SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a bank robbery and askig for help to identify a suspect

Just before 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, police responded to a reported robbery at US Bank, 719 S Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. It was reported that a man entered the bank, indicated he had a weapon, demanded money and then fled on foot. Police were on scene and are working with federal partners to investigate the incident. No injuries have been reported.

The suspect was seen with light-colored facial hair, wearing a multi-color ball cap backwards, a red football jersey with the number “7” on it, red athletic shorts and brown boots. Anyone with information is encouraged to report it to law enforcement by calling 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721756613203.png" alt="Photos Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Police are investigating a bank robbery and askig for help to identify a suspectJust before 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, police responded to a reported robbery at US Bank, 719 S Kansas Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. It was reported that a man entered the bank, indicated he had a weapon, demanded money and then fled on foot. Police were on scene and are working with federal partners to investigate the incident. No injuries have been reported.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721756581031.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect was seen with light-colored facial hair, wearing a multi-color ball cap backwards, a red football jersey with the number “7” on it, red athletic shorts and brown boots. Anyone with information is encouraged to report it to law enforcement by calling 911.

Police ask for help to ID Kansas bank robbery suspect

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is resigning from office Aug. 20 following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/menendez-bribery-trial-jury-deliberations-bab89b99a77fc6ce95531c88ab26cc4d">his conviction for taking bribes</a>&nbsp;for corrupt acts including acting as an agent of the Egyptian government, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Menendez had insisted after the July 16 verdict that he was innocent and promised to appeal. The person who told the AP about Menendez's resignation did so on the condition of anonymity because the New Jersey Democrat’s decision hadn’t been made public. Menendez’s attorney hasn’t returned messages seeking comment.

The resignation gives New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, the ability to appoint someone to the senate for the remainder of Menendez's term, which expires on Jan. 3. The seat was already up for election on Nov. 5. Democrats have nominated U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, who's in strong position in the Democratic-leaning state. He faces Republican Curtis Bashaw.

Menendez, 70, was convicted of charges that he sold the power of his office to three New Jersey businessmen who sought a variety of favors. Prosecutors said Menendez used his influence to meddle in three different state and federal criminal investigations to protect his associates. They said he helped one bribe-paying friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and another keep a contract to provide religious certification for meat bound for Egypt.

He was also convicted of taking actions that benefited Egypt's government in exchange for bribes, including providing details on personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators regarding lifting a hold on military aid to Egypt. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 in cash hidden in Menendez's house.

After his conviction, Menendez denied all of those allegations, saying “I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”

But numerous fellow Democrats had urged him to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Murphy had urged the Senate to expel Menendez if he didn't quit. Only 15 senators have ever been expelled. Sen. William Blount, of Tennessee, was ousted in 1797 for treason. The other 14 were expelled in 1861 and 1862 for supporting Confederates during the Civil War.

Menendez faces the possibility of decades in prison. A judge scheduled his sentencing on Oct. 29, a week before the election.

His resignation bookends a career spent in politics that started with him getting elected to his local school board just a couple of years after high school graduation. He's held office at every level in his home state and had vowed to run as an independent in November for a fourth term.

The son of Cuban immigrants and an attorney by training, Menendez was a Union City, New Jersey, school board member at age 20 — before graduating from law school — and later became the mayor of the city, where he still has deep connections.

His own biography says he wanted to fight corruption early in his political career, testifying against Union City officials and building a reputation as tough. From there, he was elected to the state Assembly, then the state Senate before heading to the U.S. House.

He was appointed to be a U.S. senator in 2006 when the seat opened up after incumbent Jon Corzine became governor. He was elected outright in 2006 and again in 2012 and 2018. He served as chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee beginning in 2013.

Menendez' political career looked like it might be over in 2015, when he was indicted in New Jersey on charges that he had accepted bribes of luxury overseas vacations, private jet travel and campaign contributions from a wealthy Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen.

In return, prosecutors said Menendez pressured government officials on Melgen’s behalf over an $8.9 million Medicare billing dispute and a stalled contract to provide port screening equipment in the Dominican Republic. They said he also helped obtain U.S. visas for the doctor’s girlfriends.

The defense argued that the gifts were not bribes but tokens of friendship between two men who were “like brothers.”

A jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial in 2017. U.S. prosecutors didn't seek a retrial.

New Jersey voters then returned Menendez to the Senate for another term. Melgen was convicted in a separate fraud trial, but his 17-year prison sentence was later commuted by then-President Donald Trump.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721761901477.png" alt="Senator Bob Menendez&nbsp; spoke after the guilty verdict in his federal corruption trial last week" />
 <figcaption>Senator Bob Menendez&nbsp; spoke after the guilty verdict in his federal corruption trial last week</figcaption>
 </figure>TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez is resigning from office Aug. 20 following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/menendez-bribery-trial-jury-deliberations-bab89b99a77fc6ce95531c88ab26cc4d">his conviction for taking bribes</a>&nbsp;for corrupt acts including acting as an agent of the Egyptian government, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press on Tuesday.Menendez had insisted after the July 16 verdict that he was innocent and promised to appeal. The person who told the AP about Menendez's resignation did so on the condition of anonymity because the New Jersey Democrat’s decision hadn’t been made public. Menendez’s attorney hasn’t returned messages seeking comment.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721150824503.png" alt="One of the gold bars found at Menendez's house during a law enforcement search-photo. US District Court Southern District of New York" />
 <figcaption>One of the gold bars found at Menendez's house during a law enforcement search-photo. US District Court Southern District of New York</figcaption>
 </figure>The resignation gives New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, the ability to appoint someone to the senate for the remainder of Menendez's term, which expires on Jan. 3. The seat was already up for election on Nov. 5. Democrats have nominated U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, who's in strong position in the Democratic-leaning state. He faces Republican Curtis Bashaw.Menendez, 70, was convicted of charges that he sold the power of his office to three New Jersey businessmen who sought a variety of favors. Prosecutors said Menendez used his influence to meddle in three different state and federal criminal investigations to protect his associates. They said he helped one bribe-paying friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and another keep a contract to provide religious certification for meat bound for Egypt.He was also convicted of taking actions that benefited Egypt's government in exchange for bribes, including providing details on personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators regarding lifting a hold on military aid to Egypt. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 in cash hidden in Menendez's house.After his conviction, Menendez denied all of those allegations, saying “I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”But numerous fellow Democrats had urged him to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Murphy had urged the Senate to expel Menendez if he didn't quit. Only 15 senators have ever been expelled. Sen. William Blount, of Tennessee, was ousted in 1797 for treason. The other 14 were expelled in 1861 and 1862 for supporting Confederates during the Civil War.Menendez faces the possibility of decades in prison. A judge scheduled his sentencing on Oct. 29, a week before the election.His resignation bookends a career spent in politics that started with him getting elected to his local school board just a couple of years after high school graduation. He's held office at every level in his home state and had vowed to run as an independent in November for a fourth term.The son of Cuban immigrants and an attorney by training, Menendez was a Union City, New Jersey, school board member at age 20 — before graduating from law school — and later became the mayor of the city, where he still has deep connections.His own biography says he wanted to fight corruption early in his political career, testifying against Union City officials and building a reputation as tough. From there, he was elected to the state Assembly, then the state Senate before heading to the U.S. House.He was appointed to be a U.S. senator in 2006 when the seat opened up after incumbent Jon Corzine became governor. He was elected outright in 2006 and again in 2012 and 2018. He served as chair of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee beginning in 2013.Menendez' political career looked like it might be over in 2015, when he was indicted in New Jersey on charges that he had accepted bribes of luxury overseas vacations, private jet travel and campaign contributions from a wealthy Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen.In return, prosecutors said Menendez pressured government officials on Melgen’s behalf over an $8.9 million Medicare billing dispute and a stalled contract to provide port screening equipment in the Dominican Republic. They said he also helped obtain U.S. visas for the doctor’s girlfriends.The defense argued that the gifts were not bribes but tokens of friendship between two men who were “like brothers.”A jury couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial in 2017. U.S. prosecutors didn't seek a retrial.New Jersey voters then returned Menendez to the Senate for another term. Melgen was convicted in a separate fraud trial, but his 17-year prison sentence was later commuted by then-President Donald Trump.

US Senator who took bribes paid in gold resigns from office

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has ruled the state's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-signing-lawsuit-a93ee0bfd11e5ff40d3c8d815f846c5c">strict abortion law</a>&nbsp;will take effect Monday, preventing most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

The law passed last year, but a judge had blocked it from being enforced. The Iowa Supreme Court reiterated in June that there is no constitutional right to an abortion in the state and ordered the hold to be lifted. That translated into Monday's district court judge's decision ordering the law to into effect next Monday at 8:00 a.m. Central time.

Lawyers representing abortion providers asked Judge Jeffrey Farrell for notice before allowing the law to take hold, saying a buffer period was needed to provide continuity of services. Iowa requires pregnant women to wait 24 hours for an abortion after getting an initial consultation. Abortion had been legal in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.

The high court’s order gave a decisive win to Iowa’s Republican leaders after years of legislative and legal battles.

Iowa will join more than a dozen states where abortion access has been sharply curbed in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Currently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/map-of-abortion-access-us">14 states</a>&nbsp;have near-total bans at all stages of pregnancy and three states — Iowa will make four — ban abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion access stands to be a major issue in the 2024 election, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris aims to lead the Democratic Party. Harris has said “everything is at stake” with reproductive health in November’s election and has traveled across the country to draw attention to the issue, including in Des Moines roughly a year ago after the stricter law initially passed.

Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law in a special session last July, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-lawsuit-eeeec320fc6453e69075da5a118bf0c8">legal challenge was immediately filed</a>&nbsp;by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic. The law was in effect for just a few days before a district court judge temporarily blocked it.

“Today is a victory for life,” Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday.

There are limited circumstances under the Iowa law that would allow for abortion after six weeks of pregnancy: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has an abnormality “incompatible with life”; or if the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life.

The state’s medical board defined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-iowa-d40f4875a9119387ec2053cc317803ff">standards of practice</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, though the rules do not outline how the board would determine noncompliance or what the appropriate disciplinary action might be.

Representatives from Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic have indicated they will continue to provide abortion services in Iowa in compliance with the law when it takes effect.

In June, Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, also said the organization has spent the last year making “long-term regional investments” in preparation for this outcome, including expanding facilities in Mankato, Minnesota, and in Omaha, Nebraska, — both cities near Iowa.

Planned Parenthood in Iowa has ceased abortion services in two Iowa cities in the last year, including in Des Moines. Two of the state’s five Planned Parenthood clinics offer in-person abortion services, and three offer abortion through medication.

People in and around Des Moines seeking an abortion have been traveling about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north to Ames.

Alex Sharp, who manages the Ames facility, said conversations with patients will be difficult once the ban lifts and staff will be empathetic. There is “the sensitivity of being told you’re too far along and it’s too late now: ‘You have to, you know, leave and go somewhere else and you have to travel and you’re going to have to miss work again.’”

“A lot of people don’t know this happened,” Sharp said of the stricter law.

The facilities that provide abortions had been offering additional appointments in June ahead of the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision, and appointments throughout July have been completely booked, Sharp said.

“It’s entirely possible that they’re over six weeks, but we’ll scan them,” she said of people that have appointments scheduled for after the block is lifted.

Sarah Traxler, the Planned Parenthood region’s medical director, said a law prohibiting abortions after cardiac activity can be detected is “tricky.”

Since six weeks is approximate, Traxler said, “we don’t necessarily have plans to cut people off at a certain gestational age.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 44% of the 3,761 total abortions in Iowa in 2021 occurred at or before six weeks’ gestational age. Only six abortions were at the 21-week mark or later.

In other states with bans that kick in around six weeks into pregnancy, the number of abortions has fallen by about half.

In its 4-3 opinion last month, Iowa Supreme Court’s majority determined that abortion laws in Iowa are to be judged by whether the government has a legitimate interest in restricting the procedure, rather than whether there is too heavy a burden for people seeking abortion access.

The decision was celebrated by Iowa’s conservative leaders who have advocated for decades against access to abortion. Chuck Hurley, vice president of the conservative Christian organization, The Family Leader, said “bad judges for over 51 years” allowed access to abortion in Iowa.

While Hurley celebrated the victory and the “great strides in protecting the most innocent among us,” he alluded to the work still to be done.

“Fourteen states now protect babies from the moment of conception,” he said, “and Iowa should be the 15th.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has ruled the state's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-signing-lawsuit-a93ee0bfd11e5ff40d3c8d815f846c5c">strict abortion law</a>&nbsp;will take effect Monday, preventing most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.The law passed last year, but a judge had blocked it from being enforced. The Iowa Supreme Court reiterated in June that there is no constitutional right to an abortion in the state and ordered the hold to be lifted. That translated into Monday's district court judge's decision ordering the law to into effect next Monday at 8:00 a.m. Central time.Lawyers representing abortion providers asked Judge Jeffrey Farrell for notice before allowing the law to take hold, saying a buffer period was needed to provide continuity of services. Iowa requires pregnant women to wait 24 hours for an abortion after getting an initial consultation. Abortion had been legal in the state up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.The high court’s order gave a decisive win to Iowa’s Republican leaders after years of legislative and legal battles.Iowa will join more than a dozen states where abortion access has been sharply curbed in the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Currently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/map-of-abortion-access-us">14 states</a>&nbsp;have near-total bans at all stages of pregnancy and three states — Iowa will make four — ban abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.Abortion access stands to be a major issue in the 2024 election, especially as Vice President Kamala Harris aims to lead the Democratic Party. Harris has said “everything is at stake” with reproductive health in November’s election and has traveled across the country to draw attention to the issue, including in Des Moines roughly a year ago after the stricter law initially passed.Iowa’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law in a special session last July, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-abortion-ban-lawsuit-eeeec320fc6453e69075da5a118bf0c8">legal challenge was immediately filed</a>&nbsp;by the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, Planned Parenthood North Central States and the Emma Goldman Clinic. The law was in effect for just a few days before a district court judge temporarily blocked it.“Today is a victory for life,” Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday.There are limited circumstances under the Iowa law that would allow for abortion after six weeks of pregnancy: rape, if reported to law enforcement or a health provider within 45 days; incest, if reported within 145 days; if the fetus has an abnormality “incompatible with life”; or if the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life.The state’s medical board defined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-iowa-d40f4875a9119387ec2053cc317803ff">standards of practice</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, though the rules do not outline how the board would determine noncompliance or what the appropriate disciplinary action might be.Representatives from Planned Parenthood and the Emma Goldman Clinic have indicated they will continue to provide abortion services in Iowa in compliance with the law when it takes effect.In June, Ruth Richardson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, also said the organization has spent the last year making “long-term regional investments” in preparation for this outcome, including expanding facilities in Mankato, Minnesota, and in Omaha, Nebraska, — both cities near Iowa.Planned Parenthood in Iowa has ceased abortion services in two Iowa cities in the last year, including in Des Moines. Two of the state’s five Planned Parenthood clinics offer in-person abortion services, and three offer abortion through medication.People in and around Des Moines seeking an abortion have been traveling about 35 miles (56 kilometers) north to Ames.Alex Sharp, who manages the Ames facility, said conversations with patients will be difficult once the ban lifts and staff will be empathetic. There is “the sensitivity of being told you’re too far along and it’s too late now: ‘You have to, you know, leave and go somewhere else and you have to travel and you’re going to have to miss work again.’”“A lot of people don’t know this happened,” Sharp said of the stricter law.The facilities that provide abortions had been offering additional appointments in June ahead of the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision, and appointments throughout July have been completely booked, Sharp said.“It’s entirely possible that they’re over six weeks, but we’ll scan them,” she said of people that have appointments scheduled for after the block is lifted.Sarah Traxler, the Planned Parenthood region’s medical director, said a law prohibiting abortions after cardiac activity can be detected is “tricky.”Since six weeks is approximate, Traxler said, “we don’t necessarily have plans to cut people off at a certain gestational age.”The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 44% of the 3,761 total abortions in Iowa in 2021 occurred at or before six weeks’ gestational age. Only six abortions were at the 21-week mark or later.In other states with bans that kick in around six weeks into pregnancy, the number of abortions has fallen by about half.In its 4-3 opinion last month, Iowa Supreme Court’s majority determined that abortion laws in Iowa are to be judged by whether the government has a legitimate interest in restricting the procedure, rather than whether there is too heavy a burden for people seeking abortion access.The decision was celebrated by Iowa’s conservative leaders who have advocated for decades against access to abortion. Chuck Hurley, vice president of the conservative Christian organization, The Family Leader, said “bad judges for over 51 years” allowed access to abortion in Iowa.While Hurley celebrated the victory and the “great strides in protecting the most innocent among us,” he alluded to the work still to be done.“Fourteen states now protect babies from the moment of conception,” he said, “and Iowa should be the 15th.”

Judge: Iowa law banning most abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy to take effect

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 11:30p.m. July 18, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp; conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Honda Civic on U.S. Highway 75 near 110th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

  Illegal drugs and a firearm were found during a search of the vehicle. The driver, Renee Elizabeth Rivera, 35, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges for distribution of narcotics, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a weapon and interference with law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721681236990.png" alt="Rivera photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Rivera photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 11:30p.m. July 18, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp; conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 Honda Civic on U.S. Highway 75 near 110th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Illegal drugs and a firearm were found during a search of the vehicle. The driver, Renee Elizabeth Rivera, 35, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges for distribution of narcotics, possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a weapon and interference with law enforcement.

Sheriff: Kansas woman accused of selling drugs

REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware (AP) — President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">his decision to drop his 2024 Democratic reelection bid</a>.

Biden posted on X that he would speak “on what lies ahead” and how he will “finish the job for the American people.” He will speak at 8 p.m. ET.

The president is scheduled to return to the White House on Tuesday after isolating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home after being diagnosed last week with COVID-19.

Biden has not been seen publicly since July 17, but he called into a campaign meeting on Monday to address staff and express his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-election-president-wisconsin-democrats-012c6474b8b23960d2cf616e92989a4b">Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid</a>&nbsp;to replace him a day after announcing he would leave the race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721330243670.png" alt="File photo President Biden prepares to board Air Force One in Las Vegas July 17- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Biden prepares to board Air Force One in Las Vegas July 17- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>REHOBOTH BEACH, Delaware (AP) — President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">his decision to drop his 2024 Democratic reelection bid</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tomorrow evening at 8 PM ET, I will address the nation from the Oval Office on what lies ahead, and how I will finish the job for the American people.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1815766423056080912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden posted on X that he would speak “on what lies ahead” and how he will “finish the job for the American people.” He will speak at 8 p.m. ET.The president is scheduled to return to the White House on Tuesday after isolating at his Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, home after being diagnosed last week with COVID-19.Biden has not been seen publicly since July 17, but he called into a campaign meeting on Monday to address staff and express his support for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-election-president-wisconsin-democrats-012c6474b8b23960d2cf616e92989a4b">Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid</a>&nbsp;to replace him a day after announcing he would leave the race.

Biden to give a White House address on decision to exit the race

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the Secret Service said Tuesday she is resigning following the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">agency tasked with protecting current and former presidents</a>&nbsp;could fail in its core mission.

Kimberly Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, had been facing growing calls to resign and several investigations into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">how the shooter was able to get so close</a>&nbsp;to the Republican presidential nominee at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in an email to staff, obtained by The Associated Press. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”

Cheatle’s departure was unlikely to end the scrutiny of the long-troubled agency after the failures of July 13, and it comes at a critical juncture ahead of the Democratic National Convention and a busy presidential campaign season. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have promised continued investigation, along with an inspector general probe and an independent and bipartisan effort launched at President Joe Biden’s behest that will keep the agency in the spotlight.

“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases,” Cheatle said in her note to staff.

Cheatle’s resignation comes a day after appeared before a congressional committee and was berated by hours by both Democrats and Republicans for the security failures. She called the attempt on Trump’s life the Secret Service’s “most significant operational failure” in decades and said she took full responsibility for the security lapses, but she angered lawmakers by failing to answer specific questions about the investigation.

At the hearing Monday, Cheatle remained defiant that she was the “right person” to lead the Secret Service, even as she said she took responsibility the security failures. When Republican Rep. Nancy Mace suggested Cheatle begin drafting her resignation letter from the hearing room, Cheatle responded, “No, thank you.”

The 20-year-old shooter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-drone-fbi-733811e02b1e609de6a9bc35f6b8c141">Thomas Matthew Crooks</a>, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attempted-assassination-iran-threat-secret-service-87f9a1e6e74c2ac18636334e9b2e03a3">a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security</a>&nbsp;for the former president in the days before the July 13 rally.

Cheatle acknowledged Monday that the Secret Service was told about a suspicious person two to five times before the shooting at the rally. She also revealed that the roof from which Crooks opened fire had been identified as a potential vulnerability days before the rally. But she failed to answer many questions about what happened, including why there no agents stationed on the roof.

A bloodied Trump was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, and agency snipers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">killed the shooter</a>. Trump said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting. One rallygoer was killed, and two others were critically wounded.

“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13th is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” Cheatle told members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. “As the Director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse.”

Details continue to unfold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-cdfd3f4b163f7f91b05eeefe21caa45a">about signs of trouble that day</a>&nbsp;and what role both the Secret Service and local authorities played in security. The agency routinely relies on local law enforcement to secure the perimeter of events where people it is protecting appear. Former top Secret Service agents said the gunman should never have been allowed to gain access to the roof.

Two days after the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he supported Cheatle “100%.”

But there were calls for accountability across the political spectrum, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-congress-investigation-hearing-efcf80835d37fe6a80b2260b19416b7c">congressional committees immediately moving to investigate</a>, issuing a subpoena to testify and the top Republican leaders from both the House and the Senate saying she should step down. President Joe Biden also has ordered an independent review into security at the rally and the Secret Service’s inspector general opened an investigation. The agency is also reviewing its counter sniper team’s “preparedness and operations.”

In an interview with ABC News two days after the shooting, Cheatle said she wasn’t resigning. She called the shooting “unacceptable” and something that no Secret Service agent wants to happen. She said her agency is responsible for the former president’s protection: “The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service.”

Cheatle served in the Secret Service for 27 years. She left in 2021 for a job as a security executive at PepsiCo before Biden asked her to return in 2022 to head the agency with a workforce of 7,800 special agents, uniformed officers and other staff.

She took over amid a controversy over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-united-states-government-and-politics-e5b67d9a848b76a3803e9f7e3546bb51">missing text messages</a>&nbsp;from around the time thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

During her time in the agency, Cheatle was the first woman to be named assistant director of protective operations, the division that provides protection to the president and other dignitaries where she oversaw a $133.5 million budget. She is the second woman to lead the agency overall.

When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/statement-from-president-biden-on-the-appointment-of-kimberly-cheatle-to-be-the-next-director-of-the-united-states-secret-service/">he announced her appointment</a>, Biden said Cheatle had served on his detail when he was vice president and he and his wife “came to trust her judgment and counsel.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721678298947.png" alt="Kimberly Cheatle during the hearing on Monday-photo from the Oversight Committee video" />
 <figcaption>Kimberly Cheatle during the hearing on Monday-photo from the Oversight Committee video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the Secret Service said Tuesday she is resigning following the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump that unleashed intensifying outcry about how the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">agency tasked with protecting current and former presidents</a>&nbsp;could fail in its core mission.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cheatle’s resignation is only step one of cleaning house. Everyone who is involved in the oversight and massive failures that left President Trump within centimeters of losing his life and killed an American hero, Corey Comperatore, should follow suit immediately. We will not…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1815760677471973413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kimberly Cheatle, who had served as Secret Service director since August 2022, had been facing growing calls to resign and several investigations into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">how the shooter was able to get so close</a>&nbsp;to the Republican presidential nominee at an outdoor campaign rally in Pennsylvania.“I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she said in an email to staff, obtained by The Associated Press. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director.”Cheatle’s departure was unlikely to end the scrutiny of the long-troubled agency after the failures of July 13, and it comes at a critical juncture ahead of the Democratic National Convention and a busy presidential campaign season. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have promised continued investigation, along with an inspector general probe and an independent and bipartisan effort launched at President Joe Biden’s behest that will keep the agency in the spotlight.“The scrutiny over the last week has been intense and will continue to remain as our operational tempo increases,” Cheatle said in her note to staff.Cheatle’s resignation comes a day after appeared before a congressional committee and was berated by hours by both Democrats and Republicans for the security failures. She called the attempt on Trump’s life the Secret Service’s “most significant operational failure” in decades and said she took full responsibility for the security lapses, but she angered lawmakers by failing to answer specific questions about the investigation.At the hearing Monday, Cheatle remained defiant that she was the “right person” to lead the Secret Service, even as she said she took responsibility the security failures. When Republican Rep. Nancy Mace suggested Cheatle begin drafting her resignation letter from the hearing room, Cheatle responded, “No, thank you.”The 20-year-old shooter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-drone-fbi-733811e02b1e609de6a9bc35f6b8c141">Thomas Matthew Crooks</a>, was able to get within 135 meters (157 yards) of the stage where the former president was speaking when he opened fire. That’s despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-attempted-assassination-iran-threat-secret-service-87f9a1e6e74c2ac18636334e9b2e03a3">a threat on Trump’s life from Iran leading to additional security</a>&nbsp;for the former president in the days before the July 13 rally.Cheatle acknowledged Monday that the Secret Service was told about a suspicious person two to five times before the shooting at the rally. She also revealed that the roof from which Crooks opened fire had been identified as a potential vulnerability days before the rally. But she failed to answer many questions about what happened, including why there no agents stationed on the roof.A bloodied Trump was quickly escorted off the stage by Secret Service agents, and agency snipers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">killed the shooter</a>. Trump said the upper part of his right ear was pierced in the shooting. One rallygoer was killed, and two others were critically wounded.“The assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on July 13th is the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” Cheatle told members of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee. “As the Director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse.”Details continue to unfold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-butler-police-cdfd3f4b163f7f91b05eeefe21caa45a">about signs of trouble that day</a>&nbsp;and what role both the Secret Service and local authorities played in security. The agency routinely relies on local law enforcement to secure the perimeter of events where people it is protecting appear. Former top Secret Service agents said the gunman should never have been allowed to gain access to the roof.Two days after the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he supported Cheatle “100%.”But there were calls for accountability across the political spectrum, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-congress-investigation-hearing-efcf80835d37fe6a80b2260b19416b7c">congressional committees immediately moving to investigate</a>, issuing a subpoena to testify and the top Republican leaders from both the House and the Senate saying she should step down. President Joe Biden also has ordered an independent review into security at the rally and the Secret Service’s inspector general opened an investigation. The agency is also reviewing its counter sniper team’s “preparedness and operations.”In an interview with ABC News two days after the shooting, Cheatle said she wasn’t resigning. She called the shooting “unacceptable” and something that no Secret Service agent wants to happen. She said her agency is responsible for the former president’s protection: “The buck stops with me. I am the director of the Secret Service.”Cheatle served in the Secret Service for 27 years. She left in 2021 for a job as a security executive at PepsiCo before Biden asked her to return in 2022 to head the agency with a workforce of 7,800 special agents, uniformed officers and other staff.She took over amid a controversy over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-united-states-government-and-politics-e5b67d9a848b76a3803e9f7e3546bb51">missing text messages</a>&nbsp;from around the time thousands of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.During her time in the agency, Cheatle was the first woman to be named assistant director of protective operations, the division that provides protection to the president and other dignitaries where she oversaw a $133.5 million budget. She is the second woman to lead the agency overall.When&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/statement-from-president-biden-on-the-appointment-of-kimberly-cheatle-to-be-the-next-director-of-the-united-states-secret-service/">he announced her appointment</a>, Biden said Cheatle had served on his detail when he was vice president and he and his wife “came to trust her judgment and counsel.”

Kan. U.S. Senator responds to Secret Service director's resignation

The House GOP Oversight Committee released a statement on what they learned during the 5-h0ur hearing on Monday with U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle.&nbsp; The statement is below.

While U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle refused to answer most of the questions asked of her, here are a few things we did learn:

Nine days after an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, the director of the U.S. Secret Service does not have a comprehensive timeline of events.

She has not visited the site in Butler, PA.

The roof the shooter used was outside the perimeter the Secret Service was monitoring.

She thinks that the assassination attempt was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” yet she still believes she is the best person to lead the Secret Service.

She was more forthcoming with her TV interview appearances than our hearing and even had her opening statement“leaked” to journalists hours before the committee received a copy.

Click below to watch a replay of the hearing.

She believes this tragedy, which claimed a life, almost killed President Trump, and injured two others, was preventable.

She admits to multiple lapses in security under her leadership of the law enforcement agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;She believes there were sufficient resources given to President Trump on the day he was shot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721658019683.png" alt="Image from House Oversight Committee video" />
 <figcaption>Image from House Oversight Committee video</figcaption>
 </figure>The House GOP Oversight Committee released a statement on what they learned during the 5-h0ur hearing on Monday with U.S. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle.&nbsp; The statement is below.While U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle refused to answer most of the questions asked of her, here are a few things we did learn:Nine days after an assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life, the director of the U.S. Secret Service does not have a comprehensive timeline of events.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721678257128.png" alt="Both Republican and Democrat lawmakers asked the director to resign" />
 <figcaption>Both Republican and Democrat lawmakers asked the director to resign</figcaption>
 </figure>She has not visited the site in Butler, PA.The roof the shooter used was outside the perimeter the Secret Service was monitoring.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720913971898.png" alt="Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)" />
 <figcaption>Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)</figcaption>
 </figure>She thinks that the assassination attempt was “the most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades,” yet she still believes she is the best person to lead the Secret Service.She was more forthcoming with her TV interview appearances than our hearing and even had her opening statement“leaked” to journalists hours before the committee received a copy.Click below to watch a replay of the hearing.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hyP3tKtgtnw?si=Pqhet5TaSu_xleoJ&amp;start=999" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>She believes this tragedy, which claimed a life, almost killed President Trump, and injured two others, was preventable.She admits to multiple lapses in security under her leadership of the law enforcement agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;She believes there were sufficient resources given to President Trump on the day he was shot.

What committee learned on assassination attempt from Secret Service Director

KANSAS CITY—Police are working to identify a body found in a creek recovered from a Kansas City area creek.

Just before 8p.m. Monday a Kansas City Fire Department Rescue unit returning to their station near Emanual Cleaver and Cleveland spotted what appeared to be a body in brush creek, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

The company stopped and confirmed the information and requested additional resources. KC Fire Department crews entered the water and retrieved the individual. Due to the body temperature and condition of the body, crews-initiated CPR on the victim. 

The individual was transported to St. Lukes with CPR in progress. Patient care was transferred to ER staff, who after several minutes of CPR ceased care and pronounced the individual deceased. 

The victim was an African American male approximately 40 to 50 years old with no identification. It is unknown if a medical emergency caused the individual to end up in the creek or the creek caused the medical emergency. Kansas City Police are in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721736661928.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Police are working to identify a body found in a creek recovered from a Kansas City area creek.Just before 8p.m. Monday a Kansas City Fire Department Rescue unit returning to their station near Emanual Cleaver and Cleveland spotted what appeared to be a body in brush creek, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.The company stopped and confirmed the information and requested additional resources. KC Fire Department crews entered the water and retrieved the individual. Due to the body temperature and condition of the body, crews-initiated CPR on the victim. The individual was transported to St. Lukes with CPR in progress. Patient care was transferred to ER staff, who after several minutes of CPR ceased care and pronounced the individual deceased. The victim was an African American male approximately 40 to 50 years old with no identification. It is unknown if a medical emergency caused the individual to end up in the creek or the creek caused the medical emergency. Kansas City Police are in charge of the investigation.

Man dies after pulled from Kansas City creek

WASHINGTON (AP) —Shortly after securing the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement that she is looking forward to formally accepting the nomination while also making her case against a second Donald Trump presidency.

“Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top," Harris said.

The 2024 election is about two different visions for America's future, Harris said.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights," she said. "I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead.”

The AP is not calling Harris the new presumptive nominee because the convention delegates are still free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention in August or if Democrats hold a virtual roll call ahead of that gathering in Chicago.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721737749444.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Shortly after securing the support of enough Democratic delegates to become her party’s nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement that she is looking forward to formally accepting the nomination while also making her case against a second Donald Trump presidency.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721737632143.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Tonight, I am proud to have secured the broad support needed to become our party’s nominee, and as a daughter of California, I am proud that my home state’s delegation helped put our campaign over the top," Harris said.The 2024 election is about two different visions for America's future, Harris said.“Donald Trump wants to take our country back to a time before many of us had full freedoms and equal rights," she said. "I believe in a future that strengthens our democracy, protects reproductive freedom and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead.”The AP is not calling Harris the new presumptive nominee because the convention delegates are still free to vote for the candidate of their choice at the convention in August or if Democrats hold a virtual roll call ahead of that gathering in Chicago.

Read statement from Kamala Harris on accepting the nomination soon

PHILLIPS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder that occurred on Valentine's Day three years ago have a suspect in custody.

On February 14, 2021, deputies were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 600 block of 7th Street in Phillipsburg, according to a media release from the Phillips County Sheriff.

 The incident resulted in the death of 43-year-old Janna Lea Constable.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Monday, the Phillips County Sheriffs Office executed an arrest warrant for 37-year-old Phillipsburg resident Kevin Lee Hadley. 

Hadley was arrested on requested charges of second degree murder, interference with a law enforcement officer and possession of a Firearm.&nbsp;He remains in custody with a $125,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721730738856.png" alt="Hadley-photo Phillips County" />
 <figcaption>Hadley-photo Phillips County</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILLIPS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities investigating a murder that occurred on Valentine's Day three years ago have a suspect in custody.On February 14, 2021, deputies were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 600 block of 7th Street in Phillipsburg, according to a media release from the Phillips County Sheriff. The incident resulted in the death of 43-year-old Janna Lea Constable.Just after 5:30 p.m. Monday, the Phillips County Sheriffs Office executed an arrest warrant for 37-year-old Phillipsburg resident Kevin Lee Hadley. Hadley was arrested on requested charges of second degree murder, interference with a law enforcement officer and possession of a Firearm.&nbsp;He remains in custody with a $125,000 bond.

NW Kan. man jailed for Valentine's Day murder in 2021

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Investigators found the body of a fatal Kansas&nbsp; motorcycle crash.

Just after 8a.m. Monday,&nbsp; the Topeka Police Department requested assistance from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office in searching for a missing Topeka man.

Just before 10a.m., deputies with the Sheriff’s Office located the body of 80-year-old Lowell W. Lence of Topeka in the 4400 block of SW Auburn Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

An investigation determined a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Lence southbound on SW Auburn Road when it left the roadway. Both the motorcycle and driver were located several yards off the roadway near the bottom of a ravine, in a heavily wooded area. The final resting place of Lence and motorcycle were not visible from the roadway. Lence was pronounced deceased at the scene.

SW Auburn Road was shut down between approximately 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. while investigators were on scene investigating.

This incident is still under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721682741770.png" alt="Investigators on the scene photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Investigators found the body of a fatal Kansas&nbsp; motorcycle crash.Just after 8a.m. Monday,&nbsp; the Topeka Police Department requested assistance from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office in searching for a missing Topeka man.Just before 10a.m., deputies with the Sheriff’s Office located the body of 80-year-old Lowell W. Lence of Topeka in the 4400 block of SW Auburn Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.An investigation determined a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Lence southbound on SW Auburn Road when it left the roadway. Both the motorcycle and driver were located several yards off the roadway near the bottom of a ravine, in a heavily wooded area. The final resting place of Lence and motorcycle were not visible from the roadway. Lence was pronounced deceased at the scene.SW Auburn Road was shut down between approximately 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. while investigators were on scene investigating.This incident is still under investigation.

Sheriff: Victim of fatal Kan. motorcycle crash found in ravine

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause an apartment fire in Kansas City.

Just before 11a.m. Monday, crews responded to an apartment fire at 116th&nbsp;and Winchester, according to&nbsp;Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First arriving crews reported heavy black smoke.&nbsp; After several minutes of interior firefighting the crews had to evacuate the structure. A second alarm was ordered, and fly-pipe operations were initiated. 

The fire was brought under control at approximately 11:30 a.m.. The building houses 12 apartment units. Eight units were occupied. A total of ten residents requested Red Cross assistance. One resident was treated and released on the scene and one firefighter was transported for evaluation due to heat related issues. A damage estimate has not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721680731932.png" alt="Photo KC Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo KC Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause an apartment fire in Kansas City. Just before 11a.m. Monday, crews responded to an apartment fire at 116th&nbsp;and Winchester, according to&nbsp;Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First arriving crews reported heavy black smoke.&nbsp; After several minutes of interior firefighting the crews had to evacuate the structure. A second alarm was ordered, and fly-pipe operations were initiated. The fire was brought under control at approximately 11:30 a.m.. The building houses 12 apartment units. Eight units were occupied. A total of ten residents requested Red Cross assistance. One resident was treated and released on the scene and one firefighter was transported for evaluation due to heat related issues. A damage estimate has not been released.

Cause of 2 alarm Kansas City apartment fire under investigation

TOPEKA — Representative Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, one of Kansas' top fiscal leaders, will serve as co-chair of a binational, nonpartisan forum of Midwestern legislators that will explore a wide range of issues related to state fiscal conditions and the development and management of state budgets.

The Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) Fiscal Affairs Forum will provide members with a forum for the exchange of information, ideas and strategies related to current revenue trends, spending needs and the critical fiscal and budgetary challenges facing states and provinces across the Midwest.

The forum will also address issues related to state tax policy, revenue estimating, budget making procedures and more.

“I am pleased to take on this role, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and counterparts across the Midwest,” said Rep. Waymaster. “States and provinces throughout this region face similar challenges and opportunities on the fiscal front, and there is much that we can learn from each other.”

In his role as co-chair, Waymaster will help guide the work of the forum in its effort to share information and best practices among states and provinces throughout the Midwest.

The committee will meet for the first time this summer during the 78th annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio on July 21-24.

Waymaster has served as chair of the Kansas House Appropriations Committee since 2017.

All legislators from the following Midwestern states and Canadian provinces are members of the MLC: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,&nbsp;Saskatchewan, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In addition, members of the legislative assemblies in three Canadian provinces — Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario — are MLC affiliates.

The Fiscal Affairs Forum is one of seven interstate and binational committees of the MLC, which receives staff support from the Midwestern Office of The Council of State Governments (CSG).

CSG is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that champions excellence in state government by sharing innovative solutions to common problems facing state-level policymakers nationwide.

Waymaster was appointed to serve as committee co-chair by the 2021 chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Gary Cammack.

Minnesota Representative Fue Lee will serve as the committee's other co-chair with Co-Vice Chairs, Representative Sarah Anthony, Michigan, and Senator Jerry Cirino, Ohio.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621346439026.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Office of Rep. WaymasterTOPEKA — Representative Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, one of Kansas' top fiscal leaders, will serve as co-chair of a binational, nonpartisan forum of Midwestern legislators that will explore a wide range of issues related to state fiscal conditions and the development and management of state budgets.The Midwestern Legislative Conference (MLC) Fiscal Affairs Forum will provide members with a forum for the exchange of information, ideas and strategies related to current revenue trends, spending needs and the critical fiscal and budgetary challenges facing states and provinces across the Midwest.The forum will also address issues related to state tax policy, revenue estimating, budget making procedures and more.“I am pleased to take on this role, and I look forward to working with my colleagues and counterparts across the Midwest,” said Rep. Waymaster. “States and provinces throughout this region face similar challenges and opportunities on the fiscal front, and there is much that we can learn from each other.”In his role as co-chair, Waymaster will help guide the work of the forum in its effort to share information and best practices among states and provinces throughout the Midwest.The committee will meet for the first time this summer during the 78th annual meeting of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, which will be held in Columbus, Ohio on July 21-24.Waymaster has served as chair of the Kansas House Appropriations Committee since 2017.All legislators from the following Midwestern states and Canadian provinces are members of the MLC: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,&nbsp;Saskatchewan, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In addition, members of the legislative assemblies in three Canadian provinces — Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario — are MLC affiliates.The Fiscal Affairs Forum is one of seven interstate and binational committees of the MLC, which receives staff support from the Midwestern Office of The Council of State Governments (CSG).CSG is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that champions excellence in state government by sharing innovative solutions to common problems facing state-level policymakers nationwide.Waymaster was appointed to serve as committee co-chair by the 2021 chair of the Midwestern Legislative Conference, South Dakota Senate Majority Leader Gary Cammack.Minnesota Representative Fue Lee will serve as the committee's other co-chair with Co-Vice Chairs, Representative Sarah Anthony, Michigan, and Senator Jerry Cirino, Ohio.

Rep. Waymaster to lead regional legislators on fiscal policy

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-the-treasury">The Treasury Department</a>&nbsp;is warning that state laws that restrict banks from considering environmental, social and governance factors could harm efforts to address money laundering and terrorism financing.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter sent to lawmakers. The letter singled out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-desantis-climate-change-environment-b8230e47da342b9379fa054d197b278a">a law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;in May that says it would be an “unsafe and unsound practice” for banks to consider non-financial factors when doing business. The letter concludes that “such laws create uncertainty and may inhibit” national security efforts.

Conservative Republicans such as DeSantis have sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-desantis-climate-change-environment-a3bee6775476d6f3e00b8c6cd500a3b1">block environmental and socially conscious standards for investing</a>, saying that such initiatives can lead to unfair discrimination based on political beliefs and harm legitimate businesses. They say that considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-business-esg-investing-c1342634d0d3d4df4db797c562fe1a71">environmental, social and corporate-governance issues</a>, or ESG, before deciding whether to invest is woke behavior gone amok.

Tennessee recently enacted a similar law, although it was not mentioned in the Treasury letter. State legislatures in Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana and South Dakota also have measures along these same lines under consideration.

DeSantis has said the law being questioned by the Treasury Department would protect the access that conservative groups and the firearms industry have to the financial sector, arguing that such organizations have at times had their accounts frozen or closed.

The Treasury Department letter said that the Florida law could, however, undermine the work of federal agencies, heightening “the risk that international drug traffickers, transnational organized criminals, terrorists, and corrupt foreign officials will use the U.S. financial system to launder money, evade sanctions, and threaten our national security.”

The Treasury Department letter was a response to a July 8 request from Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif.

Gottheimer said he was pleased that the Treasury Department shared his concerns.

“To any states that are considering similar laws, I urge them to think twice before putting America’s national security at risk,” the congressman said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705324613627.png" alt="File photo Florida Governor Ron Desantis-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Florida Governor Ron Desantis-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-the-treasury">The Treasury Department</a>&nbsp;is warning that state laws that restrict banks from considering environmental, social and governance factors could harm efforts to address money laundering and terrorism financing.The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter sent to lawmakers. The letter singled out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-desantis-climate-change-environment-b8230e47da342b9379fa054d197b278a">a law signed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;in May that says it would be an “unsafe and unsound practice” for banks to consider non-financial factors when doing business. The letter concludes that “such laws create uncertainty and may inhibit” national security efforts.Conservative Republicans such as DeSantis have sought to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-desantis-climate-change-environment-a3bee6775476d6f3e00b8c6cd500a3b1">block environmental and socially conscious standards for investing</a>, saying that such initiatives can lead to unfair discrimination based on political beliefs and harm legitimate businesses. They say that considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-business-esg-investing-c1342634d0d3d4df4db797c562fe1a71">environmental, social and corporate-governance issues</a>, or ESG, before deciding whether to invest is woke behavior gone amok.Tennessee recently enacted a similar law, although it was not mentioned in the Treasury letter. State legislatures in Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana and South Dakota also have measures along these same lines under consideration.DeSantis has said the law being questioned by the Treasury Department would protect the access that conservative groups and the firearms industry have to the financial sector, arguing that such organizations have at times had their accounts frozen or closed.The Treasury Department letter said that the Florida law could, however, undermine the work of federal agencies, heightening “the risk that international drug traffickers, transnational organized criminals, terrorists, and corrupt foreign officials will use the U.S. financial system to launder money, evade sanctions, and threaten our national security.”The Treasury Department letter was a response to a July 8 request from Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., and Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif.Gottheimer said he was pleased that the Treasury Department shared his concerns.“To any states that are considering similar laws, I urge them to think twice before putting America’s national security at risk,” the congressman said in a statement.

U.S. Treasury warns: Anti-woke banking laws are national security risk

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of a deadly overdose death is guilty, according to a jury in Johnson County.

Last week, a jury convicted 48-year-old Trina L. Golden of distribution of drugs causing death and use of a communication facility during a drug felony, according to Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe.

The victim was 19-year-old Maddelyn Miller who died of an overdose in July of 2020 at her home in Overland Park.

According to her obituary,&nbsp;Miller attended Olathe East High School, graduated in 2019 and&nbsp; planned to study at Johnson County Community College. Golden is scheduled for sentencing in September.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721483651727.png" alt="Golden -photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Golden -photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of a deadly overdose death is guilty, according to a jury in Johnson County.Last week, a jury convicted 48-year-old Trina L. Golden of distribution of drugs causing death and use of a communication facility during a drug felony, according to Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe.The victim was 19-year-old Maddelyn Miller who died of an overdose in July of 2020 at her home in Overland Park.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721484305174.png" alt="Maddelyn Miller courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Maddelyn Miller courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>According to her obituary,&nbsp;Miller attended Olathe East High School, graduated in 2019 and&nbsp; planned to study at Johnson County Community College. Golden is scheduled for sentencing in September.

Jury: Woman guilty in drug deal death of Kansas teen

RENO COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after a chase in Reno County.

Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, agents with the Department of Corrections Enforcement, Apprehension, and Investigation (EAI) Task Force located a wanted subject, James M. Smith, 36, of Hutchinson, near 11th Ave and Severance Street, according to a media release.

Before they were able to make contact, Smith left the area in a vehicle and fled from officers with Hutchinson Police Department. Officers did not pursue Smith at that time due to Smith’s history of fleeing from law enforcement.

Smith was later located walking near 12th Ave and Milcon Street. Smith was armed with a handgun and fled from officers on foot. Kansas Highway Patrol located Smith after he got back in his vehicle and fled the area. A pursuit ensued at that time.

At approximately 3:48 p.m., Smith ran a stop sign at 4th Ave and Maple Street striking another vehicle that was occupied by one person. Smith fled on foot, and while doing so fired a shot from his handgun. It is believed that Smith was not firing the handgun at pursuing officers. Smith was taken into custody a short time later. During this incident, one citizen suffered minor injuries from the crash caused by Smith. No officers were injured.

Kansas Highway Patrol is the lead agency on the crash investigation and Hutchinson Police Department is the lead agency on the criminal investigation. Smith was arrested on requested chartes of Felony Flee and Elude, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery,&nbsp; Felony Interference with Law Enforcement,&nbsp; Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Reckless Driving, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm and Three Felony Warrants.

Smith is being held with no bond at this time.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for drugs and Flee or elude LEO with five or more moving violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721692841949.png" alt="Smith has previous convictions for drugs and&nbsp;Flee or elude LEO with five or more moving violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Smith has previous convictions for drugs and&nbsp;Flee or elude LEO with five or more moving violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after a chase in Reno County.Just before 3:30 p.m. Monday, agents with the Department of Corrections Enforcement, Apprehension, and Investigation (EAI) Task Force located a wanted subject, James M. Smith, 36, of Hutchinson, near 11th Ave and Severance Street, according to a media release.Before they were able to make contact, Smith left the area in a vehicle and fled from officers with Hutchinson Police Department. Officers did not pursue Smith at that time due to Smith’s history of fleeing from law enforcement.Smith was later located walking near 12th Ave and Milcon Street. Smith was armed with a handgun and fled from officers on foot. Kansas Highway Patrol located Smith after he got back in his vehicle and fled the area. A pursuit ensued at that time.At approximately 3:48 p.m., Smith ran a stop sign at 4th Ave and Maple Street striking another vehicle that was occupied by one person. Smith fled on foot, and while doing so fired a shot from his handgun. It is believed that Smith was not firing the handgun at pursuing officers. Smith was taken into custody a short time later. During this incident, one citizen suffered minor injuries from the crash caused by Smith. No officers were injured.Kansas Highway Patrol is the lead agency on the crash investigation and Hutchinson Police Department is the lead agency on the criminal investigation. Smith was arrested on requested chartes of Felony Flee and Elude, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery,&nbsp; Felony Interference with Law Enforcement,&nbsp; Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Reckless Driving, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm and Three Felony Warrants.Smith is being held with no bond at this time.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for drugs and Flee or elude LEO with five or more moving violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

Wanted Kansas felon captured after chase, crash and shots fired

JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for the murder of a Kansas woman and her unborn child.

On July 15, Judge T. Kelly Ryan sentenced 30-year-old Doniel Sublett, Jr., to life with no possibility of parole until he has serves 50-years, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In November, Sublett plead guilty to pre meditated first-degree murder of Kathleen Jane Dampier and her unborn baby boy.

In September of 2022,&nbsp;&nbsp;police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint in Olathe, according to a media release from police.

At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police took Sublette into custody for questioning and made an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663757512945.png" alt="Sublett photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Sublett photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for the murder of a Kansas woman and her unborn child.On July 15, Judge T. Kelly Ryan sentenced 30-year-old Doniel Sublett, Jr., to life with no possibility of parole until he has serves 50-years, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.In November, Sublett plead guilty to pre meditated first-degree murder of Kathleen Jane Dampier and her unborn baby boy.In September of 2022,&nbsp;&nbsp;police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint in Olathe, according to a media release from police.At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police took Sublette into custody for questioning and made an arrest.

Hard 50: Kansas man killed woman, her unborn child

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-secret-service-cheatle-biden-48d384057a894b71859f945034092902">Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle</a>&nbsp;said Monday that her agency failed in its mission to protect former President Donald Trump, as lawmakers of both major political parties demanded during a highly contentious congressional hearing that she resign over security failures that allowed a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">to scale a roof and open fire at a campaign rally</a>.

During the hearing, both Repulican Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member, Democrat Jamie Raskin, called for United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.

Cheatle was berated for hours by Republicans and Democrats, repeatedly angering lawmakers by evading questions about the investigation during the first hearing over the July 13 assassination attempt. Cheatle called the attempt on Trump’s life the Secret Service’s “most significant operational failure” in decades, and vowed to “move heaven and earth” to get to the bottom of what went wrong and make sure there’s no repeat of it.

“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13th, we failed,” she told lawmakers on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.

Cheatle acknowledged that the Secret Service was told about a suspicious person two to five times before the shooting at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. She also revealed that the roof from which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-drone-fbi-733811e02b1e609de6a9bc35f6b8c141">Thomas Matthew Crooks</a>&nbsp;opened fire had been identified as a potential vulnerability days before the rally. Cheatle said she apologized to Trump in a phone call after the assassination attempt.

Yet Cheatle remained defiant that she was the “right person” to lead the Secret Service, even as she said she takes full responsibility any security lapses at the event. When Republican Rep. Nancy Mace suggested Cheatle begin drafting her resignation letter from the hearing room, Cheatle responded, “No, thank you.”

In a rare moment of unity for the often divided committee, the Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer, and its top Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin, issued a letter calling on Cheatle to step down.

The White House didn’t immediately comment on whether President Joe Biden still has confidence in Cheatle after her testimony.

Democrats and Republicans were united in their exasperation as Cheatle said she didn’t know or couldn’t answer numerous questions more than a week after the shooting that left one spectator dead. At one point, Mace used profanity as she accused Cheatle of lying and dodging questions, prompting calls for lawmakers to show “decorum.”

Lawmakers pressed Cheatle on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">how the gunman could get so close</a>&nbsp;to the Republican presidential nominee when he was supposed to be carefully guarded, and why Trump was allowed to take the stage after local law enforcement had identified Crooks as suspicious.

"It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president of the United States. Regardless of party, there need to be answers,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York.

Cheatle acknowledged that Crooks had been seen by local law enforcement before the shooting with a rangefinder, a small device resembling binoculars that hunters use to measure distance from a target. She said the Secret Service would never have taken Trump onto the stage if it had known there was an “actual threat." Local law enforcement took a photograph of Crooks and shared it after seeing him acting suspiciously outside the security perimeter, but he wasn’t deemed to be a “threat” until seconds before he opened fire, she said.

“An individual with a backpack is not a threat,” Cheatle said. “An individual with a rangefinder is not a threat.”

Cheatle said local enforcement officers were inside the building from which Crooks fired. But when asked why there were no agents on the roof or if the Secret Service used drones to monitor the area, Cheatle said she is still waiting for the investigation to play out, prompting groans and outbursts from members on the committee.

“Director Cheatle, because Donald Trump is alive, and thank God he is, you look incompetent," said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio. "If he were killed you would look culpable.”

Rep. Ro Khanna, one of the Democrats who joined the calls for Cheatle to resign, noted that the Secret Service director who presided over the agency when there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reagan-assassination-attempt-trump-butler-gunman-bd3c038d706de55a64727f7d15dffbc8">an attempted assassination of former Republican President Ronald Reagan</a>&nbsp;later stepped down.

“The one thing we have to have in this country are agencies that transcend politics and have the confidence of independents, Democrats, Republicans, progressives and conservatives,” Khanna said, adding that the Secret Service was no longer one of those agencies.

Trump was wounded in the ear, a former Pennsylvania fire chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-fatal-shooting-corey-comperatore-8c09711e88a56432424ef3f980321ed2">was killed</a>&nbsp;and two other attendees were injured after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-guns-fbi-motive-08e925cb85e52c5266878cd76e796ad2">Crooks</a>&nbsp;climbed atop the roof of a nearby building and opened fire with an AR-style rifle shortly after Trump started speaking at the rally.

Cheatle said the agency hopes to have its internal investigation completed in 60 days. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has separately appointed a bipartisan, independent panel to review the assassination attempt, while the department’s inspector general has opened three investigations.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">The Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has acknowledged it denied some requests by Trump's campaign for increased security at his events in the years before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">the assassination attempt</a>. But Cheatle said Monday there were “no assets denied" for the Pennsylvania rally.

Authorities have been hunting for clues into what motivated Crooks but have not found any ideological bent that could help explain his actions. Investigators who searched his phone&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-shooting-federal-investigation-2a90bdfd23ba9c3569cb9c29a459e87b">found photos of Trump</a>, Biden and other senior government officials and found that he had looked up the dates for the Democratic National Conventional as well as Trump’s appearances. He also searched for information about major depressive order.

The attack on Trump was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reagan-assassination-attempt-trump-butler-gunman-bd3c038d706de55a64727f7d15dffbc8">Reagan was shot in 1981</a>. It was the latest in a series of security lapses by the agency that has drawn investigations and public scrutiny over the years.

Cheatle took over two years ago as head of the Secret Service's 7,800 special agents, uniformed officers and other staffers whose main purpose is protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents and others. In announcing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/statement-from-president-biden-on-the-appointment-of-kimberly-cheatle-to-be-the-next-director-of-the-united-states-secret-service/">her appointment</a>, Biden said Cheatle had served on his vice presidential detail and called her a “distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills” who had his “complete trust.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-secret-service-cheatle-biden-48d384057a894b71859f945034092902">Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle</a>&nbsp;said Monday that her agency failed in its mission to protect former President Donald Trump, as lawmakers of both major political parties demanded during a highly contentious congressional hearing that she resign over security failures that allowed a gunman&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">to scale a roof and open fire at a campaign rally</a>.During the hearing, both Repulican Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member, Democrat Jamie Raskin, called for United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721678257128.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cheatle was berated for hours by Republicans and Democrats, repeatedly angering lawmakers by evading questions about the investigation during the first hearing over the July 13 assassination attempt. Cheatle called the attempt on Trump’s life the Secret Service’s “most significant operational failure” in decades, and vowed to “move heaven and earth” to get to the bottom of what went wrong and make sure there’s no repeat of it.Click below to watch a replay of the hearing.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hyP3tKtgtnw?si=FfORvNPU782UDTjs&amp;start=1165" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13th, we failed,” she told lawmakers on the House Oversight and Accountability Committee.Cheatle acknowledged that the Secret Service was told about a suspicious person two to five times before the shooting at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. She also revealed that the roof from which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-drone-fbi-733811e02b1e609de6a9bc35f6b8c141">Thomas Matthew Crooks</a>&nbsp;opened fire had been identified as a potential vulnerability days before the rally. Cheatle said she apologized to Trump in a phone call after the assassination attempt.Yet Cheatle remained defiant that she was the “right person” to lead the Secret Service, even as she said she takes full responsibility any security lapses at the event. When Republican Rep. Nancy Mace suggested Cheatle begin drafting her resignation letter from the hearing room, Cheatle responded, “No, thank you.”In a rare moment of unity for the often divided committee, the Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer, and its top Democrat, Rep. Jamie Raskin, issued a letter calling on Cheatle to step down.The White House didn’t immediately comment on whether President Joe Biden still has confidence in Cheatle after her testimony.Democrats and Republicans were united in their exasperation as Cheatle said she didn’t know or couldn’t answer numerous questions more than a week after the shooting that left one spectator dead. At one point, Mace used profanity as she accused Cheatle of lying and dodging questions, prompting calls for lawmakers to show “decorum.”Lawmakers pressed Cheatle on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-thomas-matthew-crooks-shooter-881581c46c07025898027143fc9132e5">how the gunman could get so close</a>&nbsp;to the Republican presidential nominee when he was supposed to be carefully guarded, and why Trump was allowed to take the stage after local law enforcement had identified Crooks as suspicious."It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president of the United States. Regardless of party, there need to be answers,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York.Cheatle acknowledged that Crooks had been seen by local law enforcement before the shooting with a rangefinder, a small device resembling binoculars that hunters use to measure distance from a target. She said the Secret Service would never have taken Trump onto the stage if it had known there was an “actual threat." Local law enforcement took a photograph of Crooks and shared it after seeing him acting suspiciously outside the security perimeter, but he wasn’t deemed to be a “threat” until seconds before he opened fire, she said.“An individual with a backpack is not a threat,” Cheatle said. “An individual with a rangefinder is not a threat.”Cheatle said local enforcement officers were inside the building from which Crooks fired. But when asked why there were no agents on the roof or if the Secret Service used drones to monitor the area, Cheatle said she is still waiting for the investigation to play out, prompting groans and outbursts from members on the committee.“Director Cheatle, because Donald Trump is alive, and thank God he is, you look incompetent," said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio. "If he were killed you would look culpable.”Rep. Ro Khanna, one of the Democrats who joined the calls for Cheatle to resign, noted that the Secret Service director who presided over the agency when there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reagan-assassination-attempt-trump-butler-gunman-bd3c038d706de55a64727f7d15dffbc8">an attempted assassination of former Republican President Ronald Reagan</a>&nbsp;later stepped down.“The one thing we have to have in this country are agencies that transcend politics and have the confidence of independents, Democrats, Republicans, progressives and conservatives,” Khanna said, adding that the Secret Service was no longer one of those agencies.Trump was wounded in the ear, a former Pennsylvania fire chief&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-fatal-shooting-corey-comperatore-8c09711e88a56432424ef3f980321ed2">was killed</a>&nbsp;and two other attendees were injured after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-shooting-guns-fbi-motive-08e925cb85e52c5266878cd76e796ad2">Crooks</a>&nbsp;climbed atop the roof of a nearby building and opened fire with an AR-style rifle shortly after Trump started speaking at the rally.Cheatle said the agency hopes to have its internal investigation completed in 60 days. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has separately appointed a bipartisan, independent panel to review the assassination attempt, while the department’s inspector general has opened three investigations.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-secret-service">The Secret Service</a>&nbsp;has acknowledged it denied some requests by Trump's campaign for increased security at his events in the years before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/secret-service-trump-rally-4e3415b1461f5acefbc8e1fadad0375b">the assassination attempt</a>. But Cheatle said Monday there were “no assets denied" for the Pennsylvania rally.Authorities have been hunting for clues into what motivated Crooks but have not found any ideological bent that could help explain his actions. Investigators who searched his phone&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-shooting-federal-investigation-2a90bdfd23ba9c3569cb9c29a459e87b">found photos of Trump</a>, Biden and other senior government officials and found that he had looked up the dates for the Democratic National Conventional as well as Trump’s appearances. He also searched for information about major depressive order.The attack on Trump was the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/reagan-assassination-attempt-trump-butler-gunman-bd3c038d706de55a64727f7d15dffbc8">Reagan was shot in 1981</a>. It was the latest in a series of security lapses by the agency that has drawn investigations and public scrutiny over the years.Cheatle took over two years ago as head of the Secret Service's 7,800 special agents, uniformed officers and other staffers whose main purpose is protecting presidents, vice presidents, their families, former presidents and others. In announcing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/statement-from-president-biden-on-the-appointment-of-kimberly-cheatle-to-be-the-next-director-of-the-united-states-secret-service/">her appointment</a>, Biden said Cheatle had served on his vice presidential detail and called her a “distinguished law enforcement professional with exceptional leadership skills” who had his “complete trust.”Cheatle took the reins from James M. Murray as multiple congressional committees and an internal watchdog&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-united-states-government-and-politics-e5b67d9a848b76a3803e9f7e3546bb51">investigated missing text messages</a>&nbsp;from when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Secret Service says they were purged during a technology transition.