Rep. Sharice Davids seeks extension of health tax credit used by 160K Kansans

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall diagnosed the ongoing shutdown of the federal government as a malignancy infecting Democratic lawmakers.

The Kansas Republican, who was a physician in an obstetrics practice before elected to Congress, said Democrats at the Capitol were infected with “Trump derangement syndrome.”

“They have a hatred for President Trump that I’ve never seen,” Marshall said on a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Marshall, who was among lawmakers skeptical of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020, said an underlying issue was Democrats had yet to accept outcome of 2024 elections that placed Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House.

“If you want to continue your liberal socialist policies, Democrats, win an election,” Marshall said.

He accused Democrats of using the shutdown that began Oct. 1 to play hypocritical games with U.S. health care policy. The most “failed system” and “biggest waste of money” is the Medicaid system that has enrolled about 400,000 Kansans, he said. The senator said Democrats were complicit in creating financial challenges that threaten rural hospitals in Kansas and other states.

The six-person Kansas congressional delegation — five Republicans, one Democrat — have shared views on the weeklong shutdown tied to failure to pass a short-term funding bill to finance government operations. Democrats conditioned support for a bill on extension of health subsidies that lowered the consumer cost of Affordable Care Act plans. Republicans say the shutdown must end before working on the tax credits for health insurance.

The House adopted a temporary funding bill, but the Senate hasn’t voted for a comparable bill allowing the government to function until Nov. 21.

“This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “The American people — Kansans — deserve something different from the U.S. Senate. Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year. Every local unit of government can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time.”

Moran, who has voted with Marshall to break the Senate’s deadlock, said the federal government shutdown “means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the delegation, said Democrats in Congress were fighting to extend availability of ACA tax credits to keep health care affordable. More than 160,000 Kansans relied last year on tax credits the 3rd District representative said should be made permanent.

“Because congressional Republicans have refused to extend them, premiums could rise by $700 next year, putting thousands of Kansans at risk of paying more or losing coverage,” Davids said.

She said the shutdown would harm hardworking Kansans and the moment called for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a solution.

U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, a Republican serving the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, said the Senate ought to get behind the House-passed bipartisan bill. The approach would get the wheels of government moving and create time for the House and Senate to work on full-year appropriations bills, he said.

“Regrettably,” Schmidt said, “Senate Democrats are insisting on the inclusion of a $1.5 trillion wish list of additional reckless spending instead of passing the House’s continuing resolution. This shutdown is entirely the result of those unreasonable demands.”

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican in the mostly rural 1st District, said the shutdown was triggered by Democrats who wanted taxpayers to “pay for health care for illegal immigrants and authorize trillions of new dollars in federal spending.”

He complained Democrats would rather see Trump fail than work in a bipartisan manner to operate government.

“I understand that some in Washington prefer to grandstand and try to score political points rather than do what’s best for the country, but it is time to stop the political theater and work together to get our fiscal house in order,” Mann said.

U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, the 4th District congressman serving the Wichita area, said he had his congressional pay withheld due to the shutdown. He blamed U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and his allies for the impasse.

“Republicans have done our job,” Estes said. “I hope my Democrat colleagues will put Americans first and end this shutdown soon.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759235271107.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, says Democrats interrupted federal government operations due to a "derangement syndrome" tied to opposition of President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Marshall referred to the weeklong shutdown as a "cynical political" effort to comply with "radical left-wing extremists." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, says Democrats interrupted federal government operations due to a "derangement syndrome" tied to opposition of President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Marshall referred to the weeklong shutdown as a "cynical political" effort to comply with "radical left-wing extremists." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Rep. Sharice Davids seeks extension of health tax credit used by 160K Kansans</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall diagnosed the ongoing shutdown of the federal government as a malignancy infecting Democratic lawmakers.The Kansas Republican, who was a physician in an obstetrics practice before elected to Congress, said Democrats at the Capitol were infected with “Trump derangement syndrome.”“They have a hatred for President Trump that I’ve never seen,” Marshall said on a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.Marshall, who was among lawmakers skeptical of President Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in 2020, said an underlying issue was Democrats had yet to accept outcome of 2024 elections that placed Republicans in control of the House, Senate and White House.“If you want to continue your liberal socialist policies, Democrats, win an election,” Marshall said.He accused Democrats of using the shutdown that began Oct. 1 to play hypocritical games with U.S. health care policy. The most “failed system” and “biggest waste of money” is the Medicaid system that has enrolled about 400,000 Kansans, he said. The senator said Democrats were complicit in creating financial challenges that threaten rural hospitals in Kansas and other states.The six-person Kansas congressional delegation — five Republicans, one Democrat — have shared views on the weeklong shutdown tied to failure to pass a short-term funding bill to finance government operations. Democrats conditioned support for a bill on extension of health subsidies that lowered the consumer cost of Affordable Care Act plans. Republicans say the shutdown must end before working on the tax credits for health insurance.The House adopted a temporary funding bill, but the Senate hasn’t voted for a comparable bill allowing the government to function until Nov. 21.“This is not a shutdown that makes any sense at all,” said U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas. “The American people — Kansans — deserve something different from the U.S. Senate. Every city council or commission, every school board, every local government office in my state passes a budget and then lives within that budget every year. Every local unit of government can figure this out, and the U.S. Senate is failing one more time.”Moran, who has voted with Marshall to break the Senate’s deadlock, said the federal government shutdown “means uncertainty. A shutdown means dysfunction.”U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, the lone Democrat in the delegation, said Democrats in Congress were fighting to extend availability of ACA tax credits to keep health care affordable. More than 160,000 Kansans relied last year on tax credits the 3rd District representative said should be made permanent.“Because congressional Republicans have refused to extend them, premiums could rise by $700 next year, putting thousands of Kansans at risk of paying more or losing coverage,” Davids said.She said the shutdown would harm hardworking Kansans and the moment called for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a solution.U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt, a Republican serving the 2nd District in eastern Kansas, said the Senate ought to get behind the House-passed bipartisan bill. The approach would get the wheels of government moving and create time for the House and Senate to work on full-year appropriations bills, he said.“Regrettably,” Schmidt said, “Senate Democrats are insisting on the inclusion of a $1.5 trillion wish list of additional reckless spending instead of passing the House’s continuing resolution. This shutdown is entirely the result of those unreasonable demands.”U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, a Republican in the mostly rural 1st District, said the shutdown was triggered by Democrats who wanted taxpayers to “pay for health care for illegal immigrants and authorize trillions of new dollars in federal spending.”He complained Democrats would rather see Trump fail than work in a bipartisan manner to operate government.“I understand that some in Washington prefer to grandstand and try to score political points rather than do what’s best for the country, but it is time to stop the political theater and work together to get our fiscal house in order,” Mann said.U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, the 4th District congressman serving the Wichita area, said he had his congressional pay withheld due to the shutdown. He blamed U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and his allies for the impasse.“Republicans have done our job,” Estes said. “I hope my Democrat colleagues will put Americans first and end this shutdown soon.”

U.S. Senator Marshall points to ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ as culprit in shutdown

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement on Tuesday released the name of the suspect in the homicide investigation involving a missing Kansas woman.

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;– This is an update to the September 28th media release regarding the homicide investigation of 43-year-old Rachel Johnson of Wichita.

The suspect in this case has been identified as 39-year-old Brentton Walker of Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

&nbsp;Walker was located with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed that Walker and Rachel Johnson had a prior dating relationship.&nbsp;

On Sept. 28, investigators were directed to a residence in the 1800 block of South Longford Circle. There, officers located a reported missing Ford Fusion and found Johnson deceased inside the vehicle. Officers then entered the home and located Walker in the basement. He was pronounced deceased.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. A mother has lost her life to a senseless and cowardly act, leaving a family devastated and a community grieving.&nbsp; October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We are reminded that domestic violence continues to impact countless lives, often in silence and behind closed doors. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 911 immediately. If it’s not safe to call right away, reach out when you can to trusted local resources such as Harbor House or the Wichita Family Crisis Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759140655197.png" alt="Rachel Johnson photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Rachel Johnson photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement on Tuesday released the name of the suspect in the homicide investigation involving a missing Kansas woman.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Wichita Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating 43-year-old Rachel Johnson, who was reported missing on Saturday, September 27. <a href="https://t.co/VmhQ5G6zKP">pic.twitter.com/VmhQ5G6zKP</a>&mdash; Wichita Police (@WichitaPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/WichitaPolice/status/1972316873602781605?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;– This is an update to the September 28th media release regarding the homicide investigation of 43-year-old Rachel Johnson of Wichita.The suspect in this case has been identified as 39-year-old Brentton Walker of Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.&nbsp;Walker was located with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased on the scene. Preliminary investigation revealed that Walker and Rachel Johnson had a prior dating relationship.&nbsp;On Sept. 28, investigators were directed to a residence in the 1800 block of South Longford Circle. There, officers located a reported missing Ford Fusion and found Johnson deceased inside the vehicle. Officers then entered the home and located Walker in the basement. He was pronounced deceased.Statement from Chief Joe Sullivan:“This is a heartbreaking tragedy. A mother has lost her life to a senseless and cowardly act, leaving a family devastated and a community grieving.&nbsp; October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We are reminded that domestic violence continues to impact countless lives, often in silence and behind closed doors. If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call 911 immediately. If it’s not safe to call right away, reach out when you can to trusted local resources such as Harbor House or the Wichita Family Crisis Center.--------------

Police release name of suspect in murder of missing Kan. woman

KANSAS CITY —A Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper was injured in an accident that occurred just after 11:30a.m. Tuesday in Clay County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the Trooper was eastbound on MO 210 near Stillhouse Road. The&nbsp; Trooper's vehicle crossed the center line and collided with the trailer of a westbound semi.&nbsp;

EMS transported the Trooper to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The semi driver was not injured.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Major Crash Investigation Unit is investigating in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759886123534.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper was injured in an accident that occurred just after 11:30a.m. Tuesday in Clay County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the Trooper was eastbound on MO 210 near Stillhouse Road. The&nbsp; Trooper's vehicle crossed the center line and collided with the trailer of a westbound semi.&nbsp;EMS transported the Trooper to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries. The semi driver was not injured.The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Major Crash Investigation Unit is investigating in charge of the investigation.&nbsp; Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

State Trooper injured in crash with a semi near Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;repeatedly deflected questions as she sought during a combative congressional hearing on Tuesday to defend herself against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-justice-department-trump-bondi-bove-adams-a003af9d9aebe89cd289361a65c9401b">growing criticism</a>&nbsp;that she's turning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’s political opponents.

Democrats sought to use the hearing, coming on the heels of the indictment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">former FBI Director James Comey</a>, to warn of what they view as the politicization of a department that has long prided itself on remaining independent from the White House.

Bondi brushed aside with seeming disdain questions about her tumultuous tenure, flatly refusing to answer time and again as Democrats pressed her on politically charged investigations, the firings of career prosecutors and other matters. Her refusal to engage on the questions meant little if any fresh insight was offered about her actions and decisions, with Bondi instead opting to respond to Democrats' attacks by echoing conservative claims that President Joe Biden's Justice Department — which brought two criminal cases against Trump — was the one that had been weaponized.

“They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust,” Bondi said of the Biden Justice Department. “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day.”

The hearing split early along deeply partisan lines, with Republicans repeatedly leaping to her defense to highlight the criminal cases against the president that they say show the institution she inherited was deeply politicized. They pointed to revelations from a day earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-january-6-senate-grassley-26dcd37c3b9e84c0173e63799baf3fa4">the FBI had analyzed phone records</a>&nbsp;of several Republican lawmakers as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, a Democrat.

“This is an outrage, an unconstitutional breach and ought to be immediately addressed by you and Director Patel,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the committee, told Bondi, referring to FBI Director Kash Patel.

Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of destroying the department's credibility and eroding its longstanding independence from the White House as the Republican president publicly calls for the prosecution of his political foes.

“What has taken place since January 20th, 2025, would make even President Nixon recoil,” Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, said of the president who resigned to avoid being impeached in connection with the Watergate scandal. “This is your legacy, Attorney General Bondi. In eight short months, you fundamentally transformed the Justice Department and left an enormous stain in American history. It will take decades to recover.”

Democrats press Bondi on her pledge not to play politics

The hearing marked Bondi's first before the panel since her confirmation hearing last January, when she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-bondi-garland-01edf039f8102271943da4fb85d56fa7">pledged to not play politics</a>&nbsp;with the Justice Department — a promise Democrats pounced on as they pressed the attorney general on whether she can withstand political pressure from the White House.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, reminded Bondi of that commitment and asked her if she thought she had upheld it. Bondi replied that she believed she absolutely had.

“I pledged that I would end the weaponization also of the Justice Department and that America would once again have a one tier system of justice for all,” Bondi said. “And that is what we are doing.”

Bondi set the tone for the hearing at the outset, repeatedly snapping with a raised voice at Durbin and deflecting questions from him by pointing to the murder rate in Chicago and asserting that lawmakers from his party were responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">shutting the government down</a>.

“You’re sitting here grilling me, and they’re on their way to Chicago to keep your state safe,” Bondi said, referring to Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

“Madam Attorney General,” Durbin replied, “it’s my job to grill you.”

Bondi refuses to answer questions about Comey and other matters

She refused repeatedly to discuss matters, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tom-homan-bribery-investigation-justice-department-461cc66955e2ba25445a9bf931250580">a bribery investigation</a>&nbsp;into Trump border czar Tom Homan that was shuttered under the Trump administration. That drew the ire of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, who accused Bondi of responding with “far-right internet talking points.”

She also declined to say whether she talked to the president about the case against Comey, who was charged last month with lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee when he said he had not authorized anyone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about a particular investigation. His indictment came just days after Trump appeared to publicly implore her on social media to take that action against him and other perceived political enemies.

“This is supposed to be an oversight hearing in which members of Congress can get serious answer to serious questions about the coverup of corruption, about the prosecution of the president’s enemies," Sen. Adam Schiff of California, a Democrat from California, said as Bondi repeatedly interrupted him. "And when will be that the members of this committee on a bipartisan basis demand answers to those questions and refuse to accept personal slander as an answer to those questions?”

Comey is set to make his first court appearance on Wednesday in the case, which was brought despite career prosecutors' reservations about the strength of evidence, after the Trump administration raced install a new prosecutor to secure the charges following the resignation under pressure of the experienced leader of that office.

The Justice Department under Bondi has opened criminal investigations into other vocal critics of the president, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-attorney-general-justice-department-subpoena-9dec45248df0e06b1d99ff9944e6d327">Schiff</a>&nbsp;on accusations of mortgage fraud, New York Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-letitia-james-siebert-trump-9ec1a96c05fa77d8acc558bd803622a2">Letitia James</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuomo-mamdani-jewish-nyc-mayor-a046d4a050dac37d61014062f60a5f31">Andrew Cuomo</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/andrew-cuomo-justice-department-coronavirus-pam-bondi-40dcf2947f457c5b3d7be8fedab2a592">former New York governor and current mayoral candidate</a>. They have all denied wrongdoing, as has Comey, and have slammed the investigations as politically motivated.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;repeatedly deflected questions as she sought during a combative congressional hearing on Tuesday to defend herself against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-justice-department-trump-bondi-bove-adams-a003af9d9aebe89cd289361a65c9401b">growing criticism</a>&nbsp;that she's turning the law enforcement agency into a weapon to seek vengeance against President Donald Trump’s political opponents.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a>&#39;s opening remarks before the Senate Judiciary Committee: &quot;We learned the former FBI secretly investigated you and your colleagues... this is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people&#39;s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back… <a href="https://t.co/Y5ZiXCTCPD">pic.twitter.com/Y5ZiXCTCPD</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1975563351452246212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">BREAKING: Pam Bondi just DEMOLISHED Senator Blumenthal after he ACCUSED her of impropriety: &quot;I CANNOT BELIEVE that you would ACCUSE ME of impropriety when YOU LIED about your MILITARY SERVICE.&quot; &quot;You LIED to be elected a US Senator.&quot; &quot;Don&#39;t YOU EVER challenge MY integrity. I… <a href="https://t.co/Fx0reJH5J7">pic.twitter.com/Fx0reJH5J7</a>&mdash; Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) <a href="https://twitter.com/GuntherEagleman/status/1975587653442502949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pam Bondi is incapable of answering simple questions. <a href="https://t.co/VtD3KIYxx9">pic.twitter.com/VtD3KIYxx9</a>&mdash; Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenWhitehouse/status/1975617275567759701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;Your city has a murder rate five times higher than New. York&#39;s — 571 homicides last year,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> to the insufferable <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorDurbin</a> on the National Guard in Chicago. &quot;We&#39;re there to help make America safe and Illinois safe — whether or not you want to.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qgbZIryITP">pic.twitter.com/qgbZIryITP</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1975568173291515944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. SCHIFF: You’ve refused to answer questions about ethics, the Qatari plane, the Epstein files, Tom Homan’s alleged bribery, political prosecutions, military authorization… Bondi: *tries interrupting* Schiff: Excuse me. This is an oversight hearing. We demand answers. <a href="https://t.co/GSeAoMtcf4">pic.twitter.com/GSeAoMtcf4</a>&mdash; Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryDems/status/1975669931955134611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a> cooks <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenatorDurbin</a>: &quot;I wish you loved Chicago as much as you hate President Trump — and currently, the National Guard are on the way to Chicago. If you&#39;re not going to protect your citizens, President Trump will.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/4CoNdH5w4p">pic.twitter.com/4CoNdH5w4p</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1975561272919015731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. DURBIN: Why was the FBI directed to flag Donald Trump’s name in the Epstein files? Bondi: I&#39;m not going to discuss anything related to these files. Durbin: Eventually, you&#39;re going to have to answer. <a href="https://t.co/OEUJEaReeM">pic.twitter.com/OEUJEaReeM</a>&mdash; Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryDems/status/1975621594841305544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. KLOBUCHAR: Do you support raising the age to 21 to purchase assault weapons? Bondi: I won’t discuss pending litigation. Sen. KLOBUCHAR: Your views are not pending litigation. <a href="https://t.co/RpCItcSjf5">pic.twitter.com/RpCItcSjf5</a>&mdash; Senate Judiciary Democrats 🇺🇸 (@JudiciaryDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryDems/status/1975625224537378969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democrats sought to use the hearing, coming on the heels of the indictment of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/james-comey-charged-lying-congress-a2c72e1a5bb73d588f3af7fdb56caa82">former FBI Director James Comey</a>, to warn of what they view as the politicization of a department that has long prided itself on remaining independent from the White House.Bondi brushed aside with seeming disdain questions about her tumultuous tenure, flatly refusing to answer time and again as Democrats pressed her on politically charged investigations, the firings of career prosecutors and other matters. Her refusal to engage on the questions meant little if any fresh insight was offered about her actions and decisions, with Bondi instead opting to respond to Democrats' attacks by echoing conservative claims that President Joe Biden's Justice Department — which brought two criminal cases against Trump — was the one that had been weaponized.“They were playing politics with law enforcement powers and will go down as a historic betrayal of public trust,” Bondi said of the Biden Justice Department. “This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people’s faith in our law enforcement system. We will work to earn that back every single day.”The hearing split early along deeply partisan lines, with Republicans repeatedly leaping to her defense to highlight the criminal cases against the president that they say show the institution she inherited was deeply politicized. They pointed to revelations from a day earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-january-6-senate-grassley-26dcd37c3b9e84c0173e63799baf3fa4">the FBI had analyzed phone records</a>&nbsp;of several Republican lawmakers as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, a Democrat.“This is an outrage, an unconstitutional breach and ought to be immediately addressed by you and Director Patel,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the committee, told Bondi, referring to FBI Director Kash Patel.Democrats, meanwhile, accused Bondi of destroying the department's credibility and eroding its longstanding independence from the White House as the Republican president publicly calls for the prosecution of his political foes.“What has taken place since January 20th, 2025, would make even President Nixon recoil,” Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee, said of the president who resigned to avoid being impeached in connection with the Watergate scandal. “This is your legacy, Attorney General Bondi. In eight short months, you fundamentally transformed the Justice Department and left an enormous stain in American history. It will take decades to recover.”<h2>Democrats press Bondi on her pledge not to play politics</h2>The hearing marked Bondi's first before the panel since her confirmation hearing last January, when she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-bondi-garland-01edf039f8102271943da4fb85d56fa7">pledged to not play politics</a>&nbsp;with the Justice Department — a promise Democrats pounced on as they pressed the attorney general on whether she can withstand political pressure from the White House.Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, reminded Bondi of that commitment and asked her if she thought she had upheld it. Bondi replied that she believed she absolutely had.“I pledged that I would end the weaponization also of the Justice Department and that America would once again have a one tier system of justice for all,” Bondi said. “And that is what we are doing.”Bondi set the tone for the hearing at the outset, repeatedly snapping with a raised voice at Durbin and deflecting questions from him by pointing to the murder rate in Chicago and asserting that lawmakers from his party were responsible for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">shutting the government down</a>.“You’re sitting here grilling me, and they’re on their way to Chicago to keep your state safe,” Bondi said, referring to Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.“Madam Attorney General,” Durbin replied, “it’s my job to grill you.”<h2>Bondi refuses to answer questions about Comey and other matters</h2>She refused repeatedly to discuss matters, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tom-homan-bribery-investigation-justice-department-461cc66955e2ba25445a9bf931250580">a bribery investigation</a>&nbsp;into Trump border czar Tom Homan that was shuttered under the Trump administration. That drew the ire of Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Rhode Island Democrat, who accused Bondi of responding with “far-right internet talking points.”She also declined to say whether she talked to the president about the case against Comey, who was charged last month with lying to the Senate Judiciary Committee when he said he had not authorized anyone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about a particular investigation. His indictment came just days after Trump appeared to publicly implore her on social media to take that action against him and other perceived political enemies.“This is supposed to be an oversight hearing in which members of Congress can get serious answer to serious questions about the coverup of corruption, about the prosecution of the president’s enemies," Sen. Adam Schiff of California, a Democrat from California, said as Bondi repeatedly interrupted him. "And when will be that the members of this committee on a bipartisan basis demand answers to those questions and refuse to accept personal slander as an answer to those questions?”Comey is set to make his first court appearance on Wednesday in the case, which was brought despite career prosecutors' reservations about the strength of evidence, after the Trump administration raced install a new prosecutor to secure the charges following the resignation under pressure of the experienced leader of that office.The Justice Department under Bondi has opened criminal investigations into other vocal critics of the president, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-james-attorney-general-justice-department-subpoena-9dec45248df0e06b1d99ff9944e6d327">Schiff</a>&nbsp;on accusations of mortgage fraud, New York Attorney General&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-letitia-james-siebert-trump-9ec1a96c05fa77d8acc558bd803622a2">Letitia James</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cuomo-mamdani-jewish-nyc-mayor-a046d4a050dac37d61014062f60a5f31">Andrew Cuomo</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/andrew-cuomo-justice-department-coronavirus-pam-bondi-40dcf2947f457c5b3d7be8fedab2a592">former New York governor and current mayoral candidate</a>. They have all denied wrongdoing, as has Comey, and have slammed the investigations as politically motivated.___

🎥Some highlights of AG Pam Bondi's fiery Senate hearing

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.

A gold Ford F150 was eastbound on 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.&nbsp; Just east of Mersington Street, an adult male pedestrian ran into the roadway from the grassy area located next to the parking lot of the Family Dollar Store.

The pickup struck the pedestrian who was thrown to the pavement. The driver of the pickup stopped immediately, remained at the scene, cooperated fully with the investigation, and was not impaired. 

KCFD EMS transported the pedestrian to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The pedestrian was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. This is fatality #52 compared to #73 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Tuesday in Kansas City.A gold Ford F150 was eastbound on 31st Street, according to KCPD Sergeant Jake Becchina.&nbsp; Just east of Mersington Street, an adult male pedestrian ran into the roadway from the grassy area located next to the parking lot of the Family Dollar Store.The pickup struck the pedestrian who was thrown to the pavement. The driver of the pickup stopped immediately, remained at the scene, cooperated fully with the investigation, and was not impaired. KCFD EMS transported the pedestrian to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. The pedestrian was subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital staff shortly after arrival. This is fatality #52 compared to #73 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

Man killed running into street from KC store parking area

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/maria-sherman">MARIA SHERMAN</a>

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;says she did not turn down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">the 2026 Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;halftime show, which will be headlined by Bad Bunny.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-music-review-d2681b9f07592d96f336ef7e8438ef74">“The Life of a Showgirl”</a>&nbsp;singer paid a visit to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-fallon">“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”</a>&nbsp;on Monday and dispelled a few rumors. Most notably, she shared she did not turn down the NFL’s biggest stage because she wouldn’t be allowed to own the performance footage, as claimed in a popular internet rumor.

The Super Bowl halftime show is produced by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">NFL,</a>&nbsp;Apple Music and Roc Nation — the latter founded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jay-z">music mogul Jay-Z.</a>

“Jay-Z has always been very good to me. Our teams are really close. Like, they sometimes will call and say, ‘How does she feel about the Super Bowl?’ And that’s not like an official offer or, like, an official conference room conversation,” Swift told Fallon. “We’re always able to tell him the truth, which is that, like, I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field,” she continued, referring to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">fiance Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;— a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion.

“Like, that is violent chess. That is gladiators without swords. That is dangerous. The whole season I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field,” she said.

“Can you imagine if he’s out there every single week, like putting his life on the line, doing this very dangerous, very high pressure, high intensity sport and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreo(graphy) should be?,’” Swift joked.

“‘I think we should do two verses of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-kelce-rodgers-2f0725e098511f88ba36a25faa760503">‘Shake It Off’</a>&nbsp;into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2cfa913cd14e4476898ec1005acfc23c">‘Blank Space’</a>&nbsp;into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/songs-of-summer-2025-1c13d538460ec3473d88f5196abff6fb">‘Cruel Summer’</a>&nbsp;would be great.’ And this is nothing to do with Travis, he would love for me to do it, I’m just too locked in.”

Last month, it was announced that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bad-bunny">global superstar Bad Bunny</a>&nbsp;will bring his Latin trap, reggaeton swagger and Puerto Rican pride&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-super-bowl-halftime-show-bad-bunny-8d39f256c8ff8922871f1d613ba51c3d">to the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;live from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

It’s an ideal casting: Bad Bunny is fresh off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-bad-bunny-concert-46e33b429e8ea4a08f52b0ae53b42d30">historic Puerto Rico residency</a>&nbsp;that drew more than half a million fans and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-grammy-nominations-bad-bunny-edgar-barrera-ac48d641b071870b351f1a195a14fab5">leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys</a>&nbsp;in November.

“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”

On Saturday, Bad Bunny&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snl-premiere-bad-bunny-doja-cat-108cbe04aa05205f7c04ff29c6d60d0f">hosted the season 51 premiere</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saturday-night-live">“Saturday Night Live”</a>&nbsp;with a few jokes about his forthcoming Super Bowl halftime show.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733776996717.png" alt="Rile Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour" on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)" />
 <figcaption>Rile Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour" on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/maria-sherman">MARIA SHERMAN</a>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;says she did not turn down&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">the 2026 Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;halftime show, which will be headlined by Bad Bunny.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-life-showgirl-music-review-d2681b9f07592d96f336ef7e8438ef74">“The Life of a Showgirl”</a>&nbsp;singer paid a visit to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jimmy-fallon">“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”</a>&nbsp;on Monday and dispelled a few rumors. Most notably, she shared she did not turn down the NFL’s biggest stage because she wouldn’t be allowed to own the performance footage, as claimed in a popular internet rumor.“No, no, no,” Swift said.The Super Bowl halftime show is produced by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">NFL,</a>&nbsp;Apple Music and Roc Nation — the latter founded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jay-z">music mogul Jay-Z.</a>“Jay-Z has always been very good to me. Our teams are really close. Like, they sometimes will call and say, ‘How does she feel about the Super Bowl?’ And that’s not like an official offer or, like, an official conference room conversation,” Swift told Fallon. “We’re always able to tell him the truth, which is that, like, I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field,” she continued, referring to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">fiance Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;— a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion.“Like, that is violent chess. That is gladiators without swords. That is dangerous. The whole season I am locked in on what that man is doing on the field,” she said.“Can you imagine if he’s out there every single week, like putting his life on the line, doing this very dangerous, very high pressure, high intensity sport and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreo(graphy) should be?,’” Swift joked.“‘I think we should do two verses of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/behind-call-kelce-rodgers-2f0725e098511f88ba36a25faa760503">‘Shake It Off’</a>&nbsp;into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2cfa913cd14e4476898ec1005acfc23c">‘Blank Space’</a>&nbsp;into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/songs-of-summer-2025-1c13d538460ec3473d88f5196abff6fb">‘Cruel Summer’</a>&nbsp;would be great.’ And this is nothing to do with Travis, he would love for me to do it, I’m just too locked in.”Last month, it was announced that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bad-bunny">global superstar Bad Bunny</a>&nbsp;will bring his Latin trap, reggaeton swagger and Puerto Rican pride&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2026-super-bowl-halftime-show-bad-bunny-8d39f256c8ff8922871f1d613ba51c3d">to the Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;live from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.It’s an ideal casting: Bad Bunny is fresh off a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/puerto-rico-bad-bunny-concert-46e33b429e8ea4a08f52b0ae53b42d30">historic Puerto Rico residency</a>&nbsp;that drew more than half a million fans and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latin-grammy-nominations-bad-bunny-edgar-barrera-ac48d641b071870b351f1a195a14fab5">leading all nominees at the Latin Grammys</a>&nbsp;in November.“What I’m feeling goes beyond myself,” Bad Bunny said in a statement. “It’s for those who came before me and ran countless yards so I could come in and score a touchdown… this is for my people, my culture, and our history.”On Saturday, Bad Bunny&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snl-premiere-bad-bunny-doja-cat-108cbe04aa05205f7c04ff29c6d60d0f">hosted the season 51 premiere</a>&nbsp;of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/saturday-night-live">“Saturday Night Live”</a>&nbsp;with a few jokes about his forthcoming Super Bowl halftime show.

No, Taylor Swift did not turn down the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show

SUMNER COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash and fire that occurred just before 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.

The Patrol reported an eastbound vehicle in the 1100 Block U.S. 160 traveled left of center and struck a westbound vehicle.&nbsp; After impact the vehicles traveled into a ditch and caught fire.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759920113656.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY—The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal crash and fire that occurred just before 10a.m. Tuesday in Sumner County.The Patrol reported an eastbound vehicle in the 1100 Block U.S. 160 traveled left of center and struck a westbound vehicle.&nbsp; After impact the vehicles traveled into a ditch and caught fire.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

KHP investigating fatal 2-vehicle crash and fire

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City area man faces felony charges for the stabbing and attempted robbery of a man hired to clean a city-owned park.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2740/Lewis-Austin-Complaint-Packet_Redacted">Austin R. Lewis</a>, 30, is charged with 1st Degree Attempted Robbery, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Assault, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On October 5, Kansas City police were dispatched to an area near the National WWI Museum and Memorial regarding a reported cutting, a<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2739/Austin-Lewis-Statement-of-Probable-Cause_Redacted">ccording to court records</a>. Based on witness reports, detectives determined that Lewis approached the victim, a worker cleaning the sidewalks, and asked for a dollar. When the victim, who did not speak English, did not respond, Lewis stabbed him with a knife in full view of witnesses before fleeing the scene.&nbsp;

The victim is alive and in stable condition.&nbsp;

Officers located Lewis a few minutes after responding to the scene and took him into custody. He declined to speak with detectives.&nbsp;

Lewis is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759845288270.png" alt="Lewis photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City area man faces felony charges for the stabbing and attempted robbery of a man hired to clean a city-owned park.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2740/Lewis-Austin-Complaint-Packet_Redacted">Austin R. Lewis</a>, 30, is charged with 1st Degree Attempted Robbery, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and 1st Degree Assault, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.On October 5, Kansas City police were dispatched to an area near the National WWI Museum and Memorial regarding a reported cutting, a<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2739/Austin-Lewis-Statement-of-Probable-Cause_Redacted">ccording to court records</a>. Based on witness reports, detectives determined that Lewis approached the victim, a worker cleaning the sidewalks, and asked for a dollar. When the victim, who did not speak English, did not respond, Lewis stabbed him with a knife in full view of witnesses before fleeing the scene.&nbsp;The victim is alive and in stable condition.&nbsp;Officers located Lewis a few minutes after responding to the scene and took him into custody. He declined to speak with detectives.&nbsp;Lewis is being held on a $100,000 cash-only bond.&nbsp;

Police: Man attacked worker hired to clean KC owned park

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.&nbsp;

Just after 12:30p.m.&nbsp;October 5, a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff's office conducted a traffic stop on a gray Dodge Durango with a stolen license plate in the 2000 block of SE California Avenue, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, illegal narcotics and multiple stolen items were located.

Deputies arrested 47-year-old Tashara D. Yeargin-Charles of Topeka and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; identity theft, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body, Possession of stolen property, Vehicles; display plate not assigned, Vehicle liability insurance and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759850096982.png" alt="Yeargin-Charles photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Yeargin-Charles photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations.&nbsp;Just after 12:30p.m.&nbsp;October 5, a K-9 Unit with the Shawnee County Sheriff's office conducted a traffic stop on a gray Dodge Durango with a stolen license plate in the 2000 block of SE California Avenue, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, illegal narcotics and multiple stolen items were located.Deputies arrested 47-year-old Tashara D. Yeargin-Charles of Topeka and she was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; identity theft, Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into the human body, Possession of stolen property, Vehicles; display plate not assigned, Vehicle liability insurance and Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license.

Sheriff: Kansas woman jailed for alleged ID theft

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">A majority of Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices on Tuesday seemed likely to side with a Christian counselor challenging bans on LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy” for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-539">Click here to listen</a> to a replay of the oral argument

Kaley Chiles, with support from President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-athletes-title-ix-schools-3871f87d332fb229c07ad16aa3d3cca8">argues the laws passed in Colorado</a>&nbsp;and about half of U.S. states wrongly bar her from offering voluntary, faith-based therapy for kids.

Colorado, on the other hand, says its measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.

But the court's conservative majority didn't seem convinced that states can restrict talk therapy aimed at changing feelings or behavior while allowing counseling that affirms kids identifying as gay or transgender. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-supreme-court-deport-trump-venezuelans-dissent-300f6ca71758f05d7518b69af58ad418">Samuel Alito</a>&nbsp;said the law “looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.”

The case blends two trends in the recent decisions of a court that's backed several claims of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-lgbtq-books-religion-maryland-schools-c0b0fb4b96531636fcb98b08aabc3cf9">religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;and taken a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">more skeptical view</a>&nbsp;in LGBTQ rights cases.

State says therapy is health care and subject to

Colorado has not sanctioned anyone under the 2019 law, which exempts religious ministries, and argues the measure still allows for wide-ranging faith-based conversations. State attorneys say that therapy is health care, and that Colorado can regulate it to make sure therapists are upholding high standards of care.

“Providers have a duty to act in their patients’ best interest and according to their professional standards. The First Amendment affords no exception,” Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson said.

Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-justice-gorsuch-book-over-ruled-3bdd27fe9dd50e39bffd6eef030ad24f">Neil Gorsuch</a>, though, questioned whether their argument could have been used to restrict pro-LGBTQ therapy in previous decades, when the mainstream medical view was different. “What if a state back then might have passed a law prohibiting talk therapy that affirmed homosexuality?”

Chiles contends her approach is different from the kind of conversion therapy once associated with practices like shock therapy decades ago. She said she believes “people flourish when they live consistently with God’s design, including their biological sex,” and she argues evidence of harm from her approach is lacking.

Her attorneys argue the bans make it difficult for parents of kids who think they might be transgender to find a therapist willing to work on gender identity unless the counseling affirms transition.

“Ms. Chiles is being silenced, and the kids and families who want her help are unable to access it,” said attorney James Campbell. Violating the law carries potential fines of $5,000 and license suspension or even revocation.

The Republican administration argued the Colorado law suppresses therapists' speech, and should be subject to the higher legal standard of strict scrutiny, one that few measures pass.

Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-barrett-book-abortion-trump-138235228eb4b164fe2061a4a39a2f0a">Amy Coney Barrett</a>&nbsp;suggested that malpractice suits could address claims of harm linked to “conversion therapy."

Families who have spoken publicly in favor of restrictions include Linda Robertson, a Christian mom of four from Washington state whose&nbsp;<a href="https://justbecausehebreathes.com/">son Ryan</a>&nbsp;underwent therapy that promised to change his sexual orientation after he came out to her at age 12. The techniques led him to blame himself when it didn’t work, leaving him ashamed and depressed, she said. He died in 2009, after multiple suicide attempts and a drug overdose at age 20.

“What happened in conversion therapy, it devastated Ryan’s bond with me and my husband,” she said. “And it absolutely destroyed his confidence he could ever be loved or accepted by God.”

Chiles is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization that has appeared frequently at the court in recent years. The group also represented a Christian website designer who doesn’t want to work with same-sex couples and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-gay-rights-website-designer-aa529361bc939c837ec2ece216b296d5">successfully challenged</a>&nbsp;a Colorado anti-discrimination law in 2023.

The group's argument in the conversion therapy case also builds on another victory from a 2018 Supreme Court decision, which found that California could not force state-licensed anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information about abortion. Chiles should also be free from that kind of state regulation, the group argued.

The high court agreed to hear the case after the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld the law. Another Atlanta based appeals court, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has struck down similar bans in Florida.

Legal wrangling has continued elsewhere as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-conversion-therapy-supreme-court-5417fcaf451d31730a65a7387117b32e">In Wisconsin</a>, the state's highest court recently cleared the way for the state to enforce its ban. Virginia officials, by contrast, have agreed to scale back the enforcement of its law as part of an agreement with a faith-based conservative group that sued.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745333128428.png" alt="File A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)" />
 <figcaption>File A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">A majority of Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;justices on Tuesday seemed likely to side with a Christian counselor challenging bans on LGBTQ+ “conversion therapy” for kids as a violation of her First Amendment rights.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-539">Click here to listen</a> to a replay of the oral argumentKaley Chiles, with support from President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-athletes-title-ix-schools-3871f87d332fb229c07ad16aa3d3cca8">argues the laws passed in Colorado</a>&nbsp;and about half of U.S. states wrongly bar her from offering voluntary, faith-based therapy for kids.Colorado, on the other hand, says its measure simply regulates licensed therapists by barring a practice that’s been scientifically discredited and linked to serious harm.But the court's conservative majority didn't seem convinced that states can restrict talk therapy aimed at changing feelings or behavior while allowing counseling that affirms kids identifying as gay or transgender. Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-supreme-court-deport-trump-venezuelans-dissent-300f6ca71758f05d7518b69af58ad418">Samuel Alito</a>&nbsp;said the law “looks like blatant viewpoint discrimination.”The case blends two trends in the recent decisions of a court that's backed several claims of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-lgbtq-books-religion-maryland-schools-c0b0fb4b96531636fcb98b08aabc3cf9">religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;and taken a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-health-care-trump-79fc6f3bbdab2e92d6f0184201a468a9">more skeptical view</a>&nbsp;in LGBTQ rights cases.<h2>State says therapy is health care and subject to</h2><h2>regulation</h2>Colorado has not sanctioned anyone under the 2019 law, which exempts religious ministries, and argues the measure still allows for wide-ranging faith-based conversations. State attorneys say that therapy is health care, and that Colorado can regulate it to make sure therapists are upholding high standards of care.“Providers have a duty to act in their patients’ best interest and according to their professional standards. The First Amendment affords no exception,” Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson said.Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-justice-gorsuch-book-over-ruled-3bdd27fe9dd50e39bffd6eef030ad24f">Neil Gorsuch</a>, though, questioned whether their argument could have been used to restrict pro-LGBTQ therapy in previous decades, when the mainstream medical view was different. “What if a state back then might have passed a law prohibiting talk therapy that affirmed homosexuality?”Chiles contends her approach is different from the kind of conversion therapy once associated with practices like shock therapy decades ago. She said she believes “people flourish when they live consistently with God’s design, including their biological sex,” and she argues evidence of harm from her approach is lacking.Her attorneys argue the bans make it difficult for parents of kids who think they might be transgender to find a therapist willing to work on gender identity unless the counseling affirms transition.“Ms. Chiles is being silenced, and the kids and families who want her help are unable to access it,” said attorney James Campbell. Violating the law carries potential fines of $5,000 and license suspension or even revocation.The Republican administration argued the Colorado law suppresses therapists' speech, and should be subject to the higher legal standard of strict scrutiny, one that few measures pass.Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-barrett-book-abortion-trump-138235228eb4b164fe2061a4a39a2f0a">Amy Coney Barrett</a>&nbsp;suggested that malpractice suits could address claims of harm linked to “conversion therapy."Families who have spoken publicly in favor of restrictions include Linda Robertson, a Christian mom of four from Washington state whose&nbsp;<a href="https://justbecausehebreathes.com/">son Ryan</a>&nbsp;underwent therapy that promised to change his sexual orientation after he came out to her at age 12. The techniques led him to blame himself when it didn’t work, leaving him ashamed and depressed, she said. He died in 2009, after multiple suicide attempts and a drug overdose at age 20.“What happened in conversion therapy, it devastated Ryan’s bond with me and my husband,” she said. “And it absolutely destroyed his confidence he could ever be loved or accepted by God.”<h2>Similar laws also face court challenges</h2>Chiles is represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal organization that has appeared frequently at the court in recent years. The group also represented a Christian website designer who doesn’t want to work with same-sex couples and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-gay-rights-website-designer-aa529361bc939c837ec2ece216b296d5">successfully challenged</a>&nbsp;a Colorado anti-discrimination law in 2023.The group's argument in the conversion therapy case also builds on another victory from a 2018 Supreme Court decision, which found that California could not force state-licensed anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers to provide information about abortion. Chiles should also be free from that kind of state regulation, the group argued.The high court agreed to hear the case after the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver upheld the law. Another Atlanta based appeals court, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, has struck down similar bans in Florida.Legal wrangling has continued elsewhere as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-conversion-therapy-supreme-court-5417fcaf451d31730a65a7387117b32e">In Wisconsin</a>, the state's highest court recently cleared the way for the state to enforce its ban. Virginia officials, by contrast, have agreed to scale back the enforcement of its law as part of an agreement with a faith-based conservative group that sued.

🎧 Conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors before the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration warned on Tuesday of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">a government shutdown</a>, reversing what has been long-standing policy for some 750,000 furloughed employees, according to a memo being circulated by the White House.

Trump signed into law after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">the longest government shutdown in 2019</a>&nbsp;legislation to ensure federal workers receive back pay during any federal funding lapse. But in the new memo, his Office of Management and Budget says back pay must be provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, as part of any bill to fund the government.

The move by the Republican administration was widely seen as a strong-arm tactic — a way to pressure lawmakers to reopen the government, now in the seventh day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">a shutdown</a>.

“There are some people that don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way,” Trump said during an event at the White House.

He said back pay “depends on who we’re talking about.” Asked a second time about backpay for furloughed federal workers given that the requirement is spelled out in law, Trump said: “I follow the law, and what the law says is correct.”

Refusing retroactive pay to the workers, some of whom must remain on the job as essential employees, would be a stark departure from norms and practices and almost certainly would be met with legal action.

While federal workers — as well as service members of the military — have often missed paychecks during past shutdowns, they are almost always reimbursed once the government reopens.

“That should turn up the urgency and the necessity of the Democrats doing the right thing here,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;said at a press conference at the Capitol.

Johnson, a lawyer, said he hadn’t fully read the memo but “there are some legal analysts who are saying” that it may not be necessary or appropriate to repay the federal workers.

But Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington blasted the Trump administration as defying the law.

“Another baseless attempt to try and scare &amp; intimidate workers by an administration run by crooks and cowards,” said Murray, who is the ranking lawmaker on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The letter of the law is as plain as can be — federal workers, including furloughed workers, are entitled to their backpay following a shutdown.”

And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, said, “My assumption is that the furloughed workers will get paid.”

In the memo draft prepared for Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought, first reported by Axios, the office’s general counsel Mark R. Paoletta lays out a legal rationale for no back pay for federal workers.

The memo explains that while the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 says workers shall be paid after federal funding is restored, it argues the action is not self-executing. Instead, the memo says, repaying the federal workers would have to be part of subsequent legislation, presumably in the bill to reopen the government.

The OMB analysis draws on language familiar to budget experts by suggesting that the 2019 bill created an authorization to pay the federal workers but not the actual appropriation.

Congress, it says, is able to decide whether it wants to pay the workers or not.

For now, Congress remains at a standstill, with neither side — nor the White House — appearing willing to budge. Democrats are fighting for health care funds to prevent a lapse in federal subsidies that threaten to send insurance rates skyrocketing. Republicans say the issue can be dealt with later.

Associated Press writers Will Weissert, Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;administration warned on Tuesday of no guaranteed back pay for federal workers during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-health-care-subsidies-obamacare-congress-10b2ae9648bc5252fc2bd485ddc83493">a government shutdown</a>, reversing what has been long-standing policy for some 750,000 furloughed employees, according to a memo being circulated by the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Is it the White House&#39;s position that furloughed workers should be paid for their back-pay?&quot; President Trump: &quot;I would say it depends on who we&#39;re talking about. I can tell you this, the Democrats have put a lot of people in great risk and jeopardy, but it really depends on… <a href="https://t.co/dbftoc2vC2">pic.twitter.com/dbftoc2vC2</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1975596357172802032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump signed into law after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">the longest government shutdown in 2019</a>&nbsp;legislation to ensure federal workers receive back pay during any federal funding lapse. But in the new memo, his Office of Management and Budget says back pay must be provided by Congress, if it chooses to do so, as part of any bill to fund the government.The move by the Republican administration was widely seen as a strong-arm tactic — a way to pressure lawmakers to reopen the government, now in the seventh day of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdowns-history-schumer-trump-f442ba1392fab3e7cab37756302e829c">a shutdown</a>.“There are some people that don’t deserve to be taken care of, and we’ll take care of them in a different way,” Trump said during an event at the White House.He said back pay “depends on who we’re talking about.” Asked a second time about backpay for furloughed federal workers given that the requirement is spelled out in law, Trump said: “I follow the law, and what the law says is correct.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759875311575.png" alt="Image from U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s website on Oct. 7, 2025, stating, “Under federal law, employees are entitled to back pay upon the government reopening.”&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s website on Oct. 7, 2025, stating, “Under federal law, employees are entitled to back pay upon the government reopening.”&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Refusing retroactive pay to the workers, some of whom must remain on the job as essential employees, would be a stark departure from norms and practices and almost certainly would be met with legal action.While federal workers — as well as service members of the military — have often missed paychecks during past shutdowns, they are almost always reimbursed once the government reopens.“That should turn up the urgency and the necessity of the Democrats doing the right thing here,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">House Speaker Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;said at a press conference at the Capitol.Johnson, a lawyer, said he hadn’t fully read the memo but “there are some legal analysts who are saying” that it may not be necessary or appropriate to repay the federal workers.But Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington blasted the Trump administration as defying the law.“Another baseless attempt to try and scare &amp; intimidate workers by an administration run by crooks and cowards,” said Murray, who is the ranking lawmaker on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The letter of the law is as plain as can be — federal workers, including furloughed workers, are entitled to their backpay following a shutdown.”And Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, said, “My assumption is that the furloughed workers will get paid.”In the memo draft prepared for Trump’s Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought, first reported by Axios, the office’s general counsel Mark R. Paoletta lays out a legal rationale for no back pay for federal workers.The memo explains that while the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 says workers shall be paid after federal funding is restored, it argues the action is not self-executing. Instead, the memo says, repaying the federal workers would have to be part of subsequent legislation, presumably in the bill to reopen the government.The OMB analysis draws on language familiar to budget experts by suggesting that the 2019 bill created an authorization to pay the federal workers but not the actual appropriation.Congress, it says, is able to decide whether it wants to pay the workers or not.For now, Congress remains at a standstill, with neither side — nor the White House — appearing willing to budge. Democrats are fighting for health care funds to prevent a lapse in federal subsidies that threaten to send insurance rates skyrocketing. Republicans say the issue can be dealt with later.___Associated Press writers Will Weissert, Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

🎥Trump admin. threatens no back pay for federal workers in shutdown

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A 23-year-old man identified as Knowledge McPherson of Wichita has died from injuries sustained in the shooting on Oct. 1 during a fight in a convenience store parking lot in Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

A 16-year-old juvenile suspect of Wichita remains in custody.

Just before 3a.m. on Sept. 30, police responded to a report of a shooting in the QuikTrip parking lot at Pawnee and Meridian in Wichita. Investigators determined several people were involved in an argument that turned physical. During the altercation, the 16-year-old suspect pulled out a firearm and shot McPherson.

A passerby attempted life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported McPherson to a local hospital. He underwent surgery and was listed in extremely critical condition before succumbing to his injuries&nbsp;

The 16-year-old suspect was initially booked into juvenile detention on requested charges of Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building, Juvenile in possession of a firearm and Aggravated battery

Charges will be amended after consultation with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his frustration with the ongoing violence involving juveniles and firearms.

“This has got to stop. It is unacceptable for juveniles to have access to guns,” Sullivan said. “Picking up a firearm to solve a temporary problem is not the answer. Too many lives are being destroyed by these reckless choices.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759266282958.png" alt="Police on the scene early October 1, photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene early October 1, photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A 23-year-old man identified as Knowledge McPherson of Wichita has died from injuries sustained in the shooting on Oct. 1 during a fight in a convenience store parking lot in Wichita, according to a statement from Wichita Police.A 16-year-old juvenile suspect of Wichita remains in custody.Just before 3a.m. on Sept. 30, police responded to a report of a shooting in the QuikTrip parking lot at Pawnee and Meridian in Wichita. Investigators determined several people were involved in an argument that turned physical. During the altercation, the 16-year-old suspect pulled out a firearm and shot McPherson.A passerby attempted life-saving measures until Sedgwick County EMS arrived and transported McPherson to a local hospital. He underwent surgery and was listed in extremely critical condition before succumbing to his injuries&nbsp;The 16-year-old suspect was initially booked into juvenile detention on requested charges of Criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building, Juvenile in possession of a firearm and Aggravated batteryCharges will be amended after consultation with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his frustration with the ongoing violence involving juveniles and firearms.“This has got to stop. It is unacceptable for juveniles to have access to guns,” Sullivan said. “Picking up a firearm to solve a temporary problem is not the answer. Too many lives are being destroyed by these reckless choices.”

Police:  Kan. man shot by boy in parking lot fight has died

RENO COUNTY— Authorities have identified the two who died as a result of the head-on collision on Monday in Reno County. According to the Reno County Sheriff, 31-year-old Nicholas Brilhart of Sterling and 66-year-old Sharon Davis of Weston, West Virginia died in the crash that occurred just after 10.m. in the 8200 block of N K14 Hwy. Two of the other three individuals involved are still being treated at Wichita area hospitals. The third was treated and released.&nbsp;

According to the Reno County Sheriff a northbound silver Subaru SUV crossed the center line in the 8200 block of North K-14/96 and veered into the southbound lane. A southbound Ford F-150 attempted to avoid the crash by pulling onto the right shoulder, but the Subaru also moved onto the same shoulder, and the two vehicles collided head-on.

The Subaru carried four occupants. Two of them,&nbsp;31-year-old Nicholas Brilhart of Sterling and 66-year-old Sharon Davis of Weston, West Virginia were pronounced dead at the scene. An infant and another passenger were taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and later transferred to a Wichita hospital. The driver of the Ford pickup, the sole occupant, was transported by private vehicle to Lyons Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

First responders arriving on the scene found citizens already performing lifesaving efforts, which were continued by emergency crews.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759787040428.jpeg" alt="Photo by Marc Jacobs Hutch Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Marc Jacobs Hutch Post</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Authorities have identified the two who died as a result of the head-on collision on Monday in Reno County. According to the Reno County Sheriff, 31-year-old Nicholas Brilhart of Sterling and 66-year-old Sharon Davis of Weston, West Virginia died in the crash that occurred just after 10.m. in the 8200 block of N K14 Hwy. Two of the other three individuals involved are still being treated at Wichita area hospitals. The third was treated and released.&nbsp;According to the Reno County Sheriff a northbound silver Subaru SUV crossed the center line in the 8200 block of North K-14/96 and veered into the southbound lane. A southbound Ford F-150 attempted to avoid the crash by pulling onto the right shoulder, but the Subaru also moved onto the same shoulder, and the two vehicles collided head-on.The Subaru carried four occupants. Two of them,&nbsp;31-year-old Nicholas Brilhart of Sterling and 66-year-old Sharon Davis of Weston, West Virginia were pronounced dead at the scene. An infant and another passenger were taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center and later transferred to a Wichita hospital. The driver of the Ford pickup, the sole occupant, was transported by private vehicle to Lyons Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.First responders arriving on the scene found citizens already performing lifesaving efforts, which were continued by emergency crews.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sheriff IDs man and woman who died in Kansas head-on crash

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– An explosive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-toll-analysis-of-us-senators">FBI document</a>&nbsp;obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reveals the FBI targeted eight Republican senators’ personal cell phones for “tolling data” as part of its Arctic Frost investigation, according to a statement from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

One Republican member of the House of Representatives was also impacted. The Arctic Frost investigation formed the basis of Jack Smith’s elector case against President Donald Trump.

The FBI in 2023 sought and obtained data about the senators’ phone use from&nbsp;January 4 through January 7, 2021. That data shows when and to whom a call is made, as well as the duration and general location data of the call. The data does not include the content of the call.

This document was found in a Prohibited Access file in response to Grassley’s oversight requests. Grassley’s oversight&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-investigates-prohibited-access-files-at-fbi-demands-accountability-for-document-destruction-and-obstruction-in-mueller-investigation" target="_blank">exposed the existence</a>&nbsp;of Prohibited Access files, a file system the FBI uses to limit access to certain documents by making some files inaccessible to most FBI agents.

Read the FBI document&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-toll-analysis-of-us-senators">HERE</a>.

The FBI targeted the following Members of Congress:Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)

Grassley issued the following statement regarding today’s disclosure:

“Based on the evidence to-date, Arctic Frost and related weaponization by federal law enforcement under Biden was arguably worse than Watergate.

“What I’ve uncovered today is disturbing and outrageous political conduct by the Biden FBI. The FBI’s actions were an unconstitutional breach, and Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel need to hold accountable those involved in this serious wrongdoing.

“I started the Arctic Frost investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/grassley-to-justice-dept-fbi_-political-bias" target="_blank">in July 2022</a>&nbsp;after hearing from whistleblowers. It’s taken years to get records and advance my investigation, but what the public is seeing now demonstrates the importance of congressional oversight and whistleblowers. My whistleblowers deserve great thanks for what they’ve helped expose. None of this would have been known without them.”

Background:The FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/exhibit-8-arctic-frost" target="_blank">opened in April 2022</a>&nbsp;by former anti-Trump agent Timothy Thibault. In November 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-bank-record-subpoenas" target="_blank">it was assigned</a>&nbsp;to Special Counsel Jack Smith.&nbsp;

Whistleblower disclosures to Grassley earlier this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-johnson-release-records-showing-fbi-obtained-trump-pence-cell-phones-conducted-sweeping-interviews-to-advance-anti-trump-arctic-frost-investigation" target="_blank">revealed</a>&nbsp;the FBI acquired the government cell phones of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence during its Arctic Frost investigation. Officials in the Biden White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-johnson-release-additional-arctic-frost-records-detailing-sweeping-anti-trump-investigation" target="_blank">personally assisted</a>&nbsp;the FBI in securing Trump and Pence’s government phones. FBI agents used taxpayer dollars to travel the country and conduct dozens of interviews in support of the political probe.

Records Grassley made public last month&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-bank-record-subpoenas" target="_blank">showed</a>&nbsp;the FBI also placed 92 Republican-linked individuals and Republican groups – such as Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA – under Arctic Frost’s investigative scope.

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– An explosive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-toll-analysis-of-us-senators">FBI document</a>&nbsp;obtained by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reveals the FBI targeted eight Republican senators’ personal cell phones for “tolling data” as part of its Arctic Frost investigation, according to a statement from the Senate Judiciary Committee.One Republican member of the House of Representatives was also impacted. The Arctic Frost investigation formed the basis of Jack Smith’s elector case against President Donald Trump.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This document shows the Biden FBI spied on 8 of my Republican Senate colleagues during its Arctic Frost investigation into &quot;election conspiracy&quot; Arctic Frost later became Jack Smith&#39;s elector case against Trump BIDEN FBI WEAPONIZATION = WORSE THAN WATERGATE <a href="https://t.co/V2JyiVlX48">pic.twitter.com/V2JyiVlX48</a>&mdash; Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1975297712712262100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a>: &quot;We learned that former FBI secretly investigated you and your colleagues. Why? They wanted to take President Trump off the playing field...This is the kind of conduct that shatters the American people&#39;s faith in our law enforcement system.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FRr65KtHsH">pic.twitter.com/FRr65KtHsH</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1975590921082114532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/HawleyMO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HawleyMO</a>: &quot;Who ordered the tapping of the phones of United States Senators?<a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AGPamBondi</a>: &quot;I cannot discuss the details of that right now for very good reason...We will be looking at all aspects of this and I have talked to Director Patel at length about this.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8OEwJ24gsr">pic.twitter.com/8OEwJ24gsr</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1975610383051206995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The FBI in 2023 sought and obtained data about the senators’ phone use from&nbsp;January 4 through January 7, 2021. That data shows when and to whom a call is made, as well as the duration and general location data of the call. The data does not include the content of the call.This document was found in a Prohibited Access file in response to Grassley’s oversight requests. Grassley’s oversight&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-investigates-prohibited-access-files-at-fbi-demands-accountability-for-document-destruction-and-obstruction-in-mueller-investigation" target="_blank">exposed the existence</a>&nbsp;of Prohibited Access files, a file system the FBI uses to limit access to certain documents by making some files inaccessible to most FBI agents.Read the FBI document&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-toll-analysis-of-us-senators">HERE</a>.The FBI targeted the following Members of Congress:Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.)Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.)Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.)Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)Grassley issued the following statement regarding today’s disclosure:“Based on the evidence to-date, Arctic Frost and related weaponization by federal law enforcement under Biden was arguably worse than Watergate.“What I’ve uncovered today is disturbing and outrageous political conduct by the Biden FBI. The FBI’s actions were an unconstitutional breach, and Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel need to hold accountable those involved in this serious wrongdoing.“I started the Arctic Frost investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/grassley-to-justice-dept-fbi_-political-bias" target="_blank">in July 2022</a>&nbsp;after hearing from whistleblowers. It’s taken years to get records and advance my investigation, but what the public is seeing now demonstrates the importance of congressional oversight and whistleblowers. My whistleblowers deserve great thanks for what they’ve helped expose. None of this would have been known without them.”Background:The FBI’s Arctic Frost investigation was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/exhibit-8-arctic-frost" target="_blank">opened in April 2022</a>&nbsp;by former anti-Trump agent Timothy Thibault. In November 2022,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-bank-record-subpoenas" target="_blank">it was assigned</a>&nbsp;to Special Counsel Jack Smith.&nbsp;Whistleblower disclosures to Grassley earlier this year&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-johnson-release-records-showing-fbi-obtained-trump-pence-cell-phones-conducted-sweeping-interviews-to-advance-anti-trump-arctic-frost-investigation" target="_blank">revealed</a>&nbsp;the FBI acquired the government cell phones of President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence during its Arctic Frost investigation. Officials in the Biden White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-johnson-release-additional-arctic-frost-records-detailing-sweeping-anti-trump-investigation" target="_blank">personally assisted</a>&nbsp;the FBI in securing Trump and Pence’s government phones. FBI agents used taxpayer dollars to travel the country and conduct dozens of interviews in support of the political probe.Records Grassley made public last month&nbsp;<a href="https://www.grassley.senate.gov/download/arctic-frost-bank-record-subpoenas" target="_blank">showed</a>&nbsp;the FBI also placed 92 Republican-linked individuals and Republican groups – such as Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA – under Arctic Frost’s investigative scope.

Read the report: Biden's FBI spied on Republican U.S. Senators 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Toyota is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles because the rearview camera may not display when backing up, increasing the risk of a crash, federal traffic safety regulators said.

Included in the recall are 2022-2025 Toyota Tundras and Tundra hybrids and 2023-2025 Sequoia hybrids. The number of automobiles in the recall total 393,838, with the non-hybrid Tundra making up more than half of them.

The camera display malfunction is caused by a software problem, which will be fixed with an update by dealerships free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 16. Owners can contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. The numbers for the recall are 25TB10 and 25TA10.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Toyota is recalling nearly 400,000 vehicles because the rearview camera may not display when backing up, increasing the risk of a crash, federal traffic safety regulators said.Included in the recall are 2022-2025 Toyota Tundras and Tundra hybrids and 2023-2025 Sequoia hybrids. The number of automobiles in the recall total 393,838, with the non-hybrid Tundra making up more than half of them.The camera display malfunction is caused by a software problem, which will be fixed with an update by dealerships free of charge.Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 16. Owners can contact Toyota’s customer service at 1-800-331-4331. The numbers for the recall are 25TB10 and 25TA10.

Toyota recalls nearly 400,000 vehicles over rearview camera issue

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-lee">MATTHEW LEE</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States under the Biden and Trump administrations has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the start of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Gaza war</a>&nbsp;two years ago, according to a new academic study published Tuesday, the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">provoked the conflict</a>.

Another study, also published by the Costs of War project at Brown University’s Watson School of International and Public Affairs, says the U.S. has spent roughly $10 billion more on security aid and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-strikes-nuclear-trump-hegseth-caine-78499bef6b34ebb970b5c9d074021044">operations in the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;in the past two years.

While the reports rely on open source material for most of their findings, they offer some of the most comprehensive accountings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-arms-sales-israel-trump-bb8b4e67fd77c723ed45308054eefefe">U.S. military aid to close ally Israel</a>&nbsp;and estimated costs of direct&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">American military involvement</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East.

The State Department had no immediate comment about the amount of military aid provided to Israel since October 2023. The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which oversees only a portion of the assistance.

The reports, which draw on publicly available notifications to Congress, were released as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;presses for an end to the war in Gaza. Israeli and Hamas officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-10-06-2025-3c3e1d13e86fabeaaff7930a18c6590a">launched indirect talks in Egypt</a>&nbsp;this week after Hamas accepted some elements of the U.S. plan that Israel also said it supported.

The reports, which are sharply critical of Israel, say that without the U.S. assistance, Israel would not have been able to sustain its concerted campaign against Hamas in Gaza. They note that tens of billions of dollars in future funding for Israel is projected under various bilateral agreements.

The main report says the U.S. provided $17.9 billion to Israel in the first year of the war — when Democratic President Joe Biden was in office — and $3.8 billion in the second year. Some of the military assistance has already been delivered while the remainder will be supplied in the coming years, it said.

That report was produced in conjunction with the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. The institute has been accused by some pro-Israel groups of being isolationist and anti-Israel, charges the organization denies.

A second report analyzing U.S. spending on broader Middle East activities, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-us-airstrikes-563f61bbd96e1f2de68373fdf76c8811">strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;and Iranian nuclear facilities, puts those costs at between $9.65 billion and $12 billion since Oct. 7, 2023, including between $2 billion and $2.25 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-fordo-ef530114e5297884b1c3b76a04a3b1de">attacks in Iran</a>&nbsp;and associated costs in June.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752000961462.png" alt="FIle President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;Benjamin Netanyahu -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>FIle President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;Benjamin Netanyahu -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/matthew-lee">MATTHEW LEE</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States under the Biden and Trump administrations has provided at least $21.7 billion in military assistance to Israel since the start of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">the Gaza war</a>&nbsp;two years ago, according to a new academic study published Tuesday, the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks in Israel that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">provoked the conflict</a>.Another study, also published by the Costs of War project at Brown University’s Watson School of International and Public Affairs, says the U.S. has spent roughly $10 billion more on security aid and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-strikes-nuclear-trump-hegseth-caine-78499bef6b34ebb970b5c9d074021044">operations in the broader Middle East</a>&nbsp;in the past two years.While the reports rely on open source material for most of their findings, they offer some of the most comprehensive accountings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-arms-sales-israel-trump-bb8b4e67fd77c723ed45308054eefefe">U.S. military aid to close ally Israel</a>&nbsp;and estimated costs of direct&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-war-nuclear-talks-geneva-news-06-21-2025-a7b0cdaba28b5817467ccf712d214579">American military involvement</a>&nbsp;in the Middle East.The State Department had no immediate comment about the amount of military aid provided to Israel since October 2023. The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which oversees only a portion of the assistance.The reports, which draw on publicly available notifications to Congress, were released as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-hamas-war-explainer-d5c5057d2fe9e2e255215850b454f601">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;presses for an end to the war in Gaza. Israeli and Hamas officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-10-06-2025-3c3e1d13e86fabeaaff7930a18c6590a">launched indirect talks in Egypt</a>&nbsp;this week after Hamas accepted some elements of the U.S. plan that Israel also said it supported.The reports, which are sharply critical of Israel, say that without the U.S. assistance, Israel would not have been able to sustain its concerted campaign against Hamas in Gaza. They note that tens of billions of dollars in future funding for Israel is projected under various bilateral agreements.The main report says the U.S. provided $17.9 billion to Israel in the first year of the war — when Democratic President Joe Biden was in office — and $3.8 billion in the second year. Some of the military assistance has already been delivered while the remainder will be supplied in the coming years, it said.That report was produced in conjunction with the Washington-based Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. The institute has been accused by some pro-Israel groups of being isolationist and anti-Israel, charges the organization denies.A second report analyzing U.S. spending on broader Middle East activities, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-us-airstrikes-563f61bbd96e1f2de68373fdf76c8811">strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;and Iranian nuclear facilities, puts those costs at between $9.65 billion and $12 billion since Oct. 7, 2023, including between $2 billion and $2.25 billion for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iran-nuclear-fordo-ef530114e5297884b1c3b76a04a3b1de">attacks in Iran</a>&nbsp;and associated costs in June.

Report: US has given $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since war in Gaza began

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a rollover accident that occurred just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in Finney County.

According to Garden City Police, the crash occurred at the US Highway 50/83 bypass south junction. First responds found a Ford Explorer on its top. 

The 22-year-old driver managed to climb out of the vehicle on his own.&nbsp; Finney County EMS transported him to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

He was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The investigation indicates the SUV was southbound at a high rate of speed and was witnessed weaving in and out of their lane. After entering a construction zone, the vehicle’s front left wheel struck a concrete barrier, displacing several sections. The impact caused the Explorer to roll over on its roof and slide before coming to a rest. 

Traffic was diverted for nearly 2.5 hours while first responders managed the scene and Kansas Department of Transportation crews repositioned the concrete barriers. Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759846113893.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a rollover accident that occurred just after 3:30a.m. Sunday in Finney County.According to Garden City Police, the crash occurred at the US Highway 50/83 bypass south junction. First responds found a Ford Explorer on its top. The 22-year-old driver managed to climb out of the vehicle on his own.&nbsp; Finney County EMS transported him to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The investigation indicates the SUV was southbound at a high rate of speed and was witnessed weaving in and out of their lane. After entering a construction zone, the vehicle’s front left wheel struck a concrete barrier, displacing several sections. The impact caused the Explorer to roll over on its roof and slide before coming to a rest. Traffic was diverted for nearly 2.5 hours while first responders managed the scene and Kansas Department of Transportation crews repositioned the concrete barriers. Police released no additional details.

Police investigate SW Kansas construction zone crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wic-food-insecurity-food-access-usda-5d181048c82c9efe9b297db28033e4a5">food aid program</a>&nbsp;that helps more than 6 million low-income mothers and young children will run out of federal money within two weeks unless the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-7d7e6f9b4e52d05b692cc40ec6c96cf3">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;ends, forcing states to use their own money to keep it afloat or risk it shutting down, experts say.

The $8 billion Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC, provides vouchers to buy infant formula as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wic-food-fruits-vegetables-54fc7a7b8252ea8c3f396be3e8f725fd">fresh fruits and vegetables</a>, low-fat milk and other healthy staples that are often out of financial reach for low-income households.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702818385771.png" alt="Photo by Clara Bates/Missouri Independent" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Clara Bates/Missouri Independent</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wic-food-insecurity-food-access-usda-5d181048c82c9efe9b297db28033e4a5">food aid program</a>&nbsp;that helps more than 6 million low-income mothers and young children will run out of federal money within two weeks unless the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-trump-congress-7d7e6f9b4e52d05b692cc40ec6c96cf3">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;ends, forcing states to use their own money to keep it afloat or risk it shutting down, experts say.The $8 billion Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, also known as WIC, provides vouchers to buy infant formula as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wic-food-fruits-vegetables-54fc7a7b8252ea8c3f396be3e8f725fd">fresh fruits and vegetables</a>, low-fat milk and other healthy staples that are often out of financial reach for low-income households.The shutdown, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-chuck-schumer-20e54a0f5e4fee909d0f9ea2c07c15e1">began Wednesday</a>, coincided with the beginning of a new fiscal year, meaning programs like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-eligibility-requirements" target="_blank">WIC</a>, which rely on annual infusions from the federal government, are nearly out of money. Currently, the program is being kept afloat by an $150 million contingency fund, but experts say it could run dry quickly.After that, states could step in to pay for the program and seek reimbursement when a budget finally passes, but not all states say they can afford to do so.“We feel good about one to two weeks,” said Ali Hard, policy director for the National WIC Association. “After that, we are very worried.”Government shutdownThe AP has journalists around the country covering the shutdown of the federal government.&nbsp;<a href="https://modules.wearehearken.com/associated-press/embed/12545/share" target="_blank">What questions do you have for them?</a><h2>WIC helps families buy more nutritious food</h2>Taylor Moyer, a mother of three who recently separated from her husband, has been receiving WIC since her first son was born nine years ago. She said the program allowed her to feed her children nutritious food that tends to be pricier than calorie-dense, processed options. It also provided guidance when she struggled to breastfeed and counseled her on how to handle her son’s picky eating stage.“There’s been times where I have sat back in my house and really wondered how I was going to feed my family,” said Moyer, who works at the LGBT Life Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. “And I went to the store with my WIC card ... I get rice, I got avocados, I got eggs, and I made a balanced meal that was actually good.”The shutdown came as Democrats and Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-health-care-54b2a584657a0b619bc8326708a05604">failed to pass a new spending plan</a>. Democratic lawmakers want to extend tax credits that make health care cheaper for millions of Americans, and they want to reverse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-medicaid-cuts-snap-ed0d2c7c20b43c54265dbc9cb215b647">deep cuts to Medicaid</a>&nbsp;that were passed earlier this year. They refused to sign on to any spending plan that did not include those provisions.House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, blamed Democrats for the shutdown and called them hypocritical because failing to fund the federal government endangers so many health programs.The WIC program, which has long had bipartisan support, aids those who are pregnant, mothers and children under age 5. Research has tied it to lower infant mortality, healthier birth weights, higher immunization rates and better academic outcomes for children who participate. Nearly half of those who are eligible don’t enroll, often because they believe they don’t qualify or they can’t reach a WIC office.Some Republican lawmakers want to cut WIC, which is targeted for elimination in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-russ-vought-shutdown-2d1ea5e6e32c583ddf6b8a8164e523c3">Project 2025</a>, the influential policy blueprint authored by the man who’s now President Donald Trump’s budget chief. Trump’s budget request and the spending plan backed by House Republicans would not fully fund the program. They also want to cut funding for families to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.<h2>Some states pledge to plug gaps in food aid</h2>In the event of an extended shutdown, several states have sought to reassure WIC recipients that they will continue to receive benefits. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, said the state will pick up the tab if federal funding runs out.“I want those young families, those moms, to know that your WIC card will continue to be good for the foreseeable future,” Lamont said. “We’re making sure that the government does not take that away from you.”Mississippi also pledged current WIC recipients will continue receiving benefits, but it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26180974-mississippi-wic/" target="_blank">temporarily suspended enrollment</a>&nbsp;for new participants except for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or seeking benefits for high-risk infants.In Washington state, where a third of babies receive WIC benefits, officials say they do not have the money to keep the program open.“Washington WIC may be able to sustain benefits for one to two weeks before a federal shutdown would force a full closure of the program,” said Raechel Sims, a spokesperson for the state’s Department of Health. “If the shutdown lasts longer than that, DOH does not have the ability to backfill WIC funding.”Moyer, the mother from Virginia Beach, warned that ending the program could be catastrophic for recipients.“There is going to be infants skipping feeds. There is going to be pregnant women skipping meals so that they can feed their toddlers,” she said. “And it means that people are not going to have a balanced and healthy diet.”___