By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/18/unused-gallery-on-fifth-floor-of-nebraska-capitol-eyed-as-aa-visitors-center-and-museum/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — High inside the Rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol is an
 unused gallery where you can get a bird’s eye view of the beautiful 
artwork in the dome and mural-lined hallways of the building.

Current and former state senators joined Thursday in touting a <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/FN/LB812_20230315-113332.pdf">$3.9 million project</a>
 to turn the currently vacant, fifth-floor space into a visitors center,
 complete with displays about state government and the historic Capitol.

“This could 
become one of the most popular viewing locations in the building, and a 
place of learning,” said former State Sen. Dave Pankonin of Louisville.

He joined with current Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood in urging 
passage of Legislative Bill 812, proposed by Clements, which would 
devote $3.9 million of the state’s abundant cash reserves to renovate 
the space as part of the current renovations underway in the <a target="_blank" href="https://capitol.nebraska.gov/building/history/">91-year-old Capitol</a>.

The fifth-floor space was originally intended to be a place for 
public visitors by the Capitol’s architect, Bertram Goodhue, but has 
been unused in nearly four decades.

Clements, who chairs the Legislature’s committee that crafts the 
state budget, the Appropriations Committee, said an organization of 
former state legislators, which included Pankonin, had approached him 
with the idea of renovating the unused gallery.

In his original plans for the Capitol, Goodhue envisioned the 
fifth-floor gallery as a place where the public could get a better view 
of the artwork in the building — artwork that explains the history of 
the state and democratic government.

Clements, who is a history buff, said there’s no place in the State 
Capitol that explains the background of the unique skyscraper design of 
the building — which is a designated National Historic Landmark — or the
 three branches of state government: legislative, executive and 
judiciary.

“It’s something that we all talk to our fourth graders 
about,” the senator said, referring to the thousands of school children 
who visit the Capitol each year.

“There’s ample space,” Clements added, on the fifth floor.

The area was used periodically in the past as state offices, but not since at least 1986.

It has been off-limits to the public because of safety concerns — 
there is no railing between the marble columns that ring the Rotunda. 
Non-reflective glass partitions would be placed between the columns as 
part of a renovation plan.

Dan Worth and Mark Bacon of BVH Architecture told members of the 
Appropriations Committee that the space needs a lot of work. The wall 
paint is cracking and peeling, &nbsp;lead paint must be removed, windows 
require repair and the floor is uneven. A gently sloping floor would be 
required to make it handicapped accessible.

Under a plan provided by the firm, fire suppression and security 
systems also would be installed, as well as modern heating and air 
conditioning systems, which are currently the focus of a long-running 
renovation project at the State Capitol.

Sara Kay of the Nebraska chapter of the American Institute of 
Architects said the U.S. Capitol has a similar visitors center as part 
of its Rotunda.

“We would be absolutely thrilled to see this gallery plan happen,” Kay said.

Clements said money could be saved by having the fifth floor 
renovated as part of the Capitol restoration and heating/air 
conditioning update project now underway.

The Appropriations Committee took no action on LB 812 after the 
public hearing Thursday, but the committee is a week away from starting 
to craft a state budget for the next two fiscal years.

Clements said he hopes to include some funding for the fifth floor 
work, in hopes that private funds might be raised to contribute to the 
project. Funds would not be needed until 2025, he said.

Coincidently on Thursday, the Appropriations Committee heard a 
proposal, inspired by the Nebraska Association of Former State 
Legislators, to create a trust fund for “preservation, restoration, and 
enhancement of the courtyards of the Capitol.”

The retired lawmakers raised $1.4 million toward the landscaping of 
the four courtyards at the State Capitol after decorative fountains were
 installed.

Former State Sen. Curt Broom said that about $900,000 of those funds 
remain and that parking them in a state investment fund would reduce 
fees and ensure that the maximum amount of the donations would be used 
to help the State Capitol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679321154973.png" alt="The now-unused fifth floor of the Nebraska State Capitol would become a gallery of education about state government, as well as a scenic lookout, under a bill proposed in the State Legislature. (Courtesy of State Sen. Robert Clements)" />
 <figcaption>The now-unused fifth floor of the Nebraska State Capitol would become a gallery of education about state government, as well as a scenic lookout, under a bill proposed in the State Legislature. (Courtesy of State Sen. Robert Clements)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/18/unused-gallery-on-fifth-floor-of-nebraska-capitol-eyed-as-aa-visitors-center-and-museum/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — High inside the Rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol is an
 unused gallery where you can get a bird’s eye view of the beautiful 
artwork in the dome and mural-lined hallways of the building.Current and former state senators joined Thursday in touting a <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/FN/LB812_20230315-113332.pdf">$3.9 million project</a>
 to turn the currently vacant, fifth-floor space into a visitors center,
 complete with displays about state government and the historic Capitol.<h2>Popular spot</h2>“This could 
become one of the most popular viewing locations in the building, and a 
place of learning,” said former State Sen. Dave Pankonin of Louisville.He joined with current Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood in urging 
passage of Legislative Bill 812, proposed by Clements, which would 
devote $3.9 million of the state’s abundant cash reserves to renovate 
the space as part of the current renovations underway in the <a target="_blank" href="https://capitol.nebraska.gov/building/history/">91-year-old Capitol</a>.<h2>In original plans</h2>The fifth-floor space was originally intended to be a place for 
public visitors by the Capitol’s architect, Bertram Goodhue, but has 
been unused in nearly four decades.Clements, who chairs the Legislature’s committee that crafts the 
state budget, the Appropriations Committee, said an organization of 
former state legislators, which included Pankonin, had approached him 
with the idea of renovating the unused gallery.In his original plans for the Capitol, Goodhue envisioned the 
fifth-floor gallery as a place where the public could get a better view 
of the artwork in the building — artwork that explains the history of 
the state and democratic government.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679321236859.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Robert Clements of Elmwood (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Clements, who is a history buff, said there’s no place in the State 
Capitol that explains the background of the unique skyscraper design of 
the building — which is a designated National Historic Landmark — or the
 three branches of state government: legislative, executive and 
judiciary.<h2>‘Ample space’</h2>“It’s something that we all talk to our fourth graders 
about,” the senator said, referring to the thousands of school children 
who visit the Capitol each year.“There’s ample space,” Clements added, on the fifth floor.The area was used periodically in the past as state offices, but not since at least 1986.<h2>Off-limits to the public now</h2>It has been off-limits to the public because of safety concerns — 
there is no railing between the marble columns that ring the Rotunda. 
Non-reflective glass partitions would be placed between the columns as 
part of a renovation plan.Dan Worth and Mark Bacon of BVH Architecture told members of the 
Appropriations Committee that the space needs a lot of work. The wall 
paint is cracking and peeling, &nbsp;lead paint must be removed, windows 
require repair and the floor is uneven. A gently sloping floor would be 
required to make it handicapped accessible.Under a plan provided by the firm, fire suppression and security 
systems also would be installed, as well as modern heating and air 
conditioning systems, which are currently the focus of a long-running 
renovation project at the State Capitol.Sara Kay of the Nebraska chapter of the American Institute of 
Architects said the U.S. Capitol has a similar visitors center as part 
of its Rotunda.“We would be absolutely thrilled to see this gallery plan happen,” Kay said.<h2>Done as part of current restoration work</h2>Clements said money could be saved by having the fifth floor 
renovated as part of the Capitol restoration and heating/air 
conditioning update project now underway.The Appropriations Committee took no action on LB 812 after the 
public hearing Thursday, but the committee is a week away from starting 
to craft a state budget for the next two fiscal years.Clements said he hopes to include some funding for the fifth floor 
work, in hopes that private funds might be raised to contribute to the 
project. Funds would not be needed until 2025, he said.<h2>Trust fund for State Capitol</h2>Coincidently on Thursday, the Appropriations Committee heard a 
proposal, inspired by the Nebraska Association of Former State 
Legislators, to create a trust fund for “preservation, restoration, and 
enhancement of the courtyards of the Capitol.”The retired lawmakers raised $1.4 million toward the landscaping of 
the four courtyards at the State Capitol after decorative fountains were
 installed.Former State Sen. Curt Broom said that about $900,000 of those funds 
remain and that parking them in a state investment fund would reduce 
fees and ensure that the maximum amount of the donations would be used 
to help the State Capitol.

Unused floor at Neb. Capitol eyed as a visitors center, museum

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/five-nebraskans-honored-by-civic-nebraska-for-helping-to-build-a-robust-democracy/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Civic Nebraska, a nonprofit 
dedicated to voting rights and strengthening youth and civic leadership,
 is set to recognize five people who have helped build a “more modern 
and robust democracy.”

The Strengthening Democracy Awards 
program April 13 also will feature a talk from national voting rights 
activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Desmond
 Meade. Meade, recognized by Time as one of the 100 Most Influential 
People in the World in 2019, led a grassroots initiative that restored 
voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with past felony 
convictions.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.civicnebraska.org/sda-2023/">The event </a>is to be held at the Livestock Exchange Ballroom in Omaha.

The five Nebraskans to be honored demonstrate exceptional civic leadership and embody the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.civicnebraska.org/about/">Civic Nebraska</a> vision of a collaborative and innovative society, said Adam Morfeld, executive director.

“Democracy is built from the ground up, which means many everyday 
acts can go unnoticed,” Morfeld said. “That’s why Civic Nebraska lifts 
up these civic advocates: to celebrate their vigilance and persistence.”

The honorees, and descriptions of their efforts, according to Civic Nebraska:&nbsp;

 Eric Garcia-Mendez of Grand Island led the creation of the Elevate program. “When he saw how his community’s leadership
 didn’t always reflect the area’s diversity, Garcia-Mendez found 
solutions to better equip new American leaders for local leadership 
roles,” said a statement. He also initiated Young Professionals of Color
 and the Welcoming Initiative.

Rick Galusha of Omaha has brought 
diverse opinions together. Ten years ago, Galusha helped create the Free
 Speech Society, which has grown into 530 members. The group meets 
monthly to have respectful, insightful discussions,often led by 
community leaders. A professor, Galusha also leads Bellevue University’s
 American Vision and Values series.

Cheyenne Hartshorn of Lincoln is 
active in promoting student-driven service learning and civic 
leadership. As an instructor at Lincoln Northeast High School, Hartshorn
 helped develop Capitol Experience Day, a Civic Nebraska flagship 
program that immerses students in the workings of state government. She 
has helped build other student programs and clubs.

Kendall Bartling of the University of
 Nebraska-Lincoln inspires young people to participate in our democracy.
 During high school, Bartling was on the Grand Island Public Schools 
board and became a deputy registrar so he could register young voters. 
He continued those efforts at UNL as chair of the Husker Vote Coalition,
 helping to register more than 1,000 first-time voters.

Jan Gradwohl Memorial Defender of Democracy:

Joseline Reyna of Grand Island is an 
organizer, reformer, and advocate for ballot access. As a “Dreamer,” she
 cannot vote because of her immigration status, but she has fought 
against restrictive voter ID laws and for expanding pathways to 
citizenship. In her YWCA role, she’s knocked on hundreds of doors and 
called thousands to encourage them to weigh in on a collective future.

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/five-nebraskans-honored-by-civic-nebraska-for-helping-to-build-a-robust-democracy/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Civic Nebraska, a nonprofit 
dedicated to voting rights and strengthening youth and civic leadership,
 is set to recognize five people who have helped build a “more modern 
and robust democracy.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679321079370.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Strengthening Democracy Awards 
program April 13 also will feature a talk from national voting rights 
activist and 2023 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Desmond
 Meade. Meade, recognized by Time as one of the 100 Most Influential 
People in the World in 2019, led a grassroots initiative that restored 
voting rights to over 1.4 million Floridians with past felony 
convictions.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.civicnebraska.org/sda-2023/">The event </a>is to be held at the Livestock Exchange Ballroom in Omaha.The five Nebraskans to be honored demonstrate exceptional civic leadership and embody the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.civicnebraska.org/about/">Civic Nebraska</a> vision of a collaborative and innovative society, said Adam Morfeld, executive director.“Democracy is built from the ground up, which means many everyday 
acts can go unnoticed,” Morfeld said. “That’s why Civic Nebraska lifts 
up these civic advocates: to celebrate their vigilance and persistence.”The honorees, and descriptions of their efforts, according to Civic Nebraska:&nbsp;<h2>Community Builder:</h2> Eric Garcia-Mendez of Grand Island led the creation of the Elevate program. “When he saw how his community’s leadership
 didn’t always reflect the area’s diversity, Garcia-Mendez found 
solutions to better equip new American leaders for local leadership 
roles,” said a statement. He also initiated Young Professionals of Color
 and the Welcoming Initiative.<h2>Civic Catalyst: </h2>Rick Galusha of Omaha has brought 
diverse opinions together. Ten years ago, Galusha helped create the Free
 Speech Society, which has grown into 530 members. The group meets 
monthly to have respectful, insightful discussions,often led by 
community leaders. A professor, Galusha also leads Bellevue University’s
 American Vision and Values series.<h2>Champion of Learning: </h2>Cheyenne Hartshorn of Lincoln is 
active in promoting student-driven service learning and civic 
leadership. As an instructor at Lincoln Northeast High School, Hartshorn
 helped develop Capitol Experience Day, a Civic Nebraska flagship 
program that immerses students in the workings of state government. She 
has helped build other student programs and clubs.<h2>Young Civic Leader: </h2>Kendall Bartling of the University of
 Nebraska-Lincoln inspires young people to participate in our democracy.
 During high school, Bartling was on the Grand Island Public Schools 
board and became a deputy registrar so he could register young voters. 
He continued those efforts at UNL as chair of the Husker Vote Coalition,
 helping to register more than 1,000 first-time voters.<h2>Jan Gradwohl Memorial Defender of Democracy:</h2>Joseline Reyna of Grand Island is an 
organizer, reformer, and advocate for ballot access. As a “Dreamer,” she
 cannot vote because of her immigration status, but she has fought 
against restrictive voter ID laws and for expanding pathways to 
citizenship. In her YWCA role, she’s knocked on hundreds of doors and 
called thousands to encourage them to weigh in on a collective future.

Five Nebraskans honored by Civic Nebraska

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks. A look at what lawmakers are saying and planning as the fallout continues from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.

While President Joe Biden called Monday on Congress to strengthen the rules for banks to prevent future failures, lawmakers are divided on whether any legislation is needed.

Some congressional leaders are skeptical that a closely divided Congress will act at all.

"There's people who are going to choose bills, but I cannot imagine that, with the hold banks have on Republican members of Congress, that we can pass anything significant," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Republicans say the laws already in place were sufficient to prevent the bank failures, if only regulators had done their job by spotting obvious problems and directing the banks to take steps that would reduce their risk.

"If there are ideas out there that people have, you know, at some point, we would be willing to entertain those, but I think it would be premature to start talking about solutions before we fully define the problem and ultimately get answers from the regulators about why they were asleep at the job," said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican.

SO WHAT'S NEXT? The House Financial Services Committee has announced its first hearing for March 29, featuring at least two witnesses: Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s board of directors, and Michael Barr, vice chair for supervision with the Federal Reserve's board of governors. "We will conduct this hearing without fear or favor to get the answers the American people deserve," lawmakers said.

On the Senate side, Brown said his committee will also hold a hearing soon to help lawmakers assess what went wrong. He said the first hearing is likely to focus on bringing in witnesses responsible for regulating the failed banks. The Fed board was the primary regulator for Silicon Valley Bank in California, while the FDIC was the primary federal regulator for Signature Bank in New York.

Brown spelled out some of the questions lawmakers probably will have for the regulators in a letter Thursday asking them to undertake a comprehensive review of what went wrong. What role did social media-led coordination among customers play? What role did the large percentage of uninsured deposits at Silicon Valley Bank play? Were there regulatory gaps with respect to capital, liquidity and stress testing that played a role in the failures?

Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said he wants to know why regulators did not act on detailed reports of a liquidity risk at Silicon Valley Bank and why the FDIC failed to auction off the bank's remaining parts last weekend.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said she wants to know if regulators intend to use the failure of Signature Bank to further crack down on cryptocurrency. She has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency development and is an investor in bitcoin. Signature was the first FDIC-insured bank to offer a blockchain-based digital payment platform in 2019 and had been a go-to bank for the crypto industry.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he wanted to know how private stock analysts had warned about Silicon Valley's investments but regulators did not seem to know about potential problems.

CONGRESSIONAL ACTION Democrats in both chambers have rallied around two legislative proposals. The first, from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., would repeal the 2018 rollback of certain aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act enacted after the financial crisis a decade earlier.

The Dodd-Frank Act subjected all banks with $50 billion or more in assets to enhanced regulation, such as annual stress testing and the submission of resolution plans or "living wills" in the event of bankruptcy.

But after years of complaints from community and regional banks about the cost of compliance, Congress lifted the threshold for meeting all the Dodd-Frank Act requirements to $250 billion.

Banks with assets valued at less than $100 billion were automatically exempted from the enhanced regulation. The Fed was given the discretion to apply on a case-by-case basis the enhanced oversight for banks between the $100 billion and $250 billion level. Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank fell in that category.

"President Trump's rollback paved the way for the SVB collapse," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said on the Senate floor Thursday.

But Republicans have countered that the tiered oversight they established in 2018 with the support of several Democrats in both chambers gave federal regulators all the tools they needed to catch the problems at Silicon Valley and Signature before they became fatal.

"I think the issue here is liquidity and there are liquidity stress tests that regulators have established for the banks," said Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and the author of the 2018 changes to Dodd-Frank. "If they need to tighten those up, they have the authority to do it."

With that philosophical divide, it's unlikely the Warren and Porter bill will advance in Congress.

A second bill might have a better shot. The bill from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Mike Levin of California would recoup any bonuses and profits that bank executives receive from stock sales make in the 60 days before a bank failure.

Republicans also directed considerable ire at the executives of the failed banks this week.

"I think all of that ought to be clawed back," Kennedy said of bonuses. "And this time, I hope somebody goes to jail."

On Friday, Biden called on Congress to grant the FDIC the power to force the return of compensation paid to executives at a broader range of banks should they fail, and to lower the threshold for the regulator to impose fines and bar executives from working at another bank.

The recent bank failures create an opportunity to shape the political narrative for next year's election.

While Republicans are saying that regulators were "asleep at the switch," they are also trying to tie Biden and Democrats to the turmoil by blaming them for higher inflation, which is leading to the higher interest rates and reduced the value of Silicon Valley Banks investments.

"A failure of the bank, a failure with regulators, and without any question, a failure at the top," said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in reference to Biden.

Democrats are pinning the failures on the changes Republicans led in scaling back Dodd-Frank requirements for certain banks, saying it's an example of how Washington caters to powerful interest groups rather than average voters.

"The 2018 rollbacks permitted the banks to take on more risk in order to boost their profits," Warren said. "So what did they do? They took on more risks, boosted their profits, gave their executives big bonuses and salaries, and then blew the banks up."

By KEVIN FREKING&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks. A look at what lawmakers are saying and planning as the fallout continues from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.QUICK LEGISLATIVE FIXES UNLIKELYWhile President Joe Biden called Monday on Congress to strengthen the rules for banks to prevent future failures, lawmakers are divided on whether any legislation is needed.Some congressional leaders are skeptical that a closely divided Congress will act at all."There's people who are going to choose bills, but I cannot imagine that, with the hold banks have on Republican members of Congress, that we can pass anything significant," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Republicans say the laws already in place were sufficient to prevent the bank failures, if only regulators had done their job by spotting obvious problems and directing the banks to take steps that would reduce their risk."If there are ideas out there that people have, you know, at some point, we would be willing to entertain those, but I think it would be premature to start talking about solutions before we fully define the problem and ultimately get answers from the regulators about why they were asleep at the job," said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the second-ranking Republican.___SO WHAT'S NEXT? The House Financial Services Committee has announced its first hearing for March 29, featuring at least two witnesses: Martin Gruenberg, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s board of directors, and Michael Barr, vice chair for supervision with the Federal Reserve's board of governors. "We will conduct this hearing without fear or favor to get the answers the American people deserve," lawmakers said.On the Senate side, Brown said his committee will also hold a hearing soon to help lawmakers assess what went wrong. He said the first hearing is likely to focus on bringing in witnesses responsible for regulating the failed banks. The Fed board was the primary regulator for Silicon Valley Bank in California, while the FDIC was the primary federal regulator for Signature Bank in New York.Brown spelled out some of the questions lawmakers probably will have for the regulators in a letter Thursday asking them to undertake a comprehensive review of what went wrong. What role did social media-led coordination among customers play? What role did the large percentage of uninsured deposits at Silicon Valley Bank play? Were there regulatory gaps with respect to capital, liquidity and stress testing that played a role in the failures?Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said he wants to know why regulators did not act on detailed reports of a liquidity risk at Silicon Valley Bank and why the FDIC failed to auction off the bank's remaining parts last weekend.Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said she wants to know if regulators intend to use the failure of Signature Bank to further crack down on cryptocurrency. She has been a vocal advocate for cryptocurrency development and is an investor in bitcoin. Signature was the first FDIC-insured bank to offer a blockchain-based digital payment platform in 2019 and had been a go-to bank for the crypto industry.Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he wanted to know how private stock analysts had warned about Silicon Valley's investments but regulators did not seem to know about potential problems.___CONGRESSIONAL ACTION Democrats in both chambers have rallied around two legislative proposals. The first, from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., would repeal the 2018 rollback of certain aspects of the Dodd-Frank Act enacted after the financial crisis a decade earlier.The Dodd-Frank Act subjected all banks with $50 billion or more in assets to enhanced regulation, such as annual stress testing and the submission of resolution plans or "living wills" in the event of bankruptcy.But after years of complaints from community and regional banks about the cost of compliance, Congress lifted the threshold for meeting all the Dodd-Frank Act requirements to $250 billion.Banks with assets valued at less than $100 billion were automatically exempted from the enhanced regulation. The Fed was given the discretion to apply on a case-by-case basis the enhanced oversight for banks between the $100 billion and $250 billion level. Both Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank fell in that category."President Trump's rollback paved the way for the SVB collapse," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said on the Senate floor Thursday.But Republicans have countered that the tiered oversight they established in 2018 with the support of several Democrats in both chambers gave federal regulators all the tools they needed to catch the problems at Silicon Valley and Signature before they became fatal."I think the issue here is liquidity and there are liquidity stress tests that regulators have established for the banks," said Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and the author of the 2018 changes to Dodd-Frank. "If they need to tighten those up, they have the authority to do it."With that philosophical divide, it's unlikely the Warren and Porter bill will advance in Congress.A second bill might have a better shot. The bill from Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Mike Levin of California would recoup any bonuses and profits that bank executives receive from stock sales make in the 60 days before a bank failure.Republicans also directed considerable ire at the executives of the failed banks this week."I think all of that ought to be clawed back," Kennedy said of bonuses. "And this time, I hope somebody goes to jail."On Friday, Biden called on Congress to grant the FDIC the power to force the return of compensation paid to executives at a broader range of banks should they fail, and to lower the threshold for the regulator to impose fines and bar executives from working at another bank.___POINTING FINGERS AT THE OTHER PARTYThe recent bank failures create an opportunity to shape the political narrative for next year's election.While Republicans are saying that regulators were "asleep at the switch," they are also trying to tie Biden and Democrats to the turmoil by blaming them for higher inflation, which is leading to the higher interest rates and reduced the value of Silicon Valley Banks investments."A failure of the bank, a failure with regulators, and without any question, a failure at the top," said Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in reference to Biden.Democrats are pinning the failures on the changes Republicans led in scaling back Dodd-Frank requirements for certain banks, saying it's an example of how Washington caters to powerful interest groups rather than average voters."The 2018 rollbacks permitted the banks to take on more risk in order to boost their profits," Warren said. "So what did they do? They took on more risks, boosted their profits, gave their executives big bonuses and salaries, and then blew the banks up."

Bank failures: Anger in Congress, but division on what to do

BEIJING (AP) — China accused the United States on Thursday of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok following reports that the Biden administration was calling for its Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular video-sharing app.

The U.S. has yet to present evidence that TikTok threatens its national security and was using the excuse of data security to abuse its power to suppress foreign companies, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing.

“The U.S. should stop spreading disinformation about data security, stop suppressing the relevant company, and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses to invest and operate in the U.S.,” Wang said.

TikTok was dismissive Wednesday of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-threatens-to-ban-tiktok-if-chinese-founder-doesnt-sell-ownership-stake-36d7295c">report in The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., part of the Treasury Department, was threatening a U.S. ban on the app unless its owners, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., divested.

“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the problem: A change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access,” TikTok spokesperson Maureen Shanahan said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-china-17dc11399ffed22482ed6803c80b54c3">Shanahan said TikTok was already answering concerns</a>&nbsp;through “transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification.”

The Journal report cited anonymous “people familiar with the matter.” The Treasury Department and the White House’s National Security Council declined to comment.

In late February, the White House gave all federal agencies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-united-states-government-ap-top-news-business-95491774cf8f0fe3e2b9634658a22e56">30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices</a>. Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and the State Department already have restrictions in place. The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.

Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. The legislation does allow for TikTok use in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been moving forward with legislation that would give the Biden administration more power to clamp down on TikTok.

TikTok remains extremely popular and is used by two-thirds of teens in the U.S. But there is increasing concern that Beijing could obtain control of American user data that the app has obtained and push pro-Beijing narratives and propaganda on the app.

China has long been concerned about the influence of overseas social media and communications apps, and bans most of the best-known ones, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube — and TikTok.

WASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok was dismissive this week of reports that the Biden administration was calling for its Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular video-sharing app, saying such a move wouldn't help protect national security.

The company was responding to a report in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-threatens-to-ban-tiktok-if-chinese-founder-doesnt-sell-ownership-stake-36d7295c">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., part of the Treasury Department, was threatening a U.S. ban on the app unless its owners, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., divested.

“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the problem: a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access," TikTok spokesperson Maureen Shanahan said. "The best way to address concerns about national security is with the transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification, which we are already implementing.”

Late last month, the White House gave all federal agencies 30 days to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-united-states-government-ap-top-news-business-95491774cf8f0fe3e2b9634658a22e56">wipe TikTok off all government devices</a>.

The Office of Management and Budget called the guidance a “critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data.” Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place. The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.

Rep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of the app, saying the Chinese Communist Party is using it to “manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans’ data to be used for their malign activities.”

“Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into your phone,” the Texas Republican said.

TikTok remains extremely popular and is used by two-thirds of teens in the U.S. But there is increasing concern that Beijing could obtain control of American user data that the app has obtained.

The company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-d33e58c76bb3c13297c72816ef4e6231">has been dismissive of the ban</a>&nbsp;for federal devices and has noted that it is developing security and data privacy plans as part of the Biden administration’s ongoing national security review.

BEIJING (AP) — China accused the United States on Thursday of spreading disinformation and suppressing TikTok following reports that the Biden administration was calling for its Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular video-sharing app.The U.S. has yet to present evidence that TikTok threatens its national security and was using the excuse of data security to abuse its power to suppress foreign companies, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing.“The U.S. should stop spreading disinformation about data security, stop suppressing the relevant company, and provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for foreign businesses to invest and operate in the U.S.,” Wang said.TikTok was dismissive Wednesday of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-threatens-to-ban-tiktok-if-chinese-founder-doesnt-sell-ownership-stake-36d7295c">report in The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., part of the Treasury Department, was threatening a U.S. ban on the app unless its owners, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., divested.“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the problem: A change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access,” TikTok spokesperson Maureen Shanahan said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-china-17dc11399ffed22482ed6803c80b54c3">Shanahan said TikTok was already answering concerns</a>&nbsp;through “transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification.”The Journal report cited anonymous “people familiar with the matter.” The Treasury Department and the White House’s National Security Council declined to comment.In late February, the White House gave all federal agencies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-united-states-government-ap-top-news-business-95491774cf8f0fe3e2b9634658a22e56">30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices</a>. Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and the State Department already have restrictions in place. The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. The legislation does allow for TikTok use in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.Meanwhile, lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been moving forward with legislation that would give the Biden administration more power to clamp down on TikTok.TikTok remains extremely popular and is used by two-thirds of teens in the U.S. But there is increasing concern that Beijing could obtain control of American user data that the app has obtained and push pro-Beijing narratives and propaganda on the app.China has long been concerned about the influence of overseas social media and communications apps, and bans most of the best-known ones, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube — and TikTok.-------------WASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok was dismissive this week of reports that the Biden administration was calling for its Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular video-sharing app, saying such a move wouldn't help protect national security.The company was responding to a report in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-threatens-to-ban-tiktok-if-chinese-founder-doesnt-sell-ownership-stake-36d7295c">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;that said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., part of the Treasury Department, was threatening a U.S. ban on the app unless its owners, Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd., divested.“If protecting national security is the objective, divestment doesn’t solve the problem: a change in ownership would not impose any new restrictions on data flows or access," TikTok spokesperson Maureen Shanahan said. "The best way to address concerns about national security is with the transparent, U.S.-based protection of U.S. user data and systems, with robust third-party monitoring, vetting, and verification, which we are already implementing.”The Journal report cited anonymous “people familiar with the matter.” The Treasury Department and the White House’s National Security Council declined to comment.Late last month, the White House gave all federal agencies 30 days to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-united-states-government-ap-top-news-business-95491774cf8f0fe3e2b9634658a22e56">wipe TikTok off all government devices</a>.The Office of Management and Budget called the guidance a “critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data.” Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place. The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices.Congress passed the “No TikTok on Government Devices Act” in December as part of a sweeping government funding package. The legislation does allow for TikTok use in certain cases, including for national security, law enforcement and research purposes.Meanwhile, lawmakers in both the House and Senate have been moving forward with legislation that would give the Biden administration more power to clamp down on TikTok.Rep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, has been a vocal critic of the app, saying the Chinese Communist Party is using it to “manipulate and monitor its users while it gobbles up Americans’ data to be used for their malign activities.”“Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the CCP a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into your phone,” the Texas Republican said.TikTok remains extremely popular and is used by two-thirds of teens in the U.S. But there is increasing concern that Beijing could obtain control of American user data that the app has obtained.The company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-d33e58c76bb3c13297c72816ef4e6231">has been dismissive of the ban</a>&nbsp;for federal devices and has noted that it is developing security and data privacy plans as part of the Biden administration’s ongoing national security review.

China, U.S. continue war of words over TikTok app

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-texas-fda-roe-wade-5306714113f3be4233a9e11a84a992aa?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_04">lawsuit that poses a threat to the nationwide availability of a leading abortion medication.</a>&nbsp;The hearing comes as a conservative Christian group seeks to reverse federal approval of the drug mifepristone.

A two-pill combination of mifepristone and another drug is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. and the ruling would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it. The case has raised concerns about court transparency and so-called judge shopping.

Here's a look at some of the legal issues surrounding the case:

HOW DID THE ABORTION PILL CHALLENGE START?

Abortion opponents who helped overturn Roe v. Wade filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-lawsuits-71b8e54b97b016bf2cc0d9380d478991">lawsuit in November</a>, asking a judge in Texas to reverse the approval of mifepristone.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-medication-abortion-783874945633">Research shows</a>&nbsp;that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective, and they were approved by the Food and Drug Administration more than 20 years ago.

But the group, Alliance Defending Freedom, argued in the lawsuit that the FDA process was flawed for mifepristone. It also took aim at more recent changes that have eased access to the drug.

The suit was filed in Amarillo, Texas, which meant that it was assigned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-texas-judge-christian-kacsmaryk-3cfb483f1b9266df2e0cc31cc892d605">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>, a former attorney at a Christian law firm who previously wrote critically about Roe. He was appointed by former President Donald Trump and confirmed over fierce opposition from Democrats.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">Medication is the most common form of abortion</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It’s become more available as the FDA allowed it to be prescribed online and sent through the mail. Demand continued as states began banning abortion after Roe was overturned and more women traveled for access, or sought medication online.

If Kacsmaryk reverses the approval of mifepristone, it could restrict access nationwide. Such a ruling would be an unprecedented challenge to the FDA, which approved mifepristone in combination with a second pill, misoprostol, as a safe and effective method for ending a pregnancy in 2000.

That would be “nothing short of catastrophic," a group of 22 Democratic-led states said in court documents filed in the case. Another group of 22 Republican states filed briefs supporting the reversal. They argue the ability to order pills by mail undermines their laws banning abortion.

WHY IS THIS IN THE HANDS OF ONE TEXAS JUDGE?

Kacsmaryk is a federal judge and one of the major tasks of the U.S. court system has always been deciding whether laws and policy are constitutional. That means any judge weighing a case challenging a federal law or policy could make a decision that has ripple effects across the nation.

Lawyers on either side of a case can appeal a ruling, however, and federal appeals courts can block or overturn a decision. In this case, an appeal would go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which also leans conservative. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-new-orleans-mexico-statutes-0a3b7c93a6e6bdf06b0eee4935d7dc8f">upheld Kacsmaryk's decision in another high-profile case</a>&nbsp;requiring the Biden administration to continue the “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy implemented by Trump. The ruling was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

The case has also raised concerns about judge shopping, a term for litigants seeking to file cases in front of judges they consider sympathetic to their cause. It's a tactic that's been utilized by groups across the ideological spectrum, but the volume of cases filed before Kacsmaryk and other Texas judges has raised concerns among experts.

Kacsmaryk set the first hearing in the closely watched case on a conference call with attorneys. He also asked them to for the “courtesy”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-transparency-fda-roe-wade-48c389dd3c892aa9bbc553e0b3de5360">of not publicizing the upcoming arguments</a>, according to a court transcript.

He said he planned to delay making the hearing public until the evening before, making it difficult for many to attend because Amarillo is hours away from major cities. Such a delay is highly unusual in the American judicial system, where hearing notices are typically quickly made public and often scheduled weeks or months in advance.

After news reports about the call, the hearing was placed on the public docket a day and a half before it was scheduled.

A ruling in the case could come any time after the arguments conclude. A decision against the FDA would almost certainly be swiftly appealed by the Justice Department.

A ruling reversing approval 20 years later is all but unprecedented, so it's not clear exactly what would happen next or how quickly access might be curtailed. If mifepristone is sidelined, clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination say they would switch to using only misoprostol, the other drug in the two-drug combination, an approach that is slightly less effective.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-texas-fda-roe-wade-5306714113f3be4233a9e11a84a992aa?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_04">lawsuit that poses a threat to the nationwide availability of a leading abortion medication.</a>&nbsp;The hearing comes as a conservative Christian group seeks to reverse federal approval of the drug mifepristone.A two-pill combination of mifepristone and another drug is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. and the ruling would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it. The case has raised concerns about court transparency and so-called judge shopping.Here's a look at some of the legal issues surrounding the case:HOW DID THE ABORTION PILL CHALLENGE START?Abortion opponents who helped overturn Roe v. Wade filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-lawsuits-71b8e54b97b016bf2cc0d9380d478991">lawsuit in November</a>, asking a judge in Texas to reverse the approval of mifepristone.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-medication-abortion-783874945633">Research shows</a>&nbsp;that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective, and they were approved by the Food and Drug Administration more than 20 years ago.But the group, Alliance Defending Freedom, argued in the lawsuit that the FDA process was flawed for mifepristone. It also took aim at more recent changes that have eased access to the drug.The suit was filed in Amarillo, Texas, which meant that it was assigned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-texas-judge-christian-kacsmaryk-3cfb483f1b9266df2e0cc31cc892d605">U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk</a>, a former attorney at a Christian law firm who previously wrote critically about Roe. He was appointed by former President Donald Trump and confirmed over fierce opposition from Democrats.WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">Medication is the most common form of abortion</a>&nbsp;in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. It’s become more available as the FDA allowed it to be prescribed online and sent through the mail. Demand continued as states began banning abortion after Roe was overturned and more women traveled for access, or sought medication online.If Kacsmaryk reverses the approval of mifepristone, it could restrict access nationwide. Such a ruling would be an unprecedented challenge to the FDA, which approved mifepristone in combination with a second pill, misoprostol, as a safe and effective method for ending a pregnancy in 2000.That would be “nothing short of catastrophic," a group of 22 Democratic-led states said in court documents filed in the case. Another group of 22 Republican states filed briefs supporting the reversal. They argue the ability to order pills by mail undermines their laws banning abortion.WHY IS THIS IN THE HANDS OF ONE TEXAS JUDGE?Kacsmaryk is a federal judge and one of the major tasks of the U.S. court system has always been deciding whether laws and policy are constitutional. That means any judge weighing a case challenging a federal law or policy could make a decision that has ripple effects across the nation.Lawyers on either side of a case can appeal a ruling, however, and federal appeals courts can block or overturn a decision. In this case, an appeal would go to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which also leans conservative. It&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-joe-biden-new-orleans-mexico-statutes-0a3b7c93a6e6bdf06b0eee4935d7dc8f">upheld Kacsmaryk's decision in another high-profile case</a>&nbsp;requiring the Biden administration to continue the “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy implemented by Trump. The ruling was later overturned by the Supreme Court.The case has also raised concerns about judge shopping, a term for litigants seeking to file cases in front of judges they consider sympathetic to their cause. It's a tactic that's been utilized by groups across the ideological spectrum, but the volume of cases filed before Kacsmaryk and other Texas judges has raised concerns among experts.WHAT SET OFF TRANSPARENCY ALARM BELLS?Kacsmaryk set the first hearing in the closely watched case on a conference call with attorneys. He also asked them to for the “courtesy”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-transparency-fda-roe-wade-48c389dd3c892aa9bbc553e0b3de5360">of not publicizing the upcoming arguments</a>, according to a court transcript.He said he planned to delay making the hearing public until the evening before, making it difficult for many to attend because Amarillo is hours away from major cities. Such a delay is highly unusual in the American judicial system, where hearing notices are typically quickly made public and often scheduled weeks or months in advance.After news reports about the call, the hearing was placed on the public docket a day and a half before it was scheduled.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?A ruling in the case could come any time after the arguments conclude. A decision against the FDA would almost certainly be swiftly appealed by the Justice Department.A ruling reversing approval 20 years later is all but unprecedented, so it's not clear exactly what would happen next or how quickly access might be curtailed. If mifepristone is sidelined, clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination say they would switch to using only misoprostol, the other drug in the two-drug combination, an approach that is slightly less effective.

Here is what's at stake in abortion medication case

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;Top Republicans, including some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;potential rivals for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, rushed to his defense Saturday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arrested-indicted-hush-money-manhattan-prosecutor-a48428984cf99d23f46b4157b34160ae?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">Trump said he is bracing for possible arrest.</a>

“The idea of indicting a former president of the United States is deeply troubling to me as it is to tens of millions of Americans," said former Vice President Mike Pence, a likely Trump rival, during a visit to Iowa, an early-voting state. 

Tech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, campaigning in South Carolina, said he didn't want to live in a country where “the party in power is able to use police force to arrest its political opposition."

The reaction underscores the political risks faced by would-be opponents who are eager to convince voters that it is time to move on from the former president, but who must contend with the fact that he remains the most popular figure in the party. The multiple investigations Trump is facing — his&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110044039949982181">post on social media</a>&nbsp;about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-indictment-new-york-f3ce87a1b4ec50fbeaefcbe21f87ab0b">the Manhattan district attorney's probe</a>&nbsp;led to the public declarations of support — remain deeply unpopular with his supporters and criticizing Trump too harshly risks alienating his loyal base.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-9e8d683afe87389407950af7ccfdbdd6">garnered similar support</a>&nbsp;last summer after the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago club as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents. The search also proved a fundraising boon.

Among those coming to Trump's defense were House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who said a possible indictment would be “an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance" against Trump.

McCarthy, R-Calif., said he would direct relevant GOP-led House committees “to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.” McCarthy has not endorsed Trump’s White House campaign, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">Trump helped McCarthy secure the speakership</a>&nbsp;after a contentious campaign that required multiple rounds of voting.

New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking House Republican and an early Trump endorser, said action by the district attorney would be “unAmerican.”

The comments came hours after Trump claimed in a social media post that he expects to be arrested this coming week as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drug-crimes-united-states-government-new-york-city-donald-trump-manhattan-6c5ace7d704c944fe2e4bc66c71a42ba">New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;mulls charges in an investigation into hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with Trump. A Trump lawyer and spokesman said Saturday that Trump, who has long denied the charges, had been responding in that post to media reports and had no independent knowledge of any pending legal action.

Trump, in a message on his Truth Social network, nonetheless declared that, “THE FAR &amp; AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE &amp; FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.” He then called on his supporters to "PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!” recalling the pleas he made before the deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021.

Any potential violence spurred by Trump's comments could change the tenor of reaction. But on Saturday, several of Trump's declared and potential rivals were quick to blast the district attorney's investigation.

Pence, who has been escalating his criticism of the former president in recent weeks, said the news was particularly troubling, "happening in what appears to be a politically-charged environment in New York where the attorney general and other elected officials literally campaigned on a pledge to prosecutor the former president."

“No one is above the law," he added. “I’m confident President Trump can take care of himself. My focus is going to continue to be on the issues that are affecting the American people.”

Pence had been noncommittal when asked Thursday if Trump should drop out if he is indicted. “I think it’s a free country. Everybody can make their own decisions,” he said.

Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cpac-gop-nomination-campaign-a7017a5d45abbb9d631a422514f9f12f">he would continue his presidential campaign even if indicted</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-and-politics-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-ohio-e1c1cbe47763bd979b6b47557aee043d">Ramaswamy</a>, who is already a declared candidate, earlier called on Bragg to “reconsider."

“A Trump indictment would be a national disaster,” Ramaswamy tweeted. “It is un-American for the ruling party to use police power to arrest its political rivals.”

Representatives for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another potential candidate who is seen as Trump's most serious rival, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday — a decision publicized by a super PAC supporting Trump's candidacy. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, another declared candidate, did not address the investigation while campaigning in South Carolina.

Ramaswamy called on Haley and DeSantis to join him in condemning the possible indictment.

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who won his race in 2022 with Trump’s endorsement, said he had been asked by multiple reporters if an indictment would lead him to rescind support for Trump's campaign.

"The answer is: hell no. A politically motivated prosecution makes the argument for Trump stronger,” he tweeted. “We simply don’t have a real country if justice depends on politics.”

Prosecutors have been investigating hush money payments made to two women who alleged sexual encounters with Trump decades ago. A grand jury has been hearing from witnesses including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-fb5c515d90c607d8e954431e271f9e16">former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen</a>, who says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to the women in exchange for their silence.

Trump denies the encounters and has cast the investigation as a “witch hunt” by a Democratic prosecutor bent on sabotaging Trump's latest presidential campaign. Trump has said he believes an indictment would help him in the 2024 race.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a longtime ally, said he agreed.

“The prosecutor in New York has done more to help Donald Trump get elected,” Graham said Saturday at the Vision ’24 conference in North Charleston, South Carolina. “They’re doing this because they’re afraid of Donald Trump."

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —&nbsp;Top Republicans, including some of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;potential rivals for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination, rushed to his defense Saturday after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arrested-indicted-hush-money-manhattan-prosecutor-a48428984cf99d23f46b4157b34160ae?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">Trump said he is bracing for possible arrest.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Great being at the <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KUHoops</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RazorbackMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RazorbackMBB</a> game in Des Moines today! Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/RazorbackMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RazorbackMBB</a>! 🏀 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchMadness?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchMadness</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZjQxqWuatu">pic.twitter.com/ZjQxqWuatu</a>&mdash; Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mike_Pence/status/1637239788938969089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The idea of indicting a former president of the United States is deeply troubling to me as it is to tens of millions of Americans," said former Vice President Mike Pence, a likely Trump rival, during a visit to Iowa, an early-voting state. Tech investor Vivek Ramaswamy, campaigning in South Carolina, said he didn't want to live in a country where “the party in power is able to use police force to arrest its political opposition."The reaction underscores the political risks faced by would-be opponents who are eager to convince voters that it is time to move on from the former president, but who must contend with the fact that he remains the most popular figure in the party. The multiple investigations Trump is facing — his&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/110044039949982181">post on social media</a>&nbsp;about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-indictment-new-york-f3ce87a1b4ec50fbeaefcbe21f87ab0b">the Manhattan district attorney's probe</a>&nbsp;led to the public declarations of support — remain deeply unpopular with his supporters and criticizing Trump too harshly risks alienating his loyal base.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-9e8d683afe87389407950af7ccfdbdd6">garnered similar support</a>&nbsp;last summer after the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago club as part of an investigation into his handling of classified documents. The search also proved a fundraising boon.Among those coming to Trump's defense were House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who said a possible indictment would be “an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance" against Trump.McCarthy, R-Calif., said he would direct relevant GOP-led House committees “to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.” McCarthy has not endorsed Trump’s White House campaign, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">Trump helped McCarthy secure the speakership</a>&nbsp;after a contentious campaign that required multiple rounds of voting.New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking House Republican and an early Trump endorser, said action by the district attorney would be “unAmerican.”The comments came hours after Trump claimed in a social media post that he expects to be arrested this coming week as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drug-crimes-united-states-government-new-york-city-donald-trump-manhattan-6c5ace7d704c944fe2e4bc66c71a42ba">New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;mulls charges in an investigation into hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with Trump. A Trump lawyer and spokesman said Saturday that Trump, who has long denied the charges, had been responding in that post to media reports and had no independent knowledge of any pending legal action.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679143938516.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump, in a message on his Truth Social network, nonetheless declared that, “THE FAR &amp; AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE &amp; FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.” He then called on his supporters to "PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!” recalling the pleas he made before the deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021.Any potential violence spurred by Trump's comments could change the tenor of reaction. But on Saturday, several of Trump's declared and potential rivals were quick to blast the district attorney's investigation.Pence, who has been escalating his criticism of the former president in recent weeks, said the news was particularly troubling, "happening in what appears to be a politically-charged environment in New York where the attorney general and other elected officials literally campaigned on a pledge to prosecutor the former president."“No one is above the law," he added. “I’m confident President Trump can take care of himself. My focus is going to continue to be on the issues that are affecting the American people.”Pence had been noncommittal when asked Thursday if Trump should drop out if he is indicted. “I think it’s a free country. Everybody can make their own decisions,” he said.Trump has said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cpac-gop-nomination-campaign-a7017a5d45abbb9d631a422514f9f12f">he would continue his presidential campaign even if indicted</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-and-politics-united-states-government-2022-midterm-elections-ohio-e1c1cbe47763bd979b6b47557aee043d">Ramaswamy</a>, who is already a declared candidate, earlier called on Bragg to “reconsider."“A Trump indictment would be a national disaster,” Ramaswamy tweeted. “It is un-American for the ruling party to use police power to arrest its political rivals.”Representatives for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another potential candidate who is seen as Trump's most serious rival, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday — a decision publicized by a super PAC supporting Trump's candidacy. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, another declared candidate, did not address the investigation while campaigning in South Carolina.Ramaswamy called on Haley and DeSantis to join him in condemning the possible indictment.Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, who won his race in 2022 with Trump’s endorsement, said he had been asked by multiple reporters if an indictment would lead him to rescind support for Trump's campaign."The answer is: hell no. A politically motivated prosecution makes the argument for Trump stronger,” he tweeted. “We simply don’t have a real country if justice depends on politics.”Prosecutors have been investigating hush money payments made to two women who alleged sexual encounters with Trump decades ago. A grand jury has been hearing from witnesses including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-fb5c515d90c607d8e954431e271f9e16">former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen</a>, who says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to the women in exchange for their silence.Trump denies the encounters and has cast the investigation as a “witch hunt” by a Democratic prosecutor bent on sabotaging Trump's latest presidential campaign. Trump has said he believes an indictment would help him in the 2024 race.Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a longtime ally, said he agreed.“The prosecutor in New York has done more to help Donald Trump get elected,” Graham said Saturday at the Vision ’24 conference in North Charleston, South Carolina. “They’re doing this because they’re afraid of Donald Trump."

Former VP attends KU game, is against a Trump indictment

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's response to the failure of two large banks has already involved hundreds of billions of dollars. So will ordinary Americans end up paying for it, one way or another? And what will the price tag be?

It could be months before the answers are fully known. The Biden administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wall-street-silicon-valley-banks-trump-e6c27850d35d7f782fc6af9498925e7f">it will guarantee</a>&nbsp;uninsured deposits at both banks. The Federal Reserve announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">a new lending program</a>&nbsp;for all banks that need to borrow money to pay for withdrawals.

On Thursday, the Fed provided the first glimpse of the scale of the response: It said banks had borrowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-fa9cea4bf6a24f881337630acf04ecfd">about $300 billion in emergency funding in the past week</a>, with nearly half that amount going to holding companies for the two failed banks to pay depositors. The Fed did not say how many other banks borrowed money and added that it expects the loans to be repaid.

The goal is to prevent a broadening panic in which customers rush to pull out so much money that even healthy banks buckle. That scenario would unsettle the entire financial system and risk derailing the economy.

Taxpayers will probably bear no direct cost for the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. But other banks may have to help defray the cost of covering uninsured deposits. Over time, those banks could pass higher costs on to customers, forcing everyone to pay more for services.

Here are some questions and answers about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">the cost of the bank collapses</a>:

Most of the cost of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">guaranteeing all deposits at both banks</a>&nbsp;will likely be covered by the proceeds the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. receives from winding down the two banks — either by selling them to other financial institutions or by auctioning off their assets.

Any costs beyond that would be paid for out of the FDIC's deposit insurance fund, which is typically used in the event of a bank failure to reimburse depositors for up to $250,000 per account. The fund is maintained with fees paid by participating banks.

Both Silicon Valley and Signature banks had a strikingly high share of deposits above that amount: 94% of Silicon Valley’s deposits were uninsured, as were 90% of deposits at Signature. The average figure for large banks is about half that level.

If necessary, the insurance fund will be replenished by a “special assessment” on banks, the FDIC, Fed and Treasury said in a joint statement. Though the cost of that assessment could ultimately be borne by bank customers, it's not clear how much money would be involved.

Kathryn Judge, a law professor at Columbia University, said a bigger cost to consumers and the economy could stem from potentially major changes to the financial system that result from this episode.

If all customer deposits were considered guaranteed by the government, formally or informally, then regulations would need to be strengthened to prevent bank failures or lessen their costs when they do happen. Banks might have to pay permanently higher fees to the FDIC.

“It's going to require us to revisit the entire bank regulatory framework," Judge said. “That's far more significant than the modest costs that other banks will pay.”

President Joe Biden has insisted that no taxpayer money will be used to resolve the crisis. The White House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a">desperate to avoid</a>&nbsp;any perception that average Americans are “bailing out” the two banks in a way similar to the highly unpopular bailouts of the biggest financial firms during the 2008 financial crisis.

“No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer,” read the joint statement from the Treasury, Fed and FDIC.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended that view Thursday under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-banking-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-bank-dfd110d0b55d3284afaafc4677616b9e?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_06">tough questioning from GOP lawmakers</a>.

The Fed's lending program to help banks pay depositors is backed by $25 billion of taxpayer funds that would cover any losses on the loans. But the Fed says it's unlikely that the money will be needed because the loans will be backed by Treasury bonds and other safe securities as collateral.

Even if taxpayers aren't directly on the hook, some economists say the banks' customers still stand to benefit from government support.

“Saying that the taxpayer won’t pay anything ignores the fact that providing insurance to somebody who didn’t pay for insurance is a gift,” said Anil Kashyap, an economics professor at the University of Chicago. “And that’s kind of what happened.”

Biden and other Democrats in Washington deny that their actions amount to a bailout of any kind.

“It's not a bailout as happened in 2008,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said this week while proposing legislation to toughen bank regulation. “It is, in effect, protection of depositors and a preventive measure to stop a run on other banks all around the country."

Biden has stressed that the banks' managers will be fired and their investors will not be protected. Both banks will cease to exist. In the 2008 crisis, some financial institutions that received government financial aid, like the insurer AIG, were rescued from near-certain bankruptcy.

Yet many economists say the depositors at Silicon Valley Bank, which included wealthy venture capitalists and tech startups, are still receiving government help.

“Why is it sensible capitalism for somebody to take a risk, and then be protected from that risk when that risk actually happens?” asked Raghuram Rajan, a finance professor at the University of Chicago and former head of India's central bank. “It’s probably good for the short term in the sense that you don’t have a widespread panic. ... But it is problematic for the system long term."

Many Republicans on Capitol Hill argue that smaller community banks and their customers will shoulder some of the cost.

Banks in rural Oklahoma "are about to pay a special fee to be able to bail out millionaires in San Francisco,” Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, said on the Senate floor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678567122405.png" alt="Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's response to the failure of two large banks has already involved hundreds of billions of dollars. So will ordinary Americans end up paying for it, one way or another? And what will the price tag be?It could be months before the answers are fully known. The Biden administration said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-wall-street-silicon-valley-banks-trump-e6c27850d35d7f782fc6af9498925e7f">it will guarantee</a>&nbsp;uninsured deposits at both banks. The Federal Reserve announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">a new lending program</a>&nbsp;for all banks that need to borrow money to pay for withdrawals.On Thursday, the Fed provided the first glimpse of the scale of the response: It said banks had borrowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-fa9cea4bf6a24f881337630acf04ecfd">about $300 billion in emergency funding in the past week</a>, with nearly half that amount going to holding companies for the two failed banks to pay depositors. The Fed did not say how many other banks borrowed money and added that it expects the loans to be repaid.The goal is to prevent a broadening panic in which customers rush to pull out so much money that even healthy banks buckle. That scenario would unsettle the entire financial system and risk derailing the economy.Taxpayers will probably bear no direct cost for the failure of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. But other banks may have to help defray the cost of covering uninsured deposits. Over time, those banks could pass higher costs on to customers, forcing everyone to pay more for services.Here are some questions and answers about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/banks-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-lending-rescue-a04875a164165b50e971ff4576bf4e27">the cost of the bank collapses</a>:HOW IS THE RESPONSE BEING PAID FOR?Most of the cost of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-uk-bailout-hsbc-sale-4d2da0e9c6f39c0fd8faf321a2b295cf">guaranteeing all deposits at both banks</a>&nbsp;will likely be covered by the proceeds the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. receives from winding down the two banks — either by selling them to other financial institutions or by auctioning off their assets.Any costs beyond that would be paid for out of the FDIC's deposit insurance fund, which is typically used in the event of a bank failure to reimburse depositors for up to $250,000 per account. The fund is maintained with fees paid by participating banks.Both Silicon Valley and Signature banks had a strikingly high share of deposits above that amount: 94% of Silicon Valley’s deposits were uninsured, as were 90% of deposits at Signature. The average figure for large banks is about half that level.If necessary, the insurance fund will be replenished by a “special assessment” on banks, the FDIC, Fed and Treasury said in a joint statement. Though the cost of that assessment could ultimately be borne by bank customers, it's not clear how much money would be involved.Kathryn Judge, a law professor at Columbia University, said a bigger cost to consumers and the economy could stem from potentially major changes to the financial system that result from this episode.If all customer deposits were considered guaranteed by the government, formally or informally, then regulations would need to be strengthened to prevent bank failures or lessen their costs when they do happen. Banks might have to pay permanently higher fees to the FDIC.“It's going to require us to revisit the entire bank regulatory framework," Judge said. “That's far more significant than the modest costs that other banks will pay.”WILL TAXPAYERS BE ON THE HOOK?President Joe Biden has insisted that no taxpayer money will be used to resolve the crisis. The White House is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/silicon-valley-bank-failure-deposits-fdic-8011ea377d8f9941032790ce1d704c5a">desperate to avoid</a>&nbsp;any perception that average Americans are “bailing out” the two banks in a way similar to the highly unpopular bailouts of the biggest financial firms during the 2008 financial crisis.“No losses associated with the resolution of Silicon Valley Bank will be borne by the taxpayer,” read the joint statement from the Treasury, Fed and FDIC.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended that view Thursday under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yellen-banking-federal-reserve-silicon-valley-bank-dfd110d0b55d3284afaafc4677616b9e?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_06">tough questioning from GOP lawmakers</a>.The Fed's lending program to help banks pay depositors is backed by $25 billion of taxpayer funds that would cover any losses on the loans. But the Fed says it's unlikely that the money will be needed because the loans will be backed by Treasury bonds and other safe securities as collateral.Even if taxpayers aren't directly on the hook, some economists say the banks' customers still stand to benefit from government support.“Saying that the taxpayer won’t pay anything ignores the fact that providing insurance to somebody who didn’t pay for insurance is a gift,” said Anil Kashyap, an economics professor at the University of Chicago. “And that’s kind of what happened.”SO IS THIS A BAILOUT?Biden and other Democrats in Washington deny that their actions amount to a bailout of any kind.“It's not a bailout as happened in 2008,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, said this week while proposing legislation to toughen bank regulation. “It is, in effect, protection of depositors and a preventive measure to stop a run on other banks all around the country."Biden has stressed that the banks' managers will be fired and their investors will not be protected. Both banks will cease to exist. In the 2008 crisis, some financial institutions that received government financial aid, like the insurer AIG, were rescued from near-certain bankruptcy.Yet many economists say the depositors at Silicon Valley Bank, which included wealthy venture capitalists and tech startups, are still receiving government help.“Why is it sensible capitalism for somebody to take a risk, and then be protected from that risk when that risk actually happens?” asked Raghuram Rajan, a finance professor at the University of Chicago and former head of India's central bank. “It’s probably good for the short term in the sense that you don’t have a widespread panic. ... But it is problematic for the system long term."Many Republicans on Capitol Hill argue that smaller community banks and their customers will shoulder some of the cost.Banks in rural Oklahoma "are about to pay a special fee to be able to bail out millionaires in San Francisco,” Sen. James Lankford, a Republican from Oklahoma, said on the Senate floor.___

Will Americans end up footing the bill for bank failures?

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump said in a social media post that he expects to be arrested Tuesday as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-investigation-manhattan-e35836ebb6179e1c0ea28877590cfc1c">New York prosecutor is eyeing charges</a>&nbsp;in a case examining hush money paid to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president.

Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network early Saturday that “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan district attorney's office indicate that “THE FAR &amp; AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE &amp; FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.”

Messages left Saturday with the district attorney’s office were not immediately returned. Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to calls for comment.

Trump did not provide any details on social media about how he knew about the expected arrest. In his postings, he repeated his lies that the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was stolen and he urged his followers to “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” That language evoked the message from the then-president that preceded the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Law enforcement officials in New York have been making security preparations for the possibility that Trump could be indicted.

There has been no public announcement of any time frame for the grand jury’s secret work in the case, including any potential vote on whether to indict the ex-president.

Trump's posting echoes one made last summer when he broke the news on Truth Socia that the FBI was searching his home as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents.

The grand jury in Manhattan has been hearing from witnesses, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to two women to silence them about sexual encounters they said they had with Trump a decade earlier.

Trump denies the encounters occurred, says he did nothing wrong and has cast the investigation as a “witch hunt” by a Democratic prosecutor bent on sabotaging the Republican’s 2024 presidential campaign.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has apparently been examining whether any state laws were broken in connection with the payments or the way Trump’s company compensated Cohen for his work to keep the women’s allegations quiet.

Daniels and at least two former Trump aides — onetime political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks — are among witnesses who have met with prosecutors in recent weeks.

Cohen has said that at Trump’s direction, he arranged payments totaling $280,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. According to Cohen, the payouts were to buy their silence about Trump, who was then in the thick of his first presidential campaign. ___

Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump said in a social media post that he expects to be arrested Tuesday as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-grand-jury-investigation-manhattan-e35836ebb6179e1c0ea28877590cfc1c">New York prosecutor is eyeing charges</a>&nbsp;in a case examining hush money paid to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679143938516.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network early Saturday that “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan district attorney's office indicate that “THE FAR &amp; AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE &amp; FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.”Messages left Saturday with the district attorney’s office were not immediately returned. Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to calls for comment.Trump did not provide any details on social media about how he knew about the expected arrest. In his postings, he repeated his lies that the 2020 presidential election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden was stolen and he urged his followers to “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” That language evoked the message from the then-president that preceded the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.Law enforcement officials in New York have been making security preparations for the possibility that Trump could be indicted.There has been no public announcement of any time frame for the grand jury’s secret work in the case, including any potential vote on whether to indict the ex-president.Trump's posting echoes one made last summer when he broke the news on Truth Socia that the FBI was searching his home as part of an investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents.The grand jury in Manhattan has been hearing from witnesses, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to two women to silence them about sexual encounters they said they had with Trump a decade earlier.Trump denies the encounters occurred, says he did nothing wrong and has cast the investigation as a “witch hunt” by a Democratic prosecutor bent on sabotaging the Republican’s 2024 presidential campaign.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has apparently been examining whether any state laws were broken in connection with the payments or the way Trump’s company compensated Cohen for his work to keep the women’s allegations quiet.Daniels and at least two former Trump aides — onetime political adviser Kellyanne Conway and former spokesperson Hope Hicks — are among witnesses who have met with prosecutors in recent weeks.Cohen has said that at Trump’s direction, he arranged payments totaling $280,000 to porn actor Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. According to Cohen, the payouts were to buy their silence about Trump, who was then in the thick of his first presidential campaign. ___Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.

Trump expects to be arrested Tuesday as DA eyes charges

PRATT COUNTY, Kan.—Three people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Pratt County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by William Fowler Stevens, 32, Woodward, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 61 two miles north of Preston.

The Taurus crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2014 Ford Fusion driven by Joshua Jamal Townsell, 30, Omaha, head-on.

Stevens,&nbsp;Townsell and a juvenile in the Fusion were pronounced dead at the scene. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

PRATT COUNTY, Kan.—Three people died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Pratt County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford Taurus driven by William Fowler Stevens, 32, Woodward, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 61 two miles north of Preston.The Taurus crossed the center line and struck a northbound 2014 Ford Fusion driven by Joshua Jamal Townsell, 30, Omaha, head-on.Stevens,&nbsp;Townsell and a juvenile in the Fusion were pronounced dead at the scene. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Nebraska man among three dead in Kansas head-on crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill Paxlovid won another vote of confidence from U.S. health advisers Thursday, clearing the way for its full regulatory approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

The medication has been used by millions of Americans since the FDA granted it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;in late 2021. The agency has the final say on giving Pfizer's drug full approval and is expected to decide by May.

A panel of outside experts voted 16-1 that Paxlovid remains a safe and effective treatment for high-risk adults with COVID-19 who are more likely to face hospitalization and death due to the virus.

“We still have many groups that stand to benefit from Paxlovid, including unvaccinated persons, under-vaccinated persons, the elderly and the immuno-compromised,” said Dr. Richard Murphy of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The FDA said using Paxlovid in high-risk patients could prevent 1,500 COVID-19 deaths and 13,000 hospitalizations per week.

The panel's positive vote was widely expected, given that Paxlovid has been the go-to treatment against COVID-19, especially since an entire group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-f8cbfdb48f6c78aea16930b45af4e024">antibody drugs</a>&nbsp;has been sidelined as the virus mutated.

The U.S. continues reporting about 4,000 deaths and 35,000 hospitalizations weekly, the FDA noted.

The agency asked its panel of independent medical experts to address several lingering questions involving Paxlovid, including which people currently benefit from treatment and whether the drug plays a role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">cases of COVID-19 rebound</a>.

The panel agreed with assessments by both the FDA and Pfizer that found no clear link between the use of Paxlovid and returning symptoms, but said more information is needed from studies and medical records data. High-profile cases drew attention to the issue last year, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid-rebound-case-527711014401a11dcd37952e1f1e6aa4">first lady Jill Biden</a>.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill Paxlovid won another vote of confidence from U.S. health advisers Thursday, clearing the way for its full regulatory approval by the Food and Drug Administration.The medication has been used by millions of Americans since the FDA granted it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-pfizer-medication-f5f65e7e61d6aa9c7dfa193053e8878a">emergency use authorization</a>&nbsp;in late 2021. The agency has the final say on giving Pfizer's drug full approval and is expected to decide by May.A panel of outside experts voted 16-1 that Paxlovid remains a safe and effective treatment for high-risk adults with COVID-19 who are more likely to face hospitalization and death due to the virus.“We still have many groups that stand to benefit from Paxlovid, including unvaccinated persons, under-vaccinated persons, the elderly and the immuno-compromised,” said Dr. Richard Murphy of the Department of Veterans Affairs.The FDA said using Paxlovid in high-risk patients could prevent 1,500 COVID-19 deaths and 13,000 hospitalizations per week.The panel's positive vote was widely expected, given that Paxlovid has been the go-to treatment against COVID-19, especially since an entire group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-f8cbfdb48f6c78aea16930b45af4e024">antibody drugs</a>&nbsp;has been sidelined as the virus mutated.The U.S. continues reporting about 4,000 deaths and 35,000 hospitalizations weekly, the FDA noted.The agency asked its panel of independent medical experts to address several lingering questions involving Paxlovid, including which people currently benefit from treatment and whether the drug plays a role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-2e843a971be751e8b8b25575c8bfc60a">cases of COVID-19 rebound</a>.The panel agreed with assessments by both the FDA and Pfizer that found no clear link between the use of Paxlovid and returning symptoms, but said more information is needed from studies and medical records data. High-profile cases drew attention to the issue last year, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-government-and-politics-6ffc64aa1d8d67b074dd8beb67d7cf6f">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-covid-rebound-case-527711014401a11dcd37952e1f1e6aa4">first lady Jill Biden</a>.Between 10% and 16% of patients across multiple Pfizer studies had symptoms return, regardless of whether they’d received Paxlovid or a dummy pill. Such cases “likely reflect natural COVID-19 progression,” the FDA concluded.The federal government has purchased more than 20 million doses of Paxlovid and encouraged health professionals to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-medication-a5adf6c2e7894e479e795b5a6d1aeb84">prescribe it aggressively</a>&nbsp;to help prevent severe COVID-19. But that’s led to concerns of overprescribing and questions of whether some patients are needlessly getting the drug.Pfizer originally studied Paxlovid in the highest-risk COVID-19 patients: unvaccinated adults with other health problems and no evidence of prior coronavirus infection. But that doesn’t reflect the U.S. population today, where an estimated 95% of people have protection from at least one vaccine dose, a prior infection or both.The FDA reviewed Pfizer data showing Paxlovid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-seniors-d8f6af66517054aae7fb27d1ecc6df66">made no meaningful difference</a>&nbsp;in otherwise healthy adults, whether or not they’d been previously vaccinated.But when FDA teased out data for high-risk adults — regardless of their vaccination or infection history — Paxlovid still showed a significant benefit, reducing the chance of hospitalization or death between 60% and 85%, depending on individual circumstances. Patients in that group included seniors and those with serious health problems, such as diabetes, obesity, lung disease and immune-system disorders.With so many different factors, panelists said prescribing Paxlovid will remain a case-by-case decision.Dr. Sankar Swaminathan of the University of Utah and other panelists stressed the importance of managing potentially dangerous drug interactions between Paxlovid and other commonly used medications.___