NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6">Former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records arising from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign, according to two law enforcement officials familiar with the matter.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527160-1/spectrum-news-ny1-coverage-fmr-pres-trump-arraignment&amp;live">CLICK HERE to watch</a>&nbsp;courtesy CSPAN via Spectrum News New York

The plea came during a history-making arraignment in a lower Manhattan courtroom, with Trump becoming the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal prosecution.

The two officials who confirmed the plea spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because prosecutors had not yet released the indictment publicly.

The arraignment, though procedural in nature, amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings. The case is unfolding against the backdrop not only of his third campaign for the White House but also against other investigations in Washington and Atlanta that might yet produce even more charges.

A silent and stone-faced Trump, his lips pursed in apparent anger, entered the courtroom shortly before 2:30 p.m. He left court about an hour later, also without commenting.

Before the arraignment, he narrated his feelings in real time, describing the experience as “SURREAL” as he traveled from Trump Tower to lower Manhattan to face a judge.

It represents the new split-screen reality for Trump as he submits to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events.

Wearing his signature dark suit and red tie, Trump turned and waved to crowds outside the building before heading inside to be fingerprinted and processed. He arrived at court in an eight-car motorcade from Trump Tower, communicating in real time his anger at the process.

“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse," the voluble ex-president posted on his Truth Social platform. "Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”

Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">impeached twice</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges. The nation's 45th commander in chief was escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken.

“He is strong and ready to go,” Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina told The Associated Press. Earlier, Tacopina said in a TV interview that the former president wouldn't plead guilty to lesser charges, even if it might resolve the case. He also said he didn't think the case would make it to a jury.

New York police said they were ready for large protests by Trump supporters, who share the Republican former president’s belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-2024-updates-cd5339d48064a149527e8f9a1aa7614e">his bid to retake the White House</a>&nbsp;in 2024. Journalists often outnumbered protesters, though.

Trump, a former reality TV star, has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, saying he raised more than $8 million in the days since the indictment on claims of a “witch hunt.” His campaign released a fundraising request titled “My last email before arrest” and he has repeatedly assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest and claimed without evidence that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-judge-merchan-arraignment-032a097661c259709a948ce0e70a872a">the judge presiding over the case</a>&nbsp;“hates me” — something his own lawyer has said is not true.

Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-ap-top-news-politics-993263aaefab49a7988bb4ccb808791d">Mar-a-Lago</a>, on Tuesday evening to give remarks. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend.

A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-hush-money-election-488c76cf92269e2c258d5203a6e981a1">indictment contains multiple charges</a>&nbsp;of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week.

The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cohen-stormy-daniels-grand-jury-d48153fc2d3fe7a656e8a24ad1acd082">porn actor Stormy Daniels</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-ca-state-wire-lawsuits-d8f22980841e44939399ae7179a4d583">former Playboy model Karen McDougal</a>. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments.

The arraignment unfolded against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-stormed-us-34417ac51a765e297faf53eb0ad15517">Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s win.

Trump was defiant ahead of his arraignment. He used his social media network to complain that he was going to court in a heavily Democratic area, declaring, “KANGAROO COURT” and “THIS IS NOT WHAT AMERICA WAS SUPPOSED TO BE!” He and his campaign have repeatedly assailed Bragg and even trained scrutiny on members of Bragg's family.

Despite that, the scenes around Trump Tower and the courthouse where Trump will stand before a judge did not feature major unrest. Police tried to keep apart protesters supporting the former president and those opposing him by confining them to separate sides of a park near the courthouse using metal barricades.

Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Congress, staged a brief rally at the park, but the scene was so chaotic that it was hard to hear her over the crush of reporters and protesters.

“We’re the party of peace,” Greene said, thanking those Trump supporters present. “Democrats are communists.”

Embattled Republican New York Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-ethics-republicans-congress-898cc3e7e6af8659f9c6249f187362d4">George Santos</a>&nbsp;also showed up in solidarity with Trump, saying, “I want to support the president."

“I think this is unprecedented and it’s a bad day for democracy,” Santos said, suggesting that future prosecutors could target Biden and other presidents with other cases, which “cheapens the judicial system.”

New York’s ability to carry out safe and drama-free courthouse proceedings in a case involving a polarizing ex-president could be an important test case as prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington conduct their own investigations of Trump that could also result in charges. Those investigations concern efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">the 2020 election results</a>&nbsp;as well as the possible mishandling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-indiana-donald-trump-laptops-91b5b16807b533b3ff27e9303aef38ae">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at Mar-a-Lago.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;surrendered to authorities Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse ahead of his arraignment on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6">criminal charges</a>&nbsp;stemming from a hush money payment to a porn actor during his 2016 campaign.

Trump himself described the experience as “SURREAL” as he traveled from Trump Tower to a lower Manhattan courtroom, where he was to face a judge as the first former president in American history to be criminally prosecuted.

A stone-faced Trump entered the courtroom shortly before 2:30 p.m. without saying anything.

The arraignment, though expected to be brief and procedural in nature, amounts to a remarkable reckoning for Trump after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings. The case is unfolding against the backdrop not only of his third campaign for the White House but also against other investigations in Washington and Atlanta that might yet produce even more charges.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arrest-process-what-to-know-02a2ce34e03e25ab2fdd0e81dbcc62c7">The booking</a>&nbsp;and appearance before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-judge-merchan-arraignment-032a097661c259709a948ce0e70a872a">Judge Juan Merchan</a>&nbsp;should be relatively brief — though hardly routine — as Trump learns for the first time the charges against him. Trump will plead not guilty, according to his lawyers, and is expected to enter the plea himself, as is standard in the court.

Merchan has ruled that TV cameras won't be allowed in the courtroom.

Inside the Manhattan courtroom, prosecutors led by New York’s district attorney, Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, are expected to unseal the indictment issued last week by a grand jury. This is when Trump and his defense lawyers will get their first glimpse of the precise allegations against him.

After the arraignment, Trump is expected to be released by authorities because the charges against him don’t require that bail be set.

The arraignment will unfold against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-stormed-us-34417ac51a765e297faf53eb0ad15517">Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s win.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527160-1/spectrum-news-ny1-coverage-fmr-pres-trump-arraignment&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;courtesy CSPAN via Spectrum News New York

Wearing his signature dark suit and red tie, Trump turned and waved to crowds outside the building before heading inside to be fingerprinted and processed — a remarkable reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, business and political dealings and an extraordinary moment in U.S. history.

He arrived at court in an eight-car motorcade that took him from Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan through the main north-south highway on the east side of the city, past landmarks such as the United Nations. Along the way, the voluble ex-president posted on his social media platform: “Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”

Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-ap-top-news-politics-993263aaefab49a7988bb4ccb808791d">Mar-a-Lago</a>, on Tuesday evening to give remarks, punctuating his new reality: submitting to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend.

One demonstrator hoisted a sign reading "Trump or death 1776 2024,” but others carried placards showed images of Trump in prison.

The public fascination with the case was evident Monday as national television carried live images of Trump’s motorcade from his Mar-a-Lago club to a private, red, white and blue Boeing 757 stenciled with his name. From there, Trump was flown to New York, where cameras followed his motorcade into Manhattan and he spent the night at Trump Tower as he prepared to turn himself in.

The former president and his aides are embracing the media circus. After initially being caught off guard when news of the indictment broke Thursday evening, Trump and his team are hoping to use the case to his advantage. Still, they asked the judge in a Monday filing to ban photo and video coverage of the arraignment.

Many top Republicans, including some of Trump’s potential rivals in next year’s GOP presidential primary, have criticized the case against him. Biden, who has yet to formally announce that he’s seeking reelection next year, and other leading Democrats have largely had little to say about it.

Prosecutors insist their case against Trump has nothing to do with politics.

🎥Former President pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges

KANSAS CITY(AP) — Police arrested a suspect Tuesday in a killing at a Kansas City hotel after a shootout.

Officers responded around 5 a.m. to gunfire at the Days Inn &amp; Suites, said Officer Donna Drake, a police spokeswoman. While some of them tried unsuccessfully to save the life of the wounded victim, others chased after the suspect as he ran from the hotel.

Before arresting the suspect, officers exchanged gunfire with him, although no one was wounded, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article273938795.html#storylink=mainstage_lead">reports</a>. The name of the suspect and victim weren't immediately released.

The city is on track for a particularly violent year, with 44 homicides recorded so far, compared to 37 at this point last year, The Star's data shows. This is noteworthy because 2022 was the second deadliest year on record, with 171 killings

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680626757214.png" alt="The Interstate 435 ramp to 87th Street were closed as part of this investigaiton-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The Interstate 435 ramp to 87th Street were closed as part of this investigaiton-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY(AP) — Police arrested a suspect Tuesday in a killing at a Kansas City hotel after a shootout.Officers responded around 5 a.m. to gunfire at the Days Inn &amp; Suites, said Officer Donna Drake, a police spokeswoman. While some of them tried unsuccessfully to save the life of the wounded victim, others chased after the suspect as he ran from the hotel.Before arresting the suspect, officers exchanged gunfire with him, although no one was wounded, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article273938795.html#storylink=mainstage_lead">reports</a>. The name of the suspect and victim weren't immediately released.The city is on track for a particularly violent year, with 44 homicides recorded so far, compared to 37 at this point last year, The Star's data shows. This is noteworthy because 2022 was the second deadliest year on record, with 171 killings

Police: Gunfight with suspect after a killing at KC hotel

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado woman knew what she was doing when she stabbed her young stepson 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains over a bridge in the Florida Panhandle, a prosecutor told jurors Monday at the start of her trial.

Authorities allege Letecia Stauch killed 11-year-old Gannon Stauch in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing on Jan. 27, 2020, while his father was on a National Guard deployment. They have suggested she was unhappy in her marriage and resentful of being treated like an unpaid babysitter.

Attorneys for Stauch, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, countered that by claiming she suffered a “major psychotic crack” as a result of childhood trauma when she killed Gannon.

The dueling narratives for why Stauch carried out the crime came during opening statements in Colorado Springs for a trial expected to last several weeks.

District Attorney Michael Allen argued in his opening statement that the steps that Stauch took to cover up her actions are proof that she knew what she did was wrong and was therefore sane. She cleaned up blood in Gannon's bedroom, moving his body to various locations to hide it before disposing of it “like garbage” in a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico in hopes it would never be found, he said.

Stauch also lied to investigators various times to try to hamper their investigation, Allen said, changing her accounts of what happened to Gannon. She claimed two different men had raped her and then abducted Gannon and, later, that one of those men had taken Gannon after he hurt himself in a bike crash.

“All of her actions were purposefully designed by her to distance herself from what she did,” Allen said.

But defense attorney Will Cook said the gruesome details highlighted by Allen, including how Gannon was killed and the lack of a motive, are proof that Stauch was “insane” because it all does not make sense.

“These are all signs and evidence of a mind, a soul, that is broken in a most fundamental and profound way,” he said.

Cook suggested Stauch developed dissociative identify disorder as a result of being physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her absent mother's string of partners during her childhood, sometimes sleeping in a car in the driveway to escape the abuse. When she killed Gannon, she was not, in her mind, killing her stepson, but the “demons” from her childhood and life, he said.

Based on surveys given to potential jurors, many were skeptical of Stauch's mental health defense, Cook said. He urged jurors to put aside their impulse to make someone pay for such a brutal killing and keep an open mind because the judicial system requires Stauch to be presumed innocent.

“I'm not telling you to like it. I'm just telling you that's the way it is," he said.

Initially, authorities said they responded after Stauch said Gannon had not returned from playing with a friend. But she did not provide the names of any friends he may have been with or their parents. Within days, she concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon, according to investigators.

Over 200 volunteers conducted searches for the boy in the area around where the family lived near Colorado Springs, as authorities investigated. About two weeks after Gannon disappeared, searchers found a piece of particle board with Gannon's blood on it in a rural area nearby. Presuming the boy to be dead, authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/76fb47d139df286bb42dff1fd3155d4e">arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 2, 2022</a>. She was held in the Saline County, Kansas jail on her return to Colorado.

Gannon's remains were found later that month in the small city of Pace, on the Florida Panhandle.

Stauch was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.

Investigators found Gannon’s blood on Stauch’s shoe, found her DNA on a gun linked to his death and learned that she traveled to the Florida Panhandle shortly after he disappeared, prosecutors have said.

Stauch was also accused of trying to escape from jail after her arrest. According to court documents, she asked a fellow inmate to help her get out, explaining that she planned to use a broom handle to break the window in her cell, and that she had already measured herself to make sure she could fit through.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583419148723.jpeg" alt="After her March 2020 arrest in South Carolina, Letecia Stauch was held in the Saline County jail on her return to Colorado -Photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>After her March 2020 arrest in South Carolina, Letecia Stauch was held in the Saline County jail on her return to Colorado -Photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A Colorado woman knew what she was doing when she stabbed her young stepson 18 times and then shot him in the head before driving across the country to dump a suitcase with his remains over a bridge in the Florida Panhandle, a prosecutor told jurors Monday at the start of her trial.Authorities allege Letecia Stauch killed 11-year-old Gannon Stauch in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing on Jan. 27, 2020, while his father was on a National Guard deployment. They have suggested she was unhappy in her marriage and resentful of being treated like an unpaid babysitter.Attorneys for Stauch, who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, countered that by claiming she suffered a “major psychotic crack” as a result of childhood trauma when she killed Gannon.The dueling narratives for why Stauch carried out the crime came during opening statements in Colorado Springs for a trial expected to last several weeks.District Attorney Michael Allen argued in his opening statement that the steps that Stauch took to cover up her actions are proof that she knew what she did was wrong and was therefore sane. She cleaned up blood in Gannon's bedroom, moving his body to various locations to hide it before disposing of it “like garbage” in a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico in hopes it would never be found, he said.Stauch also lied to investigators various times to try to hamper their investigation, Allen said, changing her accounts of what happened to Gannon. She claimed two different men had raped her and then abducted Gannon and, later, that one of those men had taken Gannon after he hurt himself in a bike crash.“All of her actions were purposefully designed by her to distance herself from what she did,” Allen said.But defense attorney Will Cook said the gruesome details highlighted by Allen, including how Gannon was killed and the lack of a motive, are proof that Stauch was “insane” because it all does not make sense.“These are all signs and evidence of a mind, a soul, that is broken in a most fundamental and profound way,” he said.Cook suggested Stauch developed dissociative identify disorder as a result of being physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her absent mother's string of partners during her childhood, sometimes sleeping in a car in the driveway to escape the abuse. When she killed Gannon, she was not, in her mind, killing her stepson, but the “demons” from her childhood and life, he said.Based on surveys given to potential jurors, many were skeptical of Stauch's mental health defense, Cook said. He urged jurors to put aside their impulse to make someone pay for such a brutal killing and keep an open mind because the judicial system requires Stauch to be presumed innocent.“I'm not telling you to like it. I'm just telling you that's the way it is," he said.Initially, authorities said they responded after Stauch said Gannon had not returned from playing with a friend. But she did not provide the names of any friends he may have been with or their parents. Within days, she concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon, according to investigators.Over 200 volunteers conducted searches for the boy in the area around where the family lived near Colorado Springs, as authorities investigated. About two weeks after Gannon disappeared, searchers found a piece of particle board with Gannon's blood on it in a rural area nearby. Presuming the boy to be dead, authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/76fb47d139df286bb42dff1fd3155d4e">arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 2, 2022</a>. She was held in the Saline County, Kansas jail on her return to Colorado.Gannon's remains were found later that month in the small city of Pace, on the Florida Panhandle.Stauch was charged with first-degree murder, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.Investigators found Gannon’s blood on Stauch’s shoe, found her DNA on a gun linked to his death and learned that she traveled to the Florida Panhandle shortly after he disappeared, prosecutors have said.Stauch was also accused of trying to escape from jail after her arrest. According to court documents, she asked a fellow inmate to help her get out, explaining that she planned to use a broom handle to break the window in her cell, and that she had already measured herself to make sure she could fit through.

Defense: 'Psychotic crack' led woman, who was held in Kan.,  to kill stepson

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia said they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">cutting supplies of crude</a>&nbsp;— again. This time, the decision was a surprise and is underlining worries about where the global economy might be headed.

Russia is joining in by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-65edbc5ba28370c0face621b7db0ce74">extending its own cuts</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year. In theory, less oil flowing to refineries should mean higher gasoline prices for drivers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-economy-moscow-prices-9bcc886c4d5f8d341cf8939f88705781">could boost the inflation</a>&nbsp;hitting the U.S. and Europe. And that may also help Russia weather Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine at the expense of the U.S.

The decision by oil producers, many of them in the OPEC oil cartel, to cut production by more than 1 million barrels a day comes after prices for international benchmark crude slumped amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-economic-impact-ef6e4c4443743ccbf7740892fb0b4f3b?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_09">slowing global economy</a>&nbsp;that needs less fuel for travel and industry.

It adds to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">cut of 2 million barrels per day</a>&nbsp;announced in October. Between the two cuts, that's about 3% of the world's oil supply.

Here are key things to know about the cutbacks:

Saudi Arabia, OPEC's dominant member, said Sunday that the move is “precautionary” to avoid a deeper slide in oil prices.

Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman has consistently taken a cautious approach to future demand and favored being proactive in adjusting supply ahead of a possible downturn in oil needs.

That stance seemed to be borne out as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-5f010ed0b66fb71e8d46040419a70203">oil prices fell from highs</a>&nbsp;of over $120 per barrel last summer to $73 last month. Prices jumped after Sunday's announcement, with international benchmark Brent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/03d9d1bfb51e2ce4a42bf7744bf1bafa">crude trading at about $85</a>&nbsp;on Monday, up 6%.

With fears of a U.S. recession exacerbated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">bank collapses</a>, a lack of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-inflation-economic-growth-5fa7942504507e3ca708c8e4591ed8d8">European economic growth</a>&nbsp;and China’s rebound from COVID-19 taking longer than many expected, oil producers are wary of a sudden collapse in prices like during the pandemic and the global financial crisis in 2008-2009.

Capital markets analyst Mohammed Ali Yasin said most people had been waiting for the June 4 meeting of the OPEC+ alliance of OPEC members and allied producers, most prominently Russia. The decision underlined the urgency felt by producers.

“It was a surprise to all, I think, watchers and the market followers,” he said. “The swiftness of the move, the timing of the move and the size of the move were all significant.”

The aim now is to ward off "a continous slide of the oil price” to levels below $70 per barrel, which would be “very negative” for producer economies, Yasin said.

Part of the October cut of 2 millions barrels per day was on paper only as some OPEC+ countries aren’t able to produce their share. The new cut of 1.15 million barrels per day is distributed among countries that are hitting their quotas — so it amounts to roughly the same size cut as in October.

Governments announced the decision outside the usual OPEC+ framework. The Saudis are taking the lead with 500,000 barrels per day, with the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Algeria and Kazakhstan contributing smaller cuts.

WILL THE PRODUCTION CUT MAKE INFLATION WORSE?

It certainly could. Analysts say supply and demand are relatively well balanced, which means production cuts could push prices higher in coming months.

The refineries that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">turn crude into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel</a>&nbsp;are getting ready for their summer production surge to meet the annual increase in travel demand.

In the U.S., gasoline prices are highly dependent on crude, which makes up about half of the price per gallon. Lower oil prices have meant U.S. drivers have seen the average price fall from records of over $5 per gallon in mid-2022 to $3.50 per gallon this week, according to motor club AAA.

The cuts, if fully implemented, “would further tighten an already fundamentally tight oil market,” Jorge Leon, senior vice president at Rystad Energy, said in a research note. The cut could boost oil prices by around $10 per barrel and push international Brent to around $110 per barrel by this summer.

Those higher prices could fuel global inflation in a cycle that forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-banks-interest-rates-jobs-91a9185ebce972bbf5ab1f46654f1a53">central banks to keep hiking interest rates</a>, which crimp economic growth, he said.

Given the fears about the overall economy, “the market may interpret the cuts as a vote of no confidence in the recovery of oil demand and could even carry a downside price risk — but that will only be for the very short term,” Leon said.

Moscow says it will extend a cut of 500,000 barrels per day through the rest of the year. It needs oil revenue to support its economy and state budget hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-union-russia-government-moscow-europe-china-a855facf78132a8805c9ba52dd0fab60">wide-ranging sanctions</a>&nbsp;from the U.S., European Union and other allies of Ukraine.

Analysts think, however, that Russia's cut may simply be putting the best face on reduced demand for its oil. The West shunned Russian barrels even before sanctions were imposed, with Moscow managing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-business-china-middle-east-b6a90423ee7e2245e3eafc713083896f">reroute much of its oil to India, China</a>&nbsp;and Turkey.

But the Group of Seven major democracies imposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">price cap of $60 per barrel</a>&nbsp;on Russian shipments, enforced by bans on Western companies that dominate shipping or insurance. Russia is selling oil at a discount, with revenue sagging at the start of this year.

President Joe Biden addressed the OPEC+ cut on Monday before returning to the White House from a trip to Minnesota, predicting, “It’s not going to be as bad as you think.”

Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed U.S. opposition to the move, saying, “We don’t think that production cuts are advisable at this moment given market uncertainty, and we made that clear.”

But he insisted that the oil market is in a different place from last year when prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“We’re focused on prices, we’re not focused on barrels,” he told reporters Monday, adding that the U.S. was given a heads-up before the announcement.

The White House response was milder than in October, when cuts came on the eve of U.S. midterm elections in which soaring gas prices were a major issue. Biden vowed at the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-saudi-arabia-middle-east-ea75287315c4e8a78014a4eccb114abe">there would be “consequences,”</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers called for freezing cooperation with the Saudis.

Caroline Bain, chief commodities economist at Capital Economics, said the cutback shows "the group's support for Russia and flies in the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to lower oil prices.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654949375429.png" alt="The White House response to the cuts was milder than in October, when cuts came on the eve of U.S. midterm elections where soaring gas prices were a major issue. President Joe Biden vowed at the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-saudi-arabia-middle-east-ea75287315c4e8a78014a4eccb114abe">there would be “consequences,”</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers called for freezing cooperation with the Saudis." />
 <figcaption>The White House response to the cuts was milder than in October, when cuts came on the eve of U.S. midterm elections where soaring gas prices were a major issue. President Joe Biden vowed at the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-saudi-arabia-middle-east-ea75287315c4e8a78014a4eccb114abe">there would be “consequences,”</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers called for freezing cooperation with the Saudis.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Major oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia said they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">cutting supplies of crude</a>&nbsp;— again. This time, the decision was a surprise and is underlining worries about where the global economy might be headed.Russia is joining in by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-65edbc5ba28370c0face621b7db0ce74">extending its own cuts</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year. In theory, less oil flowing to refineries should mean higher gasoline prices for drivers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-economy-moscow-prices-9bcc886c4d5f8d341cf8939f88705781">could boost the inflation</a>&nbsp;hitting the U.S. and Europe. And that may also help Russia weather Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine at the expense of the U.S.The decision by oil producers, many of them in the OPEC oil cartel, to cut production by more than 1 million barrels a day comes after prices for international benchmark crude slumped amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-economic-impact-ef6e4c4443743ccbf7740892fb0b4f3b?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_09">slowing global economy</a>&nbsp;that needs less fuel for travel and industry.It adds to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-inflation-health-germany-elections-d873521f8b165774de3902439dd5a6ee">cut of 2 million barrels per day</a>&nbsp;announced in October. Between the two cuts, that's about 3% of the world's oil supply.Here are key things to know about the cutbacks:WHY ARE OIL PRODUCERS CUTTING BACK?Saudi Arabia, OPEC's dominant member, said Sunday that the move is “precautionary” to avoid a deeper slide in oil prices.Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman has consistently taken a cautious approach to future demand and favored being proactive in adjusting supply ahead of a possible downturn in oil needs.That stance seemed to be borne out as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-5f010ed0b66fb71e8d46040419a70203">oil prices fell from highs</a>&nbsp;of over $120 per barrel last summer to $73 last month. Prices jumped after Sunday's announcement, with international benchmark Brent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/03d9d1bfb51e2ce4a42bf7744bf1bafa">crude trading at about $85</a>&nbsp;on Monday, up 6%.With fears of a U.S. recession exacerbated by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">bank collapses</a>, a lack of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-inflation-economic-growth-5fa7942504507e3ca708c8e4591ed8d8">European economic growth</a>&nbsp;and China’s rebound from COVID-19 taking longer than many expected, oil producers are wary of a sudden collapse in prices like during the pandemic and the global financial crisis in 2008-2009.Capital markets analyst Mohammed Ali Yasin said most people had been waiting for the June 4 meeting of the OPEC+ alliance of OPEC members and allied producers, most prominently Russia. The decision underlined the urgency felt by producers.“It was a surprise to all, I think, watchers and the market followers,” he said. “The swiftness of the move, the timing of the move and the size of the move were all significant.”The aim now is to ward off "a continous slide of the oil price” to levels below $70 per barrel, which would be “very negative” for producer economies, Yasin said.Part of the October cut of 2 millions barrels per day was on paper only as some OPEC+ countries aren’t able to produce their share. The new cut of 1.15 million barrels per day is distributed among countries that are hitting their quotas — so it amounts to roughly the same size cut as in October.Governments announced the decision outside the usual OPEC+ framework. The Saudis are taking the lead with 500,000 barrels per day, with the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Algeria and Kazakhstan contributing smaller cuts.WILL THE PRODUCTION CUT MAKE INFLATION WORSE?It certainly could. Analysts say supply and demand are relatively well balanced, which means production cuts could push prices higher in coming months.The refineries that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russian-diesel-fuel-embargo-explainer-28b9043593c7cb92e032aa451c837b39">turn crude into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel</a>&nbsp;are getting ready for their summer production surge to meet the annual increase in travel demand.In the U.S., gasoline prices are highly dependent on crude, which makes up about half of the price per gallon. Lower oil prices have meant U.S. drivers have seen the average price fall from records of over $5 per gallon in mid-2022 to $3.50 per gallon this week, according to motor club AAA.The cuts, if fully implemented, “would further tighten an already fundamentally tight oil market,” Jorge Leon, senior vice president at Rystad Energy, said in a research note. The cut could boost oil prices by around $10 per barrel and push international Brent to around $110 per barrel by this summer.Those higher prices could fuel global inflation in a cycle that forces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-inflation-banks-interest-rates-jobs-91a9185ebce972bbf5ab1f46654f1a53">central banks to keep hiking interest rates</a>, which crimp economic growth, he said.Given the fears about the overall economy, “the market may interpret the cuts as a vote of no confidence in the recovery of oil demand and could even carry a downside price risk — but that will only be for the very short term,” Leon said.WHAT WILL THIS MEAN FOR RUSSIA?Moscow says it will extend a cut of 500,000 barrels per day through the rest of the year. It needs oil revenue to support its economy and state budget hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-union-russia-government-moscow-europe-china-a855facf78132a8805c9ba52dd0fab60">wide-ranging sanctions</a>&nbsp;from the U.S., European Union and other allies of Ukraine.Analysts think, however, that Russia's cut may simply be putting the best face on reduced demand for its oil. The West shunned Russian barrels even before sanctions were imposed, with Moscow managing to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-business-china-middle-east-b6a90423ee7e2245e3eafc713083896f">reroute much of its oil to India, China</a>&nbsp;and Turkey.But the Group of Seven major democracies imposed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-moscow-europe-european-union-825506b6a349cce7e5971c0ac550aeaa">price cap of $60 per barrel</a>&nbsp;on Russian shipments, enforced by bans on Western companies that dominate shipping or insurance. Russia is selling oil at a discount, with revenue sagging at the start of this year.WHAT DOES THE WHITE HOUSE SAY?President Joe Biden addressed the OPEC+ cut on Monday before returning to the White House from a trip to Minnesota, predicting, “It’s not going to be as bad as you think.”Earlier, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby expressed U.S. opposition to the move, saying, “We don’t think that production cuts are advisable at this moment given market uncertainty, and we made that clear.”But he insisted that the oil market is in a different place from last year when prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“We’re focused on prices, we’re not focused on barrels,” he told reporters Monday, adding that the U.S. was given a heads-up before the announcement.The White House response was milder than in October, when cuts came on the eve of U.S. midterm elections in which soaring gas prices were a major issue. Biden vowed at the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-business-saudi-arabia-middle-east-ea75287315c4e8a78014a4eccb114abe">there would be “consequences,”</a>&nbsp;and Democratic lawmakers called for freezing cooperation with the Saudis.Caroline Bain, chief commodities economist at Capital Economics, said the cutback shows "the group's support for Russia and flies in the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to lower oil prices.”___

Biden responds to cuts by oil producers that could boost gas prices

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman who was caring for a toddler that died with fentanyl and another drug in her system is facing criminal charges, and authorities say the woman may be responsible for the drug-related deaths of three other children.

Mary Curtis, 30, of Jennings, Missouri, was jailed on $1 million cash-only bond. St. Louis County prosecutors on Thursday charged her with endangering the welfare of a child, in the death of 17-month-old Brailey Stevenson. Police did not disclose Curtis' relationship with the child.

Curtis was watching Brailey in her home on March 20, when Brailey went to sleep on the floor, according to police. Curtis took the child to another home and called police. The child was pronounced dead at a hospital. A toxicology report found lethal levels of fentanyl and xylazine in her system, police said. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes xylazine as a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use that has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths.

A phone message left Monday with Curtis' attorney wasn't immediately returned.

Curtis was out on bond in connection with the death of a previous child. Police declined to elaborate, but Curtis' mother, Nadine Richardon, told&nbsp;<a href="https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/courts-connect-four-st-louis-infant-exposure-deaths-to-one-woman/">KTVI-TV</a>&nbsp;that the earlier charge was filed after Curtis' 17-day-old child died in 2021. Richardon said Curtis was using methadone to treat a heroin addiction at the time.

Curtis also was connected to two other child overdose cases that resulted in deaths, according to police, but they didn't elaborate. Richardson said Curtis had drug-exposed twins born five months prematurely, who died soon after they were born in 2020.

It wasn't clear if Curtis was being investigated in those two additional deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680555256182.png" alt="Curtis-photo St. Louis Co. PD" />
 <figcaption>Curtis-photo St. Louis Co. PD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman who was caring for a toddler that died with fentanyl and another drug in her system is facing criminal charges, and authorities say the woman may be responsible for the drug-related deaths of three other children.Mary Curtis, 30, of Jennings, Missouri, was jailed on $1 million cash-only bond. St. Louis County prosecutors on Thursday charged her with endangering the welfare of a child, in the death of 17-month-old Brailey Stevenson. Police did not disclose Curtis' relationship with the child.Curtis was watching Brailey in her home on March 20, when Brailey went to sleep on the floor, according to police. Curtis took the child to another home and called police. The child was pronounced dead at a hospital. A toxicology report found lethal levels of fentanyl and xylazine in her system, police said. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes xylazine as a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use that has been linked to an increasing number of overdose deaths.A phone message left Monday with Curtis' attorney wasn't immediately returned.Curtis was out on bond in connection with the death of a previous child. Police declined to elaborate, but Curtis' mother, Nadine Richardon, told&nbsp;<a href="https://fox2now.com/news/fox-files/courts-connect-four-st-louis-infant-exposure-deaths-to-one-woman/">KTVI-TV</a>&nbsp;that the earlier charge was filed after Curtis' 17-day-old child died in 2021. Richardon said Curtis was using methadone to treat a heroin addiction at the time.Curtis also was connected to two other child overdose cases that resulted in deaths, according to police, but they didn't elaborate. Richardson said Curtis had drug-exposed twins born five months prematurely, who died soon after they were born in 2020.It wasn't clear if Curtis was being investigated in those two additional deaths.

Police: Woman charged in toddler's fentanyl death

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators gave final approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier to pursue criminal charges or file lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse years after the abuse occurred.

The House approved the measure, 120-0. It goes to Gov. Laura Kelly because the Senate approved it last week, 40-0.

Abuse survivors and advocates have been pushing for changes in recent years in the wake of reports of abuse by clergy across the U.S.

The bill would eliminate limits on how long prosecutors have to file charges against suspects for any of a dozen violent sexual offenses against children, including indecent liberties, aggravated human trafficking and internet trading in child pornography.

For such crimes, other than rape and aggravated sodomy, prosecutors currently can file criminal charges until the victim turns 28 or up to a year after DNA evidence establishes a suspect, whichever is later.

The deadline for filing a lawsuit seeking monetary damages would be when abuse survivors turn 31 or three years after the abuser is convicted of a sexually violent crime against a child. Lawsuits currently must be filed by the time a survivor turns 21 or three years after a survivor “discovered or reasonably should have discovered” that childhood abuse caused an injury or illness.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680272388494.png" alt="-The Kansas Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the bill-image from the legislature's YouTube page" />
 <figcaption>-The Kansas Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve the bill-image from the legislature's YouTube page</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators gave final approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier to pursue criminal charges or file lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse years after the abuse occurred.The House approved the measure, 120-0. It goes to Gov. Laura Kelly because the Senate approved it last week, 40-0.Abuse survivors and advocates have been pushing for changes in recent years in the wake of reports of abuse by clergy across the U.S.The bill would eliminate limits on how long prosecutors have to file charges against suspects for any of a dozen violent sexual offenses against children, including indecent liberties, aggravated human trafficking and internet trading in child pornography.For such crimes, other than rape and aggravated sodomy, prosecutors currently can file criminal charges until the victim turns 28 or up to a year after DNA evidence establishes a suspect, whichever is later.The deadline for filing a lawsuit seeking monetary damages would be when abuse survivors turn 31 or three years after the abuser is convicted of a sexually violent crime against a child. Lawsuits currently must be filed by the time a survivor turns 21 or three years after a survivor “discovered or reasonably should have discovered” that childhood abuse caused an injury or illness.

Unanimous: Kan. takes action to help child sex abuse survivors

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just before 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a reported shooting&nbsp;in the 6400 block of Manchester in Kansas City, according to a media release.

First responders located a man in an apartment with gunshot wounds.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the scene. Police did not release the name of the victim or additional detials.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.Just before 1a.m. Tuesday, police responded to a reported shooting&nbsp;in the 6400 block of Manchester in Kansas City, according to a media release.First responders located a man in an apartment with gunshot wounds.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Personnel responded to the scene. Police did not release the name of the victim or additional detials.

Police: Man dead in Kansas City apartment building shooting

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a Kansas home are asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as&nbsp;Jeffrey D. Arnold, 52, of Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Arnold also commonly goes by the nickname, “Cheese.”

Just after 10 a.m. March 26, police responded to a shooting at a home in the&nbsp; 1500 Block of SE Quincy in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks

Police found 38-year-old Deaundreya D. Caraway suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680199641904.png" alt="Jeffrey Arnold -photo Topeka PD" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Arnold -photo Topeka PD</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a Kansas home are asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as&nbsp;Jeffrey D. Arnold, 52, of Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. Arnold also commonly goes by the nickname, “Cheese.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680199619912.png" alt="Arnold-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Arnold-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10 a.m. March 26, police responded to a shooting at a home in the&nbsp; 1500 Block of SE Quincy in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679948290709.png" alt="-Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>-Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Police found 38-year-old Deaundreya D. Caraway suffering from a gunshot wound. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Police continue search for suspect in murder of Kansas woman

NEW YORK (AP) — An extraordinary moment in U.S. history is set to soon unfold in a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday: Former President Donald Trump, who faces multiple election-related investigations, will surrender to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments.

The booking and arraignment are likely to be relatively brief — though hardly routine — as Trump is fingerprinted, learns the charges against him and pleads, as expected, not guilty. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that TV cameras won't be allowed in the courtroom.

Trump, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, will become the first former president to face criminal charges. The nation's 45th commander in chief will be escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken.

Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said Tuesday that Trump wouldn't plead guilty to lesser charges, even if it might resolve the case. He said he didn't believe the case would ever make it to a jury, but he conceded, "Really, there's a lot of mystery here because we're doing something that's never been done before."

"I think there will be a typical processing, which does not take long, 20-30 minutes. There won't be handcuffs," Tacopina told ABC's "Good Morning America." "But, yeah, he'll be processed the way anyone else would be — to a degree."

New York police are braced for protests by Trump supporters, who share the Republican former president's belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken his bid to retake the White House in 2024.

Trump, a former reality TV star, has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, saying he raised $8 million in the less than a week since the indictment on claims of a "witch hunt." He has assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest and claimed without evidence that the judge presiding over the case "hates me" — something his own lawyer has said is not true.

Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to hold a rally, punctuating his new reality: submitting to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend.

Inside the Manhattan courtroom, prosecutors led by New York's district attorney, Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, are expected to unseal the indictment issued last week by a grand jury. This is when Trump and his defense lawyers will get their first glimpse of the precise allegations against him.

The indictment contains multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week.

After the arraignment, Trump is expected to be released by authorities because the charges against him don't require that bail be set.

The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments.

The arraignment will unfold against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's win.

Though police said they had no intelligence suggesting any violence was likely, they were on high alert for any potential disruptions.

"While there may be some rabble rousers thinking of coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves," Mayor Eric Adams said. He also singled out Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump's staunchest supporters in Congress, who is organizing a rally Tuesday at a park across from the courthouse: "While you're in town, be on your best behavior," Adams said.

Trump pollster John McLaughlin said the former president would approach the day with "dignity."

"He will be a gentleman," McLaughlin said. "He'll show strength and he'll show dignity and ... we'll get through this and win the election."

But Trump was also defiant. In a post late Monday night on his social media network he lashed out at Biden, suggesting the current president should be facing legal troubles of his own.

Despite that, the scene around Trump Tower and the courthouse where Trump will stand before a judge was quiet overnight. There were signs both supporting and decrying the former president stuck to posts, one urging passers-by to donate to help fund Trump's presidential library and another showing a shouting Trump behind bars.

The public fascination with the case was evident Monday as national television carried live images of Trump's motorcade from his Mar-a-Lago club to a private, red, white and blue Boeing 757 stenciled with his name. From there, Trump was flown to New York, where cameras followed his motorcade into Manhattan and he spent the night at Trump Tower as he prepared to turn himself in.

Though prosecutors routinely insist that no person is above the law, bringing criminal charges against a former president carries instant logistical complications.

New York's ability to carry out safe and drama-free courthouse proceedings in a case involving a polarizing ex-president could be an important test case as prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington conduct their own investigations of Trump that could also result in charges. Those investigations concern efforts to undo the 2020 election results as well as the possible mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

Top Republicans, including some of Trump's potential rivals in next year's GOP presidential primary, have criticized the case against him. Biden, who has yet to formally announce that he's seeking reelection next year, and other leading Democrats have largely had little to say about it.

NEW YORK (AP) —Former President Donald Trump’s court appearance Tuesday will kick off an intense legal battle as the 2024 Republican presidential candidate also fights to return to the White House.

Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">expected to turn himself in and be arraigned in a New York courtroom</a>, a stunning moment in American history as he becomes the first former president to stand before a judge to answer for criminal charges.

More details are expected to emerge Tuesday about the Manhattan district attorney's case against Trump. The indictment has remained under seal since the grand jury investigating hush money payments made to women during his 2016 campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-indictment-election-027d0e5ac1881a4c55c6379deae75faa">voted to bring charges against Trump</a>. But the indictment will soon be made public.

Here's what to know about the hush money investigation, the charges against Trump and the ramifications for his bid to reclaim the presidency:

The grand jury spent weeks investigating money paid during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to two women who alleged that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him. Trump has denied the allegations.

Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified as a key prosecution witness, paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 through a shell company he set up and was then reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.

Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for former Playboy model Karen McDougal to be paid $150,000 by the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer, which squelched her story in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch and kill.”

An indictment is the formal charge brought against someone after a grand jury — which is made up of members of the community — votes and enough members agree there's sufficient evidence to charge someone with a crime.

The indictment against Trump remains sealed, as is standard in New York before an arraignment. But once the document is made public, it will lay out the crime or crimes that Trump is accused of committing. Sometimes indictments include a lengthy narrative with lots of details about the allegations, while others are more basic and just outline the charges a defendant is facing.

Trump is facing multiple charges of falsifying business records,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-hush-money-election-488c76cf92269e2c258d5203a6e981a1">including at least one felony offense</a>, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that isn’t yet public.

Under the law, prosecutors must prove there was an “intent to defraud.” The felony falsifying business records offense requires prosecutors to prove that the records were falsified with the intention of committing, aiding or concealing a second crime. It's not clear yet what prosecutors allege the second crime to be, but experts have said it is probably some kind of campaign finance violation.

An arraignment is generally the first time a defendant appears in court after being charged. The judge will tell Trump the charges against him and advise him of his right to go to trial and other things. Trump will enter a plea of not guilty — as is standard for defendants to do at arraignment. The indictment is expected to be unsealed upon his arraignment.

Trump is expected to walk out of the courtroom because the charges against him don’t require that bail be set in New York. It’s possible — but unlikely — that Judge Juan Merchan could decide that Trump is a flight risk and order him held, with or without bail, though Trump's lawyers would vigorously fight that.

Trump's lawyers have vowed to “vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.” Defense attorney Joe Tacopina has described Trump as a victim of extortion who had to pay the money because the allegations were going to be embarrassing to him. But he says it had nothing to do with the campaign.

Trump will no doubt try to fight the case on multiple fronts. He may try to have the case moved out of Manhattan or New York City entirely — arguing he can't get a fair trial there — though it's rare for judges to agree to do that.

Trump may also argue that the statute of limitations has passed. Trump has complained that the statute of limitations “long ago expired” because the hush money payments and Cohen’s reimbursements happened more than six years ago.

New York’s statute of limitations for most felonies is five years. For misdemeanors, it’s just two years. But in New York, the clock can stop on the statute of limitations when a potential defendant is continuously outside the state. Trump visited New York rarely over the four years of his presidency and now lives mostly in Florida and New Jersey.

WHAT'S THIS GRAND JURY AND WHO TESTIFIED?

A grand jury is made up of people drawn from the community, similar to a trial jury. But unlike juries that hear trials, grand juries don’t decide whether someone is guilty or innocent. They only decide whether there is enough evidence for someone to be charged.

Proceedings are closed to the public, including the media. New York grand juries have 23 people. At least 16 must be present to hear evidence or deliberate, and 12 have to agree there is enough evidence in order to issue an indictment.

The key prosecution witness was Cohen. Trump’s company “grossed up” Cohen’s reimbursement for the Daniels payment to defray tax payments, according to federal prosecutors who filed criminal charges against the lawyer in connection with the payments in 2018. In all, Cohen got $360,000 plus a $60,000 bonus, for a total of $420,000.

Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with the payments. Federal prosecutors say the payments amounted to illegal, unreported assistance to Trump’s campaign. But they declined to file charges against Trump himself.

Trump was invited to testify, but didn’t. The grand jury, however, heard from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-new-york-costello-7fbb5cfdd0db010cea262d34f60efd5c">Robert Costello</a>, who was once a legal adviser to Cohen. Costello indicated he has information he believes undercuts Cohen’s credibility and contradicts his incriminating statements about Trump.

Another key witness was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-manhattan-investigations-grand-jury-742461a52c86bb491667b085bc1aaa0b">David Pecker</a>, a longtime Trump friend and the former chief executive of the parent company of The National Enquirer.

Pecker's company, American Media Inc., secretly assisted Trump’s campaign by paying $150,000 to McDougal in August 2016 for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. The company then suppressed McDougal’s story until after the election.

In a case with some parallels, federal prosecutors in 2011 brought charges over hush money payments against former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, a onetime Democratic presidential candidate and nominee for vice president. Edwards was charged with funneling nearly $1 million in under-the-table campaign contributions to hide his pregnant lover during his 2008 run for president.

Edwards had argued that the payments were a personal matter — intended to keep an affair secret from his wife — and had nothing to do with the election. A jury acquitted the Democrat on one charge and deadlocked on other counts. He wasn’t retried.

But that was a federal case. Trump’s case deals with New York state law.

WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR TRUMP?

Neither the indictment itself nor a conviction would prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.

Already, the charges have been a boon to his fundraising. The campaign announced Friday evening that it had raised over $4 million in the 24 hours after the indictment became public, far smashing its previous record after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.

Trump’s team over the weekend blasted out emails full of supportive comments from dozens of top Republicans, many of whom had already been supportive of him leading up to the indictment.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-trump-2016-campaign-lessons-2024-election-f513fbcb3eb6c30c6590edc5dee3ce97">Those likely to be facing off with Trump</a>&nbsp;in next year’s GOP primary contests have also slammed the prosecution.

Former Vice President Mike Pence called the indictment “an outrage” and “nothing more than a political prosecution.” Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said on Twitter that the indictment “is more about revenge than it is about justice." Biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, who is also seeking the GOP presidential nomination, called the indictment “a dark moment in American history."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday accused Bragg of weaponizing the law “for political purposes” to bring a case against a former president, never mentioning Trump by name.

The New York case is just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">one of many legal woes</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing.

The Justice Department is also investigating his retention of top secret government documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, after leaving the White House. Federal investigators are also still probing the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 election that Trump falsely claimed was stolen.

In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election. The foreperson of a special grand jury, which heard from dozens of witnesses, said last month that the panel had recommended that numerous people be indicted, and hinted Trump could be among them. It is ultimately up to Willis to decide whether to move forward.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680567348231.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump waves to supporters upon arriving at Trump Tower, Monday, April 3, 2023, in New York. Trump arrived in New York on Monday for his expected booking and arraignment the following day on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump waves to supporters upon arriving at Trump Tower, Monday, April 3, 2023, in New York. Trump arrived in New York on Monday for his expected booking and arraignment the following day on charges arising from hush money payments during his 2016 campaign. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — An extraordinary moment in U.S. history is set to soon unfold in a Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday: Former President Donald Trump, who faces multiple election-related investigations, will surrender to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments.The booking and arraignment are likely to be relatively brief — though hardly routine — as Trump is fingerprinted, learns the charges against him and pleads, as expected, not guilty. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that TV cameras won't be allowed in the courtroom.Trump, who was impeached twice by the U.S. House but was never convicted in the U.S. Senate, will become the first former president to face criminal charges. The nation's 45th commander in chief will be escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service and may have his mug shot taken.Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina said Tuesday that Trump wouldn't plead guilty to lesser charges, even if it might resolve the case. He said he didn't believe the case would ever make it to a jury, but he conceded, "Really, there's a lot of mystery here because we're doing something that's never been done before.""I think there will be a typical processing, which does not take long, 20-30 minutes. There won't be handcuffs," Tacopina told ABC's "Good Morning America." "But, yeah, he'll be processed the way anyone else would be — to a degree."New York police are braced for protests by Trump supporters, who share the Republican former president's belief that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated and intended to weaken his bid to retake the White House in 2024.Trump, a former reality TV star, has been hyping that narrative to his political advantage, saying he raised $8 million in the less than a week since the indictment on claims of a "witch hunt." He has assailed the Manhattan district attorney, egged on supporters to protest and claimed without evidence that the judge presiding over the case "hates me" — something his own lawyer has said is not true.Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to hold a rally, punctuating his new reality: submitting to the dour demands of the American criminal justice system while projecting an aura of defiance and victimhood at celebratory campaign events. At least 500 prominent supporters have been invited, with some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans expected to attend.A conviction would not prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.Inside the Manhattan courtroom, prosecutors led by New York's district attorney, Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, are expected to unseal the indictment issued last week by a grand jury. This is when Trump and his defense lawyers will get their first glimpse of the precise allegations against him.The indictment contains multiple charges of falsifying business records, including at least one felony offense, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press last week.After the arraignment, Trump is expected to be released by authorities because the charges against him don't require that bail be set.The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he got into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments.The arraignment will unfold against the backdrop of heavy security in New York, coming more than two years after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to halt the congressional certification of Democrat Joe Biden's win.Though police said they had no intelligence suggesting any violence was likely, they were on high alert for any potential disruptions."While there may be some rabble rousers thinking of coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves," Mayor Eric Adams said. He also singled out Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Trump's staunchest supporters in Congress, who is organizing a rally Tuesday at a park across from the courthouse: "While you're in town, be on your best behavior," Adams said.Trump pollster John McLaughlin said the former president would approach the day with "dignity.""He will be a gentleman," McLaughlin said. "He'll show strength and he'll show dignity and ... we'll get through this and win the election."But Trump was also defiant. In a post late Monday night on his social media network he lashed out at Biden, suggesting the current president should be facing legal troubles of his own.Despite that, the scene around Trump Tower and the courthouse where Trump will stand before a judge was quiet overnight. There were signs both supporting and decrying the former president stuck to posts, one urging passers-by to donate to help fund Trump's presidential library and another showing a shouting Trump behind bars.The public fascination with the case was evident Monday as national television carried live images of Trump's motorcade from his Mar-a-Lago club to a private, red, white and blue Boeing 757 stenciled with his name. From there, Trump was flown to New York, where cameras followed his motorcade into Manhattan and he spent the night at Trump Tower as he prepared to turn himself in.The former president and his aides are embracing the media circus. After initially being caught off guard when news of the indictment broke Thursday evening, Trump and his team are hoping to use the case to his advantage. Still, they asked the judge in a Monday filing to ban photo and video coverage of the arraignment.Though prosecutors routinely insist that no person is above the law, bringing criminal charges against a former president carries instant logistical complications.New York's ability to carry out safe and drama-free courthouse proceedings in a case involving a polarizing ex-president could be an important test case as prosecutors in Atlanta and Washington conduct their own investigations of Trump that could also result in charges. Those investigations concern efforts to undo the 2020 election results as well as the possible mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.Top Republicans, including some of Trump's potential rivals in next year's GOP presidential primary, have criticized the case against him. Biden, who has yet to formally announce that he's seeking reelection next year, and other leading Democrats have largely had little to say about it.Prosecutors insist their case against Trump has nothing to do with politics.___NEW YORK (AP) —Former President Donald Trump’s court appearance Tuesday will kick off an intense legal battle as the 2024 Republican presidential candidate also fights to return to the White House.Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">expected to turn himself in and be arraigned in a New York courtroom</a>, a stunning moment in American history as he becomes the first former president to stand before a judge to answer for criminal charges.More details are expected to emerge Tuesday about the Manhattan district attorney's case against Trump. The indictment has remained under seal since the grand jury investigating hush money payments made to women during his 2016 campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-indictment-election-027d0e5ac1881a4c55c6379deae75faa">voted to bring charges against Trump</a>. But the indictment will soon be made public.Here's what to know about the hush money investigation, the charges against Trump and the ramifications for his bid to reclaim the presidency:WHAT'S THIS CASE ABOUT?The grand jury spent weeks investigating money paid during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to two women who alleged that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him. Trump has denied the allegations.Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who testified as a key prosecution witness, paid porn actor Stormy Daniels $130,000 through a shell company he set up and was then reimbursed by Trump, whose company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses.Earlier in 2016, Cohen also arranged for former Playboy model Karen McDougal to be paid $150,000 by the publisher of the supermarket tabloid the National Enquirer, which squelched her story in a journalistically dubious practice known as “catch and kill.”WHAT'S AN INDICTMENT?An indictment is the formal charge brought against someone after a grand jury — which is made up of members of the community — votes and enough members agree there's sufficient evidence to charge someone with a crime.The indictment against Trump remains sealed, as is standard in New York before an arraignment. But once the document is made public, it will lay out the crime or crimes that Trump is accused of committing. Sometimes indictments include a lengthy narrative with lots of details about the allegations, while others are more basic and just outline the charges a defendant is facing.WHAT ARE THE CHARGES?Trump is facing multiple charges of falsifying business records,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-hush-money-election-488c76cf92269e2c258d5203a6e981a1">including at least one felony offense</a>, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss information that isn’t yet public.Under the law, prosecutors must prove there was an “intent to defraud.” The felony falsifying business records offense requires prosecutors to prove that the records were falsified with the intention of committing, aiding or concealing a second crime. It's not clear yet what prosecutors allege the second crime to be, but experts have said it is probably some kind of campaign finance violation.WHAT'S AN ARRAIGNMENT?An arraignment is generally the first time a defendant appears in court after being charged. The judge will tell Trump the charges against him and advise him of his right to go to trial and other things. Trump will enter a plea of not guilty — as is standard for defendants to do at arraignment. The indictment is expected to be unsealed upon his arraignment.Trump is expected to walk out of the courtroom because the charges against him don’t require that bail be set in New York. It’s possible — but unlikely — that Judge Juan Merchan could decide that Trump is a flight risk and order him held, with or without bail, though Trump's lawyers would vigorously fight that.WHAT WILL TRUMP'S DEFENSE BE?Trump's lawyers have vowed to “vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.” Defense attorney Joe Tacopina has described Trump as a victim of extortion who had to pay the money because the allegations were going to be embarrassing to him. But he says it had nothing to do with the campaign.Trump will no doubt try to fight the case on multiple fronts. He may try to have the case moved out of Manhattan or New York City entirely — arguing he can't get a fair trial there — though it's rare for judges to agree to do that.Trump may also argue that the statute of limitations has passed. Trump has complained that the statute of limitations “long ago expired” because the hush money payments and Cohen’s reimbursements happened more than six years ago.New York’s statute of limitations for most felonies is five years. For misdemeanors, it’s just two years. But in New York, the clock can stop on the statute of limitations when a potential defendant is continuously outside the state. Trump visited New York rarely over the four years of his presidency and now lives mostly in Florida and New Jersey.WHAT'S THIS GRAND JURY AND WHO TESTIFIED?A grand jury is made up of people drawn from the community, similar to a trial jury. But unlike juries that hear trials, grand juries don’t decide whether someone is guilty or innocent. They only decide whether there is enough evidence for someone to be charged.Proceedings are closed to the public, including the media. New York grand juries have 23 people. At least 16 must be present to hear evidence or deliberate, and 12 have to agree there is enough evidence in order to issue an indictment.The key prosecution witness was Cohen. Trump’s company “grossed up” Cohen’s reimbursement for the Daniels payment to defray tax payments, according to federal prosecutors who filed criminal charges against the lawyer in connection with the payments in 2018. In all, Cohen got $360,000 plus a $60,000 bonus, for a total of $420,000.Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with the payments. Federal prosecutors say the payments amounted to illegal, unreported assistance to Trump’s campaign. But they declined to file charges against Trump himself.Trump was invited to testify, but didn’t. The grand jury, however, heard from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-new-york-costello-7fbb5cfdd0db010cea262d34f60efd5c">Robert Costello</a>, who was once a legal adviser to Cohen. Costello indicated he has information he believes undercuts Cohen’s credibility and contradicts his incriminating statements about Trump.Another key witness was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-manhattan-investigations-grand-jury-742461a52c86bb491667b085bc1aaa0b">David Pecker</a>, a longtime Trump friend and the former chief executive of the parent company of The National Enquirer.Pecker's company, American Media Inc., secretly assisted Trump’s campaign by paying $150,000 to McDougal in August 2016 for the rights to her story about an alleged affair with Trump. The company then suppressed McDougal’s story until after the election.WHAT ABOUT SIMILAR CASES?In a case with some parallels, federal prosecutors in 2011 brought charges over hush money payments against former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, a onetime Democratic presidential candidate and nominee for vice president. Edwards was charged with funneling nearly $1 million in under-the-table campaign contributions to hide his pregnant lover during his 2008 run for president.Edwards had argued that the payments were a personal matter — intended to keep an affair secret from his wife — and had nothing to do with the election. A jury acquitted the Democrat on one charge and deadlocked on other counts. He wasn’t retried.But that was a federal case. Trump’s case deals with New York state law.WHAT ARE THE POLITICAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR TRUMP?Neither the indictment itself nor a conviction would prevent Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.Already, the charges have been a boon to his fundraising. The campaign announced Friday evening that it had raised over $4 million in the 24 hours after the indictment became public, far smashing its previous record after the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.Trump’s team over the weekend blasted out emails full of supportive comments from dozens of top Republicans, many of whom had already been supportive of him leading up to the indictment.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republicans-trump-2016-campaign-lessons-2024-election-f513fbcb3eb6c30c6590edc5dee3ce97">Those likely to be facing off with Trump</a>&nbsp;in next year’s GOP primary contests have also slammed the prosecution.Former Vice President Mike Pence called the indictment “an outrage” and “nothing more than a political prosecution.” Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley said on Twitter that the indictment “is more about revenge than it is about justice." Biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, who is also seeking the GOP presidential nomination, called the indictment “a dark moment in American history."Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday accused Bragg of weaponizing the law “for political purposes” to bring a case against a former president, never mentioning Trump by name.WHAT ABOUT OTHER TRUMP INVESTIGATIONS?The New York case is just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_03">one of many legal woes</a>&nbsp;Trump is facing.The Justice Department is also investigating his retention of top secret government documents at his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, after leaving the White House. Federal investigators are also still probing the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and efforts to overturn the 2020 election that Trump falsely claimed was stolen.In Georgia, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating whether Trump and his allies illegally meddled in the 2020 election. The foreperson of a special grand jury, which heard from dozens of witnesses, said last month that the panel had recommended that numerous people be indicted, and hinted Trump could be among them. It is ultimately up to Willis to decide whether to move forward.

Donald Trump set to be arraigned in historic court moment

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Democrats on Monday called for the removal of the leader of the state's Human Rights Commission after he testified last week against a bill for LGBTQ+ rights.

Timothy Faber, chairman of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, has “lost the trust of elected leaders," Senate Democrats wrote in a letter to Gov. Mike Parson, who appointed the fellow Republican to the commission in 2021. The commission handles cases of alleged discrimination in the state.

The bill in question, brought by the state’s only openly gay senator, would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It would offer protections against landlords refusing to rent to LGBTQ+ people or employers firing them.

Faber testified against it last week, telling Senate committee members that “this bill cannot be separated from religion, and particularly religious liberty.”

“The U.S. Constitution and the Missouri Constitution both guarantee the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech,” he continued. “This bill sets up a host of conflicts against such freedoms.”

Faber spoke against the legislation as part of his other job as a lobbyist for the Missouri Baptist Convention, which he accepted in January. Faber confirmed his role as the human rights chairman to lawmakers after being questioned by a Democratic senator, which Democrats said came across as an attempt to conceal his work on the commission.

“While Mr. Faber has a right to express his personal views or the views of other organizations with which he may be affiliated, his decision to place these roles before his duties as chairman makes it clear he can no longer continue in this capacity,” Democrats wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680568193904.png" alt="Timothy Faber-photo courtesy Missouri Commission of Human RIghts" />
 <figcaption>Timothy Faber-photo courtesy Missouri Commission of Human RIghts</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri Democrats on Monday called for the removal of the leader of the state's Human Rights Commission after he testified last week against a bill for LGBTQ+ rights.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680567953030.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Timothy Faber, chairman of the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, has “lost the trust of elected leaders," Senate Democrats wrote in a letter to Gov. Mike Parson, who appointed the fellow Republican to the commission in 2021. The commission handles cases of alleged discrimination in the state.The bill in question, brought by the state’s only openly gay senator, would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. It would offer protections against landlords refusing to rent to LGBTQ+ people or employers firing them.Faber testified against it last week, telling Senate committee members that “this bill cannot be separated from religion, and particularly religious liberty.”“The U.S. Constitution and the Missouri Constitution both guarantee the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech,” he continued. “This bill sets up a host of conflicts against such freedoms.”Faber spoke against the legislation as part of his other job as a lobbyist for the Missouri Baptist Convention, which he accepted in January. Faber confirmed his role as the human rights chairman to lawmakers after being questioned by a Democratic senator, which Democrats said came across as an attempt to conceal his work on the commission.“While Mr. Faber has a right to express his personal views or the views of other organizations with which he may be affiliated, his decision to place these roles before his duties as chairman makes it clear he can no longer continue in this capacity,” Democrats wrote.Faber said Monday that he was not trying to hide his position on the commission and he will continue to advocate for the Baptist Convention. He argued that there is no conflict in him serving in both roles, including lobbying on legislation that would impact his work on the commission.“If every private citizen is not allowed to speak on issues in other capacities, or even as a private citizen, without jeopardizing their position on a board or commission that they serve on, we’re never going to get anybody to serve in these positions,” Faber said.Faber also testified previously in favor of a bill to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-sports-missouri-d4297eebf904ef58c0fb1dabed93e331">ban gender-affirming care for minors</a>&nbsp;during a February committee hearing.Parson's spokeswoman and the Missouri Commission on Human Rights executive director did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Only four of the commission's 11 seats are currently filled, and Faber said the body has not had enough members to do business since August. He said the commission currently faces a backlog of cases.Efforts to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender have failed for years in the Missouri Legislature. Even receiving a hearing, as the legislation did this year, is a notable departure.

State