WASHINGTON (AP) — Handed some 41,000 hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-50a41c27108279a4486823a5db284dc1">Jan. 6 security footage,</a>&nbsp;Fox News' Tucker Carlson launched an impassioned new effort to explain away the deadly Capitol attack, linking the Republican Party ever more closely to pro-Trump conspiracy theories about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_PTgWi2Vk&amp;t=449s">2021 riot</a>.

(Click below for the White House response to the newly released video)

The conservative commentator aired a first installment to millions of viewers on his prime-time show, working to bend perceptions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent, grueling siege</a>&nbsp;that played out for the world to see into a narrative favorable to Donald Trump.

The undertaking by Fox News comes as Trump is again running for president, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-fraud-donald-trump-24d6322f99281fdfb46c272e3ac6bacf">executives at the highest levels</a>&nbsp;of the cable news giant have admitted in unrelated court proceedings that it spread the former president's false claims about the 2020 election despite dismissing Trump's assertions privately.

The effort dovetails with the work of Republicans on Capitol Hill, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who turned over the security footage to Fox. The Republicans are trying to claw back the findings of the House Jan. 6 investigation, which painstakingly documented, with testimony and video evidence, how Trump rallied his supporters to head to the Capitol and “fight like hell” as Congress was certifying his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump on Tuesday contended that Carlson's presentation was “irrefutable” evidence that rioters have been wrongly accused of crimes and he thanked the host and the speaker for their work. Carlson praised McCarthy as having “rectified” the official record.

Trump called anew for the release from custody of people who have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to charges from the attack.

At the same time, criticism poured in from Democrats — and some top Republicans, too — over the GOP's attempt to amplify falsehoods about the attack that was seen around the world as Trump supporters laid siege to the seat of U.S. democracy.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the House Jan. 6 Committee investigating the riot, called McCarthy's decision to selectively release the security footage “a dereliction of duty."

“Despite repeated warnings as to the sensitive nature of this footage, the speaker decided it was more important to give in to a Fox host who spews lies and propaganda than to protect the Capitol,” Thompson said in a statement. He called Jan. 6 “one of the darkest days in the history of our democracy.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Monday night Fox News episode from Carlson “one of the most shameful hours we have ever seen on television.”

The show's portrayal was "an insult to every single police officer,” Schumer said, especially the family of Brian Sicknick, who died later after fighting the mob. “Nonviolent? Ask his family.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it was a mistake for Fox News to depict the footage as it did — at odds with what he and others witnessed first hand at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

In the roughly 30-minute segment, Fox distilled the thousands of hours of footage of the gruesome scenes at the Capitol that day and did show some of the hand-to-hand combat as rioters laid siege to the building, broke windows and kicked down doors to gain entry.

But Carlson also emphasized imagery of the invaders, some in combat gear and wielding flagpoles, merely milling about the gilded halls, taking pictures of the surroundings during pauses in the hours-long attack.

“These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers,” Carlson said.

The footage he aired focused on one of the highest-profile rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-capitol-siege-5c9ebf384bf936403d42e1a453c89153">Jacob Chansley</a>, the “QAnon Shaman,” garbed in his horned hat and bare chested, as he poked around the building, officers standing by or opening doors. Chansley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-capitol-siege-michael-pence-cf57fd6131987a3dba5382d1a8149749">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.

Carlson denounced the Jan. 6 committee led by Democrats in the past Congress, and called out Trump's chief Republican critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger as liars on the panel.

He said most of rioters were “not destroying the Capitol, they obviously revere the Capitol."

Carlson is reviving the falsehoods launched by Trump and his allies, including Republicans in Congress, that the attackers were peaceful protesters and acted like tourists, despite the well-documented carnage of the day and the deaths of five people in the riot and its aftermath. It's part of an effort to reverse criminal charges for those being prosecuted in the attack, many of whom have pleaded guilty and said they regretted their actions on Jan. 6.

Capitol Police officers who were defending against the mob have testified to their harrowing experiences — one said she was slipping in other people's blood, while another told of being crushed in the mob — as they worked and ultimately failed to block the rioters from storming the Capitol.

Among those who died in the riot and its aftermath were Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot by police and Capitol Police officer Sicknick who died after fighting the mob.

Carlson aired footage of Sicknick inside the Capitol picking up posters and politely ushering protesters out the door, portraying that as evidence the officer was not killed in the crush.

That last was denounced by Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger as “the most disturbing accusation from last night."

“The Department maintains, as anyone with common sense would, that had Officer Sicknick not fought valiantly for hours on the day he was violently assaulted, Officer Sicknick would not have died the next day,” Chief Manger said in a memo to his police force.

He said the program “cherry-picked” from calmer moments of the day, ignoring “the chaos and violence that happened before or during.”

The Sicknick family said in a statement that the footage simply showed that Brian Sicknick bravely resumed his duties for a time after he had been attacked by a chemical agent.

Ken Sicknick, Brian Sicknick’s brother, said in an interview that the family is “at a loss” about how to fight back against a network with millions of viewers and the speaker of the House who gave access to the footage.

Law enforcement failures on Jan. 6 have been investigated in Congress and acknowledged: Police failed to heed signs of a looming attack and were slow to provide an adequate response, including reinforcement from the National Guard stationed nearby.

Nearly 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the siege, with members of the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups facing rare charges of sedition for their roles at the front of the assault. Several members of the Oath Keepers have been found guilty of sedition

Most of the defendants face lesser misdemeanor charges for having been on hand during the siege.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are mounting an effort to retell the history of Jan. 6 through the House Administration Committee, which has opened an online portal for submissions from the public.

Some GOP leaders, however, appeared uncomfortable with McCarthy's move and the way the footage was being used.

Senate Republican leader McConnell quickly distanced himself from the endeavor, saying he wanted to “associate myself entirely with the opinion of the chief of the Capitol Police about what happened."

McConnell said, “Clearly the chief of the Capitol Police correctly describes what most of us witnessed firsthand on Jan. 6.”

Pressed about Jan. 6, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2. Republican, said, “It was an attack on the Capitol.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Handed some 41,000 hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-50a41c27108279a4486823a5db284dc1">Jan. 6 security footage,</a>&nbsp;Fox News' Tucker Carlson launched an impassioned new effort to explain away the deadly Capitol attack, linking the Republican Party ever more closely to pro-Trump conspiracy theories about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_PTgWi2Vk&amp;t=449s">2021 riot</a>.(Click below for the White House response to the newly released video)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F897155534955442%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2613" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The conservative commentator aired a first installment to millions of viewers on his prime-time show, working to bend perceptions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent, grueling siege</a>&nbsp;that played out for the world to see into a narrative favorable to Donald Trump.He promised more Tuesday night.The undertaking by Fox News comes as Trump is again running for president, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-fraud-donald-trump-24d6322f99281fdfb46c272e3ac6bacf">executives at the highest levels</a>&nbsp;of the cable news giant have admitted in unrelated court proceedings that it spread the former president's false claims about the 2020 election despite dismissing Trump's assertions privately.The effort dovetails with the work of Republicans on Capitol Hill, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who turned over the security footage to Fox. The Republicans are trying to claw back the findings of the House Jan. 6 investigation, which painstakingly documented, with testimony and video evidence, how Trump rallied his supporters to head to the Capitol and “fight like hell” as Congress was certifying his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.Trump on Tuesday contended that Carlson's presentation was “irrefutable” evidence that rioters have been wrongly accused of crimes and he thanked the host and the speaker for their work. Carlson praised McCarthy as having “rectified” the official record.Trump called anew for the release from custody of people who have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to charges from the attack.At the same time, criticism poured in from Democrats — and some top Republicans, too — over the GOP's attempt to amplify falsehoods about the attack that was seen around the world as Trump supporters laid siege to the seat of U.S. democracy.Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the House Jan. 6 Committee investigating the riot, called McCarthy's decision to selectively release the security footage “a dereliction of duty."“Despite repeated warnings as to the sensitive nature of this footage, the speaker decided it was more important to give in to a Fox host who spews lies and propaganda than to protect the Capitol,” Thompson said in a statement. He called Jan. 6 “one of the darkest days in the history of our democracy.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a> on January 6th footage released by Speaker McCarthy to Fox News: &quot;What a low point for Speaker McCarthy, what a low point for Fox News.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2TBM3MeKpl">pic.twitter.com/2TBM3MeKpl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1633154472712060928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Monday night Fox News episode from Carlson “one of the most shameful hours we have ever seen on television.”The show's portrayal was "an insult to every single police officer,” Schumer said, especially the family of Brian Sicknick, who died later after fighting the mob. “Nonviolent? Ask his family.”Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it was a mistake for Fox News to depict the footage as it did — at odds with what he and others witnessed first hand at the Capitol on Jan. 6.In the roughly 30-minute segment, Fox distilled the thousands of hours of footage of the gruesome scenes at the Capitol that day and did show some of the hand-to-hand combat as rioters laid siege to the building, broke windows and kicked down doors to gain entry.But Carlson also emphasized imagery of the invaders, some in combat gear and wielding flagpoles, merely milling about the gilded halls, taking pictures of the surroundings during pauses in the hours-long attack.“These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers,” Carlson said.The footage he aired focused on one of the highest-profile rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-capitol-siege-5c9ebf384bf936403d42e1a453c89153">Jacob Chansley</a>, the “QAnon Shaman,” garbed in his horned hat and bare chested, as he poked around the building, officers standing by or opening doors. Chansley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-capitol-siege-michael-pence-cf57fd6131987a3dba5382d1a8149749">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.Carlson denounced the Jan. 6 committee led by Democrats in the past Congress, and called out Trump's chief Republican critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger as liars on the panel.He said most of rioters were “not destroying the Capitol, they obviously revere the Capitol."Carlson is reviving the falsehoods launched by Trump and his allies, including Republicans in Congress, that the attackers were peaceful protesters and acted like tourists, despite the well-documented carnage of the day and the deaths of five people in the riot and its aftermath. It's part of an effort to reverse criminal charges for those being prosecuted in the attack, many of whom have pleaded guilty and said they regretted their actions on Jan. 6.Capitol Police officers who were defending against the mob have testified to their harrowing experiences — one said she was slipping in other people's blood, while another told of being crushed in the mob — as they worked and ultimately failed to block the rioters from storming the Capitol.Among those who died in the riot and its aftermath were Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot by police and Capitol Police officer Sicknick who died after fighting the mob.Carlson aired footage of Sicknick inside the Capitol picking up posters and politely ushering protesters out the door, portraying that as evidence the officer was not killed in the crush.That last was denounced by Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger as “the most disturbing accusation from last night."“The Department maintains, as anyone with common sense would, that had Officer Sicknick not fought valiantly for hours on the day he was violently assaulted, Officer Sicknick would not have died the next day,” Chief Manger said in a memo to his police force.He said the program “cherry-picked” from calmer moments of the day, ignoring “the chaos and violence that happened before or during.”The Sicknick family said in a statement that the footage simply showed that Brian Sicknick bravely resumed his duties for a time after he had been attacked by a chemical agent.Ken Sicknick, Brian Sicknick’s brother, said in an interview that the family is “at a loss” about how to fight back against a network with millions of viewers and the speaker of the House who gave access to the footage.Law enforcement failures on Jan. 6 have been investigated in Congress and acknowledged: Police failed to heed signs of a looming attack and were slow to provide an adequate response, including reinforcement from the National Guard stationed nearby.Nearly 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the siege, with members of the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups facing rare charges of sedition for their roles at the front of the assault. Several members of the Oath Keepers have been found guilty of seditionMost of the defendants face lesser misdemeanor charges for having been on hand during the siege.Republicans on Capitol Hill are mounting an effort to retell the history of Jan. 6 through the House Administration Committee, which has opened an online portal for submissions from the public.Some GOP leaders, however, appeared uncomfortable with McCarthy's move and the way the footage was being used.Senate Republican leader McConnell quickly distanced himself from the endeavor, saying he wanted to “associate myself entirely with the opinion of the chief of the Capitol Police about what happened."McConnell said, “Clearly the chief of the Capitol Police correctly describes what most of us witnessed firsthand on Jan. 6.”Pressed about Jan. 6, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2. Republican, said, “It was an attack on the Capitol.”___

🎥White House responds to release of more Jan. 6 security videos

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional and void, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the 2021 law is preempted by the federal government under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.

“At best, this statute causes confusion among state law enforcement officials who are deputized for federal task force operations, and at worst, is unconstitutional on its face," Wimes wrote.

Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a statement said he will appeal the ruling.

“As Attorney General, I will protect the Constitution, which includes defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms," Bailey said. "We are prepared to defend this statute to the highest court, and we anticipate a better result at the Eighth Circuit.”

The Missouri law had subjected law enforcement agencies with officers who knowingly enforced federal gun laws without equivalent state laws to a fine of $50,000 per violating officer.

Federal laws without similar Missouri laws include statutes covering weapons registration and tracking, and possession of firearms by some domestic violence offenders.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michael-brown-gun-politics-laws-government-and-politics-6b8d2b283a6ac997262104899a3b0715">Conflict over Missouri’s law</a>&nbsp;wrecked a crime-fighting partnership with U.S. attorneys that Missouri’s former Republican attorney general, now-Sen. Eric Schmitt, touted for years. Under Schmitt’s Safer Streets Initiative, attorneys from his office were deputized as assistant U.S. attorneys to help prosecute violent crimes.

The Justice Department, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-missouri-merrick-garland-6c77cc39796eb1e95641c4c53eaeaf40">sued to overturn the Missouri law</a>, said the Missouri state crime lab, operated by the Highway Patrol, refused to process evidence that would help federal firearms prosecutions after the law took effect.

The Missouri Information and Analysis Center, also under the Highway Patrol, stopped cooperating with federal agencies investigating federal firearms offenses. And the Highway Patrol, along with many other agencies, suspended joint efforts to enforce federal firearms laws.

Wimes said police can now work with federal partners without worrying about breaking the voided law.

“State and local law enforcement officials in Missouri may lawfully participate in joint federal task forces, assist in the investigation and enforcement of federal firearm crimes, and fully share information with the Federal Government without fear of H.B. 85’s penalties,” the judge wrote.

Republican lawmakers who helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-joe-biden-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-gun-politics-1a08383c079dda0f9e837a05451f2acd">pass the bill</a>&nbsp;said they were motivated by the potential for new gun restrictions under Democratic President Joe Biden, who signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades last year.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">federal legislation</a>&nbsp;toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keeps firearms from more domestic violence offenders and helps states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged to be dangerous.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional and void, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today&#39;s decision is a monumental defense of the safety of our families, our police, and our neighborhoods. Today&#39;s total repudiation of the patently unconstitutional Second Amendment Preservation Act makes clear the Constitution, if not common sense, can still prevail in Missouri <a href="https://t.co/twUPpKL4kp">https://t.co/twUPpKL4kp</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1633187657814626305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the 2021 law is preempted by the federal government under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.“At best, this statute causes confusion among state law enforcement officials who are deputized for federal task force operations, and at worst, is unconstitutional on its face," Wimes wrote.Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a statement said he will appeal the ruling.“As Attorney General, I will protect the Constitution, which includes defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms," Bailey said. "We are prepared to defend this statute to the highest court, and we anticipate a better result at the Eighth Circuit.”The Missouri law had subjected law enforcement agencies with officers who knowingly enforced federal gun laws without equivalent state laws to a fine of $50,000 per violating officer.Federal laws without similar Missouri laws include statutes covering weapons registration and tracking, and possession of firearms by some domestic violence offenders.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michael-brown-gun-politics-laws-government-and-politics-6b8d2b283a6ac997262104899a3b0715">Conflict over Missouri’s law</a>&nbsp;wrecked a crime-fighting partnership with U.S. attorneys that Missouri’s former Republican attorney general, now-Sen. Eric Schmitt, touted for years. Under Schmitt’s Safer Streets Initiative, attorneys from his office were deputized as assistant U.S. attorneys to help prosecute violent crimes.The Justice Department, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-missouri-merrick-garland-6c77cc39796eb1e95641c4c53eaeaf40">sued to overturn the Missouri law</a>, said the Missouri state crime lab, operated by the Highway Patrol, refused to process evidence that would help federal firearms prosecutions after the law took effect.The Missouri Information and Analysis Center, also under the Highway Patrol, stopped cooperating with federal agencies investigating federal firearms offenses. And the Highway Patrol, along with many other agencies, suspended joint efforts to enforce federal firearms laws.Wimes said police can now work with federal partners without worrying about breaking the voided law.“State and local law enforcement officials in Missouri may lawfully participate in joint federal task forces, assist in the investigation and enforcement of federal firearm crimes, and fully share information with the Federal Government without fear of H.B. 85’s penalties,” the judge wrote.Republican lawmakers who helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-joe-biden-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-gun-politics-1a08383c079dda0f9e837a05451f2acd">pass the bill</a>&nbsp;said they were motivated by the potential for new gun restrictions under Democratic President Joe Biden, who signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades last year.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">federal legislation</a>&nbsp;toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keeps firearms from more domestic violence offenders and helps states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged to be dangerous.

US judge strikes down Mo. gun law as unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are alerting consumers about two more recalls of eyedrops due to contamination risks that could lead to vision problems and serious injury.

The announcements follow a recall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">last month</a>&nbsp;of eyedrops made in India that were linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezricare-delsam-outbreak-2320289a358e9fe6fa7d38a1fc5f19f7">outbreak of drug-resistant infections.</a>&nbsp;One person died and at least five others had permanent vision loss.

There's no indication the latest recalls are related to those products.

The Food and Drug Administration posted separate recall notices for certain eyedrops distributed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/pharmedica-usa-llc-issues-voluntary-worldwide-recall-purely-soothing-15-msm-drops-due-non-sterility">Pharmedica</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/apotex-corp-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-brimonidine-tartrate-ophthalmic-solution-015-due">Apotex</a>&nbsp;after the companies said they are voluntarily pulling several lots of their products from the market. Both companies said the recalls were conducted in consultation with the FDA.

Pharmedica on Friday said it is recalling two lots of Purely Soothing 15% MSM Drops due to problems “that could result in blindness." The over-the-counter drops are designed to treat eye irritation. The Phoenix-based company said consumers should immediately stop using the drops and return them to the place they were purchased.

The recall affects nearly 2,900 bottles, according to the company. The drops were manufactured in Arizona.

Last week, the FDA posted a separate recall announcement from Apotex recalling six lots of prescription eyedrops used to treat a form of glaucoma. The company said it launched the recall after finding cracks in a handful of bottle caps.

The drops are distributed as Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution. 0.15% and were sold between last April through February.

Apotex said in an email that the eyedrops were manufactured in Canada. The company hasn't received any reports of injuries related to the drops.

NEW YORK (AP) — The patients' eyes were painfully inflamed. They could sense light but could see almost nothing else. A doctor called one case the worst eye infection he’d ever seen.

It was the beginning of a national outbreak caused by an extremely worrisome bacteria — one that some say heralds an era in which antibiotics no longer work and seemingly routine infections get horribly out of hand.

At last count, 58 Americans in 13 states have been infected, including at least one who died and at least five who suffered permanent vision loss. All have been linked to tainted eyedrops, leading to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">recall</a>.

Experts marvel at how disease detectives pieced together the case: Patients were scattered across the country. The illnesses occurred over the span of months. The infections were found in different parts of the body — in the blood of some patients, in the lungs of others.

But scientists also shudder, because they have long worried common bacteria will evolve so that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-infectious-diseases-antibiotics-fungi-2c661fd0c6ed899bedc51238d390603a">antibiotics no longer work against them</a>.

"This really shows us that it's not something theoretical and in the future. It's here,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

This account is drawn from phone and email interviews with U.S. disease investigators, health officials in three states and regulators in the U.S. and India.

The investigation started in May in Los Angeles County, California. A patient who'd recently been to an ophthalmologist came in with a bad eye infection. A month later, local health officials got a second report. Another bad eye infection, same eye doctor.

Two more cases were reported in the county before the summer was over. The patients’ eyes were inflamed with heavy yellow pus that obscured most of the pupil. Among the four, two had complete vision loss in the affected eye.

The hospital that reported the first infection determined it was caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The institution, which was equipped to do advanced genetic testing, quickly realized the bacteria had a rare gene that protected it from the effects of commonly used antibiotics.

It was an early break for investigators, said Kelsey OYong, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

OYong and her colleagues knew they were dealing with a scary germ, and they notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pseudomonas infections are not new. Drug-resistant strains of the bacteria cause more than 30,000 infections annually among hospitalized patients in the U.S. and more than 2,500 deaths, the CDC said. It can spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment, and is particularly dangerous to fragile patients who have catheters or are on breathing machines.

But the California infections were in patients' eyes, not more common spots like the blood and lungs. Also, the lab analysis determined the infections were caused by a Pseudomonas germ that could resist just about every antibiotic.

The only thing that worked was a newer antibiotic called cefiderocol, administered by IV.

Over the summer, Pseudomonas outbreaks were seen at long-term care facilities in two other states.

In Connecticut, the first case was in June. Eventually, the bacteria was found in 25 patients from five nursing homes in different parts of the state, said Christopher Boyle, a spokesperson for Connecticut’s health department.

In Davis County, Utah, north of Salt Lake City, the first of six cases was reported to the CDC in August. While the patients had the bacteria, none actually got sick, said Sarah Willardson of the Davis County Health Department.

L.A. County health investigators thought the cases there might be due to some kind of equipment contamination at the eye doctor’s office.

But that suspicion faded in early October, when genetic testing showed the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah were all caused by the same bacteria strain — a version of the germ that hadn’t been seen anywhere before.

“That made us start thinking that this was some kind of a product,” said Maroya Walters, the CDC official supervising the investigation.

As the year went on, other reports of drug-resistant Pseudomonas came in, including a Washington man who died with a bloodstream infection.

Given the initial cluster at the California ophthalmologist’s office, investigators suspected an eye care product was the culprit, though that hypothesis was complicated by the fact that the infections at the long-term care facilities were mainly found in the lungs.

But it wasn’t impossible. Tear ducts drain into the nasal cavity, which leads to the lungs and could provide a path to deep inside the body.

In early November, investigators determined most of the infected Connecticut patients had been given artificial tears, though it wasn't clear who had been given which brand.

Then, on Nov. 9, a Florida hospital contacted the CDC to report bad eye infections connected to an outpatient clinic. A check of artificial tears brands used in Connecticut, Florida and Utah pointed to one common product: EzriCare Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter product marketed in the U.S. by New Jersey-based EzriCare LLC and made in India by Global Pharma Healthcare.

The Pseudomonas bacteria is “pretty much everywhere” in India and the drug-resistant germ is common in many hospitals, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies microbes in the Christian Medical College in the same state as Global Pharma's factory.

In January, genetic sequencing confirmed the Florida cases were caused by the same bacteria strain as the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah. On Jan. 20, the CDC urged doctors to avoid recommending the EzriCare product.

There was no recall or widespread public notice, however. Investigators had strong circumstantial evidence pointing toward the EzriCare drops, but didn’t get more conclusive proof until more than a week later after testing found the bacteria in seven open bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears in Connecticut and New Jersey.

In early February, CDC officials issued a public health alert and the FDA recalled the EzriCare eyedrops and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears, another product made by Global Pharma. Last week, the recall was expanded to include Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Eye Ointment.

Global Pharma didn't respond to emailed requests for comment.

A month before the first recall, the FDA blocked imports of Global Pharma products.

FDA spokesperson Audra Harrison said the U.S. import ban was “unrelated to the outbreak," and was instead based on the company’s “inadequate response” to a records request and problems with its manufacturing procedures. She wouldn't say what those problems were.

The subsequent recall, she said, was recommended due to lack of microbial testing and issues with the product’s formulation and packaging.

The FDA, tasked with assuring the safety of drug products shipped to the U.S., has long struggled to inspect facilities in China and India that account for the vast majority of raw materials used in American medicines. A search of FDA’s online inspection database shows no records of agency staff visiting the plant.

Indian drug inspectors visited the plant and the country's drug controller asked Global Pharma to stop making all products related to treating eye disorders until they finish their investigation, said P.V. Vijayalakshmi, the drug controller for southern Tamil Nadu state.

Ostrosky, the University of Texas expert, called the U.S. investigation “a public health victory” saying it shows that fighting drug-resistant bacteria requires international collaboration and investment. But he also said the case is disheartening.

An infection that's usually easy to treat with common antibiotic eyedrops "has become an infection that can be deadly and has pretty much no treatment except one IV antibiotic,” he said.

Pseudomonas now joins a growing list of bugs — including bacteria that cause urinary tract infections — that are getting increasingly difficult to treat, Ostrosky added.

“It's like a wave coming for us," he said.

AP writers Matthew Perrone in Washington and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678210738168.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are alerting consumers about two more recalls of eyedrops due to contamination risks that could lead to vision problems and serious injury.The announcements follow a recall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">last month</a>&nbsp;of eyedrops made in India that were linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezricare-delsam-outbreak-2320289a358e9fe6fa7d38a1fc5f19f7">outbreak of drug-resistant infections.</a>&nbsp;One person died and at least five others had permanent vision loss.There's no indication the latest recalls are related to those products.The Food and Drug Administration posted separate recall notices for certain eyedrops distributed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/pharmedica-usa-llc-issues-voluntary-worldwide-recall-purely-soothing-15-msm-drops-due-non-sterility">Pharmedica</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/apotex-corp-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-brimonidine-tartrate-ophthalmic-solution-015-due">Apotex</a>&nbsp;after the companies said they are voluntarily pulling several lots of their products from the market. Both companies said the recalls were conducted in consultation with the FDA.Pharmedica on Friday said it is recalling two lots of Purely Soothing 15% MSM Drops due to problems “that could result in blindness." The over-the-counter drops are designed to treat eye irritation. The Phoenix-based company said consumers should immediately stop using the drops and return them to the place they were purchased.The recall affects nearly 2,900 bottles, according to the company. The drops were manufactured in Arizona.Last week, the FDA posted a separate recall announcement from Apotex recalling six lots of prescription eyedrops used to treat a form of glaucoma. The company said it launched the recall after finding cracks in a handful of bottle caps.The drops are distributed as Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution. 0.15% and were sold between last April through February.Apotex said in an email that the eyedrops were manufactured in Canada. The company hasn't received any reports of injuries related to the drops.___<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675357768410.png" alt="-photo Ezri care" />
 <figcaption>-photo Ezri care</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical WriterNEW YORK (AP) — The patients' eyes were painfully inflamed. They could sense light but could see almost nothing else. A doctor called one case the worst eye infection he’d ever seen.It was the beginning of a national outbreak caused by an extremely worrisome bacteria — one that some say heralds an era in which antibiotics no longer work and seemingly routine infections get horribly out of hand.At last count, 58 Americans in 13 states have been infected, including at least one who died and at least five who suffered permanent vision loss. All have been linked to tainted eyedrops, leading to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">recall</a>.Experts marvel at how disease detectives pieced together the case: Patients were scattered across the country. The illnesses occurred over the span of months. The infections were found in different parts of the body — in the blood of some patients, in the lungs of others.But scientists also shudder, because they have long worried common bacteria will evolve so that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-infectious-diseases-antibiotics-fungi-2c661fd0c6ed899bedc51238d390603a">antibiotics no longer work against them</a>."This really shows us that it's not something theoretical and in the future. It's here,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.This account is drawn from phone and email interviews with U.S. disease investigators, health officials in three states and regulators in the U.S. and India.___The investigation started in May in Los Angeles County, California. A patient who'd recently been to an ophthalmologist came in with a bad eye infection. A month later, local health officials got a second report. Another bad eye infection, same eye doctor.Two more cases were reported in the county before the summer was over. The patients’ eyes were inflamed with heavy yellow pus that obscured most of the pupil. Among the four, two had complete vision loss in the affected eye.The hospital that reported the first infection determined it was caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The institution, which was equipped to do advanced genetic testing, quickly realized the bacteria had a rare gene that protected it from the effects of commonly used antibiotics.It was an early break for investigators, said Kelsey OYong, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.OYong and her colleagues knew they were dealing with a scary germ, and they notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas infections are not new. Drug-resistant strains of the bacteria cause more than 30,000 infections annually among hospitalized patients in the U.S. and more than 2,500 deaths, the CDC said. It can spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment, and is particularly dangerous to fragile patients who have catheters or are on breathing machines.But the California infections were in patients' eyes, not more common spots like the blood and lungs. Also, the lab analysis determined the infections were caused by a Pseudomonas germ that could resist just about every antibiotic.The only thing that worked was a newer antibiotic called cefiderocol, administered by IV.___Over the summer, Pseudomonas outbreaks were seen at long-term care facilities in two other states.In Connecticut, the first case was in June. Eventually, the bacteria was found in 25 patients from five nursing homes in different parts of the state, said Christopher Boyle, a spokesperson for Connecticut’s health department.In Davis County, Utah, north of Salt Lake City, the first of six cases was reported to the CDC in August. While the patients had the bacteria, none actually got sick, said Sarah Willardson of the Davis County Health Department.L.A. County health investigators thought the cases there might be due to some kind of equipment contamination at the eye doctor’s office.But that suspicion faded in early October, when genetic testing showed the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah were all caused by the same bacteria strain — a version of the germ that hadn’t been seen anywhere before.“That made us start thinking that this was some kind of a product,” said Maroya Walters, the CDC official supervising the investigation.___As the year went on, other reports of drug-resistant Pseudomonas came in, including a Washington man who died with a bloodstream infection.Given the initial cluster at the California ophthalmologist’s office, investigators suspected an eye care product was the culprit, though that hypothesis was complicated by the fact that the infections at the long-term care facilities were mainly found in the lungs.But it wasn’t impossible. Tear ducts drain into the nasal cavity, which leads to the lungs and could provide a path to deep inside the body.In early November, investigators determined most of the infected Connecticut patients had been given artificial tears, though it wasn't clear who had been given which brand.Then, on Nov. 9, a Florida hospital contacted the CDC to report bad eye infections connected to an outpatient clinic. A check of artificial tears brands used in Connecticut, Florida and Utah pointed to one common product: EzriCare Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter product marketed in the U.S. by New Jersey-based EzriCare LLC and made in India by Global Pharma Healthcare.___The Pseudomonas bacteria is “pretty much everywhere” in India and the drug-resistant germ is common in many hospitals, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies microbes in the Christian Medical College in the same state as Global Pharma's factory.In January, genetic sequencing confirmed the Florida cases were caused by the same bacteria strain as the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah. On Jan. 20, the CDC urged doctors to avoid recommending the EzriCare product.There was no recall or widespread public notice, however. Investigators had strong circumstantial evidence pointing toward the EzriCare drops, but didn’t get more conclusive proof until more than a week later after testing found the bacteria in seven open bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears in Connecticut and New Jersey.In early February, CDC officials issued a public health alert and the FDA recalled the EzriCare eyedrops and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears, another product made by Global Pharma. Last week, the recall was expanded to include Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Eye Ointment.Global Pharma didn't respond to emailed requests for comment.___A month before the first recall, the FDA blocked imports of Global Pharma products.FDA spokesperson Audra Harrison said the U.S. import ban was “unrelated to the outbreak," and was instead based on the company’s “inadequate response” to a records request and problems with its manufacturing procedures. She wouldn't say what those problems were.The subsequent recall, she said, was recommended due to lack of microbial testing and issues with the product’s formulation and packaging.The FDA, tasked with assuring the safety of drug products shipped to the U.S., has long struggled to inspect facilities in China and India that account for the vast majority of raw materials used in American medicines. A search of FDA’s online inspection database shows no records of agency staff visiting the plant.Indian drug inspectors visited the plant and the country's drug controller asked Global Pharma to stop making all products related to treating eye disorders until they finish their investigation, said P.V. Vijayalakshmi, the drug controller for southern Tamil Nadu state.___Ostrosky, the University of Texas expert, called the U.S. investigation “a public health victory” saying it shows that fighting drug-resistant bacteria requires international collaboration and investment. But he also said the case is disheartening.An infection that's usually easy to treat with common antibiotic eyedrops "has become an infection that can be deadly and has pretty much no treatment except one IV antibiotic,” he said.Pseudomonas now joins a growing list of bugs — including bacteria that cause urinary tract infections — that are getting increasingly difficult to treat, Ostrosky added.“It's like a wave coming for us," he said.___AP writers Matthew Perrone in Washington and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA recalls more eyedrops brands due to risks

WASHINGTON (AP) — A private bank is trying to force the Biden administration to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">pause on federal student loan payments</a>, arguing the moratorium has no legal basis and has cost the bank, known for its refinancing business, millions of dollars in profits.

In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in Washington, SoFi Bank N.A. asked a federal judge to overturn President Joe Biden’s latest extension of the payment pause. Student loan payments first were halted at the start of the pandemic by President Donald Trump’s administration. The pause has been extended eight times over three years.

The bank says its federal student loan refinancing business has suffered because borrowers have little incentive to refinance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">while payments and interest remain on hold</a>. At a minimum, the lawsuit asks a judge to limit the pause only to borrowers who would be eligible for Biden’s cancellation plan.

Biden’s latest extension, which was announced in November and could stretch as far as this summer, is unlawful on “multiple grounds,” the lawsuit claims.

Unlike the first seven extensions, which were meant to help borrowers struggling as a result of the pandemic, the latest one was enacted solely in response to legal challenges to Biden’s plan for widespread student debt forgiveness, the lawsuit says. The plan is currently being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">challenged in the Supreme Court</a>, which is expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">rule by June</a>.

“The eighth extension does not even attempt to redress harm from the pandemic at all, but rather to alleviate ‘uncertainty’ caused by the debt-cancellation litigation,” SoFi says in the lawsuit.

SoFi argues that isn’t a valid reason authorized by the HEROES Act, the federal law the Biden administration has invoked to continue the pause. The bank also argues the extension violated the Administrative Procedure Act because the administration failed to invite feedback from the public.

The most recent extension has cost the bank at least $6 million in lost profits, SoFi says, and it could lead to a total of $30 million in losses if it continues through August.

“In essence, SoFi is being forced to compete with loans with 0% interest rates and for which any ongoing repayment of the principal is entirely optional,” the lawsuit says.

The Education Department defended the legality of the pause, calling the lawsuit “an attempt by a multi-billion dollar company to make money while they force 45 million borrowers back into repayment.”

“The department will continue to fight to deliver relief to borrowers, provide a smooth path to repayment and protect borrowers from industry and special interests,” the agency said in a statement.

The lawsuit drew swift condemnation from borrower advocates, who called it a money grab at the expense of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-payments-51ef087355f045260c37ae6fc698b38d">those struggling with student debt</a>.

“The real story here is the huge risk this poses to tens of millions of working people who SoFi would never lend to — families across the country that depend on the student loan payment pause to shield them from financial devastation,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669150764430.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A private bank is trying to force the Biden administration to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">pause on federal student loan payments</a>, arguing the moratorium has no legal basis and has cost the bank, known for its refinancing business, millions of dollars in profits.In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in Washington, SoFi Bank N.A. asked a federal judge to overturn President Joe Biden’s latest extension of the payment pause. Student loan payments first were halted at the start of the pandemic by President Donald Trump’s administration. The pause has been extended eight times over three years.The bank says its federal student loan refinancing business has suffered because borrowers have little incentive to refinance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">while payments and interest remain on hold</a>. At a minimum, the lawsuit asks a judge to limit the pause only to borrowers who would be eligible for Biden’s cancellation plan.Biden’s latest extension, which was announced in November and could stretch as far as this summer, is unlawful on “multiple grounds,” the lawsuit claims.Unlike the first seven extensions, which were meant to help borrowers struggling as a result of the pandemic, the latest one was enacted solely in response to legal challenges to Biden’s plan for widespread student debt forgiveness, the lawsuit says. The plan is currently being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">challenged in the Supreme Court</a>, which is expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">rule by June</a>.“The eighth extension does not even attempt to redress harm from the pandemic at all, but rather to alleviate ‘uncertainty’ caused by the debt-cancellation litigation,” SoFi says in the lawsuit.SoFi argues that isn’t a valid reason authorized by the HEROES Act, the federal law the Biden administration has invoked to continue the pause. The bank also argues the extension violated the Administrative Procedure Act because the administration failed to invite feedback from the public.The most recent extension has cost the bank at least $6 million in lost profits, SoFi says, and it could lead to a total of $30 million in losses if it continues through August.“In essence, SoFi is being forced to compete with loans with 0% interest rates and for which any ongoing repayment of the principal is entirely optional,” the lawsuit says.The Education Department defended the legality of the pause, calling the lawsuit “an attempt by a multi-billion dollar company to make money while they force 45 million borrowers back into repayment.”“The department will continue to fight to deliver relief to borrowers, provide a smooth path to repayment and protect borrowers from industry and special interests,” the agency said in a statement.The lawsuit drew swift condemnation from borrower advocates, who called it a money grab at the expense of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-payments-51ef087355f045260c37ae6fc698b38d">those struggling with student debt</a>.“The real story here is the huge risk this poses to tens of millions of working people who SoFi would never lend to — families across the country that depend on the student loan payment pause to shield them from financial devastation,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center.

Bank sues to block Biden’s student loan payment pause

LINCOLN&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested an Illinois man following a foot pursuit in Pawnee County.

The incident occurred Monday at approximately 10:35 a.m. when a trooper attempted a traffic stop on a Dodge Magnum for speeding on Highway 8, near Pawnee City. As the trooper attempted the traffic stop, the driver refused to stop, entered a rural driveway, a jumped from the vehicle as it was still moving. The driver then fled on foot and the trooper pursued.

After a short foot pursuit around a farm property the trooper was able to the take the driver into custody. A search of the vehicle revealed four firearms, including a short barrel rifle, more than 200 rounds of ammunition, 32 grams of cocaine, 144 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and 214 grams of marijuana.

The driver, Jesse Starry, 40, of Chillicothe, Ill., was arrested for possession of controlled substances, possession with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a short barrel rifle, carrying a concealed firearm, and other charges. Starry was lodged in Johnson County jail.

NSPLINCOLN&nbsp; — Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested an Illinois man following a foot pursuit in Pawnee County.The incident occurred Monday at approximately 10:35 a.m. when a trooper attempted a traffic stop on a Dodge Magnum for speeding on Highway 8, near Pawnee City. As the trooper attempted the traffic stop, the driver refused to stop, entered a rural driveway, a jumped from the vehicle as it was still moving. The driver then fled on foot and the trooper pursued.After a short foot pursuit around a farm property the trooper was able to the take the driver into custody. A search of the vehicle revealed four firearms, including a short barrel rifle, more than 200 rounds of ammunition, 32 grams of cocaine, 144 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and 214 grams of marijuana.The driver, Jesse Starry, 40, of Chillicothe, Ill., was arrested for possession of controlled substances, possession with intent to deliver, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a short barrel rifle, carrying a concealed firearm, and other charges. Starry was lodged in Johnson County jail.

Nebraska troopers locate guns, drugs after foot pursuit

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Two Americans were back on U.S. soil Tuesday after surviving a deadly kidnapping in Mexico, and have been taken to a Texas hospital for treatment. Two other Americans were killed.

Irving Barrios, Tamaulipas state’s top prosecutor confirmed the two Americans were turned over to U.S. authorities at the international bridge to Brownsville, Texas.

They were then taken to Valley Regional Medical Center with an FBI escort, according to the Brownsville Herald.

A spokesperson for the hospital referred all inquiries to the FBI.

A road trip to Mexico for cosmetic surgery ended with two Americans dead — and two others found alive in a rural area near the Gulf coast — after a violent shootout and abduction that was captured on video, officials said Tuesday.

The surviving Americans were sped to the border near Brownsville, the southernmost tip of Texas, in a convoy of ambulances and SUVs escorted by Mexican military Humvees and National Guard trucks with mounted .50-caliber machine guns.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative</a>&nbsp;of one of the victims said Monday that the four had traveled together from the Carolinas so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, where Friday’s kidnapping took place.

The U.S. citizens were found in a rural area east of Matamoros called Ejido Longoreño on the way to the Gulf coast known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-donald-trump-caribbean-international-news-d3f0b97ae09d49f9842a92c20a70f20a">“Bagdad Beach,”</a>&nbsp;according to a Mexican state law enforcement official. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the case. Word of their location came to authorities before dawn Tuesday.

It was not immediately clear if the two bodies were also being returned to the U.S. In announcing the Americans had been found, Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person’s injuries.

Shortly after entering Mexico, the four were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. Video and photographs taken during and immediately after the abduction show the Americans’ white minivan sitting beside another vehicle, with at least one bullet hole in the driver's side window. A witness said the two vehicles had collided. Almost immediately, several men in tactical vests and toting assault rifles arrived in another vehicle to surround the scene.

The gunmen walked one of the Americans into the bed of a white pickup, then dragged and loaded the three others. Terrified drivers sat silently in their cars, hoping not to draw their attention. Two of the victims appeared to be motionless.

Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday’s crossfire.

The shootings illustrate the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.

López Obrador said one person was in custody.

“Those responsible will be found and they are going to be punished,” the president said. He referenced arrests made in the 2019 killings of nine U.S.-Mexican dual citizens in Sonora near the U.S. border.

He complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalism. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”

“It’s very unfortunate, they (the U.S. government) has the right to protest like they have,” López Obrador said. “We really regret that this happens in our country.”

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his sympathy for the families of the victims.

“The cartels are responsible for the deaths of Americans,” Garland said. “The DEA and the FBI are doing everything possible to dismantle and disrupt and ultimately prosecute the leaders of the cartels and the entire networks that they depend on.”

He would not confirm the Mexican government's reports that the two U.S. citizens had died.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. is working with Mexican officials to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the killings.

“Attacks on U.S citizens are unacceptable, no matter where, under what circumstances they occur,” Kirby said.

The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the victims’ return and the arrest of the kidnappers.

Robert Williams said in a telephone interview that his brother, 38-year-old Eric Williams, was among the kidnapped Americans. The brothers are from South Carolina but now live in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina, he said.

Williams described his brother as “easygoing” and “fun-spirited.”

He didn’t know his brother was traveling to Mexico until after the abduction hit the news. But from looking at his brother’s Facebook posts, he thinks his brother did not consider the trip dangerous.

“He thought it would be fun,” Williams said. He hadn’t heard anything about his brother’s whereabouts, he said.

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Two Americans whose abduction in Mexico was captured in a video that showed them caught in a cartel shootout have been found dead, officials said Tuesday. Two others who were kidnapped with them were found alive, with one wounded.

Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person’s injuries.

The surviving Americans were taken to the border near Brownsville, Texas, in a convoy of Mexican ambulances and SUVs, as seen by an Associated Press journalist Tuesday morning. It was not immediately clear if the bodies of the deceased were also being returned to the U.S.

The vehicles sped down a long dirt road escorted by Mexican military Humvees, armored vehicles, state police and National Guard in trucks with mounted .50-caliber machine guns.

The FBI had said Sunday it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing U.S. citizens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative</a>&nbsp;of one of them said Monday that the group had traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the border city of Matamoros, where Friday’s kidnapping took place.

Shortly after entering Mexico they were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen.

Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday's crossfire.

The U.S. citizens were found in a rural area east of Matamoros called Ejido Longoreño on the way to an area on the Gulf coast known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-donald-trump-caribbean-international-news-d3f0b97ae09d49f9842a92c20a70f20a">“Bagdad Beach,”</a>&nbsp;according to a state authority who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the case. Word of their location came to authorities before dawn Tuesday.

López Obrador said one suspect was in custody.

“Those responsible will be found and they are going to be punished,” he said, referencing arrests made in the 2019 killings of nine U.S.-Mexican dual citizens in Sonora near the U.S. border.

Mexico's president complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalism. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”

“It’s very unfortunate, they (the U.S. government) has the right to protest like they have,” he said. “We really regret that this happens in our country.”

The abduction illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

Video and photographs taken during and immediately after the abduction Friday show the Americans’ white minivan sitting beside another vehicle that a witness said had collided with it. Almost immediately several gunmen in tactical vests and toting assault rifles arrived in another vehicle to surround the scene.

They walked one of the Americans to a white pickup and dragged and loaded the three others while terrified drivers sat silently in their cars hoping not to draw their attention. Two of the victims appeared to be motionless.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two of four Americans abducted in Mexico last week when their van was caught in a shootout were found dead, a top Mexican official said Tuesday. The two others have been found alive, with one wounded.

Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person's injuries, saying, "right now the ambulances and the rest of the security personnel are going to give the corresponding support.” The governor offered no additional information about where or how the U.S. citizens were found.

The FBI reported Sunday that it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing Americans, who were kidnapped Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative of one of them</a>&nbsp;said Monday that they had traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the border city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas.

Shortly after entering Mexico they were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen. Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday's crossfire.

Mexico's president complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalizing things. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two U.S. citizens missing since their violent abduction last week in the northern Mexican border city of Matamoros have been found dead and two others are alive, the state’s governor said Tuesday.

Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal said that one of the surviving U.S. citizens was wounded and the other was not.

The FBI had reported Sunday that it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing Americans, who had been kidnapped Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative of one of them said Monday that they had</a>&nbsp;traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a Matamoros doctor.

Shortly after entering Mexico Friday they were caught in the crossfire of rival cartel groups. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen.

“Of the four, two of them are dead, one person is wounded and the other is alive and right now the ambulances and the rest of the security personnel are going for them for give the corresponding support," Villarreal said

The governor did not share any additional details about where or how they were found.

Mexican officials said a Mexican woman also had died in Fridays' crossfire.

The incident illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Two Americans were back on U.S. soil Tuesday after surviving a deadly kidnapping in Mexico, and have been taken to a Texas hospital for treatment. Two other Americans were killed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ALERT: U.S. Consulate General Matamoros, México (March 3, 2023) <a href="https://t.co/m9o23gPsQx">https://t.co/m9o23gPsQx</a> <a href="https://t.co/nLDz143Eb2">pic.twitter.com/nLDz143Eb2</a>&mdash; Embajada EU en Mex (@USEmbassyMEX) <a href="https://twitter.com/USEmbassyMEX/status/1631772375430709249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Irving Barrios, Tamaulipas state’s top prosecutor confirmed the two Americans were turned over to U.S. authorities at the international bridge to Brownsville, Texas.They were then taken to Valley Regional Medical Center with an FBI escort, according to the Brownsville Herald.A spokesperson for the hospital referred all inquiries to the FBI.------------A road trip to Mexico for cosmetic surgery ended with two Americans dead — and two others found alive in a rural area near the Gulf coast — after a violent shootout and abduction that was captured on video, officials said Tuesday.The surviving Americans were sped to the border near Brownsville, the southernmost tip of Texas, in a convoy of ambulances and SUVs escorted by Mexican military Humvees and National Guard trucks with mounted .50-caliber machine guns.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative</a>&nbsp;of one of the victims said Monday that the four had traveled together from the Carolinas so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, where Friday’s kidnapping took place.The U.S. citizens were found in a rural area east of Matamoros called Ejido Longoreño on the way to the Gulf coast known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-donald-trump-caribbean-international-news-d3f0b97ae09d49f9842a92c20a70f20a">“Bagdad Beach,”</a>&nbsp;according to a Mexican state law enforcement official. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the case. Word of their location came to authorities before dawn Tuesday.It was not immediately clear if the two bodies were also being returned to the U.S. In announcing the Americans had been found, Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person’s injuries.Shortly after entering Mexico, the four were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. Video and photographs taken during and immediately after the abduction show the Americans’ white minivan sitting beside another vehicle, with at least one bullet hole in the driver's side window. A witness said the two vehicles had collided. Almost immediately, several men in tactical vests and toting assault rifles arrived in another vehicle to surround the scene.The gunmen walked one of the Americans into the bed of a white pickup, then dragged and loaded the three others. Terrified drivers sat silently in their cars, hoping not to draw their attention. Two of the victims appeared to be motionless.Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday’s crossfire.The shootings illustrate the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.López Obrador said one person was in custody.“Those responsible will be found and they are going to be punished,” the president said. He referenced arrests made in the 2019 killings of nine U.S.-Mexican dual citizens in Sonora near the U.S. border.He complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalism. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”“It’s very unfortunate, they (the U.S. government) has the right to protest like they have,” López Obrador said. “We really regret that this happens in our country.”U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his sympathy for the families of the victims.“The cartels are responsible for the deaths of Americans,” Garland said. “The DEA and the FBI are doing everything possible to dismantle and disrupt and ultimately prosecute the leaders of the cartels and the entire networks that they depend on.”He would not confirm the Mexican government's reports that the two U.S. citizens had died.White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the U.S. is working with Mexican officials to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the killings.“Attacks on U.S citizens are unacceptable, no matter where, under what circumstances they occur,” Kirby said.The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the victims’ return and the arrest of the kidnappers.Robert Williams said in a telephone interview that his brother, 38-year-old Eric Williams, was among the kidnapped Americans. The brothers are from South Carolina but now live in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina, he said.Williams described his brother as “easygoing” and “fun-spirited.”He didn’t know his brother was traveling to Mexico until after the abduction hit the news. But from looking at his brother’s Facebook posts, he thinks his brother did not consider the trip dangerous.“He thought it would be fun,” Williams said. He hadn’t heard anything about his brother’s whereabouts, he said.___CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (AP) — Two Americans whose abduction in Mexico was captured in a video that showed them caught in a cartel shootout have been found dead, officials said Tuesday. Two others who were kidnapped with them were found alive, with one wounded.Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person’s injuries.The surviving Americans were taken to the border near Brownsville, Texas, in a convoy of Mexican ambulances and SUVs, as seen by an Associated Press journalist Tuesday morning. It was not immediately clear if the bodies of the deceased were also being returned to the U.S.The vehicles sped down a long dirt road escorted by Mexican military Humvees, armored vehicles, state police and National Guard in trucks with mounted .50-caliber machine guns.The FBI had said Sunday it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing U.S. citizens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative</a>&nbsp;of one of them said Monday that the group had traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the border city of Matamoros, where Friday’s kidnapping took place.Shortly after entering Mexico they were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen.Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday's crossfire.The U.S. citizens were found in a rural area east of Matamoros called Ejido Longoreño on the way to an area on the Gulf coast known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-donald-trump-caribbean-international-news-d3f0b97ae09d49f9842a92c20a70f20a">“Bagdad Beach,”</a>&nbsp;according to a state authority who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the case. Word of their location came to authorities before dawn Tuesday.Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.López Obrador said one suspect was in custody.“Those responsible will be found and they are going to be punished,” he said, referencing arrests made in the 2019 killings of nine U.S.-Mexican dual citizens in Sonora near the U.S. border.Mexico's president complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalism. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”“It’s very unfortunate, they (the U.S. government) has the right to protest like they have,” he said. “We really regret that this happens in our country.”The abduction illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.Video and photographs taken during and immediately after the abduction Friday show the Americans’ white minivan sitting beside another vehicle that a witness said had collided with it. Almost immediately several gunmen in tactical vests and toting assault rifles arrived in another vehicle to surround the scene.They walked one of the Americans to a white pickup and dragged and loaded the three others while terrified drivers sat silently in their cars hoping not to draw their attention. Two of the victims appeared to be motionless.The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the victims’ return and the arrest of the kidnappers.-----------MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two of four Americans abducted in Mexico last week when their van was caught in a shootout were found dead, a top Mexican official said Tuesday. The two others have been found alive, with one wounded.Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal did not provide details on the extent of the wounded person's injuries, saying, "right now the ambulances and the rest of the security personnel are going to give the corresponding support.” The governor offered no additional information about where or how the U.S. citizens were found.The FBI reported Sunday that it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing Americans, who were kidnapped Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative of one of them</a>&nbsp;said Monday that they had traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a doctor in the border city of Matamoros, across from Brownsville, Texas.Shortly after entering Mexico they were caught amid fighting between rival cartel groups in the city. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen. Officials said a Mexican woman also died in Friday's crossfire.Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.López Obrador said one suspect was in custody.Mexico's president complained about the U.S. media’s coverage of the missing Americans, accusing them of sensationalizing things. “It’s not like that when they kill Mexicans in the United States, they go quiet like mummies.”“It’s very unfortunate, they (the U.S. government) has the right to protest like they have,” he said. “We really regret that this happens in our country.”The abduction illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.The FBI had offered a $50,000 reward for the victims’ return and the arrest of the kidnappers.--------------MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two U.S. citizens missing since their violent abduction last week in the northern Mexican border city of Matamoros have been found dead and two others are alive, the state’s governor said Tuesday.Tamaulipas Gov. Américo Villarreal said that one of the surviving U.S. citizens was wounded and the other was not.The FBI had reported Sunday that it was searching with Mexican authorities for the missing Americans, who had been kidnapped Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mexico-americans-kidnapped-gulf-drug-cartel-2700637729e8f3a5065005231aa8d4d3">A relative of one of them said Monday that they had</a>&nbsp;traveled together from South Carolina so one of them could get a tummy tuck from a Matamoros doctor.Shortly after entering Mexico Friday they were caught in the crossfire of rival cartel groups. A video showed them being loaded into the back of a pickup truck by gunmen.Villarreal confirmed the deaths by phone during a morning news conference by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, saying details about the four abducted Americans had been confirmed by prosecutors.“Of the four, two of them are dead, one person is wounded and the other is alive and right now the ambulances and the rest of the security personnel are going for them for give the corresponding support," Villarreal saidThe governor did not share any additional details about where or how they were found.Mexican officials said a Mexican woman also had died in Fridays' crossfire.The incident illustrates the terror that has prevailed for years in Matamoros, a city dominated by factions of the powerful Gulf drug cartel who often fight among themselves. Amid the violence, thousands of Mexicans have disappeared in Tamaulipas state alone.---------

2 Americans kidnapped in Mexico dead, 2 others rescued

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/06/debate-begins-on-legislation-granting-25-million-in-tax-credits-for-private-school-scholarships/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Debate began Monday on a long-controversial bill to provide
 state tax credits for donations to private school scholarships, with 
advocates maintaining that the measure is about helping low-income 
families.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the chief sponsor of so-called
 “opportunity scholarships” bills in recent years, said poor families 
should have the same choice of private and parochial schools as those 
with financial means to afford it.

“This isn’t about public versus private (schools), it’s about parents having the same rights that we do,” Linehan said.

“I don’t think that their (school) choices should be limited by family income or ZIP code,” the senator argued.

Opponents of <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB753.pdf">Legislative Bill 753</a>,
 however, argued that the bill would funnel public funds to private 
schools and would provide a much more generous tax break than donations 
to other charities.

The bill provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for money donated to
 a group that provides scholarships for private and parochial schools.

The OpenSky Policy Institute, which opposes the bill, calculated that
 a $10,000 donation to an opportunity scholarship would net a $10,000 
tax credit for the donor, while a tax deduction on a similarly sized 
donation would net at most only a $644 benefit.

“This is not about choice or access, this is about government incentivized donations,” said Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt. “It’s about giving money to rich people, as usual, using some poor people as nice marketing.”

She questioned the motivations of those who needed a generous tax break in order to donate to private schools.

Nebraska is one of only two states in the country without any kind of
 school choice via publicly funded “charter” schools, vouchers or tax 
incentives. North Dakota is the other state.

The lack of school choice in Nebraska inspired a national 
organization, primarily funded by Donald Trump’s former Education 
Secretary Betsy DeVos, to pour more than<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/27/betsy-devos-two-others-spent-big-on-nebraska-legislative-races/"> $700,000 into state legislative races</a> to elect more school choice advocates.

The conservative shift in the Nebraska Legislature this year has 
given Linehan and other supporters of the scholarship tax break new hope
 that LB 753 will be passed after similar bills were derailed in the 
past. The bill has 30 cosponsors, and if you count its main sponsor it 
is only two votes short of overcoming a filibuster.

Under LB 753, which is part of Gov. Jim Pillen’s package of education
 proposals, the state would provide up to $25 million a year in tax 
credits for donations to groups that provide scholarships for private 
and parochial schools. That amount would escalate if all of the credits 
are used.

The highest priority for scholarships would include students whose 
family’s income is below the federal poverty line ($27,750 for a family 
of four), special needs students or those experienced bullying at their 
current school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678207195740.png" alt="This sign popped up Monday on the lawn of the state teachers’ union as debate began on a bill granting tax credits for donations for private school scholarships. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>This sign popped up Monday on the lawn of the state teachers’ union as debate began on a bill granting tax credits for donations for private school scholarships. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/06/debate-begins-on-legislation-granting-25-million-in-tax-credits-for-private-school-scholarships/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Debate began Monday on a long-controversial bill to provide
 state tax credits for donations to private school scholarships, with 
advocates maintaining that the measure is about helping low-income 
families.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the chief sponsor of so-called
 “opportunity scholarships” bills in recent years, said poor families 
should have the same choice of private and parochial schools as those 
with financial means to afford it.“This isn’t about public versus private (schools), it’s about parents having the same rights that we do,” Linehan said.“I don’t think that their (school) choices should be limited by family income or ZIP code,” the senator argued.<h2>More generous break</h2>Opponents of <a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Intro/LB753.pdf">Legislative Bill 753</a>,
 however, argued that the bill would funnel public funds to private 
schools and would provide a much more generous tax break than donations 
to other charities.The bill provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for money donated to
 a group that provides scholarships for private and parochial schools.The OpenSky Policy Institute, which opposes the bill, calculated that
 a $10,000 donation to an opportunity scholarship would net a $10,000 
tax credit for the donor, while a tax deduction on a similarly sized 
donation would net at most only a $644 benefit.“This is not about choice or access, this is about government incentivized donations,” said Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt. “It’s about giving money to rich people, as usual, using some poor people as nice marketing.”She questioned the motivations of those who needed a generous tax break in order to donate to private schools.Nebraska is one of only two states in the country without any kind of
 school choice via publicly funded “charter” schools, vouchers or tax 
incentives. North Dakota is the other state.The lack of school choice in Nebraska inspired a national 
organization, primarily funded by Donald Trump’s former Education 
Secretary Betsy DeVos, to pour more than<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/27/betsy-devos-two-others-spent-big-on-nebraska-legislative-races/"> $700,000 into state legislative races</a> to elect more school choice advocates.<h2>Part of Pillen plan</h2>The conservative shift in the Nebraska Legislature this year has 
given Linehan and other supporters of the scholarship tax break new hope
 that LB 753 will be passed after similar bills were derailed in the 
past. The bill has 30 cosponsors, and if you count its main sponsor it 
is only two votes short of overcoming a filibuster.Under LB 753, which is part of Gov. Jim Pillen’s package of education
 proposals, the state would provide up to $25 million a year in tax 
credits for donations to groups that provide scholarships for private 
and parochial schools. That amount would escalate if all of the credits 
are used.<h2>Students in poverty highest priority</h2>The highest priority for scholarships would include students whose 
family’s income is below the federal poverty line ($27,750 for a family 
of four), special needs students or those experienced bullying at their 
current school.Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne, a former member of the Omaha School Board, 
spoke emotionally in favor of LB 753. He said that parents in his North 
Omaha district are clamoring for an alternative to public schools, but 
they often can’t afford the tuition, and scholarships are scarce.“Look into the camera and tell my parents why you can’t give them choice,” Wayne said, his voice rising.<h2>Wait list, lack of scholarships</h2>He said the only alternative school in his area, the Nelson Mandela Elementary School, has a waiting list.But a spokeswoman for the private, tuition-free school said that isn’t quite the case.The school’s website states that students who live in the vicinity of
 the North 30th Street school can apply for admission as kindergarteners
 or first graders. Students are selected on “need and best fit” for the 
rigorous academics at Nelson Mandela, which has a goal of closing the 
“learning and achievement” gap in Omaha between white students and those
 of color.<h2>Mandela School founded in 2015</h2>The school, which has a capacity of 216 students, was founded in 2015
 and is funded by the Lozier Foundation and the Ruth and William Scott 
Family Foundation. The school opposes LB 753 (see box).Linehan said the Children’s Scholarship Fund in Omaha raises about 
$2.5 million a year, providing 1,600 private school scholarships for 
low-income students, so a tax credit could substantially increase 
donations and expand the number of scholarships.She and other backers of LB 753 maintained that it doesn’t “take 
away” funding for public education, and if you argue that, you would 
need to say the same about every tax break or spending the state allows.
 They added that the governor is planning to increase appropriations for
 public education by creating a $1 billion “education future fund” and 
spending an additional $250 million a year.<h2>Not the solution to achievement gaps</h2>Opponents of LB 753 said that directing public funds to private 
schools wasn’t the answer for closing the achievement gap and that the 
bill would provide scholarships to families who can easily afford it, 
not just low-income families.Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh introduced an amendment that he said would 
limit the scholarship recipients to families truly in financial need.He said he also objected to directing state funds to private schools 
that “discriminate.” Cavanaugh, who is Catholic, pointed to a policy 
announced in August by the Omaha Catholic Archdiocese — a policy later 
amended — that allowed transgender students to be expelled.He said the policy, which has prompted him to transfer his children 
to public school, also allowed a student to be expelled based on 
“values” expressed by their parents.Much of Monday’s debate involved a battle of studies. Opponents of LB
 753 pointed to reports stating that private schools do not produce 
higher achieving students, while supporters maintained that studies show
 “competition” makes public schools better.There was also disagreement over whether the bill violated the 
constitution or whether court rulings have validated such measures.Debate is expected to continue on the bill into Wednesday.