By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/05/goins-resigns-amid-questions-about-conflicts-of-interest-improper-use-of-state-email/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The state’s top 
economic developer, Tony Goins, announced his resignation Wednesday 
morning amid questions about conflicts of interest between his state job
 and co-ownership of a Lincoln cigar lounge.

The concerns, raised in stories by the Nebraska Examiner, were not 
mentioned in a statement from Gov. Jim Pillen in accepting the 
resignation of Goins, who had served as director of the Nebraska 
Department of Economic Development since 2019.

On
 Tuesday, Pillen — who reappointed Goins to the $215,000-a-year job in 
November — said through a spokeswoman he took the reports about the 
director’s relationship with his private business “extremely seriously 
and expects the utmost integrity from all members of his cabinet.”

On
 Wednesday, the governor, in a press release, thanked Goins for his 
“honorable service to our country as a United States Marine and wishes 
him and his family the best.”

“The
 Governor’s office will have further communication concerning future 
leadership for the Department of Economic Development in due course,” 
the statement continued.

The<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/31/questions-raised-over-state-economic-director-and-use-of-state-email-and-his-lincoln-cigar-lounge/"> Examiner stories, based on state emails</a>
 obtained through a public records request, detailed instances when 
Goins directed business to the Capital Cigar Lounge, in which the 
director has a 51% ownership interest.

Included were emails directing DED employees to set up state business
 meetings at the cigar bar and a state email promoting a political 
campaign event at the bar. On Tuesday, it was <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/04/cigar-lounge-co-owned-by-state-agency-director-received-pandemic-grants-from-that-agency/">revealed that the lounge received two COVID-19 grants</a> from DED, though the agency indicated that the grants recipients were chosen by computer.

State accountability and disclosure laws prohibit a state agency 
director from taking “profit” from outside businesses and ban the use of
 state email to promote a political cause. Conflict of interest statutes
 block state officials from using their position for financial gain for 
themselves, their immediate family or businesses they are involved in.

In February, after being contacted by the Nebraska Accountability and
 Disclosure Commission, Goins filed a statement of financial interest 
that indicated his majority ownership of the cigar lounge and that the 
business was paying for a $1,187 monthly lease on an SUV he drives.

Exactly who will lead the Department of Economic Development is in 
question after Goins’ resignation. The deputy director of the agency, 
Dan Curran, announced his resignation Monday.

Goins issued a resignation statement Wednesday morning, saying that 
it was a privilege to serve the state and that he had served “honorably 
every step of the way.”

He noted that DED had handled more than $8 billion in economic 
development funds, helped create more than 7,000 jobs and led the effort
 to distribute economic recovery funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Goins said that he was not asked to resign and that the decision was “my decision alone.”

“Despite our strong record of success at DED, in recent days, I have 
been the target of false attacks with respect to a cigar business (in 
which) I have an ownership interest, but do not operate and do not 
profit from,” his statement read.

Goins said the stories were a “gut punch” to his reputation and his 
family, and “a distraction” from his work at the economic development 
agency.

The department, which has about 85 employees, works with Nebraska communities in increasing jobs and business expansion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660765112114.png" alt="Tony Goins announced his resignation Wednesday as director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. He’s pictured here at a press conference last year with then Gov. Pete Ricketts(Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Tony Goins announced his resignation Wednesday as director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. He’s pictured here at a press conference last year with then Gov. Pete Ricketts(Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/05/goins-resigns-amid-questions-about-conflicts-of-interest-improper-use-of-state-email/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The state’s top 
economic developer, Tony Goins, announced his resignation Wednesday 
morning amid questions about conflicts of interest between his state job
 and co-ownership of a Lincoln cigar lounge.The concerns, raised in stories by the Nebraska Examiner, were not 
mentioned in a statement from Gov. Jim Pillen in accepting the 
resignation of Goins, who had served as director of the Nebraska 
Department of Economic Development since 2019.On
 Tuesday, Pillen — who reappointed Goins to the $215,000-a-year job in 
November — said through a spokeswoman he took the reports about the 
director’s relationship with his private business “extremely seriously 
and expects the utmost integrity from all members of his cabinet.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680717535485.jpeg" alt="Goins owns 51% of this Lincoln cigar bar. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Goins owns 51% of this Lincoln cigar bar. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>On
 Wednesday, the governor, in a press release, thanked Goins for his 
“honorable service to our country as a United States Marine and wishes 
him and his family the best.”“The
 Governor’s office will have further communication concerning future 
leadership for the Department of Economic Development in due course,” 
the statement continued.The<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/31/questions-raised-over-state-economic-director-and-use-of-state-email-and-his-lincoln-cigar-lounge/"> Examiner stories, based on state emails</a>
 obtained through a public records request, detailed instances when 
Goins directed business to the Capital Cigar Lounge, in which the 
director has a 51% ownership interest.Included were emails directing DED employees to set up state business
 meetings at the cigar bar and a state email promoting a political 
campaign event at the bar. On Tuesday, it was <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/04/cigar-lounge-co-owned-by-state-agency-director-received-pandemic-grants-from-that-agency/">revealed that the lounge received two COVID-19 grants</a> from DED, though the agency indicated that the grants recipients were chosen by computer.State accountability and disclosure laws prohibit a state agency 
director from taking “profit” from outside businesses and ban the use of
 state email to promote a political cause. Conflict of interest statutes
 block state officials from using their position for financial gain for 
themselves, their immediate family or businesses they are involved in.In February, after being contacted by the Nebraska Accountability and
 Disclosure Commission, Goins filed a statement of financial interest 
that indicated his majority ownership of the cigar lounge and that the 
business was paying for a $1,187 monthly lease on an SUV he drives.Exactly who will lead the Department of Economic Development is in 
question after Goins’ resignation. The deputy director of the agency, 
Dan Curran, announced his resignation Monday.<h2>Served ‘honorably’</h2>Goins issued a resignation statement Wednesday morning, saying that 
it was a privilege to serve the state and that he had served “honorably 
every step of the way.”He noted that DED had handled more than $8 billion in economic 
development funds, helped create more than 7,000 jobs and led the effort
 to distribute economic recovery funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.Goins said that he was not asked to resign and that the decision was “my decision alone.”“Despite our strong record of success at DED, in recent days, I have 
been the target of false attacks with respect to a cigar business (in 
which) I have an ownership interest, but do not operate and do not 
profit from,” his statement read.Goins said the stories were a “gut punch” to his reputation and his 
family, and “a distraction” from his work at the economic development 
agency.The department, which has about 85 employees, works with Nebraska communities in increasing jobs and business expansion.

Goins resigns amid questions about conflicts of interest, state email

HASTINGS&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from multiple agencies, has arrested an 18-year-old minor as part of an investigation into a threat made at Sandy Creek Public Schools in Fairfield.

The investigation began at approximately 8:40 a.m. Tuesday, when Sandy Creek High School reported that a student had received a threat from someone off-campus. The school also received a call alleging that one of the students had a firearm in a locker. The school went into lockdown procedures in accordance with school policy.

Numerous law enforcement officers responded to the school. School officials searched the reported locker and did not find a firearm.&nbsp;

As response at the school continued, a suspected source of the threats was identified within minutes. Troopers worked with multiple law enforcement agencies and were able to locate the suspect at a residence in Hastings. The suspect, an 18-year-old male, fought with law enforcement while being taken into custody. The suspect also spit on a trooper’s face.

After consultation with the Clay and Adams County Attorneys, the suspect was taken into custody for making terroristic threats, false reporting, assault on an officer, resisting arrest, and failure to obey a lawful order. The investigation remains ongoing. The suspect is not a Sandy Creek student.

The lockdown at Sandy Creek was lifted and students were dismissed for the day in accordance with school reunification procedures. Law enforcement remained on scene for the duration of that process.&nbsp;

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Emergency Management, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, and Nebraska State Patrol all assisted with this response and investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680636777101.jpeg" alt="NSP photo" />
 <figcaption>NSP photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NSPHASTINGS&nbsp; — The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from multiple agencies, has arrested an 18-year-old minor as part of an investigation into a threat made at Sandy Creek Public Schools in Fairfield.The investigation began at approximately 8:40 a.m. Tuesday, when Sandy Creek High School reported that a student had received a threat from someone off-campus. The school also received a call alleging that one of the students had a firearm in a locker. The school went into lockdown procedures in accordance with school policy.Numerous law enforcement officers responded to the school. School officials searched the reported locker and did not find a firearm.&nbsp;As response at the school continued, a suspected source of the threats was identified within minutes. Troopers worked with multiple law enforcement agencies and were able to locate the suspect at a residence in Hastings. The suspect, an 18-year-old male, fought with law enforcement while being taken into custody. The suspect also spit on a trooper’s face.After consultation with the Clay and Adams County Attorneys, the suspect was taken into custody for making terroristic threats, false reporting, assault on an officer, resisting arrest, and failure to obey a lawful order. The investigation remains ongoing. The suspect is not a Sandy Creek student.The lockdown at Sandy Creek was lifted and students were dismissed for the day in accordance with school reunification procedures. Law enforcement remained on scene for the duration of that process.&nbsp;The Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Emergency Management, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, and Nebraska State Patrol all assisted with this response and investigation.

Neb. teen arrested following threat at Fairfield schools

By PAUL HAMMEL and ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/04/senators-advance-governors-school-aid-bill-after-rejecting-amendments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State lawmakers gave first-round approval to Gov. Jim 
Pillen’s school-aid proposal Tuesday after rejecting attempts to amend a
 key part of “the package.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB583.pdf">Legislative Bill 583</a>
 advanced on a 39-3 vote but only after overcoming an eight-hour 
filibuster and rejecting amendments to adjust state aid distributions 
and require universal free lunch in Nebraska schools.

On a 29-17 vote, legislators voted down an amendment introduced by 
State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth that he said “eliminated weaknesses” 
in the governor’s bill.

The amendment, crafted by a school board member from Milford, would 
have spread out the state aid increases called for by Pillen by 
distributing slightly more aid to urban school districts and smoothing 
out wide disparities in property tax levies among rural school 
districts.

For instance, under the amendment, Brandt said, the Millard Public 
Schools would get $17.2 million in additional state aid, as opposed to 
an additional $13.7 million under the governor’s plan, 
while the Elkhorn district would get $10.9 million instead of $6.4 
million. For the Omaha Public Schools, the difference was $29.7 million 
versus $35.8 million.

Seward Sen. Jana Hughes lent her support to the amendment, saying it 
would remedy a problem in her district in which property taxes on 
farmland in the Centennial School District is half the level of taxes on
 land across the fence in the Seward district.

But supporters of the governor’s plan criticized the amendment — which had been introduced as <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50407">LB 320.</a>
 They said that changing LB 583 would disrupt “the package” of proposals
 crafted by the governor not only to increase state aid to K-12 schools,
 but also to <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/18/pillen-touts-historic-package-of-tax-cuts-saying-we-have-to-compete-better-with-other-states/">reduce income taxes and provide property tax relief.</a>

“I appreciate that rural Nebraska likes this bill,” said Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, a major ally of Pillen’s plans. “But this is a little overboard.”

Albion Sen. Tom Briese, who served on a pre-session committee formed 
by Pillen to craft the state aid/tax relief bills, questioned where the 
extra $100 million required under the Brandt amendment would come from.

The amendment would rely on utilizing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/15/nebraskans-failing-to-claim-200-million-in-state-income-tax-credits-officials-say/">unclaimed state income tax credits</a>
 for property taxes which, as of September, added up to $200 million. 
But Briese said taxpayers will gradually realize they’re missing out on 
tax credits, and those funds will dry up.

“We have a negotiated package here, and 
it’s time to respect that package,” said Briese, who is sponsoring the 
governor’s property tax plan. “This isn’t the place to insert these ideas at this hour.”

While other senators agreed that they didn’t have time to digest such
 a change on such a complicated subject, other senators, including Omaha
 Sen. Wendy DeBoer, said that first-round debate is when all 49 senators
 get to debate a bill and suggest changes.

But backers of the Pillen package — which has support of many school groups — won out.

Senators also rejected an amendment from Omaha Sen. Machaela 
Cavanaugh that would have required that all K-12 public school children 
be provided a free lunch every day.

Such “universal” school lunch has been passed in three states and matches <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50073">LB 99</a>, which was proposed by Cavanaugh but has not been voted out of the Education Committee.

Cavanaugh and supporters of the amendment said nutrition is critical to students’ success.She noted that the Education Committee unanimously advanced <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=43589">similar legislation</a> in 2021, and supporters included Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, current committee chair.Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said families could focus on other 
economic aspects of their lives such as “being able to have quality time
 with their families.”Lawmakers voted the bill down along party lines, 30-16.Linehan, however, pointed out that the Legislature may have already
 addressed the free lunch issue by advancing a bill from Fremont Sen. 
Lynne Walz that seeks to maximize federal funds available for free 
school lunches for qualifying schools in low-income areas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680702472266.png" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen introduced a series of education funding bills this year. A Lincoln think tank, the Open Sky Policy Institute, has questioned whether the state can afford it, along with Pillen’s tax cut proposals (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen introduced a series of education funding bills this year. A Lincoln think tank, the Open Sky Policy Institute, has questioned whether the state can afford it, along with Pillen’s tax cut proposals (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL and ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/04/senators-advance-governors-school-aid-bill-after-rejecting-amendments/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State lawmakers gave first-round approval to Gov. Jim 
Pillen’s school-aid proposal Tuesday after rejecting attempts to amend a
 key part of “the package.”<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB583.pdf">Legislative Bill 583</a>
 advanced on a 39-3 vote but only after overcoming an eight-hour 
filibuster and rejecting amendments to adjust state aid distributions 
and require universal free lunch in Nebraska schools.<h2>‘Eliminated weaknesses’</h2>On a 29-17 vote, legislators voted down an amendment introduced by 
State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth that he said “eliminated weaknesses” 
in the governor’s bill.The amendment, crafted by a school board member from Milford, would 
have spread out the state aid increases called for by Pillen by 
distributing slightly more aid to urban school districts and smoothing 
out wide disparities in property tax levies among rural school 
districts.For instance, under the amendment, Brandt said, the Millard Public 
Schools would get $17.2 million in additional state aid, as opposed to 
an additional $13.7 million under the governor’s plan, 
while the Elkhorn district would get $10.9 million instead of $6.4 
million. For the Omaha Public Schools, the difference was $29.7 million 
versus $35.8 million.Seward Sen. Jana Hughes lent her support to the amendment, saying it 
would remedy a problem in her district in which property taxes on 
farmland in the Centennial School District is half the level of taxes on
 land across the fence in the Seward district.But supporters of the governor’s plan criticized the amendment — which had been introduced as <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50407">LB 320.</a>
 They said that changing LB 583 would disrupt “the package” of proposals
 crafted by the governor not only to increase state aid to K-12 schools,
 but also to <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/18/pillen-touts-historic-package-of-tax-cuts-saying-we-have-to-compete-better-with-other-states/">reduce income taxes and provide property tax relief.</a>“I appreciate that rural Nebraska likes this bill,” said Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, a major ally of Pillen’s plans. “But this is a little overboard.”Albion Sen. Tom Briese, who served on a pre-session committee formed 
by Pillen to craft the state aid/tax relief bills, questioned where the 
extra $100 million required under the Brandt amendment would come from.The amendment would rely on utilizing <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/15/nebraskans-failing-to-claim-200-million-in-state-income-tax-credits-officials-say/">unclaimed state income tax credits</a>
 for property taxes which, as of September, added up to $200 million. 
But Briese said taxpayers will gradually realize they’re missing out on 
tax credits, and those funds will dry up.“We have a negotiated package here, and 
it’s time to respect that package,” said Briese, who is sponsoring the 
governor’s property tax plan. “This isn’t the place to insert these ideas at this hour.”While other senators agreed that they didn’t have time to digest such
 a change on such a complicated subject, other senators, including Omaha
 Sen. Wendy DeBoer, said that first-round debate is when all 49 senators
 get to debate a bill and suggest changes.But backers of the Pillen package — which has support of many school groups — won out.Senators also rejected an amendment from Omaha Sen. Machaela 
Cavanaugh that would have required that all K-12 public school children 
be provided a free lunch every day.<h2>‘Universal’ school lunch</h2>Such “universal” school lunch has been passed in three states and matches <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50073">LB 99</a>, which was proposed by Cavanaugh but has not been voted out of the Education Committee.Cavanaugh and supporters of the amendment said nutrition is critical to students’ success.She noted that the Education Committee unanimously advanced <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=43589">similar legislation</a> in 2021, and supporters included Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, current committee chair.Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said families could focus on other 
economic aspects of their lives such as “being able to have quality time
 with their families.”Lawmakers voted the bill down along party lines, 30-16.Linehan, however, pointed out that the Legislature may have already
 addressed the free lunch issue by advancing a bill from Fremont Sen. 
Lynne Walz that seeks to maximize federal funds available for free 
school lunches for qualifying schools in low-income areas.

Neb. school-aid bill advances after amendments rejected

PALM BEACH (AP) — Flanked by American flags, former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night.

Trump was defiant, referring, among other things, to his two impeachment trials during his presidency and an ongoing probe into alleged attempts to interfere in that state’s 2020 presidential election. He called the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations.”

“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said.

He also lashed out at the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the New York case — despite being warned hours earlier by the judge to refrain from rhetoric that could cause civil unrest.

Trump waved goodbye as he made his way out of the ballroom thronged by people recording the moment with their smartphones.

The crowd included supporters like failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and longtime ally Roger Stone.

In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no ‘surprises,’ and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!”

Trump's plane has landed in Florida, and his motorcade headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort where hundreds of supporters, many in red MAGA hats, awaited him in a grand ballroom. Trump was expected to speak there in a campaign-like setting.

One man wore a jacket patterned with star-shaped American flags, and another man wore a red tie with the message “No Crime!” Members of a motorcycle club sported black leather vests that read on the back “Born To Ride for 45 Donald Trump.” Trump was the 45th U.S. president.

Alex Gonzalez, a motorcycle club member, said he supports Trump in his 2024 presidential bid.

“If he did something wrong, like anybody else, he should be held liable for it, but at the same time this is a witch hunt. This is not a real case,” said Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680655057816.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH (AP) — Flanked by American flags, former President Donald Trump delivered a campaign-style speech to cheering supporters at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;I never thought anything like this could happen in America...the only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/cgrftoXHH8">pic.twitter.com/cgrftoXHH8</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1643411610701053952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump was defiant, referring, among other things, to his two impeachment trials during his presidency and an ongoing probe into alleged attempts to interfere in that state’s 2020 presidential election. He called the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations.”“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said.He also lashed out at the prosecutor and the judge presiding over the New York case — despite being warned hours earlier by the judge to refrain from rhetoric that could cause civil unrest.Trump waved goodbye as he made his way out of the ballroom thronged by people recording the moment with their smartphones.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;There is no case....The criminal is the District Attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information for which he should be prosecuted.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/6RfYpsNyBb">pic.twitter.com/6RfYpsNyBb</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1643418060659859461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The crowd included supporters like failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and longtime ally Roger Stone.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680658900981.png" alt="Donald Trump boards his plane for the flight back to Florida following his appearance in a New York courtroom -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Donald Trump boards his plane for the flight back to Florida following his appearance in a New York courtroom -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no ‘surprises,’ and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!”Trump's plane has landed in Florida, and his motorcade headed to his Mar-a-Lago resort where hundreds of supporters, many in red MAGA hats, awaited him in a grand ballroom. Trump was expected to speak there in a campaign-like setting.One man wore a jacket patterned with star-shaped American flags, and another man wore a red tie with the message “No Crime!” Members of a motorcycle club sported black leather vests that read on the back “Born To Ride for 45 Donald Trump.” Trump was the 45th U.S. president.Alex Gonzalez, a motorcycle club member, said he supports Trump in his 2024 presidential bid.“If he did something wrong, like anybody else, he should be held liable for it, but at the same time this is a witch hunt. This is not a real case,” said Gonzalez.

🎥 Trump defiant in speech following day in New York courtroom

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through a series of hush money payments designed to stifle claims that could be harmful to his candidacy, prosecutors said Tuesday in unsealing a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-full-document-640043319549?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">34-count felony indictment</a>&nbsp;against the former president.

<a href="https://www.manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Donald-J.-Trump-SOF.pdf">CLICK here to read </a>the indictment

The payments, said Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy, were part of “an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined his campaign for president.”

Trump, stone-faced and silent as he entered and exited the Manhattan courtroom, said “not guilty” in a firm voice while facing a judge who warned him to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest.

The next court date is December 4, though it is not clear if he will be required to appear.

The broad contours of the case have long been known, but indictment contains new details about a scheme that prosecutors say involved payoffs to two women, including a porn star, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with him years earlier, as well as to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he alleged the former president had out of of wedlock.

The arraignment, though largely 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.

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. All told, the typically verbose Trump spoke only about 10 words during the entire proceeding.

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.

The day's schedule, with its striking blend of legal and political events, 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," he 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!”

Afterward, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told reporters that it was a “sad day for the country.”

“You don’t expect this to happen to somebody who was president of the United States," he said.

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.

“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 Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, 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 was 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 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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680634153416.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. Trump is set to appear in a New York City courtroom on charges related to falsifying business records in a hush money investigation, the first president ever to be charged with a crime. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump sits at the defense table with his defense team in a Manhattan court, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in New York. Trump is set to appear in a New York City courtroom on charges related to falsifying business records in a hush money investigation, the first president ever to be charged with a crime. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;conspired to illegally influence the 2016 election through a series of hush money payments designed to stifle claims that could be harmful to his candidacy, prosecutors said Tuesday in unsealing a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-full-document-640043319549?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=RelatedStories&amp;utm_campaign=position_02">34-count felony indictment</a>&nbsp;against the former president.<a href="https://www.manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Donald-J.-Trump-SOF.pdf">CLICK here to read </a>the indictmentThe payments, said Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy, were part of “an unlawful plan to identify and suppress negative information that could have undermined his campaign for president.”Trump, stone-faced and silent as he entered and exited the Manhattan courtroom, said “not guilty” in a firm voice while facing a judge who warned him to refrain from rhetoric that could inflame or cause civil unrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680641882182.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg news conference on the arraignment of former President Donald Trump. <a href="https://t.co/DNhXRbLbvU">https://t.co/DNhXRbLbvU</a> <a href="https://t.co/QIxbtqsNcC">pic.twitter.com/QIxbtqsNcC</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1643370653209305092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The next court date is December 4, though it is not clear if he will be required to appear.The broad contours of the case have long been known, but indictment contains new details about a scheme that prosecutors say involved payoffs to two women, including a porn star, who said they had extramarital sexual encounters with him years earlier, as well as to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about a child he alleged the former president had out of of wedlock.The arraignment, though largely 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.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. All told, the typically verbose Trump spoke only about 10 words during the entire proceeding.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.The day's schedule, with its striking blend of legal and political events, 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," he 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!”Afterward, Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told reporters that it was a “sad day for the country.”“You don’t expect this to happen to somebody who was president of the United States," he said.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.“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 Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, 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 was 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 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.___

🎥Read the full indictment against the former President 

SHAWNEE&nbsp;– Topeka resident, Bobby Parkhurst, was fishing at Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 2 when the catch-of-a-lifetime came into contact with his lure. Little did Parkhurst know that what loomed beneath the surface, ready to strike, would break a Kansas state record set the very same month, nearly 60 years prior.

The enormous white crappie caught by Parkhurst on March 5 was taken with rod and reel and a minnow as bait. After inspection and measurement by John Reinke, assistant director of Fisheries for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the lunker catch was put on a certified scale where it was recorded as weighing 4.07 pounds – the equivalent of six cans of soup.

“As fisheries biologists, we get the chance to see a lot of big fish but this one is certainly for the books,” Reinke said. “This crappie measured in at 18 inches long and 14 inches in girth, so it truly deserves a spot on the state record list.”

The previous Kansas state record for white crappie was set in 1964 by Frank Miller of Eureka when he reeled in a 4.02-pound crappie that measured 17.5 inches long. Miller used a rod and reel and minnow, too.

Trophy catches such as these end up as a Kansas State Record if:

The 30-day waiting period for Parkhurst’s catch ends today, April 4, making his white crappie the biggest catch for the species in Kansas history. For now, that is.

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TdGF0ZS1SZWNvcmQtRmlzaCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MDQuNzQ2MTY3MjEifQ.e0aXJf3hIKJ4CaT1GT4Wrc9MGu49ObheQ9nrtijbaCw/s/1372079104/br/157390108588-l">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see a complete list of current Kansas state record fish.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680644840706.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KDWPSHAWNEE&nbsp;– Topeka resident, Bobby Parkhurst, was fishing at Pottawatomie State Fishing Lake No. 2 when the catch-of-a-lifetime came into contact with his lure. Little did Parkhurst know that what loomed beneath the surface, ready to strike, would break a Kansas state record set the very same month, nearly 60 years prior.The enormous white crappie caught by Parkhurst on March 5 was taken with rod and reel and a minnow as bait. After inspection and measurement by John Reinke, assistant director of Fisheries for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the lunker catch was put on a certified scale where it was recorded as weighing 4.07 pounds – the equivalent of six cans of soup.“As fisheries biologists, we get the chance to see a lot of big fish but this one is certainly for the books,” Reinke said. “This crappie measured in at 18 inches long and 14 inches in girth, so it truly deserves a spot on the state record list.”The previous Kansas state record for white crappie was set in 1964 by Frank Miller of Eureka when he reeled in a 4.02-pound crappie that measured 17.5 inches long. Miller used a rod and reel and minnow, too.Trophy catches such as these end up as a Kansas State Record if:<ol>
 <li>The fish is caught by a licensed angler using legal means</li><li>The fish is identified by a Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks district fisheries biologist or regional fisheries supervisor</li><li>The fish is weighed on a certified scale prior to being frozen</li><li>The fish is photographed, in color, and a state record application is filled out</li><li>The mandatory 30-day waiting period has passed.</li>
 </ol>The 30-day waiting period for Parkhurst’s catch ends today, April 4, making his white crappie the biggest catch for the species in Kansas history. For now, that is.Click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NvdXRkb29ycy5jb20vRmlzaGluZy9TdGF0ZS1SZWNvcmQtRmlzaCIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzA0MDQuNzQ2MTY3MjEifQ.e0aXJf3hIKJ4CaT1GT4Wrc9MGu49ObheQ9nrtijbaCw/s/1372079104/br/157390108588-l">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see a complete list of current Kansas state record fish.

Topeka angler sets new Kansas record for crappie

Nebraska Department of Correctional Services

LINCOLN — Two inmates
 who went missing from the Community Corrections Center-Omaha (CCC-O) 
are back in custody. Trey Raitt and Jose Villalpando were 
apprehended by the Glendale (Arizona) Police Department today. They are 
both being held at the &nbsp;Glendale Police Department jail and will be 
transferred to the Maricopa County jail in Phoenix.&nbsp;

Raitt and Villalpando went missing on March 20 when they 
tampered with their electronic monitoring devices near the center.

Raitt started his sentence on September 3, 2014. He is serving a 4 
Year 40 month to 14 year sentence for charges out of Lancaster and 
Platte Counties that include criminal mischief, assault and two counts 
of attempted assault. Raitt has a parole hearing scheduled for August.

Villalpando began his sentence on January 3, 2017, and is serving a 
10 year 20 months to 15 year 36 month sentence out of Cuming County for 
burglary.&nbsp; At the time of his disappearance, he was scheduled for a 
parole hearing in March.

CCC-O is one of two community custody facilities operated by NDCS. 
Community custody is the lowest custody level and the least restrictive 
facility. Inmates
 are allowed to participate in work opportunities, attend school and 
religious services with prior approval and without direct supervision.

Nebraska Department of Correctional ServicesLINCOLN — Two inmates
 who went missing from the Community Corrections Center-Omaha (CCC-O) 
are back in custody. Trey Raitt and Jose Villalpando were 
apprehended by the Glendale (Arizona) Police Department today. They are 
both being held at the &nbsp;Glendale Police Department jail and will be 
transferred to the Maricopa County jail in Phoenix.&nbsp;Raitt and Villalpando went missing on March 20 when they 
tampered with their electronic monitoring devices near the center.Raitt started his sentence on September 3, 2014. He is serving a 4 
Year 40 month to 14 year sentence for charges out of Lancaster and 
Platte Counties that include criminal mischief, assault and two counts 
of attempted assault. Raitt has a parole hearing scheduled for August.Villalpando began his sentence on January 3, 2017, and is serving a 
10 year 20 months to 15 year 36 month sentence out of Cuming County for 
burglary.&nbsp; At the time of his disappearance, he was scheduled for a 
parole hearing in March.CCC-O is one of two community custody facilities operated by NDCS. 
Community custody is the lowest custody level and the least restrictive 
facility. Inmates
 are allowed to participate in work opportunities, attend school and 
religious services with prior approval and without direct supervision.

Neb. inmates missing from corrections center found in Arizona

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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

By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/debate-begins-on-proposal-to-restructure-nebraska-public-school-funding-formula/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 —&nbsp;Debate began Monday on a legislative proposal to restructure 
Nebraska’s public school funding formula, a promise Gov. Jim Pillen made
 on the campaign trail.

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50613">Legislative Bill 583</a>, proposed by State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue at Pillen’s request, is part of a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-wants-2-5-billion-in-new-funding-for-schools-property-tax-relief/">package of legislation</a>
 to address school funding and property taxes. The changes would 
specifically address the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities 
Support Act enacted in 1990, the main school finance formula known as 
TEEOSA.

Sanders said the “historic” changes would lead to direct investments in the state’s children.

“It is time that Nebraska gets behind
 funding our public schools and, while doing so, provides true property 
tax relief to Nebraskans,” Sanders said.

The first component of LB 583 would 
ensure the state provides 80% of a school district’s special education 
funding needs when combined with federal funding. The funding would be 
covered by a new Education Future Fund that would be created by <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50670">LB 681</a>, proposed by State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood at Pillen’s request.

“This is something that school districts have been left behind on for years,” Sanders said.

Under the bill, school districts 
would receive $1,500 for each student included in the formula. In fiscal
 year 2025-26, $600 per student per school would lower funding for 
certain districts. The bill would also reduce duplicate funding for 
students who use option enrollment to transfer school districts to 
receive just net option funding, not the baseline aid.

LB 583 also requires that districts report how much additional aid is received and how much property taxes are reduced.

State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, who 
alongside Sanders met with school officials to restructure school 
funding, said LB 583 “truly represents a step in the right direction.”

Not every senator is optimistic, however, that the students most in need would benefit.

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha said the proposal does nothing to 
address school funding for young people of color and low-income 
Nebraskans. These are among the first barriers they face in their lives,
 he added.

“At the end of the day, the formula 
isn’t working,” Wayne said. “At the end of the day, we are picking 
winners and losers and instead of just funding kids.”

Wayne said the tweaks to TEEOSA or 
other situations are examples of “quiet racism,” making changes while 
leaving behind the communities Wayne and others represent.

By itself, LB 583 does not provide property tax relief, Wayne said, which is why it is part of a package.&nbsp;

He added that the proposal does 
nothing to address poverty and would increase the systemic racism that 
he said exists in school funding.

“Study after study, data point after 
data point, shows that the ZIP code you are born in and the income 
levels of your parents are the No. 1 and 2 factors to the educational 
opportunities you have,” Wayne said.

State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said other inequities exist in western Nebraska.

Farmers and ranchers have 
predominantly paid their share of taxes, he said, yet they have have 
been predominantly underfunded by the state but relied upon “almost 
entirely” for property tax revenue.

“This is the first step to finally try to rectify that,” Jacobson said.

Briese said the funding would be 
sustainable in future years, which Sanders said is important because the
 funding needs to make sense when current senators are no longer there.

State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, 
who chairs the Education Committee, said Nebraska does not adequately 
pay for poverty in the TEEOSA formula for any schools.

Sanders noted the complaints about the poverty allowance and said there can be some “real discussions” to adjust the formula.

Wayne said he understands that LB 583
 is part of a wider package and offered to not hold it up if he’s shown 
balance in the overall budget for each congressional district in new 
spending.

“Let’s not invest in the new idea of 
just throwing money at students,” Wayne said. “Let’s invest in the idea 
of making sure we put money to our neediest students.”

He noted that decreases in the TEEOSA
 formula in two years could force some districts to raise property taxes
 in order to offset the decreases.

“In the name of property tax relief, 
let’s provide resources to those who need it most,” Wayne said. “I don’t
 think that’s a crazy request. I don’t think that it’s arbitrary, nor 
unconscionable.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680624042123.png" alt="Debate on how to restructure the state’s school funding formula — abbreviated as TEEOSA — began on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Debate on how to restructure the state’s school funding formula — abbreviated as TEEOSA — began on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/03/debate-begins-on-proposal-to-restructure-nebraska-public-school-funding-formula/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 —&nbsp;Debate began Monday on a legislative proposal to restructure 
Nebraska’s public school funding formula, a promise Gov. Jim Pillen made
 on the campaign trail.<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50613">Legislative Bill 583</a>, proposed by State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue at Pillen’s request, is part of a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/17/nebraska-gov-pillen-wants-2-5-billion-in-new-funding-for-schools-property-tax-relief/">package of legislation</a>
 to address school funding and property taxes. The changes would 
specifically address the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities 
Support Act enacted in 1990, the main school finance formula known as 
TEEOSA.Sanders said the “historic” changes would lead to direct investments in the state’s children.“It is time that Nebraska gets behind
 funding our public schools and, while doing so, provides true property 
tax relief to Nebraskans,” Sanders said.<h2>‘Step in the right direction’</h2>The first component of LB 583 would 
ensure the state provides 80% of a school district’s special education 
funding needs when combined with federal funding. The funding would be 
covered by a new Education Future Fund that would be created by <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50670">LB 681</a>, proposed by State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood at Pillen’s request.“This is something that school districts have been left behind on for years,” Sanders said.Under the bill, school districts 
would receive $1,500 for each student included in the formula. In fiscal
 year 2025-26, $600 per student per school would lower funding for 
certain districts. The bill would also reduce duplicate funding for 
students who use option enrollment to transfer school districts to 
receive just net option funding, not the baseline aid.LB 583 also requires that districts report how much additional aid is received and how much property taxes are reduced.State Sen. Tom Briese of Albion, who 
alongside Sanders met with school officials to restructure school 
funding, said LB 583 “truly represents a step in the right direction.”<h2>‘Winners and losers’</h2>Not every senator is optimistic, however, that the students most in need would benefit.State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha said the proposal does nothing to 
address school funding for young people of color and low-income 
Nebraskans. These are among the first barriers they face in their lives,
 he added.“At the end of the day, the formula 
isn’t working,” Wayne said. “At the end of the day, we are picking 
winners and losers and instead of just funding kids.”Wayne said the tweaks to TEEOSA or 
other situations are examples of “quiet racism,” making changes while 
leaving behind the communities Wayne and others represent.By itself, LB 583 does not provide property tax relief, Wayne said, which is why it is part of a package.&nbsp;He added that the proposal does 
nothing to address poverty and would increase the systemic racism that 
he said exists in school funding.“Study after study, data point after 
data point, shows that the ZIP code you are born in and the income 
levels of your parents are the No. 1 and 2 factors to the educational 
opportunities you have,” Wayne said.<h2>Helping rural Nebraska</h2>State Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte said other inequities exist in western Nebraska.Farmers and ranchers have 
predominantly paid their share of taxes, he said, yet they have have 
been predominantly underfunded by the state but relied upon “almost 
entirely” for property tax revenue.“This is the first step to finally try to rectify that,” Jacobson said.Briese said the funding would be 
sustainable in future years, which Sanders said is important because the
 funding needs to make sense when current senators are no longer there.State Sen. Dave Murman of Glenvil, 
who chairs the Education Committee, said Nebraska does not adequately 
pay for poverty in the TEEOSA formula for any schools.Sanders noted the complaints about the poverty allowance and said there can be some “real discussions” to adjust the formula.<h2>‘Neediest students’</h2>Wayne said he understands that LB 583
 is part of a wider package and offered to not hold it up if he’s shown 
balance in the overall budget for each congressional district in new 
spending.“Let’s not invest in the new idea of 
just throwing money at students,” Wayne said. “Let’s invest in the idea 
of making sure we put money to our neediest students.”He noted that decreases in the TEEOSA
 formula in two years could force some districts to raise property taxes
 in order to offset the decreases.“In the name of property tax relief, 
let’s provide resources to those who need it most,” Wayne said. “I don’t
 think that’s a crazy request. I don’t think that it’s arbitrary, nor 
unconscionable.”

Debate begins on Nebraska public school funding revisions

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

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.

<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.