WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s the final holiday stretch for President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who has decked out the White House with some whimsical decorations to evoke the “peace and light” of the season.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/holidays-2024/">Click here to see</a> more on the White House decorations

<a href="file:///Users/stanwunruh/Downloads/Holiday-Tourbook-2024.pdf">Click here to see</a> the White House holiday gift guide

The festive display includes a towering Christmas tree surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass-colored bells and sleigh bells lining a hallway, and a ceiling design that mimics snowfall.

The first lady invited National Guard families to be among the first members of the public to see the decorations, which are based on the theme of “A Season of Peace and Light.” She also spoke at a separate event held to thank the volunteers who helped with the monumental job of decorating the interior and exterior of the White House.

“This would not be possible without your work,” she said. “It’s been incredible to watch all of you transform this space year after year, and you traded time with families for hours of gluing.”

More than 300 volunteers spent the past week decorating the White House’s public spaces and its 83 Christmas trees with nearly 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) of ribbon, more than 28,000 ornaments, over 2,200 paper doves and some 165,000 lights used on wreaths, garlands and other displays.

The official White House tree, a towering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-tree-north-carolina-helene-e4868d6b13c65cd4944c5fe26fafb058">Fraser fir from North Carolina</a>&nbsp;that was anchored to the ceiling of the Blue Room after a chandelier was removed, sits at the center of a colorful carousel with reindeer, swans and other animals bobbing up and down on poles. The tree is awash in twinkling multicolored lights and three-dimensional holiday sweets like peppermints and ribbon candies. It also sports the names of every U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia.

Guests enter the White House beneath a rotating starlight and quickly come upon the Gold Star tree, honoring the families of fallen service members. The tree is made of six gold-toned stars, one for each of the six branches of the military, stacked one on top of the other.

The bells lining the East Colonnade hallway are meant to symbolize the sounds of the holidays. The ceiling and windows upstairs in the East Room are covered with reflective decorations designed to create the feeling of snow falling. Silhouettes of people holding hands decorate the bases of two large Christmas trees that flank the center door of the room.

Light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms in the Green Room while paper doves in the Red Room carry messages of peace. Doves are also suspended overhead along the Cross Hall, which runs between the East Room and the State Dining Room.

In the State Dining Room, a starburst made out of sugar shines above the massive gingerbread White House, which includes snow-covered South Grounds dotted with dozens of twinkling mini Christmas trees and a scene of people ice skating in a rink on the South Lawn.

The sugary confection — which is for display purposes only and never eaten — was built using 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds (29.48 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar paste, 45 pounds (20.41 kilograms) of chocolate, 50 pounds (22.68 kilograms) of royal icing, and 10 pounds (4.54 kilograms) of gum paste.

Military families from the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords, two Navy vessels that Jill Biden sponsors, to make paper garlands decorating the State Dining Room, including two large trees there.

As part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-michelle-obama-michael-pence-volunteer-forces-c13b158b555669e8e46191f641e1538d">Joining Forces</a>, Jill Biden’s White House initiative to support military families, the first lady allowed National Guard families to be the first to experience the decor. She invited their children — girls in sparkly dresses and shoes and boys sporting bow ties — to join her on the stage as she thanked their parents for serving their country.

<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">The Bidens’ late son, Beau</a>, was a major in the Delaware Army National Guard. He died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733259936609.png" alt="Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s the final holiday stretch for President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and his wife,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill</a>, who has decked out the White House with some whimsical decorations to evoke the “peace and light” of the season.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/holidays-2024/">Click here to see</a> more on the White House decorations<a href="file:///Users/stanwunruh/Downloads/Holiday-Tourbook-2024.pdf">Click here to see</a> the White House holiday gift guideThe festive display includes a towering Christmas tree surrounded by an amusement park-style carousel, brass-colored bells and sleigh bells lining a hallway, and a ceiling design that mimics snowfall.The first lady invited National Guard families to be among the first members of the public to see the decorations, which are based on the theme of “A Season of Peace and Light.” She also spoke at a separate event held to thank the volunteers who helped with the monumental job of decorating the interior and exterior of the White House.“This would not be possible without your work,” she said. “It’s been incredible to watch all of you transform this space year after year, and you traded time with families for hours of gluing.”More than 300 volunteers spent the past week decorating the White House’s public spaces and its 83 Christmas trees with nearly 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) of ribbon, more than 28,000 ornaments, over 2,200 paper doves and some 165,000 lights used on wreaths, garlands and other displays.The official White House tree, a towering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-christmas-tree-north-carolina-helene-e4868d6b13c65cd4944c5fe26fafb058">Fraser fir from North Carolina</a>&nbsp;that was anchored to the ceiling of the Blue Room after a chandelier was removed, sits at the center of a colorful carousel with reindeer, swans and other animals bobbing up and down on poles. The tree is awash in twinkling multicolored lights and three-dimensional holiday sweets like peppermints and ribbon candies. It also sports the names of every U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia.Guests enter the White House beneath a rotating starlight and quickly come upon the Gold Star tree, honoring the families of fallen service members. The tree is made of six gold-toned stars, one for each of the six branches of the military, stacked one on top of the other.The bells lining the East Colonnade hallway are meant to symbolize the sounds of the holidays. The ceiling and windows upstairs in the East Room are covered with reflective decorations designed to create the feeling of snow falling. Silhouettes of people holding hands decorate the bases of two large Christmas trees that flank the center door of the room.Light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms in the Green Room while paper doves in the Red Room carry messages of peace. Doves are also suspended overhead along the Cross Hall, which runs between the East Room and the State Dining Room.In the State Dining Room, a starburst made out of sugar shines above the massive gingerbread White House, which includes snow-covered South Grounds dotted with dozens of twinkling mini Christmas trees and a scene of people ice skating in a rink on the South Lawn.The sugary confection — which is for display purposes only and never eaten — was built using 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds (29.48 kilograms) of pastillage, a sugar paste, 45 pounds (20.41 kilograms) of chocolate, 50 pounds (22.68 kilograms) of royal icing, and 10 pounds (4.54 kilograms) of gum paste.Military families from the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords, two Navy vessels that Jill Biden sponsors, to make paper garlands decorating the State Dining Room, including two large trees there.As part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-michelle-obama-michael-pence-volunteer-forces-c13b158b555669e8e46191f641e1538d">Joining Forces</a>, Jill Biden’s White House initiative to support military families, the first lady allowed National Guard families to be the first to experience the decor. She invited their children — girls in sparkly dresses and shoes and boys sporting bow ties — to join her on the stage as she thanked their parents for serving their country.<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">The Bidens’ late son, Beau</a>, was a major in the Delaware Army National Guard. He died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46.

White House holiday theme: Season of Peace and Light

The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded its two-year investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic and released a final report titled “After Action Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.” 

<a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12.04.2024-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT.pdf">Click here to read</a> the report

The final report will serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Since February 2023, the Select Subcommittee has sent more than 100 investigative letters, conducted more than 30 transcribed interviews and depositions, held 25 hearings and meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents. Members and staff have exposed high-level corruption in America’s public health system, confirmed the most likely origin of the pandemic, held COVID-19 bad actors publicly accountable, fostered bipartisan consensus on consequential pandemic-era issues, and more. This 520-page final report details all findings of the Select Subcommittee’s investigation.

“This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic. Members of the 119th Congress should continue and build off this work, there is more information to find and honest actions to be taken,”&nbsp;wrote Chairman Wenstrup in a letter to Congress. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a distrust in leadership. Trust is earned. Accountability, transparency, honesty, and integrity will regain this trust. A future pandemic requires a whole of America response managed by those without personal benefit or bias. We can always do better, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, we must. It can be done.”

On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10:30am, the Select Subcommittee will hold a markup of the final report and officially submit the report to the Congressional record.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733226536127.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic concluded its two-year investigation into the COVID-19 pandemic and released a final report titled “After Action Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Lessons Learned and a Path Forward.” <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12.04.2024-SSCP-FINAL-REPORT.pdf">Click here to read</a> the reportThe final report will serve as a road map for Congress, the Executive Branch, and the private sector to prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Since February 2023, the Select Subcommittee has sent more than 100 investigative letters, conducted more than 30 transcribed interviews and depositions, held 25 hearings and meetings, and reviewed more than one million pages of documents. Members and staff have exposed high-level corruption in America’s public health system, confirmed the most likely origin of the pandemic, held COVID-19 bad actors publicly accountable, fostered bipartisan consensus on consequential pandemic-era issues, and more. This 520-page final report details all findings of the Select Subcommittee’s investigation.“This work will help the United States, and the world, predict the next pandemic, prepare for the next pandemic, protect ourselves from the next pandemic, and hopefully prevent the next pandemic. Members of the 119th Congress should continue and build off this work, there is more information to find and honest actions to be taken,”&nbsp;wrote Chairman Wenstrup in a letter to Congress. “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted a distrust in leadership. Trust is earned. Accountability, transparency, honesty, and integrity will regain this trust. A future pandemic requires a whole of America response managed by those without personal benefit or bias. We can always do better, and for the sake of future generations of Americans, we must. It can be done.”On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 10:30am, the Select Subcommittee will hold a markup of the final report and officially submit the report to the Congressional record.&nbsp;

Read the U.S. House COVID-19 pandemic panel’s final report

Washington, D.C. -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall will be a key founding member of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, which will work closely with President Trump’s newly formed DOGE led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.&nbsp;

“The Federal Government’s waste, fraud, and abuse has left America as a shell of what she once was, and in a historic national debt crisis,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“The American people gave us a mandate. They are tired of the status quo bureaucracy that strangles businesses in unnecessary regulations, abuses taxpayer monies on pet projects and beltway priorities over the heartland's needs, all while facing ZERO transparency or accountability for its gross mismanagement. Enough is enough; it’s past time for three letter agencies and unelected D.C. bureaucrats to come down to reality and remember&nbsp;‘We the People’&nbsp;sign their checks. DOGE has our work cut out for us, but it’s honorable work that will restore power back to the American people.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) will chair the Senate DOGE Caucus, with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), and James Lankford (R-OK) also holding membership in the caucus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706630950527.png" alt="Elon Musk will lead the DOGE along with Vivek Ramaswamy-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk will lead the DOGE along with Vivek Ramaswamy-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C. -&nbsp;U.S. Senator Roger Marshall will be a key founding member of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, which will work closely with President Trump’s newly formed DOGE led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.&nbsp;“The Federal Government’s waste, fraud, and abuse has left America as a shell of what she once was, and in a historic national debt crisis,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“The American people gave us a mandate. They are tired of the status quo bureaucracy that strangles businesses in unnecessary regulations, abuses taxpayer monies on pet projects and beltway priorities over the heartland's needs, all while facing ZERO transparency or accountability for its gross mismanagement. Enough is enough; it’s past time for three letter agencies and unelected D.C. bureaucrats to come down to reality and remember&nbsp;‘We the People’&nbsp;sign their checks. DOGE has our work cut out for us, but it’s honorable work that will restore power back to the American people.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) will chair the Senate DOGE Caucus, with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), and James Lankford (R-OK) also holding membership in the caucus.

Kan. U.S. Senator named to DOGE caucus to eliminate government waste, inefficiency

KANSAS CITY (AP)—The U.S. government said Tuesday it has closed its investigation into an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-onions-05c6b6c2461a35c29b774dcd2c20d4d5">E. coli outbreak</a>&nbsp;tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers after determining there is no longer a safety risk.

The outbreak, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-422c4687cc9218efda03cae73b01f473">began in late October</a>, sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One person in Colorado died and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">four people developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication.</a>

The FDA, which conducted the investigation along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments, linked the outbreak to yellow onions distributed by California-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-2bc3fc2d4198d9a5bad52c0028316165">Taylor Farms</a>&nbsp;and served raw on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of yellow onions on Oct. 22.

Federal and state health officials in Colorado didn’t find the strain of E. coli that caused the illnesses in onions it tested or in any samples from the environment. But they concluded that evidence showed that recalled yellow onions were the likely source of the outbreak.

“McDonald’s is no longer serving recalled onions and there does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak,” the FDA said Tuesday in a statement.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mcdonalds-corp">McDonald's</a>&nbsp;briefly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-meal-deal-fast-food-f8bff378ff06140cdb5a9e519c33184c">pulled Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;from one-fifth of its U.S. stores as a result of the outbreak. The company found an alternate supplier and resumed selling Quarter Pounders with slivered onions at all U.S. stores last month.

But the outbreak has hurt demand. In mid-November, McDonald's said it planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">spend $100 million</a>&nbsp;to bring customers back to stores, including $65 million that will go directly to the hardest-hit franchisees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1729872051879.png" alt="Photo CDC" />
 <figcaption>Photo CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP)—The U.S. government said Tuesday it has closed its investigation into an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-onions-05c6b6c2461a35c29b774dcd2c20d4d5">E. coli outbreak</a>&nbsp;tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers after determining there is no longer a safety risk.The outbreak, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-outbreak-422c4687cc9218efda03cae73b01f473">began in late October</a>, sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One person in Colorado died and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">four people developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication.</a>The FDA, which conducted the investigation along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments, linked the outbreak to yellow onions distributed by California-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-outbreak-e-coli-onions-2bc3fc2d4198d9a5bad52c0028316165">Taylor Farms</a>&nbsp;and served raw on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. Taylor Farms initiated a voluntary recall of yellow onions on Oct. 22.Federal and state health officials in Colorado didn’t find the strain of E. coli that caused the illnesses in onions it tested or in any samples from the environment. But they concluded that evidence showed that recalled yellow onions were the likely source of the outbreak.“McDonald’s is no longer serving recalled onions and there does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak,” the FDA said Tuesday in a statement.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mcdonalds-corp">McDonald's</a>&nbsp;briefly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-meal-deal-fast-food-f8bff378ff06140cdb5a9e519c33184c">pulled Quarter Pounders</a>&nbsp;from one-fifth of its U.S. stores as a result of the outbreak. The company found an alternate supplier and resumed selling Quarter Pounders with slivered onions at all U.S. stores last month.But the outbreak has hurt demand. In mid-November, McDonald's said it planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">spend $100 million</a>&nbsp;to bring customers back to stores, including $65 million that will go directly to the hardest-hit franchisees.

US closes investigation of E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders

KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 40 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Shayla Curts, 22, and her unborn child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.&nbsp;

In June. Emmett C. Williams, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder 2nd Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.

Last week, the judge sentenced Williams to 25 years on the murder convictions and 15 years on the Armed Criminal Action convictions.&nbsp;

According to court records, on Dec. 6, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the 4900 block of Bellefontaine Avenue on a reported shooting.

Officers found Curts deceased at the scene from a gunshot wound. Witnesses placed the defendant at the scene at the time of the shooting. One reported hearing a gunshot when the victim and "EW" were in residence.

A shell casing was located in the residence. Williams told police Curtis often antagonized him with her words and normally he ignored them. This time, she was on the living room couch as he was walking past her when he made the decision to pull a 9mm handgun and shoot her in the head. Police located the weapon later in a wooded area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670585057057.png" alt="Williams photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City man to 40 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Shayla Curts, 22, and her unborn child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.&nbsp;In June. Emmett C. Williams, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder 2nd Degree and two counts of Armed Criminal Action charges.Last week, the judge sentenced Williams to 25 years on the murder convictions and 15 years on the Armed Criminal Action convictions.&nbsp;According to court records, on Dec. 6, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to the 4900 block of Bellefontaine Avenue on a reported shooting.Officers found Curts deceased at the scene from a gunshot wound. Witnesses placed the defendant at the scene at the time of the shooting. One reported hearing a gunshot when the victim and "EW" were in residence.A shell casing was located in the residence. Williams told police Curtis often antagonized him with her words and normally he ignored them. This time, she was on the living room couch as he was walking past her when he made the decision to pull a 9mm handgun and shoot her in the head. Police located the weapon later in a wooded area.

Prison for murder of pregnant Kansas City woman

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY."

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113584730902816413">a post on his Truth Social site</a>.

He added that, "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”

It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Trump allies have said he hopes there will be a ceasefire and hostage release deal before he returns to office early next year.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined comment. But the country's president, Isaac Herzog, welcomed Trump's comments in a social media post.

"Thank you and bless you Mr. President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>,"&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Isaac_Herzog">he wrote on X</a>. "We all pray for the moment we see our sisters and brothers back home!"

The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-gaza-tunnels-hamas-israel-war-d8ecb415268e911cea09518acdaf7ba2">and taking around 250 people hostage</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 100&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-hostages-trump-biden-7e3cd6a6f0b9cd70cced92225a31e66c">are still held inside Gaza</a>, around two-thirds believed to be alive.

Trump’s threat came hours after the Israeli government confirmed the death of Omer Neutra, a dual US--Israeli citizen, whose body is still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, according to the Israeli government.

Days earlier, Hamas released a hostage video of Edan Alexander, who was serving in the Israeli military when he was taken by Hamas to Gaza. Filmed under apparent duress, Alexander calls on Trump to work to negotiate for his freedom and that of the remaining Hamas hostages.

The Biden administration is mounting a last-ditch effort to try to restart talks between Israel and Hamas now that it has brokered a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. But the administration has said that Hamas has yet to show a willingness to reengage in negotiations and that the group isn’t concerned for its own lives or the lives of Gaza civilians.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive for the attack has left at least 44,429 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave</a>&nbsp;and displaced 90% of its population of 2.3 million people — often multiple times.

___ Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is demanding the immediate release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office for a second term there will be “HELL TO PAY."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733242099340.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity," Trump wrote in&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113584730902816413">a post on his Truth Social site</a>.He added that, "Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Trump allies have said he hopes there will be a ceasefire and hostage release deal before he returns to office early next year.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined comment. But the country's president, Isaac Herzog, welcomed Trump's comments in a social media post."Thank you and bless you Mr. President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump">@realDonaldTrump</a>,"&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Isaac_Herzog">he wrote on X</a>. "We all pray for the moment we see our sisters and brothers back home!"The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-gaza-tunnels-hamas-israel-war-d8ecb415268e911cea09518acdaf7ba2">and taking around 250 people hostage</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, 2023. Some 100&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-hostages-trump-biden-7e3cd6a6f0b9cd70cced92225a31e66c">are still held inside Gaza</a>, around two-thirds believed to be alive.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728311216287.png" alt="Omer Neutra -photo Hostages and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>Omer Neutra -photo Hostages and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump’s threat came hours after the Israeli government confirmed the death of Omer Neutra, a dual US--Israeli citizen, whose body is still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, according to the Israeli government.Days earlier, Hamas released a hostage video of Edan Alexander, who was serving in the Israeli military when he was taken by Hamas to Gaza. Filmed under apparent duress, Alexander calls on Trump to work to negotiate for his freedom and that of the remaining Hamas hostages.The Biden administration is mounting a last-ditch effort to try to restart talks between Israel and Hamas now that it has brokered a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. But the administration has said that Hamas has yet to show a willingness to reengage in negotiations and that the group isn’t concerned for its own lives or the lives of Gaza civilians.Israel’s retaliatory offensive for the attack has left at least 44,429 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The war&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/scars-of-war-0000019256a2d640a5fef6ba634b0000">has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave</a>&nbsp;and displaced 90% of its population of 2.3 million people — often multiple times.___ Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

Trump threatens Hamas with 'all hell to pay' over hostages

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects in connection with&nbsp;two separate domestic disturbances over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Just after midnight November 29, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received notification regarding a domestic disturbance in the 3400 block of SE Skylark Drive, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A 36-year-old female victim was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Benjamin J. Garay-Astorga, 33, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Aggravated battery and Aggravated assault.

Just before 1 a.m. Nov. 29, deputies were dispatched to another domestic disturbance in the 7600 block of SW Oxfordshire Road. A 39-year-old female victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Rick C. Jackson II, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges of Aggravated domestic battery

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733177095417.png" alt="Jackson photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Jackson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating two suspects in connection with&nbsp;two separate domestic disturbances over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.Just after midnight November 29, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Communications Center received notification regarding a domestic disturbance in the 3400 block of SE Skylark Drive, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. A 36-year-old female victim was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with serious injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733177039703.png" alt="Garay-Astorga photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Garay-Astorga photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Benjamin J. Garay-Astorga, 33, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Aggravated battery and Aggravated assault.Just before 1 a.m. Nov. 29, deputies were dispatched to another domestic disturbance in the 7600 block of SW Oxfordshire Road. A 39-year-old female victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries.Rick C. Jackson II, 39, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges of Aggravated domestic battery

Two Kan. men accused of Thanksgiving weekend violence against women

Kansas had more than 2 million voters registered in last month’s election

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — More Kansans voted in last month’s general election than in any in the state’s history, officials announced Monday.

The Kansas State Board of Canvassers met to certify the results of last month’s vote for U.S. president and a host of federal, state and local offices. President-elect Donald Trump won handily in Kansas over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Kansas elections director Bryan Caskey said the vote broke three records.

For the first time, more than 1.34 million Kansans voted, Caskey said. More than 2 million were registered for the election. And more people voted in person ahead of Election Day than ever before.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, thanked election workers and volunteers, noting that unfounded accusations of voter fraud have made their jobs difficult.

“It’s been hard for election workers the past several years,” Schwab said, “but they stand up every election cycle and do their work and they don’t complain.”

Trump won Kansas and its six Electoral College votes by 16 percentage points, widening his victory slightly compared to 2020. In 2020 when President Joe Biden won the election, conservatives claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud helped lift him into office.

Caskey, who serves under Schwab, said he wasn’t aware of any allegations of fraud by any candidates in Kansas this year.&nbsp;

Schwab said he gets frustrated by claims of voter fraud and noted the vast majority of Kansans do not complain about elections.&nbsp;

“It’s a small group of people,” he said, “but when their person wins, then they don’t complain. When their person loses, they complain.”&nbsp;

Asked if he thought election workers could put allegations of fraud behind them, he said he lets the work of election officials speak for itself.

“Are there going to be people who say the world is flat?” Schwab said. “Are there going to be people (who) say we’ve never been to the moon?”

Schwab said his office was reviewing the election to see if the state needs any legislative fixes to help the vote run smoothly. The office may pursue bills when the Kansas Legislature returns in January “to make sure we continue to have secure elections,” he said, but he declined to say what sort of proposals he was considering, noting they are still under review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733234170388.png" alt="Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab chairs a meeting of the State Board of Canvassers on Monday as members certify the results of last month's election. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab chairs a meeting of the State Board of Canvassers on Monday as members certify the results of last month's election. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Kansas had more than 2 million voters registered in last month’s election</h2>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — More Kansans voted in last month’s general election than in any in the state’s history, officials announced Monday.The Kansas State Board of Canvassers met to certify the results of last month’s vote for U.S. president and a host of federal, state and local offices. President-elect Donald Trump won handily in Kansas over Vice President Kamala Harris.Kansas elections director Bryan Caskey said the vote broke three records.For the first time, more than 1.34 million Kansans voted, Caskey said. More than 2 million were registered for the election. And more people voted in person ahead of Election Day than ever before.Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, thanked election workers and volunteers, noting that unfounded accusations of voter fraud have made their jobs difficult.“It’s been hard for election workers the past several years,” Schwab said, “but they stand up every election cycle and do their work and they don’t complain.”Trump won Kansas and its six Electoral College votes by 16 percentage points, widening his victory slightly compared to 2020. In 2020 when President Joe Biden won the election, conservatives claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud helped lift him into office.Caskey, who serves under Schwab, said he wasn’t aware of any allegations of fraud by any candidates in Kansas this year.&nbsp;Schwab said he gets frustrated by claims of voter fraud and noted the vast majority of Kansans do not complain about elections.&nbsp;“It’s a small group of people,” he said, “but when their person wins, then they don’t complain. When their person loses, they complain.”&nbsp;Asked if he thought election workers could put allegations of fraud behind them, he said he lets the work of election officials speak for itself.“Are there going to be people who say the world is flat?” Schwab said. “Are there going to be people (who) say we’ve never been to the moon?”Schwab said his office was reviewing the election to see if the state needs any legislative fixes to help the vote run smoothly. The office may pursue bills when the Kansas Legislature returns in January “to make sure we continue to have secure elections,” he said, but he declined to say what sort of proposals he was considering, noting they are still under review.

Kansas officials certify November election with record-setting turnout

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is adding&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V894-9506.PDF">over 132,000 heavy-duty pickups</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. to a previous recall for tailgate release switches that can short circuit and open the gates while the trucks are in park.

The recall adds certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silverado-sierra-heavy-duty-pickups-tailgate-switch-bc1cc539e1ad4a0be8d347ff80c0816f">February recall of 323,000 heavy duty pickups</a>. Only trucks with a manual gate and power lock and release are affected.

The company says in documents posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that water can get into the electronic gate release switches, causing the gates to unlatch. If that happens, cargo can fall into the road and become a hazard.

The trucks in the new recall were added after the company found 237 field reports of tailgates opening unexpectedly. Until repairs are made, GM says owners should check to make sure the gate is closed and latched before driving.

Dealers will replace the exterior touch pad switch assemblies with new ones that are more resistant to water.

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is adding&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2024/RCLRPT-24V894-9506.PDF">over 132,000 heavy-duty pickups</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. to a previous recall for tailgate release switches that can short circuit and open the gates while the trucks are in park.The recall adds certain 2024 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 trucks to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silverado-sierra-heavy-duty-pickups-tailgate-switch-bc1cc539e1ad4a0be8d347ff80c0816f">February recall of 323,000 heavy duty pickups</a>. Only trucks with a manual gate and power lock and release are affected.The company says in documents posted Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that water can get into the electronic gate release switches, causing the gates to unlatch. If that happens, cargo can fall into the road and become a hazard.The trucks in the new recall were added after the company found 237 field reports of tailgates opening unexpectedly. Until repairs are made, GM says owners should check to make sure the gate is closed and latched before driving.Dealers will replace the exterior touch pad switch assemblies with new ones that are more resistant to water.

GM adds heavy duty pickups to recall for tailgates that can open unexpectedly

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a felony theft involving an ATM in the city of Olathe.

Just before 9:30a.m. Monday, two unknown subjects obtained money from an exterior ATM near the 15,000 Block of West 119th Street in Olathe, according to Olathe Police Sergeant&nbsp;John Moncayo. The suspects fled the area in a black Toyota passenger vehicle.

A thorough area search was conducted, and no contact was made with the suspects or vehicle.

The suspects were described as two man wearing hooded sweatshirts, black ski masks, and dark colored jeans. The suspects left with an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was seen during this incident and no reported injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733177721302.png" alt="Photos Olathe Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Olathe Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a felony theft involving an ATM in the city of Olathe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733177699252.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9:30a.m. Monday, two unknown subjects obtained money from an exterior ATM near the 15,000 Block of West 119th Street in Olathe, according to Olathe Police Sergeant&nbsp;John Moncayo. The suspects fled the area in a black Toyota passenger vehicle.A thorough area search was conducted, and no contact was made with the suspects or vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733177792018.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The suspects were described as two man wearing hooded sweatshirts, black ski masks, and dark colored jeans. The suspects left with an undisclosed amount of cash. No weapon was seen during this incident and no reported injuries.

Police: Kansas suspects stole cash from ATM 

LYON COUNTY— The City of Emporia, along with Lyon County, the Regional Development Association, Emporia Main Street, Emporia Chamber of Commerce, Flint Hills Technical College, and Emporia State University in a media release on Monday acknowledged the announced closure of Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc, 2443 West 6th, set for February of 2025.&nbsp; &nbsp;Over 800 employees will be without jobs.

"Our thoughts are with the employees and families affected by this transition. Tyson has been a valuable corporate partner over the years, and we are grateful for their contributions to our community. "

"Our collective priority is to support impacted workers. We are collaborating with local organizations, state agencies, and workforce development partners to provide resources, job placement assistance, and training opportunities."

While we recognize the challenges this closure presents, Emporia’s economy remains stable and resilient. Community leaders will continue to work with key stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level to promote economic growth in Emporia. By working closely with business leaders and stakeholders, we aim to attract and retain strong and diversified industry that will provide growth and prosperity for our residents.&nbsp;

Emporia is a resilient community, and we are confident in our collective ability to navigate this transition. Our community is united and committed to building an even stronger future.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733175081207.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LYON COUNTY— The City of Emporia, along with Lyon County, the Regional Development Association, Emporia Main Street, Emporia Chamber of Commerce, Flint Hills Technical College, and Emporia State University in a media release on Monday acknowledged the announced closure of Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc, 2443 West 6th, set for February of 2025.&nbsp; &nbsp;Over 800 employees will be without jobs."Our thoughts are with the employees and families affected by this transition. Tyson has been a valuable corporate partner over the years, and we are grateful for their contributions to our community. ""Our collective priority is to support impacted workers. We are collaborating with local organizations, state agencies, and workforce development partners to provide resources, job placement assistance, and training opportunities."While we recognize the challenges this closure presents, Emporia’s economy remains stable and resilient. Community leaders will continue to work with key stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level to promote economic growth in Emporia. By working closely with business leaders and stakeholders, we aim to attract and retain strong and diversified industry that will provide growth and prosperity for our residents.&nbsp;Emporia is a resilient community, and we are confident in our collective ability to navigate this transition. Our community is united and committed to building an even stronger future.&nbsp;

Community responds to Tyson Foods plan to close Emporia plant

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is preparing to send Ukraine an additional $725 million in military assistance, including counter-drone systems and munitions for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which could indicate more of the longer-range missiles are headed to the battlefield.

It was unclear whether the munitions for the HIMARS are the coveted ATACMS — the Army Tactical Missile System — but Ukraine has been pressing for more of the longer-range missiles to strike additional targets inside Russia.

The package, announced Monday by the State Department, also includes more of the anti-personnel land mines that Ukraine is counting on to slow Russian and North Korean ground forces in Russia’s Kursk region.

President Joe Biden has pledged to spend all of the military assistance funds Congress approved this year for Ukraine before the end of his administration on Jan. 20, which before Monday’s announcement included about $7.1 billion in weapons that would be drawn from the Pentagon’s stockpiles.

There is widespread speculation about what the new Trump administration will mean for Ukraine as the incoming president has promised to end the conflict. In a major shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled on Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-nato-92069fae6a05fc03d6fb2643ecbb4b2a">an an offer of NATO membership</a>&nbsp;to territory under Kyiv’s control could end “the hot stage of the war.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732047530088.png" alt="Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy -courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is preparing to send Ukraine an additional $725 million in military assistance, including counter-drone systems and munitions for its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, which could indicate more of the longer-range missiles are headed to the battlefield.It was unclear whether the munitions for the HIMARS are the coveted ATACMS — the Army Tactical Missile System — but Ukraine has been pressing for more of the longer-range missiles to strike additional targets inside Russia.The package, announced Monday by the State Department, also includes more of the anti-personnel land mines that Ukraine is counting on to slow Russian and North Korean ground forces in Russia’s Kursk region.President Joe Biden has pledged to spend all of the military assistance funds Congress approved this year for Ukraine before the end of his administration on Jan. 20, which before Monday’s announcement included about $7.1 billion in weapons that would be drawn from the Pentagon’s stockpiles.There is widespread speculation about what the new Trump administration will mean for Ukraine as the incoming president has promised to end the conflict. In a major shift, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled on Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-nato-92069fae6a05fc03d6fb2643ecbb4b2a">an an offer of NATO membership</a>&nbsp;to territory under Kyiv’s control could end “the hot stage of the war.”

U.S. will send Ukraine another $725 million in military assistance

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends November 2024 with total tax collections at $675.5 million. That is $25.4 million, or 3.6%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are up 4.0% from November 2023, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2024%2F12%2F02%2Ffile_attachments%2F3087629%2F05_November_Revenue_FY2025_12-02-2024_Final.pdf/1/01010193884aac2f-a4a57d36-d129-421b-99d1-4f1ae61cea90-000000/2rO6tRUHkEOQ0gZWDKpjinutTzxSn5_6a9d0mWVZcCc=381">Click here</a>&nbsp;to view the November 2024 revenue numbers.

Individual income tax collections were $335.2 million. That is $15.3 million, or 4.4% below the estimate. Individual income tax collections are up 14.9% from November 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $24.5 million. That is $5.9 million, or 19.4% below the estimate, and down 31.1% from November 2023.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $287.3 million, which is $2.0 million, or 0.7% below the estimate, and down $3.7 million, or 1.3%, from November 2023.&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;– The State of Kansas ends November 2024 with total tax collections at $675.5 million. That is $25.4 million, or 3.6%, below the estimate. Total tax collections are up 4.0% from November 2023, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2024%2F12%2F02%2Ffile_attachments%2F3087629%2F05_November_Revenue_FY2025_12-02-2024_Final.pdf/1/01010193884aac2f-a4a57d36-d129-421b-99d1-4f1ae61cea90-000000/2rO6tRUHkEOQ0gZWDKpjinutTzxSn5_6a9d0mWVZcCc=381">Click here</a>&nbsp;to view the November 2024 revenue numbers.Individual income tax collections were $335.2 million. That is $15.3 million, or 4.4% below the estimate. Individual income tax collections are up 14.9% from November 2023. Corporate income tax collections were $24.5 million. That is $5.9 million, or 19.4% below the estimate, and down 31.1% from November 2023.Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $287.3 million, which is $2.0 million, or 0.7% below the estimate, and down $3.7 million, or 1.3%, from November 2023.&nbsp;

Kansas November tax collections below the estimate 

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri man is scheduled to be put to death Tuesday evening for sexually assaulting and strangling a 9-year-old girl whose body was thrown into a sinkhole.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-christopher-collings-e81def9fe66d34cab516b7945be057b5">Christopher Collings</a>, 49, is set to receive a single injection of the sedative pentobarbital at 6 p.m. CST for the 2007 murder of fourth-grader Rowan Ford.

The girl was assaulted and strangled with a length of rope in the tiny southwestern Missouri town of Stella, on Nov. 3, 2007, and her body was discovered six days later in the sinkhole outside town.

Collings' fate appeared to be sealed on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal and Republican Gov. Mike Parson turned aside a clemency request. Parson, a former sheriff, has overseen 12 previous executions and never granted clemency.

Collings’ execution would be the 23rd in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-brian-dorsey-1a7801bb6fc42e666d95daa68a2b2ce1">Brian Dorsey</a>&nbsp;was executed on April 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-hosier-execution-missouri-angela-gilpin-901d8028e3b1f2ddd46b7503b9775966">David Hosier</a>&nbsp;on June 11 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-marcellus-williams-8be20e2f252992610a30fa0cfef4185a">Marcellus Williams</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 24. Only Alabama with six and Texas with five have performed more executions in 2024.

Rowan was a fourth-grader described by teachers at Collings' trial as a hard-working and happy student, a lover of Barbie dolls who had her room painted pink. Collings was a friend of Rowan's stepfather, David Spears, and lived for several months in 2007 at the home Rowan shared with Spears and Rowan's mother, Colleen Spears. The child called Collings “Uncle Chris.”

Collings told authorities that he drank heavily and smoked marijuana with Spears and another man in the hours before the attack on Rowan, according to court records. Collings said he picked up the still-sleeping child from her bed, took her to the camper where he lived, and assaulted her there.

Collings told police that he planned to take Rowan back home, leading her outside the camper facing away from him so that she couldn't identify who assaulted her. But when moonlight lit up the darkness, Rowan was able to see him, Collings told police. He said he “freaked out,” grabbed a rope from a nearby pickup truck and killed her.

Colleen Spears returned home from work at 9 a.m. on Nov. 3 and was alarmed when she couldn’t find Rowan. Court records said Spears insisted Rowan was at a friend’s house. But when Rowan failed to return home by the afternoon, Colleen Spears called police, prompting a massive search.

Collings, Spears and a third man became the focus of police attention because they were the last people seen at Rowan's home. Collings told police that after killing Rowan, he took the body to a sinkhole. He burned the rope used in the attack, along with the clothes he was wearing and his bloodstained mattress, prosecutors said.

Court documents and the clemency petition said Spears also implicated himself in the crimes. A transcript of Spears’ statement to police, cited in the clemency petition, said Spears told officers that Collings handed him a cord and Spears killed Rowan.

“I choke her with it. I realize she’s gone. She’s ... she’s really gone,” Spears said, according to the transcript. Meanwhile, court documents said it was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where the body was found.

But Spears was allowed to plead to lesser charges. It wasn't clear why. Prosecutors at the original trial didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

Spears served more than seven years in prison before being released in 2015. No phone listing could be found for Spears.

The clemency petition said Collings suffered from a brain abnormality that created "functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also noted that he was frequently abused and sexually abused as a child.

“The result was a damaged human being with no guidance on how to grow into a functioning adult,” the petition stated.

The clemency petition and the Supreme Court appeal both challenged the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings’ trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings’ right to due process, Collings' attorney, Jeremy Weis, contended.

“His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings,” Weis said in an interview.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri’s governor on Monday denied clemency for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-christopher-collings-e81def9fe66d34cab516b7945be057b5">Christopher Collings</a>, a death row inmate facing execution for sexually assaulting and killing a 9-year-old girl and leaving her body in a sinkhole.

Collings, 49, is scheduled to receive a single injection of pentobarbital at 6 p.m. CST Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, for the 2007 killing of fourth-grader Rowan Ford. It would be the 23rd execution in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri.

“Mr. Collings has received every protection afforded by the Missouri and United States Constitutions, and Mr. Collings’ conviction and sentence remain for his horrendous and callous crime,” Republican Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement.

Parson’s decision likely sealed Collings’ fate. Earlier Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal on behalf of Collings, without comment. No additional appeals are planned, Collings' attorney, Jeremy Weis, said.

Parson's decision was not unexpected — a former sheriff, Parson has overseen 12 previous executions without granting clemency. Weis said Parson has allowed other executions to proceed for inmates with innocence claims, intellectual disabilities and for men who were “reformed and remorseful” for their crimes.

“In each case of redemption, the Governor has ignored the evidence and sought vengeance,” Weis said in a statement.

Collings confessed to killing Rowan, a child who referred to him as “Uncle Chris” after Collings lived for several months with the girl’s family in tiny Stella, Missouri. Rowan was killed on Nov. 3, 2007. Her body was found in a sinkhole outside of town six days later. She had been strangled.

The clemency petition said an abnormality of Collings’ brain causes him to suffer from “functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also noted that he suffered from frequent and often violent abuse as a child.

The petition also challenged the fairness of executing Collings when another man charged in the crime, Rowan’s stepfather, David Spears, also confessed but was allowed to plead to lesser crimes. Spears served more than seven years in prison before his release in 2015.

Collings told authorities that he drank heavily and smoked marijuana with Spears and another man in the hours before the attack on Rowan, according to court records. Collings said he picked up the sleeping child from her bed, took her to the camper where he lived and assaulted her there. He said he strangled the child with a rope when he realized she recognized him.

Collings told investigators that he took the girl's body to a sinkhole. He burned the rope used in the attack, along with the clothes he was wearing and his bloodstained mattress, prosecutors said.

Spears also implicated himself in the crimes, according to court documents and the clemency petition. A transcript of Spears’ statement to police, cited in the petition, said he told police that Collings handed him a cord and that he killed Rowan.

“I choke her with it. I realize she’s gone. She’s ... she’s really gone,” Spears said, according to the transcript. It was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where her body was found, according to court documents.

No phone listing could be found for Spears.

The Supreme Court appeal challenged the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings’ trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings’ right to due process, Weis contended.

“His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings," Weis said in an interview.

Three men have been executed in Missouri this year —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-brian-dorsey-1a7801bb6fc42e666d95daa68a2b2ce1">Brian Dorsey</a>&nbsp;on April 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-hosier-execution-missouri-angela-gilpin-901d8028e3b1f2ddd46b7503b9775966">David Hosier</a>&nbsp;on June 11 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-marcellus-williams-8be20e2f252992610a30fa0cfef4185a">Marcellus Williams</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 24. Only Alabama, with six, and Texas, with five, have performed more executions than Missouri in 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723583895173.png" alt="Collings photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Collings photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri man is scheduled to be put to death Tuesday evening for sexually assaulting and strangling a 9-year-old girl whose body was thrown into a sinkhole.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-christopher-collings-e81def9fe66d34cab516b7945be057b5">Christopher Collings</a>, 49, is set to receive a single injection of the sedative pentobarbital at 6 p.m. CST for the 2007 murder of fourth-grader Rowan Ford.The girl was assaulted and strangled with a length of rope in the tiny southwestern Missouri town of Stella, on Nov. 3, 2007, and her body was discovered six days later in the sinkhole outside town.Collings' fate appeared to be sealed on Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal and Republican Gov. Mike Parson turned aside a clemency request. Parson, a former sheriff, has overseen 12 previous executions and never granted clemency.Collings’ execution would be the 23rd in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-brian-dorsey-1a7801bb6fc42e666d95daa68a2b2ce1">Brian Dorsey</a>&nbsp;was executed on April 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-hosier-execution-missouri-angela-gilpin-901d8028e3b1f2ddd46b7503b9775966">David Hosier</a>&nbsp;on June 11 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-marcellus-williams-8be20e2f252992610a30fa0cfef4185a">Marcellus Williams</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 24. Only Alabama with six and Texas with five have performed more executions in 2024.Rowan was a fourth-grader described by teachers at Collings' trial as a hard-working and happy student, a lover of Barbie dolls who had her room painted pink. Collings was a friend of Rowan's stepfather, David Spears, and lived for several months in 2007 at the home Rowan shared with Spears and Rowan's mother, Colleen Spears. The child called Collings “Uncle Chris.”Collings told authorities that he drank heavily and smoked marijuana with Spears and another man in the hours before the attack on Rowan, according to court records. Collings said he picked up the still-sleeping child from her bed, took her to the camper where he lived, and assaulted her there.Collings told police that he planned to take Rowan back home, leading her outside the camper facing away from him so that she couldn't identify who assaulted her. But when moonlight lit up the darkness, Rowan was able to see him, Collings told police. He said he “freaked out,” grabbed a rope from a nearby pickup truck and killed her.Colleen Spears returned home from work at 9 a.m. on Nov. 3 and was alarmed when she couldn’t find Rowan. Court records said Spears insisted Rowan was at a friend’s house. But when Rowan failed to return home by the afternoon, Colleen Spears called police, prompting a massive search.Collings, Spears and a third man became the focus of police attention because they were the last people seen at Rowan's home. Collings told police that after killing Rowan, he took the body to a sinkhole. He burned the rope used in the attack, along with the clothes he was wearing and his bloodstained mattress, prosecutors said.Court documents and the clemency petition said Spears also implicated himself in the crimes. A transcript of Spears’ statement to police, cited in the clemency petition, said Spears told officers that Collings handed him a cord and Spears killed Rowan.“I choke her with it. I realize she’s gone. She’s ... she’s really gone,” Spears said, according to the transcript. Meanwhile, court documents said it was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where the body was found.But Spears was allowed to plead to lesser charges. It wasn't clear why. Prosecutors at the original trial didn't respond to messages seeking comment.Spears served more than seven years in prison before being released in 2015. No phone listing could be found for Spears.The clemency petition said Collings suffered from a brain abnormality that created "functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also noted that he was frequently abused and sexually abused as a child.“The result was a damaged human being with no guidance on how to grow into a functioning adult,” the petition stated.The clemency petition and the Supreme Court appeal both challenged the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings’ trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings’ right to due process, Collings' attorney, Jeremy Weis, contended.“His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings,” Weis said in an interview.-----------------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri’s governor on Monday denied clemency for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-date-set-christopher-collings-e81def9fe66d34cab516b7945be057b5">Christopher Collings</a>, a death row inmate facing execution for sexually assaulting and killing a 9-year-old girl and leaving her body in a sinkhole.Collings, 49, is scheduled to receive a single injection of pentobarbital at 6 p.m. CST Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, for the 2007 killing of fourth-grader Rowan Ford. It would be the 23rd execution in the U.S. this year and the fourth in Missouri.“Mr. Collings has received every protection afforded by the Missouri and United States Constitutions, and Mr. Collings’ conviction and sentence remain for his horrendous and callous crime,” Republican Gov. Mike Parson said in a statement.Parson’s decision likely sealed Collings’ fate. Earlier Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal on behalf of Collings, without comment. No additional appeals are planned, Collings' attorney, Jeremy Weis, said.Parson's decision was not unexpected — a former sheriff, Parson has overseen 12 previous executions without granting clemency. Weis said Parson has allowed other executions to proceed for inmates with innocence claims, intellectual disabilities and for men who were “reformed and remorseful” for their crimes.“In each case of redemption, the Governor has ignored the evidence and sought vengeance,” Weis said in a statement.Collings confessed to killing Rowan, a child who referred to him as “Uncle Chris” after Collings lived for several months with the girl’s family in tiny Stella, Missouri. Rowan was killed on Nov. 3, 2007. Her body was found in a sinkhole outside of town six days later. She had been strangled.The clemency petition said an abnormality of Collings’ brain causes him to suffer from “functional deficits in awareness, judgment and deliberation, comportment, appropriate social inhibition, and emotional regulation.” It also noted that he suffered from frequent and often violent abuse as a child.“The result was a damaged human being with no guidance on how to grow into a functioning adult,” the petition stated.The petition also challenged the fairness of executing Collings when another man charged in the crime, Rowan’s stepfather, David Spears, also confessed but was allowed to plead to lesser crimes. Spears served more than seven years in prison before his release in 2015.Collings told authorities that he drank heavily and smoked marijuana with Spears and another man in the hours before the attack on Rowan, according to court records. Collings said he picked up the sleeping child from her bed, took her to the camper where he lived and assaulted her there. He said he strangled the child with a rope when he realized she recognized him.Collings told investigators that he took the girl's body to a sinkhole. He burned the rope used in the attack, along with the clothes he was wearing and his bloodstained mattress, prosecutors said.Spears also implicated himself in the crimes, according to court documents and the clemency petition. A transcript of Spears’ statement to police, cited in the petition, said he told police that Collings handed him a cord and that he killed Rowan.“I choke her with it. I realize she’s gone. She’s ... she’s really gone,” Spears said, according to the transcript. It was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where her body was found, according to court documents.No phone listing could be found for Spears.The Supreme Court appeal challenged the reliability of the key law enforcement witness at Collings’ trial, a police chief from a neighboring town who had four AWOL convictions while serving in the Army. Failure to disclose details about that criminal history at trial violated Collings’ right to due process, Weis contended.“His credibility was really at the heart of the entire case against Mr. Collings," Weis said in an interview.Three men have been executed in Missouri this year —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-brian-dorsey-1a7801bb6fc42e666d95daa68a2b2ce1">Brian Dorsey</a>&nbsp;on April 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/david-hosier-execution-missouri-angela-gilpin-901d8028e3b1f2ddd46b7503b9775966">David Hosier</a>&nbsp;on June 11 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-marcellus-williams-8be20e2f252992610a30fa0cfef4185a">Marcellus Williams</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 24. Only Alabama, with six, and Texas, with five, have performed more executions than Missouri in 2024.

Execution day for sexual assault, strangling of 9-year-old girl

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations in connection an incident involving a gun.

Just before 3p.m. Saturday, police responded to the area of the 1700 block of SE 29th street in Topeka in reference to a subject possibly threatening others with a firearm.

Upon arrival officers developed information that 18-year-old&nbsp; Jairus Lyles Jr., had been armed with a firearm and had threatened several people in the area.&nbsp;

Police found Lyles at his home in the area arrested him and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Three counts of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Criminal Threat and&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Endangerment of a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733151513424.png" alt="Lyles photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lyles photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas teen on multiple allegations in connection an incident involving a gun.Just before 3p.m. Saturday, police responded to the area of the 1700 block of SE 29th street in Topeka in reference to a subject possibly threatening others with a firearm.Upon arrival officers developed information that 18-year-old&nbsp; Jairus Lyles Jr., had been armed with a firearm and had threatened several people in the area.&nbsp;Police found Lyles at his home in the area arrested him and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Three counts of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Criminal Threat and&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated Endangerment of a child.

Kan. teen accused of threatening victims with a gun

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating two women on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, a sheriff's deputy arrested two women following a traffic stop near 142nd&nbsp;and U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Deputies arrested the driver of the vehicle, Janis Ann Myrick 49, of Topeka, and the passenger, Lori Price, 58 of Topeka on drug charges.

Myrick booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and for an outstanding warrant from Jewell County, Kansas.

Price was&nbsp; booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement. The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733174594082.png" alt="Myrick-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Myrick-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan.—Law enforcement are investigating two women on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just after 10:30p.m. Saturday, a sheriff's deputy arrested two women following a traffic stop near 142nd&nbsp;and U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733174701797.png" alt="Price-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Price-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Deputies arrested the driver of the vehicle, Janis Ann Myrick 49, of Topeka, and the passenger, Lori Price, 58 of Topeka on drug charges.Myrick booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and for an outstanding warrant from Jewell County, Kansas.Price was&nbsp; booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony interference with law enforcement. The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

Two Kansas women accused of transporting meth

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-son-hunter-charges-pardon-pledge-24f3007c2d2f467fa48e21bbc7262525">President Joe Biden’s decision to go back</a>&nbsp;on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter</a>, just weeks before his scheduled sentencing on gun and tax convictions was a surprise that wasn't all that surprising.

Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden's first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-beau-cancer-knock-ireland-0b52c7f9fa4e4c135dd49f0c00bdc473">of his older son, Beau</a>, from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-laptop-ba96537a686d04dc3773552cfa13deeb">Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction.</a>

But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — has raised new questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-presidential-election-2024-49f2146c848656c9588986e83812b6d8">his already teetering legacy.</a>

“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado's Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jared-polis">Jared Polis</a>&nbsp;wrote in a post on X. He added that while he could sympathize with Hunter Biden’s struggles, “no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.”

Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn't see time behind bars, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s win. The president's supporters have long viewed Biden's commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter's personal conduct&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-irs-joe-biden-election-2024-69cc61586da9f624375e25b0c00c74f4">and tangled business dealings</a>&nbsp;were seen as a persistent liability.

But the pardon comes as Biden has become increasingly isolated since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">the loss to Trump by Vice President Kamala Harris</a>, who jumped in to the race after the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-panic-performance-democrats-debate-trump-cnn-fe6546f2c9762e80e6067ba10abedea8">catastrophic debate against Trump in June</a>&nbsp;forced his exit from the election.

He is still struggling to resolve thorny foreign policy issues in the Middle East and Europe. And he must reckon with his decision to seek reelection despite his advanced age, which helped return the Oval Office to Trump, a man he had warned time and again was a threat to democratic norms.

Trump has gleefully planned to undo Biden’s signature achievements on climate change and reverse the Democrat's efforts to reinvigorate the country’s alliances, all while standing poised to take credit for a strengthening economy and billions in infrastructure investments that are in the pipeline for the coming years.

And now, Biden has handed the Republican a pretext to carry through with sweeping plans to upend the Department of Justice as the Republican vows to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-wisconsin-election-economy-a6923d6c5758dabb6d959417ea9d7d12">seek retribution against supposed adversaries.</a>

“This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is,” Republican Joe Walsh, a vocal Trump critic, said on MSNBC. “‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.”

Jean-Pierre said Monday from Air Force One that the president wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt his son’s case had been tainted by politics, though she tried to thread the needle — insisting he had faith in the Justice Department.

“He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” she said.

But Trump has already made very clear his intent to disrupt federal law enforcement with his initial nomination of outspoken critics like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matt-gaetz-attorney-general-trump-congress-9718a3de53c1e3436a52a14a8e17775a">former Rep. Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;to be attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">and Kash Patel to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who nominally still has more than two years left in his term. (Gaetz ended up quickly withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.)

Reacting to the pardon, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement: “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people."

In a social media post, the president-elect himself called the pardon “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.”

“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. He was referring to those convicted in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters aiming to overturn the 2020 presidential election result.

Biden and his spokespeople had repeatedly and flatly ruled out the president granting his son a pardon.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-hunter-biden-18efb958a5365eebda5bb3da411c4326">In June,</a>&nbsp;Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”

In July, press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/karine-jean-pierre">Karine Jean-Pierre</a>&nbsp;told reporters: “It's still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No."

In November, days after Trump's victory, Jean-Pierre reiterated that message: “Our answer stands, which is no."

Neither Biden nor the White House explained the shift in the president's thinking, and it was his broken promise as much as his act of clemency that was a lightning rod.

He is hardly the first president to pardon a family member or friend entangled in political dealings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after he had served his sentence roughly a decade earlier. In his final weeks in office,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-charles-kushner-new-jersey-elections-crime-0155d15fa31108fd2c0e6360a3b597dd">Trump pardoned Charles Kushner</a>, the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

Yet Biden held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns — trying to draw a deliberate contrast with Trump, who tested the bounds of his authority like few predecessors.

Inside the White House, the timing of the pardon was surprising to some who believed Biden would put it off as long as possible, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. It came just after Biden spent extended time over the past week with Hunter and other family members on Nantucket in Massachusetts, a family tradition for Thanksgiving.

“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said in a statement announcing the pardon.

Some in the administration have privately expressed anguish that the substance of Biden’s statement, including his claim of an unfair politically-tinged prosecution of his son resembled complaints Trump — who faced now-abandoned indictments over his role in trying to subvert the 2020 election — has been making for years about the Justice Department.

Biden said the charges in his son's cases "came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” Many legal experts agreed that the charges against the younger Biden were somewhat unusual, but the facts of the offenses were hardly in dispute, as Hunter wrote about his gun purchase while addicted to illegal drugs in his memoir and ultimately pleaded guilty to the tax charges.

The pardon too was unusual, coming before Hunter Biden was even sentenced and covering not just the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">gun and tax offenses against his son,</a>&nbsp;but also anything else he might have done going back to the start of 2014.

It's a move that could limit the ability of the Trump Justice Department to investigate the younger Biden's unsavory foreign business dealings, or to find new ground on which to bring criminal charges related to that time period.

Biden, in his statement, asked for consideration: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-son-hunter-charges-pardon-pledge-24f3007c2d2f467fa48e21bbc7262525">President Joe Biden’s decision to go back</a>&nbsp;on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter</a>, just weeks before his scheduled sentencing on gun and tax convictions was a surprise that wasn't all that surprising.Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden's first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-beau-cancer-knock-ireland-0b52c7f9fa4e4c135dd49f0c00bdc473">of his older son, Beau</a>, from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-laptop-ba96537a686d04dc3773552cfa13deeb">Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Dr. Biden, do you support the Pardon of Hunter?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> Dr. Jill Biden: “Of course I support the pardon of my son.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/H9qzM0wMp3">pic.twitter.com/H9qzM0wMp3</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1863662683196723290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — has raised new questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-presidential-election-2024-49f2146c848656c9588986e83812b6d8">his already teetering legacy.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733174459284.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado's Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jared-polis">Jared Polis</a>&nbsp;wrote in a post on X. He added that while he could sympathize with Hunter Biden’s struggles, “no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.”Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn't see time behind bars, especially after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s win. The president's supporters have long viewed Biden's commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter's personal conduct&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-irs-joe-biden-election-2024-69cc61586da9f624375e25b0c00c74f4">and tangled business dealings</a>&nbsp;were seen as a persistent liability.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733107595773.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>But the pardon comes as Biden has become increasingly isolated since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">the loss to Trump by Vice President Kamala Harris</a>, who jumped in to the race after the president’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-panic-performance-democrats-debate-trump-cnn-fe6546f2c9762e80e6067ba10abedea8">catastrophic debate against Trump in June</a>&nbsp;forced his exit from the election.He is still struggling to resolve thorny foreign policy issues in the Middle East and Europe. And he must reckon with his decision to seek reelection despite his advanced age, which helped return the Oval Office to Trump, a man he had warned time and again was a threat to democratic norms.Trump has gleefully planned to undo Biden’s signature achievements on climate change and reverse the Democrat's efforts to reinvigorate the country’s alliances, all while standing poised to take credit for a strengthening economy and billions in infrastructure investments that are in the pipeline for the coming years.And now, Biden has handed the Republican a pretext to carry through with sweeping plans to upend the Department of Justice as the Republican vows to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-wisconsin-election-economy-a6923d6c5758dabb6d959417ea9d7d12">seek retribution against supposed adversaries.</a>“This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is,” Republican Joe Walsh, a vocal Trump critic, said on MSNBC. “‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.”Jean-Pierre said Monday from Air Force One that the president wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt his son’s case had been tainted by politics, though she tried to thread the needle — insisting he had faith in the Justice Department.“He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” she said.But Trump has already made very clear his intent to disrupt federal law enforcement with his initial nomination of outspoken critics like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matt-gaetz-attorney-general-trump-congress-9718a3de53c1e3436a52a14a8e17775a">former Rep. Matt Gaetz</a>&nbsp;to be attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">and Kash Patel to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray</a>, who nominally still has more than two years left in his term. (Gaetz ended up quickly withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.)Reacting to the pardon, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement: “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people."In a social media post, the president-elect himself called the pardon “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.”“Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. He was referring to those convicted in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters aiming to overturn the 2020 presidential election result.Biden and his spokespeople had repeatedly and flatly ruled out the president granting his son a pardon.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-hunter-biden-18efb958a5365eebda5bb3da411c4326">In June,</a>&nbsp;Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.”In July, press secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/karine-jean-pierre">Karine Jean-Pierre</a>&nbsp;told reporters: “It's still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No."In November, days after Trump's victory, Jean-Pierre reiterated that message: “Our answer stands, which is no."Neither Biden nor the White House explained the shift in the president's thinking, and it was his broken promise as much as his act of clemency that was a lightning rod.He is hardly the first president to pardon a family member or friend entangled in political dealings.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after he had served his sentence roughly a decade earlier. In his final weeks in office,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-charles-kushner-new-jersey-elections-crime-0155d15fa31108fd2c0e6360a3b597dd">Trump pardoned Charles Kushner</a>, the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.Yet Biden held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns — trying to draw a deliberate contrast with Trump, who tested the bounds of his authority like few predecessors.Inside the White House, the timing of the pardon was surprising to some who believed Biden would put it off as long as possible, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. It came just after Biden spent extended time over the past week with Hunter and other family members on Nantucket in Massachusetts, a family tradition for Thanksgiving.“I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said in a statement announcing the pardon.Some in the administration have privately expressed anguish that the substance of Biden’s statement, including his claim of an unfair politically-tinged prosecution of his son resembled complaints Trump — who faced now-abandoned indictments over his role in trying to subvert the 2020 election — has been making for years about the Justice Department.Biden said the charges in his son's cases "came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” Many legal experts agreed that the charges against the younger Biden were somewhat unusual, but the facts of the offenses were hardly in dispute, as Hunter wrote about his gun purchase while addicted to illegal drugs in his memoir and ultimately pleaded guilty to the tax charges.The pardon too was unusual, coming before Hunter Biden was even sentenced and covering not just the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-hunter-biden-pardon-son-9307d6bade834df77c265cae7d3b7c25">gun and tax offenses against his son,</a>&nbsp;but also anything else he might have done going back to the start of 2014.It's a move that could limit the ability of the Trump Justice Department to investigate the younger Biden's unsavory foreign business dealings, or to find new ground on which to bring criminal charges related to that time period.Biden, in his statement, asked for consideration: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision."___