State’s GOP attorney general requested the justices release grip on Gannon decision

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

TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court issued a two-page order Tuesday releasing jurisdiction of the Gannon v. State school finance case after concluding the Legislature complied with mandates to resolve violations of the Kansas Constitution by suitably funding public education.

The Supreme Court issued the Gannon decision in 2019, but retained a grip on that case pending enactment of incremental increases in state aid to K-12 schools across Kansas. In a previous school funding case, the Legislature faltered on delivery of anticipated investment in schools and triggered litigation leading to Gannon.

Attorney General Kris Kobach requested the justices issue the order given funding adjustments were completed in the 2022-2023 school year.

“The Legislature must not take this ruling as license to cut funding from our public schools and crush an entire generation of Kansas students,” said Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. “Our schools have made so much progress over the past five years because we’ve fully funded K-12 education. Our students can’t afford to turn back the clock.”

Kelly said nearly 500,000 public school students shouldn’t bear the brunt of risky state tax experiments capable of draining the state treasury and leading to school budget cuts, four-day academic weeks and costly litigation.

“I am committed to standing against any and all attempts to strip our schools of the funding they need to prepare our students for success,” the governor said.

The order signed by Chief Justice Marla Luckert said Gannon plaintiff school districts acknowledged the Legislature had appropriated funding for the current and upcoming school years based on the approved formula, but the plaintiffs also raised concern “no one can know whether these amounts are sufficient” to meet needs.

“Given the court’s stated purpose was to retain jurisdiction to ensure implementation of the phased-in amounts and that has occurred, a majority of the court grants the (Kobach) motion,” the Supreme Court said.

Justice Eric Rosen, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, dissented from the majority. The order said Rosen would have denied the attorney general’s request and preserved the court’s control of the case given “legislative history of school funding” in Kansas.

Justice Caleb Stegall, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, didn’t participate in the court’s decision.

<h2>State’s GOP attorney general requested the justices release grip on Gannon decision</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672955037881.png" alt="The Kansas Supreme Court issued an order signed by Chief Justice Marla Luckert releasing after five years the court’s jurisdiction of Gannon v. State given the&nbsp; Legislature’s appropriation of funding to deal with school funding violations of the Kansas Constitution.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Supreme Court issued an order signed by Chief Justice Marla Luckert releasing after five years the court’s jurisdiction of Gannon v. State given the&nbsp; Legislature’s appropriation of funding to deal with school funding violations of the Kansas Constitution.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court issued a two-page order Tuesday releasing jurisdiction of the Gannon v. State school finance case after concluding the Legislature complied with mandates to resolve violations of the Kansas Constitution by suitably funding public education.The Supreme Court issued the Gannon decision in 2019, but retained a grip on that case pending enactment of incremental increases in state aid to K-12 schools across Kansas. In a previous school funding case, the Legislature faltered on delivery of anticipated investment in schools and triggered litigation leading to Gannon.Attorney General Kris Kobach requested the justices issue the order given funding adjustments were completed in the 2022-2023 school year.“The Legislature must not take this ruling as license to cut funding from our public schools and crush an entire generation of Kansas students,” said Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. “Our schools have made so much progress over the past five years because we’ve fully funded K-12 education. Our students can’t afford to turn back the clock.”Kelly said nearly 500,000 public school students shouldn’t bear the brunt of risky state tax experiments capable of draining the state treasury and leading to school budget cuts, four-day academic weeks and costly litigation.“I am committed to standing against any and all attempts to strip our schools of the funding they need to prepare our students for success,” the governor said.The order signed by Chief Justice Marla Luckert said Gannon plaintiff school districts acknowledged the Legislature had appropriated funding for the current and upcoming school years based on the approved formula, but the plaintiffs also raised concern “no one can know whether these amounts are sufficient” to meet needs.“Given the court’s stated purpose was to retain jurisdiction to ensure implementation of the phased-in amounts and that has occurred, a majority of the court grants the (Kobach) motion,” the Supreme Court said.Justice Eric Rosen, an appointee of Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, dissented from the majority. The order said Rosen would have denied the attorney general’s request and preserved the court’s control of the case given “legislative history of school funding” in Kansas.Justice Caleb Stegall, an appointee of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, didn’t participate in the court’s decision.

Kan. Supreme Court ends 5-year hold on jurisdiction of public school funding case

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, p0lice conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 900 block of Farmer's Plaza Lane in Great Bend for a moving infraction, according to a media release.

Officer's asked for consent to search the vehicle and the driver identified as 25-year-old Maddison Crawford granted permission and told officers there were drugs in the vehicle.

While searching the vehicle, Officers located a white crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside of the vehicle. Police placed Crawford under arrest and booked him into the Barton County jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, no tax stamp and illegal window tint. He is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707255085033.jpeg" alt="Crawford photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Crawford photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 2 a.m. Tuesday, p0lice conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 900 block of Farmer's Plaza Lane in Great Bend for a moving infraction, according to a media release.Officer's asked for consent to search the vehicle and the driver identified as 25-year-old Maddison Crawford granted permission and told officers there were drugs in the vehicle.While searching the vehicle, Officers located a white crystal-like substance consistent with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia inside of the vehicle. Police placed Crawford under arrest and booked him into the Barton County jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, no tax stamp and illegal window tint. He is being held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.

Driver told Kansas officers of meth in his vehicle

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Two ships traveling in Middle East waters were targeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-houthis-red-sea-jake-sullivan-yemen-ff507d06a7a44d6f3644f128e7766b3d">Yemen Houthi rebel</a>&nbsp;ballistic missile fire early Tuesday, authorities said, in the latest assaults in the Iranian-backed fighters' campaign of targeting vessels over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The first attack happened in the southern part of the Red Sea, west of the Yemeni port of Hodeida, with the projectile causing “slight damage” to the Barbados-flagged, United Kingdom-owned cargo ship Morning Tide's bridge windows, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. A small vessel had been nearby the ship before the attack, it added.

The Houthis carried out the attack using three anti-ship ballistic missiles, the United States military's Central Command said early Wednesday.

The Morning Tide’s owner, British firm Furadino Shipping, told The Associated Press no one was hurt in the attack and the ship was continuing onward to Singapore.

A second ship, the Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Star Nasia, also came under fire from three Houthi ballistic missiles, Central Command said. The USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, shot down one missile, the military said. An explosion from one of the missiles caused “minor damage but no injuries” on the Star Narsia, the Central Command said.

A military spokesperson of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed both attacks in a statement.

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s offensive in Gaza</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.

In recent weeks, the United States and the United Kingdom, backed by other allies, have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi missile arsenals and launch sites for its attacks.

The U.S. and Britain struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. An air assault Friday in Iraq and Syria targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">other Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan.

Central Command also acknowledged an attack Monday on the Houthis, in which they attacked what they described as two Houthi drone boats loaded with explosives.

American forces “determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region,” the military said. “These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.”

Separately, the White House on Tuesday walked back an earlier statement that it had alerted the Iraqi government prior to carrying out Friday's Iraq and Syria strikes. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters shortly after the strikes that Iraqi official were given advance warning about the U.S.-led operation. He said the assertion was based on information that was provided to him by U.S. officials.

“Turns out that information was incorrect,” said Kirby. He added that he regretted the error.

Kirby’s initial comments generated controversy in Iraq and vehement denials by officials in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has sought to walk a delicate line between the U.S. and Iran-backed armed groups in his country, many of which have associated political parties in the coalition that brought his government to power.

Sudani has condemned attacks on American troops, but has also pushed back against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jordan-dignified-transfer-dover-140000aa392fee8175616d8af813c0eb">U.S. retaliatory strikes</a>. Some of those strikes have hit facilities connected to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that was officially made part of the Iraqi military after joining the fight against the Islamic State in 2014 — although in practice, the militias continue to operate largely outside of state control.

Sudani has also called for an end to a U.S.-led coalition formed to fight IS. Some 2,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq as part of the mission. In late January, Iraqi and U.S. military officials launched a series of formal discussions on winding down the coalition’s presence. The talks were then suspended after the Jan. 28 strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. troops, but are expected to resume again in the coming weeks.

Iraq’s representative to the United Nations, Abbas Kadhim Obaid, speaking Tuesday as the U.N. Security Council met, condemned the U.S. strikes, as well as recent strikes launched by Turkey and Iran on Iraqi turf, as a breach of the country’s sovereignty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707001115180.png" alt="Image from video of launches from US. Warships supporting strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi targets over the weekend-U.S. Central CommandU.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Image from video of launches from US. Warships supporting strikes on Iranian-backed Houthi targets over the weekend-U.S. Central CommandU.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Two ships traveling in Middle East waters were targeted by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-houthis-red-sea-jake-sullivan-yemen-ff507d06a7a44d6f3644f128e7766b3d">Yemen Houthi rebel</a>&nbsp;ballistic missile fire early Tuesday, authorities said, in the latest assaults in the Iranian-backed fighters' campaign of targeting vessels over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The first attack happened in the southern part of the Red Sea, west of the Yemeni port of Hodeida, with the projectile causing “slight damage” to the Barbados-flagged, United Kingdom-owned cargo ship Morning Tide's bridge windows, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. A small vessel had been nearby the ship before the attack, it added.The Houthis carried out the attack using three anti-ship ballistic missiles, the United States military's Central Command said early Wednesday.The Morning Tide’s owner, British firm Furadino Shipping, told The Associated Press no one was hurt in the attack and the ship was continuing onward to Singapore.A second ship, the Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Star Nasia, also came under fire from three Houthi ballistic missiles, Central Command said. The USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, shot down one missile, the military said. An explosion from one of the missiles caused “minor damage but no injuries” on the Star Narsia, the Central Command said.A military spokesperson of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed both attacks in a statement.Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s offensive in Gaza</a>. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for trade among Asia, the Mideast and Europe.In recent weeks, the United States and the United Kingdom, backed by other allies, have launched airstrikes targeting Houthi missile arsenals and launch sites for its attacks.The U.S. and Britain struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday. An air assault Friday in Iraq and Syria targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">other Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan.Central Command also acknowledged an attack Monday on the Houthis, in which they attacked what they described as two Houthi drone boats loaded with explosives.American forces “determined they presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region,” the military said. “These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.”Separately, the White House on Tuesday walked back an earlier statement that it had alerted the Iraqi government prior to carrying out Friday's Iraq and Syria strikes. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters shortly after the strikes that Iraqi official were given advance warning about the U.S.-led operation. He said the assertion was based on information that was provided to him by U.S. officials.“Turns out that information was incorrect,” said Kirby. He added that he regretted the error.Kirby’s initial comments generated controversy in Iraq and vehement denials by officials in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has sought to walk a delicate line between the U.S. and Iran-backed armed groups in his country, many of which have associated political parties in the coalition that brought his government to power.Sudani has condemned attacks on American troops, but has also pushed back against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-jordan-dignified-transfer-dover-140000aa392fee8175616d8af813c0eb">U.S. retaliatory strikes</a>. Some of those strikes have hit facilities connected to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias that was officially made part of the Iraqi military after joining the fight against the Islamic State in 2014 — although in practice, the militias continue to operate largely outside of state control.Sudani has also called for an end to a U.S.-led coalition formed to fight IS. Some 2,500 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq as part of the mission. In late January, Iraqi and U.S. military officials launched a series of formal discussions on winding down the coalition’s presence. The talks were then suspended after the Jan. 28 strike in Jordan that killed three U.S. troops, but are expected to resume again in the coming weeks.Iraq’s representative to the United Nations, Abbas Kadhim Obaid, speaking Tuesday as the U.N. Security Council met, condemned the U.S. strikes, as well as recent strikes launched by Turkey and Iran on Iraqi turf, as a breach of the country’s sovereignty.

More ships targeted in Red Sea as U.S. walks back statement on Friday attack 

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Wyandotte County.

According to Kansas City, Kansas Police, a vehicle was southbound at a high rate of speed in the 400 Block of North 18th Street. The vehicle attempted to pass another vehicle in front.&nbsp;

As the speeding vehicle changed lanes, it struck a northbound vehicle head-on. The driver of the passing vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. EMS transported a passenger in the passing vehicle to the hospital in critical condition and driver of the the northbound vehicle for non-life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday in Wyandotte County.According to Kansas City, Kansas Police, a vehicle was southbound at a high rate of speed in the 400 Block of North 18th Street. The vehicle attempted to pass another vehicle in front.&nbsp;As the speeding vehicle changed lanes, it struck a northbound vehicle head-on. The driver of the passing vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. EMS transported a passenger in the passing vehicle to the hospital in critical condition and driver of the the northbound vehicle for non-life-threatening injuries. Police released no additional details early Wednesday.

Driver dead, two others injured after Kansas head-on crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp;–On Tuesday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas teacher for alleged sex crimes, according to a media release from the agency.

Just after 6 p.m., KBI agents arrested 38-year-old Brian Stuckenschmidt of Topeka, on a warrant for rape and aggravated criminal sodomy.

In May of 2023, the KBI initiated an investigation after a former student reported incidents that took place between January and May of 2018, when Stuckenschmidt was her music teacher at USD 452 in Johnson City, Kansas. Stuckenschmidt is currently employed at a Topeka school, but was placed on administrative leave in June 2023, when KBI agents brought the investigation to the attention of school officials.

Following the arrest, Stuckenschmidt was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707274518943.png" alt="Stuckenschmidt-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Stuckenschmidt-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp;–On Tuesday, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) arrested a Kansas teacher for alleged sex crimes, according to a media release from the agency.Just after 6 p.m., KBI agents arrested 38-year-old Brian Stuckenschmidt of Topeka, on a warrant for rape and aggravated criminal sodomy.In May of 2023, the KBI initiated an investigation after a former student reported incidents that took place between January and May of 2018, when Stuckenschmidt was her music teacher at USD 452 in Johnson City, Kansas. Stuckenschmidt is currently employed at a Topeka school, but was placed on administrative leave in June 2023, when KBI agents brought the investigation to the attention of school officials.Following the arrest, Stuckenschmidt was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

KBI: Kansas music teacher accused of child sex crimes

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman has been sentenced to almost five&nbsp; years in prison for selling illegal drugs.

According to court documents, Andrea Brooke Kendall, 43, of Wichita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the United State's Attorney.

In January 2022, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was working undercover arranged to purchase meth from Kendall. She sold the deputy two ounces of meth and 100 fentanyl pills. 

Law enforcement officers observed the transaction then followed Kendall to another location where her vehicle was searched. Deputies found 12.25 grams of heroin, nearly a pound a meth, as well as methadone, amphetamine, Pregabalin, and fentanyl pills.

Co-defendant Aaron Roberson, 39, of Wichita was a passenger in Kendall’s vehicle at the time of another traffic stop. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 22 months in prison.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706975743137.png" alt="Kendall-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Kendall-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman has been sentenced to almost five&nbsp; years in prison for selling illegal drugs.According to court documents, Andrea Brooke Kendall, 43, of Wichita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the United State's Attorney.In January 2022, a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office deputy who was working undercover arranged to purchase meth from Kendall. She sold the deputy two ounces of meth and 100 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers observed the transaction then followed Kendall to another location where her vehicle was searched. Deputies found 12.25 grams of heroin, nearly a pound a meth, as well as methadone, amphetamine, Pregabalin, and fentanyl pills.Co-defendant Aaron Roberson, 39, of Wichita was a passenger in Kendall’s vehicle at the time of another traffic stop. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 22 months in prison.&nbsp;

Kan. woman sold meth and fentanyl to undercover deputy

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a dramatic setback, House Republicans failed Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, forced to shelve a high-profile priority — for now — after a few GOP lawmakers refused to go along with the party’s plan.

The stunning roll call fell just a few votes short of impeaching Mayorkas, stalling the Republicans’ drive to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border. With Democrats united against the charges, the Republicans needed almost every vote from their slim majority to approve the articles of impeachment.

The final vote was 214-216. The GOP members of the Kansas delegation voted for impeachment.

Four Republicans — Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, Utah Rep. Blake Moore and California Rep. Tom McClintock — joined the Democrats in voting against the resolution to impeach.

The House is likely to revisit plans to impeach Mayorkas, but next steps are highly uncertain.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, who could lose only a few Republicans from his slim majority, said he personally spoke to the GOP holdouts acknowledging the “heavy, heavy” vote as he sought their support.

“It’s an extreme measure,” said Johnson, R-La.. “But extreme times call for extreme measures.”

Not since 1876 has a Cabinet secretary faced impeachment charges and it's the first time a sitting secretary is being impeached — 148 years ago, Secretary of War William Belknap resigned just before the vote.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-homeland-security-impeachment-congress-f369f4b6270e59cb7b7003bc9d7ce448">impeachment charges</a>&nbsp;against Mayorkas come as border security is fast becoming a top political issue in the 2024 election, a particularly potent line of attack being leveled at President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;by Republicans, led by the party's front-runner for the presidential nomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Record numbers of people have been arriving at the southern border, many fleeing countries around the world, in what Mayorkas calls an era of global migration. Many migrants are claiming asylum and being conditionally released into the U.S., arriving in cities that are underequipped to provide housing and other aid while they await judicial proceedings which can take years to determine whether they may remain.

The House Democrats united against the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, calling the proceedings a sham designed to please Trump, charges that do not rise to the Constitution's bar of treason, bribery or “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

“A bunch of garbage,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. He called Mayorkas “a good man, a decent man,” who is simply trying to do his job.

Even if Republicans are able to impeach Mayorkas, he is not expected to be convicted in a Senate trial where Republican senators have been cool to the effort. The Senate could simply refer the matter to a committee for its own investigation, delaying immediate action.

The impeachment of Mayorkas landed quickly onto the House agenda after Republican efforts to impeach Biden over the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden, hit a lull, and the investigation into the Biden family drags.

The Committee on Homeland Security under Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., had been investigating the secretary for much of the past year, including probing the flow of deadly fentanyl into the U.S. But a resolution from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a Trump ally, pushed it to the fore. The panel swiftly held a pair of hearings in January before announcing the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.

Unlike other moments in impeachment history, the arguments played out to an almost empty chamber, without the fervor or solemnity of past proceedings.

Greene, who was named to be one of the impeachment managers for the Senate trial, rose to blame Mayorkas for the “invasion” of migrants coming to the U.S.

Republican Rep. Eli Crane if Arizona said Mayorkas had committed a “dereliction of duty.”

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Mayorkas impeachment vote was a stunt designed by Republicans to sow “chaos and confusion" and appease Trump — rather than to govern.

“No reasonable American can conclude that you're making life better for them by this sham impeachment,” Jeffries said.

A former federal prosecutor, the secretary never testified on his own behalf, but submitted a rare letter to the panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/impeaching-mayorkas-homeland-security-immigration-border-89c898c58b214acf83eecb21c1d8a9ef">defending his work</a>.

Tuesday's vote arrives at a politically odd juncture for Mayorkas, who has been shuttling to the Senate to negotiate a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-border-package-asylum-ukraine-1dde30b223ebe854a48fde0497c9f227">bipartisan border security package</a>, earning high marks from a group of senators involved.

But that legislation, which emerged Sunday as one of the most ambitious immigration overhauls in years, is heading toward instant defeat in a Wednesday test vote. Trump sharply criticized the bipartisan effort, other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">Republicans are panning it</a>&nbsp;and Speaker Johnson says it's “dead on arrival.”

One Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Ca., announced his opposition saying the charges “fail to identify an impeachable crime that Mayorkas has committed.”

The conservative McClintock said in a lengthy memo that the articles of impeachment from the committee explain the problems at the border under Biden's watch. But he said, “they stretch and distort the Constitution.”

Another Republican, retiring Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, also said he was against impeaching Mayorkas.

Impeachment,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/impeachment-house-censure-schiff-biden-boebert-70a2206fc0c543a307fc3ec63d5287e9">once rare</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., has been used as both a constitutional check on the executive and increasingly as a political weapon.

The House Republicans have put a priority this session of Congress on impeachments, censures and other rebukes of officials and lawmakers, setting a new standard that is concerning scholars and others for the ways in which they can dole out punishments for perceived transgressions.

Experts have argued that Mayorkas has simply been snared in a policy dispute with Republicans who disapprove of the Biden administration's approach to the border situation.

Constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley said impeachment is not to be used for being “a bad Cabinet member.” Lawyer Alan Dershowitz wrote, "Whatever else Mayorkas may or may not have done, he has not committed bribery, treason, or high crimes and misdemeanors."

Scholars point out that the Constitution's framers initially considered “maladministration” as an impeachable offense, but dropped it over concern of giving the legislative branch too much sway over the executive and disrupting the balance of power.

Three former secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson, said in a letter Tuesday that impeaching the Cabinet official over policy disputes would “jeopardize our national security.”

Senators have shown little interest in a potential impeachment trial. “I don’t think the House should do anything that’s dead on arrival in the Senate,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.

Trump as president was twice impeached — first in 2019 on abuse of power over his phone call with the Ukrainian president seeking a favor to dig up dirt on then-rival Biden, and later on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol. He was acquitted on both impeachments in the Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707265437141.png" alt="House Speaker Mike Johnson announcing the final vote totals -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Mike Johnson announcing the final vote totals -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a dramatic setback, House Republicans failed Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, forced to shelve a high-profile priority — for now — after a few GOP lawmakers refused to go along with the party’s plan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Disappointed in the House&#39;s showing tonight. However, the final vote belongs to the American people in November.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1755024735463776702?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The stunning roll call fell just a few votes short of impeaching Mayorkas, stalling the Republicans’ drive to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border. With Democrats united against the charges, the Republicans needed almost every vote from their slim majority to approve the articles of impeachment.The final vote was 214-216. The GOP members of the Kansas delegation voted for impeachment.Four Republicans — Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, Utah Rep. Blake Moore and California Rep. Tom McClintock — joined the Democrats in voting against the resolution to impeach.The House is likely to revisit plans to impeach Mayorkas, but next steps are highly uncertain.House Speaker Mike Johnson, who could lose only a few Republicans from his slim majority, said he personally spoke to the GOP holdouts acknowledging the “heavy, heavy” vote as he sought their support.“It’s an extreme measure,” said Johnson, R-La.. “But extreme times call for extreme measures.”Not since 1876 has a Cabinet secretary faced impeachment charges and it's the first time a sitting secretary is being impeached — 148 years ago, Secretary of War William Belknap resigned just before the vote.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-homeland-security-impeachment-congress-f369f4b6270e59cb7b7003bc9d7ce448">impeachment charges</a>&nbsp;against Mayorkas come as border security is fast becoming a top political issue in the 2024 election, a particularly potent line of attack being leveled at President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;by Republicans, led by the party's front-runner for the presidential nomination,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.Record numbers of people have been arriving at the southern border, many fleeing countries around the world, in what Mayorkas calls an era of global migration. Many migrants are claiming asylum and being conditionally released into the U.S., arriving in cities that are underequipped to provide housing and other aid while they await judicial proceedings which can take years to determine whether they may remain.The House Democrats united against the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, calling the proceedings a sham designed to please Trump, charges that do not rise to the Constitution's bar of treason, bribery or “high crimes and misdemeanors.”“A bunch of garbage,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. He called Mayorkas “a good man, a decent man,” who is simply trying to do his job.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698796524154.png" alt="Secretary Mayorkas file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Secretary Mayorkas file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Even if Republicans are able to impeach Mayorkas, he is not expected to be convicted in a Senate trial where Republican senators have been cool to the effort. The Senate could simply refer the matter to a committee for its own investigation, delaying immediate action.The impeachment of Mayorkas landed quickly onto the House agenda after Republican efforts to impeach Biden over the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden, hit a lull, and the investigation into the Biden family drags.The Committee on Homeland Security under Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., had been investigating the secretary for much of the past year, including probing the flow of deadly fentanyl into the U.S. But a resolution from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a Trump ally, pushed it to the fore. The panel swiftly held a pair of hearings in January before announcing the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.Unlike other moments in impeachment history, the arguments played out to an almost empty chamber, without the fervor or solemnity of past proceedings.Greene, who was named to be one of the impeachment managers for the Senate trial, rose to blame Mayorkas for the “invasion” of migrants coming to the U.S.Republican Rep. Eli Crane if Arizona said Mayorkas had committed a “dereliction of duty.”Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the Mayorkas impeachment vote was a stunt designed by Republicans to sow “chaos and confusion" and appease Trump — rather than to govern.“No reasonable American can conclude that you're making life better for them by this sham impeachment,” Jeffries said.A former federal prosecutor, the secretary never testified on his own behalf, but submitted a rare letter to the panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/impeaching-mayorkas-homeland-security-immigration-border-89c898c58b214acf83eecb21c1d8a9ef">defending his work</a>.Tuesday's vote arrives at a politically odd juncture for Mayorkas, who has been shuttling to the Senate to negotiate a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-border-package-asylum-ukraine-1dde30b223ebe854a48fde0497c9f227">bipartisan border security package</a>, earning high marks from a group of senators involved.But that legislation, which emerged Sunday as one of the most ambitious immigration overhauls in years, is heading toward instant defeat in a Wednesday test vote. Trump sharply criticized the bipartisan effort, other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">Republicans are panning it</a>&nbsp;and Speaker Johnson says it's “dead on arrival.”One Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Ca., announced his opposition saying the charges “fail to identify an impeachable crime that Mayorkas has committed.”The conservative McClintock said in a lengthy memo that the articles of impeachment from the committee explain the problems at the border under Biden's watch. But he said, “they stretch and distort the Constitution.”Another Republican, retiring Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, also said he was against impeaching Mayorkas.Impeachment,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/impeachment-house-censure-schiff-biden-boebert-70a2206fc0c543a307fc3ec63d5287e9">once rare</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., has been used as both a constitutional check on the executive and increasingly as a political weapon.The House Republicans have put a priority this session of Congress on impeachments, censures and other rebukes of officials and lawmakers, setting a new standard that is concerning scholars and others for the ways in which they can dole out punishments for perceived transgressions.Experts have argued that Mayorkas has simply been snared in a policy dispute with Republicans who disapprove of the Biden administration's approach to the border situation.Constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley said impeachment is not to be used for being “a bad Cabinet member.” Lawyer Alan Dershowitz wrote, "Whatever else Mayorkas may or may not have done, he has not committed bribery, treason, or high crimes and misdemeanors."Scholars point out that the Constitution's framers initially considered “maladministration” as an impeachable offense, but dropped it over concern of giving the legislative branch too much sway over the executive and disrupting the balance of power.Three former secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano and Jeh Johnson, said in a letter Tuesday that impeaching the Cabinet official over policy disputes would “jeopardize our national security.”Senators have shown little interest in a potential impeachment trial. “I don’t think the House should do anything that’s dead on arrival in the Senate,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.Trump as president was twice impeached — first in 2019 on abuse of power over his phone call with the Ukrainian president seeking a favor to dig up dirt on then-rival Biden, and later on the charge of inciting the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol. He was acquitted on both impeachments in the Senate.

Kan. GOP lawmakers vote to impeach Mayorkas but House effort fails

EDITOR'S Note the story has been updated to correct the relationship between the two suspect. Officials in Montgomery County originally indicated they were father and son.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend homicide and have a man and his nephew custody.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of West 10th Street, according to a media release.

First responders located gunshot victim, Ramon Burnett, 39, of Coffeyville.&nbsp; EMS transported Burnett to a local hospital and he was later pronounced deceased.

Police took two suspects into custody, William R. McGinnis, 50, of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma and his nephew Michael L. McGinnis, 28, of Liberty, Kansas.

They both have a recommended charge of Murder in the 2nd degree in addition to drug and aggravated endangering a child allegations, according to online jail records.

Michael has ten previous convictions that include burglary, theft, criminal threat, trespass on railroad property, interference with law enforcement to destroy evidence and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707165696447.png" alt="McGinnis photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>McGinnis photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>EDITOR'S Note the story has been updated to correct the relationship between the two suspect. Officials in Montgomery County originally indicated they were father and son.MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a weekend homicide and have a man and his nephew custody.Just before 7p.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the 1400 block of West 10th Street, according to a media release.First responders located gunshot victim, Ramon Burnett, 39, of Coffeyville.&nbsp; EMS transported Burnett to a local hospital and he was later pronounced deceased.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707339556817.jpeg" alt="Michael Lynn McGinnis Jr, picture from Coffeyville PD" />
 <figcaption>Michael Lynn McGinnis Jr, picture from Coffeyville PD</figcaption>
 </figure>Police took two suspects into custody, William R. McGinnis, 50, of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma and his nephew Michael L. McGinnis, 28, of Liberty, Kansas.They both have a recommended charge of Murder in the 2nd degree in addition to drug and aggravated endangering a child allegations, according to online jail records.Michael has ten previous convictions that include burglary, theft, criminal threat, trespass on railroad property, interference with law enforcement to destroy evidence and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Uncle, nephew accused in Kansas homicide

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Congress to “show some spine” and stand up to Donald Trump even as a Senate deal on border enforcement measures and Ukraine aid rapidly collapsed.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

Just minutes after the Democratic president's remarks at the White House, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell emerged from a GOP luncheon at the Capitol and acknowledged that the deal was dead.

“It looks to me and to most of our members that we have no real chance here to make a law,” the Kentucky Republican told reporters.

The split-screen moments in Washington represented a swift turn of events that showed McConnell’s slipping control of his GOP conference, Trump’s growing influence, and Biden’s ability only to look on as a cornerstone of his foreign policy — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance into Europe — crumbled in Congress.

Biden had engaged for months on a carefully negotiated plan to pair policies intended to curb illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border with $60 billion in wartime aid for Ukraine. The bill was intended to exhibit American strength around the world and also would have sent tens of billions of dollars more for Israel, other U.S. allies in Asia, the U.S. immigration system and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.

But after Republicans backed away from the compromise, the president and Senate leaders are now stranded with no clear way to advance aid for Ukraine through Congress. They have run into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">wall of opposition from conservatives</a>&nbsp;— led by Trump — who reject the border proposal as insufficient and criticize the Ukraine funding as wasteful.

Biden laid blame for the bill's demise squarely on Trump — his likely Republican opponent in the November presidential election.

“For the last 24 hours he’s done nothing, I’m told, but reach out to Republicans in the House and the Senate and threaten them and try to intimidate them to vote against this proposal,” Biden said. "It looks like they’re caving. Frankly, they owe it to the American people to show some spine and do what they know to be right.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer cast Tuesday as a “gloomy day here in the United States Senate” during an earlier floor speech in which he scolded Republicans for backing away from the deal. He offered to delay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-senate-border-security-bill-ukraine-348caee96e711403825881384b6bc46c">a key test vote</a>&nbsp;on the package until Thursday, but still dared them to vote against border security — an issue they have long championed.

“After months of good faith negotiations, after months of giving Republicans many of the things they asked for, Leader McConnell and the Republican conference are ready to kill the national security supplemental package even with border provisions they so fervently demand,” Schumer said.

The White House has worked for months with senators on the carefully negotiated compromise in hopes that it would unlock Republican votes for the Ukraine aid in the House — where scores of GOP lawmakers have come out against funding Kyiv's fight against Russia.

The Pentagon is sending no more arms shipments to Kyiv just as the war — entering its third year — reaches a critical juncture. Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-zelenskyy-putin-afb3bc4714b1dca631bd4df6f931bd56">is struggling</a>&nbsp;with ammunition and personnel shortages while Russia is on the offensive,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-lysychansk-bakery-shelling-war-61ce6fc809bd73ac0fa994e8b7e84286">mounting relentless attacks</a>.

“Every week, every month that passes without new aid to Ukraine means fewer artillery shells, fewer air defense systems, fewer tools for Ukraine to defend itself against this Russian onslaught,” Biden said. "Just what Putin wants.”

The lack of a national security deal will loom large over Biden’s Friday meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Biden plans to underscore to Scholz that he remains committed to providing Ukraine the funding it needs to continue to repel the nearly two-year old Russian invasion.

McConnell said in an earlier floor speech that it was essential to assert American strength in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, yet also blamed Biden for not responding sooner to threats from rival powers.

“Either we confront challenges we face with clear strategy and firm resolve or we lose,” McConnell said.

Facing resistance from House Republicans to funding Ukraine, McConnell last year had insisted on pairing the money with border policy changes. But the longtime Republican leader has not been able to convince his conference to warm to the compromises on border security after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee</a>, excoriated it.

Within hours of the bill's release Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not support it, and even GOP senators who had been supportive of the border policies under discussion came out against the bill on Tuesday.

The border proposal represents one of the most conservative and comprehensive proposals in decades to emerge from a bipartisan negotiation in Congress. It would seek to tamp down the historic number of illegal border crossings by making the asylum process tougher and faster. Presidential administrations would also be given authority to deny migrants from claiming asylum at the border if the number of migrants claiming asylum becomes unmanageable for authorities.

“We have a very conservative bipartisan border bill that fixes the problem at the border,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who negotiated the bill for Democrats. “And it’s time for the country to see where people stand on that.”

But Republicans have largely heeded the wishes of Trump to reject the bill because it would show that Biden could act to address problems at the border, which is seen as one of his largest vulnerabilities in his reelection campaign.

“The politics of this were a big factor,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. “When the speaker said basically the Senate bill is dead on arrival. And then President Trump weighs in and discourages Republicans from voting for it."

Cornyn said he would support a move to jettison the border measures from the package and try to advance the aid for U.S. allies on their own.

But that idea also faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-15e2e3fac2b29b5b4bbe1eae8eb1c924">resistance in the Republican-controlled House</a>, where Johnson has also left any support for Ukraine aid in doubt.

When asked about wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel Tuesday, he told reporters, “We have to deal with these measures and these issues independently and separately.”

The House was scheduled to vote on a $17.6 billion package of military aid for Israel, but hardline conservatives have signaled opposition because the funding would not be offset with budget cuts in other areas.

House Democratic leaders also said they would not support the bill for Israel. In a letter to Democrats, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Reps. Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, said the bill was not being offered “in good faith” and urged Democrats to hold out for a package that addresses Ukraine and allies in Asia.

“It is a nakedly obvious and cynical attempt by MAGA extremists to undermine the possibility of a comprehensive, bipartisan funding package that addresses America’s national security challenges in the Middle East, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific region and throughout the world,” they said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday urged Congress to “show some spine” and stand up to Donald Trump even as a Senate deal on border enforcement measures and Ukraine aid rapidly collapsed.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F2078981562501226%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=231" width="560" height="314" 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>Just minutes after the Democratic president's remarks at the White House, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell emerged from a GOP luncheon at the Capitol and acknowledged that the deal was dead.“It looks to me and to most of our members that we have no real chance here to make a law,” the Kentucky Republican told reporters.The split-screen moments in Washington represented a swift turn of events that showed McConnell’s slipping control of his GOP conference, Trump’s growing influence, and Biden’s ability only to look on as a cornerstone of his foreign policy — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance into Europe — crumbled in Congress.Biden had engaged for months on a carefully negotiated plan to pair policies intended to curb illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border with $60 billion in wartime aid for Ukraine. The bill was intended to exhibit American strength around the world and also would have sent tens of billions of dollars more for Israel, other U.S. allies in Asia, the U.S. immigration system and humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.But after Republicans backed away from the compromise, the president and Senate leaders are now stranded with no clear way to advance aid for Ukraine through Congress. They have run into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-a39e188fa2c6a563203d2c69eaabdc6d">wall of opposition from conservatives</a>&nbsp;— led by Trump — who reject the border proposal as insufficient and criticize the Ukraine funding as wasteful.Biden laid blame for the bill's demise squarely on Trump — his likely Republican opponent in the November presidential election.“For the last 24 hours he’s done nothing, I’m told, but reach out to Republicans in the House and the Senate and threaten them and try to intimidate them to vote against this proposal,” Biden said. "It looks like they’re caving. Frankly, they owe it to the American people to show some spine and do what they know to be right.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer cast Tuesday as a “gloomy day here in the United States Senate” during an earlier floor speech in which he scolded Republicans for backing away from the deal. He offered to delay&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-senate-border-security-bill-ukraine-348caee96e711403825881384b6bc46c">a key test vote</a>&nbsp;on the package until Thursday, but still dared them to vote against border security — an issue they have long championed.“After months of good faith negotiations, after months of giving Republicans many of the things they asked for, Leader McConnell and the Republican conference are ready to kill the national security supplemental package even with border provisions they so fervently demand,” Schumer said.The White House has worked for months with senators on the carefully negotiated compromise in hopes that it would unlock Republican votes for the Ukraine aid in the House — where scores of GOP lawmakers have come out against funding Kyiv's fight against Russia.The Pentagon is sending no more arms shipments to Kyiv just as the war — entering its third year — reaches a critical juncture. Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-zelenskyy-putin-afb3bc4714b1dca631bd4df6f931bd56">is struggling</a>&nbsp;with ammunition and personnel shortages while Russia is on the offensive,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-lysychansk-bakery-shelling-war-61ce6fc809bd73ac0fa994e8b7e84286">mounting relentless attacks</a>.“Every week, every month that passes without new aid to Ukraine means fewer artillery shells, fewer air defense systems, fewer tools for Ukraine to defend itself against this Russian onslaught,” Biden said. "Just what Putin wants.”The lack of a national security deal will loom large over Biden’s Friday meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Biden plans to underscore to Scholz that he remains committed to providing Ukraine the funding it needs to continue to repel the nearly two-year old Russian invasion.McConnell said in an earlier floor speech that it was essential to assert American strength in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, yet also blamed Biden for not responding sooner to threats from rival powers.“Either we confront challenges we face with clear strategy and firm resolve or we lose,” McConnell said.Facing resistance from House Republicans to funding Ukraine, McConnell last year had insisted on pairing the money with border policy changes. But the longtime Republican leader has not been able to convince his conference to warm to the compromises on border security after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">Trump, the likely Republican presidential nominee</a>, excoriated it.Within hours of the bill's release Sunday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not support it, and even GOP senators who had been supportive of the border policies under discussion came out against the bill on Tuesday.The border proposal represents one of the most conservative and comprehensive proposals in decades to emerge from a bipartisan negotiation in Congress. It would seek to tamp down the historic number of illegal border crossings by making the asylum process tougher and faster. Presidential administrations would also be given authority to deny migrants from claiming asylum at the border if the number of migrants claiming asylum becomes unmanageable for authorities.“We have a very conservative bipartisan border bill that fixes the problem at the border,” said Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who negotiated the bill for Democrats. “And it’s time for the country to see where people stand on that.”But Republicans have largely heeded the wishes of Trump to reject the bill because it would show that Biden could act to address problems at the border, which is seen as one of his largest vulnerabilities in his reelection campaign.“The politics of this were a big factor,” said Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican. “When the speaker said basically the Senate bill is dead on arrival. And then President Trump weighs in and discourages Republicans from voting for it."Cornyn said he would support a move to jettison the border measures from the package and try to advance the aid for U.S. allies on their own.But that idea also faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-15e2e3fac2b29b5b4bbe1eae8eb1c924">resistance in the Republican-controlled House</a>, where Johnson has also left any support for Ukraine aid in doubt.When asked about wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel Tuesday, he told reporters, “We have to deal with these measures and these issues independently and separately.”The House was scheduled to vote on a $17.6 billion package of military aid for Israel, but hardline conservatives have signaled opposition because the funding would not be offset with budget cuts in other areas.House Democratic leaders also said they would not support the bill for Israel. In a letter to Democrats, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, along with Reps. Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, said the bill was not being offered “in good faith” and urged Democrats to hold out for a package that addresses Ukraine and allies in Asia.“It is a nakedly obvious and cynical attempt by MAGA extremists to undermine the possibility of a comprehensive, bipartisan funding package that addresses America’s national security challenges in the Middle East, Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific region and throughout the world,” they said.

🎥 Biden to Congress: Show some spine and stand up to Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) —Bolts that helped secure a panel to the frame of a Boeing 737 Max 9 were missing before the panel blew off the Alaska Airlines plane last month, according to accident investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the Jan. 5 incident Tuesday.

The report included a photo from Boeing, which worked on the panel, which is called a door plug. In the photo, three of the four bolts that prevent the panel from moving upward are missing. The location of the fourth bolt is obscured.

The investigators said that the lack of certain damage around the panel indicates that all four bolts were missing before the plane took off from Portland, Oregon.

Pilots were forced to make a harrowing emergency landing with a hole in the side of the plane.

Without the bolts, nothing prevented the panel from sliding upward and detaching from “stop pads” that secured it to the airframe.

The preliminary report said the door plug, installed by supplier Spirit AeroSystems, arrived at Boeing’s factory near Seattle with five damaged rivets around the plug. A Boeing crew replaced the damaged rivets, which required them to remove the four bolts to open the plug.

The NTSB did not declare a probable cause for the accident – that will come at the end of an investigation that could last a year or longer.

“Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened,” CEO David Calhoun said in a statement. “An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers.”

Investigators said they were still trying to determine who authorized the Boeing crew to open and reinstall the door plug.

Safety experts have said the accident could have been catastrophic if the Alaska jet had reached cruising altitude. The decompression in the cabin after the blowout would have been far stronger, and passengers and flight attendants might have been walking around instead of being belted into their seats.

The incident has added to questions about manufacturing quality at Boeing that started with the deadly crashes of two Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing and its suppliers followed proper safety procedures in manufacturing parts for the Max. The FAA has barred Boeing from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive">speeding up production of 737s</a>&nbsp;until the agency is satisfied about quality issues.

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said Tuesday that his agency is about halfway through a six-week audit of manufacturing processes at Boeing and its key supplier on the Max, Spirit AeroSystems. He said the agency is confronted with two questions — what’s wrong with the Max 9, and “what’s going on with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">production at Boeing</a>?”

Spirit AeroSystems, which Boeing spun off as a separate company nearly 20 years ago, said in a statement that it was reviewing the NTSB preliminary report and was working with Boeing and regulators “on continuous improvement in our processes and meeting the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705012450283.png" alt="This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Bolts that helped secure a panel to the frame of a Boeing 737 Max 9 were missing before the panel blew off the Alaska Airlines plane last month, according to accident investigators.The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the Jan. 5 incident Tuesday.The report included a photo from Boeing, which worked on the panel, which is called a door plug. In the photo, three of the four bolts that prevent the panel from moving upward are missing. The location of the fourth bolt is obscured.The investigators said that the lack of certain damage around the panel indicates that all four bolts were missing before the plane took off from Portland, Oregon.Pilots were forced to make a harrowing emergency landing with a hole in the side of the plane.Without the bolts, nothing prevented the panel from sliding upward and detaching from “stop pads” that secured it to the airframe.The preliminary report said the door plug, installed by supplier Spirit AeroSystems, arrived at Boeing’s factory near Seattle with five damaged rivets around the plug. A Boeing crew replaced the damaged rivets, which required them to remove the four bolts to open the plug.The NTSB did not declare a probable cause for the accident – that will come at the end of an investigation that could last a year or longer.“Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened,” CEO David Calhoun said in a statement. “An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers.”Investigators said they were still trying to determine who authorized the Boeing crew to open and reinstall the door plug.Safety experts have said the accident could have been catastrophic if the Alaska jet had reached cruising altitude. The decompression in the cabin after the blowout would have been far stronger, and passengers and flight attendants might have been walking around instead of being belted into their seats.The incident has added to questions about manufacturing quality at Boeing that started with the deadly crashes of two Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing and its suppliers followed proper safety procedures in manufacturing parts for the Max. The FAA has barred Boeing from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive">speeding up production of 737s</a>&nbsp;until the agency is satisfied about quality issues.FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said Tuesday that his agency is about halfway through a six-week audit of manufacturing processes at Boeing and its key supplier on the Max, Spirit AeroSystems. He said the agency is confronted with two questions — what’s wrong with the Max 9, and “what’s going on with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">production at Boeing</a>?”Spirit AeroSystems, which Boeing spun off as a separate company nearly 20 years ago, said in a statement that it was reviewing the NTSB preliminary report and was working with Boeing and regulators “on continuous improvement in our processes and meeting the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.”

Missing bolts: Report reveals new details on jet's mid-flight blowout

KANSAS CITY —The victim of a hit-and-run in Kansas City on Saturday has died.

Just before 10p.m. Saturday, a man got off a southbound KCATA bus, on the west side of Hardesty, just south of East 18th Street in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Jake Becchina.

The pedestrian attempted to cross Hardesty to the east but was struck by a dark colored SUV or van. The vehicle that struck the man left the scene, south on Hardesty and then west on 23rd Street. 

EMS transported the man for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Police reported the man's death on Tuesday. The man's name has not been released.

KANSAS CITY —The victim of a hit-and-run in Kansas City on Saturday has died.Just before 10p.m. Saturday, a man got off a southbound KCATA bus, on the west side of Hardesty, just south of East 18th Street in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Jake Becchina.The pedestrian attempted to cross Hardesty to the east but was struck by a dark colored SUV or van. The vehicle that struck the man left the scene, south on Hardesty and then west on 23rd Street. EMS transported the man for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Police reported the man's death on Tuesday. The man's name has not been released.

Pedestrian dies from injuries after hit getting off bus in KC

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter’s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killings of four students in 2021,</a>&nbsp;making her the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.

Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under state law to prevent her son, who was 15 at the time, from harming others. She was accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help to support Ethan Crumbley's mental health.

The four guilty verdicts — one for each student slain at Oxford High School — were returned after roughly 11 hours of jury deliberations.

Jennifer Crumbley, 45, looked down and shook her head slightly as each juror was polled after the verdicts were read.

On her way out of the courtroom, prosecutor Karen McDonald hugged Craig Shilling, the father of victim Justin Shilling, and the family of Madisyn Baldwin.

Jennifer and James Crumbley were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. James Crumbley faces trial in March.

"The cries have been heard, and I feel this verdict is gonna echo throughout every household in the country,” Craig Shilling told reporters.

“I feel it’s necessary, and I’m happy with the verdict. It’s still a sad situation to be in. It’s gotta stop. It’s an accountability, and this is what we’ve been asking for for a long time now," Shilling said.

A gag order by the judge prevented McDonald and defense attorney Shannon Smith from speaking to reporters.

On&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-school-shooting-timeline-79e4111a45567d79ffbc63acb75ba24a">the morning of Nov. 30, 2021,</a>&nbsp;school staff members were concerned about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment. His parents were called to the school for a brief meeting, but they didn't take the boy home.

A few hours later, Ethan Crumbley pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 10 students and a teacher. No one had checked the backpack.

The gun was the Sig Sauer 9 mm his father had purchased with him just four days earlier. Jennifer Crumbley had taken her son to a shooting range that same weekend.

“You're the last adult to have possession of that gun,” assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said while cross-examining the mother last week. “You saw your son shoot the last practice round before the (school) shooting on Nov. 30. You saw how he stood. ... He knew how to use the gun."

Jennifer Crumbley replied, “Yes, he did."

Besides 17-year-old Justin Shilling and 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Tate Myre, 16, were also killed. Seven people were wounded.

Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.

Jennifer Crumbley told jurors that it was her husband's job to keep track of the gun. She also said she saw no signs of mental distress in her son.

“We would talk. We did a lot of things together," she testified. "I trusted him, and I felt I had an open door. He could come to me about anything.”

In a journal found by police, Ethan Crumbley wrote that his parents wouldn’t listen to his pleas for help.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote.

The words with the drawing that prompted a counselor to call the Crumbleys to the school said: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.”

Prosecutors introduced evidence that Ethan Crumbley texted his mother in spring 2021 about “demons” throwing bowls and other hallucinations. But she told the jury that it was “just Ethan messing around.”

“I have asked myself if I would have done anything differently. I wouldn’t have. I wish he would have killed us instead,” she testified.

The jury of six men and six women included people who own guns or grew up with them in their home. The jurors said they could put their opinions about guns aside and serve fairly.

Jennifer Crumbley will get credit for roughly 2 1/2 years in the county jail when she returns to court for sentencing on April 9. The judge will set the minimum prison sentence, based on scoring guidelines and other factors.

It will be up to the Michigan parole board to determine how long she actually stays in prison. The maximum term for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years.

Prosecutors have not said if they will ask for consecutive sentences on the four convictions, which could mean a maximum of 60 years if Judge Cheryl Matthews agrees.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury received instructions from a judge and began deliberations Monday in a novel trial against a school shooter's mother who could go to prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">deaths of four students in 2021.</a>

“You must not let sympathy, bias or prejudice influence your decision,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said.

Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had guns, including a 9 mm handgun that was used by her son, Ethan Crumbley, at a shooting range just a few days earlier.

The school was concerned about a macabre drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on a math assignment. But Ethan was allowed to stay in school on Nov. 30, 2021, following a roughly 12-minute meeting with Jennifer and James Crumbley, who didn't take him home.

The teenager pulled the gun from his backpack in the afternoon and shot 10 students and a teacher, killing four peers. No one had checked the backpack.

“He literally drew a picture of what he was going to do. It says, ‘Help me,’” prosecutor Karen McDonald said during closing arguments Friday in suburban Detroit.

Jennifer Crumbley knew the gun in the drawing was identical to the new one at home, McDonald said.

“She knew it wasn't stored properly," the prosecutor added. “She knew that he was proficient with the gun. She knew he had access to ammunition.”

“Just the smallest steps” by Jennifer Crumbley could have saved the lives of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Shannon Smith told jurors that a conviction would have a chilling effect on unwitting parents whose kids break the law. The tragedy, she argued, was not foreseeable.

Ethan Crumbley was a “skilled manipulator” who didn’t have mental illness, and the gun was the responsibility of James Crumbley, not his wife, Smith said.

“Unfortunately this is a case where the prosecution made a charging decision way too fast,” Smith said. “It was motivated by obvious reasons, for political gain and done for media attention.”

She said the case won’t bring justice to the victims or their families: “It certainly doesn’t bring back any lives.”

The jury of six men and six women includes some gun owners or people who grew up with firearms in their house. They said it wouldn’t interfere with their ability to be fair.

The four students who died at Oxford High School, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit, were Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin.

Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and James Crumbley, 47, are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. The latter faces trial in March.

Besides knowledge of the gun, the Crumbleys are accused of ignoring their son's mental health needs. In a journal found by police in his backpack, he wrote that they wouldn't listen to his pleas for help.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Crumbley as shown in her November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Crumbley as shown in her November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter’s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killings of four students in 2021,</a>&nbsp;making her the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under state law to prevent her son, who was 15 at the time, from harming others. She was accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help to support Ethan Crumbley's mental health.The four guilty verdicts — one for each student slain at Oxford High School — were returned after roughly 11 hours of jury deliberations.Jennifer Crumbley, 45, looked down and shook her head slightly as each juror was polled after the verdicts were read.On her way out of the courtroom, prosecutor Karen McDonald hugged Craig Shilling, the father of victim Justin Shilling, and the family of Madisyn Baldwin.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley's November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley's November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>“Thank you,” a man whispered to her.Jennifer and James Crumbley were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. James Crumbley faces trial in March."The cries have been heard, and I feel this verdict is gonna echo throughout every household in the country,” Craig Shilling told reporters.“I feel it’s necessary, and I’m happy with the verdict. It’s still a sad situation to be in. It’s gotta stop. It’s an accountability, and this is what we’ve been asking for for a long time now," Shilling said.A gag order by the judge prevented McDonald and defense attorney Shannon Smith from speaking to reporters.On&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-school-shooting-timeline-79e4111a45567d79ffbc63acb75ba24a">the morning of Nov. 30, 2021,</a>&nbsp;school staff members were concerned about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment. His parents were called to the school for a brief meeting, but they didn't take the boy home.A few hours later, Ethan Crumbley pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 10 students and a teacher. No one had checked the backpack.The gun was the Sig Sauer 9 mm his father had purchased with him just four days earlier. Jennifer Crumbley had taken her son to a shooting range that same weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking. photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking. photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>“You're the last adult to have possession of that gun,” assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said while cross-examining the mother last week. “You saw your son shoot the last practice round before the (school) shooting on Nov. 30. You saw how he stood. ... He knew how to use the gun."Jennifer Crumbley replied, “Yes, he did."Besides 17-year-old Justin Shilling and 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Tate Myre, 16, were also killed. Seven people were wounded.Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.Jennifer Crumbley told jurors that it was her husband's job to keep track of the gun. She also said she saw no signs of mental distress in her son.“We would talk. We did a lot of things together," she testified. "I trusted him, and I felt I had an open door. He could come to me about anything.”In a journal found by police, Ethan Crumbley wrote that his parents wouldn’t listen to his pleas for help.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote.The words with the drawing that prompted a counselor to call the Crumbleys to the school said: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.”Prosecutors introduced evidence that Ethan Crumbley texted his mother in spring 2021 about “demons” throwing bowls and other hallucinations. But she told the jury that it was “just Ethan messing around.”“I have asked myself if I would have done anything differently. I wouldn’t have. I wish he would have killed us instead,” she testified.The jury of six men and six women included people who own guns or grew up with them in their home. The jurors said they could put their opinions about guns aside and serve fairly.Jennifer Crumbley will get credit for roughly 2 1/2 years in the county jail when she returns to court for sentencing on April 9. The judge will set the minimum prison sentence, based on scoring guidelines and other factors.It will be up to the Michigan parole board to determine how long she actually stays in prison. The maximum term for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years.Prosecutors have not said if they will ask for consecutive sentences on the four convictions, which could mean a maximum of 60 years if Judge Cheryl Matthews agrees.------------------PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury received instructions from a judge and began deliberations Monday in a novel trial against a school shooter's mother who could go to prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">deaths of four students in 2021.</a>“You must not let sympathy, bias or prejudice influence your decision,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said.Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had guns, including a 9 mm handgun that was used by her son, Ethan Crumbley, at a shooting range just a few days earlier.The school was concerned about a macabre drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on a math assignment. But Ethan was allowed to stay in school on Nov. 30, 2021, following a roughly 12-minute meeting with Jennifer and James Crumbley, who didn't take him home.The teenager pulled the gun from his backpack in the afternoon and shot 10 students and a teacher, killing four peers. No one had checked the backpack.“He literally drew a picture of what he was going to do. It says, ‘Help me,’” prosecutor Karen McDonald said during closing arguments Friday in suburban Detroit.Jennifer Crumbley knew the gun in the drawing was identical to the new one at home, McDonald said.“She knew it wasn't stored properly," the prosecutor added. “She knew that he was proficient with the gun. She knew he had access to ammunition.”“Just the smallest steps” by Jennifer Crumbley could have saved the lives of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin, the prosecutor said.Defense attorney Shannon Smith told jurors that a conviction would have a chilling effect on unwitting parents whose kids break the law. The tragedy, she argued, was not foreseeable.Ethan Crumbley was a “skilled manipulator” who didn’t have mental illness, and the gun was the responsibility of James Crumbley, not his wife, Smith said.“Unfortunately this is a case where the prosecution made a charging decision way too fast,” Smith said. “It was motivated by obvious reasons, for political gain and done for media attention.”She said the case won’t bring justice to the victims or their families: “It certainly doesn’t bring back any lives.”The jury of six men and six women includes some gun owners or people who grew up with firearms in their house. They said it wouldn’t interfere with their ability to be fair.The four students who died at Oxford High School, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit, were Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin.Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and James Crumbley, 47, are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. The latter faces trial in March.Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.Besides knowledge of the gun, the Crumbleys are accused of ignoring their son's mental health needs. In a journal found by police in his backpack, he wrote that they wouldn't listen to his pleas for help.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote.The maximum penalty for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years in prison. The Crumbleys have been in jail for more than two years, unable to post $500,000 bond while awaiting trial.___