WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats failed Wednesday to confirm a Democratic member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-labor-relations-board">National Labor Relations Board</a>&nbsp;after independent Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Kyrsten Sinema</a>&nbsp;opposed the nomination, thwarting their hopes of locking in a majority at the federal agency for the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump’s term.

A vote to move ahead with the nomination of Lauren McFarren, who currently chairs the NLRB, failed 49-50. Kansas Junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall was the lone Republican who did not vote. Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran voted with the majority.

Had McFarren been confirmed to another five-year term, it would have cemented a Democratic majority on the agency’s board for the first two years of the incoming Trump administration. Now, Trump will likely be able to nominate McFarren’s replacement.

The NLRB oversees labor disputes, supervises union elections and has the power to investigate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/labor-unions">unfair labor practices</a>. The partisan breakdown of the NLRB’s leadership is fiercely contested by businesses and labor groups, as the majority on the board sets the agenda and determines how readily the agency uses its power to investigate and enforce labor laws.

“It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.

The rejection of McFarren was yet another blow to Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden from Manchin and Sinema, who served as major brakes — and at times outright obstacles — to much of their legislative agenda the first two years of Biden’s term.

Manchin left the Democratic Party in May, while Sinema withdrew from the party in 2022. Both chose not to run for another Senate term and will be leaving the Congress in January.

Some congressional Republicans praised Manchin and Sinema for preventing the confirmation.

“This NLRB seat should be filled by President Trump and the new incoming Senate. Not a historically unpopular president and a Senate Democrat Majority that has lost its mandate to govern,” Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, said in a statement after the vote.

“Big Labor knows the days of having the federal government do its bidding are numbered,” Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., wrote in a statement. Foxx, who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said that the incoming Trump administration would focus on “enacting a truly pro-worker agenda.”

Business groups also praised the rejection of McFarren. Kristen Swearingen, a vice president at Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group, called McFarren’s policies “harmful” and said the process to nominate her was “flawed.”

“Under McFerran’s leadership, the NLRB has issued decisions and expanded interpretations of the National Labor Relations Act that have been rejected by the business community, Congress and federal courts,” argued Swearingen.

Labor unions decried the vote. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest consortium of labor unions, said the senators who rejected McFarren’s nomination “voted against the working people of this country” and warned that the incoming Trump administration would direct the NLRB to side with management over workers.

“Make no mistake: This vote had nothing to do with stopping Chair McFerran’s renomination and everything to do with reversing generations of progress workers have made toward building a fairer and more just economy,” Shuler said.

Democratic lawmakers, like Schumer, took a dim view of the vote. Some directed their anger directly at Manchin and Sinema.

“Shortchanging workers is a bad way to leave,” Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis.,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarkPocan/status/1866940235453698469" target="_blank">wrote on social media</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733969852876.png" alt="Counting votes Wednesday in the U.S. Senate-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Counting votes Wednesday in the U.S. Senate-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats failed Wednesday to confirm a Democratic member of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-labor-relations-board">National Labor Relations Board</a>&nbsp;after independent Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Joe Manchin</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kyrsten-sinema">Kyrsten Sinema</a>&nbsp;opposed the nomination, thwarting their hopes of locking in a majority at the federal agency for the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump’s term.A vote to move ahead with the nomination of Lauren McFarren, who currently chairs the NLRB, failed 49-50. Kansas Junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall was the lone Republican who did not vote. Kansas Senior U.S. Senator Jerry Moran voted with the majority.Had McFarren been confirmed to another five-year term, it would have cemented a Democratic majority on the agency’s board for the first two years of the incoming Trump administration. Now, Trump will likely be able to nominate McFarren’s replacement.The NLRB oversees labor disputes, supervises union elections and has the power to investigate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/labor-unions">unfair labor practices</a>. The partisan breakdown of the NLRB’s leadership is fiercely contested by businesses and labor groups, as the majority on the board sets the agenda and determines how readily the agency uses its power to investigate and enforce labor laws.“It is deeply disappointing, a direct attack on working people, and incredibly troubling that this highly qualified nominee — with a proven track record of protecting worker rights — did not have the votes,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement.The rejection of McFarren was yet another blow to Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden from Manchin and Sinema, who served as major brakes — and at times outright obstacles — to much of their legislative agenda the first two years of Biden’s term.Manchin left the Democratic Party in May, while Sinema withdrew from the party in 2022. Both chose not to run for another Senate term and will be leaving the Congress in January.Some congressional Republicans praised Manchin and Sinema for preventing the confirmation.“This NLRB seat should be filled by President Trump and the new incoming Senate. Not a historically unpopular president and a Senate Democrat Majority that has lost its mandate to govern,” Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, said in a statement after the vote.“Big Labor knows the days of having the federal government do its bidding are numbered,” Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., wrote in a statement. Foxx, who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said that the incoming Trump administration would focus on “enacting a truly pro-worker agenda.”Business groups also praised the rejection of McFarren. Kristen Swearingen, a vice president at Associated Builders and Contractors, a trade group, called McFarren’s policies “harmful” and said the process to nominate her was “flawed.”“Under McFerran’s leadership, the NLRB has issued decisions and expanded interpretations of the National Labor Relations Act that have been rejected by the business community, Congress and federal courts,” argued Swearingen.Labor unions decried the vote. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest consortium of labor unions, said the senators who rejected McFarren’s nomination “voted against the working people of this country” and warned that the incoming Trump administration would direct the NLRB to side with management over workers.“Make no mistake: This vote had nothing to do with stopping Chair McFerran’s renomination and everything to do with reversing generations of progress workers have made toward building a fairer and more just economy,” Shuler said.Democratic lawmakers, like Schumer, took a dim view of the vote. Some directed their anger directly at Manchin and Sinema.“Shortchanging workers is a bad way to leave,” Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis.,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MarkPocan/status/1866940235453698469" target="_blank">wrote on social media</a>.___

Kan. U.S. Senator missed vote but Dems fail to secure NLRB majority

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an illegal immigrant on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.

Just before 9p.m. Tuesday, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic on a 2019 Honda CRV, for a traffic infraction near 142nd&nbsp;and U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Upon attempting to contact the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle allegedly fled in the vehicle initiating a&nbsp;pursuit northbound on U.S. Hwy 75. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper deployed a tire deflation device around 214th Road where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Quelvin Reyes Corea, 37, of Honduras. The vehicle was discovered to be stolen out of Kansas City, Missouri this past weekend.

Corea was arrested and is being held in the the Jackson County Jail for requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude LEO; 5 or more moving violations, Possession of stolen property; Value $1,500 – $25,000, Felony interference with LEO, Operate a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, Operate a vehicle with expired registration, Reckless driving, Improper driving on laned roadway, Speed 110 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour zone, No tail lamps when required and Improper turn signal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733947954658.png" alt="Corea-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Corea-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an illegal immigrant on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.Just before 9p.m. Tuesday, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic on a 2019 Honda CRV, for a traffic infraction near 142nd&nbsp;and U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.Upon attempting to contact the vehicle, the driver of the vehicle allegedly fled in the vehicle initiating a&nbsp;pursuit northbound on U.S. Hwy 75. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper deployed a tire deflation device around 214th Road where the vehicle came to a stop. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Quelvin Reyes Corea, 37, of Honduras. The vehicle was discovered to be stolen out of Kansas City, Missouri this past weekend.Corea was arrested and is being held in the the Jackson County Jail for requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude LEO; 5 or more moving violations, Possession of stolen property; Value $1,500 – $25,000, Felony interference with LEO, Operate a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, Operate a vehicle with expired registration, Reckless driving, Improper driving on laned roadway, Speed 110 miles per hour in a 70 mile per hour zone, No tail lamps when required and Improper turn signal.

110mph chase: Illegal immigrant was driving stolen SUV in Kansas

PAWNEE COUNTY —Roy Gene Robinson, 46 of Great Bend, appeared in the Pawnee County District Court Tuesday morning for a combined jury trial regarding two separate felon complaints for incidents that occurred during the Summer of 2023, according to. Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett. The matters were scheduled for a three day trial.

The defendant was charged in one case with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a severity level 8 nonperson felony, alleged to have occurred on or about August 1, 2023. In the second case he was charged with one count of Burglary of a Non-Dwelling, a severity level 7 nonperson felony, and two counts of misdemeanor Theft alleged to have occurred on or about July 10, 2023.

Prior to jury selections, the parties announced they had reached a plea agreement whereby Roy Robinson entered a plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. In exchange for the plea the State agreed to dismiss the Burglary case.

The defendant’s brother, Dale R. Robinson, 54, of Hutchinson, was also charged as a co-defendant in the Burglary case. Dale Robinson pleaded guilty to the charges on January 18, 2024, and was ordered to pay full restitution as a condition of probation. 

Initially Roy Robison was not a suspect in the burglary/thefts as boot impressions found at the scenes matched Dale Robinson, but subsequent review of cellular telephone records by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department suggested Roy Robinson was present at the time of the alleged crimes.

In support of the firearm plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court that had the matter proceeded to trial the evidence would have shown that on the morning of July 10, 2023, the Pawnee County Sheriff received a report of theft of agricultural diesel from an irrigation unit south of Larned. 

Later that same morning the Sheriff received reports of multiple truck batteries being stolen from vehicles parked in a shed a few miles from the site of the fuel theft. Tire tracks at both crime scenes suggested a light duty pickup had been involved. A witness indicated they had seen Roy Robinson driving a similar style pickup in the area. 

When the Sheriff’s department executed a search warrant at the Robinson rural Pawnee County residence, they discovered the missing batteries. They also witnessed several firearms and notified State Parole. At the time, Roy Robinson was on postrelease supervision as a result of a Pawnee County jury conviction for aggravated burglary. 

He had been released from prison on or about August 8, 2022. The Kansas Department of Corrections conducted their own search of the Robinson residence on August 1, 2023, and discovered .22 caliber rifle under a mattress.

Robinson was arrested by Kansas Department of Corrections personnel at the scene on August 1, 2023, without incident. He posted a bond on March 23, 2024, and was released.

After accepting the defendant’s plea Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine the defendant’s criminal history. Sentencing was scheduled for February 20, 2025.

Under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines the defendant faces a sentence between 7 months and 23 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections depending on his criminal history. Based on the parties’ understanding of that criminal history, it is anticipated that Robinson will be subject to a presumptive prison sentence

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733851589790.png" alt="Roy Robinson-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Roy Robinson-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —Roy Gene Robinson, 46 of Great Bend, appeared in the Pawnee County District Court Tuesday morning for a combined jury trial regarding two separate felon complaints for incidents that occurred during the Summer of 2023, according to. Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett. The matters were scheduled for a three day trial.The defendant was charged in one case with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, a severity level 8 nonperson felony, alleged to have occurred on or about August 1, 2023. In the second case he was charged with one count of Burglary of a Non-Dwelling, a severity level 7 nonperson felony, and two counts of misdemeanor Theft alleged to have occurred on or about July 10, 2023.Prior to jury selections, the parties announced they had reached a plea agreement whereby Roy Robinson entered a plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. In exchange for the plea the State agreed to dismiss the Burglary case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733851673236.png" alt="Dale Robinson-photo Pawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dale Robinson-photo Pawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The defendant’s brother, Dale R. Robinson, 54, of Hutchinson, was also charged as a co-defendant in the Burglary case. Dale Robinson pleaded guilty to the charges on January 18, 2024, and was ordered to pay full restitution as a condition of probation. Initially Roy Robison was not a suspect in the burglary/thefts as boot impressions found at the scenes matched Dale Robinson, but subsequent review of cellular telephone records by the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department suggested Roy Robinson was present at the time of the alleged crimes.In support of the firearm plea, Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett advised the Court that had the matter proceeded to trial the evidence would have shown that on the morning of July 10, 2023, the Pawnee County Sheriff received a report of theft of agricultural diesel from an irrigation unit south of Larned. Later that same morning the Sheriff received reports of multiple truck batteries being stolen from vehicles parked in a shed a few miles from the site of the fuel theft. Tire tracks at both crime scenes suggested a light duty pickup had been involved. A witness indicated they had seen Roy Robinson driving a similar style pickup in the area. When the Sheriff’s department executed a search warrant at the Robinson rural Pawnee County residence, they discovered the missing batteries. They also witnessed several firearms and notified State Parole. At the time, Roy Robinson was on postrelease supervision as a result of a Pawnee County jury conviction for aggravated burglary. He had been released from prison on or about August 8, 2022. The Kansas Department of Corrections conducted their own search of the Robinson residence on August 1, 2023, and discovered .22 caliber rifle under a mattress.Robinson was arrested by Kansas Department of Corrections personnel at the scene on August 1, 2023, without incident. He posted a bond on March 23, 2024, and was released.After accepting the defendant’s plea Pawnee County District Judge Bruce Gatterman ordered a presentence investigation report be completed to determine the defendant’s criminal history. Sentencing was scheduled for February 20, 2025.Under the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines the defendant faces a sentence between 7 months and 23 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections depending on his criminal history. Based on the parties’ understanding of that criminal history, it is anticipated that Robinson will be subject to a presumptive prison sentence

Kansas felon agrees to plea deal in burglary case

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A judge has overturned a Black man's conviction in a 2009 double homicide that was investigated by a discredited white Kansas City, Kansas, police detective.

The ruling Monday in the case of 34-year-old Cedric Warren came exactly one week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-police-abuse-trial-roger-golubski-de11e2b098348066b4f37ebd304cbe6d">Roger Golubski died</a>&nbsp;in an apparent suicide just before the start of his criminal trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted Black women.

Warren is now jailed in Wyandotte County while the prosecutor decides whether to retry him. A spokesman in the prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email or phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

“I’m very thrilled,” Warren’s father, Cedric Toney, said in a phone interview Tuesday.

He said before Golubski supervised the investigation that led to his son's arrest, the former detective stalked his daughter and his son's mother. The allegation is similar to one raised in the case of Lamonte McIntyre, who served 23 years behind bars for a double homicide before he was freed.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e379716ed9e4dba83412311eaadfd08">McIntyre’s mother</a>&nbsp;has said Golubski pressured her for sexual favors.

But Wyandotte County Judge Aaron Roberts based his ruling in Warren's case on something different. He ruled from the bench that prosecutors failed to turn over information about the severe mental health issues of a key witness in the drug house shooting that killed Charles Ford and Larry Ledoux.

The witness had schizophrenia, and offered a shifting account of what happened before he became the only person to link Warren to the killing, the defense wrote in court filings.

Attorneys for Warren argued that the prosecution should have known about the witness’ mental health struggles because they caused issues years earlier when he was charged with passing bad checks. A mental health exam in that case found the man was incompetent to stand trial and highlighted several psychiatric hospitalizations.

Police officers also were aware of the witness' mental health struggles because they took him to a psychiatric facility after questioning him in the double homicide, the defense said.

The defense wrote that the undisclosed evidence “undermined his credibility and ability to competently and reliably recount events.”

The family's claims that Golubski harassed Warren's mother and sister haven't been aired in court, said Lindsay Runnels, an attorney for Warren. She said that is largely because a judge was focused on their allegations that evidence was withheld.

“As far as Cedric Warren is concerned, out is out,” she said, adding she is confident he will be released and possibly soon.

But while Golubski's role in Warren's case didn't play a role in Roberts' decision, the allegations have led the county prosecutor’s office to undertake a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-bd0898c8649b1ede27e2c3749547bbed">$1.7 million</a>&nbsp;effort to reexamine other cases he worked on during his 35 years on the force.

Cheryl Pilate, another attorney representing Warren, is pursuing another claim that a person Golubski investigated is innocent. She stressed that the problems in the community extended beyond one detective and that others also played a role.

“This was a one witness case with no corroborating evidence," she said. "And the witness was someone who was very vulnerable and had very significant mental health issues.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733964348020.png" alt="Warren photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Warren photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22HEATHER%20HOLLINGSWORTH%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH Associated Press</a>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A judge has overturned a Black man's conviction in a 2009 double homicide that was investigated by a discredited white Kansas City, Kansas, police detective.The ruling Monday in the case of 34-year-old Cedric Warren came exactly one week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-police-abuse-trial-roger-golubski-de11e2b098348066b4f37ebd304cbe6d">Roger Golubski died</a>&nbsp;in an apparent suicide just before the start of his criminal trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted Black women.Warren is now jailed in Wyandotte County while the prosecutor decides whether to retry him. A spokesman in the prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to an email or phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.“I’m very thrilled,” Warren’s father, Cedric Toney, said in a phone interview Tuesday.He said before Golubski supervised the investigation that led to his son's arrest, the former detective stalked his daughter and his son's mother. The allegation is similar to one raised in the case of Lamonte McIntyre, who served 23 years behind bars for a double homicide before he was freed.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3e379716ed9e4dba83412311eaadfd08">McIntyre’s mother</a>&nbsp;has said Golubski pressured her for sexual favors.But Wyandotte County Judge Aaron Roberts based his ruling in Warren's case on something different. He ruled from the bench that prosecutors failed to turn over information about the severe mental health issues of a key witness in the drug house shooting that killed Charles Ford and Larry Ledoux.The witness had schizophrenia, and offered a shifting account of what happened before he became the only person to link Warren to the killing, the defense wrote in court filings.Attorneys for Warren argued that the prosecution should have known about the witness’ mental health struggles because they caused issues years earlier when he was charged with passing bad checks. A mental health exam in that case found the man was incompetent to stand trial and highlighted several psychiatric hospitalizations.Police officers also were aware of the witness' mental health struggles because they took him to a psychiatric facility after questioning him in the double homicide, the defense said.The defense wrote that the undisclosed evidence “undermined his credibility and ability to competently and reliably recount events.”The family's claims that Golubski harassed Warren's mother and sister haven't been aired in court, said Lindsay Runnels, an attorney for Warren. She said that is largely because a judge was focused on their allegations that evidence was withheld.“As far as Cedric Warren is concerned, out is out,” she said, adding she is confident he will be released and possibly soon.But while Golubski's role in Warren's case didn't play a role in Roberts' decision, the allegations have led the county prosecutor’s office to undertake a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-bd0898c8649b1ede27e2c3749547bbed">$1.7 million</a>&nbsp;effort to reexamine other cases he worked on during his 35 years on the force.Cheryl Pilate, another attorney representing Warren, is pursuing another claim that a person Golubski investigated is innocent. She stressed that the problems in the community extended beyond one detective and that others also played a role.“This was a one witness case with no corroborating evidence," she said. "And the witness was someone who was very vulnerable and had very significant mental health issues.”

Judge overturns Kan. conviction in case involving now-discredited detective

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident Wednesday in Sedgwick County.

Just before 10 a.m., sheriff's deputies responded to the intersection of 167th Street West and Central near Goddard after 9-1-1 received an Apple crash detection alert and an additional call, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

First responders found a 66-year-old woman driving a maroon Chevrolet Malibu unresponsive and not breathing.

According to the preliminary investigation, the driver of the Ford Explorer was eastbound on Central and told deputies she became distracted by her phone and items inside her vehicle. She failed to stop at a stop sign, colliding with the northbound Chevrolet Malibu. The impact caused the Malibu and the Explorer to strike a black Nissan Sentra, which was stopped facing westbound on Central.

Sedgwick County EMS transported the critically injured 66-year-old driver and a 15-year-old passenger in Malibu to a local hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS also transported the 30-year-old woman driving the Ford Explorer to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

The driver of a black Nissan Sentra, a 30-year-old woman, declined medical treatment at the scene.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office crash reconstruction team&nbsp; investigated the collision.

Potential charges, if any, will be determined after the investigation into the circumstances of the crash is complete and reviewed by investigators along with consultation with the District Attorney’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office reminds drivers to stay alert, particularly during the busy holiday season. Distractions while driving can have devastating consequences. We urge everyone to focus on the road and avoid using mobile devices while driving.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733951717489.jpeg" alt="Photo Sedgwick County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sedgwick County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident Wednesday in Sedgwick County.Just before 10 a.m., sheriff's deputies responded to the intersection of 167th Street West and Central near Goddard after 9-1-1 received an Apple crash detection alert and an additional call, according to Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.First responders found a 66-year-old woman driving a maroon Chevrolet Malibu unresponsive and not breathing.According to the preliminary investigation, the driver of the Ford Explorer was eastbound on Central and told deputies she became distracted by her phone and items inside her vehicle. She failed to stop at a stop sign, colliding with the northbound Chevrolet Malibu. The impact caused the Malibu and the Explorer to strike a black Nissan Sentra, which was stopped facing westbound on Central.Sedgwick County EMS transported the critically injured 66-year-old driver and a 15-year-old passenger in Malibu to a local hospital.&nbsp;&nbsp;EMS also transported the 30-year-old woman driving the Ford Explorer to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries.The driver of a black Nissan Sentra, a 30-year-old woman, declined medical treatment at the scene.The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office crash reconstruction team&nbsp; investigated the collision.Potential charges, if any, will be determined after the investigation into the circumstances of the crash is complete and reviewed by investigators along with consultation with the District Attorney’s Office.The Sheriff’s Office reminds drivers to stay alert, particularly during the busy holiday season. Distractions while driving can have devastating consequences. We urge everyone to focus on the road and avoid using mobile devices while driving.

Sheriff: Kan. driver distracted by phone caused 3-vehicle crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military.

The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization.

The bill passed the House by a vote of 281-140. Kansas GOP lawmakers all voted in favor of the bill that will next move to the Senate, where lawmakers had sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows.

Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term.

Lawmakers said service member pay has failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing.

“No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill goes a long way to fixing that.”

The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-senate-house-default-b8c3566b0c9cb168d9706aa256e327f7">agreement</a>&nbsp;that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed.

Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a “tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill.

“We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it,” Wicker said.

House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs.

They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization.

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression.

“These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives,” Smith said. “And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar servicemembers' children from having access to that.”

Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted upon the ban and said the provision “taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation.”

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, “I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates.”

Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, “and yet, here it is in this bill.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team was not telling Democrats how to vote on the bill.

“There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well,” Jeffries said.

The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had requested about $10 billion.

On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas.

The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military.The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization.The bill passed the House by a vote of 281-140. Kansas GOP lawmakers all voted in favor of the bill that will next move to the Senate, where lawmakers had sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows.Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term.Lawmakers said service member pay has failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing.“No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted,” said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “This bill goes a long way to fixing that.”The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-senate-house-default-b8c3566b0c9cb168d9706aa256e327f7">agreement</a>&nbsp;that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation’s borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed.Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a “tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill.“We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it,” Wicker said.House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs.They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization.Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression.“These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives,” Smith said. “And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar servicemembers' children from having access to that.”Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted upon the ban and said the provision “taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation.”Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, “I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates.”Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, “and yet, here it is in this bill.”Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team was not telling Democrats how to vote on the bill.“There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well,” Jeffries said.The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration had requested about $10 billion.On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas.The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.

Kan. GOP lawmakers vote yes: House approves $895B defense bill 

WASHIINGTON —On Monday, United States Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power signed a financial guarantee supporting the U.S. government’s $20 billion Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan to the Government of Ukraine, according to a statement from Power's office.

(click below to watch White House statement on the loan)

 This effort is part of the G7 commitment to bring forward $50 billion in total financing under the ERA loan initiative to address critical and immediate financing needs for Ukraine in its continuing fight against Russia’s illegal invasion.&nbsp;

The proceeds of this loan were to be transferred Tuesday to the World Bank’s Facilitation of Resources to Invest in Strengthening Ukraine Financial Intermediary Fund, which will serve as trustee and administrator for the distribution of loan contributions to Ukraine from the United States.

The $20 billion U.S. ERA loan will provide immediate support to Ukraine and will be serviced and repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from Russian sovereign assets immobilized in the European Union. These windfall proceeds will repay ERA lenders like the United States to provide assistance to Ukraine while minimizing the burden on U.S. taxpayers. This loan will leverage windfall proceeds earned from immobilized Russian sovereign assets to pay for the damage Russia has caused.&nbsp;

The Biden-Harris Administration aims to place Ukraine in the strongest possible position and will continue to take meaningful steps to help Ukraine fight for the future it deserves.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726238871572.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHIINGTON —On Monday, United States Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power signed a financial guarantee supporting the U.S. government’s $20 billion Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) loan to the Government of Ukraine, according to a statement from Power's office.(click below to watch White House statement on the loan)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=315&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F551621764453647%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2520" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div> This effort is part of the G7 commitment to bring forward $50 billion in total financing under the ERA loan initiative to address critical and immediate financing needs for Ukraine in its continuing fight against Russia’s illegal invasion.&nbsp;The proceeds of this loan were to be transferred Tuesday to the World Bank’s Facilitation of Resources to Invest in Strengthening Ukraine Financial Intermediary Fund, which will serve as trustee and administrator for the distribution of loan contributions to Ukraine from the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Even in the midst of Putin&#39;s brutal attacks, Ukraine continues to rebuild. Now, Ukraine has more tools to do so. This week I signed the guarantee for the U.S. government&#39;s loan to Ukraine with proceeds earned from frozen Russian sovereign assets. <a href="https://t.co/G5boEk5zH6">pic.twitter.com/G5boEk5zH6</a>&mdash; Samantha Power (@PowerUSAID) <a href="https://twitter.com/PowerUSAID/status/1866545332521230437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The $20 billion U.S. ERA loan will provide immediate support to Ukraine and will be serviced and repaid by future flows of extraordinary revenues stemming from Russian sovereign assets immobilized in the European Union. These windfall proceeds will repay ERA lenders like the United States to provide assistance to Ukraine while minimizing the burden on U.S. taxpayers. This loan will leverage windfall proceeds earned from immobilized Russian sovereign assets to pay for the damage Russia has caused.&nbsp;The Biden-Harris Administration aims to place Ukraine in the strongest possible position and will continue to take meaningful steps to help Ukraine fight for the future it deserves.

🎥U.S. gave $20 billion to Ukraine as part of new $50 billion loan 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A third Kansas Republican lawmaker is set to join a caucus supporting president-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.&nbsp;

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann represents Kansas’ largest congressional district, the 1st District, and he joined the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency, or DOGE, caucus in late November.

The House DOGE caucus and its companion panel in the Senate are intended to give lawmakers a way to pitch budget cuts under Trump’s new department, which doesn’t technically exist without an act of Congress.

Mann, who recently won reelection, was not a part of the original list of caucus members. Congressmen from Florida and Texas launched the House caucus Nov. 19, selecting Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving Kansas’ 4th District, as a member.

The Senate DOGE caucus launched days later, and Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall was selected as a member.

Mann also met last week with the Trump allies selected to lead the new department, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and tech billionaire Elon Musk, according to a representatives for his office.

Following the meeting, Mann said in a statement that he discussed “ways we can work with President Trump to hold our agencies accountable and get our fiscal house back in order.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727985281246.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican, is a new member of the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency caucus. -(Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican, is a new member of the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency caucus. -(Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A third Kansas Republican lawmaker is set to join a caucus supporting president-elect Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann represents Kansas’ largest congressional district, the 1st District, and he joined the House Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency, or DOGE, caucus in late November.The House DOGE caucus and its companion panel in the Senate are intended to give lawmakers a way to pitch budget cuts under Trump’s new department, which doesn’t technically exist without an act of Congress.Mann, who recently won reelection, was not a part of the original list of caucus members. Congressmen from Florida and Texas launched the House caucus Nov. 19, selecting Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving Kansas’ 4th District, as a member.The Senate DOGE caucus launched days later, and Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall was selected as a member.Mann also met last week with the Trump allies selected to lead the new department, former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and tech billionaire Elon Musk, according to a representatives for his office.Following the meeting, Mann said in a statement that he discussed “ways we can work with President Trump to hold our agencies accountable and get our fiscal house back in order.”

Third Kansas lawmaker joins Trump ‘DOGE’ caucus

SALINE COUNTY—Salina Police are investigating after a 57-year-old Salina man fell victim to a phone scam involving a caller falsely claiming to be with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, the victim received a call that said the man’s Social Security number had been linked to a criminal scheme and that a warrant for his arrest had been issued, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. To avoid arrest, the caller demanded the victim send $13,700.

The man complied, withdrawing $11,700 from his bank account and transferring it via an unspecified service. He then purchased $2,000 worth of gift cards from a Dillons grocery store and provided the gift card numbers to the scammer.

Captain Feldman reminds the public that police or any local, state or federal agency will never request money via gift cards or wire transfers. Anyone receiving such calls should hang up and contact police.

SALINE COUNTY—Salina Police are investigating after a 57-year-old Salina man fell victim to a phone scam involving a caller falsely claiming to be with the Drug Enforcement Administration.Just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday, the victim received a call that said the man’s Social Security number had been linked to a criminal scheme and that a warrant for his arrest had been issued, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. To avoid arrest, the caller demanded the victim send $13,700.The man complied, withdrawing $11,700 from his bank account and transferring it via an unspecified service. He then purchased $2,000 worth of gift cards from a Dillons grocery store and provided the gift card numbers to the scammer.Captain Feldman reminds the public that police or any local, state or federal agency will never request money via gift cards or wire transfers. Anyone receiving such calls should hang up and contact police.

Police: Kansas man lost over $10,000 in DEA scam

President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has filled the key posts for his second term in office, prioritizing loyalty to him after he felt bruised and hampered by internal squabbling during his first term.

Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation fights in the Senate, even with Republicans in control, and two candidates have already withdrawn from consideration.

Trump would turn a former critic into an ally as the nation's top diplomat.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marco-rubio-trump-latin-america-secretary-of-state-87aff0ce93f638fb69e30b067ecd84fb">Rubio</a>, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate before the slot went to JD Vance. Rubio is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

His selection punctuates the hard pivot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48">Rubio</a>&nbsp;has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his own unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-secretary-pentagon-2d8030921ecef933778cf92afd40ec72">Hegseth</a>, 44, was a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” and had been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-pete-hegseth-trump-defense-secretary-2e2bdd16c8e90f5d037f763cfadbde94">Hegseth</a>&nbsp;served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011 and earning two Bronze Stars. He lacks senior military and national security experience and would oversee global crises ranging from Europe to the Middle East.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hegseth-assault-allegations-police-report-trump-e6ebec0a1a5c7fb51cb5e2198f5e12a5">A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted</a>&nbsp;in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report recently made public. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and has denied any wrongdoing.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-election-scott-bessent-trump-e4df1ef61309ee78f2affc2d9eabeff1">Bessent</a>, 62, is a former money manager for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-soros">George Soros</a>, a big Democratic donor, and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-deficit-trump-harris-kamala-debt-1ee3ff65e22ccf19d19b792ee22c46da">advocate for deficit reduction</a>. He founded the hedge fund Key Square Capital Management after having worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, Bessent would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary.

He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending.

Director of national intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard

Gabbard, 43, is a former Democratic House member from Hawaii who has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tulsi-gabbard-intelligence-director-russia-putin-0f661dd39bd16e248b16c049e6aa26c5">accused of echoing Russian propaganda.</a>&nbsp;She unsuccessfully sought the party’s 2020 presidential nomination and left the party in 2022. Gabbard endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-466dfdfe2f949ea20bc2f4ef13e21438">Gabbard</a>&nbsp;has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades and deployed to Iraq and Kuwait. If confirmed she would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, spent several years in top national security and intelligence positions.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaetz-trump-fbi-justice-department-248b46ba0c882dd46d661568e8bd3bd7">Bondi</a>, 59, was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.

Considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/things-to-know-pam-bondi-eec1d16075c7debda62223b475e3977d">a loyalist</a>, Bondi also has served with the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-allied group that has helped lay the groundwork for his future administration.

Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush-money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appeared on Fox News and has been critical of the criminal cases against him.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cabinet-labor-secretary-lori-chavezderemer-feaa4672efac644aa60722d3a3215df1">Republican U.S. House member</a>&nbsp;narrowly lost her reelection bid on Nov. 5 but had received strong backing from union members in her district.

As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the department's workforce and budget and put forth priorities that affect workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employees, among other responsibilities.

Chavez-DeRemer is one of a few House Republicans to endorse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c776a12a97468341bcfe8178638f127">the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act</a>&nbsp;that would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and penalize companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws in more than half the states.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/howard-lutnick-trump-crypto-economy-elon-musk-a03d95e323f7d2d4b722184d83e7b388">Lutnick</a>&nbsp;heads the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and is a cryptocurrency enthusiast. He is co-chair of Trump's transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration, with helping the president-elect fill key jobs in his second administration.

As secretary, Lutnick would play a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. He would oversee a sprawling Cabinet department whose oversight ranges from funding new computer chip factories and imposing trade restrictions to releasing economic data and monitoring the weather.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transition-white-house-staff-huckabee-f51121db5b18814bbab014e872c2a736">Noem</a>&nbsp;is a well-known conservative who used her two terms as South Dakota's governor to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions like other states, instead declaring South Dakota “open for business.” More recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kristi-noem-immigration-trump-homeland-security-border-60d998d6c973411c020fd5824456c860">Noem</a>&nbsp;faced sharp criticism for writing in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ratcliffe-cia-e5fe61f5e79206357085932f1252a852">Ratcliffe</a>, a former U.S. House member from Texas, was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term. He led U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will have held the highest intelligence positions in the U.S.

Health and human services secretary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rfk-hhs-health-kennedy-f40ee2398e3a280c1586eecdd80bdf7c">Kennedy</a>, 70, ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent before he dropped out and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">then endorsed Trump</a>. He's the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-jr-rfk-things-to-know-explained-who-is-hhs-5288a4a7277d1a0b4a7ede8f57a971ce">son of Democratic icon</a>&nbsp;Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his own presidential campaign.

Kennedy's nomination alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa">unfounded fears about vaccines</a>. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-transition-cabinet-agriculture-75911e79188c48e27d6c3c12f1a58e80">Rollins</a>, 52, is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for Trump's second administration.

She is a Texas attorney who was Trump's domestic policy adviser and director of his office of American innovation during his first term.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooke-rollins-trump-agriculture-179e8163568c723afe6d27848ce04c22">Rollins</a>&nbsp;previously was an aide to former Texas Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rick-perry">Rick Perry</a>, who also served in Trump's first term. Rollins also ran the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-duffy-cabinet-transportation-secretary-c465bbc516b5f898233f86bee31a7a45">Duffy</a>&nbsp;is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-duffy-cabinet-transportation-b673a7ef72b5633f731b088ce26e4832">served in the House for nearly nine years</a>, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.

Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-doug-collins-veterans-affairs-va-georgia-f9a14a486cb12fd5ac3f07b3068eb20a">Collins</a>&nbsp;is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential campaign, but was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins also served in the armed forces himself. He is a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-doug-burgum-interior-cabinet-2af5f4c0b891a2705c6132fbff16f278">North Dakota governor</a>, 68, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump after he dropped out of the running. Burgum then became a serious contender to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-rubio-vance-burgum-scott-8b6a3a22eecdfff668a5002ddfd3af18">be Trump’s vice presidential choice</a>&nbsp;in part because of his executive experience and business savvy. He also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump said Burgum would chair a new National Energy Council and have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2024-election-energy-secretary-d546f5f81d7b2347b49905be924dfcd7">Wright</a>&nbsp;is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

He also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-chris-wright-energy-cabinet-4161f363d59013339d5b444ddf123d45">Wright</a>&nbsp;said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The department is responsible for advancing the energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

McMahon,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-trump-education-secretary-wwe-613016d0c164b89765af761404cbb123">a billionaire professional wrestling mogul</a>, would make a return appearance in a second Trump administration. She led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 in Trump’s first term and twice ran unsuccessfully in Connecticut as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University. She has expressed support for charter schools and school choice.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator: Lee Zeldin

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stephen-miller-policy-immigration-9cc6ad3118779b23bff88022ca5e2260">Zeldin</a>&nbsp;does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LeeMZeldin/status/1856068555865026956">X</a>, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI" and "we will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”

Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often said his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

Housing and Urban Development secretary: Scott Turner

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-secretary-trump-scott-turner-nfl-727417b56d0e1f85a40eaf5f7d13d42f">Turner</a>&nbsp;is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.”

U.S. Trade Representative: Jamieson Greer

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trade-nec-economics-trump-elections-7a0be4a246256bc468fb7c0e8bff8639">Greer</a>&nbsp;is a partner at King &amp; Spalding, a Washington law firm. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be responsible for negotiating directly with foreign governments on trade deals and disputes, as well as memberships in international trade bodies such as the World Trade Organization. He previously was chief of staff to Robert Lighthizer, who was the trade representative in Trump's first term.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">Wiles</a>, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">background in Florida politics</a>, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">A former Army Green Beret</a>, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Hassett, 62, is a major advocate of tax cuts who was chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the first Trump term. In the new role as chairman of the National Economic Council, Trump said Hassett will play an important role in helping American families recover from inflation as well as in renewing and improving tax cuts Trump enacted in 2017, many of which are set to expire after 2025.

Homan, 62,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">has been tasked</a>&nbsp;with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He led the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump's first administration. Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings in the first term, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

Office of Management and Budget: Russell Vought

Vought, 48, held the position during Trump’s first presidency. He founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank whose mission is to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought also was closely involved with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/project-2025-trump-american-revolution-6e02a297fb91b55de01ba7e86615bb08">Project 2025</a>, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign.

Deputy chief of staff for policy: Stephen Miller

Miller, an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stephen-miller-policy-immigration-9cc6ad3118779b23bff88022ca5e2260">immigration hardliner</a>, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first term.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people living illegally in the U.S.

Scavino was an adviser in all three of the president-elect's campaigns and was described by the transition team as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides." He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House.

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and an assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during the campaign.

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

White House press secretary: Karoline Leavitt

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-press-secretary-4c550e04334e87d2075dc6bbe2e244bd">Leavitt</a>, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term. In 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-donald-trump-51418003338eb89abfbfc6aac6909abd">she ran for Congress in New Hampshire,</a>&nbsp;winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Warrington has served Trump as his personal attorney and lawyer for the campaign. Trump initially had tapped William McGinley to be White House counsel, but three weeks later said he instead was dispatching McGinley to work with his new Department of Government Efficiency. That panel will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending.

Johnson — not the Republican senator — served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first administration. Johnson is also a former U.S. Army veteran and was in the Central Intelligence Agency.

Barrack, a wealthy financier, met Trump in the 1980s while helping negotiate Trump’s purchase of the renowned Plaza Hotel. He was charged with using his personal access to the former president to secretly promote the interests of the United Arab Emirates, but was acquitted of all counts at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-new-york-donald-trump-brooklyn-united-arab-emirates-461c7dd912445be7a6837a2cdd4ff9c0">a federal trial</a>&nbsp;in 2022.

Guilfoyle is a former California prosecutor and television news personality who led the fundraising for Trump’s 2020 campaign and became engaged to Don Jr. in 2020. Trump called her “a close friend and ally” and praised her “sharp intellect make her supremely qualified.”

Updated list of Trump's picks for key positions in his administration

NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., who was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89.

Kreskin's friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, told news outlets that he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he spent much of his life. Galway did not provide additional details.

Inspired by the crime-fighting comic book character Mandrake the Magician, Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, making guest appearances on talk shows hosted by everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon.

Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted his own show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books, including “Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin” and “Mental Power Is Real.”

Although he was a talk show regular, one host wasn't amused by a Kreskin stunt. In 2002, he claimed that a UFO would appear over Las Vegas on the night of June 2, and added that he would donate $50,000 to charity if he was wrong. Hundreds of people gathered in the desert, in vain. Kreskin acknowledged to radio personality Art Bell that his prediction was a hoax, a way of proving that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the year before had made people susceptible to manipulation. Bell called the ruse “lame, lame, lame” and banned him from his show.

NEW YORK (AP) — George Joseph Kresge Jr., who was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin, has died at age 89.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of The Amazing Kreskin, born George Kresge, at the age of 89. Performing for all of you brought immense joy to his life, and it was something he deeply cherished. The family kindly asks for privacy during this difficult time. <a href="https://t.co/42kmVAOPE6">pic.twitter.com/42kmVAOPE6</a>&mdash; The Amazing Kreskin (@Kreskin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kreskin/status/1866657870173049126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kreskin's friend and former road manager, Ryan Galway, told news outlets that he died Tuesday at his home in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he spent much of his life. Galway did not provide additional details.Inspired by the crime-fighting comic book character Mandrake the Magician, Kreskin launched his television career in the 1960s and remained popular for decades, making guest appearances on talk shows hosted by everyone from Merv Griffin to Johnny Carson to Jimmy Fallon.Fans would welcome, if not entirely figure out, his favorite mind tricks — whether correctly guessing a playing card chosen at random, or, most famously, divining where his paycheck had been planted among the audience. He also hosted his own show in the 1970s, gave live performances and wrote numerous books, including “Secrets of the Amazing Kreskin” and “Mental Power Is Real.”Although he was a talk show regular, one host wasn't amused by a Kreskin stunt. In 2002, he claimed that a UFO would appear over Las Vegas on the night of June 2, and added that he would donate $50,000 to charity if he was wrong. Hundreds of people gathered in the desert, in vain. Kreskin acknowledged to radio personality Art Bell that his prediction was a hoax, a way of proving that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks the year before had made people susceptible to manipulation. Bell called the ruse “lame, lame, lame” and banned him from his show.

Amazing Kreskin, TV star master of mind games, dies at 89

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%20and%20JACK%20DURA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA and JACK DURA Associated Press</a>

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Young adult immigrants known as “Dreamers” in Kansas and 18 other U.S. states will be temporarily blocked from getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's public marketplace, a federal judge has ruled, limiting an effort by the Biden administration to help immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.

Judge Daniel Traynor of the U.S. District Court in North Dakota issued the order Monday from Bismarck, dealing a setback to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-insurance-migrants-obamacare-biden-a38541478bc1f6b7662b3901cefc9e93">a Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;that was estimated to allow 147,000 immigrants to enroll for coverage. Traynor's ruling came in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migrant-health-care-dreamers-states-lawsuit-b243450475670f13a3e86d6be3568804">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed over the policy and will remain in effect until the matter can go to trial.

The ruling applies to immigrants in 19 states where Republican attorneys general sued to avoid having to comply with the new policy. They cited concern over immigrants possibly qualifying for public subsidies available to many people insured under the ACA.

The GOP state officials argued that the rule created earlier this year by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would be a strong incentive for immigrants to remain in the U.S. illegally and could creating costs for states. They argued that both the Affordable Care Act and a 1996 law prohibit U.S. government benefits flowing to immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

“Dreamers” are part of a program that makes them a low priority for deportation. However, President-elect Donald Trump won the Nov. 5 election promising “the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-deportations-immigration-844f3050ba99552b900ed9f3a1dec22d">mass deportation program</a>&nbsp;in history.” He will succeed President Joe Biden on Jan. 20.

Traynor, a Trump appointee during his first term in office, concluded through what he called “a common-sense inference” that access to subsidized ACA coverage is a powerful incentive for people to remain in the U.S. illegally, creating a substantial risk that states will “suffer monetary harm.”

Federal law gives CMS the authority to determine whether someone is living in the U.S. legally, but, Traynor wrote, “It by no means allows the agency to circumvent congressional authority and redefine the term ‘lawfully present.’”

CMS said in a statement Tuesday that it is reviewing the lawsuit but does not comment on litigation.

Nicholas Espíritu, deputy legal director of the National Immigration Law Center, said some “Dreamers” have been waiting for more than a decade to get “life-sustaining” health coverage through the ACA.

“Judge Traynor’s ruling is both disappointing and wrong on the law,” Espíritu said, promising his group would continue to fight the issue.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719927364316.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach called the decision “a victory for the rule of law." He told reporters after a hearing in Bismarck in October that the Biden administration sought to redefine what it means to be an immigrant living in the U.S. legally by “executive fiat,” calling the rule “Alice in Wonderland stuff.” File photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach called the decision “a victory for the rule of law." He told reporters after a hearing in Bismarck in October that the Biden administration sought to redefine what it means to be an immigrant living in the U.S. legally by “executive fiat,” calling the rule “Alice in Wonderland stuff.” File photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%20and%20JACK%20DURA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By JOHN HANNA and JACK DURA Associated Press</a>BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Young adult immigrants known as “Dreamers” in Kansas and 18 other U.S. states will be temporarily blocked from getting health insurance through the Affordable Care Act's public marketplace, a federal judge has ruled, limiting an effort by the Biden administration to help immigrants brought to the country illegally as children.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Big win for the rule of law. Congress never intended that illegal aliens should receive Obama care benefits. Indeed, two laws prohibit them from receiving such benefits. The Biden administration tried to break those laws. But we fought back, and defeated the Justice Department. <a href="https://t.co/tBZZLzH2in">pic.twitter.com/tBZZLzH2in</a>&mdash; Kris W. Kobach (@KrisKobach1787) <a href="https://twitter.com/KrisKobach1787/status/1866225811516166152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Judge Daniel Traynor of the U.S. District Court in North Dakota issued the order Monday from Bismarck, dealing a setback to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-care-insurance-migrants-obamacare-biden-a38541478bc1f6b7662b3901cefc9e93">a Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;that was estimated to allow 147,000 immigrants to enroll for coverage. Traynor's ruling came in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/migrant-health-care-dreamers-states-lawsuit-b243450475670f13a3e86d6be3568804">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed over the policy and will remain in effect until the matter can go to trial.The ruling applies to immigrants in 19 states where Republican attorneys general sued to avoid having to comply with the new policy. They cited concern over immigrants possibly qualifying for public subsidies available to many people insured under the ACA.The GOP state officials argued that the rule created earlier this year by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services would be a strong incentive for immigrants to remain in the U.S. illegally and could creating costs for states. They argued that both the Affordable Care Act and a 1996 law prohibit U.S. government benefits flowing to immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.“Dreamers” are part of a program that makes them a low priority for deportation. However, President-elect Donald Trump won the Nov. 5 election promising “the largest&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-mass-deportations-immigration-844f3050ba99552b900ed9f3a1dec22d">mass deportation program</a>&nbsp;in history.” He will succeed President Joe Biden on Jan. 20.Traynor, a Trump appointee during his first term in office, concluded through what he called “a common-sense inference” that access to subsidized ACA coverage is a powerful incentive for people to remain in the U.S. illegally, creating a substantial risk that states will “suffer monetary harm.”Federal law gives CMS the authority to determine whether someone is living in the U.S. legally, but, Traynor wrote, “It by no means allows the agency to circumvent congressional authority and redefine the term ‘lawfully present.’”CMS said in a statement Tuesday that it is reviewing the lawsuit but does not comment on litigation.Nicholas Espíritu, deputy legal director of the National Immigration Law Center, said some “Dreamers” have been waiting for more than a decade to get “life-sustaining” health coverage through the ACA.“Judge Traynor’s ruling is both disappointing and wrong on the law,” Espíritu said, promising his group would continue to fight the issue.But Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach called the decision “a victory for the rule of law." He told reporters after a hearing in Bismarck in October that the Biden administration sought to redefine what it means to be an immigrant living in the U.S. legally by “executive fiat,” calling the rule “Alice in Wonderland stuff.”North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley added then that American taxpayers, through Congress, determine how the federal government treats immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.“And it doesn’t always come across as friendly and nice and cuddly, but it speaks to the access to our health care system, the cost of our health care system, and the burden on the American public, the taxpayer,” he said.Kansas and North Dakota are the lead plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in August. They've been joined by Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.“Thankfully, the court put another nail in the coffin of Biden’s radical left-wing agenda,” Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement Tuesday.___Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press Writer Kimberly Chandler in Mongtomery, Alabama, also contributed.