sentenced 37-year-old Alan Dible to 13-years and 5 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter While Driving Under the Influence and 12 months in the custody of the Thomas County Sheriff for one count of Driving Under the Influence 4th conviction, according to a statement from the Thomas County Attorney.The case stems from a fatal accident that occurred on April 9, 2022, in Thomas County.&nbsp;The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1984 GMC Jimmy driven by&nbsp; Dibble backed out of a shop on private property at&nbsp; 1710 S Country Club Drive.The driver accelerated excessively and began traveling westbound for approximately 132 feet before overturning. One occupant was partially ejected out of the rear window.EMS transported Dalton M. Ellis, 25, Colby, to Citizen's Medical Center. <a href="https://memorials.baalmannmortuary.com/dalton-ellis/4907629/obit.php?&amp;printable=true">He died at a </a>Colorado hospital three days later, according to his&nbsp;obituary.&nbsp;&nbsp;The occupants of the vehicle were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man with 4 DUI convictions sentenced for fatal crash

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal SUV, train crash have identified the man who died as 62-year-old Ronald R. Neilson of Scranton.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 10a.m. Thursday, a 2021 Subaru Forester driven by&nbsp;Neilson was westbound on 189th Street just east of Kansas 31.&nbsp;

The SUV started to cross the railroad tracks. The driver failed to yield.&nbsp; A Burlington Northern-Santa Fe train struck the vehicle.

Neilson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Lamb Roberts Price Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676026347124.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal accident-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal accident-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal SUV, train crash have identified the man who died as 62-year-old Ronald R. Neilson of Scranton.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 10a.m. Thursday, a 2021 Subaru Forester driven by&nbsp;Neilson was westbound on 189th Street just east of Kansas 31.&nbsp;The SUV started to cross the railroad tracks. The driver failed to yield.&nbsp; A Burlington Northern-Santa Fe train struck the vehicle.Neilson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Lamb Roberts Price Funeral Home. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

KHP IDs Kansas man who died after train, SUV crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-4a2cd9693dfded229332210b85661bc9">overseeing investigations</a>&nbsp;into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to a person with direct knowledge of the event.

The subpoena to Pence as part of the investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;was served in recent days, according to the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss a sensitive issue.

The extraordinary scenario of a former vice president potentially testifying against his former boss in a criminal investigation comes as Pence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-mike-pence-8e9b0176044846b4502f176251ce703f">considers launching a 2024 Republican presidential bid</a>&nbsp;against Trump. The two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-reality-tv-michael-pence-ddbfc1fbb94034c39aadc5260536be3c">have been estranged</a>&nbsp;since a mob of Trump's supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-takeaways-56cf44f8809cc76632f91f5c7910ec81">stormed the U.S. Capitol building</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop Democrat Joe Biden's victory.

The subpoena is an aggressive step from a prosecutor who for years led the Justice Department’s public corruption section and who oversaw indictments against major political figures. The move sets the stage for a likely executive privilege fight, given Pence’s close proximity to Trump for four years as major decisions were being contemplated and planned. It is unclear whether efforts to secure voluntary testimony from Pence stalled before the subpoena was issued.

Spokespeople for Pence and Smith declined to comment on the issuance of the subpoena, which was first reported by ABC News.

Pence was a central figure in Trump's efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. Trump falsely insisted that his vice president, who had a ceremonial role in overseeing the certification of the election, could simply reject the results and send them back to the battleground states he contested.

On Jan. 6, Trump supporters driven by the lie that the election was stolen marched to the Capitol building, brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors while Pence was presiding over the certification of Biden’s victory. The vice president was steered to safety with his staff and family as some in the mob chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”

While the mob was in the Capitol, Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”

Smith, who was named special counsel in November by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has been tasked with overseeing investigations into Trump’s attempts to subvert his defeat, his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and his possession of top-secret government documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.

Federal prosecutors have been especially focused on a scheme by Trump allies to elevate fake presidential electors in key battleground states won by Biden as a way to subvert the vote, issuing subpoenas to multiple state Republican party chairs.

Federal prosecutors have brought multiple Trump administration officials before the grand jury for questioning, including former Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Pence’s own former chief of staff, Marc Short.

In a sign of the expanding nature of the investigation, election officials in multiple states whose results were disputed by Trump have received subpoenas asking for communications with or involving Trump and his campaign aides.

A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/january-6-final-hearing-investigation-wraps-0bceb95826c1c836023d2810ccbeccca">recommended that the Justice Department bring criminal charges against Trump and associates</a>&nbsp;who helped him launch a pressure campaign to try to overturn his 2020 election loss.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668696327219.png" alt="In October, former Vice President Mike Pence made a campaign appearance in Wichita for Derek Schmidt.-photo courtesy Schmidt campaign" />
 <figcaption>In October, former Vice President Mike Pence made a campaign appearance in Wichita for Derek Schmidt.-photo courtesy Schmidt campaign</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Former Vice President Mike Pence has been subpoenaed by the special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-4a2cd9693dfded229332210b85661bc9">overseeing investigations</a>&nbsp;into efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to a person with direct knowledge of the event.The subpoena to Pence as part of the investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-donald-trump-merrick-garland-government-and-550c01de053c08db4d53ca57f315feb6">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;was served in recent days, according to the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday to discuss a sensitive issue.The extraordinary scenario of a former vice president potentially testifying against his former boss in a criminal investigation comes as Pence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-interview-mike-pence-8e9b0176044846b4502f176251ce703f">considers launching a 2024 Republican presidential bid</a>&nbsp;against Trump. The two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-reality-tv-michael-pence-ddbfc1fbb94034c39aadc5260536be3c">have been estranged</a>&nbsp;since a mob of Trump's supporters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-takeaways-56cf44f8809cc76632f91f5c7910ec81">stormed the U.S. Capitol building</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to stop Democrat Joe Biden's victory.The subpoena is an aggressive step from a prosecutor who for years led the Justice Department’s public corruption section and who oversaw indictments against major political figures. The move sets the stage for a likely executive privilege fight, given Pence’s close proximity to Trump for four years as major decisions were being contemplated and planned. It is unclear whether efforts to secure voluntary testimony from Pence stalled before the subpoena was issued.Spokespeople for Pence and Smith declined to comment on the issuance of the subpoena, which was first reported by ABC News.Pence was a central figure in Trump's efforts to stay in power after losing the 2020 election. Trump falsely insisted that his vice president, who had a ceremonial role in overseeing the certification of the election, could simply reject the results and send them back to the battleground states he contested.On Jan. 6, Trump supporters driven by the lie that the election was stolen marched to the Capitol building, brutally pushed past the police and smashed through the windows and doors while Pence was presiding over the certification of Biden’s victory. The vice president was steered to safety with his staff and family as some in the mob chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”While the mob was in the Capitol, Trump tweeted, “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668434923044.png" alt="In November, the former Vice President released his autobiography" />
 <figcaption>In November, the former Vice President released his autobiography</figcaption>
 </figure>Smith, who was named special counsel in November by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has been tasked with overseeing investigations into Trump’s attempts to subvert his defeat, his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and his possession of top-secret government documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago.Federal prosecutors have been especially focused on a scheme by Trump allies to elevate fake presidential electors in key battleground states won by Biden as a way to subvert the vote, issuing subpoenas to multiple state Republican party chairs.Federal prosecutors have brought multiple Trump administration officials before the grand jury for questioning, including former Trump White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Pence’s own former chief of staff, Marc Short.In a sign of the expanding nature of the investigation, election officials in multiple states whose results were disputed by Trump have received subpoenas asking for communications with or involving Trump and his campaign aides.A House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/january-6-final-hearing-investigation-wraps-0bceb95826c1c836023d2810ccbeccca">recommended that the Justice Department bring criminal charges against Trump and associates</a>&nbsp;who helped him launch a pressure campaign to try to overturn his 2020 election loss.

Pence subpoenaed by special counsel leading Trump investigations

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the victim’s murder in Kansas.

Marco A. Sosa-Perea, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole, according to the. United State's Attorney.

On Jan. 4, 2022, Sosa-Perea pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Co-defendants Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 28, and Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 29, both of whom are citizens of Mexico illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., were found guilty at trial on Dec. 16, 2022, of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. Osorio was also found guilty of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Bravo-Lopez was also found guilty of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported in 2016. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled for Bravo-Lopez and Osorio.

Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Bravo-Lopez and Osorio conspired to kidnap Cristian Escutia in an attempt to rob him of money. They transported Escutia across state lines from Missouri to Kansas before fatally shooting him on April 3, 2017.

Bravo-Lopez and Osorio arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from Escutia as a ruse to lure him into their kidnapping plan. On April 3, 2017, Sosa-Perea drove Bravo-Lopez and Osorio in his girlfriend’s car, a Chrysler Pacifica, to Escutia’s residence. When Escutia came out of his residence and approached the vehicle, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio got out of the vehicle and confronted him. Escutia was forced into their vehicle at gunpoint. Sosa-Perea, who had remained in the car, drove them away from the scene of the kidnapping. The kidnapping was captured by the video surveillance system outside a nearby residence.

Sosa-Perea drove his co-defendants and the kidnapping victim to the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan.. They forced Escutia out of the vehicle. Escutia was shot three times in the head and left to die on the side of the road. Sosa-Perea then drove himself, Bravo-Lopez, and Osorio back into Missouri from Kansas.

Osorio, who is in the United States unlawfully, was in possession of an Action Arms Uzi .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested on April 7, 2017.

Under federal statutes, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio each are subject to a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671644570715.png" alt="Cristian Escutia-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Cristian Escutia-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a kidnapping conspiracy that resulted in the victim’s murder in Kansas.Marco A. Sosa-Perea, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 10 years in federal prison without parole, according to the. United State's Attorney.On Jan. 4, 2022, Sosa-Perea pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. Co-defendants Jonathan M. Bravo-Lopez (also known as “Jonathan Vravo,” and “Shadow”), 28, and Juan D. Osorio (also known as “Spexx”), 29, both of whom are citizens of Mexico illegally residing in Kansas City, Mo., were found guilty at trial on Dec. 16, 2022, of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. Osorio was also found guilty of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Bravo-Lopez was also found guilty of illegally reentering the United States after having been deported in 2016. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled for Bravo-Lopez and Osorio.Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Bravo-Lopez and Osorio conspired to kidnap Cristian Escutia in an attempt to rob him of money. They transported Escutia across state lines from Missouri to Kansas before fatally shooting him on April 3, 2017.Bravo-Lopez and Osorio arranged to purchase $300 of marijuana from Escutia as a ruse to lure him into their kidnapping plan. On April 3, 2017, Sosa-Perea drove Bravo-Lopez and Osorio in his girlfriend’s car, a Chrysler Pacifica, to Escutia’s residence. When Escutia came out of his residence and approached the vehicle, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio got out of the vehicle and confronted him. Escutia was forced into their vehicle at gunpoint. Sosa-Perea, who had remained in the car, drove them away from the scene of the kidnapping. The kidnapping was captured by the video surveillance system outside a nearby residence.Sosa-Perea drove his co-defendants and the kidnapping victim to the 200 block of Donovan Road in Kansas City, Kan.. They forced Escutia out of the vehicle. Escutia was shot three times in the head and left to die on the side of the road. Sosa-Perea then drove himself, Bravo-Lopez, and Osorio back into Missouri from Kansas.Osorio, who is in the United States unlawfully, was in possession of an Action Arms Uzi .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol when he was arrested on April 7, 2017.Under federal statutes, Bravo-Lopez and Osorio each are subject to a mandatory sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the United States Probation Office.

Man sentenced for kidnapping conspiracy that led to Kan. murder 

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after vehicle crash.

Early Wednesday, a Brown County deputy responded to reported of non-injury accident to the vicinity of 2100 and 240th Road, according to Sheriff John Merchant.

Upon investigation, the deputy arrested the driver and sole occupant 47-year-old Tonya White of Horton on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675911778190.png" alt="White photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>White photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug charges after vehicle crash. Early Wednesday, a Brown County deputy responded to reported of non-injury accident to the vicinity of 2100 and 240th Road, according to Sheriff John Merchant.Upon investigation, the deputy arrested the driver and sole occupant 47-year-old Tonya White of Horton on requested charges of Possession of Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Kan. deputy found meth at scene of vehicle crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Five Topeka police officers will not face charges after shooting and killing a man who rushed them with a knife last year, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.

Kagay said on Tuesday that Kansas Bureau of Investigation officers found Topeka police justifiably believed that Taylor Lowery, 33, was a danger to them and the public during the confrontation on Oct. 13 in a Kwik Shop parking lot.

The officers shot Lowery 34 times after he rushed at them with a knife and socket wrench, Kagay said.

Lowery was under the influence of drugs when he was shot, Kagay said.

Officers first encountered Lowery after his sister reported he was trying to force his way into a bedroom where she was barricaded inside her house, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2023/02/08/topeka-police-found-to-have-acted-justifiably-in-killing-knife-wielding-man/69884116007/">reported</a>.

He waved a knife at officers before driving to the Kwik Shop. He was trying to carjack a vehicle when they told him to put down his weapon, the report said.

He was shot by two officers after he rushed toward them with a knife. Lowery "went down” but got back up, grabbed a socket wrench and began moving toward an officer before three other police officers shot him, the report said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665655694340.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the fatal officer shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the fatal officer shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Five Topeka police officers will not face charges after shooting and killing a man who rushed them with a knife last year, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.Kagay said on Tuesday that Kansas Bureau of Investigation officers found Topeka police justifiably believed that Taylor Lowery, 33, was a danger to them and the public during the confrontation on Oct. 13 in a Kwik Shop parking lot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665678707761.png" alt="-Lowery has previous convictions for aggravated battery, aggravated burglary and theft-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>-Lowery has previous convictions for aggravated battery, aggravated burglary and theft-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>The officers shot Lowery 34 times after he rushed at them with a knife and socket wrench, Kagay said.Lowery was under the influence of drugs when he was shot, Kagay said.Officers first encountered Lowery after his sister reported he was trying to force his way into a bedroom where she was barricaded inside her house, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/local/2023/02/08/topeka-police-found-to-have-acted-justifiably-in-killing-knife-wielding-man/69884116007/">reported</a>.He waved a knife at officers before driving to the Kwik Shop. He was trying to carjack a vehicle when they told him to put down his weapon, the report said.He was shot by two officers after he rushed toward them with a knife. Lowery "went down” but got back up, grabbed a socket wrench and began moving toward an officer before three other police officers shot him, the report said.No one else was hurt.

5 Kan. police officers cleared in fatal shooting

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Thursday Governor Laura Kelly announced she will be taking on Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania in a bet ahead of Super Bowl LVII featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.

If the Chiefs win, Governor Shapiro will send her&nbsp;soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s, and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery. If the Eagles win, Governor Kelly will send him steaks from&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDkuNzEyOTM3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NyZWVrc3RvbmVmYXJtcy5jb20vIn0.Jc65UumZPd52hC7v5dAUpLthWq4YxVhcz3yGFd3N4ks/s/1303160919/br/154257348908-l" target="_blank">Creekstone Farms</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas City and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds from&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDkuNzEyOTM3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdW5mbG93ZXJmb29kY29tcGFueS5jb20vIn0.mJkbB-u_JR_jpTRYQrQt5j01ReMuC90o-Xm6gpgbPgk/s/1303160919/br/154257348908-l" target="_blank">Sunflower Food Company</a>&nbsp;in Overland Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“At the start of this NFL season, I placed the first legal sports wager in Kansas, betting on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. Now, I’m doubling down by putting on the line two of my favorite Kansas foods: our steaks and our sunflower seeds,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly.&nbsp;“I can’t wait to see Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs bring the Lombardi trophy back to the Red Kingdom – and to celebrate by feasting on some Pennsylvania treats. Let’s go Chiefs!”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Last May, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill to legalize sports betting in Kansas, estimated to bring in as much as $10 million annually in tax revenue. The bipartisan effort has helped casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues attract more business to their establishments and has brought more revenue to the state. In September, Governor Kelly placed the first legal sports wager in the state of Kansas, betting $15 – Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ jersey number – on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;– On Thursday Governor Laura Kelly announced she will be taking on Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania in a bet ahead of Super Bowl LVII featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">You&#39;re on, <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovernorShapiro</a>! My bet is on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a>. I&#39;m already clearing out my fridge so I have plenty of space for all the Philadelphia treats you&#39;re about to send my way. <a href="https://t.co/Rj5aQ4JH3u">https://t.co/Rj5aQ4JH3u</a> <a href="https://t.co/gnlfk9wImC">pic.twitter.com/gnlfk9wImC</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1623751418556416001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>If the Chiefs win, Governor Shapiro will send her&nbsp;soft pretzels from Philly Style Hand Twisted Soft Pretzel Bakery, cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s, and mini Eagles doughnuts from Collegeville Italian Bakery. If the Eagles win, Governor Kelly will send him steaks from&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDkuNzEyOTM3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NyZWVrc3RvbmVmYXJtcy5jb20vIn0.Jc65UumZPd52hC7v5dAUpLthWq4YxVhcz3yGFd3N4ks/s/1303160919/br/154257348908-l" target="_blank">Creekstone Farms</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas City and chocolate-covered sunflower seeds from&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMDkuNzEyOTM3NjEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zdW5mbG93ZXJmb29kY29tcGFueS5jb20vIn0.mJkbB-u_JR_jpTRYQrQt5j01ReMuC90o-Xm6gpgbPgk/s/1303160919/br/154257348908-l" target="_blank">Sunflower Food Company</a>&nbsp;in Overland Park.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662056609748.png" alt="-Governor Laura Kelly placed Kansas’ first legal sports wager at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>-Governor Laura Kelly placed Kansas’ first legal sports wager at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“At the start of this NFL season, I placed the first legal sports wager in Kansas, betting on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl. Now, I’m doubling down by putting on the line two of my favorite Kansas foods: our steaks and our sunflower seeds,”&nbsp;said Governor Laura Kelly.&nbsp;“I can’t wait to see Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs bring the Lombardi trophy back to the Red Kingdom – and to celebrate by feasting on some Pennsylvania treats. Let’s go Chiefs!”&nbsp;&nbsp;Last May, Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill to legalize sports betting in Kansas, estimated to bring in as much as $10 million annually in tax revenue. The bipartisan effort has helped casinos, restaurants, and other entertainment venues attract more business to their establishments and has brought more revenue to the state. In September, Governor Kelly placed the first legal sports wager in the state of Kansas, betting $15 – Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ jersey number – on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎥 Kan. Gov. will win cheesesteaks, more if Chiefs win Super Bowl

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Senate confirmed the appointment of&nbsp;Tony Mattivi as 13th&nbsp;director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Attorney General Kris Kobach nominated Mattivi to be KBI director on January 9, citing&nbsp;his decades of experience working with law enforcement to put away some of the nation’s most violent and dangerous offenders.

Director Mattivi served as a federal prosecutor for over 20 years, prosecuting drug trafficking, violent crime, racketeering, organized crime, gangs, money laundering and terrorism cases.

As an Assistant United States Attorney, Mattivi was the lead prosecutor for the capital case against the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole, in 2000. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Iraq, advising the Iraqi High Tribunal as they tried members of Saddam Hussein’s regime for committing war crimes.

Mattivi led a team of USDOJ prosecutors who convicted three Kansas militia members for plotting to slaughter Somali Muslim immigrants living and worshipping at an apartment building and mosque in Garden City. 

He also prosecuted Terry Lee Loewen, a former U.S. Marine who attempted to detonate high explosives at the Wichita airport on behalf of al Qaeda, and John T. Booker, who conspired to detonate a truck bomb at Fort Riley in support of ISIS.

Over the years, he also worked for the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, and as legal counsel for Medcor, an international healthcare company.

Mattivi is a graduate of Metropolitan State College of Denver, and Washburn University School of Law. He was the Antiterrorism and National Security Coordinator for the District of Kansas, and recently served as president of the Federal Bar Association chapter of Kansas and Western Missouri.

“The Senate’s confirmation of Tony Mattivi as KBI Director is a reflection and recognition of his exceptional career in law enforcement. He will be a great asset to the state of Kansas in his new role, and I am honored to have him as a leading member of my team,” said Attorney General Kris Kobach.

“Under my leadership, the Bureau will be committed to aggressively investigating criminal activity while upholding the integrity, professionalism, and objectivity that makes it a valued resource to Kansas law enforcement,” said KBI Director Tony Mattivi.

“Our absolute priority will be to work hard each day for Kansas citizens, and to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, and our criminal justice partners who rely on the expertise and services the KBI produces every day,” Mattivi said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675978893572.png" alt="Tony Mattivi-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Tony Mattivi-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Senate confirmed the appointment of&nbsp;Tony Mattivi as 13th&nbsp;director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Attorney General Kris Kobach nominated Mattivi to be KBI director on January 9, citing&nbsp;his decades of experience working with law enforcement to put away some of the nation’s most violent and dangerous offenders.Director Mattivi served as a federal prosecutor for over 20 years, prosecuting drug trafficking, violent crime, racketeering, organized crime, gangs, money laundering and terrorism cases.As an Assistant United States Attorney, Mattivi was the lead prosecutor for the capital case against the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the bombing of the USS Cole, in 2000. He also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice’s (USDOJ) Regime Crimes Liaison Office in Iraq, advising the Iraqi High Tribunal as they tried members of Saddam Hussein’s regime for committing war crimes.Mattivi led a team of USDOJ prosecutors who convicted three Kansas militia members for plotting to slaughter Somali Muslim immigrants living and worshipping at an apartment building and mosque in Garden City. He also prosecuted Terry Lee Loewen, a former U.S. Marine who attempted to detonate high explosives at the Wichita airport on behalf of al Qaeda, and John T. Booker, who conspired to detonate a truck bomb at Fort Riley in support of ISIS.Over the years, he also worked for the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office, and as legal counsel for Medcor, an international healthcare company.Mattivi is a graduate of Metropolitan State College of Denver, and Washburn University School of Law. He was the Antiterrorism and National Security Coordinator for the District of Kansas, and recently served as president of the Federal Bar Association chapter of Kansas and Western Missouri.“The Senate’s confirmation of Tony Mattivi as KBI Director is a reflection and recognition of his exceptional career in law enforcement. He will be a great asset to the state of Kansas in his new role, and I am honored to have him as a leading member of my team,” said Attorney General Kris Kobach.“Under my leadership, the Bureau will be committed to aggressively investigating criminal activity while upholding the integrity, professionalism, and objectivity that makes it a valued resource to Kansas law enforcement,” said KBI Director Tony Mattivi.“Our absolute priority will be to work hard each day for Kansas citizens, and to assist law enforcement, prosecutors, and our criminal justice partners who rely on the expertise and services the KBI produces every day,” Mattivi said.

Tony Mattivi named Director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation

HUTCHINSON, Kan. —Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas notes that those filling up are seeing numbers go down in recent days.

"We have seen some relief, as gas prices have started to drift downward over the past week, which is always a good thing for drivers, when you go to fill up your tank," Steward said. "Here in Kansas, we're at $3.16 a gallon, on average, and that's down four cents from where we were a week ago."

Area county averages as of Thursday are as follows:

Kansas has the 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week and news last week from those that get the oil out of the ground appears to be having an effect.

"OPEC+ decided to maintain their current production levels and not make any additional cuts," Steward said. "That certainly helps with supply and keeps things relatively stable."

Supply is okay right now, but what demand will do, especially as the weather warms, is the unknown at this point.

"We saw last summer the record high gas prices both here in Kansas and nationally," Steward said. "In the middle of June, we had that peak. Will we reach those numbers again this summer? Time will tell."

Last summer, a lot of travelers chose to drive rather than fly for their summer trips. It remains to be seen how much trust in the airlines travelers will have in 2023.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. —Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas notes that those filling up are seeing numbers go down in recent days."We have seen some relief, as gas prices have started to drift downward over the past week, which is always a good thing for drivers, when you go to fill up your tank," Steward said. "Here in Kansas, we're at $3.16 a gallon, on average, and that's down four cents from where we were a week ago."Area county averages as of Thursday are as follows:Reno $3.11McPherson $3.11Harvey $3.12Sedgwick $3.03Kingman $3.16Pratt $3.29Stafford $3.22Rice $3.26Kansas has the 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week and news last week from those that get the oil out of the ground appears to be having an effect."OPEC+ decided to maintain their current production levels and not make any additional cuts," Steward said. "That certainly helps with supply and keeps things relatively stable."Supply is okay right now, but what demand will do, especially as the weather warms, is the unknown at this point."We saw last summer the record high gas prices both here in Kansas and nationally," Steward said. "In the middle of June, we had that peak. Will we reach those numbers again this summer? Time will tell."Last summer, a lot of travelers chose to drive rather than fly for their summer trips. It remains to be seen how much trust in the airlines travelers will have in 2023.

AAA: Kansas has 10th cheapest gas in the United States this week

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/no-more-gender-unicorns-lawmakers-debate-new-parents-bill-of-rights-legislation/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 — Lawmakers on Wednesday debated a new form of parental rights 
legislation that would allow parents to withdraw their children from 
courses they find objectionable, saying some teachers are crossing the 
line into grooming and advocating radical ideas.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2236_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2236</a>
 was discussed by the House Education Committee. The bill would allow 
parents to object to any educational materials or activities that they 
believe would harm the student or parents’ beliefs, values or 
principles. Educational materials would include reading material, 
websites, videos and textbooks.

Critics of the legislation say the 
legislation is overbroad and would hurt education across the state. 
Parents would be allowed to withdraw their student from the class or 
education program without harm to the student’s academic records. Local 
school boards would be required to adopt policies and procedures in 
accordance with the law.

Last session, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/26/kansas-senate-overrides-veto-of-legislation-creating-parental-bill-of-rights-for-k-12-education/">a parental bill of rights for K-12 public education</a>&nbsp;encouraged
 skepticism of classroom instructional materials and challenges to books
 on the shelf in school libraries. It was vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Lansing 
parent Kirsten Workman said the bill was needed. Workman claimed her 
daughter, now a senior at Lansing High School, was encouraged to read a 
fairytale through a Marxist lens and given reading about moral 
relativism, gender-based identity politics, social acceptance of 
homosexuality and critical race theory.

Workman said the teacher refused to 
meet with her to discuss her concerns and later gave her daughter more 
critical reading, such as pieces dealing with the morals of pornography.
 Workman said what the teacher was doing would be considered grooming in
 another context.

“They are using taxpayer-funded resources to indoctrinate our children with communist, far-left
 political ideals,” Workman said. “And they’re doing it everywhere, 
right under our noses while no one learns to read, write or understand 
basic algebra. The union is too powerful, and parents need a fighting 
chance.”

Kansas State Board of Education 
members Ann Mah and Deena Horst wrote in opposition to the bill, saying 
its vague language would create problems.

“This bill allows a parent to object 
to materials or activities they determine to be harmful,” the testimony 
read. “What is the definition of harmful? Without a definition, parents 
could make a claim of harm that a reasonable person would find 
unlikely.”

Rep. Owen Donohoe, a Shawnee 
Republican, said teachers should be embarrassed of themselves and that 
he was encouraged by homeschooling and potential new scholarship 
options.

Other education bills would funnel money into <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/07/kansas-lawmakers-unveil-bill-to-incentivize-private-education-with-public-funds/">unregulated, unaccredited private and home schools</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/26/holy-tax-scams-kansas-lawmakers-fight-over-plan-to-fund-private-schools-with-tax-write-offs/">incentivize scholarship programs</a> for private schools.

“If you look at history, it’s just an
 abysmal record,” Donohoe said. “It’s embarrassing to say, I would 
think, that I’m a teacher, when we’re getting the kind of results, or 
have been, in this state. We have only a quarter of the students who are
 qualifying for college in all four categories. And yet we go on with 
these subjects and discussions and CRT, which are so far outside the 
realm of what people, what parents, what many parents, what most 
parents, want their children educated on.”

Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, said 
the bill could lead to children not being taught essential knowledge and
 other viewpoints, pointing out that the vague language would allow a 
lot of leeway for parents to intervene.

“I would argue to take all of those 
things and call it history, rather than whatever national talking points
 we want to bring up at this point,” Miller said. “But personally, I 
think it’s OK to teach kids about history. I think we should not 
whitewash or sugarcoat it for the sake of coddling children’s religious 
beliefs.”

Rep. Adam Thomas, committee chairman 
and an Olathe Republican, pushed back on the idea that distrust of 
teachers is a national, not a local, issue. As an example of personal 
dissatisfaction, Thomas said his daughter was forced to do an assignment
 about a “gender unicorn.”

“My daughter, being told before she 
had to leave a classroom, had to fill out and not take home an 
assignment all about a gender unicorn, where it was gender assigned at 
birth, all these questions, these intrusive questions, about gender and 
feelings,” Thomas said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675957188402.png" alt="Rep. Owen Donohue says during a Wednesday House Education Committee hearing he would be embarrassed to be a teacher. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Owen Donohue says during a Wednesday House Education Committee hearing he would be embarrassed to be a teacher. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/09/no-more-gender-unicorns-lawmakers-debate-new-parents-bill-of-rights-legislation/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 — Lawmakers on Wednesday debated a new form of parental rights 
legislation that would allow parents to withdraw their children from 
courses they find objectionable, saying some teachers are crossing the 
line into grooming and advocating radical ideas.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2236_00_0000.pdf">House Bill 2236</a>
 was discussed by the House Education Committee. The bill would allow 
parents to object to any educational materials or activities that they 
believe would harm the student or parents’ beliefs, values or 
principles. Educational materials would include reading material, 
websites, videos and textbooks.Critics of the legislation say the 
legislation is overbroad and would hurt education across the state. 
Parents would be allowed to withdraw their student from the class or 
education program without harm to the student’s academic records. Local 
school boards would be required to adopt policies and procedures in 
accordance with the law.Last session, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/04/26/kansas-senate-overrides-veto-of-legislation-creating-parental-bill-of-rights-for-k-12-education/">a parental bill of rights for K-12 public education</a>&nbsp;encouraged
 skepticism of classroom instructional materials and challenges to books
 on the shelf in school libraries. It was vetoed by Gov. Laura Kelly.During Wednesday’s hearing, Lansing 
parent Kirsten Workman said the bill was needed. Workman claimed her 
daughter, now a senior at Lansing High School, was encouraged to read a 
fairytale through a Marxist lens and given reading about moral 
relativism, gender-based identity politics, social acceptance of 
homosexuality and critical race theory.Workman said the teacher refused to 
meet with her to discuss her concerns and later gave her daughter more 
critical reading, such as pieces dealing with the morals of pornography.
 Workman said what the teacher was doing would be considered grooming in
 another context.“They are using taxpayer-funded resources to indoctrinate our children with communist, far-left
 political ideals,” Workman said. “And they’re doing it everywhere, 
right under our noses while no one learns to read, write or understand 
basic algebra. The union is too powerful, and parents need a fighting 
chance.”Kansas State Board of Education 
members Ann Mah and Deena Horst wrote in opposition to the bill, saying 
its vague language would create problems.“This bill allows a parent to object 
to materials or activities they determine to be harmful,” the testimony 
read. “What is the definition of harmful? Without a definition, parents 
could make a claim of harm that a reasonable person would find 
unlikely.”Rep. Owen Donohoe, a Shawnee 
Republican, said teachers should be embarrassed of themselves and that 
he was encouraged by homeschooling and potential new scholarship 
options.Other education bills would funnel money into <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/07/kansas-lawmakers-unveil-bill-to-incentivize-private-education-with-public-funds/">unregulated, unaccredited private and home schools</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/26/holy-tax-scams-kansas-lawmakers-fight-over-plan-to-fund-private-schools-with-tax-write-offs/">incentivize scholarship programs</a> for private schools.“If you look at history, it’s just an
 abysmal record,” Donohoe said. “It’s embarrassing to say, I would 
think, that I’m a teacher, when we’re getting the kind of results, or 
have been, in this state. We have only a quarter of the students who are
 qualifying for college in all four categories. And yet we go on with 
these subjects and discussions and CRT, which are so far outside the 
realm of what people, what parents, what many parents, what most 
parents, want their children educated on.”Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, said 
the bill could lead to children not being taught essential knowledge and
 other viewpoints, pointing out that the vague language would allow a 
lot of leeway for parents to intervene.“I would argue to take all of those 
things and call it history, rather than whatever national talking points
 we want to bring up at this point,” Miller said. “But personally, I 
think it’s OK to teach kids about history. I think we should not 
whitewash or sugarcoat it for the sake of coddling children’s religious 
beliefs.”Rep. Adam Thomas, committee chairman 
and an Olathe Republican, pushed back on the idea that distrust of 
teachers is a national, not a local, issue. As an example of personal 
dissatisfaction, Thomas said his daughter was forced to do an assignment
 about a “gender unicorn.”“My daughter, being told before she 
had to leave a classroom, had to fill out and not take home an 
assignment all about a gender unicorn, where it was gender assigned at 
birth, all these questions, these intrusive questions, about gender and 
feelings,” Thomas said.

Kan. lawmakers debate new parents’ bill of rights legislation

PHOENIX
 (AP) — Two years ago as the Kansas City Chiefs were vying for a second 
consecutive Super Bowl victory in Tampa, Florida, there was one group 
outside Raymond James Stadium picketing their appearance.

Native 
American protesters were calling for the Chiefs to drop their name, logo
 and their trademark “war chant” where fans make a chopping-hand gesture
 mimicking the Native American tomahawk. They even hired a plane to fly 
around the area. Before game day, there were two online petitions and 
billboards of protest erected in Kansas City.

Now as the Chiefs return to Super Bowl Sunday for the first time in two years in Arizona, protesters will be there again.

Arizona
 to Rally Against Native Mascots is planning to demonstrate outside 
State Farm Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. They will be 
joined at a news conference Thursday afternoon in Phoenix by members of 
Kansas City Native advocacy groups.

Fights against appropriation 
of tribal cultures and images have been going on for decades — not just 
with the Chiefs but with multiple teams across different sports. Native 
Americans say using iconography and words with Native connotations 
demeans them and perpetuates racist stereotypes.

Supporters have 
felt more emboldened in the last few years. A lot of teams previously 
countered that the mascots were meant to show tribes respect. But the 
racial reckoning and protests of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd 
compelled some franchises to do some soul-searching. The Cleveland 
Indians baseball team officially <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-business-ohio-baseball-b7622b0c062ed548f98832ce76f21a3d">changed to the Guardians</a> in November 2021. They also axed Chief Wahoo, a logo which was a caricature of an Indian American.

It was a year ago this month that the Washington Football Team was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-commanders-nfl-ae58a5d454501417d66b207259486b14">anointed the Commanders.</a> That move came after 18 months of pressure to drop the Redskins, which was seen as a racial slur.

The
 Chiefs have made efforts to address concerns about cultural 
insensitivities going back a decade but always stop short of altering 
their name or fan-favorite gestures and chants. In 2013, the team began 
discussions with the American Indian Community Working Group. This led 
to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/6592442335e544e0bc5d34d3a3ca3ee7">invitations for Cheyenne spiritual and ceremonial leaders</a>
 to take part at some games. It wasn't until 2020 — when the Washington 
team first decided to change their name — that the Chiefs issued a ban 
on fans donning tribal headdresses, war paint and clothing at Arrowhead 
Stadium.

They also changed the tomahawk “chop” with cheerleaders 
using a closed fist instead of an open palm. Native American 
organizations in Kansas City at the time called the changes “laughable.”

The
 franchise has also made a point to participate in American Indian 
Heritage Month, which is in November. Most recently, they posted a video
 with long snapper James Winchester, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma, and center Creed Humphrey, who is from the Citizen Potawatomi 
Nation.

This Super Bowl protest is happening in a state where a 
quarter of the land belongs to Native Americans. The NFL has been 
emphasizing its collaborations with Native and Indigenous people based 
in Arizona.

Lucinda Hinojos, who was born in Glendale and is of 
Apache and Yaqui descent, became the first Native and Chicana artist to 
partner with the NFL. Her painting is featured on all Super Bowl tickets
 and throughout the NFL Experience. Colin Denny, a University of Arizona
 researcher and a member of the Navajo Nation, has been chosen to 
perform “America the Beautiful" during the game's pre-show. Denny, who 
is deaf, will utilize both American Sign Language and North American 
Indian Sign Language.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675964429452.jpeg" alt="A woman wearing Native American clothing attends a "No Honor in Racism Rally" march in front of TCF Bank Stadium before an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs, Oct. 18, 2015, in Minneapolis. The group objects to the Kansas City Chiefs name, and other teams' use of Native Americans as mascots. As the Kansas City Chiefs return to Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, for the first time in two years, the movement to change their name and logo will be there again. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)" />
 <figcaption>A woman wearing Native American clothing attends a "No Honor in Racism Rally" march in front of TCF Bank Stadium before an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Kansas City Chiefs, Oct. 18, 2015, in Minneapolis. The group objects to the Kansas City Chiefs name, and other teams' use of Native Americans as mascots. As the Kansas City Chiefs return to Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, for the first time in two years, the movement to change their name and logo will be there again. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX
 (AP) — Two years ago as the Kansas City Chiefs were vying for a second 
consecutive Super Bowl victory in Tampa, Florida, there was one group 
outside Raymond James Stadium picketing their appearance.Native 
American protesters were calling for the Chiefs to drop their name, logo
 and their trademark “war chant” where fans make a chopping-hand gesture
 mimicking the Native American tomahawk. They even hired a plane to fly 
around the area. Before game day, there were two online petitions and 
billboards of protest erected in Kansas City.Now as the Chiefs return to Super Bowl Sunday for the first time in two years in Arizona, protesters will be there again.Arizona
 to Rally Against Native Mascots is planning to demonstrate outside 
State Farm Stadium in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale. They will be 
joined at a news conference Thursday afternoon in Phoenix by members of 
Kansas City Native advocacy groups.Fights against appropriation 
of tribal cultures and images have been going on for decades — not just 
with the Chiefs but with multiple teams across different sports. Native 
Americans say using iconography and words with Native connotations 
demeans them and perpetuates racist stereotypes.Supporters have 
felt more emboldened in the last few years. A lot of teams previously 
countered that the mascots were meant to show tribes respect. But the 
racial reckoning and protests of 2020 after the murder of George Floyd 
compelled some franchises to do some soul-searching. The Cleveland 
Indians baseball team officially <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-business-ohio-baseball-b7622b0c062ed548f98832ce76f21a3d">changed to the Guardians</a> in November 2021. They also axed Chief Wahoo, a logo which was a caricature of an Indian American.It was a year ago this month that the Washington Football Team was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-commanders-nfl-ae58a5d454501417d66b207259486b14">anointed the Commanders.</a> That move came after 18 months of pressure to drop the Redskins, which was seen as a racial slur.The
 Chiefs have made efforts to address concerns about cultural 
insensitivities going back a decade but always stop short of altering 
their name or fan-favorite gestures and chants. In 2013, the team began 
discussions with the American Indian Community Working Group. This led 
to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/6592442335e544e0bc5d34d3a3ca3ee7">invitations for Cheyenne spiritual and ceremonial leaders</a>
 to take part at some games. It wasn't until 2020 — when the Washington 
team first decided to change their name — that the Chiefs issued a ban 
on fans donning tribal headdresses, war paint and clothing at Arrowhead 
Stadium.They also changed the tomahawk “chop” with cheerleaders 
using a closed fist instead of an open palm. Native American 
organizations in Kansas City at the time called the changes “laughable.”The
 franchise has also made a point to participate in American Indian 
Heritage Month, which is in November. Most recently, they posted a video
 with long snapper James Winchester, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of 
Oklahoma, and center Creed Humphrey, who is from the Citizen Potawatomi 
Nation.This Super Bowl protest is happening in a state where a 
quarter of the land belongs to Native Americans. The NFL has been 
emphasizing its collaborations with Native and Indigenous people based 
in Arizona.Lucinda Hinojos, who was born in Glendale and is of 
Apache and Yaqui descent, became the first Native and Chicana artist to 
partner with the NFL. Her painting is featured on all Super Bowl tickets
 and throughout the NFL Experience. Colin Denny, a University of Arizona
 researcher and a member of the Navajo Nation, has been chosen to 
perform “America the Beautiful" during the game's pre-show. Denny, who 
is deaf, will utilize both American Sign Language and North American 
Indian Sign Language.

Native Americans renew protests of Kansas City Chiefs mascot

By CELIA LLOPIS-JESPEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-09/keystone-pipeline-operator-says-faulty-welding-and-other-problems-led-to-the-kansas-oil-spill">Kansas News Service</a>

Canadian oil company TC Energy said Thursday that faulty welding 
caused an “instantaneous rupture” in its Keystone pipeline that gushed 
hundreds of thousands of gallons of extra sticky tar sands crude oil 
onto Kansas native prairie, cropland and into a creek.

Meanwhile, 
the pipeline operator now estimates less oil escaped than originally 
thought. And it revealed that it expects the cleanup and investigation 
will cost about $480 million.

The
 federal government required TC Energy to have a third party conduct 
metallurgy tests. TC Energy says it can’t make the full report public. 
The Kansas News Service has filed an open records request to the federal
 government seeking the full document.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675962271596.png" alt="Mill Creek downstream of the 4-mile stretch of creek that TC Energy bypassed in January to contain contamination and assist the cleanup. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Mill Creek downstream of the 4-mile stretch of creek that TC Energy bypassed in January to contain contamination and assist the cleanup. Celia Llopis-Jepsen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JESPEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-02-09/keystone-pipeline-operator-says-faulty-welding-and-other-problems-led-to-the-kansas-oil-spill">Kansas News Service</a>Canadian oil company TC Energy said Thursday that faulty welding 
caused an “instantaneous rupture” in its Keystone pipeline that gushed 
hundreds of thousands of gallons of extra sticky tar sands crude oil 
onto Kansas native prairie, cropland and into a creek.Meanwhile, 
the pipeline operator now estimates less oil escaped than originally 
thought. And it revealed that it expects the cleanup and investigation 
will cost about $480 million.<h2>Investigation into the spill</h2>The
 federal government required TC Energy to have a third party conduct 
metallurgy tests. TC Energy says it can’t make the full report public. 
The Kansas News Service has filed an open records request to the federal
 government seeking the full document.TC Energy gets three months
 to complete an analysis of the cause of the spill. That report must be 
“supplemented or facilitated by” a third party. The analysis isn’t 
finished, but TC Energy said in <a href="https://www.tcenergy.com/incident/milepost-14-incident/" target="_blank">an online post</a> early Thursday that the mechanical and metallurgy results had come back.It says those tests point to factors including “bending stress on the pipe and a weld flaw.”TC Energy seemed to point a finger outside its own ranks, saying the weld flaw was made at a “fabrication facility.”“The
 weld flaw led to a crack that propagated over time as a result of 
bending stress fatigue, eventually leading to an instantaneous rupture,”
 TC Energy wrote in its press release. “The cause of the bending stress 
remains under investigation.”The company said welding inspection and testing had complied with “applicable codes and standards.”It also said the pipe itself showed no defects.And it said the Keystone was operating at a legal pressure level when it burst.The
 Kansas News Service submitted an open records request in December for a
 report that shows the precise pressure levels at the time of the 
rupture.In late December, the federal government allowed TC 
Energy to restart the pipeline, on the condition that it operate for the
 time being at a lower pressure than when the rupture occurred.“Our focus continues to be the safe operation of the pipeline system,” TC Energy wrote in its press release.The
 federal government is also requiring TC Energy to look for other 
potential weak points within the 96-mile stretch of the Keystone system 
that includes the site of the spill in Washington County near the 
Nebraska border.That stretch runs from Jefferson County in Nebraska through Washington, Clay and Dickinson counties in Kansas.<h2>Oil volume estimates and cleanup</h2>TC Energy now says it believes less oil spilled out of the Keystone than its original estimate of 588,000 gallons.The new estimate is about 543,000 gallons, the bulk of which has been recovered.It says the new figure is based on the volume of crude oil that the company injected to refill the pipeline when restarting it.As
 for cost, the company said cleaning and remediating the area and 
investigating what happened will cost an estimated $480 million.“This
 estimate may be adjusted as we continue to progress work on site,” it 
said. “We are working with our insurers to maximize cost recoveries.”It’s not clear whether federal or state spending factors into this estimate. The company is required to <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-01-13/the-keystone-operator-must-repay-some-not-all-of-the-tax-dollars-spent-on-its-kansas-oil-spill" target="_blank">repay some (but not all)</a> of the public taxpayer money spent on cleaning up its mess.