NEW YORK (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission reluctantly approved the first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin Wednesday, saying it is still deeply skeptical about cryptocurrencies and that the SEC “did not approve or endorse bitcoin” in its decision.

The SEC said it is finishing the approval of 10 exchange-traded funds for bitcoin even though it only faced a deadline for one application. The agency said this action would give the market enough competition and provide a “level playing field” for the new entrants.

An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold, junk bonds or bitcoins, without having to buy the things themselves. Cryptocurrency advocates hope the development thrusts the once niche and nerdy corner of the internet even further into the financial mainstream.

The regulatory greenlight has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grayscale-sec-bitcoin-etf-cryptocurrencies-d8a9bb4fb476527e803aed3dd19dc303" target="_blank">anticipated for several months</a>&nbsp;and the price of bitcoin has jumped about 70% since October.

In a twist perhaps appropriate for the unpredictable crypto industry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-bitcoin-gary-gensler-etf-hacked-b037c80938c564cad36f91beb888290e" target="_blank">a fake tweet from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s account</a>&nbsp;on X Tuesday stated that trading of bitcoin ETFs had been approved but the agency had not issued any approval.

Here are some things to know about bitcoin ETFs.

WHY ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER A BITCOIN ETF?

An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold or junk bonds, without having to buy the things themselves. Unlike traditional mutual funds, ETFs trade like stocks, which means they can be bought and sold throughout the day.

Since the inception of bitcoin, anyone wanting to own one would have to buy it. That in turn would mean either having to learn what a cold wallet is or having to open an account at a crypto trading platform like Coinbase or Binance.

A spot bitcoin ETF could open the door to many new investors who don’t want to take such extra steps.

The price of bitcoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-price-surge-40k-spot-etfs-16a5678dad7a112e1292bc651cc9fe78" target="_blank">has already soared</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of the SEC’s approval, with bitcoin trading at $45,890 Wednesday, up from around $27,000 in mid-October. The price had sunk as low as $16,000 in November of 2022 following the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX.

The Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has already been trading since 2021, but it holds futures related to bitcoin, not the cryptocurrency itself.

The new bitcoin ETF will perform like the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which allows anyone to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5fc385b4da15f42483c198faaba83c82" target="_blank">invest in gold</a>&nbsp;without having to find someplace to store a bar or having to protect it. It’s the same reason some people invest in the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), which lets investors simply buy one thing instead of the more than 1,000 low-quality bonds that make up the index.

The SEC said it is finishing approval of the applications for 10 bitcoin ETFs.

Longtime crypto fans might object. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin were created in part due to mistrust of the traditional financial system. Wall Street would become an intermediary between investors and cryptocurrency in the case of ETFs.

ETFs also charge fees, though they tend to be relatively low compared with the overall financial industry. These fees are shown through what’s called the expense ratio, which indicates how much of a fund’s assets the ETF will take each year to cover its costs.

WHEN IS IT BETTER TO HOLD ACTUAL BITCOIN?

An ETF will not put actual cryptocurrency into investors’ accounts, meaning that they cannot use it. Also, an ETF would not provide investors with the same anonymity that crypto does, one of the big draws for many crypto investors.

The biggest concern for an investor in one of these ETFs is the notorious volatility in the price of bitcoin.

Despite failing to catch on as a replacement for fiat, or paper, currencies, bitcoin soared near $68,000 in November of 2021. A year later it fell below $20,000 as investors in general shunned riskier assets and a series of company blowups and scandals shook faith in the crypto industry.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Securities and Exchange Commission reluctantly approved the first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin Wednesday, saying it is still deeply skeptical about cryptocurrencies and that the SEC “did not approve or endorse bitcoin” in its decision.The SEC said it is finishing the approval of 10 exchange-traded funds for bitcoin even though it only faced a deadline for one application. The agency said this action would give the market enough competition and provide a “level playing field” for the new entrants.An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold, junk bonds or bitcoins, without having to buy the things themselves. Cryptocurrency advocates hope the development thrusts the once niche and nerdy corner of the internet even further into the financial mainstream.The regulatory greenlight has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grayscale-sec-bitcoin-etf-cryptocurrencies-d8a9bb4fb476527e803aed3dd19dc303" target="_blank">anticipated for several months</a>&nbsp;and the price of bitcoin has jumped about 70% since October.In a twist perhaps appropriate for the unpredictable crypto industry,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-bitcoin-gary-gensler-etf-hacked-b037c80938c564cad36f91beb888290e" target="_blank">a fake tweet from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s account</a>&nbsp;on X Tuesday stated that trading of bitcoin ETFs had been approved but the agency had not issued any approval.Here are some things to know about bitcoin ETFs.<h2>WHY ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER A BITCOIN ETF?</h2>An exchange traded fund, or ETF, is an easy way to invest in something or a group of things, like gold or junk bonds, without having to buy the things themselves. Unlike traditional mutual funds, ETFs trade like stocks, which means they can be bought and sold throughout the day.Since the inception of bitcoin, anyone wanting to own one would have to buy it. That in turn would mean either having to learn what a cold wallet is or having to open an account at a crypto trading platform like Coinbase or Binance.A spot bitcoin ETF could open the door to many new investors who don’t want to take such extra steps.The price of bitcoin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bitcoin-price-surge-40k-spot-etfs-16a5678dad7a112e1292bc651cc9fe78" target="_blank">has already soared</a>&nbsp;in anticipation of the SEC’s approval, with bitcoin trading at $45,890 Wednesday, up from around $27,000 in mid-October. The price had sunk as low as $16,000 in November of 2022 following the bankruptcy of the crypto exchange FTX.<h2>HOW WOULD THE ETF WORK?</h2>The Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has already been trading since 2021, but it holds futures related to bitcoin, not the cryptocurrency itself.The new bitcoin ETF will perform like the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which allows anyone to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/5fc385b4da15f42483c198faaba83c82" target="_blank">invest in gold</a>&nbsp;without having to find someplace to store a bar or having to protect it. It’s the same reason some people invest in the SPDR Bloomberg High Yield Bond ETF (JNK), which lets investors simply buy one thing instead of the more than 1,000 low-quality bonds that make up the index.<h2>HOW MANY BITCOIN ETFS COULD THERE BE?</h2>The SEC said it is finishing approval of the applications for 10 bitcoin ETFs.<h2>WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES OF AN ETF?</h2>Longtime crypto fans might object. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin were created in part due to mistrust of the traditional financial system. Wall Street would become an intermediary between investors and cryptocurrency in the case of ETFs.ETFs also charge fees, though they tend to be relatively low compared with the overall financial industry. These fees are shown through what’s called the expense ratio, which indicates how much of a fund’s assets the ETF will take each year to cover its costs.<h2>WHEN IS IT BETTER TO HOLD ACTUAL BITCOIN?</h2>An ETF will not put actual cryptocurrency into investors’ accounts, meaning that they cannot use it. Also, an ETF would not provide investors with the same anonymity that crypto does, one of the big draws for many crypto investors.<h2>WHAT CONCERNS SHOULD INVESTORS HAVE?</h2>The biggest concern for an investor in one of these ETFs is the notorious volatility in the price of bitcoin.Despite failing to catch on as a replacement for fiat, or paper, currencies, bitcoin soared near $68,000 in November of 2021. A year later it fell below $20,000 as investors in general shunned riskier assets and a series of company blowups and scandals shook faith in the crypto industry.

 SEC OKs first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman died in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Reno County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Kenworth tractor trailer in the westbound lanes of Kansas 96 in Haven was&nbsp;partially blocking the driving lane while assisting a stranded motorist.

A 2023 Kia Sportage driven by&nbsp;Jaedyn Michalle&nbsp; Douglas, 23, Maize, struck the passenger rear corner of the semi and then rotated counter clockwise and came to rest on the right shoulder of the westbound lane facing southeast.

Douglas was pronounced dead at the scene and she was transported to Johnson Funeral Home. EMS transported the semi driver Aaron Joseph&nbsp;Brewer, 21,&nbsp;Pretty Praire, to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. A juvenile was present in the Kia; juvenile record is protected data, according to the KHP. Douglas was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704987304813.png" alt="First responders at the crash photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the crash photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman died in an accident just after noon Wednesday in Reno County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Kenworth tractor trailer in the westbound lanes of Kansas 96 in Haven was&nbsp;partially blocking the driving lane while assisting a stranded motorist.A 2023 Kia Sportage driven by&nbsp;Jaedyn Michalle&nbsp; Douglas, 23, Maize, struck the passenger rear corner of the semi and then rotated counter clockwise and came to rest on the right shoulder of the westbound lane facing southeast.Douglas was pronounced dead at the scene and she was transported to Johnson Funeral Home. EMS transported the semi driver Aaron Joseph&nbsp;Brewer, 21,&nbsp;Pretty Praire, to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center. A juvenile was present in the Kia; juvenile record is protected data, according to the KHP. Douglas was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman dies after car strikes semi that partially blocked driving lane

WASHINGTON (AP) –The Department of Justice released new details of a settlement with engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. Wednesday that includes a mandatory recall of 600,000 Ram trucks, and that Cummins remedy environmental damage it caused when it illegally installed emissions control software in several thousand vehicles, skirting emissions testing.

Cummins is accused of circumventing emissions testing through devices that can bypass or defeat emissions controls. The engine manufacturer will pay a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cummins-doj-settlement-engine-emissions-claims-b80708c6ebe8eb7e7a3684db0837e209">$1.675 billion civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle claims – previously announced in December and the largest ever secured under the Clean Air Act – in addition to $325 million on remedies.

That brings Cummins’ total penalty for the violations to more than $2 billion, per Wednesday’s announcement, which officials from the U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board and the California Attorney General called “landmark” in a call with reporters Wednesday.

“Let’s this settlement be a lesson: We won’t let greedy corporations cheat their way to success and run over the health and wellbeing of consumers and our environment along the way,” California AG Rob Bonta said.

Over the course of a decade, hundreds of thousands of Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks – manufactured by Stellantis – were equipped with Cummins diesel engines that incorporated the bypassing engine control software. This includes 630,000 installed with illegal defeat devices and 330,000 equipped with undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices.

Officials could not estimate how many of those vehicles are currently on the road, but Cummins – which has maintained it has not done any wrongdoing – must undergo a nationwide recall of more than 600,000 noncompliant Ram vehicles, in addition to recall efforts previously conducted.

Stellantis deferred comment on the case to engine maker Cummins, which said in a statement that Wednesday’s actions do not involve any more financial commitments than those announced in December. “We are looking forward to obtaining certainty as we conclude this lengthy matter and continue to deliver on our mission of powering a more prosperous world,” the statement said.

Cummins also said the engines that are not being recalled did not exceed emissions limits.

As part of the settlement, Cummins is also expected to back projects to remedy excess emissions that resulted from its actions.

Preliminary estimates suggested its emissions bypass produced “thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland previously said in a prepared statement.

The Clean Air Act, a federal law enacted in 1963 to reduce and control air pollution across the nation, requires car and engine manufacturers to comply with emission limits to protect the environment and human health.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704916836502.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –The Department of Justice released new details of a settlement with engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. Wednesday that includes a mandatory recall of 600,000 Ram trucks, and that Cummins remedy environmental damage it caused when it illegally installed emissions control software in several thousand vehicles, skirting emissions testing.Cummins is accused of circumventing emissions testing through devices that can bypass or defeat emissions controls. The engine manufacturer will pay a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cummins-doj-settlement-engine-emissions-claims-b80708c6ebe8eb7e7a3684db0837e209">$1.675 billion civil penalty</a>&nbsp;to settle claims – previously announced in December and the largest ever secured under the Clean Air Act – in addition to $325 million on remedies.That brings Cummins’ total penalty for the violations to more than $2 billion, per Wednesday’s announcement, which officials from the U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board and the California Attorney General called “landmark” in a call with reporters Wednesday.“Let’s this settlement be a lesson: We won’t let greedy corporations cheat their way to success and run over the health and wellbeing of consumers and our environment along the way,” California AG Rob Bonta said.Over the course of a decade, hundreds of thousands of Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks – manufactured by Stellantis – were equipped with Cummins diesel engines that incorporated the bypassing engine control software. This includes 630,000 installed with illegal defeat devices and 330,000 equipped with undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices.Officials could not estimate how many of those vehicles are currently on the road, but Cummins – which has maintained it has not done any wrongdoing – must undergo a nationwide recall of more than 600,000 noncompliant Ram vehicles, in addition to recall efforts previously conducted.Stellantis deferred comment on the case to engine maker Cummins, which said in a statement that Wednesday’s actions do not involve any more financial commitments than those announced in December. “We are looking forward to obtaining certainty as we conclude this lengthy matter and continue to deliver on our mission of powering a more prosperous world,” the statement said.Cummins also said the engines that are not being recalled did not exceed emissions limits.As part of the settlement, Cummins is also expected to back projects to remedy excess emissions that resulted from its actions.Preliminary estimates suggested its emissions bypass produced “thousands of tons of excess emissions of nitrogen oxides,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland previously said in a prepared statement.The Clean Air Act, a federal law enacted in 1963 to reduce and control air pollution across the nation, requires car and engine manufacturers to comply with emission limits to protect the environment and human health.

Engine maker Cummins to repair, replace 600,000 Ram trucks

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.

Shortly before 2a.m. Jan. 8, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Lincoln MKX with no license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Logan Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

 After the Lincoln came to a stop, the driver exited the vehicle and ran.

After a foot pursuit, the driver was taken into custody near NW St. John Street and NW Logan Street. During the investigation, “dirty 30” pills, methamphetamine, and a handgun were located.

Bryan S. Wurtz Jr., 29, of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony interference, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of opiates with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, operate a&nbsp;vehicle without registration and operate a vehicle with no insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704752829478.png" alt="Wurtz-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wurtz-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a traffic stop.Shortly before 2a.m. Jan. 8, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a black Lincoln MKX with no license plate near NW Grant Street and NW Logan Street, according to Shawnee County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker. After the Lincoln came to a stop, the driver exited the vehicle and ran.After a foot pursuit, the driver was taken into custody near NW St. John Street and NW Logan Street. During the investigation, “dirty 30” pills, methamphetamine, and a handgun were located.Bryan S. Wurtz Jr., 29, of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of felony interference, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of opiates with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia, operate a&nbsp;vehicle without registration and operate a vehicle with no insurance.

Kan. felon accused of selling 'dirty 30' pills ran from traffic stop

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Century driven by&nbsp;Damian Osborne, 24, West Orange, New Jersey, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Tonganoxie exit.

The car&nbsp;left the roadway to the left and struck the sign pillar. Osborne was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Wednesday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Buick Century driven by&nbsp;Damian Osborne, 24, West Orange, New Jersey, was westbound on Interstate 70 just west of the Tonganoxie exit.The car&nbsp;left the roadway to the left and struck the sign pillar. Osborne was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Man dies after car strikes sign pillar on Kansas Turnpike

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly outlined her 2024 priorities for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature during the annual State of the State address.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a> to read the text of the address

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704940674181.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly outlined her 2024 priorities for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature during the annual State of the State address.(Click below to watch the replay)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jCygt4XeBCA?si=PfnF8ezMsIPiR7L1&amp;start=1899" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-State-of-the-State-English.pdf">Click here</a> to read the text of the address

🎥 Gov. Laura Kelly 2024 State of the State Address

Timing coincides with U.S. House campaign to impeach Secretary Mayorkas

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

TOPEKA — Three Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation said the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should be held accountable for the flood of border crossings of undocumented immigrants and the trafficking of fentanyl contributing to a drug overdose crisis.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall urged Senate colleagues to vote for a resolution expressing lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The senator said the Senate had to act because Mayorkas engaged in “dereliction of duty” while leading the agency. Democrats in the Senate blocked the measure.

“Time and time again, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to do his most basic job — protect the homeland,” Marshall said. “He is derelict in his duties and complicit in Joe Biden’s open borders agenda. Failing to secure our southern border has created a historic national security crisis.”

Some Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been negotiating with Mayorkas on a plan to crack down on migration along the U.S. border with Mexico, while the GOP-led U.S. House has been working to prepare articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the large 1st District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District have been critical of Mayorkas. Mann said he welcomed the House Homeland Security Committee’s scheduled hearing Wednesday on the Cabinet secretary’s compliance with federal law on immigration.

“While I do not serve on this committee, I am committed to holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failed leadership,” Mann said.

Estes joined a group of Republicans who recently toured border facilities to bring attention to Republicans’ desire for Biden to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s “remain in Mexico policy.” GOP lawmakers have sought to pivot back to several Trump administration deportation and detention programs.

Mayorkas was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 2021 on a vote of 56-43, with Marshall and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, opposed to his confirmation. In 2020, Biden said he nominated Mayorkas because he was an experienced leader hailed by Republicans and Democrats. Biden also said the Trump administration had engaged in years of “chaos, dysfunction and absolutely cruelty” at DHS.

In November 2023, a U.S. House motion to impeach Mayorkas was filed. It was deflected when the House voted 209-201 to refer the resolution to the House Homeland Security Committee. Mann, Estes and U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District, voted against the referral. Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District in the Kansas City area voted to send it to the committee.

In the Senate, Marshall said the no-confidence resolution would serve as a proper introduction to the House’s hearings on Mayorkas.

“For the past three years,” Marshall said, “Americans have witnessed the negligence and gross mismanagement of our southern border unfold — each day worse than the day before.”

Marshall, a physician, said 300 residents of the United States died each day from consumption of drugs tainted by fentanyl and that much of it came across the Mexico border. He asserted Mayorkas refused to enforce federal immigration law capable of slowing the influx of immigrants.

“The Biden Administration has, for all practical purposes, erased our border and embraced a structure of complete lawlessness,” the Kansas senator said. “It is clear that DHS Secretary Mayorkas has zero operational control of our border.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704913416533.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, unsuccessfully urged Senate colleagues to take a vote of no confidence against Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for failure to secure the southern border with Mexico. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, unsuccessfully urged Senate colleagues to take a vote of no confidence against Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for failure to secure the southern border with Mexico. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Timing coincides with U.S. House campaign to impeach Secretary Mayorkas</h2>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Three Republicans in the Kansas congressional delegation said the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should be held accountable for the flood of border crossings of undocumented immigrants and the trafficking of fentanyl contributing to a drug overdose crisis.On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall urged Senate colleagues to vote for a resolution expressing lack of confidence in DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The senator said the Senate had to act because Mayorkas engaged in “dereliction of duty” while leading the agency. Democrats in the Senate blocked the measure.“Time and time again, Secretary Mayorkas has failed to do his most basic job — protect the homeland,” Marshall said. “He is derelict in his duties and complicit in Joe Biden’s open borders agenda. Failing to secure our southern border has created a historic national security crisis.”Some Republicans in the U.S. Senate have been negotiating with Mayorkas on a plan to crack down on migration along the U.S. border with Mexico, while the GOP-led U.S. House has been working to prepare articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann of the large 1st District and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes of the 4th District have been critical of Mayorkas. Mann said he welcomed the House Homeland Security Committee’s scheduled hearing Wednesday on the Cabinet secretary’s compliance with federal law on immigration.“While I do not serve on this committee, I am committed to holding Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failed leadership,” Mann said.Estes joined a group of Republicans who recently toured border facilities to bring attention to Republicans’ desire for Biden to reinstate former President Donald Trump’s “remain in Mexico policy.” GOP lawmakers have sought to pivot back to several Trump administration deportation and detention programs.Mayorkas was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 2021 on a vote of 56-43, with Marshall and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, opposed to his confirmation. In 2020, Biden said he nominated Mayorkas because he was an experienced leader hailed by Republicans and Democrats. Biden also said the Trump administration had engaged in years of “chaos, dysfunction and absolutely cruelty” at DHS.In November 2023, a U.S. House motion to impeach Mayorkas was filed. It was deflected when the House voted 209-201 to refer the resolution to the House Homeland Security Committee. Mann, Estes and U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District, voted against the referral. Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of the 3rd District in the Kansas City area voted to send it to the committee.In the Senate, Marshall said the no-confidence resolution would serve as a proper introduction to the House’s hearings on Mayorkas.“For the past three years,” Marshall said, “Americans have witnessed the negligence and gross mismanagement of our southern border unfold — each day worse than the day before.”Marshall, a physician, said 300 residents of the United States died each day from consumption of drugs tainted by fentanyl and that much of it came across the Mexico border. He asserted Mayorkas refused to enforce federal immigration law capable of slowing the influx of immigrants.“The Biden Administration has, for all practical purposes, erased our border and embraced a structure of complete lawlessness,” the Kansas senator said. “It is clear that DHS Secretary Mayorkas has zero operational control of our border.”

Marshall offers no-confidence motion against homeland security secretary

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman following a well-being check in&nbsp; Wichita.

Just before 9.a.m. Wednesday., the Wichita Police Department responded to a check well-being 911 call in the 900 block of E. Mt. Vernon Street, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Police officers were met by Sedgwick County EMS, who had already pronounced the victim, later identified as&nbsp;48-year-old Tracy McFadden. deceased.&nbsp; Investigators don't know how McFadden arrived at this location.

She was transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, according to Ford.

The Wichita Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time, please contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407. Your information could be crucial to our investigation.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman following a well-being check in&nbsp; Wichita.Just before 9.a.m. Wednesday., the Wichita Police Department responded to a check well-being 911 call in the 900 block of E. Mt. Vernon Street, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Police officers were met by Sedgwick County EMS, who had already pronounced the victim, later identified as&nbsp;48-year-old Tracy McFadden. deceased.&nbsp; Investigators don't know how McFadden arrived at this location.She was transported to the Sedgwick County Medical Examiner's Office, where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death, according to Ford.The Wichita Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time, please contact Wichita Police Investigators at (316) 268-4407. Your information could be crucial to our investigation.

Police: Woman found dead on porch of vacant Kan. property

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20KOENIG%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer</a>

Alaska Airlines is canceling through Saturday all flights on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes like the one that suffered an in-flight blowout of a fuselage panel last week as it waits for new instructions from Boeing and federal officials on how to inspect the fleet.

The development came as signs indicate some travelers might try to avoid flying on Max 9 jetliners — at least temporarily.

Seattle-based Alaska Airlines said Wednesday that it would cancel 110 to 150 flights a day while the Max 9 planes remain grounded. By midday, Alaska had canceled about 120 flights — one-fifth of its schedule for the day.

“We hope this action provides guests with a little more certainty, and we are working around the clock to reaccommodate impacted guests on other flights,” the airline said on its website.

United Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier that operates the Max 9, had canceled about 200 flights, but it was not clear how many were related to the Boeing plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-b522e36ff228b5ea9a89ea13ee24f597">grounded all Max 9s</a>&nbsp;in the United States on Saturday, the day after a panel called a door plug&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-0a0378cf2ca6d5567e18d4cda74a0978">blew off an Alaska Airlines jet</a>&nbsp;over Oregon, leaving a hole in the side of the plane. The plug replaces extra doors that are used on Max 9s that are outfitted with more seats than Alaska uses.

The pilots of flight 1282 were able to return to Portland, Oregon, and make a safe emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.

The FAA approved inspection and repair guidelines developed by Boeing on Monday. However, on Tuesday the agency ordered Boeing to revise the instructions based on “feedback received in response.”

Alaska and United both reported finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-ntsb-safety-airplanes-d9e28fe1a11dafe4f639268504bdb85f">loose bolts and other problems</a>&nbsp;in the panel doors of an unspecified number of other Max 9s that they had begun to inspect.

A Boeing spokesman said Wednesday that the company is updating inspection procedures based on “feedback and requirements” from FAA and the airlines. The FAA repeated an earlier statement in which it said safety would determine how soon the planes return to service.

The door plugs are installed by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, but investigators have not said which company's employees last worked on the plug on the ill-fated Alaska plane.

Earlier this week, Boeing CEO David Calhoun told employees at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington, that the company was “acknowledging our mistake ... and that this event can never happen again.”

Boeing, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, didn't allow reporters to attend the event, but it released a four-minute clip in which Calhoun stressed safety and said that Boeing's airline customers are watching the company's response to the current crisis.

“Moments like this shake them to the bone, just like it shook me to the bone,” he said, adding that Boeing must reassure airlines that the planes are safe.

“We will see our way through to that, but we need to know that we are starting from a very anxious moment for our customers,” he told the Boeing employees.

Some travelers are watching the unfolding investigation too.

Kayak, a travel-search site owned by Booking Holdings, said Wednesday that after the blowout on the Alaska flight, it saw a three-fold jump in the number of people filtering their searches to isolate the type of aircraft. The jump — from low numbers, a Kayak spokeswoman acknowledged — led the site to make its airplane-type filter easier to find.

“Anytime an aircraft model becomes a household name, something has gone wrong,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going. “A heck of a lot more people are checking their aircraft this week than last week.”

But once the FAA clears the planes to fly — “and assuming no other incidents” — the public's memory will fade, Keyes said. Within six months, few people will be paying attention to the aircraft type when booking a flight, he predicted.

The Max — of which there are two models flying, the 8 and larger 9, and two more in development — is the latest version of Boeing's half-century-old 737. Two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people, and the plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-alaska-airlines-emergency-door-plug-1ef6d34c42fb22935c03a9cea46dd814">has been dogged</a>&nbsp;by manufacturing quality problems since then.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20KOENIG%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID KOENIG AP Airlines Writer</a>Alaska Airlines is canceling through Saturday all flights on Boeing 737 Max 9 planes like the one that suffered an in-flight blowout of a fuselage panel last week as it waits for new instructions from Boeing and federal officials on how to inspect the fleet.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For the very latest, including information on the systemwide travel waiver currently in place, visit: <a href="https://t.co/EWhHuhqMtG">https://t.co/EWhHuhqMtG</a> <a href="https://t.co/DztwoSLXPK">pic.twitter.com/DztwoSLXPK</a>&mdash; Alaska Airlines (@AlaskaAir) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlaskaAir/status/1744864134708027762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The development came as signs indicate some travelers might try to avoid flying on Max 9 jetliners — at least temporarily.Seattle-based Alaska Airlines said Wednesday that it would cancel 110 to 150 flights a day while the Max 9 planes remain grounded. By midday, Alaska had canceled about 120 flights — one-fifth of its schedule for the day.“We hope this action provides guests with a little more certainty, and we are working around the clock to reaccommodate impacted guests on other flights,” the airline said on its website.United Airlines, the only other U.S. carrier that operates the Max 9, had canceled about 200 flights, but it was not clear how many were related to the Boeing plane.The Federal Aviation Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-b522e36ff228b5ea9a89ea13ee24f597">grounded all Max 9s</a>&nbsp;in the United States on Saturday, the day after a panel called a door plug&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alaska-airlines-portland-oregon-emergency-landing-0a0378cf2ca6d5567e18d4cda74a0978">blew off an Alaska Airlines jet</a>&nbsp;over Oregon, leaving a hole in the side of the plane. The plug replaces extra doors that are used on Max 9s that are outfitted with more seats than Alaska uses.The pilots of flight 1282 were able to return to Portland, Oregon, and make a safe emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.The FAA approved inspection and repair guidelines developed by Boeing on Monday. However, on Tuesday the agency ordered Boeing to revise the instructions based on “feedback received in response.”Alaska and United both reported finding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-investigation-ntsb-safety-airplanes-d9e28fe1a11dafe4f639268504bdb85f">loose bolts and other problems</a>&nbsp;in the panel doors of an unspecified number of other Max 9s that they had begun to inspect.A Boeing spokesman said Wednesday that the company is updating inspection procedures based on “feedback and requirements” from FAA and the airlines. The FAA repeated an earlier statement in which it said safety would determine how soon the planes return to service.The door plugs are installed by Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, but investigators have not said which company's employees last worked on the plug on the ill-fated Alaska plane.Earlier this week, Boeing CEO David Calhoun told employees at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington, that the company was “acknowledging our mistake ... and that this event can never happen again.”Boeing, which is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, didn't allow reporters to attend the event, but it released a four-minute clip in which Calhoun stressed safety and said that Boeing's airline customers are watching the company's response to the current crisis.“Moments like this shake them to the bone, just like it shook me to the bone,” he said, adding that Boeing must reassure airlines that the planes are safe.“We will see our way through to that, but we need to know that we are starting from a very anxious moment for our customers,” he told the Boeing employees.Some travelers are watching the unfolding investigation too.Kayak, a travel-search site owned by Booking Holdings, said Wednesday that after the blowout on the Alaska flight, it saw a three-fold jump in the number of people filtering their searches to isolate the type of aircraft. The jump — from low numbers, a Kayak spokeswoman acknowledged — led the site to make its airplane-type filter easier to find.“Anytime an aircraft model becomes a household name, something has gone wrong,” said Scott Keyes, founder of the travel site Going. “A heck of a lot more people are checking their aircraft this week than last week.”But once the FAA clears the planes to fly — “and assuming no other incidents” — the public's memory will fade, Keyes said. Within six months, few people will be paying attention to the aircraft type when booking a flight, he predicted.The Max — of which there are two models flying, the 8 and larger 9, and two more in development — is the latest version of Boeing's half-century-old 737. Two Max 8 jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people, and the plane&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/boeing-alaska-airlines-emergency-door-plug-1ef6d34c42fb22935c03a9cea46dd814">has been dogged</a>&nbsp;by manufacturing quality problems since then.

More flights canceled on certain Boeing planes for mandatory inspections

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas students face danger from cartel-manufactured opioids, a law enforcement official warned the state Board of Education on Tuesday.&nbsp;

During the BOE meeting, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi cautioned board members about fentanyl.&nbsp;

“Make no mistake,” Mattivi said. “Fentanyl distribution in Kansas is coming from the drug cartels. That’s who is behind every fentanyl pill that gets sold in Kansas. It is a cartel product. The Chinese now provide precursor chemicals to the cartels in Mexico.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In Kansas, rising overdose deaths have been fueled by counterfeit prescription drugs and illegal drugs containing fentanyl. Because the opioid isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;

The most recent data on child mortality in the state puts the number of 2021 child drug-related deaths at 11. Nine of these deaths were related to fentanyl. The previous year marked 11 fentanyl deaths, compared with zero child fentanyl deaths from 2017 to 2019.&nbsp;Despite this increase, Kansas children still face greater risks of homicide and suicide, according to<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/kansas-child-death-report-shows-increase-in-gun-related-deaths-suicides/">&nbsp;most recent data.</a>

Under the direction of Attorney General Kris Kobach, the KBI&nbsp; launched a targeted campaign against fentanyl distribution throughout the state. Mattivi said education on the issue was extremely important.&nbsp;

“We either educate enough people that we cut off the demand and we shut down the cartels that way,” Mattivi said. “Or we kill enough people that there’s not anybody out there left to use it.”

Jenni Ebert,&nbsp; Riley County Health coordinator, who leads fentanyl awareness campaigns for schools and communities, told members about losing her son to a fentanyl overdose in 2021.&nbsp;

“This is just crushing because this has just been recent,” Ebert said. “And still the message is just not out there. We’re just not getting the information to those that need it.”&nbsp;

Randy Watson, KBOE Commissioner of education, said the board would probably plan on having more discussions of the issue in the future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700582241832.png" alt="KBI Director Tony Mattivi gave Kansas State Board of Education&nbsp;members a presentation on fentanyl. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>KBI Director Tony Mattivi gave Kansas State Board of Education&nbsp;members a presentation on fentanyl. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas students face danger from cartel-manufactured opioids, a law enforcement official warned the state Board of Education on Tuesday.&nbsp;During the BOE meeting, Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Tony Mattivi cautioned board members about fentanyl.&nbsp;“Make no mistake,” Mattivi said. “Fentanyl distribution in Kansas is coming from the drug cartels. That’s who is behind every fentanyl pill that gets sold in Kansas. It is a cartel product. The Chinese now provide precursor chemicals to the cartels in Mexico.”Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. In Kansas, rising overdose deaths have been fueled by counterfeit prescription drugs and illegal drugs containing fentanyl. Because the opioid isn’t detectable without a test strip, people taking fentanyl-laced drugs are at a greater risk of overdose.&nbsp;The most recent data on child mortality in the state puts the number of 2021 child drug-related deaths at 11. Nine of these deaths were related to fentanyl. The previous year marked 11 fentanyl deaths, compared with zero child fentanyl deaths from 2017 to 2019.&nbsp;Despite this increase, Kansas children still face greater risks of homicide and suicide, according to<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/kansas-child-death-report-shows-increase-in-gun-related-deaths-suicides/">&nbsp;most recent data.</a>Under the direction of Attorney General Kris Kobach, the KBI&nbsp; launched a targeted campaign against fentanyl distribution throughout the state. Mattivi said education on the issue was extremely important.&nbsp;“We either educate enough people that we cut off the demand and we shut down the cartels that way,” Mattivi said. “Or we kill enough people that there’s not anybody out there left to use it.”Jenni Ebert,&nbsp; Riley County Health coordinator, who leads fentanyl awareness campaigns for schools and communities, told members about losing her son to a fentanyl overdose in 2021.&nbsp;“This is just crushing because this has just been recent,” Ebert said. “And still the message is just not out there. We’re just not getting the information to those that need it.”&nbsp;Randy Watson, KBOE Commissioner of education, said the board would probably plan on having more discussions of the issue in the future.

KBI director warns Kan. Board of Ed members about spread of ‘cartel products’ in state

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after dead bodies were discovered at a Kansas City home.

Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, a woman went to a home in the 5200 Block of NW 83rd Terrace looking for her&nbsp; fiancé, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

When there was no answer at the door, she broke into the basement of the residence and located an unknown dead body on the back porch. 

Officers responded to the back porch and found the body. Upon further investigation, officers located two other dead bodies in the back yard.&nbsp; Police have asked for a search warrant for the address . There were no obvious signs of foul play observed at or near the crime scene. Investigators are working to positively ID the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705095774621.png" alt="View of the neighborhood where the bodies were found-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>View of the neighborhood where the bodies were found-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating after dead bodies were discovered at a Kansas City home.Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, a woman went to a home in the 5200 Block of NW 83rd Terrace looking for her&nbsp; fiancé, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.When there was no answer at the door, she broke into the basement of the residence and located an unknown dead body on the back porch. Officers responded to the back porch and found the body. Upon further investigation, officers located two other dead bodies in the back yard.&nbsp; Police have asked for a search warrant for the address . There were no obvious signs of foul play observed at or near the crime scene. Investigators are working to positively ID the victims.

Police: Woman's search for fiancé locates dead bodies at KC home

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;made a surprise visit to a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday as Republicans were taking the first step toward holding President Joe Biden's son in contempt of Congress for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-investigation-impeachment-0226bb1041d7b5c10bc8c33e5d98b5e0">defying a congressional subpoena</a>&nbsp;in a bitterly contested standoff

The arrival of president's son arrival at the Oversight Committee, sitting in the audience with his legal team, including attorney Abbe Lowell, sent the panel that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86">is working to impeach President Biden</a>&nbsp;into a political frenzy.

One Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, insisted that Hunter Biden be quickly arrested. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called him a coward as he left during her remarks. Democratic lawmakers argued that Biden, who has refused to testify to the panel behind closed doors, should be allowed to speak publicly.

Hunter Biden has defended his lack of compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-joe-biden-impeachment-congress-subpoena-37fe9652539c2c501d8b8bd8c3cc8901">the GOP-issued subpoena</a>, which ordered him to appear for closed-door testimony in mid-December. Biden and his attorneys said information from private interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated by House Republicans and insisted that he would only testify in public

On Wednesday, Committee Chairman James Comer struggled to regain control. “Mr. Biden doesn’t make the rules, we make the rules,” he said.

The House Oversight and Judiciary committees will each vote on contempt resolutions that seem likely to result in the U.S. House recommending criminal charges as Republicans move into the final stages of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86">impeachment inquiry into the president himself.</a>

It's the latest step for the inquiry, which began in September, but has so far failed to uncover evidence directly implicating the president in wrongdoing involving his son's business dealings.

If the committees approve the contempt resolutions as expected, they will go to the full House for consideration. And if the House votes to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, it will be up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-merrick-garland-adam-schiff-subpoenas-7051b957a80ef6a5f84016124b00682f">the Department of Justice to decide</a>&nbsp;whether to prosecute.

The contempt referral would be yet another headache for federal prosecutors already under heavy scrutiny for their handling of charges against Hunter Biden related to his taxes and gun use.

Shelving the contempt of Congress charges would likely further stoke conservative criticism that the Justice Department is politicized — especially given that two one-time advisers to former President Donald Trump were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-congress-donald-trump-sentencing-36d412eba9e1609a030859852378ae3d">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for contempt of Congress by the Biden administration. But prosecuting contempt cases can be difficult.

“It’s clear the Republican chairmen aren’t interested in getting the facts or they would allow Hunter to testify publicly,” Hunter Biden’s attorney, Lowell, said in a statement Friday. “Instead, House Republicans continue to play politics by seeking an unprecedented contempt motion against someone who has from the first request offered to answer all their proper questions.”

Further angering Republicans, Hunter Biden did come to the Capitol on the day specified by the subpoena — but not to testify. Instead, he stood behind microphones outside the U.S. Capitol complex — a couple hundred feet away from the awaiting GOP investigators — and delivered a rare public statement defending his business affairs and castigating the yearslong investigations into him and his family.

“There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” the president's son said in those remarks.

He added, "There is no fairness or decency in what these Republicans are doing — they have lied over and over about every aspect of my personal and professional life — so much so that their lies have become the false facts believed by too many people.

After delivering the statement to the media, Hunter Biden left the Capitol grounds.

The contempt resolution, released by Republicans on Monday, reads, “Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committees’ deposition subpoenas — while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters — is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable for his unlawful actions.”

While Republicans say their inquiry is ultimately focused on the president, they have taken particular interest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;and his overseas business dealings, questioning whether the president profited from that work.

Republicans have also focused a large part of their investigation on whistleblower allegations that there has been political interference in the long-running Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden.

The committees' votes Wednesday on contempt of Congress come a day before Hunter Biden is scheduled to make his first court appearance on tax charges filed by a special counsel in Los Angeles. He is facing three felony and six misdemeanor counts, including filing a false return, tax evasion, failure to file and failure to pay.

His lawyer has accused David Weiss, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-david-weiss-congress-republicans-aed25541b709a57371cdfe1582be0c5a">special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the yearslong case, of “bowing to Republican pressure” by bringing the charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704904282755.png" alt="After delivering the statement to the media, Hunter Biden left the Capitol grounds.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>After delivering the statement to the media, Hunter Biden left the Capitol grounds.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;made a surprise visit to a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday as Republicans were taking the first step toward holding President Joe Biden's son in contempt of Congress for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-investigation-impeachment-0226bb1041d7b5c10bc8c33e5d98b5e0">defying a congressional subpoena</a>&nbsp;in a bitterly contested standoff<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepNancyMace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepNancyMace</a>: &quot;Who bribed Hunter Biden to be here today? That&#39;s my first question. Second question, you are the epitome of white privilege...what are you afraid of? You have no balls to come up here...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Wd9WbMP5bJ">pic.twitter.com/Wd9WbMP5bJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1745104946377154656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The arrival of president's son arrival at the Oversight Committee, sitting in the audience with his legal team, including attorney Abbe Lowell, sent the panel that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86">is working to impeach President Biden</a>&nbsp;into a political frenzy.One Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, insisted that Hunter Biden be quickly arrested. GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called him a coward as he left during her remarks. Democratic lawmakers argued that Biden, who has refused to testify to the panel behind closed doors, should be allowed to speak publicly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMoskowitz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMoskowitz</a> while Hunter Biden was in the room: &quot;Let&#39;s vote. Let&#39;s take a vote. Who wants to hear from Hunter right now, today? Anyone?&quot; He continues, &quot;There&#39;s no one, other than one or two, that want to hear from the witness... with the American people watching.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/6HWZiFcsha">pic.twitter.com/6HWZiFcsha</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1745118848297177100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hunter Biden has defended his lack of compliance with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-joe-biden-impeachment-congress-subpoena-37fe9652539c2c501d8b8bd8c3cc8901">the GOP-issued subpoena</a>, which ordered him to appear for closed-door testimony in mid-December. Biden and his attorneys said information from private interviews can be selectively leaked and manipulated by House Republicans and insisted that he would only testify in publicOn Wednesday, Committee Chairman James Comer struggled to regain control. “Mr. Biden doesn’t make the rules, we make the rules,” he said.The House Oversight and Judiciary committees will each vote on contempt resolutions that seem likely to result in the U.S. House recommending criminal charges as Republicans move into the final stages of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86">impeachment inquiry into the president himself.</a>It's the latest step for the inquiry, which began in September, but has so far failed to uncover evidence directly implicating the president in wrongdoing involving his son's business dealings.If the committees approve the contempt resolutions as expected, they will go to the full House for consideration. And if the House votes to hold Hunter Biden in contempt, it will be up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-merrick-garland-adam-schiff-subpoenas-7051b957a80ef6a5f84016124b00682f">the Department of Justice to decide</a>&nbsp;whether to prosecute.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hunter Biden departs hearing.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMTG</a>: &quot;I think it&#39;s clear and obvious for everyone watching this hearing today that Hunter Biden is terrified of strong conservative Republican women because he can&#39;t even face my words as I was about to speak to him. What a coward.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/MaIkmDIMbv">pic.twitter.com/MaIkmDIMbv</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1745108433072804071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The contempt referral would be yet another headache for federal prosecutors already under heavy scrutiny for their handling of charges against Hunter Biden related to his taxes and gun use.Shelving the contempt of Congress charges would likely further stoke conservative criticism that the Justice Department is politicized — especially given that two one-time advisers to former President Donald Trump were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-steve-bannon-congress-donald-trump-sentencing-36d412eba9e1609a030859852378ae3d">prosecuted</a>&nbsp;for contempt of Congress by the Biden administration. But prosecuting contempt cases can be difficult.“It’s clear the Republican chairmen aren’t interested in getting the facts or they would allow Hunter to testify publicly,” Hunter Biden’s attorney, Lowell, said in a statement Friday. “Instead, House Republicans continue to play politics by seeking an unprecedented contempt motion against someone who has from the first request offered to answer all their proper questions.”He added, “What are they afraid of?”Further angering Republicans, Hunter Biden did come to the Capitol on the day specified by the subpoena — but not to testify. Instead, he stood behind microphones outside the U.S. Capitol complex — a couple hundred feet away from the awaiting GOP investigators — and delivered a rare public statement defending his business affairs and castigating the yearslong investigations into him and his family.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Hunter Biden news conference. <a href="https://t.co/MovQT3qMLJ">pic.twitter.com/MovQT3qMLJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1735054990631125216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“There is no evidence to support the allegations that my father was financially involved in my business because it did not happen,” the president's son said in those remarks.He added, "There is no fairness or decency in what these Republicans are doing — they have lied over and over about every aspect of my personal and professional life — so much so that their lies have become the false facts believed by too many people.After delivering the statement to the media, Hunter Biden left the Capitol grounds.The contempt resolution, released by Republicans on Monday, reads, “Mr. Biden’s flagrant defiance of the Committees’ deposition subpoenas — while choosing to appear nearby on the Capitol grounds to read a prepared statement on the same matters — is contemptuous, and he must be held accountable for his unlawful actions.”While Republicans say their inquiry is ultimately focused on the president, they have taken particular interest in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;and his overseas business dealings, questioning whether the president profited from that work.Republicans have also focused a large part of their investigation on whistleblower allegations that there has been political interference in the long-running Justice Department investigation into Hunter Biden.The committees' votes Wednesday on contempt of Congress come a day before Hunter Biden is scheduled to make his first court appearance on tax charges filed by a special counsel in Los Angeles. He is facing three felony and six misdemeanor counts, including filing a false return, tax evasion, failure to file and failure to pay.His lawyer has accused David Weiss, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-david-weiss-congress-republicans-aed25541b709a57371cdfe1582be0c5a">special counsel</a>&nbsp;overseeing the yearslong case, of “bowing to Republican pressure” by bringing the charges.

🎥Capitol Hill chaos: Hunter Biden makes surprise appearance at hearing

SEDGWICK COUNTY– A man was sentenced Tuesday following the drug death of his infant son.

District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 26-year-old Calvin Vick of Wichita to just over 18-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Vick’s 22-month-old son Israel Luna-Vick was taken to a Wichita hospital on June 22, 2022 after he was found unresponsive on the floor of Vick’s apartment in the 8400 block of east Harry in Wichita.

 Hospital medical staff attempted life-saving measures including administering NARCAN in case of drug overdose. The little boy died within an hour of arriving at the hospital.

Wichita Police searched the Vick apartment and found four tablets in the carpet and underneath the child’s sleeping area. Testing at the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the pills contained Fentanyl.

An autopsy at the Forensic Science Center showed the child died after ingesting methamphetamine and Fentanyl. 

On December 7th, Vick pled guilty to distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, aggravated endangering a child, and distribution of a controlled substance

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684597242446.png" alt="Vick-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Vick-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– A man was sentenced Tuesday following the drug death of his infant son.District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 26-year-old Calvin Vick of Wichita to just over 18-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Vick’s 22-month-old son Israel Luna-Vick was taken to a Wichita hospital on June 22, 2022 after he was found unresponsive on the floor of Vick’s apartment in the 8400 block of east Harry in Wichita. Hospital medical staff attempted life-saving measures including administering NARCAN in case of drug overdose. The little boy died within an hour of arriving at the hospital.Wichita Police searched the Vick apartment and found four tablets in the carpet and underneath the child’s sleeping area. Testing at the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the pills contained Fentanyl.An autopsy at the Forensic Science Center showed the child died after ingesting methamphetamine and Fentanyl. On December 7th, Vick pled guilty to distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, aggravated endangering a child, and distribution of a controlled substance

Kan. man sentenced for fentanyl death of his toddler son

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 61-year-old man with schizophrenia — who had been missing for more three weeks since the Missouri nursing home where he lived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/northview-nursing-home-closure-st-louis-78f24bc169ca7aaeed7aeb776e23dd80">abruptly closed</a>&nbsp;— was found Tuesday about a mile away, authorities said.

Northview Village Nursing Home, the largest nursing home in St. Louis, shut down suddenly on Dec. 15.

As workers scrambled to prepare residents for transfer to other facilities, and employees from other nursing homes arrived to take them, one resident, Frederick Caruthers, walked away from the building, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/man-found-3-weeks-after-he-walked-away-from-chaotic-st-louis-nursing-home-closure/article_93d9b87a-af33-11ee-9a0f-47eac588931c.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">reported.</a>

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tuesday that Caruthers was found at a local restaurant. A member of the public saw him and phoned the police.

Sgt. Charles Wall, of the St. Louis police department, said the officers received a call Tuesday at around 10 a.m. that Caruthers had been spotted on the 4900 block of Natural Bridge Avenue — about a mile north of the shuttered nursing home.

When officers located him, Caruthers had no obvious signs of injury, Wall said. He was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.

Last week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an endangered silver advisory seeking the public’s help in finding Caruthers, who was among about 175 residents of Northview Village before it closed.

“Mr. Caruthers walked away from the Northview Nursing Home and has not been heard from since,” the advisory stated. “He is without needed medication.”

Residents were shuttled to about a dozen other care facilities in the hours after the nursing home closed. Many patients left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nursing-home-closure-st-louis-c6021c6ff235ebdbc3e458d8ab7a27b2">creating confusion and spurring outrage</a>&nbsp;among residents and their families.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is investigating the circumstances surrounding the nursing home closure, spokeswoman Lisa Cox has said. She declined further comment, citing the ongoing regulatory investigation.

The union representing workers has said the company started to close the home and bus away residents after staff raised concerns about not being paid.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704891189113.png" alt="Frederick Caruthers-photo MSHP" />
 <figcaption>Frederick Caruthers-photo MSHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A 61-year-old man with schizophrenia — who had been missing for more three weeks since the Missouri nursing home where he lived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/northview-nursing-home-closure-st-louis-78f24bc169ca7aaeed7aeb776e23dd80">abruptly closed</a>&nbsp;— was found Tuesday about a mile away, authorities said.Northview Village Nursing Home, the largest nursing home in St. Louis, shut down suddenly on Dec. 15.As workers scrambled to prepare residents for transfer to other facilities, and employees from other nursing homes arrived to take them, one resident, Frederick Caruthers, walked away from the building, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/man-found-3-weeks-after-he-walked-away-from-chaotic-st-louis-nursing-home-closure/article_93d9b87a-af33-11ee-9a0f-47eac588931c.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">reported.</a>The Missouri State Highway Patrol said Tuesday that Caruthers was found at a local restaurant. A member of the public saw him and phoned the police.Sgt. Charles Wall, of the St. Louis police department, said the officers received a call Tuesday at around 10 a.m. that Caruthers had been spotted on the 4900 block of Natural Bridge Avenue — about a mile north of the shuttered nursing home.When officers located him, Caruthers had no obvious signs of injury, Wall said. He was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.Last week, the Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an endangered silver advisory seeking the public’s help in finding Caruthers, who was among about 175 residents of Northview Village before it closed.“Mr. Caruthers walked away from the Northview Nursing Home and has not been heard from since,” the advisory stated. “He is without needed medication.”Residents were shuttled to about a dozen other care facilities in the hours after the nursing home closed. Many patients left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nursing-home-closure-st-louis-c6021c6ff235ebdbc3e458d8ab7a27b2">creating confusion and spurring outrage</a>&nbsp;among residents and their families.The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is investigating the circumstances surrounding the nursing home closure, spokeswoman Lisa Cox has said. She declined further comment, citing the ongoing regulatory investigation.The union representing workers has said the company started to close the home and bus away residents after staff raised concerns about not being paid.

61-year-old man found 3 weeks after nursing home suddenly closed

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly hit-and-run death that occurred just after 9:30p.m. Monday in the 2400 block of Seneca Street in Wichita and claimed the life of 52-year-old James Dolton of Wichita, according to a media release.

EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a gray vehicle may have been involved in the incident and could possibly have sustained front-end damage as well as damage to the front windshield.

The Wichita Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time of the accident, please reach out to the Wichita Police Investigator at 316-350-3687. You can also report information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or the See Something, Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly hit-and-run death that occurred just after 9:30p.m. Monday in the 2400 block of Seneca Street in Wichita and claimed the life of 52-year-old James Dolton of Wichita, according to a media release.EMS transported him to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigations suggest that a gray vehicle may have been involved in the incident and could possibly have sustained front-end damage as well as damage to the front windshield.The Wichita Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in this matter. If you have any information related to this case or were in the vicinity at the time of the accident, please reach out to the Wichita Police Investigator at 316-350-3687. You can also report information anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111 or the See Something, Say Something hotline at 316-519-2282

Police ask for help to locate vehicle in deadly Kansas hit-and-run

WASHINGTON (AP) — With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;listening intently in the courtroom, federal appeals court judges in Washington expressed deep skepticism Tuesday that the former president was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded" target="_blank">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc" target="_blank">plotted to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election.

The panel of three judges, two of whom were appointed by President Joe Biden, also questioned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-arguments-takeaways-26e6e525c040d0e546b37f2786bfd132" target="_blank">whether they had jurisdiction</a>&nbsp;to consider the appeal at this point in the case, raising the prospect that Trump’s appeal could be dispensed with on more procedural grounds.

During lengthy arguments, the judges repeatedly pressed Trump’s lawyer to defend claims that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html" target="_blank">Trump was shielded from criminal charges</a>&nbsp;for acts that he says fell within his official duties as president. That argument was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388" target="_blank">rejected last month</a>&nbsp;by the lower-court judge overseeing the case against Trump, and the appeals judges suggested through their questions that they, too, were dubious that the Founding Fathers envisioned absolute immunity for presidents after they leave office.

“I think it’s paradoxical to say that his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed allows him to violate criminal law,” said Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, an appointee of former President George H.W. Bush.

The outcome could carry enormous ramifications both for the landmark criminal case against Trump and for the broader, and legally untested, question of whether an ex-president can be prosecuted for actions taken in the White House. It will also likely set the stage for further appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court, which last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-january-6-justice-department-90b93eeb663ebaf67a2e0bc266390fa0" target="_blank">declined a request to weigh in</a>&nbsp;but could still get involved later.

A swift decision is crucial for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b" target="_blank">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;and his team, who are eager to get the case —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-january-6-appeal-20726ba42ac87cd2f3a3ffc6a2145490" target="_blank">now paused pending the appeal</a>&nbsp;— to trial before the November election. But Trump’s lawyers, in addition to seeking to get the case dismissed, are hoping to benefit from a protracted appeals process that could delay the trial well past its scheduled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-indictment-1a5ae1a0ea35492e1e347e28867a7d3f" target="_blank">March 4 start date</a>, including until potentially after the election.

Underscoring the importance to both sides, Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, attended Tuesday’s arguments even though the Iowa caucuses are just one week away and despite the fact that there’s no requirement that defendants appear in person for such proceedings. Making his first court appearance in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070" target="_blank">since his arraignment in August</a>, Trump sat at the defense table, watching closely and occasionally taking notes and speaking with his lawyers.

His appearance and his comments afterward underscored his broader effort to portray himself as the victim of a justice system he claims is politicized. Though there’s no evidence Biden has had any influence on the case, Trump’s argument could resonate with Republican voters in Iowa as they prepare to launch the presidential nomination process.

After the hearing, Trump spoke to reporters at The Waldorf-Astoria hotel, which used to be the Trump International Hotel, calling Tuesday “a very momentous day.” He insisted he did nothing wrong and claimed he was being prosecuted for political reasons.

“A president has to have immunity,” he said.

Former presidents enjoy broad immunity from lawsuits for actions taken as part of their official White House duties. But because no former president before Trump has ever been indicted, courts have never before addressed whether that protection extends to criminal prosecution.

Trump’s lawyers insist that it does, arguing that courts have no authority to scrutinize a president’s official acts and that the prosecution of their client represents a dramatic departure from more than two centuries of American history that would open the door to future politically motivated cases.

“To authorize the prosecution of a president for official acts would open a Pandora’s box from which this nation may never recover,” said D. John Sauer, a lawyer for Trump, asserting that, under the government’s theory, presidents could be prosecuted for giving Congress “false information” to enter war or for authorizing drone strikes targeting U.S. citizens abroad.

He later added, “If a president has to look over his shoulder or her shoulder every time he or she has to make a controversial decision and wonder if ‘after I leave office, am I going to jail for this when my political opponents take power?’ that inevitably dampens the ability of the president.”

But the judges were skeptical about those arguments. Judges Henderson and Florence Pan noted the lawyer who represented Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial suggested that he could later face criminal prosecution, telling senators at the time: “We have a judicial process in this country. We have an investigative process in this country to which no former office holder is immune.”

“It seems that many senators relied on that in voting to acquit” Trump, Pan told Sauer.

Judge J. Michelle Childs also questioned why former President Richard Nixon would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafael-nadal-today-in-history-covid-health-texas-6453a85999b1728c1fac461186b10774" target="_blank">need to be granted a pardon</a>&nbsp;in 1974 after the Watergate scandal if former presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution. Sauer replied that in Nixon’s case, the conduct did not involve the same kind of “official acts” Trump’s lawyers argue form the basis of his indictment.

Aside from the merits of the immunity claim, the judges jumped right into questioning Trump’s lawyer over whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the appeal at this time. Sauer said presidential immunity is clearly a claim that is meant to be reviewed before trial. Smith’s team also said that it wants the court to decide the appeal now.

Smith’s team maintains that presidents are not entitled to absolute immunity and that, in any event, the acts Trump is alleged in the indictment to have taken — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-joe-biden-presidential-elections-election-2020-electoral-college-311f88768b65f7196f52a4757dc162e4" target="_blank">scheming to enlist fake electors</a>&nbsp;in battleground states won by Biden and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69" target="_blank">pressing his vice president</a>, Mike Pence, to reject the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021 — fall outside a president’s official job duties.

“The president has a unique constitutional role but he is not above the law. Separation of powers principles, constitutional text, history, precedent and immunity doctrines all point to the conclusion that a former president enjoys no immunity from prosecution,” prosecutor James Pearce said, adding that a case in which a former president is alleged to have sought to overturn an election “is not the place to recognize some novel form of immunity.”

When Judge Henderson asked how the court could write its opinion in a way that wouldn’t open the “floodgates” of investigations against ex-presidents, Pearce said he did not anticipate “a sea change of vindictive tit-for-tat prosecutions in the future.” He called the allegations against Trump fundamentally unprecedented.

“Never before has there been allegations that a sitting president has, with private individuals and using the levers of power, sought to fundamentally subvert the democratic republic and the electoral system,” he said. “And frankly, if that kind of fact pattern arises again, I think it would be awfully scary if there weren’t some sort of mechanism by which to reach that criminally.”

It’s not clear how quickly the panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from the D.C. Circuit will rule, though it has signaled that it intends to work quickly.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected the immunity arguments,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388" target="_blank">ruling last month that the office of the presidency does not confer a “‘get-out-of-jail-free’” pass.</a>&nbsp;Trump’s lawyers appealed that decision, but Smith’s team, determined to keep the case on schedule, sought to leapfrog the appeals court by asking the Supreme Court to fast-track the immunity question. The justices declined to get involved.

The appeal is vital to a Trump strategy of trying to postpone the case until after the November election, when a victory could empower him to order the Justice Department to abandon the prosecution or even to seek a pardon for himself. He faces three other criminal cases, in state and federal court, though the Washington case is scheduled for trial first.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;listening intently in the courtroom, federal appeals court judges in Washington expressed deep skepticism Tuesday that the former president was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded" target="_blank">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;on charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc" target="_blank">plotted to overturn the results</a>&nbsp;of the 2020 election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;I think they feel this is the way they&#39;re going to try and win and that&#39;s not the way it goes. It&#39;ll be bedlam in the country. It&#39;s a very bad thing. It&#39;s a very bad precedent. It&#39;s the opening of a Pandora&#39;s Box...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/fyYqul1CPC">pic.twitter.com/fyYqul1CPC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1744765731181343209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The panel of three judges, two of whom were appointed by President Joe Biden, also questioned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-arguments-takeaways-26e6e525c040d0e546b37f2786bfd132" target="_blank">whether they had jurisdiction</a>&nbsp;to consider the appeal at this point in the case, raising the prospect that Trump’s appeal could be dispensed with on more procedural grounds.During lengthy arguments, the judges repeatedly pressed Trump’s lawyer to defend claims that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html" target="_blank">Trump was shielded from criminal charges</a>&nbsp;for acts that he says fell within his official duties as president. That argument was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388" target="_blank">rejected last month</a>&nbsp;by the lower-court judge overseeing the case against Trump, and the appeals judges suggested through their questions that they, too, were dubious that the Founding Fathers envisioned absolute immunity for presidents after they leave office.“I think it’s paradoxical to say that his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed allows him to violate criminal law,” said Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, an appointee of former President George H.W. Bush.The outcome could carry enormous ramifications both for the landmark criminal case against Trump and for the broader, and legally untested, question of whether an ex-president can be prosecuted for actions taken in the White House. It will also likely set the stage for further appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court, which last month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-january-6-justice-department-90b93eeb663ebaf67a2e0bc266390fa0" target="_blank">declined a request to weigh in</a>&nbsp;but could still get involved later.A swift decision is crucial for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b" target="_blank">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;and his team, who are eager to get the case —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-january-6-appeal-20726ba42ac87cd2f3a3ffc6a2145490" target="_blank">now paused pending the appeal</a>&nbsp;— to trial before the November election. But Trump’s lawyers, in addition to seeking to get the case dismissed, are hoping to benefit from a protracted appeals process that could delay the trial well past its scheduled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-indictment-1a5ae1a0ea35492e1e347e28867a7d3f" target="_blank">March 4 start date</a>, including until potentially after the election.Underscoring the importance to both sides, Trump, the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner, attended Tuesday’s arguments even though the Iowa caucuses are just one week away and despite the fact that there’s no requirement that defendants appear in person for such proceedings. Making his first court appearance in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070" target="_blank">since his arraignment in August</a>, Trump sat at the defense table, watching closely and occasionally taking notes and speaking with his lawyers.His appearance and his comments afterward underscored his broader effort to portray himself as the victim of a justice system he claims is politicized. Though there’s no evidence Biden has had any influence on the case, Trump’s argument could resonate with Republican voters in Iowa as they prepare to launch the presidential nomination process.After the hearing, Trump spoke to reporters at The Waldorf-Astoria hotel, which used to be the Trump International Hotel, calling Tuesday “a very momentous day.” He insisted he did nothing wrong and claimed he was being prosecuted for political reasons.“A president has to have immunity,” he said.Former presidents enjoy broad immunity from lawsuits for actions taken as part of their official White House duties. But because no former president before Trump has ever been indicted, courts have never before addressed whether that protection extends to criminal prosecution.Trump’s lawyers insist that it does, arguing that courts have no authority to scrutinize a president’s official acts and that the prosecution of their client represents a dramatic departure from more than two centuries of American history that would open the door to future politically motivated cases.“To authorize the prosecution of a president for official acts would open a Pandora’s box from which this nation may never recover,” said D. John Sauer, a lawyer for Trump, asserting that, under the government’s theory, presidents could be prosecuted for giving Congress “false information” to enter war or for authorizing drone strikes targeting U.S. citizens abroad.He later added, “If a president has to look over his shoulder or her shoulder every time he or she has to make a controversial decision and wonder if ‘after I leave office, am I going to jail for this when my political opponents take power?’ that inevitably dampens the ability of the president.”But the judges were skeptical about those arguments. Judges Henderson and Florence Pan noted the lawyer who represented Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial suggested that he could later face criminal prosecution, telling senators at the time: “We have a judicial process in this country. We have an investigative process in this country to which no former office holder is immune.”“It seems that many senators relied on that in voting to acquit” Trump, Pan told Sauer.Judge J. Michelle Childs also questioned why former President Richard Nixon would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafael-nadal-today-in-history-covid-health-texas-6453a85999b1728c1fac461186b10774" target="_blank">need to be granted a pardon</a>&nbsp;in 1974 after the Watergate scandal if former presidents enjoy immunity from prosecution. Sauer replied that in Nixon’s case, the conduct did not involve the same kind of “official acts” Trump’s lawyers argue form the basis of his indictment.Aside from the merits of the immunity claim, the judges jumped right into questioning Trump’s lawyer over whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the appeal at this time. Sauer said presidential immunity is clearly a claim that is meant to be reviewed before trial. Smith’s team also said that it wants the court to decide the appeal now.Smith’s team maintains that presidents are not entitled to absolute immunity and that, in any event, the acts Trump is alleged in the indictment to have taken — including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-joe-biden-presidential-elections-election-2020-electoral-college-311f88768b65f7196f52a4757dc162e4" target="_blank">scheming to enlist fake electors</a>&nbsp;in battleground states won by Biden and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69" target="_blank">pressing his vice president</a>, Mike Pence, to reject the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021 — fall outside a president’s official job duties.“The president has a unique constitutional role but he is not above the law. Separation of powers principles, constitutional text, history, precedent and immunity doctrines all point to the conclusion that a former president enjoys no immunity from prosecution,” prosecutor James Pearce said, adding that a case in which a former president is alleged to have sought to overturn an election “is not the place to recognize some novel form of immunity.”When Judge Henderson asked how the court could write its opinion in a way that wouldn’t open the “floodgates” of investigations against ex-presidents, Pearce said he did not anticipate “a sea change of vindictive tit-for-tat prosecutions in the future.” He called the allegations against Trump fundamentally unprecedented.“Never before has there been allegations that a sitting president has, with private individuals and using the levers of power, sought to fundamentally subvert the democratic republic and the electoral system,” he said. “And frankly, if that kind of fact pattern arises again, I think it would be awfully scary if there weren’t some sort of mechanism by which to reach that criminally.”It’s not clear how quickly the panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals from the D.C. Circuit will rule, though it has signaled that it intends to work quickly.U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected the immunity arguments,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388" target="_blank">ruling last month that the office of the presidency does not confer a “‘get-out-of-jail-free’” pass.</a>&nbsp;Trump’s lawyers appealed that decision, but Smith’s team, determined to keep the case on schedule, sought to leapfrog the appeals court by asking the Supreme Court to fast-track the immunity question. The justices declined to get involved.The appeal is vital to a Trump strategy of trying to postpone the case until after the November election, when a victory could empower him to order the Justice Department to abandon the prosecution or even to seek a pardon for himself. He faces three other criminal cases, in state and federal court, though the Washington case is scheduled for trial first.<h2>___</h2>

🎥Trump predicts bedlam and violence if he loses in court

By BECKY GOFFLittle Apple Post

By BECKY GOFFLittle Apple PostPOTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—Quick work by a Kansas fire chief helped rescue a man from a house fire.Just before 4:30a.m. on Tuesday, Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Dispatch was contacted by a Wamego resident who reported her neighbor's home appeared to be on fire and the residents were home.Dispatch paged Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement personnel to the home, located in the 100 block of Chestnut Street.Louisville Fire Department Chief, Travis Ten Eyck, who lives nearby, responded directly to the residence from his home and found smoke and fire coming from the residence when he arrived on scene.Shortly after arriving Chief Ten Eyck learned there were two occupants at the residence, one had made his way safely outside, however, a 66-year-old man was unable to leave his bedroom. Eyck made the decision to enter the residence, without any protective gear, to attempt to locate the man and assist them with exiting the house.Initially the resident resisted assistance in leaving the residence, but lost consciousness, at which time, Eyck carried him to a window, where Wamego Police Officer, Maxie Joye assisted him in getting the resident out of the house, and then assisted Eyck out of the structure.Wamego Fire Department personnel arrived on scene shortly after the rescue, and extinguished the fire.According to Wamego Fire Chief Phil Stultz, the fire was contained to the kitchen and hallway, however, smoke damaged 80% of the residence.&nbsp;Chief Stultz continued, “Firefighters did a great job of entering and putting out the fire.”The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.