BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/katietaranto/">KATIE TARANTO</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sigiris/">SIGI RIS</a>

Some Boone County Republicans — as well as some state and party officials — are voicing concerns about the party’s March 2 presidential caucus, the first of its kind in Missouri since 2012.

Voters face a confusing landscape as the state’s major political parties are being forced to find new ways of nominating presidential candidates after the legislature voted in 2022 to eliminate funding for a presidential preference primary.

The Missouri Republican Party will conduct its selection process through in-person caucuses in each county March 2. Attendance is mandatory to participate, and voters must sign a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19puFH_mt3B8xqjvojzpprFnjsw6N5Myo">pledge stating their loyalty to the Republican party</a>.

Democrats can get a mail-in ballot or vote in person March 23. Libertarians will hold a party conference Feb. 24 in St. Louis to send delegates to a national convention where the presidential nominee choice will be made.

At a Boone County Pachyderms meeting in January, some voters aired their frustrations with the state’s Republican caucus system. One voter said her mother, who lives in a nursing home and has always voted, feels disenfranchised because she will not be able to participate due to the caucus’ in-person nature. She said that she is worried for older Republicans who may not be able to attend the caucus.

Another voter who did not have access to a smart phone said he felt abandoned by the Republican Party. He expressed frustration at the party for encouraging online pre-registration, and said the caucus did not make sense to him.

Because the Republican caucus requires attendance and takes place on just one day — as opposed to early and mail-in options that most elections offer — some voters will be left out, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said.

“Those guardrails of the election system that a lot of people are used to — the requirements that things are accessible, the requirements that there’s an absentee component to things — none of that is part of this process,” Lennon said. “The caucus system is, by default, a more exclusionary process.”

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft raised concerns that the system will prevent Missourians stationed overseas on military duty from participating in the Republican presidential nominating process. He criticized the state’s political parties for failing to inform voters about the changes sooner.

“I was really worried that there didn’t seem to be a good understanding by the people of the state that we were moving away from the presidential primary, and how they could participate,” Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft said the state’s political parties “have turned a corner on” providing information for him to distribute to voters. He said he went from asking party officials for information, to “nagging” them.

Missouri legislators voted to cut funding for presidential preference primaries in 2022 as part of a larger election bill that passed without support from any Democratic lawmakers. The bill made&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/4557S.05T.pdf">sweeping changes to the way elections are run in the state</a>, including the addition of a photo identification requirement to vote.

Many legislators who supported the presidential preference primary’s removal did so in hopes of reducing state spending. Republican state Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch of Hallsville said the original system would have cost the state $11 million. Now, election costs will be taken on by the state’s political parties.

“It doesn’t necessarily save money, it just shifts the cost away from the state and to the political parties within the state,” said MU College Republicans Executive Director Trey Faucheux at the Boone County Pachyderms Club meeting.

Since the change was approved by the legislature, there have been signs that Republicans were having second thoughts about eliminating the primary. There were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-approves-presidential-preference-primary/article_38af1c78-dd7f-11ed-8d24-83593fe08e4b.html">several unsuccessful attempts</a>&nbsp;in the state legislature last year to revive Missouri’s presidential preference primary. One bill was introduced by Republican Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold, who’s now&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/state-sen-mary-elizabeth-coleman-jumps-into-race-to-replace-blaine-luetkemeyer/article_12bd7288-abdf-11ee-9deb-a770247a24d6.html">running for a U.S. congressional seat</a>&nbsp;that includes part of Columbia. At least three bills to reinstate the presidential primary have been introduced in this legislative session.

“This is what we’re stuck with, basically,” Faucheux told Pachyderms members. “We hope that the legislature will come back and reinstate the primary at some point in the near future.”

Lennon, Boone County’s top elections official, thinks that will happen.

“If I was a betting woman, I would say that this process will be reverted back to a presidential preference election by the time we get to 2028,” Lennon said.

Missouri’s presidential preference primary is costly because it’s held on a separate day from the elections to pick nominees for other races on the ballot, such as U.S. Senate, Congress and state officers. Primary day for those offices is in August, well past the date when presidential nominees are decided.

Lennon suggests holding the presidential primary on the same day as Missouri municipal elections, which occur in the spring.

“In my absolutely perfect world, I would consolidate the March presidential preference election with the April,” Lennon said. “There is no reason why we can’t do that, but the parties like to have individual ballots.”

Lennon said in this ideal situation, she would prefer non-party style ballots where voters may choose from a comprehensive list of every candidate. She said that this proposal wouldn’t increase costs and could potentially increase voter turnout.

Ashcroft said fiscal concerns weren’t the only reason for eliminating the presidential primary.

“There were a lot of reasons (for the change), I think money was one of them,” Ashcroft said. “I think people were concerned about Democrats voting in Republican primaries, and Republicans voting in Democratic primaries. It happens on all sides.”

However, Lennon pointed out that unaffiliated voters may participate in multiple presidential contests because they are taking place on separate days.

Modeled after the Iowa and Nevada caucuses, the Missouri Republican caucus will feature volunteers and paid staffers advocating on behalf of presidential candidates. Volunteers and staffers will give oral presentations to participants, who will then divide themselves into groups based on their preferred candidate.

If any group has less than 15% of the total votes in the room, the group and it’s candidate are eliminated. Eliminated voters may join another candidate’s group, and votes are then recounted.

After votes are taken, the caucus will discuss the Republican party platform. Voters may introduce amendments to the party platform, and if an amendment receives a majority of participants’ support, it will move on to the Congressional district convention for further consideration in April.

Boone County’s GOP caucus will be held at 10 a.m. March 2 at the Family Worship Center, 4925 E. Bonne Femme Church Road in Columbia. Doors will open at 9 a.m

The Missouri Democratic Party is opting for a primary election with mail-in votes encouraged and in-person voting available at limited locations on the morning of March 23. Mail-in ballots can be requested through March 12&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missouridemocrats.org/mdp-primary-information-2024">on the party’s website</a>&nbsp;or by phone. Missouri Democrats Executive Director Matthew Patterson contends his party’s process will enfranchise more people than the caucus system the Missouri Republicans opted for.

“The old style caucus … excludes people from the system and from being able to have their voices heard,” said Patterson.

The Democrats will accept mail-in ballots until 10 a.m. March 23. The Boone County Democratic Party will host in-person voting from 8 a.m. to noon March 23 at Columbia’s Activity and Recreation Center, 1701 Ash St. The party will begin counting ballots March 23 and plans to announce its winner by March 28.

The Libertarian Party will run a third-party presidential candidate this year, as well. Candidates for president and vice president will be chosen by Libertarian delegates at the party’s national convention in Washington D.C. in May.

Randy Langkraehr, vice chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party, said that changes to the Republican presidential selection process have had no influence on the strategy of his party.

“At the state level, we have done absolutely nothing about this,” Langkraehr said. “We do not want to try to infiltrate, and we don’t want to try to be Republican. We don’t want to be Democrats. We want to be Libertarian.”

Langkraehr encouraged Missourians to contact the party and apply to be delegates for Missouri’s state party convention, which will take place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Holiday Inn Earth City in St. Louis.

There, party delegates will choose from amongst themselves who to send to the national convention, where delegates will choose a presidential candidate.

Missourian reporters Camden Doherty and Quinn Coffman contributed to this story.

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/presidential-caucus-has-some-republicans-worried-about-accessibility/article_fd2d35da-c2bc-11ee-989f-1b79abc1adee.html">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/katietaranto/">KATIE TARANTO</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/sigiris/">SIGI RIS</a>Some Boone County Republicans — as well as some state and party officials — are voicing concerns about the party’s March 2 presidential caucus, the first of its kind in Missouri since 2012.Voters face a confusing landscape as the state’s major political parties are being forced to find new ways of nominating presidential candidates after the legislature voted in 2022 to eliminate funding for a presidential preference primary.The Missouri Republican Party will conduct its selection process through in-person caucuses in each county March 2. Attendance is mandatory to participate, and voters must sign a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19puFH_mt3B8xqjvojzpprFnjsw6N5Myo">pledge stating their loyalty to the Republican party</a>.Democrats can get a mail-in ballot or vote in person March 23. Libertarians will hold a party conference Feb. 24 in St. Louis to send delegates to a national convention where the presidential nominee choice will be made.At a Boone County Pachyderms meeting in January, some voters aired their frustrations with the state’s Republican caucus system. One voter said her mother, who lives in a nursing home and has always voted, feels disenfranchised because she will not be able to participate due to the caucus’ in-person nature. She said that she is worried for older Republicans who may not be able to attend the caucus.Another voter who did not have access to a smart phone said he felt abandoned by the Republican Party. He expressed frustration at the party for encouraging online pre-registration, and said the caucus did not make sense to him.Because the Republican caucus requires attendance and takes place on just one day — as opposed to early and mail-in options that most elections offer — some voters will be left out, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said.“Those guardrails of the election system that a lot of people are used to — the requirements that things are accessible, the requirements that there’s an absentee component to things — none of that is part of this process,” Lennon said. “The caucus system is, by default, a more exclusionary process.”Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft raised concerns that the system will prevent Missourians stationed overseas on military duty from participating in the Republican presidential nominating process. He criticized the state’s political parties for failing to inform voters about the changes sooner.“I was really worried that there didn’t seem to be a good understanding by the people of the state that we were moving away from the presidential primary, and how they could participate,” Ashcroft said.Ashcroft said the state’s political parties “have turned a corner on” providing information for him to distribute to voters. He said he went from asking party officials for information, to “nagging” them.Missouri legislators voted to cut funding for presidential preference primaries in 2022 as part of a larger election bill that passed without support from any Democratic lawmakers. The bill made&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/hlrbillspdf/4557S.05T.pdf">sweeping changes to the way elections are run in the state</a>, including the addition of a photo identification requirement to vote.Many legislators who supported the presidential preference primary’s removal did so in hopes of reducing state spending. Republican state Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch of Hallsville said the original system would have cost the state $11 million. Now, election costs will be taken on by the state’s political parties.“It doesn’t necessarily save money, it just shifts the cost away from the state and to the political parties within the state,” said MU College Republicans Executive Director Trey Faucheux at the Boone County Pachyderms Club meeting.Since the change was approved by the legislature, there have been signs that Republicans were having second thoughts about eliminating the primary. There were&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/house-approves-presidential-preference-primary/article_38af1c78-dd7f-11ed-8d24-83593fe08e4b.html">several unsuccessful attempts</a>&nbsp;in the state legislature last year to revive Missouri’s presidential preference primary. One bill was introduced by Republican Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman of Arnold, who’s now&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/state-sen-mary-elizabeth-coleman-jumps-into-race-to-replace-blaine-luetkemeyer/article_12bd7288-abdf-11ee-9deb-a770247a24d6.html">running for a U.S. congressional seat</a>&nbsp;that includes part of Columbia. At least three bills to reinstate the presidential primary have been introduced in this legislative session.“This is what we’re stuck with, basically,” Faucheux told Pachyderms members. “We hope that the legislature will come back and reinstate the primary at some point in the near future.”Lennon, Boone County’s top elections official, thinks that will happen.“If I was a betting woman, I would say that this process will be reverted back to a presidential preference election by the time we get to 2028,” Lennon said.Missouri’s presidential preference primary is costly because it’s held on a separate day from the elections to pick nominees for other races on the ballot, such as U.S. Senate, Congress and state officers. Primary day for those offices is in August, well past the date when presidential nominees are decided.Lennon suggests holding the presidential primary on the same day as Missouri municipal elections, which occur in the spring.“In my absolutely perfect world, I would consolidate the March presidential preference election with the April,” Lennon said. “There is no reason why we can’t do that, but the parties like to have individual ballots.”Lennon said in this ideal situation, she would prefer non-party style ballots where voters may choose from a comprehensive list of every candidate. She said that this proposal wouldn’t increase costs and could potentially increase voter turnout.Ashcroft said fiscal concerns weren’t the only reason for eliminating the presidential primary.“There were a lot of reasons (for the change), I think money was one of them,” Ashcroft said. “I think people were concerned about Democrats voting in Republican primaries, and Republicans voting in Democratic primaries. It happens on all sides.”However, Lennon pointed out that unaffiliated voters may participate in multiple presidential contests because they are taking place on separate days.<h2>Republican caucus</h2>Modeled after the Iowa and Nevada caucuses, the Missouri Republican caucus will feature volunteers and paid staffers advocating on behalf of presidential candidates. Volunteers and staffers will give oral presentations to participants, who will then divide themselves into groups based on their preferred candidate.If any group has less than 15% of the total votes in the room, the group and it’s candidate are eliminated. Eliminated voters may join another candidate’s group, and votes are then recounted.After votes are taken, the caucus will discuss the Republican party platform. Voters may introduce amendments to the party platform, and if an amendment receives a majority of participants’ support, it will move on to the Congressional district convention for further consideration in April.Boone County’s GOP caucus will be held at 10 a.m. March 2 at the Family Worship Center, 4925 E. Bonne Femme Church Road in Columbia. Doors will open at 9 a.m<h2>Democratic primary</h2>The Missouri Democratic Party is opting for a primary election with mail-in votes encouraged and in-person voting available at limited locations on the morning of March 23. Mail-in ballots can be requested through March 12&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.missouridemocrats.org/mdp-primary-information-2024">on the party’s website</a>&nbsp;or by phone. Missouri Democrats Executive Director Matthew Patterson contends his party’s process will enfranchise more people than the caucus system the Missouri Republicans opted for.“The old style caucus … excludes people from the system and from being able to have their voices heard,” said Patterson.The Democrats will accept mail-in ballots until 10 a.m. March 23. The Boone County Democratic Party will host in-person voting from 8 a.m. to noon March 23 at Columbia’s Activity and Recreation Center, 1701 Ash St. The party will begin counting ballots March 23 and plans to announce its winner by March 28.<h2>Libertarian Party process</h2>The Libertarian Party will run a third-party presidential candidate this year, as well. Candidates for president and vice president will be chosen by Libertarian delegates at the party’s national convention in Washington D.C. in May.Randy Langkraehr, vice chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party, said that changes to the Republican presidential selection process have had no influence on the strategy of his party.“At the state level, we have done absolutely nothing about this,” Langkraehr said. “We do not want to try to infiltrate, and we don’t want to try to be Republican. We don’t want to be Democrats. We want to be Libertarian.”Langkraehr encouraged Missourians to contact the party and apply to be delegates for Missouri’s state party convention, which will take place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Holiday Inn Earth City in St. Louis.There, party delegates will choose from amongst themselves who to send to the national convention, where delegates will choose a presidential candidate.Missourian reporters Camden Doherty and Quinn Coffman contributed to this story.This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/elections/presidential-caucus-has-some-republicans-worried-about-accessibility/article_fd2d35da-c2bc-11ee-989f-1b79abc1adee.html">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Presidential caucus has some Mo. Republicans worried about accessibility

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marine-helicopter-san-diego-a1498c3de5cc4d3bd6f59a97f10a4c74">went down during stormy weather</a>&nbsp;in the mountains outside of San Diego are confirmed dead, military said Thursday.

Authorities say the CH-53E Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas.

"It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the “Flying Tigers,” Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement.

The names of the Marines were not immediately released.

“To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time,” Borgshulte said. “Though we understand the inherent risks of military service, any loss of life is always difficult.”

Efforts to recover the remains of the five have begun and an investigation into the crash is underway, according to the statement.

The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, an hour’s drive from San Diego.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marine-helicopter-san-diego-a1498c3de5cc4d3bd6f59a97f10a4c74">went down during stormy weather</a>&nbsp;in the mountains outside of San Diego are confirmed dead, military said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Update: The five 3rd MAW Marines have been confirmed deceased. “To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time.” -Maj. Gen. Borgschulte, 3rd MAW Commanding General <a href="https://t.co/CBLs2jDKWG">pic.twitter.com/CBLs2jDKWG</a>&mdash; 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (@3rdmaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/3rdmaw/status/1755576079710818351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Authorities say the CH-53E Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas."It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the “Flying Tigers,” Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement.The names of the Marines were not immediately released.“To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time,” Borgshulte said. “Though we understand the inherent risks of military service, any loss of life is always difficult.”Efforts to recover the remains of the five have begun and an investigation into the crash is underway, according to the statement.The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, an hour’s drive from San Diego.

5 Marines aboard helicopter that crashed confirmed dead

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday sounded broadly skeptical of efforts to kick former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-719">Click here to listen</a> to a replay of the oral arguments

In more than two hours of arguments, both conservative and liberal justices raised questions of whether Trump can be disqualified from being president again because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.

The primary concern was whether Congress must act before states can invoke a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again. There also were questions about whether the president is covered by the provision.

Without such congressional legislation, Justice Elena Kagan was among several justices who wanted to know “why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States.”

Eight of the nine justices suggested that they were open to at least some of the arguments made by Jonathan Mitchell, Trump's lawyer at the Supreme Court. Trump could win his case if the court finds just one of those arguments persuasive.

Only Justice Sonia Sotomayor sounded like she might vote to uphold the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruling that found that Trump “engaged in insurrection” and is ineligible to be president. The state court ruled Trump should not be on the ballot for the state's Republican primary on March 5.

In another sign of trouble for the Colorado voters who sued to remove Trump from the ballot, the justices spent almost no time talking about whether Trump actually “engaged in insurrection” following the 2020 election.

Lawyer Jason Murray, representing the voters, pressed the point that Trump incited the Capitol attack to prevent the peaceful handover of power “for the first time in history.”

Mitchell argued that the Capitol riot was not an insurrection and, even if it was, Trump did not participate.

The case marks the first time the justices are considering Section 3 of the 14th amendment.

It sets up precisely the kind of case that the court likes to avoid, one in which it is the final arbiter of a political dispute.

Chief Justice John Roberts worried that a ruling against Trump would prompt efforts to disqualify other candidates, “and surely some of those will succeed.”

Trump's lawyers argue that the amendment can't be used to keep Trump off the ballot for several reasons.

For one thing, they contend the Jan. 6 riot wasn't an insurrection, and even if it was, Trump did not participate. The wording of the amendment also excludes the presidency and candidates running for president, they say. Even if they're wrong about all of that, they argue that Congress must pass legislation to reinvigorate Section 3.

The lawyers for Republican and independent voters who sued to remove Trump's name from the Colorado ballot counter that there is ample evidence that the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection and that Trump incited it. They say it would be absurd to apply Section 3 to everything but the presidency or that Trump is somehow exempt. And the provision needs no enabling legislation, they argue.

A definitive ruling for Trump would largely end efforts in Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">Maine</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere to prevent his name from appearing on the ballot.

A decision upholding the Colorado decision would amount to a declaration from the Supreme Court that Trump did engage in insurrection and is barred by the 14th Amendment from holding office again. That would allow states to keep him off the ballot and imperil his campaign.

The justices could opt for a less conclusive outcome, but with the knowledge that the issue could return to them, perhaps after the general election in November and in the midst of a full-blown constitutional crisis.

Trump is separately appealing to state court a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, that he was ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.

The court has signaled it will try to act quickly, dramatically shortening the period in which it receives written briefing and holds arguments in the courtroom.

People began lining up outside the court on Wednesday hoping to snag one of the few seats allotted to the public. “This is a landmark decision and I want to be in the room where it happened, to quote ‘Hamilton,’” said Susan Acker of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in line with two friends.

The issues may be novel, but Trump is no stranger to the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">three of whom Trump appointed</a>&nbsp;when he was president. They have considered many Trump-related cases in recent years, declining to embrace his claims of fraud in the 2020 election and refusing to shield tax records from Congress and prosecutors in New York.

Before the Supreme Court is even finished deciding this case, the justices almost certainly will be dealing with another appeal from Trump, who is expected to seek an emergency order to keep his election subversion trial on hold so he can appeal lower-court rulings that he is not immune from criminal charges.

In April, the court also will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;from one of the more than 1,200 people charged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Capitol riot</a>. The case could upend a charge prosecutors have brought against more than 300 people, including Trump.

The court last played so central a role in presidential politics in its 5-4 decision that effectively ended the disputed 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush.

Justice Clarence Thomas is the only member of the court who also took part in Bush v. Gore. Thomas has ignored calls by some Democratic lawmakers to step aside from the case because his wife, Ginni, supported Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election results and attended the rally that preceded the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has begun hearing former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;appeal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-UpNUmxKSc">to remain on the 2024 ballot</a>, the justices' most consequential election case since Bush v. Gore in 2000.

The court, meeting Thursday, is weighing arguments over whether Trump is disqualified from reclaiming the White House because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.

The case marks the first time the justices are considering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruled that Trump incited the riot in the nation’s capital and is ineligible to be president again. As a result, he should not be on the ballot for the state’s primary on March 5, the court ruled. It was the first time that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was applied to a presidential candidate.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday will hear former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;appeal to remain on the 2024 ballot, the justices' most consequential election case since Bush v. Gore in 2000.

The court will be weighing arguments over whether Trump is disqualified from reclaiming the White House because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.

The case marks the first time the justices will be considering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707402813598.png" alt="Protests Thursday morning outside the U.S. Supreme Court -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Protests Thursday morning outside the U.S. Supreme Court -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday sounded broadly skeptical of efforts to kick former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-719">Click here to listen</a> to a replay of the oral argumentsIn more than two hours of arguments, both conservative and liberal justices raised questions of whether Trump can be disqualified from being president again because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.The primary concern was whether Congress must act before states can invoke a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again. There also were questions about whether the president is covered by the provision.Without such congressional legislation, Justice Elena Kagan was among several justices who wanted to know “why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States.”Eight of the nine justices suggested that they were open to at least some of the arguments made by Jonathan Mitchell, Trump's lawyer at the Supreme Court. Trump could win his case if the court finds just one of those arguments persuasive.Only Justice Sonia Sotomayor sounded like she might vote to uphold the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruling that found that Trump “engaged in insurrection” and is ineligible to be president. The state court ruled Trump should not be on the ballot for the state's Republican primary on March 5.In another sign of trouble for the Colorado voters who sued to remove Trump from the ballot, the justices spent almost no time talking about whether Trump actually “engaged in insurrection” following the 2020 election.Lawyer Jason Murray, representing the voters, pressed the point that Trump incited the Capitol attack to prevent the peaceful handover of power “for the first time in history.”Mitchell argued that the Capitol riot was not an insurrection and, even if it was, Trump did not participate.The case marks the first time the justices are considering Section 3 of the 14th amendment.It sets up precisely the kind of case that the court likes to avoid, one in which it is the final arbiter of a political dispute.Chief Justice John Roberts worried that a ruling against Trump would prompt efforts to disqualify other candidates, “and surely some of those will succeed.”Trump's lawyers argue that the amendment can't be used to keep Trump off the ballot for several reasons.For one thing, they contend the Jan. 6 riot wasn't an insurrection, and even if it was, Trump did not participate. The wording of the amendment also excludes the presidency and candidates running for president, they say. Even if they're wrong about all of that, they argue that Congress must pass legislation to reinvigorate Section 3.The lawyers for Republican and independent voters who sued to remove Trump's name from the Colorado ballot counter that there is ample evidence that the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection and that Trump incited it. They say it would be absurd to apply Section 3 to everything but the presidency or that Trump is somehow exempt. And the provision needs no enabling legislation, they argue.A definitive ruling for Trump would largely end efforts in Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">Maine</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere to prevent his name from appearing on the ballot.A decision upholding the Colorado decision would amount to a declaration from the Supreme Court that Trump did engage in insurrection and is barred by the 14th Amendment from holding office again. That would allow states to keep him off the ballot and imperil his campaign.The justices could opt for a less conclusive outcome, but with the knowledge that the issue could return to them, perhaps after the general election in November and in the midst of a full-blown constitutional crisis.Trump is separately appealing to state court a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, that he was ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.The court has signaled it will try to act quickly, dramatically shortening the period in which it receives written briefing and holds arguments in the courtroom.People began lining up outside the court on Wednesday hoping to snag one of the few seats allotted to the public. “This is a landmark decision and I want to be in the room where it happened, to quote ‘Hamilton,’” said Susan Acker of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in line with two friends.The issues may be novel, but Trump is no stranger to the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">three of whom Trump appointed</a>&nbsp;when he was president. They have considered many Trump-related cases in recent years, declining to embrace his claims of fraud in the 2020 election and refusing to shield tax records from Congress and prosecutors in New York.Before the Supreme Court is even finished deciding this case, the justices almost certainly will be dealing with another appeal from Trump, who is expected to seek an emergency order to keep his election subversion trial on hold so he can appeal lower-court rulings that he is not immune from criminal charges.In April, the court also will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;from one of the more than 1,200 people charged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Capitol riot</a>. The case could upend a charge prosecutors have brought against more than 300 people, including Trump.The court last played so central a role in presidential politics in its 5-4 decision that effectively ended the disputed 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush.Justice Clarence Thomas is the only member of the court who also took part in Bush v. Gore. Thomas has ignored calls by some Democratic lawmakers to step aside from the case because his wife, Ginni, supported Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election results and attended the rally that preceded the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters.------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has begun hearing former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;appeal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-UpNUmxKSc">to remain on the 2024 ballot</a>, the justices' most consequential election case since Bush v. Gore in 2000.The court, meeting Thursday, is weighing arguments over whether Trump is disqualified from reclaiming the White House because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.The case marks the first time the justices are considering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.It sets up precisely the kind of case that the court likes to avoid, one in which it is the final arbiter of a political dispute.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruled that Trump incited the riot in the nation’s capital and is ineligible to be president again. As a result, he should not be on the ballot for the state’s primary on March 5, the court ruled. It was the first time that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was applied to a presidential candidate.Trump's lawyers argue that the amendment can't be used to keep Trump off the ballot for several reasons.For one thing, they contend the Jan. 6 riot wasn't an insurrection, and even if it was, Trump did not participate. The wording of the amendment also excludes the presidency and candidates running for president, they say. Even if they're wrong about all of that, they argue that Congress must pass legislation to reinvigorate Section 3.The lawyers for Republican and independent voters who sued to remove Trump's name from the Colorado ballot counter that there is ample evidence that the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection and that Trump incited it. They say it would be absurd to apply Section 3 to everything but the presidency or that Trump is somehow exempt. And the provision needs no enabling legislation, they argue.A definitive ruling for Trump would largely end efforts in Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">Maine</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere to prevent his name from appearing on the ballot.A decision upholding the Colorado decision would amount to a declaration from the Supreme Court that Trump did engage in insurrection and is barred by the 14th Amendment from holding office again. That would allow states to keep him off the ballot and imperil his campaign.The justices could opt for a less conclusive outcome, but with the knowledge that the issue could return to them, perhaps after the general election in November and in the midst of a full-blown constitutional crisis.Trump is separately appealing to state court a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, that he was ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.The court has signaled it will try to act quickly, dramatically shortening the period in which it receives written briefing and holds arguments in the courtroom.People began lining up outside the court on Wednesday hoping to snag one of the few seats allotted to the public. “This is a landmark decision and I want to be in the room where it happened, to quote ‘Hamilton,’” said Susan Acker of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in line with two friends.The issues may be novel, but Trump is no stranger to the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">three of whom Trump appointed</a>&nbsp;when he was president. They have considered many Trump-related cases in recent years, declining to embrace his claims of fraud in the 2020 election and refusing to shield tax records from Congress and prosecutors in New York.Before the Supreme Court is even finished deciding this case, the justices almost certainly will be dealing with another appeal from Trump, who is expected to seek an emergency order to keep his election subversion trial on hold so he can appeal lower-court rulings that he is not immune from criminal charges.In April, the court also will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;from one of the more than 1,200 people charged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Capitol riot</a>. The case could upend a charge prosecutors have brought against more than 300 people, including Trump.The court last played so central a role in presidential politics in its 5-4 decision that effectively ended the disputed 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush.Justice Clarence Thomas is the only member of the court who also took part in Bush v. Gore. Thomas has ignored calls by some Democratic lawmakers to step aside from the case because his wife, Ginni, supported Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election results and attended the rally that preceded the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters.------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday will hear former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;appeal to remain on the 2024 ballot, the justices' most consequential election case since Bush v. Gore in 2000.The court will be weighing arguments over whether Trump is disqualified from reclaiming the White House because of his efforts to undo his loss in the 2020 election, ending with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol.The case marks the first time the justices will be considering a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-supreme-court-colorado-7703a30566ce2588fb92bf22dd20c84d">constitutional provision</a>&nbsp;that was adopted after the Civil War to prevent former officeholders who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.It sets up precisely the kind of case that the court likes to avoid, one in which it is the final arbiter of a political dispute.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ruled that Trump incited the riot in the nation’s capital and is ineligible to be president again. As a result, he should not be on the ballot for the state’s primary on March 5, the court ruled. It was the first time that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was applied to a presidential candidate.Trump's lawyers argue that the amendment can't be used to keep Trump off the ballot for several reasons.For one thing, they contend the Jan. 6 riot wasn't an insurrection, and even if it was, Trump did not participate. The wording of the amendment also excludes the presidency and candidates running for president, they say. Even if they're wrong about all of that, they argue that Congress must pass legislation to reinvigorate Section 3.The lawyers for Republican and independent voters who sued to remove Trump's name from the Colorado ballot counter that there is ample evidence that the events of Jan. 6 constituted an insurrection and that Trump incited it. They say it would be absurd to apply Section 3 to everything but the presidency or that Trump is somehow exempt. And the provision needs no enabling legislation, they argue.A definitive ruling for Trump would largely end efforts in Colorado,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">Maine</a>&nbsp;and elsewhere to prevent his name from appearing on the ballot.A decision upholding the Colorado decision would amount to a declaration from the Supreme Court that Trump did engage in insurrection and is barred by the 14th Amendment from holding office again. That would allow states to keep him off the ballot and imperil his campaign.The justices could opt for a less conclusive outcome, but with the knowledge that the issue could return to them, perhaps after the general election in November and in the midst of a full-blown constitutional crisis.Trump is separately appealing to state court a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, that he was ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.The court has signaled it will try to act quickly, dramatically shortening the period in which it receives written briefing and holds arguments in the courtroom.People began lining up outside the court on Wednesday hoping to snag one of the few seats allotted to the public. “This is a landmark decision and I want to be in the room where it happened, to quote ‘Hamilton,’” said Susan Acker of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was in line with two friends.The issues may be novel, but Trump is no stranger to the justices,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">three of whom Trump appointed</a>&nbsp;when he was president. They have considered many Trump-related cases in recent years, declining to embrace his claims of fraud in the 2020 election and refusing to shield tax records from Congress and prosecutors in New York.Before the Supreme Court is even finished deciding this case, the justices almost certainly will be dealing with another appeal from Trump, who is expected to seek an emergency order to keep his election subversion trial on hold so he can appeal lower-court rulings that he is not immune from criminal charges.In April, the court also will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab">hear an appeal</a>&nbsp;from one of the more than 1,200 people charged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Capitol riot</a>. The case could upend a charge prosecutors have brought against more than 300 people, including Trump.The court last played so central a role in presidential politics in its 5-4 decision that effectively ended the disputed 2000 election in favor of George W. Bush.

🎧 Supreme Court sounds broadly skeptical of efforts to kick Trump off ballot 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in a multi-family home.

Just after 4:30p.m. Wednesday crews responded to a fire in a triplex the 8300 Block of Travis Lane, according to a media release.

First units reported a room and contents on fire on the backside of the split-level triplex. The residents escaped but firefighters learned of a possible dog still inside.

While firefighters searched to confirm residents were out safely, crews brought the fire under control in about 15-minutes. The fire was contained to the unit where it started. The other two mild to moderate smoke damage. The missing dog was found deceased inside the unit. One adult from the unit where the fire started and one adult from an adjoining unit were displaced. Residents of the third unit were allowed to return.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707360568406.png" alt="photo Overland Park Fire" />
 <figcaption>photo Overland Park Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire in a multi-family home.Just after 4:30p.m. Wednesday crews responded to a fire in a triplex the 8300 Block of Travis Lane, according to a media release.First units reported a room and contents on fire on the backside of the split-level triplex. The residents escaped but firefighters learned of a possible dog still inside.While firefighters searched to confirm residents were out safely, crews brought the fire under control in about 15-minutes. The fire was contained to the unit where it started. The other two mild to moderate smoke damage. The missing dog was found deceased inside the unit. One adult from the unit where the fire started and one adult from an adjoining unit were displaced. Residents of the third unit were allowed to return.

Family pet dies in Kansas house fire

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a teen to the hospital.

Just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to shots fired call at East 17th and Blue&nbsp; Ridge Boulevard, according to KCPD. First responders found a boy with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital in critical condition.

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a teen to the hospital.Just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to shots fired call at East 17th and Blue&nbsp; Ridge Boulevard, according to KCPD. First responders found a boy with a gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital in critical condition.Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Teen critically injured in Kansas City shooting

JERUSALEM —Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continue and U.S. forces continue to attempt to prevent them.

At approximately 9:00 p.m. (Sanaa time) Wednesday, U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes against two Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

At 11:30 p.m. U.S. forces conducted a second strike against a Houthi mobile land attack cruise missile prepared to launch.

CENTCOM identified these missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701652753204.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —Attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels continue and U.S. forces continue to attempt to prevent them.At approximately 9:00 p.m. (Sanaa time) Wednesday, U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes against two Houthi mobile anti-ship cruise missiles prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.At 11:30 p.m. U.S. forces conducted a second strike against a Houthi mobile land attack cruise missile prepared to launch.CENTCOM identified these missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.

U.S. responds to new Iran-backed rebel threats in Red Sea

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department special counsel investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents</a>&nbsp;has completed his inquiry and a report is expected to be made public soon to Congress and the public, Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers in a letter Wednesday.

Garland did not detail the conclusions of the report from special counsel Robert Hur, but said he was committed to disclosing as much of the document as possible once the White House completes a review for potential executive privilege concerns. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the week, said Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House counsel's office.

The yearlong investigation centered on the improper retention of classified documents by Biden from his time as a U.S. senator and as vice president. Sensitive records were found at his Delaware home and at a private office that he used in between his service in the Obama administration and becoming president.

The resolution of the investigation arrives in a pivotal year for the president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">as he pursues reelection in a deeply polarized political time</a>. Though the probe's outcome is expected to lift a legal cloud over Biden, criticism of his handling of classified records could blunt his ability to attack Donald Trump — his presumptive opponent in November — over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-documents-maralago-politics-florida-charges-bee867f48da593d351c5a91e87c356a9">pending indictment charging the former president with hoarding top-secret files at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back.

Trump and other Republicans are likely to challenge the legitimacy of the investigation by noting that it was launched by the Biden Justice Department.

But Garland&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">sought to insulate the department from claims of bias and conflicts of interest by last year appointing Hur</a>, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland during the Trump administration, to handle the Biden investigation and by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">naming a different special counsel, Jack Smith, to oversee investigations into Trump</a>.

While the Trump investigation resulted in dozens of felony charges against the ex-president last year, the outcome of the Biden probe is expected to be different. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president and, unlike in the Trump investigation, no evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden engaged in comparable conduct or willfully held onto records he wasn’t supposed to have.

Even so, the White House's response to the discovery of classified documents early last year was delayed and incomplete.

The White House did not disclose the Justice Department’s investigation until January 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">when it acknowledged the discovery two months earlier</a>&nbsp;of a “small number” of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school. Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-us-department-justice-a45855907a73acb256bb7c4dd5a91610">has said he was surprised</a>&nbsp;by the initial trove discovered by his lawyers.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-delaware-0827b59ee141b33af95023377713e075">FBI subsequently conducted a 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home</a>, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and took possession of some of his handwritten notes. Biden’s personal lawyers have also revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-0574fd762159e8cb5f31c85205df3dc0">while searching the Wilmington property</a>&nbsp;but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of his Rehoboth Beach home.

The looming conclusion of the investigation had been foreshadowed last fall when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-justice-4c657c8d19e3b1f232952a266eccc9b6">Biden sat for a voluntary interview</a>&nbsp;at the White House with Hur's team. Interviews of key subjects in an investigation are often done near the end.

Justice Department regulations require Congress to be notified of any investigative steps or proposed actions by a special counsel that were rejected by department leadership. There were no such actions, Garland wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673546739694.png" alt="Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department special counsel investigating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents</a>&nbsp;has completed his inquiry and a report is expected to be made public soon to Congress and the public, Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers in a letter Wednesday.Garland did not detail the conclusions of the report from special counsel Robert Hur, but said he was committed to disclosing as much of the document as possible once the White House completes a review for potential executive privilege concerns. That process is expected to be completed by the end of the week, said Ian Sams, a spokesman for the White House counsel's office.The yearlong investigation centered on the improper retention of classified documents by Biden from his time as a U.S. senator and as vice president. Sensitive records were found at his Delaware home and at a private office that he used in between his service in the Obama administration and becoming president.The resolution of the investigation arrives in a pivotal year for the president&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2024-president-democrats-trump-9c72115656855da89a41cac3f79aa65b">as he pursues reelection in a deeply polarized political time</a>. Though the probe's outcome is expected to lift a legal cloud over Biden, criticism of his handling of classified records could blunt his ability to attack Donald Trump — his presumptive opponent in November — over a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-documents-maralago-politics-florida-charges-bee867f48da593d351c5a91e87c356a9">pending indictment charging the former president with hoarding top-secret files at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>&nbsp;and obstructing FBI efforts to get them back.Trump and other Republicans are likely to challenge the legitimacy of the investigation by noting that it was launched by the Biden Justice Department.But Garland&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/classified-documents-biden-home-wilmington-33479d12c7cf0a822adb2f44c32b88fd">sought to insulate the department from claims of bias and conflicts of interest by last year appointing Hur</a>, a former U.S. attorney for Maryland during the Trump administration, to handle the Biden investigation and by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">naming a different special counsel, Jack Smith, to oversee investigations into Trump</a>.While the Trump investigation resulted in dozens of felony charges against the ex-president last year, the outcome of the Biden probe is expected to be different. Justice Department policy prohibits the indictment of a sitting president and, unlike in the Trump investigation, no evidence has emerged to suggest that Biden engaged in comparable conduct or willfully held onto records he wasn’t supposed to have.Even so, the White House's response to the discovery of classified documents early last year was delayed and incomplete.The White House did not disclose the Justice Department’s investigation until January 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">when it acknowledged the discovery two months earlier</a>&nbsp;of a “small number” of classified documents by Biden lawyers as they closed an office at the Penn Biden Center, a think tank affiliated with the Ivy League school. Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-us-department-justice-a45855907a73acb256bb7c4dd5a91610">has said he was surprised</a>&nbsp;by the initial trove discovered by his lawyers.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-delaware-0827b59ee141b33af95023377713e075">FBI subsequently conducted a 13-hour, top-to-bottom check of his Wilmington, Delaware, home</a>, where agents located documents with classified markings from his time as a vice president and senator and took possession of some of his handwritten notes. Biden’s personal lawyers have also revealed that they had found a document bearing classified markings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-district-of-columbia-0574fd762159e8cb5f31c85205df3dc0">while searching the Wilmington property</a>&nbsp;but said they had not found others during a separate inspection of his Rehoboth Beach home.The looming conclusion of the investigation had been foreshadowed last fall when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-classified-documents-justice-4c657c8d19e3b1f232952a266eccc9b6">Biden sat for a voluntary interview</a>&nbsp;at the White House with Hur's team. Interviews of key subjects in an investigation are often done near the end.Justice Department regulations require Congress to be notified of any investigative steps or proposed actions by a special counsel that were rejected by department leadership. There were no such actions, Garland wrote.

AG: Special counsel has finished Biden classified documents probe

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations after a hit-and-run crash.

Just after 7 p.m. Monday, police responded to the 2400 block of SW 10th Street where it was alleged that an individual had hit someone with their vehicle and fled the scene, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

 The victim was transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. 

As the investigation continued, two individuals arrived at a local area hospital with non-life threatening gunshot wounds. These individuals were believed to be associated with the hit-and-run in 2400 block of SW 10th Street.

Police located three individuals and took them law enforcement center to speak with detectives.

As a result of the investigation 26-year-old Christopher A. Kuone, 25-year-old Treyvion C. Coplin and 27-year-old&nbsp; Coryon J. Green all of Topeka were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Kuone and Coplin are being held on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; inflicts bodily harm and Possession of stolen property

Green was jailed on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Failure to stop at accident; injury/damage and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707260854317.png" alt="Kuone-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kuone-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on multiple allegations after a hit-and-run crash.Just after 7 p.m. Monday, police responded to the 2400 block of SW 10th Street where it was alleged that an individual had hit someone with their vehicle and fled the scene, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley. The victim was transported to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. As the investigation continued, two individuals arrived at a local area hospital with non-life threatening gunshot wounds. These individuals were believed to be associated with the hit-and-run in 2400 block of SW 10th Street.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707260919627.png" alt="Coplin-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Coplin-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police located three individuals and took them law enforcement center to speak with detectives.As a result of the investigation 26-year-old Christopher A. Kuone, 25-year-old Treyvion C. Coplin and 27-year-old&nbsp; Coryon J. Green all of Topeka were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.Kuone and Coplin are being held on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery; inflicts bodily harm and Possession of stolen property<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707261344010.png" alt="Green-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Green-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Green was jailed on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Failure to stop at accident; injury/damage and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Police arrest suspects in Kansas hit-and-run shooting 

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man has admitted his role in a drug sale death.

On February 2, Randell Mark Smith, 32, of Lawrence, pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance in the fentanyl-related death of a 33-year-old Lawrence man, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in the 1500 block of Pin Oak Drive during the early morning hours on October 8, 2021. Lawrence Police were called to the home where a 33-year-old male resident was found deceased on the living room floor. 

An autopsy later determined fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death. The police investigation then led police to Smith as the distributor of the fentanyl-laced pill taken by the deceased.

Smith also pleaded no contest Friday to driving under the influence, his second offense, in a separate incident that occurred on October 6, 2021, when a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Smith driving erratically on E 1900 Road, north of K-10 highway.

“Joining forces with law enforcement, my office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these traffickers to bring them to justice and to save lives,” District Attorney Valdez said. “However, stemming this epidemic requires every person in our community recognize the dangers of fentanyl and understand that one pill can kill.”

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A Kansas man has admitted his role in a drug sale death.On February 2, Randell Mark Smith, 32, of Lawrence, pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance in the fentanyl-related death of a 33-year-old Lawrence man, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in the 1500 block of Pin Oak Drive during the early morning hours on October 8, 2021. Lawrence Police were called to the home where a 33-year-old male resident was found deceased on the living room floor. An autopsy later determined fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death. The police investigation then led police to Smith as the distributor of the fentanyl-laced pill taken by the deceased.Smith also pleaded no contest Friday to driving under the influence, his second offense, in a separate incident that occurred on October 6, 2021, when a Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy observed Smith driving erratically on E 1900 Road, north of K-10 highway.“Joining forces with law enforcement, my office is committed to aggressively prosecuting these traffickers to bring them to justice and to save lives,” District Attorney Valdez said. “However, stemming this epidemic requires every person in our community recognize the dangers of fentanyl and understand that one pill can kill.”

Kansas man admits selling fentanyl that left man dead

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

TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach returned to the Statehouse to once again urge the Kansas Legislature to ban foreign land purchases in the state under the assumption countries such as China are attempting to spy on and influence the U.S.&nbsp;

The newest attempt to do so,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb446/">Senate Bill 446</a>,&nbsp;would ban foreign individual and corporate purchases of three or more acres of land. Foreign land leases would be capped at less than two years.&nbsp;

“We are the only state in the breadbasket that has no prohibition whatsoever, no restriction whatsoever, on foreign nationals and foreign corporations purchasing our land, which means it’s open season,” Kobach said during a Tuesday news conference.

&nbsp;Kobach said the change would also prevent drug cartels from sweeping into the state.&nbsp;

“It’s not just China, it’s also Mexican drug cartels,” Kobach said. “Mexican drug cartels have purchased a huge amount of land in Texas, Oklahoma and California.”

When asked if he could provide any evidence of cartel activity or of foreign entities operating in the state, Kobach said these activities were hard to track and under-reported.&nbsp;

“The Chinese have sought to acquire control for a variety of purposes,” Kobach said.&nbsp; “Some say it’s leverage over the United States, some say it’s just securing their own food supply. And others say it has a secondary purpose of surveillance depending on the location.”&nbsp;

Kobach&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/26/kansas-attorney-general-proposes-statewide-limits-on-foreign-ownership-leasing-of-land/">has pushed</a>&nbsp;similar legislation before, though none of the bills gained much traction.&nbsp;

This iteration of the foreign land ban would set up a five-member state land council to review&nbsp; requests for exemptions. The council would have the authority to grant case exceptions. Council members would include the attorney general, the adjutant general, the governor, the secretary of state and the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, or such members’ designees.&nbsp;

Kansas State Sen. Mike Thompson, who accompanied Kobach to endorse the bill, said the legislation was a “clear-cut way” to protect Kansans while allowing “good” people from other countries to still invest in state land.&nbsp;

Thompson is the chair of the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs, where the bill is scheduled to be heard Wednesday. With older farmers retiring and young people leaving rural areas, Thompson said these areas are open to outside threats.&nbsp;

“They’re leaving vast areas of the state vulnerable to acquisition by opportunistic bad actors from countries that wish Americans harm,” Thompson said.&nbsp;

While Republicans at a state and federal level have increasingly focused on China as a global threat, with multiple states debating and passing legislation limiting foreign farmland purchases. The actual extent of foreign land ownership remains murky.&nbsp;

One&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2022_afida_annual_report_12_20_23.pdf">2022 USDA report</a>&nbsp;puts foreign holdings of U.S. agricultural land at over 43.4 million acres, or 3.4% of all privately held U.S. agricultural land and nearly 2% of all U.S. land. Of this foreign ownership, China held an estimated 346,915 acres, less than 1%, though the report notes that China’s interest could be under-represented due to filing classifications.&nbsp;

Thompson and Kobach both pointed to Cnano&nbsp;Technology USA&nbsp;as an example of local outcomes they hope to prevent.&nbsp;The China-based company plans to locate a $94.7 million manufacturing plant in Johnson County to make liquid conductive paste used in products such as cell phones and vehicle batteries.&nbsp;

Though the county approved the move, others have claimed the company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/09/laturner-raises-security-concerns-about-china-based-manufacturer-locating-in-johnson-county/">has subversive ties</a>. U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, called for a federal investigation into Cnano earlier this month.&nbsp;

During Tuesday’s news conference, Thompson warned against similar moves.&nbsp;

“An insatiable desire for economic development without any vetting process whatsoever for nano at the county level, has led now to Kansas taxpayers supporting a Chinese-owned entity that’s inserted themselves into the industrial supply chain,” Thompson said. “It takes very little imagination to comprehend the dangers of that type of arrangement.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707343988873.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced a new attempt to ban foreign ownership of Kansas farmland during a Feb. 6, 2024 news conference. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced a new attempt to ban foreign ownership of Kansas farmland during a Feb. 6, 2024 news conference. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach returned to the Statehouse to once again urge the Kansas Legislature to ban foreign land purchases in the state under the assumption countries such as China are attempting to spy on and influence the U.S.&nbsp;The newest attempt to do so,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb446/">Senate Bill 446</a>,&nbsp;would ban foreign individual and corporate purchases of three or more acres of land. Foreign land leases would be capped at less than two years.&nbsp;“We are the only state in the breadbasket that has no prohibition whatsoever, no restriction whatsoever, on foreign nationals and foreign corporations purchasing our land, which means it’s open season,” Kobach said during a Tuesday news conference.&nbsp;Kobach said the change would also prevent drug cartels from sweeping into the state.&nbsp;“It’s not just China, it’s also Mexican drug cartels,” Kobach said. “Mexican drug cartels have purchased a huge amount of land in Texas, Oklahoma and California.”When asked if he could provide any evidence of cartel activity or of foreign entities operating in the state, Kobach said these activities were hard to track and under-reported.&nbsp;“The Chinese have sought to acquire control for a variety of purposes,” Kobach said.&nbsp; “Some say it’s leverage over the United States, some say it’s just securing their own food supply. And others say it has a secondary purpose of surveillance depending on the location.”&nbsp;Kobach&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/26/kansas-attorney-general-proposes-statewide-limits-on-foreign-ownership-leasing-of-land/">has pushed</a>&nbsp;similar legislation before, though none of the bills gained much traction.&nbsp;This iteration of the foreign land ban would set up a five-member state land council to review&nbsp; requests for exemptions. The council would have the authority to grant case exceptions. Council members would include the attorney general, the adjutant general, the governor, the secretary of state and the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, or such members’ designees.&nbsp;Kansas State Sen. Mike Thompson, who accompanied Kobach to endorse the bill, said the legislation was a “clear-cut way” to protect Kansans while allowing “good” people from other countries to still invest in state land.&nbsp;Thompson is the chair of the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs, where the bill is scheduled to be heard Wednesday. With older farmers retiring and young people leaving rural areas, Thompson said these areas are open to outside threats.&nbsp;“They’re leaving vast areas of the state vulnerable to acquisition by opportunistic bad actors from countries that wish Americans harm,” Thompson said.&nbsp;While Republicans at a state and federal level have increasingly focused on China as a global threat, with multiple states debating and passing legislation limiting foreign farmland purchases. The actual extent of foreign land ownership remains murky.&nbsp;One&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2022_afida_annual_report_12_20_23.pdf">2022 USDA report</a>&nbsp;puts foreign holdings of U.S. agricultural land at over 43.4 million acres, or 3.4% of all privately held U.S. agricultural land and nearly 2% of all U.S. land. Of this foreign ownership, China held an estimated 346,915 acres, less than 1%, though the report notes that China’s interest could be under-represented due to filing classifications.&nbsp;Thompson and Kobach both pointed to Cnano&nbsp;Technology USA&nbsp;as an example of local outcomes they hope to prevent.&nbsp;The China-based company plans to locate a $94.7 million manufacturing plant in Johnson County to make liquid conductive paste used in products such as cell phones and vehicle batteries.&nbsp;Though the county approved the move, others have claimed the company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/09/laturner-raises-security-concerns-about-china-based-manufacturer-locating-in-johnson-county/">has subversive ties</a>. U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Republican serving the 2nd District of eastern Kansas, called for a federal investigation into Cnano earlier this month.&nbsp;During Tuesday’s news conference, Thompson warned against similar moves.&nbsp;“An insatiable desire for economic development without any vetting process whatsoever for nano at the county level, has led now to Kansas taxpayers supporting a Chinese-owned entity that’s inserted themselves into the industrial supply chain,” Thompson said. “It takes very little imagination to comprehend the dangers of that type of arrangement.”

Kobach asks for ban on foreign land ownership in Kansas, citing dangers from China

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border package Wednesday, scuttling months of negotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings.

Many Republicans said the election-year compromise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-bill-ukraine-b386eae0c4947497da931870dbcb28a0">wasn't enough</a>, even as supporters of the bill insisted it was the best possible in divided government.

The 49-50 vote, far short of the 60 ayes needed to take up the bill, came after most Republicans said they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">would vote against the legislation,</a>&nbsp;which also includes $60 billion in wartime aid to Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel and was backed by President Joe Biden. GOP lawmakers had insisted that the money for conflicts abroad be paired with help for the U.S. border. Missouri U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt voted with the majority. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah were the only Republicans who voted to advance.

Forcing the showdown with Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier that he would try to salvage the wartime funding, and would next push ahead on a crucial test vote for tens of billions of dollars for Kyiv, Israel and other U.S. allies — a modified package with the border portion stripped out.

The bipartisan group of senators who negotiated the compromise for the last four months said it was a missed opportunity to try and make some progress toward one of the most intractable issues in American politics.

In a speech on the Senate floor just before the vote, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said that it was a chance for the Senate to decide “if we’re going to do nothing, or something.”

“It’s an issue that’s bedevilled, quite frankly, this body for decades,” Lankford said. “It’s been three decades since we’ve passed anything into law to be able to change border security.”

Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona blamed Republicans for not giving the bill a chance.

“Finally, it seemed, we had the opportunity to solve the nightmare my state has lived for over 40 years,” she said.

Four Republicans voted to move forward with the legislation and six Democrats voted against it, some of whom said the border compromise went too far.

It is unclear if enough Republicans will vote to move ahead with the standalone legislation for the wartime aid, which also would need 60 votes in the 51-49 Senate. If it did pass, it would still take days for the Senate to reach a final vote.

As some Republicans have grown skeptical of sending money to Ukraine in its war with Russia, Schumer said that “history will cast a permanent and shameful shadow” on those who attempt to block it.

“Will the Senate stand up to brutish thugs like Vladimir Putin and reassure our friends abroad that America will never abandon them in the hour of need?” Schumer asked as he opened the Senate.

The roughly $60 billion in Ukraine aid has been stalled in Congress for months because of growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-border-immigration-china-31075fce7dfcb3aaa6d3eb595e62ed09">opposition from hardline conservatives</a>&nbsp;in the House and Senate who criticize it as wasteful and demand an exit strategy for the war.

“We still need to secure America’s borders before sending another dime overseas,” Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wrote in a post on X.

The impasse means that the U.S. has halted arms shipments to Kyiv at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old conflict, leaving Ukrainian soldiers without ample ammunition and missiles as Russian President Putin has mounted relentless attacks.

Ukraine's cause still enjoys support from many Senate Republicans, including GOP leader Mitch McConnell, but the question vexing lawmakers has always been how to craft a package that could clear the Republican-controlled House.

A pairing of border policies and aid for allies — first proposed by Republicans — was intended to help squeeze the package through the House where archconservatives hold control. But GOP senators —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-15e2e3fac2b29b5b4bbe1eae8eb1c924">some within minutes of the bill's release Sunday</a>&nbsp;— rejected the compromise as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-trump-biden-2d2f804057a77bfaa41e64ab601f9b0e">election-year politics</a>.

The wartime funding also would invest in domestic defense manufacturing, send funding to allies in Asia, and provide $10 billion for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and other places.

Schumer said the revamped package would include legislation to authorize sanctions and anti-money laundering tools against criminal enterprises that traffic fentanyl into the U.S. A separate section of the compromise border legislation that would have provided a long-awaited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghan-allies-kabul-congress-taliban-8ffcd4df9398194f1ed2b5369ba33f6a">pathway to residency for tens of thousands of Afghan refugees</a>&nbsp;was dropped in the slimmed-down bill.

It was not clear whether the new plan, even if it passed the Senate, would gain support from House Speaker Mike Johnson. House Republicans are still insisting on a border plan, even though they rejected the deal negotiated in the Senate as insufficient.

“We'll see what the Senate does,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday morning. “We're going to allow the process to play out.”

Some were skeptical that a standalone aid package would be viable in the House.

“I don’t see how that moves in this chamber. I don’t know how the speaker puts that on the floor,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said, adding that he still wanted tougher border policies attached.

After Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, eviscerated the Senate's bipartisan border proposal, Johnson quickly rejected it. Trump has also led many Republicans to question supporting Ukraine, suggesting he could negotiate an end to the war and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-trump-war-130e617cfebebeeba61044a0cb68a933">lavishing praise</a>&nbsp;on Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-vladimir-putin-donald-trump-dc89488c40360150afeeb25941bd44fc">Vladimir Putin</a>, including after Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Johnson said this week he wanted to handle wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine in separate packages, but a bill he advanced that only included funds for Israel failed on the House floor Tuesday night.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday that the “only path forward” is a comprehensive approach that includes funding for U.S. allies around the world, as well as humanitarian support for civilians caught in conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

The White House said that Biden believes there should be new border policy but would also support moving the aid for Ukraine and Israel alone, as he has from the start.

“We support this bill which would protect America’s national security interests by stopping Putin’s onslaught in Ukraine before he turns to other countries, helping Israel defend itself against Hamas terrorists and delivering live-saving humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.

“Even if some congressional Republicans’ commitment to border security hinges on politics, President Biden’s does not.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707338543070.png" alt="Members of the U.S. Senate during the Wednesday afternoon vote count -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Members of the U.S. Senate during the Wednesday afternoon vote count -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans blocked a bipartisan border package Wednesday, scuttling months of negotiations with Democrats on legislation intended to cut back record numbers of illegal border crossings.Many Republicans said the election-year compromise&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-bill-ukraine-b386eae0c4947497da931870dbcb28a0">wasn't enough</a>, even as supporters of the bill insisted it was the best possible in divided government.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Reading through the new Ukraine bill, I find it so interesting: we apparently have unlimited sums of cash for Ukraine’s petty bureaucrats and banks and borders - we’re funding it all - but not a penny for our own citizens poisoned by our own government’s nuclear radiation&mdash; Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1755272213316391393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joe Biden has all the authority right now to secure the border. He won’t do it because Democrats are the party of open borders. Tell Biden to reinstate President Trump’s policies. Problem solved. <a href="https://t.co/9i1Tdff4eN">https://t.co/9i1Tdff4eN</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1755345753642262536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 49-50 vote, far short of the 60 ayes needed to take up the bill, came after most Republicans said they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">would vote against the legislation,</a>&nbsp;which also includes $60 billion in wartime aid to Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel and was backed by President Joe Biden. GOP lawmakers had insisted that the money for conflicts abroad be paired with help for the U.S. border. Missouri U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt voted with the majority. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitt Romney of Utah were the only Republicans who voted to advance.Forcing the showdown with Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said earlier that he would try to salvage the wartime funding, and would next push ahead on a crucial test vote for tens of billions of dollars for Kyiv, Israel and other U.S. allies — a modified package with the border portion stripped out.The bipartisan group of senators who negotiated the compromise for the last four months said it was a missed opportunity to try and make some progress toward one of the most intractable issues in American politics.In a speech on the Senate floor just before the vote, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said that it was a chance for the Senate to decide “if we’re going to do nothing, or something.”“It’s an issue that’s bedevilled, quite frankly, this body for decades,” Lankford said. “It’s been three decades since we’ve passed anything into law to be able to change border security.”Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona blamed Republicans for not giving the bill a chance.“Finally, it seemed, we had the opportunity to solve the nightmare my state has lived for over 40 years,” she said.Four Republicans voted to move forward with the legislation and six Democrats voted against it, some of whom said the border compromise went too far.It is unclear if enough Republicans will vote to move ahead with the standalone legislation for the wartime aid, which also would need 60 votes in the 51-49 Senate. If it did pass, it would still take days for the Senate to reach a final vote.As some Republicans have grown skeptical of sending money to Ukraine in its war with Russia, Schumer said that “history will cast a permanent and shameful shadow” on those who attempt to block it.“Will the Senate stand up to brutish thugs like Vladimir Putin and reassure our friends abroad that America will never abandon them in the hour of need?” Schumer asked as he opened the Senate.The roughly $60 billion in Ukraine aid has been stalled in Congress for months because of growing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-congress-border-immigration-china-31075fce7dfcb3aaa6d3eb595e62ed09">opposition from hardline conservatives</a>&nbsp;in the House and Senate who criticize it as wasteful and demand an exit strategy for the war.“We still need to secure America’s borders before sending another dime overseas,” Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah wrote in a post on X.The impasse means that the U.S. has halted arms shipments to Kyiv at a crucial point in the nearly two-year-old conflict, leaving Ukrainian soldiers without ample ammunition and missiles as Russian President Putin has mounted relentless attacks.Ukraine's cause still enjoys support from many Senate Republicans, including GOP leader Mitch McConnell, but the question vexing lawmakers has always been how to craft a package that could clear the Republican-controlled House.A pairing of border policies and aid for allies — first proposed by Republicans — was intended to help squeeze the package through the House where archconservatives hold control. But GOP senators —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-15e2e3fac2b29b5b4bbe1eae8eb1c924">some within minutes of the bill's release Sunday</a>&nbsp;— rejected the compromise as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-trump-biden-2d2f804057a77bfaa41e64ab601f9b0e">election-year politics</a>.The wartime funding also would invest in domestic defense manufacturing, send funding to allies in Asia, and provide $10 billion for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and other places.Schumer said the revamped package would include legislation to authorize sanctions and anti-money laundering tools against criminal enterprises that traffic fentanyl into the U.S. A separate section of the compromise border legislation that would have provided a long-awaited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghan-allies-kabul-congress-taliban-8ffcd4df9398194f1ed2b5369ba33f6a">pathway to residency for tens of thousands of Afghan refugees</a>&nbsp;was dropped in the slimmed-down bill.It was not clear whether the new plan, even if it passed the Senate, would gain support from House Speaker Mike Johnson. House Republicans are still insisting on a border plan, even though they rejected the deal negotiated in the Senate as insufficient.“We'll see what the Senate does,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday morning. “We're going to allow the process to play out.”Some were skeptical that a standalone aid package would be viable in the House.“I don’t see how that moves in this chamber. I don’t know how the speaker puts that on the floor,” House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said, adding that he still wanted tougher border policies attached.After Donald Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee, eviscerated the Senate's bipartisan border proposal, Johnson quickly rejected it. Trump has also led many Republicans to question supporting Ukraine, suggesting he could negotiate an end to the war and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-russia-ukraine-trump-war-130e617cfebebeeba61044a0cb68a933">lavishing praise</a>&nbsp;on Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-vladimir-putin-donald-trump-dc89488c40360150afeeb25941bd44fc">Vladimir Putin</a>, including after Moscow’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Johnson said this week he wanted to handle wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine in separate packages, but a bill he advanced that only included funds for Israel failed on the House floor Tuesday night.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Wednesday that the “only path forward” is a comprehensive approach that includes funding for U.S. allies around the world, as well as humanitarian support for civilians caught in conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.The White House said that Biden believes there should be new border policy but would also support moving the aid for Ukraine and Israel alone, as he has from the start.“We support this bill which would protect America’s national security interests by stopping Putin’s onslaught in Ukraine before he turns to other countries, helping Israel defend itself against Hamas terrorists and delivering live-saving humanitarian aid to innocent Palestinian civilians," said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.“Even if some congressional Republicans’ commitment to border security hinges on politics, President Biden’s does not.”__

Hawley, Schmitt help Senate GOP block $118B border deal

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. drone strike hit a car in the Iraqi capital Wednesday night, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, including a high-ranking commander, officials said.

The strike came on a main thoroughfare in the Mashtal neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. A crowd gathered as emergency response teams picked through the wreckage. Security forces closed off the heavily guarded Green Zone, where a number of diplomatic compounds are located, amid calls for protesters to storm the U.S. embassy.

Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said that a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander was targeted in a U.S. strike on Wednesday in Iraq. They were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Two officials with Iran-backed militias in Iraq said that one of the three killed was Wissam Mohammed “Abu Bakr” al-Saadi, the commander in charge of Kataib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.

The strike came amid roiling tensions in the region and days after the U.S. military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan in late January.

The U.S. has blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the attack in Jordan, and officials have said they suspect Kataib Hezbollah in particular of leading it.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has regularly claimed strikes on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria against the backdrop of the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>, saying that they are in retaliation for Washington's support of Israel in its war in Gaza that has killed 27,707 Palestinians, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory</a>.

Kataib Hezbollah had said in a statement that it was suspending attacks on American troops to avoid “embarrassing the Iraqi government” after the strike in Jordan, but others have vowed to continue fighting.

On Sunday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-iraq-sdf-islamic-resistance-us-c621972db21d6b3db7ca1bccd50ce6ef?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=share">claimed a drone attack</a>&nbsp;on a base housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria killed six fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group allied with the United States.

The latest surge in the regional conflict came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-07-2024-6ceffca2970243cd039e90268c32c617">rejected terms proposed by Hamas</a>&nbsp;for a hostage-release agreement that would lead to a permanent cease-fire, vowing to continue the war until “absolute victory.”

Also on Wednesday, the media office of the Houthi rebels in Yemen reported two airstrikes in Ras Issa area in Salif district in Hodeida province.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. drone strike hit a car in the Iraqi capital Wednesday night, killing three members of the powerful Kataib Hezbollah militia, including a high-ranking commander, officials said.The strike came on a main thoroughfare in the Mashtal neighborhood in eastern Baghdad. A crowd gathered as emergency response teams picked through the wreckage. Security forces closed off the heavily guarded Green Zone, where a number of diplomatic compounds are located, amid calls for protesters to storm the U.S. embassy.Two U.S. officials familiar with the matter said that a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander was targeted in a U.S. strike on Wednesday in Iraq. They were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Two officials with Iran-backed militias in Iraq said that one of the three killed was Wissam Mohammed “Abu Bakr” al-Saadi, the commander in charge of Kataib Hezbollah’s operations in Syria. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.The strike came amid roiling tensions in the region and days after the U.S. military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan in late January.The U.S. has blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the attack in Jordan, and officials have said they suspect Kataib Hezbollah in particular of leading it.The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has regularly claimed strikes on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria against the backdrop of the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>, saying that they are in retaliation for Washington's support of Israel in its war in Gaza that has killed 27,707 Palestinians, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory</a>.Kataib Hezbollah had said in a statement that it was suspending attacks on American troops to avoid “embarrassing the Iraqi government” after the strike in Jordan, but others have vowed to continue fighting.On Sunday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-iraq-sdf-islamic-resistance-us-c621972db21d6b3db7ca1bccd50ce6ef?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=share">claimed a drone attack</a>&nbsp;on a base housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria killed six fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group allied with the United States.The latest surge in the regional conflict came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-02-07-2024-6ceffca2970243cd039e90268c32c617">rejected terms proposed by Hamas</a>&nbsp;for a hostage-release agreement that would lead to a permanent cease-fire, vowing to continue the war until “absolute victory.”Also on Wednesday, the media office of the Houthi rebels in Yemen reported two airstrikes in Ras Issa area in Salif district in Hodeida province.