MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a Kansas home.

Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire with injuries at 2nd and Magnolia in the city of Independence, according to a media release.&nbsp;

First responders found the home fully involved with fire with exposure to the north in danger. A second alarm was requested. A defensive attack with Tower 1 aerial operations brought the fire under control within 45 minutes. 

A patient was treated on scene and there was possibly one deceased animal in the home. Assisting Independence Fire-EMS was Cherryvale Fire-EMS,  Independence Rural Fire and Dearing Rural Fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703166089429.png" alt="photos Independence Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>photos Independence Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire at a Kansas home.Just after 5:30a.m. Wednesday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported house fire with injuries at 2nd and Magnolia in the city of Independence, according to a media release.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703166066613.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders found the home fully involved with fire with exposure to the north in danger. A second alarm was requested. A defensive attack with Tower 1 aerial operations brought the fire under control within 45 minutes. A patient was treated on scene and there was possibly one deceased animal in the home. Assisting Independence Fire-EMS was Cherryvale Fire-EMS, Independence Rural Fire and Dearing Rural Fire.

One injured, home destroyed after 2-alarm Kansas fire

SHERMAN COUNTY —Two men in northwest Kansas are being recognized as heroes after making a daring rescue to save a man's life and protect others.

Sheriff Burton Pianalto shared on social media, "I want to give a shout out to a couple of true heroes! An incident happened on Interstate 70 Tuesday that led a Northwest Kansas farmer and his son to do extraordinary things to keep people safe in Sherman County.

A semi driver traveling west on Interstate 70, had a medical incident and he blacked out. His semi went into the median at highway speeds.

Traveling in the median, the vehicle stayed between the traffic lanes for about a quarter of mile where it jumped over a crossover. This slowed the semi-truck down. The farmer and his son traveling in the same direction noticed the driver needing help, so they went into action. 

The semi-truck slowed down enough so they could jump onto the passenger’s side, but they found the door locked. The son riding on the semi-truck asked his dad to throw him a hammer. He then broke the window out, crawled into the cab and stopped the semi&nbsp; before it got to the overpass at exit 17. 

This action more than likely saved the life of the truck driver along with protecting all the other travelers on Interstate 70 and Highway 27. 

"It is amazing what people will do to help others they do not know. Thank you to Brent Ginther and his son Brady for your heroic actions. Our community is incredibly grateful!"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703161335109.png" alt="Photo Sherman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sherman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SHERMAN COUNTY —Two men in northwest Kansas are being recognized as heroes after making a daring rescue to save a man's life and protect others.Sheriff Burton Pianalto shared on social media, "I want to give a shout out to a couple of true heroes! An incident happened on Interstate 70 Tuesday that led a Northwest Kansas farmer and his son to do extraordinary things to keep people safe in Sherman County.A semi driver traveling west on Interstate 70, had a medical incident and he blacked out. His semi went into the median at highway speeds.Traveling in the median, the vehicle stayed between the traffic lanes for about a quarter of mile where it jumped over a crossover. This slowed the semi-truck down. The farmer and his son traveling in the same direction noticed the driver needing help, so they went into action. The semi-truck slowed down enough so they could jump onto the passenger’s side, but they found the door locked. The son riding on the semi-truck asked his dad to throw him a hammer. He then broke the window out, crawled into the cab and stopped the semi&nbsp; before it got to the overpass at exit 17. This action more than likely saved the life of the truck driver along with protecting all the other travelers on Interstate 70 and Highway 27. "It is amazing what people will do to help others they do not know. Thank you to Brent Ginther and his son Brady for your heroic actions. Our community is incredibly grateful!"

Kansas farmer, son make daring rescue of driver on I-70

BEAVER COUNTY, Oklahoma—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man who is on the faculty at a community college in Kansas for alleged child sex crimes.

On December 13, the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to assist with a sexual assault investigation involving a child, according to a meida release.

Special agents with the OSBI interviewed the child, who reported being sexually abused. Evidence was collected and the suspect, 48-year-old Andrew Nyles Lackey, was interviewed. Lackey is listed as a welding instructor at Seward County Community College, <a href="https://sccc.edu/static/web/academic/academic-divisions/industrial-technology/welding-technology/faculty.html">according to the school's web site.</a>

Based on the information obtained during the investigation, officers arrested Lackey and booked him into the Beaver County Jail on a requested charge of Child Sexual Abuse.

The school suspended Lackey without pay following the arrest, according to a media release. He is also prohibited from campus and college activities.

“These charges are a serious concern, and we have taken this step in accordance with that,” stated SCCC President Brad Bennett in the release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703105203089.png" alt="Lackey-photo OSBI" />
 <figcaption>Lackey-photo OSBI</figcaption>
 </figure>BEAVER COUNTY, Oklahoma—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a man who is on the faculty at a community college in Kansas for alleged child sex crimes.On December 13, the Beaver County Sheriff’s Office requested the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to assist with a sexual assault investigation involving a child, according to a meida release.Special agents with the OSBI interviewed the child, who reported being sexually abused. Evidence was collected and the suspect, 48-year-old Andrew Nyles Lackey, was interviewed. Lackey is listed as a welding instructor at Seward County Community College, <a href="https://sccc.edu/static/web/academic/academic-divisions/industrial-technology/welding-technology/faculty.html">according to the school's web site.</a>Based on the information obtained during the investigation, officers arrested Lackey and booked him into the Beaver County Jail on a requested charge of Child Sexual Abuse.The school suspended Lackey without pay following the arrest, according to a media release. He is also prohibited from campus and college activities.“These charges are a serious concern, and we have taken this step in accordance with that,” stated SCCC President Brad Bennett in the release.

Kan. community college instructor suspended after arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;push to have Congress replenish wartime aid for Ukraine as part of a deal on border and immigration policy changes will drag into next year.

The Senate, which had postponed its holiday recess, returned to Washington on Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615">negotiators worked through the weekend</a>&nbsp;on the border legislation, trying to reach an agreement that could unlock the Republican votes for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">Biden’s $110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other security priorities.

The biggest line item in the funding request&nbsp;$61.4 billion to support Ukraine. Some of that money would go to replenishing Pentagon stockpiles of weapons that have already been provided.

Barely half of the senators returned for a Monday evening vote. Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was in western Kansas for a ribbon cutting at a VA clinic.

“Obviously we need time,” said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the top Democratic negotiator.

The delay heaps more uncertainty on the future of the Biden administration's priority of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-funding-weapons-2153375d4394d5783fad73858b51e993">providing support against Russia's invasion</a>. It also puts a potential pause on politically fraught negotiations over immigration and border security policy, though Senate negotiators planned to continue working on the package.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the negotiations were “among the most difficult things we’ve done in recent memory.”

“Everyone knows that something should be done to fix our broken immigration system,” he said in a Senate floor speech to start the week. “But we can’t do so by compromising our values. Finding the middle ground is exceptionally hard.”

The House has already departed for the year as Congress settles into a long winter's break. Lawmakers aren't scheduled to return until the second week of January, and they will then need to tend to other matters besides the Ukraine funding, including facing a partial shutdown in mid-January if Congress can't pass a government funding package.

But as the Senate undertook the first substantial rewrite of immigration and border security law in decades, Republicans insisted they would not agree to rushing legislation.

“Getting this agreement right and producing legislative text is going to require some time,” Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor.

Schumer said both Republicans and Democrats would need to make more concessions and it would take “some more time to get it done.”

Members of the core Senate negotiating group — Murphy and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, and James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican — met with White House staff on Monday.

“We’re all going to be back in January, but it’s going to take a while to be able to finish up all the text,” Lankford said.

The weeks-long wait comes as the Defense Department says it has nearly run out of available funds for supporting Ukraine's defense. In a letter to Congress, the Pentagon notified lawmakers last week that will soon be transferring more than $1 billion to replenish stockpiles sent to Ukraine, with no further funds available as it maintains the United States’ own military readiness.

“Once these funds are obligated, the Department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine,” according to the letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The department said “it is essential that Congress act without delay” on the pending supplemental request.

Ukrainian forces tried to launch a counteroffensive this year, but faced dug-in Russian troops, minefields and other hazards. They struggled to make any significant gains.

As the conflict grinds towards the end of a second year, U.S. public support has waned for sending billions of dollars more in weapons and economic aid. The European Union, too, had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-ukraine-aid-orban-membership-summit-dd194ead36abf3affab6e2c322d1f75a">push into the new year</a>&nbsp;a plan to supply Ukraine with $54.5 billion after a veto from Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/viktor-orban">Viktor Orban</a>, a right-wing leader who is on good terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Donald Trump, the former president and front-runner for the Republican nomination next year.

As his country scrapes low on money to repel Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has traveled the world to ask for support. He elicited praise from Republicans after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-washington-congress-biden-5796a2429169d01959510f318fbc968a">meeting with them in the Capitol</a>&nbsp;last week, but the conservatives remained unmoved and in no hurry to approve Biden's emergency funding request.

Republicans have said there is still time to redouble support before Ukraine's defense suffers. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that since the European Union put off sending Kyiv more money until the new year, he thinks the U.S. can as well.

“If it’s OK for them, it’s surely OK for us,” he said.

Dozens of Republican House members have signaled they won't support continued Ukraine aid, and even GOP senators who in the past have been stalwart advocates of the Ukraine war effort have insisted that Congress also pass new border restrictions.

Biden has offered to compromise on border and immigration policy, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-border-congress-ukraine-asylum-69007f56dca2977a2204c22cbc5cbef0">top White House officials have joined</a>&nbsp;the Senate negotiations, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have closed in on a list</a>&nbsp;of immigration enforcement measures, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years. They have also agreed on raising the initial threshold for people to enter an asylum claim in credible fear screenings.

The White House has tried to preserve an immigration program known as humanitarian parole. The Biden administration has leaned heavily on the use of humanitarian parole as part of its policy of providing legal pathways for some migrants to enter the country while beefing up consequences for those who don’t use those pathways. But Republicans have objected — and even sued to stop it — saying that the administration is essentially bypassing Congress and improperly letting migrants into the country who normally wouldn’t qualify.

Still, Biden's willingness to make concessions in the negotiations has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-border-immigration-biden-66531bcefb908d5440a52b54c543b006">alarmed immigration advocates and drawn criticism from influential Hispanic Democrats</a>.

On a conference call with reporters Monday, advocates decried the policies under consideration as a return to the strategies pursued by Trump that left large numbers of migrants waiting in Mexico to apply for asylum in the U.S.

“If you have asylum seekers pushed back into Mexico, it’s going to be extremely dangerous,” said Kerri Talbot, executive director of The Immigration Hub.

The senators have also described their work as a complex undertaking as they delve into laws that for years have been at the center of intense legal and political fights.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The next roll call vote in the Senate is expected at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702427915109.png" alt="President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House Dec. 12-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they meet in the Oval Office of the White House Dec. 12-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;push to have Congress replenish wartime aid for Ukraine as part of a deal on border and immigration policy changes will drag into next year.The Senate, which had postponed its holiday recess, returned to Washington on Monday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-security-ukraine-congress-senate-biden-cb8d4e3ad8271323cfd9294b527d6615">negotiators worked through the weekend</a>&nbsp;on the border legislation, trying to reach an agreement that could unlock the Republican votes for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">Biden’s $110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other security priorities.The biggest line item in the funding request&nbsp;$61.4 billion to support Ukraine. Some of that money would go to replenishing Pentagon stockpiles of weapons that have already been provided.Barely half of the senators returned for a Monday evening vote. Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was in western Kansas for a ribbon cutting at a VA clinic.“Obviously we need time,” said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the top Democratic negotiator.The delay heaps more uncertainty on the future of the Biden administration's priority of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-funding-weapons-2153375d4394d5783fad73858b51e993">providing support against Russia's invasion</a>. It also puts a potential pause on politically fraught negotiations over immigration and border security policy, though Senate negotiators planned to continue working on the package.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the negotiations were “among the most difficult things we’ve done in recent memory.”“Everyone knows that something should be done to fix our broken immigration system,” he said in a Senate floor speech to start the week. “But we can’t do so by compromising our values. Finding the middle ground is exceptionally hard.”The House has already departed for the year as Congress settles into a long winter's break. Lawmakers aren't scheduled to return until the second week of January, and they will then need to tend to other matters besides the Ukraine funding, including facing a partial shutdown in mid-January if Congress can't pass a government funding package.But as the Senate undertook the first substantial rewrite of immigration and border security law in decades, Republicans insisted they would not agree to rushing legislation.“Getting this agreement right and producing legislative text is going to require some time,” Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor.Schumer said both Republicans and Democrats would need to make more concessions and it would take “some more time to get it done.”Members of the core Senate negotiating group — Murphy and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent, and James Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican — met with White House staff on Monday.“We’re all going to be back in January, but it’s going to take a while to be able to finish up all the text,” Lankford said.The weeks-long wait comes as the Defense Department says it has nearly run out of available funds for supporting Ukraine's defense. In a letter to Congress, the Pentagon notified lawmakers last week that will soon be transferring more than $1 billion to replenish stockpiles sent to Ukraine, with no further funds available as it maintains the United States’ own military readiness.“Once these funds are obligated, the Department will have exhausted the funding available to us for security assistance to Ukraine,” according to the letter obtained by The Associated Press.The department said “it is essential that Congress act without delay” on the pending supplemental request.Ukrainian forces tried to launch a counteroffensive this year, but faced dug-in Russian troops, minefields and other hazards. They struggled to make any significant gains.As the conflict grinds towards the end of a second year, U.S. public support has waned for sending billions of dollars more in weapons and economic aid. The European Union, too, had to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eu-ukraine-aid-orban-membership-summit-dd194ead36abf3affab6e2c322d1f75a">push into the new year</a>&nbsp;a plan to supply Ukraine with $54.5 billion after a veto from Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/viktor-orban">Viktor Orban</a>, a right-wing leader who is on good terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin as well as Donald Trump, the former president and front-runner for the Republican nomination next year.As his country scrapes low on money to repel Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has traveled the world to ask for support. He elicited praise from Republicans after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-washington-congress-biden-5796a2429169d01959510f318fbc968a">meeting with them in the Capitol</a>&nbsp;last week, but the conservatives remained unmoved and in no hurry to approve Biden's emergency funding request.Republicans have said there is still time to redouble support before Ukraine's defense suffers. Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that since the European Union put off sending Kyiv more money until the new year, he thinks the U.S. can as well.“If it’s OK for them, it’s surely OK for us,” he said.Dozens of Republican House members have signaled they won't support continued Ukraine aid, and even GOP senators who in the past have been stalwart advocates of the Ukraine war effort have insisted that Congress also pass new border restrictions.Biden has offered to compromise on border and immigration policy, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-border-congress-ukraine-asylum-69007f56dca2977a2204c22cbc5cbef0">top White House officials have joined</a>&nbsp;the Senate negotiations, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have closed in on a list</a>&nbsp;of immigration enforcement measures, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years. They have also agreed on raising the initial threshold for people to enter an asylum claim in credible fear screenings.The White House has tried to preserve an immigration program known as humanitarian parole. The Biden administration has leaned heavily on the use of humanitarian parole as part of its policy of providing legal pathways for some migrants to enter the country while beefing up consequences for those who don’t use those pathways. But Republicans have objected — and even sued to stop it — saying that the administration is essentially bypassing Congress and improperly letting migrants into the country who normally wouldn’t qualify.Still, Biden's willingness to make concessions in the negotiations has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-border-immigration-biden-66531bcefb908d5440a52b54c543b006">alarmed immigration advocates and drawn criticism from influential Hispanic Democrats</a>.On a conference call with reporters Monday, advocates decried the policies under consideration as a return to the strategies pursued by Trump that left large numbers of migrants waiting in Mexico to apply for asylum in the U.S.“If you have asylum seekers pushed back into Mexico, it’s going to be extremely dangerous,” said Kerri Talbot, executive director of The Immigration Hub.The senators have also described their work as a complex undertaking as they delve into laws that for years have been at the center of intense legal and political fights.&nbsp;&nbsp;The next roll call vote in the Senate is expected at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2024.

Unhappy holiday: No $61 billion Ukraine funding from U.S. Senate

KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to experience a disruption to their computer systems that began Monday, according to a media release.

The hospital continued to care for patients following standard downtime protocols.

 The hospital has not transferred any additional patients to other facilities after the Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients Tuesday, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Liberty EMS transported an additional 10 to 15.

Hospital officials continue to actively investigate the source of the disruption. "Patient safety and care are our utmost priority, as well as getting our systems back online safely. We expect this process to take time. Our primary and specialty care clinics continue to see certain patients, and are reaching out to reschedule others as needed."

The hospital is encouraging the public to seek emergency care at other hospital emergency departments. Our primary and specialty care clinics are contacting patients who have appointments scheduled  to determine next steps.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703156650753.png" alt="Photo courtesy Liberty Hospital" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Liberty Hospital</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to experience a disruption to their computer systems that began Monday, according to a media release.The hospital continued to care for patients following standard downtime protocols. The hospital has not transferred any additional patients to other facilities after the Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients Tuesday, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Liberty EMS transported an additional 10 to 15.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703037649784.png" alt="The Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients-photo courtesy KCT" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas City Fire Department, along with the other strike team Ambulances, transported approximately 30 patients-photo courtesy KCT</figcaption>
 </figure>Hospital officials continue to actively investigate the source of the disruption. "Patient safety and care are our utmost priority, as well as getting our systems back online safely. We expect this process to take time. Our primary and specialty care clinics continue to see certain patients, and are reaching out to reschedule others as needed."The hospital is encouraging the public to seek emergency care at other hospital emergency departments. Our primary and specialty care clinics are contacting patients who have appointments scheduled to determine next steps.-------------------

Computer attack continues to impact services at KC-area hospital

BAGHDAD&nbsp; — At approximately 7:30 a.m. (Iraq time) on Wednesday a 122mm rocket was fired at al Assad Air Base in Iraq –the US military's largest in the country. The there were no injuries or damage caused, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve located the point of origin and passed the location to the Iraqi Security Forces who moved to the site to investigate. The ISF seized a flatbed truck modified to launch up to 5 x 122mm rockets that was located at the site.

Meanwhile, at least 46 people were killed and more than 100 wounded&nbsp; Wednesday after Israel bombarded the urban Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, according to Munir al-Bursh, a senior official in the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

The Israeli military said its troops have located “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-20-2023-81b80e4716b53756c8fab96c183089ef">a vast tunnel network</a>&nbsp;” under Gaza City that included command and control positions, meeting rooms and hideout apartments for the most senior leaders of Hamas, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh.

There were new signs of progress Wednesday in negotiations to halt the war in Gaza and secure the release of at least some of the estimated 129 Israeli captives held by Palestinian militants. Hamas said that Haniyeh, who is believed to be based in Qatar, was in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the war, without providing more details.

Nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Thousands more lie buried&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">under the rubble</a>&nbsp;of Gaza, the U.N. estimates. Israel says more than 130 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

BAGHDAD&nbsp; — At approximately 7:30 a.m. (Iraq time) on Wednesday a 122mm rocket was fired at al Assad Air Base in Iraq –the US military's largest in the country. The there were no injuries or damage caused, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve located the point of origin and passed the location to the Iraqi Security Forces who moved to the site to investigate. The ISF seized a flatbed truck modified to launch up to 5 x 122mm rockets that was located at the site.Meanwhile, at least 46 people were killed and more than 100 wounded&nbsp; Wednesday after Israel bombarded the urban Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, according to Munir al-Bursh, a senior official in the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.The Israeli military said its troops have located “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-20-2023-81b80e4716b53756c8fab96c183089ef">a vast tunnel network</a>&nbsp;” under Gaza City that included command and control positions, meeting rooms and hideout apartments for the most senior leaders of Hamas, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh.There were new signs of progress Wednesday in negotiations to halt the war in Gaza and secure the release of at least some of the estimated 129 Israeli captives held by Palestinian militants. Hamas said that Haniyeh, who is believed to be based in Qatar, was in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the war, without providing more details.Nearly 20,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Thousands more lie buried&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">under the rubble</a>&nbsp;of Gaza, the U.N. estimates. Israel says more than 130 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

Another rocket fired at U.S. air base in Iraq

CHRISTIAN COUNTY—A Missouri teen died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Christian County.

THe Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Polaris RVR driven by a 16-year-old Rogersville, Missouri, boy was westbound on Santa Fe Road two miles south of Rogersville.

The UTV traveled off the right side of the road, struck a tree and the driver was ejected. The Christian County Coroner pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

CHRISTIAN COUNTY—A Missouri teen died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday in Christian County.THe Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Polaris RVR driven by a 16-year-old Rogersville, Missouri, boy was westbound on Santa Fe Road two miles south of Rogersville.The UTV traveled off the right side of the road, struck a tree and the driver was ejected. The Christian County Coroner pronounced the boy dead at the scene.

Missouri boy dies after sport UTV strikes a tree

COWLEY COUNTY—Two people were injured in a hit-and-run incident just after 11p.m. Tuesday in Cowley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford F150 driven by Audrey N L Yingling, 23, Winfield, was northbound in the parking lot at 902 Main Street and struck 2 pedestrians and then left the scene.

EMS transported the pedestrians identified as 30-year-old Meighan E I&nbsp;Hipsher of Burden and a child to Wesley Medical Center.&nbsp; Police arrested Yingling. She remains in custody in Cowley County, according to online jail records. Police have not released details on possible charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703083075093.png" alt="Yingling-photo Cowley Co." />
 <figcaption>Yingling-photo Cowley Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY—Two people were injured in a hit-and-run incident just after 11p.m. Tuesday in Cowley County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Ford F150 driven by Audrey N L Yingling, 23, Winfield, was northbound in the parking lot at 902 Main Street and struck 2 pedestrians and then left the scene.EMS transported the pedestrians identified as 30-year-old Meighan E I&nbsp;Hipsher of Burden and a child to Wesley Medical Center.&nbsp; Police arrested Yingling. She remains in custody in Cowley County, according to online jail records. Police have not released details on possible charges.

Hit-and run: Kan. driver struck woman, child in parking lot

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.&nbsp;

On Dec. 18, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division conducted an investigation into child sex crimes. and arrested Craig H. Miller, 39, of Topeka, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.

Miller was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include electronic solicitation of a child, promote obscenity to minors, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and attempted criminal sodomy with a child

On October 19, deputies arrested&nbsp; Miller and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of attempted electronic solicitation of a child, attempted indecent liberties with a child, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702939790946.png" alt="Miller photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Miller photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.&nbsp;On Dec. 18, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office's Criminal Investigations Division conducted an investigation into child sex crimes. and arrested Craig H. Miller, 39, of Topeka, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.Miller was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges that include electronic solicitation of a child, promote obscenity to minors, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and attempted criminal sodomy with a childOn October 19, deputies arrested&nbsp; Miller and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of attempted electronic solicitation of a child, attempted indecent liberties with a child, attempted aggravated criminal sodomy, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kan. man jailed 2nd time in 60-days for alleged child sex crimes

ALLEN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman after an&nbsp; accident that occurred just after 1:30p.m. Monday in Allen County.&nbsp;

According to Allen County Undersheriff Daren Kellerman, a vehicle driven by a 58-year-old woman from Humboldt was traveling south of Iola when it crossed the center line before slowly drifting back to the driving lane and off the road.&nbsp;

The vehicle, traveling at an estimated 40-45 mph struck a road sign, launched over a culvert driveway embankment and struck a utility pole.

Investigators determined that the driver was inhaling potentially toxic fumes while driving.&nbsp;"Inhalant abuse, or huffing, is always extremely dangerous. I've never investigated a crash where someone was huffing while driving. We are very lucky that nobody was killed, according to Kellerman.

Deputies arrested the driver who avoided injury because she was wearing a seat belt.&nbsp; Deputies did not released details on possible charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703082686794.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman after an&nbsp; accident that occurred just after 1:30p.m. Monday in Allen County.&nbsp;According to Allen County Undersheriff Daren Kellerman, a vehicle driven by a 58-year-old woman from Humboldt was traveling south of Iola when it crossed the center line before slowly drifting back to the driving lane and off the road.&nbsp;The vehicle, traveling at an estimated 40-45 mph struck a road sign, launched over a culvert driveway embankment and struck a utility pole.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703082718465.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators determined that the driver was inhaling potentially toxic fumes while driving.&nbsp;"Inhalant abuse, or huffing, is always extremely dangerous. I've never investigated a crash where someone was huffing while driving. We are very lucky that nobody was killed, according to Kellerman.Deputies arrested the driver who avoided injury because she was wearing a seat belt.&nbsp; Deputies did not released details on possible charges.

Sheriff: Kansas driver was huffing before crash

MILWAUKEE (AP) — President Joe Biden said it's “self-evident” that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss but stopped short of commenting on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">a Colorado legal case</a>&nbsp;that would bar him from the state's ballot.

The Democratic president made the comments about his likely Republican opponent in next year's election shortly after landing in Milwaukee for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-biden-wisconsin-small-businesses-black-latino-b12b198e413c7916e16ae4b61179d828">an event focused on the economy</a>.

“Whether the 14th Amendment applies or not, we’ll let the court make that decision," Biden told reporters on the tarmac after stepping off Air Force One. "But he certainly supported an insurrection. There’s no question about it. None. Zero. And he seems to be doubling down on it.”

The Colorado Supreme Court issued a decision on Tuesday declaring that Trump is ineligible to serve as president under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>. It's the first time in the country's history that the provision has been used to keep a candidate off the ballot.

Republicans have denounced the court's decision, and Trump's lawyers said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Trump has refused to back down from his lies that voter fraud allowed Biden to win in 2020, and he's pledged to pardon supporters who participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Biden has repeatedly condemned Trump and described him as a threat to American democracy. However, he's been more circumspect when addressing his predecessor's legal challenges, including several criminal cases against him, and this one is no different.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One.

“The president is not involved; we’re not involved in this," she said. "This is a legal process and we’re not involved in this.”

Biden's campaign was similarly circumspect in a call with reporters on Tuesday.

“What I will say is that the president looks forward to defeating Donald Trump or whoever else emerges from the Republican primary on the ballot box in November 2024," said Brooke Goren, the campaign's deputy communications director.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — President Joe Biden said it's “self-evident” that Donald Trump is an insurrectionist for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss but stopped short of commenting on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">a Colorado legal case</a>&nbsp;that would bar him from the state's ballot.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: Is Trump an insurrectionist, sir? President Biden: &quot;It&#39;s self-evident. You saw it all. Now whether the 14th Amendment applies, I&#39;ll let the court make that decision. But he certainly supported an insurrection. There&#39;s no question about it. None. Zero.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/kREbFSDbyV">pic.twitter.com/kREbFSDbyV</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1737526031697801707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Democratic president made the comments about his likely Republican opponent in next year's election shortly after landing in Milwaukee for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/milwaukee-biden-wisconsin-small-businesses-black-latino-b12b198e413c7916e16ae4b61179d828">an event focused on the economy</a>.“Whether the 14th Amendment applies or not, we’ll let the court make that decision," Biden told reporters on the tarmac after stepping off Air Force One. "But he certainly supported an insurrection. There’s no question about it. None. Zero. And he seems to be doubling down on it.”The Colorado Supreme Court issued a decision on Tuesday declaring that Trump is ineligible to serve as president under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>. It's the first time in the country's history that the provision has been used to keep a candidate off the ballot.Republicans have denounced the court's decision, and Trump's lawyers said they plan to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.Trump has refused to back down from his lies that voter fraud allowed Biden to win in 2020, and he's pledged to pardon supporters who participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.Biden has repeatedly condemned Trump and described him as a threat to American democracy. However, he's been more circumspect when addressing his predecessor's legal challenges, including several criminal cases against him, and this one is no different.Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One.“The president is not involved; we’re not involved in this," she said. "This is a legal process and we’re not involved in this.”Biden's campaign was similarly circumspect in a call with reporters on Tuesday.“What I will say is that the president looks forward to defeating Donald Trump or whoever else emerges from the Republican primary on the ballot box in November 2024," said Brooke Goren, the campaign's deputy communications director.

🎥 President Biden asked if Trump supported insurrection

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just before 9p.m. Monday in Kansas City have identified the driver who died as 33-year-old Cy'erra R. Lowey of Kansas City,&nbsp;according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle.

&nbsp;A KIA Rondo driven by Lowery was southbound on Cleaver II&nbsp; at a very high rate of speed. Just before Elmwood, the KIA traveled off the road to the left through the grassy median and struck a large tree.

Lowery, sole occupant of the KIA, was pronounced deceased at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to Carlisle.

This is fatality #100 compared to #84 at this time last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident that occurred just before 9p.m. Monday in Kansas City have identified the driver who died as 33-year-old Cy'erra R. Lowey of Kansas City,&nbsp;according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle.&nbsp;A KIA Rondo driven by Lowery was southbound on Cleaver II&nbsp; at a very high rate of speed. Just before Elmwood, the KIA traveled off the road to the left through the grassy median and struck a large tree.Lowery, sole occupant of the KIA, was pronounced deceased at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to Carlisle.This is fatality #100 compared to #84 at this time last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KCPD IDs woman who died in crash after car struck a tree

CAIRO(AP) —The top leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels threatened Wednesday to target U.S. warships if attacks are launched against Yemen, a day after Washington announced a new international coalition to protect commercial vessels sailing through the Red Sea.

For weeks, the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have been attacking ships transiting the Red Sea with drones and ballistic missiles. The group has said their attacks aim to end Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli ties to the commercial ships targeted by the hardline Shia force have grown more tenuous with each attack.

In an hourlong speech, Abdel Malek al-Houthi said, “America seeks to militarize the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, seeking to turn the region into a war zone.”

On Tuesday, Washington announced the establishment of a new international coalition to protect vessels traveling through the Red Sea. The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have joined the new maritime security mission, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. Bahrain is the only Arab country in the coalition, and it does not border the Red Sea. Few additional details about how the maritime alliance will operate were made public.

The rebel leader also accused other Arab countries of intercepting its missile fire bound for Israel. In both cases, no specific country was named.

The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, several northern provinces bordering Saudi Arabia as well as much of the western highlands and Red Sea ports.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>CAIRO(AP) —The top leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels threatened Wednesday to target U.S. warships if attacks are launched against Yemen, a day after Washington announced a new international coalition to protect commercial vessels sailing through the Red Sea.For weeks, the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen have been attacking ships transiting the Red Sea with drones and ballistic missiles. The group has said their attacks aim to end Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip. But the Israeli ties to the commercial ships targeted by the hardline Shia force have grown more tenuous with each attack.In an hourlong speech, Abdel Malek al-Houthi said, “America seeks to militarize the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, seeking to turn the region into a war zone.”On Tuesday, Washington announced the establishment of a new international coalition to protect vessels traveling through the Red Sea. The United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain have joined the new maritime security mission, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said. Bahrain is the only Arab country in the coalition, and it does not border the Red Sea. Few additional details about how the maritime alliance will operate were made public.The rebel leader also accused other Arab countries of intercepting its missile fire bound for Israel. In both cases, no specific country was named.The Houthis control the capital, Sanaa, several northern provinces bordering Saudi Arabia as well as much of the western highlands and Red Sea ports.

Terrorists threaten to strike US warships if Yemen is attacked 

DOUGLAS COUNTY —On Tuesday morning, police issued a Silver Alert for 73-year-old Jerry Adams who had not been seen since December 11.

&nbsp;Late Tuesday, Lawrence Police were notified&nbsp; that Jerry Adams’ vehicle was located in Kansas City, Missouri, with a deceased man inside the vehicle, according to Lawrence Police Sgt&nbsp;Sgt. Drew Fennelly.

 While the man has not been positively identified, investigators believe it is Jerry Adams. There has been no indication this case was a homicide, but police will await the coroner’s determination on cause and manner of death.&nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY –The Silver Alert for missing Lawrence resident&nbsp; 73-year-old Jerry Adams has been cancelled, according to Lawrence Police. Authorities are expected to released more information Wednesday as they are able to confirm further details.

Check the Post for an update on Wednesday.

DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 73-year-old Jerry Dean Adams of Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.

Adams was reported missing on December 19, and hasn’t been heard from since December 11.

 Adams is believed to be driving a white 2002 Chevrolet full size van with Kansas tag 008MFS, which was last known to be leaving Lawrence on December 11, around 9:15 a.m. 

&nbsp;Anyone with information on Adams’ location, or his vehicle location, is asked to call 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703008899269.png" alt="Adams-photo Lawrence Police" />
 <figcaption>Adams-photo Lawrence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —On Tuesday morning, police issued a Silver Alert for 73-year-old Jerry Adams who had not been seen since December 11.&nbsp;Late Tuesday, Lawrence Police were notified&nbsp; that Jerry Adams’ vehicle was located in Kansas City, Missouri, with a deceased man inside the vehicle, according to Lawrence Police Sgt&nbsp;Sgt. Drew Fennelly. While the man has not been positively identified, investigators believe it is Jerry Adams. There has been no indication this case was a homicide, but police will await the coroner’s determination on cause and manner of death.&nbsp;-----------------------DOUGLAS COUNTY –The Silver Alert for missing Lawrence resident&nbsp; 73-year-old Jerry Adams has been cancelled, according to Lawrence Police. Authorities are expected to released more information Wednesday as they are able to confirm further details.Check the Post for an update on Wednesday.-----------DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;Law enforcement authorities are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 73-year-old Jerry Dean Adams of Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.Adams was reported missing on December 19, and hasn’t been heard from since December 11.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703008988714.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> Adams is believed to be driving a white 2002 Chevrolet full size van with Kansas tag 008MFS, which was last known to be leaving Lawrence on December 11, around 9:15 a.m. &nbsp;Anyone with information on Adams’ location, or his vehicle location, is asked to call 911.

Silver Alert canceled, body of missing Kan. man found in his van

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly is taking some time this week to enjoy some good music thanks to her staff.&nbsp;

On social media Wednesday, the governor wrote, "Now that Taylor Swift has been spending more time in Kansas — thanks Travis Kelce— my fearless staff thought it was time I drop everything now and give her music a proper listen."

Check out the personalized CD with handpicked tracks I received from my staff. It pairs well with the Reputation friendship bracelet a Swiftie gave me at a recent Chiefs game. What other songs should I check out?

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly is taking some time this week to enjoy some good music thanks to her staff.&nbsp;On social media Wednesday, the governor wrote, "Now that Taylor Swift has been spending more time in Kansas — thanks Travis Kelce— my fearless staff thought it was time I drop everything now and give her music a proper listen."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Check out the personalized CD with handpicked tracks I received from my staff. It pairs well with the Reputation friendship bracelet a Swiftie gave me at a recent <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Chiefs</a> game. What other songs should I check out? <a href="https://t.co/n1gGH0I6lh">pic.twitter.com/n1gGH0I6lh</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1737535802890932627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Check out the personalized CD with handpicked tracks I received from my staff. It pairs well with the Reputation friendship bracelet a Swiftie gave me at a recent Chiefs game. What other songs should I check out?

Kansas governor might just become a Swiftie

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a car crash and follow up investigation.

Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a single vehicle rollover injury auto accident in the 5000 block SW 61st Street in Topeka, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

 Deputies arrived to find that three of the four adult occupants of the vehicle were injured from the accident. Two of the occupants sustained non-life threatening injuries and one sustained life threatening injuries. American Medical response transported all three of the injured occupants to local hospitals.

The vehicle, a 1999 Honda Civic, was found to be reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and the Topeka Police Department are working together on the investigation of this stolen vehicle.

The driver William Sharon, 23, of Topeka was treated at a local hospital for his injuries and then booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, reckless driving, interference with law enforcement, registration not assigned, no insurance, operate a vehicle without being licensed, improper driving on laned roadway, and unsafe speed for prevailing conditions.&nbsp; Additional requested charges are expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703041928867.png" alt="Sharon-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Sharon-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a car crash and follow up investigation.Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Monday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a report of a single vehicle rollover injury auto accident in the 5000 block SW 61st Street in Topeka, according to Sheriff's Lt. Scott Wanamaker. Deputies arrived to find that three of the four adult occupants of the vehicle were injured from the accident. Two of the occupants sustained non-life threatening injuries and one sustained life threatening injuries. American Medical response transported all three of the injured occupants to local hospitals.The vehicle, a 1999 Honda Civic, was found to be reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department. The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and the Topeka Police Department are working together on the investigation of this stolen vehicle.The driver William Sharon, 23, of Topeka was treated at a local hospital for his injuries and then booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, reckless driving, interference with law enforcement, registration not assigned, no insurance, operate a vehicle without being licensed, improper driving on laned roadway, and unsafe speed for prevailing conditions.&nbsp; Additional requested charges are expected.

Kansas man driving stolen car moved from hospital to jail

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Civil rights organizations on Tuesday filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-8c86bc6c20a7c30d6127b2413b8688fc">new Texas law</a>&nbsp;that would allow police to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally and permit local judges to order them to leave the country.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Austin, argues that the measure that is set to take effect in March is unconstitutional because the federal government has sole authority over immigration.

The American Civil Liberties Union, its Texas branch, and the Texas Civil Rights Project sued less than 24 hours after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the measure during a ceremony on the U.S.-Mexico border in Brownsville.

The civil rights groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of El Paso County and two immigrant aid groups seeking to block enforcement of the measure, known as SB 4, and declare it unlawful.

“S.B. 4 creates a new state system to regulate immigration that completely bypasses and conflicts with the federal system,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit was filed against the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, whose troopers could arrest migrants, and the El Paso County district attorney, whose office would potentially prosecute cases in that border community.

A DPS spokesperson declined to comment in an email Tuesday, citing the pending litigation. A person who answered the phone in Hicks’ office said he was not available and had no immediate comment.

Abbott and other Texas Republicans who support the measure say President Joe Biden isn’t doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border.

“In his absence, Texas has the constitutional authority to secure our border through historic laws like SB 4,” Abbott said in an email Tuesday, adding that he was willing to take the case to the Supreme Court.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the law, but wouldn’t say whether the Justice Department would also challenge it.

“This is an extreme law that will not and does not make the communities in Texas safer,” Jean-Pierre said. She added that the purpose of the law was to “demonize immigrants and also dehumanize immigrants” and said “communities should not be individually targeted and put into harm’s way.”

According to Tuesday’s lawsuit, DPS Director Steve McGraw told lawmakers that his agency estimates approximately 72,000 arrests will be made each year under the measure.

The law comes as the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">is seeing an increase in illegal border crossings.</a>&nbsp;Customs and Border Patrol acting commissioner Troy Miller called the number of daily arrivals “unprecedented,” as illegal crossings have topped 10,000 on some days this month.

The measure allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don’t leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.

Opponents have called it the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law — denounced by critics as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill — that was largely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/57fd255191214d54b420a39a96b82451">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit cites the 2012 Supreme Court decision on the Arizona law, which stated the federal government has exclusive power over immigration.

“The bill overrides bedrock constitutional principles and flouts federal immigration law while harming Texans, in particular Brown and Black communities," Adriana Piñon, legal director of the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.

Earlier Tuesday, ACLU affiliates in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, and San Diego and Imperial Counties in California issued a travel advisory warning of a possible threat to travelers’ civil and constitutional rights violations when passing through Texas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702952665492.png" alt="Gov. Greg Abbott signed three bills into law at a border wall construction site in Brownsville, Texas on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, that will broaden his border security plans and add funding for more infrastructure to deter illegal immigration. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Greg Abbott signed three bills into law at a border wall construction site in Brownsville, Texas on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, that will broaden his border security plans and add funding for more infrastructure to deter illegal immigration. (AP Photo/Valerie Gonzalez)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Associated PressAUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Civil rights organizations on Tuesday filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-border-8c86bc6c20a7c30d6127b2413b8688fc">new Texas law</a>&nbsp;that would allow police to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally and permit local judges to order them to leave the country.The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Austin, argues that the measure that is set to take effect in March is unconstitutional because the federal government has sole authority over immigration.The American Civil Liberties Union, its Texas branch, and the Texas Civil Rights Project sued less than 24 hours after Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed the measure during a ceremony on the U.S.-Mexico border in Brownsville.The civil rights groups filed the lawsuit on behalf of El Paso County and two immigrant aid groups seeking to block enforcement of the measure, known as SB 4, and declare it unlawful.“S.B. 4 creates a new state system to regulate immigration that completely bypasses and conflicts with the federal system,” the lawsuit states.The lawsuit was filed against the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, whose troopers could arrest migrants, and the El Paso County district attorney, whose office would potentially prosecute cases in that border community.A DPS spokesperson declined to comment in an email Tuesday, citing the pending litigation. A person who answered the phone in Hicks’ office said he was not available and had no immediate comment.Abbott and other Texas Republicans who support the measure say President Joe Biden isn’t doing enough to control the 1,950-mile (3,149-kilometer) southern border.“In his absence, Texas has the constitutional authority to secure our border through historic laws like SB 4,” Abbott said in an email Tuesday, adding that he was willing to take the case to the Supreme Court.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the law, but wouldn’t say whether the Justice Department would also challenge it.“This is an extreme law that will not and does not make the communities in Texas safer,” Jean-Pierre said. She added that the purpose of the law was to “demonize immigrants and also dehumanize immigrants” and said “communities should not be individually targeted and put into harm’s way.”According to Tuesday’s lawsuit, DPS Director Steve McGraw told lawmakers that his agency estimates approximately 72,000 arrests will be made each year under the measure.The law comes as the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538">is seeing an increase in illegal border crossings.</a>&nbsp;Customs and Border Patrol acting commissioner Troy Miller called the number of daily arrivals “unprecedented,” as illegal crossings have topped 10,000 on some days this month.The measure allows any Texas law enforcement officer to arrest people who are suspected of entering the country illegally. Once in custody, they could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who don’t leave could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.Opponents have called it the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since a 2010 Arizona law — denounced by critics as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill — that was largely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/57fd255191214d54b420a39a96b82451">struck down</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit cites the 2012 Supreme Court decision on the Arizona law, which stated the federal government has exclusive power over immigration.“The bill overrides bedrock constitutional principles and flouts federal immigration law while harming Texans, in particular Brown and Black communities," Adriana Piñon, legal director of the ACLU of Texas, said in a statement.Earlier Tuesday, ACLU affiliates in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, and San Diego and Imperial Counties in California issued a travel advisory warning of a possible threat to travelers’ civil and constitutional rights violations when passing through Texas.

Lawsuit filed over new Texas law that lets police arrest illegals

SHAWNEE COUNTY – The City of Topeka announced Tuesday that it is parting ways with Chief Financial Officer Freddy Mawyin, according to a media release from the city.

Mawyin had been on administrative leave since December 11, following his arrest on a requested charge of domestic battery.

Just before 10 p.m. on Dec. 10, police were called to a home in the 4400 block of SW Lincolnshire Road for a&nbsp; report of a past domestic dispute that occurred Dec. 9, according to a media release.

Throughout the course of the investigation, police determined Mawyin was the suspect. He was arrested and booked into the Shawnee Co. Dept. of Corrections on a requested charges of domestic battery.

Rachelle Mathews has been named Acting Finance Director and will serve in the role until further notice. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703025008801.png" alt="Mawyin-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Mawyin-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY – The City of Topeka announced Tuesday that it is parting ways with Chief Financial Officer Freddy Mawyin, according to a media release from the city.Mawyin had been on administrative leave since December 11, following his arrest on a requested charge of domestic battery.Just before 10 p.m. on Dec. 10, police were called to a home in the 4400 block of SW Lincolnshire Road for a&nbsp; report of a past domestic dispute that occurred Dec. 9, according to a media release.Throughout the course of the investigation, police determined Mawyin was the suspect. He was arrested and booked into the Shawnee Co. Dept. of Corrections on a requested charges of domestic battery.Rachelle Mathews has been named Acting Finance Director and will serve in the role until further notice.

City of Topeka fires Chief Financial Officer after his arrest

DENVER (AP) — A divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the race

On social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall blasted the decision, "&nbsp;Colorado Democrats: If you can't beat him, take him off the ballot. This unprecedented weaponization of the 14th Amendment will only make victory that much sweeter on Nov. 5th, 2024."

The decision from a court whose justices were all appointed by Democratic governors marks the first time in history that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.

“A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,” the court wrote in its 4-3 decision.

Colorado’s highest court overturned a ruling from a district court judge who found that Trump incited an insurrection for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, but said he could not be barred from the ballot because it was unclear that the provision was intended to cover the presidency.

The court stayed its decision until Jan. 4, or until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the case. Colorado officials say the issue must be settled by Jan. 5, the deadline for the state to print its presidential primary ballots.

“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” wrote the court’s majority. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”

Trump’s attorneys had promised to appeal any disqualification immediately to the nation's highest court, which has the final say about constitutional matters.

Trump's legal spokeswoman Alina Habba said in a statement Tuesday night: “This ruling, issued by the Colorado Supreme Court, attacks the very heart of this nation’s democracy. It will not stand, and we trust that the Supreme Court will reverse this unconstitutional order.”

Trump didn't mention the decision during a rally Tuesday evening in Waterloo, Iowa, but his campaign sent out a fundraising email citing what it called a “tyrannical ruling.”

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel labeled the decision “Election interference” and said the RNC’s legal team intends to help Trump fight the ruling.

Trump lost Colorado by 13 percentage points in 2020 and doesn’t need the state to win next year’s presidential election. But the danger for the former president is that more courts and election officials will follow Colorado’s lead and exclude Trump from must-win states.

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed nationally to disqualify Trump under Section 3, which was designed to keep former Confederates from returning to government after the Civil War. It bars from office anyone who swore an oath to “support” the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against it, and has been used only a handful of times since the decade after the Civil War.

“I think it may embolden other state courts or secretaries to act now that the bandage has been ripped off,” Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor who has closely followed the Section 3 cases, said after Tuesday's ruling. “This is a major threat to Trump’s candidacy.”

The Colorado case is the first where the plaintiffs succeeded. After a weeklong hearing in November, District Judge Sarah B. Wallace found that Trump indeed had “engaged in insurrection” by inciting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">Jan. 6 attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-amendment-2024-ballot-colorado-5b6e40f069abc1b8604ec37c46621055">her ruling that kept him on the ballot</a>&nbsp;was a fairly technical one.

Trump’s attorneys convinced Wallace that, because the language in Section 3 refers to “officers of the United States” who take an oath to “support” the Constitution, it must not apply to the president, who is not included as an “officer of the United States” elsewhere in the document and whose oath is to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution.

The provision also says offices covered include senator, representative, electors of the president and vice president, and all others “under the United States,” but doesn’t name the presidency.

The state’s highest court didn’t agree, siding with attorneys for six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters who argued that it was nonsensical to imagine that the framers of the amendment, fearful of former confederates returning to power, would bar them from low-level offices but not the highest one in the land.

“President Trump asks us to hold that Section 3 disqualifies every oathbreaking insurrectionist except the most powerful one and that it bars oath-breakers from virtually every office, both state and federal, except the highest one in the land,” the court’s majority opinion said. “Both results are inconsistent with the plain language and history of Section 3.”

The left-leaning group that brought the Colorado case, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, hailed the ruling.

“Our Constitution clearly states that those who violate their oath by attacking our democracy are barred from serving in government,” its president, Noah Bookbinder, said in a statement.

Trump’s attorneys also had urged the Colorado high court to reverse Wallace’s ruling that Trump incited the Jan. 6 attack. His lawyers argued the then-president had simply been using his free speech rights and hadn’t called for violence. Trump attorney Scott Gessler also argued the attack was more of a “riot” than an insurrection.

That met skepticism from several of the justices.

“Why isn’t it enough that a violent mob breached the Capitol when Congress was performing a core constitutional function?” Justice William W. Hood III said during the Dec. 6 arguments. “In some ways, that seems like a poster child for insurrection.”

In the ruling issued Tuesday, the court's majority dismissed the arguments that Trump wasn’t responsible for his supporters’ violent attack, which was intended to halt Congress' certification of the presidential vote: “President Trump then gave a speech in which he literally exhorted his supporters to fight at the Capitol,” they wrote.

Colorado Supreme Court Justices Richard L. Gabriel, Melissa Hart, Monica Márquez and Hood ruled for the petitioners. Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright dissented, arguing the constitutional questions were too complex to be solved in a state hearing. Justices Maria E. Berkenkotter and Carlos Samour also dissented.

“Our government cannot deprive someone of the right to hold public office without due process of law,” Samour wrote in his dissent. “Even if we are convinced that a candidate committed horrible acts in the past — dare I say, engaged in insurrection — there must be procedural due process before we can declare that individual disqualified from holding public office.”

The Colorado ruling stands in contrast with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-election-president-f6b72c94bb351c1b870d4884e54f6a75">Minnesota Supreme Court</a>, which last month decided that the state party can put anyone it wants on its primary ballot. It dismissed a Section 3 lawsuit but said the plaintiffs could try again during the general election.

In another 14th Amendment case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-b2a870f98a60dffbe4c9566cfe97457c">a Michigan judge</a>&nbsp;ruled that Congress, not the judiciary, should decide whether Trump can stay on the ballot. That ruling is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-michigan-appeal-c6b66ef9ed85734305ff2dd27023447d">being appealed</a>. The liberal group behind those cases, Free Speech For People, also filed another lawsuit in Oregon seeking to bounce Trump from the ballot there.

Both groups are financed by liberal donors who also support President Joe Biden. Trump has blamed the president for the lawsuits against him, even though Biden has no role in them, saying his rival is “defacing the constitution” to try to end his campaign.

Trump’s allies rushed to his defense, slamming the decision as “un-American” and “insane” and part of a politically-motivated effort to destroy his candidacy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703040304815.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A divided Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former President Donald Trump ineligible for the White House under the U.S. Constitution’s insurrection clause and removed him from the state’s presidential primary ballot, setting up a likely showdown in the nation’s highest court to decide whether the front-runner for the GOP nomination can remain in the raceOn social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall blasted the decision, "&nbsp;Colorado Democrats: If you can't beat him, take him off the ballot. This unprecedented weaponization of the 14th Amendment will only make victory that much sweeter on Nov. 5th, 2024."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Left invokes “democracy” to justify its use of power, even if it means abusing judicial power to remove a candidate from the ballot based on spurious legal grounds. SCOTUS should reverse. <a href="https://t.co/D4pCzZ7FhY">https://t.co/D4pCzZ7FhY</a>&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1737297350257693102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703039912250.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The decision from a court whose justices were all appointed by Democratic governors marks the first time in history that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">Section 3 of the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate.“A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,” the court wrote in its 4-3 decision.Colorado’s highest court overturned a ruling from a district court judge who found that Trump incited an insurrection for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, but said he could not be barred from the ballot because it was unclear that the provision was intended to cover the presidency.The court stayed its decision until Jan. 4, or until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the case. Colorado officials say the issue must be settled by Jan. 5, the deadline for the state to print its presidential primary ballots.“We do not reach these conclusions lightly,” wrote the court’s majority. “We are mindful of the magnitude and weight of the questions now before us. We are likewise mindful of our solemn duty to apply the law, without fear or favor, and without being swayed by public reaction to the decisions that the law mandates we reach.”Trump’s attorneys had promised to appeal any disqualification immediately to the nation's highest court, which has the final say about constitutional matters.Trump's legal spokeswoman Alina Habba said in a statement Tuesday night: “This ruling, issued by the Colorado Supreme Court, attacks the very heart of this nation’s democracy. It will not stand, and we trust that the Supreme Court will reverse this unconstitutional order.”Trump didn't mention the decision during a rally Tuesday evening in Waterloo, Iowa, but his campaign sent out a fundraising email citing what it called a “tyrannical ruling.”Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel labeled the decision “Election interference” and said the RNC’s legal team intends to help Trump fight the ruling.Trump lost Colorado by 13 percentage points in 2020 and doesn’t need the state to win next year’s presidential election. But the danger for the former president is that more courts and election officials will follow Colorado’s lead and exclude Trump from must-win states.Dozens of lawsuits have been filed nationally to disqualify Trump under Section 3, which was designed to keep former Confederates from returning to government after the Civil War. It bars from office anyone who swore an oath to “support” the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” against it, and has been used only a handful of times since the decade after the Civil War.“I think it may embolden other state courts or secretaries to act now that the bandage has been ripped off,” Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor who has closely followed the Section 3 cases, said after Tuesday's ruling. “This is a major threat to Trump’s candidacy.”The Colorado case is the first where the plaintiffs succeeded. After a weeklong hearing in November, District Judge Sarah B. Wallace found that Trump indeed had “engaged in insurrection” by inciting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">Jan. 6 attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-amendment-2024-ballot-colorado-5b6e40f069abc1b8604ec37c46621055">her ruling that kept him on the ballot</a>&nbsp;was a fairly technical one.Trump’s attorneys convinced Wallace that, because the language in Section 3 refers to “officers of the United States” who take an oath to “support” the Constitution, it must not apply to the president, who is not included as an “officer of the United States” elsewhere in the document and whose oath is to “preserve, protect and defend” the Constitution.The provision also says offices covered include senator, representative, electors of the president and vice president, and all others “under the United States,” but doesn’t name the presidency.The state’s highest court didn’t agree, siding with attorneys for six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters who argued that it was nonsensical to imagine that the framers of the amendment, fearful of former confederates returning to power, would bar them from low-level offices but not the highest one in the land.“President Trump asks us to hold that Section 3 disqualifies every oathbreaking insurrectionist except the most powerful one and that it bars oath-breakers from virtually every office, both state and federal, except the highest one in the land,” the court’s majority opinion said. “Both results are inconsistent with the plain language and history of Section 3.”The left-leaning group that brought the Colorado case, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, hailed the ruling.“Our Constitution clearly states that those who violate their oath by attacking our democracy are barred from serving in government,” its president, Noah Bookbinder, said in a statement.Trump’s attorneys also had urged the Colorado high court to reverse Wallace’s ruling that Trump incited the Jan. 6 attack. His lawyers argued the then-president had simply been using his free speech rights and hadn’t called for violence. Trump attorney Scott Gessler also argued the attack was more of a “riot” than an insurrection.That met skepticism from several of the justices.“Why isn’t it enough that a violent mob breached the Capitol when Congress was performing a core constitutional function?” Justice William W. Hood III said during the Dec. 6 arguments. “In some ways, that seems like a poster child for insurrection.”In the ruling issued Tuesday, the court's majority dismissed the arguments that Trump wasn’t responsible for his supporters’ violent attack, which was intended to halt Congress' certification of the presidential vote: “President Trump then gave a speech in which he literally exhorted his supporters to fight at the Capitol,” they wrote.Colorado Supreme Court Justices Richard L. Gabriel, Melissa Hart, Monica Márquez and Hood ruled for the petitioners. Chief Justice Brian D. Boatright dissented, arguing the constitutional questions were too complex to be solved in a state hearing. Justices Maria E. Berkenkotter and Carlos Samour also dissented.“Our government cannot deprive someone of the right to hold public office without due process of law,” Samour wrote in his dissent. “Even if we are convinced that a candidate committed horrible acts in the past — dare I say, engaged in insurrection — there must be procedural due process before we can declare that individual disqualified from holding public office.”The Colorado ruling stands in contrast with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-election-president-f6b72c94bb351c1b870d4884e54f6a75">Minnesota Supreme Court</a>, which last month decided that the state party can put anyone it wants on its primary ballot. It dismissed a Section 3 lawsuit but said the plaintiffs could try again during the general election.In another 14th Amendment case,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-ballot-michigan-b2a870f98a60dffbe4c9566cfe97457c">a Michigan judge</a>&nbsp;ruled that Congress, not the judiciary, should decide whether Trump can stay on the ballot. That ruling is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-michigan-appeal-c6b66ef9ed85734305ff2dd27023447d">being appealed</a>. The liberal group behind those cases, Free Speech For People, also filed another lawsuit in Oregon seeking to bounce Trump from the ballot there.Both groups are financed by liberal donors who also support President Joe Biden. Trump has blamed the president for the lawsuits against him, even though Biden has no role in them, saying his rival is “defacing the constitution” to try to end his campaign.Trump’s allies rushed to his defense, slamming the decision as “un-American” and “insane” and part of a politically-motivated effort to destroy his candidacy.“Four partisan Democrat operatives on the Colorado Supreme Court think they get to decide for all Coloradans and Americans the next presidential election,” House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik said in a statement.