&nbsp;By JAZARI KUHL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-man-hospitalized-after-jumping-from-the-second-floor-of-a-burning-apartment-building/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN
 — A Lincoln man was hospitalized Tuesday night after a four-unit 
apartment complex near 21st and Washington Streets caught fire about 
8:30 p.m.&nbsp;

First responders took the tenant of 
the burned unit to a local hospital. It was unknown by 10:30 p.m. 
whether he suffered any injuries, according to Battalion Chief Bob 
Watton.&nbsp;

“I heard the smoke alarm go off, and 
then I started smelling something burning,” Hector Santillan, who has 
lived in the building in the Near South neighborhood for&nbsp; two years, 
told the Nebraska Examiner.&nbsp;

Santillan said he walked out of his 
apartment and into the complex’s hallway and saw smoke coming from 
underneath an upstairs neighbor’s door. So he began banging and shouting
 on all three neighbors’ doors to alert them of the fire.&nbsp;

“I was pretty much panicking,” Santillan said.&nbsp;

Santillan said he ran outside to the 
building and went next door to ask neighbors to call 911. He then 
decided to grab whatever he could save from his unit, including his 
photo albums, birth certificate and passport.&nbsp;

While
 rushing outside with his belongings, Santillan said he saw one of his 
neighbors in the building stumble onto his second-story balcony.&nbsp;

“Dude, you got to (expletive) jump,” 
Santillan shouted from the front lawn up to his neighbor’s balcony. The 
man leapt from his balcony&nbsp; and landed near Santillan.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Santillan said he had recently 
purchased a home nearby and has been renovating it. However, he said, he
 decided to take the evening off and stay at his apartment. He wondered 
what would have happened to his neighbor if he hadn’t been there.&nbsp;

“All I was worried about was that he got out,” Santillan said.

Everyone else in the complex was evacuated. The cause of the fire wasn’t known Tuesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670423129990.png" alt="Lincoln Fire &amp; Rescue extinguishing the fire on the top floor of the complex near 21st and Washington Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Dec. 6, 2022. (Jazari Kual/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Lincoln Fire &amp; Rescue extinguishing the fire on the top floor of the complex near 21st and Washington Streets in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Dec. 6, 2022. (Jazari Kual/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By JAZARI KUHL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/lincoln-man-hospitalized-after-jumping-from-the-second-floor-of-a-burning-apartment-building/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN
 — A Lincoln man was hospitalized Tuesday night after a four-unit 
apartment complex near 21st and Washington Streets caught fire about 
8:30 p.m.&nbsp;First responders took the tenant of 
the burned unit to a local hospital. It was unknown by 10:30 p.m. 
whether he suffered any injuries, according to Battalion Chief Bob 
Watton.&nbsp;“I heard the smoke alarm go off, and 
then I started smelling something burning,” Hector Santillan, who has 
lived in the building in the Near South neighborhood for&nbsp; two years, 
told the Nebraska Examiner.&nbsp;Santillan said he walked out of his 
apartment and into the complex’s hallway and saw smoke coming from 
underneath an upstairs neighbor’s door. So he began banging and shouting
 on all three neighbors’ doors to alert them of the fire.&nbsp;“I was pretty much panicking,” Santillan said.&nbsp;Santillan said he ran outside to the 
building and went next door to ask neighbors to call 911. He then 
decided to grab whatever he could save from his unit, including his 
photo albums, birth certificate and passport.&nbsp;While
 rushing outside with his belongings, Santillan said he saw one of his 
neighbors in the building stumble onto his second-story balcony.&nbsp;“Dude, you got to (expletive) jump,” 
Santillan shouted from the front lawn up to his neighbor’s balcony. The 
man leapt from his balcony&nbsp; and landed near Santillan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Santillan said he had recently 
purchased a home nearby and has been renovating it. However, he said, he
 decided to take the evening off and stay at his apartment. He wondered 
what would have happened to his neighbor if he hadn’t been there.&nbsp;“All I was worried about was that he got out,” Santillan said.Everyone else in the complex was evacuated. The cause of the fire wasn’t known Tuesday night.

Neb. man hospitalized after jumping from burning building

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a case with the potential to fundamentally reshape elections for Congress and the presidency.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen</a> to the oral arguments 9a.m. CST

The justices are hearing arguments Wednesday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-north-carolina-legislature-3d92b5079e7d66913a9a74678e0680d2">the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts</a>&nbsp;drawn by the legislature because they violate state constitutions.

Republicans from North Carolina who are bringing the case to the high court argue that a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the elections clause gives state lawmakers virtually total control over the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections, including redistricting, and cuts state courts out of the process.

The Republicans are advancing a concept called the independent legislature theory, never before adopted by the Supreme Court but cited approvingly by four conservative justices.

A broad ruling could threaten hundreds of election laws, require separate rules for federal and state elections on the same ballot and lead to new efforts to redraw congressional districts to maximize partisan advantage.

The court's decision in the North Carolina case also might suggest how the justices would deal with another part of the Constitution — not at issue in the current case — that gives legislatures the authority to decide how presidential electors are appointed. That provision, the electors clause, was central to efforts to try to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in several closely contested states.

The North Carolina state Supreme Court struck down districts drawn by Republicans who control the legislature because they heavily favored Republicans in the highly competitive state. The court-drawn map used in last month's elections for Congress produced a 7-7 split between Democrats and Republicans.

North Carolina is among six states in recent years in which state courts have ruled that overly partisan redistricting for Congress violated their state constitutions. The others are Florida, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

State courts have become the only legal forum for challenging partisan congressional maps since the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that those lawsuits cannot be brought in federal court.

“This is the single most important case on American democracy -- and for American democracy -- in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court and joined by four other conservative justices, noted that state courts remained open. “Provisions in state statutes and state constitutions can provide standards and guidance for state courts to apply,” Roberts wrote, in an opinion joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas.

But Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas wrote in March that they would have allowed the Republican-drawn map to be used this year. Alito wrote for the three justices that “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.”

Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections, citing an opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election. Thomas was one of the three justices on that 22-year-old opinion, but the court decided the case on other grounds.

In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers won't have to wait for the court's decision to produce a new congressional map that is expected to have more Republican districts.

Even as Democrats won half the state's 14 congressional seats, Republicans seized control of the state Supreme Court. Two newly elected Republican justices give them a 5-2 edge that makes it more likely than not that the court would uphold a map with more Republican districts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1609956651601.png" alt="Michael Luttig, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-riots-government-and-politics-election-2020-0a325b3a16d10dd5db8d715b011c92f8">advised former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can't be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Michael Luttig, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-biden-riots-government-and-politics-election-2020-0a325b3a16d10dd5db8d715b011c92f8">advised former Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;that he had no authority to reject electoral votes following the 2020 election, is among several prominent conservatives and Republicans who have lined up against the broad assertion that legislatures can't be challenged in state courts when they make decisions about federal elections, including congressional redistricting-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a case with the potential to fundamentally reshape elections for Congress and the presidency.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen</a> to the oral arguments 9a.m. CSTThe justices are hearing arguments Wednesday over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-north-carolina-legislature-3d92b5079e7d66913a9a74678e0680d2">the power of state courts to strike down congressional districts</a>&nbsp;drawn by the legislature because they violate state constitutions.Republicans from North Carolina who are bringing the case to the high court argue that a provision of the U.S. Constitution known as the elections clause gives state lawmakers virtually total control over the “times, places and manner” of congressional elections, including redistricting, and cuts state courts out of the process.The Republicans are advancing a concept called the independent legislature theory, never before adopted by the Supreme Court but cited approvingly by four conservative justices.A broad ruling could threaten hundreds of election laws, require separate rules for federal and state elections on the same ballot and lead to new efforts to redraw congressional districts to maximize partisan advantage.The court's decision in the North Carolina case also might suggest how the justices would deal with another part of the Constitution — not at issue in the current case — that gives legislatures the authority to decide how presidential electors are appointed. That provision, the electors clause, was central to efforts to try to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election in several closely contested states.The North Carolina state Supreme Court struck down districts drawn by Republicans who control the legislature because they heavily favored Republicans in the highly competitive state. The court-drawn map used in last month's elections for Congress produced a 7-7 split between Democrats and Republicans.North Carolina is among six states in recent years in which state courts have ruled that overly partisan redistricting for Congress violated their state constitutions. The others are Florida, Maryland, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.State courts have become the only legal forum for challenging partisan congressional maps since the Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that those lawsuits cannot be brought in federal court.“This is the single most important case on American democracy -- and for American democracy -- in the nation’s history,” said former federal judge Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative who has joined the legal team defending the North Carolina court decision.Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court and joined by four other conservative justices, noted that state courts remained open. “Provisions in state statutes and state constitutions can provide standards and guidance for state courts to apply,” Roberts wrote, in an opinion joined by Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas.But Alito, Gorsuch and Thomas wrote in March that they would have allowed the Republican-drawn map to be used this year. Alito wrote for the three justices that “there must be some limit on the authority of state courts to countermand actions taken by state legislatures when they are prescribing rules for the conduct of federal elections. I think it is likely that the applicants would succeed in showing that the North Carolina Supreme Court exceeded those limits.”Kavanaugh has separately written about the need for federal courts to police the actions of state courts when it comes to federal elections, citing an opinion by three conservatives in the Bush v. Gore case that settled the 2000 presidential election. Thomas was one of the three justices on that 22-year-old opinion, but the court decided the case on other grounds.In North Carolina, Republican lawmakers won't have to wait for the court's decision to produce a new congressional map that is expected to have more Republican districts.Even as Democrats won half the state's 14 congressional seats, Republicans seized control of the state Supreme Court. Two newly elected Republican justices give them a 5-2 edge that makes it more likely than not that the court would uphold a map with more Republican districts.___

🎤 Supreme Court hears case that could reshape voting in the U.S.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge ordered a Wisconsin company that cleans hundreds of slaughterhouses nationwide to ensure it is complying with child labor laws after investigators identified at least 50 minors scrubbing and sanitizing dangerous equipment on overnight shifts at five different meatpacking plants in three states.

As part of an agreement with the Labor Department that was announced along with Tuesday’s court ruling in Nebraska, Packers Sanitation Services Inc. also promised to hire an outside consultant to review its hiring policies and provide additional training for its managers.

Investigators with the Labor Department visited three plants owned by JBS and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota this fall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">found 31 underage workers</a>&nbsp;as young as 13. Since this lawsuit was filed last month, additional underage workers have been identified, including at two additional plants: the Greater Omaha Packing Co. beef plant in Omaha, Nebraska, and a George’s Inc. poultry plant in Springdale, Arkansas.

Investigators also searched a Tyson Foods plant in Sedalia, Missouri, but the Labor Department hasn't identified any minors working there yet.

Thousands of pages of records from other plants are also being reviewed to determine if any additional minors are working there. At the plants where underage workers have been identified so far, investigators are comparing local school records with Packers Sanitation Services records to identify workers younger than 18. The company employs some 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest firms out there that cleans food processing plants.

"This case should serve as a stark reminder for all employers that the U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate violations of the law, especially those that put vulnerable children at risk,” said Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri who is based in Chicago.

PSSI Vice President of Marketing Gina Swenson said the company already does what the government recommends to verify the age and immigration status of its employees, but it agreed to take additional steps to ensure compliance and address the Labor Department's concerns.

“We have been crystal clear from the start: PSSI has a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18 and fully shares DOL’s objective of ensuring it is followed to the letter at all local plants,” Swenson said.

The company also agreed to fire any underage workers the Labor Department identifies and sanction any managers involved in hiring them. PSSI will also work to identify any minors working for it as well and fire them.

Swenson has said that PSSI is cooperating with investigators although the Labor Department said in court documents that some local managers interfered with employee interviews at the plants.

The underage workers that investigators confirmed included one 13-year-old who suffered a serious chemical burn from the caustic chemicals used to clean the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, every night.

Investigators said in court documents that some of the teens they found working for PSSI told them that “everyone there knew” that they were minors, and in one case, a search of an employment database showed that one employee’s age came up as 129-years-old when their Social Security number was checked.

The meat processing companies that own the plants where underage workers were initially identified have said they are monitoring the investigation and will consider taking action against PSSI if necessary. A representative of Greater Omaha Packing didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at the corporate headquarters of George's Inc.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A federal judge ordered a Wisconsin company that cleans hundreds of slaughterhouses nationwide to ensure it is complying with child labor laws after investigators identified at least 50 minors scrubbing and sanitizing dangerous equipment on overnight shifts at five different meatpacking plants in three states.As part of an agreement with the Labor Department that was announced along with Tuesday’s court ruling in Nebraska, Packers Sanitation Services Inc. also promised to hire an outside consultant to review its hiring policies and provide additional training for its managers.Investigators with the Labor Department visited three plants owned by JBS and Turkey Valley Farms in Nebraska and Minnesota this fall and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-minnesota-nebraska-b611b39f035036c236809fae06eab0ad">found 31 underage workers</a>&nbsp;as young as 13. Since this lawsuit was filed last month, additional underage workers have been identified, including at two additional plants: the Greater Omaha Packing Co. beef plant in Omaha, Nebraska, and a George’s Inc. poultry plant in Springdale, Arkansas.Investigators also searched a Tyson Foods plant in Sedalia, Missouri, but the Labor Department hasn't identified any minors working there yet.Thousands of pages of records from other plants are also being reviewed to determine if any additional minors are working there. At the plants where underage workers have been identified so far, investigators are comparing local school records with Packers Sanitation Services records to identify workers younger than 18. The company employs some 17,000 people working at more than 700 locations nationwide, making it one of the largest firms out there that cleans food processing plants."This case should serve as a stark reminder for all employers that the U.S. Department of Labor will not tolerate violations of the law, especially those that put vulnerable children at risk,” said Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri who is based in Chicago.PSSI Vice President of Marketing Gina Swenson said the company already does what the government recommends to verify the age and immigration status of its employees, but it agreed to take additional steps to ensure compliance and address the Labor Department's concerns.“We have been crystal clear from the start: PSSI has a zero-tolerance policy against employing anyone under the age of 18 and fully shares DOL’s objective of ensuring it is followed to the letter at all local plants,” Swenson said.The company also agreed to fire any underage workers the Labor Department identifies and sanction any managers involved in hiring them. PSSI will also work to identify any minors working for it as well and fire them.Swenson has said that PSSI is cooperating with investigators although the Labor Department said in court documents that some local managers interfered with employee interviews at the plants.The underage workers that investigators confirmed included one 13-year-old who suffered a serious chemical burn from the caustic chemicals used to clean the JBS plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, every night.Investigators said in court documents that some of the teens they found working for PSSI told them that “everyone there knew” that they were minors, and in one case, a search of an employment database showed that one employee’s age came up as 129-years-old when their Social Security number was checked.The meat processing companies that own the plants where underage workers were initially identified have said they are monitoring the investigation and will consider taking action against PSSI if necessary. A representative of Greater Omaha Packing didn't immediately respond to questions Tuesday, and no one answered the phone at the corporate headquarters of George's Inc.

Judge orders slaughterhouse cleaners not to hire minors

WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.

Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.

Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.

Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged.

"I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.

Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.

The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.

It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.

The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.

Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.

“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.

On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; 

"Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."

Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.

“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670380837123.png" alt="Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube" />
 <figcaption>Image from Saturday's game courtesy Valley Center High School YouTube</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) —Two Kansas high schools are investigating after students at one school reportedly yelled racist and offensive taunts at the other school's basketball team.Topeka High School's team was subjected to “racial slurs, threats and disgusting taunts,” during a game on Saturday with Valley Center High School, Coach Geo Lyons said in a Change.org petition. He also said Valley Center students used a Black baby doll to taunt his team during the game.Lyons has started a petition asking that Valley Center High School fans be removed from sporting events.Lyons told KSN-TV that his son was shooting a free throw when the Valley Center student section chanted an expletive. He also alleged that racial epithets were used and his team was told they were going to be hanged."I had a down locker room, I’m talking about tears were flowing in that locker room,” Lyons said.Valley Center officials issued an apology Monday to Topeka High School for “inappropriate language and behavior” by students during the game.The district said in a statement that Topeka and Valley Center officials spent much of the weekend studying videos and interviewing people in attendance. As of Tuesday, the officials had not found evidence of specifically racist taunts but Valley Center acknowledged that students acted inappropriately.It said students who chanted the expletive at the Topeka student were immediately removed and Valley Center officials worked to prevent any other negative interactions when the game ended.The Black baby doll was part of a class assignment that requires students to “parent” the baby for a few days, the district said. It was not brought to the game intentionally to taunt Topeka High School but “without context, seeing the baby and images of the ‘baby’ caused hurt and concern to many, and for that we are very sorry,” the statement said.Valley Center Superintendent Cory Gibson had a “fruitful” conversation about the incident with representatives of the NAACP on Tuesday, spokeswoman Amy Pavlacka said. Gibson and Valley Center High School Principal Bruce Lolling also visited with patrons from both cities to discuss the situation.“As a district, we sent a letter to all VCHS families and students explaining there would be follow-up consequences for those students involved, and that we, as a community, should learn and grow from this experience,” the statement said.On Tuesday, Valley Center called off school for Wednesday, Dec. 7 as a result of threats. "Out of an abundance of caution for all of our students and staff and after consulting with local law enforcement, all USD 262 buildings and schools will be closed, and all activities will be canceled, according to a statement sent from Dr. Gibson."&nbsp; "Staff members are not to report to work unless specifically requested by their supervisor.&nbsp;The difficult decision to close our schools was a result of online threats received by our district this evening. Law enforcement is investigating these threats."Topeka schools Superintendent Tiffany Anderson said in a letter to district patrons that the incident has been reported to the Kansas State High School Activities Association.She said the Topeka district appreciated Valley Center's apology but they hope the district will take appropriate steps to address what occurred with those involved.“I am so grateful for our coaches, principal (Rebecca) Morrisey and the mighty Trojans at Topeka High who modeled the conduct we expect from our students and we hope that it sets the example of what excellence looks like for others to learn from moving forward,” Anderson wrote.

Kan. district cancels school after threats, investigation of offensive chants 

By FELICIA FONSECA Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The leader of small polygamous group near the Arizona-Utah border had taken at least 20 wives, most of them minors, and punished followers who did not treat him as a prophet, newly filed federal court documents show.

Samuel Bateman was a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, until he left to start his own small offshoot group. He was supported financially by male followers who also gave up their own wives and children to be Bateman's wives, according to an FBI affidavit.

The document filed Friday provides new insight about what investigators have found in a case that first became public in August. It accompanied charges of kidnapping and impeding a foreseeable prosecution against three of Bateman's wives — Naomi Bistline, Donnae Barlow and Moretta Rose Johnson.

Bistline and Barlow are scheduled to appear in federal magistrate court in Flagstaff on Wednesday. Johnson is awaiting extradition from Washington state.

The women are accused of fleeing with eight of Bateman's children, who were placed in Arizona state custody earlier this year. The children were found last week hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in Spokane, Washington.

Bateman was arrested in August when someone spotted small fingers in the gap of a trailer he was hauling through Flagstaff. He posted bond but was arrested again and charged with obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activity.

Court records allege that Bateman, 46, engaged in child sex trafficking and polygamy, but none of his current charges relate to those allegations. Polygamy is illegal in Arizona but was decriminalized in Utah in 2020.

Arizona Department of Child Services spokesman Darren DaRonco and FBI spokesman Kevin Smith declined to comment on the case Tuesday. Bistline's attorney didn't respond to a request for comment, and Barlow's attorney declined to comment. Johnson didn't have a publicly listed attorney.

The FBI affidavit filed in the women's case largely centers on Bateman, who proclaimed himself a prophet in 2019. Bateman says he was told by former FLDS leader Warren Jeffs to invoke the "Spirit of God on these people." The affidavit details explicit sexual acts that Bateman and his followers engaged in to fulfill "Godly duties."

Jeffs is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for child sex abuse related to underage marriages.

Criminal defense attorney Michael Piccarreta, who represented Jeffs on Arizona charges that were dismissed, said the state has a history of trying to take a stand against polygamy by charging relatively minor offenses to build bigger cases.

"Whether this is the same tactic that has been used in the past or whether there's more to the story, only time will tell," he said.

The office of Bateman's attorney in the federal case, Adam Zickerman, declined to comment Tuesday.

Bateman lived in Colorado City among a patchwork of devout members of the polygamous FLDS, ex-church members and those who don't practice the beliefs. Polygamy is a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the mainstream church abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it.

Bateman often traveled to Nebraska where some of his other followers lived and internationally to Canada and Mexico for conferences.

When Bateman was arrested earlier this year, he instructed his followers to obtain passports and to delete messages sent through an encrypted system, authorities said.

He demanded that his followers confess publicly for any indiscretions, and shared those confessions widely, according to the FBI affidavit. He claimed the punishments, which ranged from a time out to public shaming and sexual activity, came from the Lord, the affidavit states.

The children identified by their initials in court documents have said little to authorities. The three children found in the trailer Bateman was hauling through Flagstaff — which had a makeshift toilet, a couch, camping chairs and no ventilation — told authorities they didn't have any health or medical needs, a police report stated.

None of the girls placed in state custody in Arizona disclosed sexual abuse by Bateman during forensic interviews, though one said she was present during sexual activity, according to the FBI affidavit. But the girls often wrote in journals that were seized by the FBI. In them, several of the girls referenced intimate interactions with Bateman. Authorities believe the older girls influenced the younger ones not to talk about Bateman, the FBI said.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670418694316.png" alt="Bateman" />
 <figcaption>Bateman</figcaption>
 </figure>By FELICIA FONSECA Associated PressFLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The leader of small polygamous group near the Arizona-Utah border had taken at least 20 wives, most of them minors, and punished followers who did not treat him as a prophet, newly filed federal court documents show.Samuel Bateman was a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, until he left to start his own small offshoot group. He was supported financially by male followers who also gave up their own wives and children to be Bateman's wives, according to an FBI affidavit.The document filed Friday provides new insight about what investigators have found in a case that first became public in August. It accompanied charges of kidnapping and impeding a foreseeable prosecution against three of Bateman's wives — Naomi Bistline, Donnae Barlow and Moretta Rose Johnson.Bistline and Barlow are scheduled to appear in federal magistrate court in Flagstaff on Wednesday. Johnson is awaiting extradition from Washington state.The women are accused of fleeing with eight of Bateman's children, who were placed in Arizona state custody earlier this year. The children were found last week hundreds of miles (kilometers) away in Spokane, Washington.Bateman was arrested in August when someone spotted small fingers in the gap of a trailer he was hauling through Flagstaff. He posted bond but was arrested again and charged with obstructing justice in a federal investigation into whether children were being transported across state lines for sexual activity.Court records allege that Bateman, 46, engaged in child sex trafficking and polygamy, but none of his current charges relate to those allegations. Polygamy is illegal in Arizona but was decriminalized in Utah in 2020.Arizona Department of Child Services spokesman Darren DaRonco and FBI spokesman Kevin Smith declined to comment on the case Tuesday. Bistline's attorney didn't respond to a request for comment, and Barlow's attorney declined to comment. Johnson didn't have a publicly listed attorney.The FBI affidavit filed in the women's case largely centers on Bateman, who proclaimed himself a prophet in 2019. Bateman says he was told by former FLDS leader Warren Jeffs to invoke the "Spirit of God on these people." The affidavit details explicit sexual acts that Bateman and his followers engaged in to fulfill "Godly duties."Jeffs is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for child sex abuse related to underage marriages.Criminal defense attorney Michael Piccarreta, who represented Jeffs on Arizona charges that were dismissed, said the state has a history of trying to take a stand against polygamy by charging relatively minor offenses to build bigger cases."Whether this is the same tactic that has been used in the past or whether there's more to the story, only time will tell," he said.The office of Bateman's attorney in the federal case, Adam Zickerman, declined to comment Tuesday.Bateman lived in Colorado City among a patchwork of devout members of the polygamous FLDS, ex-church members and those who don't practice the beliefs. Polygamy is a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the mainstream church abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it.Bateman often traveled to Nebraska where some of his other followers lived and internationally to Canada and Mexico for conferences.When Bateman was arrested earlier this year, he instructed his followers to obtain passports and to delete messages sent through an encrypted system, authorities said.He demanded that his followers confess publicly for any indiscretions, and shared those confessions widely, according to the FBI affidavit. He claimed the punishments, which ranged from a time out to public shaming and sexual activity, came from the Lord, the affidavit states.The children identified by their initials in court documents have said little to authorities. The three children found in the trailer Bateman was hauling through Flagstaff — which had a makeshift toilet, a couch, camping chairs and no ventilation — told authorities they didn't have any health or medical needs, a police report stated.None of the girls placed in state custody in Arizona disclosed sexual abuse by Bateman during forensic interviews, though one said she was present during sexual activity, according to the FBI affidavit. But the girls often wrote in journals that were seized by the FBI. In them, several of the girls referenced intimate interactions with Bateman. Authorities believe the older girls influenced the younger ones not to talk about Bateman, the FBI said.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
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FBI: Polygamous leader had 20 wives, many of them minors

ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.

With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.

In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.

Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.

“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.

Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.

Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.

About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.

Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.

Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.

Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.

A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.

He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.

He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.

His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.

As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”

“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.

Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.

“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”

Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.

Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.

Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.

Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669567002976.jpeg" alt="Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker. (AP Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election Tuesday, ensuring Democrats an outright majority in the Senate for the rest of President Joe Biden’s term and helping cap an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-897222c2690df16aac53f52eafafeb80">underwhelming midterm cycle for the GOP</a>&nbsp;in the last major vote of the year.With Warnock’s second runoff victory in as many years, Democrats will have a 51-49 Senate majority, gaining a seat from the current 50-50 split with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-93709b5b7ab4cef658f45751cd76c090">John Fetterman’s victory in Pennsylvania</a>. There will be divided government, however, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans having narrowly flipped House control</a>.In last month’s election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-senate-race-runoff-2022-midterms-b32e84784e9e644b3e3163b7ca9cc569">Warnock led Walker by 37,000 votes</a>&nbsp;out of almost 4 million cast, but fell short of the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Walker, a football legend who first gained fame at the University of Georgia and later in the NFL in the 1980s, was unable to overcome a bevy of damaging allegations, including claims that he paid for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-health-georgia-1a7c86004f571ea10e6f88ea375b439d">two former girlfriends’ abortions</a>.Democrats’ Georgia victory solidifies the state’s place as a Deep South battleground two years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/Georgia-election-results-4b82ba7ee3cc74d33e68daadaee2cbf3">Warnock and fellow Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff won 2021 runoffs</a>&nbsp;that gave the party Senate control just months after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-georgia-elections-bb997641ca36805c0f53f406a3529d87">Biden became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 30 years to win Georgia</a>. Voters returned Warnock to the Senate in the same cycle they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-governor-race-2022-midterm-elections-f976a0e81f193277d22e176faa852acb">reelected Republican Gov. Brian Kemp</a>&nbsp;by a comfortable margin and chose an all-GOP slate of statewide constitutional officers.“I’ll work with anyone to get things done for the people of Georgia,” Warnock, the state’s first Black senator, said throughout his campaign, a nod to the state’s historically conservative lean and his need to win over GOP-leaning independents and at least some moderate Republicans in a midterm election year.Warnock, 53, paired that argument with an emphasis on his personal values, buoyed by his status as senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, where civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. once preached.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666276868984.png" alt="Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Roger Marshall campaigned for Walker in October -Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>Walker's defeat bookends the GOP’s struggles this year to win with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-donald-trump-00c770068d8b82f165a9f4871eee983b">flawed candidates cast from Trump’s mold</a>, a blow to the former president as he builds his third White House bid.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-georgia-kamala-harris-congress-government-and-politics-0f6cc74d575921e13c19d7569e4e5382">Democrats’ new outright majority in the Senate means</a>&nbsp;the party will no longer have to negotiate a power-sharing deal with Republicans and won’t have to rely on Vice President Kamala Harris to break as many tie votes.About 1.9 million runoff votes were cast by mail and during early voting, while the state was on track for a robust Election Day, with state officials estimating an additional 1.4 million votes cast — slightly more than in the November midterm and the 2020 election.Early and mail voting did not reach the same levels as years past, and it was likely the total number of votes cast would be less than the 2021 Senate runoff election. Voting rights groups point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-does-new-georgia-gop-election-law-do-87665a200f6442e28ef43cbc60c88653">changes made by state lawmakers after the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;that shortened the period for runoffs, from nine weeks to four, as a major reason for the decline in early and mail voting.Elections officials reported few problems processing early votes and tabulating ballots cast Tuesday, but there were some delays. In south Georgia’s Lowndes County, two poll workers were in a car accident on the way to the county elections office with the memory cards from one precinct’s polling machines. A Lowndes official said a member of the local elections board went to the accident site to retrieve the memory cards so tabulations could continue.Walker benefited during the campaign from nearly unmatched name recognition from his football career, yet was dogged by questions about his fitness for office and allegations of hypocrisy.A multimillionaire businessman, Walker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-sports-business-government-and-politics-herschel-walker-7418cd7deadc414b17e3339048fef180">inflated his philanthropic activities and business achievements</a>, including claiming that his company employed hundreds of people and grossed tens of millions of dollars in sales annually, even though records indicate he had eight employees and averaged about $1.5 million a year. He has suggested that he’s worked as a law enforcement officer and graduated college, though he has done neither.He was accused by two former girlfriends of encouraging and paying for their abortions, despite&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-warnock-walker-debate-georgia-d831b6cbfce77be05102a0c6f7a0d304">supporting an outright national ban on the procedure</a>&nbsp;during the campaign. He denied both women’s claims.He was also forced to acknowledge during the campaign that he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-nashville-government-and-politics-115fc9e55e007f9203f3a0592ac83452">fathered three children out of wedlock</a>&nbsp;whom he had never before spoken about publicly. The mother of one of those children told The Daily Beast that Walker had not seen his young son since January 2016 and had to be taken to court for child support — in direct conflict with Walker’s years spent criticizing absentee fathers and his calls for Black men, in particular, to play an active role in their kids’ lives.His ex-wife said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-nfl-georgia-senate-704738fdbed64383e25e3435684d7341">Walker once held a gun to her head</a>&nbsp;and threatened to kill her. He has never denied those specifics and wrote of his violent tendencies in a 2008 memoir that attributed the behavior to mental illness.As a candidate, he sometimes mangled policy discussions, attributing the climate crisis to China’s “bad air” overtaking “good air” from the United States and arguing that diabetics could manage their health by “eating right,” a practice that isn’t enough for insulin-dependent diabetic patients.On Tuesday, Atlanta voter Tom Callaway praised the Republican Party’s strength in Georgia and said he’d supported Kemp in the opening round of voting. But he said he cast his ballot for Warnock because he didn’t think “Herschel Walker has the credentials to be a senator.”“I didn’t believe he had a statement of what he really believed in or had a campaign that made sense,” Callaway said.Walker, meanwhile, sought to portray Warnock as a yes-man for Biden. He sometimes made the attack in especially personal terms, accusing Warnock of “being on his knees, begging” at the White House — a searing charge for a Black challenger to level against a Black senator about his relationship with a white president.“My opponent is not a serious person,” Warnock said during the runoff campaign. “But the election is very serious. Don’t get those two things confused.”Warnock promoted his Senate accomplishments, touting a provision he sponsored to cap insulin costs for Medicare patients. He hailed deals on infrastructure and maternal health care forged with Republican senators, mentioning those GOP colleagues more than he did Biden or other Washington Democrats.Warnock distanced himself from Biden, whose approval ratings have lagged as inflation remains high. After the general election, Biden promised to help Warnock in any way he could, even if it meant staying away from Georgia.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/herschel-walker-biden-georgia-1091b7502bca21c9c847d564042fa845">Bypassing the president</a>, Warnock decided instead to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-herschel-walker-georgia-atlanta-83ecb9128b7db96022256efc06965718">campaign with former President Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;in the days before the runoff election.Walker, meanwhile, avoided campaigning with Trump until the campaign’s final day, when the pair conducted a conference call Monday with supporters.Walker joins failed Senate nominees Dr. Mehmet Oz of Pennsylvania, Blake Masters of Arizona, Adam Laxalt of Nevada and Don Bolduc of New Hampshire as Trump loyalists who ultimately lost races that Republicans once thought they would — or at least could — win.

Democratic Sen. Warnock wins Georgia runoff against Walker

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s company was convicted of tax fraud on Tuesday in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney, a significant repudiation of financial practices at the former president’s business.

A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records.

The verdict came on the second day of deliberations following a trial in which the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.

The conviction is a validation for New York prosecutors, who have spent three years investigating the former president and his businesses, though the penalties aren’t expected to be severe enough to jeopardize the future of Trump’s company.

As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million — a relatively small amount for a company of its size, though the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.

Trump, who recently announced he was running for president again, has said the case against his company was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” waged against him by vindictive Democrats.

Trump himself was not on trial but prosecutors alleged he “knew exactly what was going on” with the scheme, though he and the company’s lawyers have denied that.

The case against the company was built largely around testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to charges that he manipulated the company’s books and his own compensation package to illegally reduce his taxes.

Weisselberg testified in exchange for a promised five-month jail sentence.

To convict the Trump Organization, prosecutors had to convince jurors that Weisselberg or his subordinate, Senior Vice President and Controller Jeffrey McConney, were “high managerial” agents acting on the company’s behalf and that the company also benefited from his scheme.

Trump Organization lawyers repeated the mantra “Weisselberg did it for Weisselberg” throughout the monthlong trial. They contended the executive had gone rogue and betrayed the company’s trust. No one in the Trump family or the company was to blame, they argued.

Though he testified as a prosecution witness, Weisselberg also attempted to take responsibility on the witness stand, saying nobody in the Trump family knew what he was doing.

“It was my own personal greed that led to this,” an emotional Weisselberg testified.

Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to dodging taxes on $1.7 million in fringe benefits, testified that he and McConney conspired to hide that extra compensation from his income by deducting their cost from his pre-tax salary and issuing falsified W-2 forms.

During his closing argument, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass attempted to refute the claim that Trump knew nothing about the scheme. He showed jurors a lease Trump signed for Weisselberg’s company-paid apartment and a memo Trump initialed authorizing a pay cut for another executive who got perks.

“Mr. Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud,” Steinglass argued.

The verdict doesn’t end Trump’s battle with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who took office in January.

Bragg has said that a related investigation of Trump that began under his predecessor, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., is “active and ongoing.”

In that wide-ranging probe, investigators have examined whether Trump misled banks and others about the value of his real estate holdings, golf courses and other assets — allegations at the heart of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ pending lawsuit against the former president and his company.

The district attorney’s office has also investigated whether any state laws were broken when Trump’s allies made payments to two women who claimed to have had sexual affairs with the Republican years ago.

Near the end of his tenure last year, Vance directed deputies to present evidence to a grand jury for a possible indictment of Trump. After taking office, though, Bragg let that grand jury disband so he could give the case a fresh look.

On Monday, he confirmed that a new lead prosecutor had been brought on to handle that investigation, signaling again that it was still active.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670363815905.png" alt="The verdict came on the second day of deliberations-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The verdict came on the second day of deliberations-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s company was convicted of tax fraud on Tuesday in a case brought by the Manhattan District Attorney, a significant repudiation of financial practices at the former president’s business.A jury found two corporate entities at the Trump Organization guilty on all 17 counts, including conspiracy charges and falsifying business records.The verdict came on the second day of deliberations following a trial in which the Trump Organization was accused of being complicit in a scheme by top executives to avoid paying personal income taxes on job perks such as rent-free apartments and luxury cars.The conviction is a validation for New York prosecutors, who have spent three years investigating the former president and his businesses, though the penalties aren’t expected to be severe enough to jeopardize the future of Trump’s company.As punishment, the Trump Organization could be fined up to $1.6 million — a relatively small amount for a company of its size, though the conviction might make some of its future deals more complicated.Trump, who recently announced he was running for president again, has said the case against his company was part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” waged against him by vindictive Democrats.Trump himself was not on trial but prosecutors alleged he “knew exactly what was going on” with the scheme, though he and the company’s lawyers have denied that.The case against the company was built largely around testimony from the Trump Organization’s former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, who previously pleaded guilty to charges that he manipulated the company’s books and his own compensation package to illegally reduce his taxes.Weisselberg testified in exchange for a promised five-month jail sentence.To convict the Trump Organization, prosecutors had to convince jurors that Weisselberg or his subordinate, Senior Vice President and Controller Jeffrey McConney, were “high managerial” agents acting on the company’s behalf and that the company also benefited from his scheme.Trump Organization lawyers repeated the mantra “Weisselberg did it for Weisselberg” throughout the monthlong trial. They contended the executive had gone rogue and betrayed the company’s trust. No one in the Trump family or the company was to blame, they argued.Though he testified as a prosecution witness, Weisselberg also attempted to take responsibility on the witness stand, saying nobody in the Trump family knew what he was doing.“It was my own personal greed that led to this,” an emotional Weisselberg testified.Weisselberg, who pleaded guilty to dodging taxes on $1.7 million in fringe benefits, testified that he and McConney conspired to hide that extra compensation from his income by deducting their cost from his pre-tax salary and issuing falsified W-2 forms.During his closing argument, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass attempted to refute the claim that Trump knew nothing about the scheme. He showed jurors a lease Trump signed for Weisselberg’s company-paid apartment and a memo Trump initialed authorizing a pay cut for another executive who got perks.“Mr. Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud,” Steinglass argued.The verdict doesn’t end Trump’s battle with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat who took office in January.Bragg has said that a related investigation of Trump that began under his predecessor, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., is “active and ongoing.”In that wide-ranging probe, investigators have examined whether Trump misled banks and others about the value of his real estate holdings, golf courses and other assets — allegations at the heart of New York Attorney General Letitia James’ pending lawsuit against the former president and his company.The district attorney’s office has also investigated whether any state laws were broken when Trump’s allies made payments to two women who claimed to have had sexual affairs with the Republican years ago.Near the end of his tenure last year, Vance directed deputies to present evidence to a grand jury for a possible indictment of Trump. After taking office, though, Bragg let that grand jury disband so he could give the case a fresh look.On Monday, he confirmed that a new lead prosecutor had been brought on to handle that investigation, signaling again that it was still active.

Jury: Trump Organization guilty of tax fraud on all counts

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police are investigating after a swastika was sprayed on an elementary elementary school during a vandalism spree.

The vandalism at York Elementary School in Springfield, which is under construction, was found on Saturday morning, police spokeswoman Cris Waters said.

Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti. He declined to say how much damage was found but said it will require the district to file an insurance claim to recover the costs, the Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2022/12/05/anti-semitic-symbol-vandalism-reported-at-springfield-elementary/69702726007/">reported</a>.

Hall said the vandalism will not delay the opening of the new York Elementary School in January.

The vandalism comes amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-inc-entertainment-sports-business-racial-injustice-d3a65fc9f71f3bcbdab643c38fd135c3">a surge of anti-Jewish incidents</a>&nbsp;across the country, including antisemitic comments from some celebrities such as the rapper Ye.

In April, the Anti-Defamation League reported a record number of antisemitic reports in 2021. The organization said the 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism was a 34% increase over the previous year and the highest number since the ADL began tracking the events in 1979.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670353706344.png" alt="Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti.- photo courtesy KYTV" />
 <figcaption>Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti.- photo courtesy KYTV</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Police are investigating after a swastika was sprayed on an elementary elementary school during a vandalism spree.The vandalism at York Elementary School in Springfield, which is under construction, was found on Saturday morning, police spokeswoman Cris Waters said.Stephen Hall, spokesman for Springfield Public Schools, said the district immediately replaced the window where the swastika was found and removed the graffiti. He declined to say how much damage was found but said it will require the district to file an insurance claim to recover the costs, the Springfield News-Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/education/2022/12/05/anti-semitic-symbol-vandalism-reported-at-springfield-elementary/69702726007/">reported</a>.Hall said the vandalism will not delay the opening of the new York Elementary School in January.The vandalism comes amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-inc-entertainment-sports-business-racial-injustice-d3a65fc9f71f3bcbdab643c38fd135c3">a surge of anti-Jewish incidents</a>&nbsp;across the country, including antisemitic comments from some celebrities such as the rapper Ye.In April, the Anti-Defamation League reported a record number of antisemitic reports in 2021. The organization said the 2,717 incidents of assault, harassment and vandalism was a 34% increase over the previous year and the highest number since the ADL began tracking the events in 1979.

Vandalism at elementary school includes a swastika

WASHINGTON —Kraft Heinz Foods Company of Kirksville, Missouri, is recalling approximately 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products due to possible cross-contamination with under-processed products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday, according to a statement from the USDA.

The ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products were produced on Oct. 10, 2022.&nbsp;

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 537V” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution centers in Ohio and Virginia, and further distributed for retail sales.

The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that the product was sliced on the same equipment as product that had been under processed, and the equipment was not cleaned between runs of the under-processed and fully cooked product. This has led to concerns of possible cross-contamination of the fully cooked ham and cheese loaf product.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Lynsey Elve, Associate Director, Global Corporate Communications, The Kraft Heinz Food Company, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com">lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kraft Heinz Food Company Consumer Hotline at 1-866-572-3806.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670348951082.png" alt="16-oz. rigid vacuum-packed packages containing “Oscar Mayer Ham &amp; Cheese LOAF”&nbsp; &nbsp;with codes from “07 Feb 2023 20:40 7B” through “07 Feb 2023 22:16 7B” on the label.-USDA image" />
 <figcaption>16-oz. rigid vacuum-packed packages containing “Oscar Mayer Ham &amp; Cheese LOAF”&nbsp; &nbsp;with codes from “07 Feb 2023 20:40 7B” through “07 Feb 2023 22:16 7B” on the label.-USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Kraft Heinz Foods Company of Kirksville, Missouri, is recalling approximately 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products due to possible cross-contamination with under-processed products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Tuesday, according to a statement from the USDA.The ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products were produced on Oct. 10, 2022.&nbsp;The products subject to recall bear establishment number “Est. 537V” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to distribution centers in Ohio and Virginia, and further distributed for retail sales.The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that the product was sliced on the same equipment as product that had been under processed, and the equipment was not cleaned between runs of the under-processed and fully cooked product. This has led to concerns of possible cross-contamination of the fully cooked ham and cheese loaf product.There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.&nbsp;&nbsp;FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution lists will be posted on the FSIS website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls">www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls</a>.Consumers and members of the media with questions about the recall can contact Lynsey Elve, Associate Director, Global Corporate Communications, The Kraft Heinz Food Company, at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com">lynsey.elve@kraftheinz.com</a>&nbsp;or call the Kraft Heinz Food Company Consumer Hotline at 1-866-572-3806.Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or live chat via&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Consumers can also browse food safety messages at&nbsp;<a href="https://ask.usda.gov/">Ask USDA</a>&nbsp;or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/</a>.

Oscar Mayer cold cuts recalled due to possible cross-contamination

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, even as it bumps up against a complex web of strict new state laws enacted in the months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">after the Supreme Court stripped</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right.

Looking to seize on momentum following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-health-religion-9c15e24b280fe9c65f4f0c3ab4febb2a">midterm election</a>&nbsp;where voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michigan-23bfba4a07de57b175d9de1281ecace6">widely rebuked tougher abortion restrictions,</a>&nbsp;there’s a renewed push at the White House to find ways to help women in states that have virtually outlawed or limited the treatment, and to keep the issue top of mind for voters.

In reality, though, the administration is shackled by a ban on federal funding for most abortions, a conservative-leaning Supreme Court inclined to rule against abortion rights and a split Congress unwilling to pass legislation on the matter.

Meanwhile, frustration on the ground in the most abortion-restricted states is mounting.

“This is not going away anytime soon," said Jen Klein of the Biden administration's Gender Policy Council. “Tens of millions of Americans are living under bans of various sorts, many of them quite extreme, and even in states where abortion is legal, we’re all seeing the impact on providers and on systems being loaded by people who are coming across state lines.”

Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure.

Administration officials are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday with state lawmakers ahead of their 2023 sessions, including in states with more extreme bans on the table, and will discuss safeguarding rights and helping women access care as top issues. The meetings follow sit-downs with roughly nine governors, attorneys general and Democratic state legislators from more than 30 states.

The administration, meanwhile, is implementing Biden’s executive orders signed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">July</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-health-medicaid-edbef331da1b96baf2b7a3eee54c36f4">August that</a>&nbsp;directed federal agencies to push back on abortion restrictions and protect women traveling out of their state to seek one, though some women’s rights advocates say it doesn't go far enough.

And there are still other avenues left for the administration to explore, said Kathleen Sebelius, a former U.S. health and human services secretary.

HHS might look to wield its power around federal protections for health care providers, life-saving abortions, abortion pills and travel for women in abortion-restricted states, she said. During her tenure, for example, the agency did some policy maneuvering to expand rights for same-sex couples, including a requirement that any hospitals receiving federal funds allow their patients to select a same-sex partner as a visitor, years before gay marriage was legalized.

“It’s amazing how broad a lot of the agency’s authorities are and how much creative thinking can go on,” Sebelius said.

Already, the Justice Department has sued Idaho over its restrictive abortion policy and indicted at least 20 people who have been accused of obstructing access to abortion clinics. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he would protect the right for women to travel between states for medical care.

Veterans and their beneficiaries are able to access abortion, even in states that have outlawed it, through the Department of Veteran Affairs in cases where the woman’s life or health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. The Defense Department will cover leave and travel costs for troops seeking abortions if they are not available in their state.

The Federal Trade Commission has sued at least one data broker for selling information that tracks people at reproductive health care clinics, while the Federal Communication Commission reminded 15 mobile carriers of privacy laws in a recent letter.

Perhaps most consequentially, the Department of Health and Human Services told hospitals they “must” provide abortions if a mother’s life is at risk. The agency cited federal law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-lawsuits-xavier-becerra-ken-paxton-79b4db553df2d9f757e105eb7a64ada4">called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act</a>, or EMTALA, that requires medical facilities to provide treatment if a person may be in labor or faces an emergency health situation.

But “no executive action can replace a precedent of nearly 50 years,” Klein said. “The most important thing is to fight for national legislation.”

None is upcoming in the lame-duck session before Republicans take control of the House. And Biden is limited in what else he can do.

Indeed, the administration's moves so far have made little difference in Ohio, said Kellie Copeland, the executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio. A law that would essentially ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected is awaiting a court ruling. Currently, abortion is banned at 22 weeks, state Medicaid funds can't be used for abortion and parental consent is required for a minor to receive care.

“I can say as an advocate in Ohio, no one is saying, ‘Oh wow, this has made a difference,’” Copeland said. “The impact has not been felt.”

Copeland's organization is one of about 50 local advocacy groups and abortion clinics entrenched in states and cities that asked the president in an August letter to offer federal travel and childcare vouchers for people living in states where abortion is banned, introduce federal protections for mailing abortion pills, and gather hospital attorneys to reiterate that doctors must give abortions in life-saving situations.

Meanwhile, there's chaos at hospitals located in the country's most restrictive states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-business-890e813d855b57cf8e92ff799580e7e8">where doctors treating critically ill pregnant patients must weigh their medical recommendations against potential punishments like prison time</a>. Reports of sick pregnant women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-government-and-politics-da85c82bf3e9ced09ad499e350ae5ee3">turned away by doctors or facing unsafe delays</a>&nbsp;in medical care are pouring in.

HHS is investigating at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-missouri-joplin-4204d1c9c7e9b83a93c833603e55a588">one hospital in Missouri</a>&nbsp;after officials there refused to let doctors perform an abortion on a woman during a medical emergency, but won't say how many complaints it has received against providers or hospital system for failing to provide life-saving care.

In August, HHS also invited states to apply for Medicaid waivers that would unlock federal funds to pay for travel costs for women who live in states where abortion procedures have been severely restricted.

Not a single state has applied, although the agency said it is in talks with officials in some states about applications.

In Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-louisiana-lawsuits-government-and-politics-2aee46370d4a236c91a63515e0e0cca2">where abortion is banned except</a>&nbsp;in certain cases where a mother's life is at stake, federal policies around travel are likely to have the most impact, said Michelle Erenberg of the New Orleans-based abortion rights advocacy group Lift Louisiana.

She's not hopeful that other federal proposals will ease how women access abortion directly in the state.

"It’s a little frustrating,” Erenberg said. “Also, we understand there’s only so much the administration is going to be able to do when a state like Louisiana has decided to enact a near total ban on abortion care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666127025170.png" alt="Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is still actively searching for ways to safeguard abortion access for millions of women, even as it bumps up against a complex web of strict new state laws enacted in the months&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">after the Supreme Court stripped</a>&nbsp;the constitutional right.Looking to seize on momentum following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-inflation-health-religion-9c15e24b280fe9c65f4f0c3ab4febb2a">midterm election</a>&nbsp;where voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-us-supreme-court-health-michigan-23bfba4a07de57b175d9de1281ecace6">widely rebuked tougher abortion restrictions,</a>&nbsp;there’s a renewed push at the White House to find ways to help women in states that have virtually outlawed or limited the treatment, and to keep the issue top of mind for voters.In reality, though, the administration is shackled by a ban on federal funding for most abortions, a conservative-leaning Supreme Court inclined to rule against abortion rights and a split Congress unwilling to pass legislation on the matter.Meanwhile, frustration on the ground in the most abortion-restricted states is mounting.“This is not going away anytime soon," said Jen Klein of the Biden administration's Gender Policy Council. “Tens of millions of Americans are living under bans of various sorts, many of them quite extreme, and even in states where abortion is legal, we’re all seeing the impact on providers and on systems being loaded by people who are coming across state lines.”Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision in June, roughly half the states have some type of abortion restrictions in place, with at least 11 states essentially banning the procedure.Administration officials are meeting Tuesday and Wednesday with state lawmakers ahead of their 2023 sessions, including in states with more extreme bans on the table, and will discuss safeguarding rights and helping women access care as top issues. The meetings follow sit-downs with roughly nine governors, attorneys general and Democratic state legislators from more than 30 states.The administration, meanwhile, is implementing Biden’s executive orders signed in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">July</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-health-medicaid-edbef331da1b96baf2b7a3eee54c36f4">August that</a>&nbsp;directed federal agencies to push back on abortion restrictions and protect women traveling out of their state to seek one, though some women’s rights advocates say it doesn't go far enough.And there are still other avenues left for the administration to explore, said Kathleen Sebelius, a former U.S. health and human services secretary.HHS might look to wield its power around federal protections for health care providers, life-saving abortions, abortion pills and travel for women in abortion-restricted states, she said. During her tenure, for example, the agency did some policy maneuvering to expand rights for same-sex couples, including a requirement that any hospitals receiving federal funds allow their patients to select a same-sex partner as a visitor, years before gay marriage was legalized.“It’s amazing how broad a lot of the agency’s authorities are and how much creative thinking can go on,” Sebelius said.Already, the Justice Department has sued Idaho over its restrictive abortion policy and indicted at least 20 people who have been accused of obstructing access to abortion clinics. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he would protect the right for women to travel between states for medical care.Veterans and their beneficiaries are able to access abortion, even in states that have outlawed it, through the Department of Veteran Affairs in cases where the woman’s life or health is at risk or in cases of rape or incest. The Defense Department will cover leave and travel costs for troops seeking abortions if they are not available in their state.The Federal Trade Commission has sued at least one data broker for selling information that tracks people at reproductive health care clinics, while the Federal Communication Commission reminded 15 mobile carriers of privacy laws in a recent letter.Perhaps most consequentially, the Department of Health and Human Services told hospitals they “must” provide abortions if a mother’s life is at risk. The agency cited federal law,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-lawsuits-xavier-becerra-ken-paxton-79b4db553df2d9f757e105eb7a64ada4">called the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act</a>, or EMTALA, that requires medical facilities to provide treatment if a person may be in labor or faces an emergency health situation.But “no executive action can replace a precedent of nearly 50 years,” Klein said. “The most important thing is to fight for national legislation.”None is upcoming in the lame-duck session before Republicans take control of the House. And Biden is limited in what else he can do.Indeed, the administration's moves so far have made little difference in Ohio, said Kellie Copeland, the executive director at Pro-Choice Ohio. A law that would essentially ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected is awaiting a court ruling. Currently, abortion is banned at 22 weeks, state Medicaid funds can't be used for abortion and parental consent is required for a minor to receive care.“I can say as an advocate in Ohio, no one is saying, ‘Oh wow, this has made a difference,’” Copeland said. “The impact has not been felt.”Copeland's organization is one of about 50 local advocacy groups and abortion clinics entrenched in states and cities that asked the president in an August letter to offer federal travel and childcare vouchers for people living in states where abortion is banned, introduce federal protections for mailing abortion pills, and gather hospital attorneys to reiterate that doctors must give abortions in life-saving situations.Meanwhile, there's chaos at hospitals located in the country's most restrictive states,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-business-890e813d855b57cf8e92ff799580e7e8">where doctors treating critically ill pregnant patients must weigh their medical recommendations against potential punishments like prison time</a>. Reports of sick pregnant women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-government-and-politics-da85c82bf3e9ced09ad499e350ae5ee3">turned away by doctors or facing unsafe delays</a>&nbsp;in medical care are pouring in.HHS is investigating at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-missouri-joplin-4204d1c9c7e9b83a93c833603e55a588">one hospital in Missouri</a>&nbsp;after officials there refused to let doctors perform an abortion on a woman during a medical emergency, but won't say how many complaints it has received against providers or hospital system for failing to provide life-saving care.In August, HHS also invited states to apply for Medicaid waivers that would unlock federal funds to pay for travel costs for women who live in states where abortion procedures have been severely restricted.Not a single state has applied, although the agency said it is in talks with officials in some states about applications.In Louisiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-louisiana-lawsuits-government-and-politics-2aee46370d4a236c91a63515e0e0cca2">where abortion is banned except</a>&nbsp;in certain cases where a mother's life is at stake, federal policies around travel are likely to have the most impact, said Michelle Erenberg of the New Orleans-based abortion rights advocacy group Lift Louisiana.She's not hopeful that other federal proposals will ease how women access abortion directly in the state."It’s a little frustrating,” Erenberg said. “Also, we understand there’s only so much the administration is going to be able to do when a state like Louisiana has decided to enact a near total ban on abortion care.”

Biden's efforts to protect abortion access hit roadblocks

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/06/gov-ricketts-now-says-hell-be-an-applicant-for-vacant-u-s-senate-seat/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — After playing coy for more than two months, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday he will apply for the U.S. Senate seat <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ben-sasse-makes-it-official-will-resign-u-s-senate-seat-jan-8/">being vacated by Ben Sasse.</a>

“For me, it came down to a single question: How can I best serve the 
people of Nebraska and advance our conservative values?” Ricketts said 
in a statement.

Later in the morning, the 58-year-old Republican fended off questions
 about whether his appointment was a “done deal” — as many speculate — 
since it will be decided by Gov.-elect Jim Pillen. Ricketts endorsed 
Pillen and contributed $1.3 million to Pillen’s campaign victory during a
 highly contested GOP spring primary.

“I’ll make my case on why I’m the best applicant when I have a chance
 to talk to Gov.-elect Pillen about it,” Ricketts said at a morning 
press conference on a different subject.

Jane Kleeb, the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, called 
Ricketts’ pursuit “the state’s most obvious pay-to-play case,” in a 
tweet Tuesday morning.

Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs and founded TD 
Ameritrade, rejected that when asked the same question by a reporter at 
the morning news conference. He said that he had been friends and a 
political ally with Pillen for two decades and that he will be “an 
applicant like everybody else.”

&nbsp;“I love this 
state and would love to look for additional ways to help the people of 
Nebraska. And this may be one of those opportunities,” the governor 
said.

Ricketts, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2006, said in his
 press statement that the decision came after many hours of prayer and 
family discussion.

“Over the last eight years, we’ve shown the world the real impact 
conservative leadership can have,” Ricketts said. “I want to continue 
delivering results for our state, fighting to reduce taxes, grow our 
economy, defend our liberties, and run government more like a business.”

It has been widely speculated that the Senate post is Ricketts’, if he wanted it.

Pillen announced Monday that he was seeking applicants and that he 
wanted to fill the vacancy quickly. He set a Dec. 23 deadline for 
applications.

When <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/07/ricketts-punts-decision-to-next-governor-to-appoint-replacement-for-ben-sasse-if-he-resigns/">Sasse’s pending resignation became public in October</a>,
 Ricketts said he would defer the appointment of a replacement to 
Pillen, who takes office Jan. 5, three days before Sasse’s resignation 
takes effect.

Ricketts, in a statement then, said, “If I choose to pursue the 
appointment, I will leave the appointment decision to the next governor 
and will follow the process established for all interested candidates.”

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/12/06/gov-ricketts-now-says-hell-be-an-applicant-for-vacant-u-s-senate-seat/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — After playing coy for more than two months, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Tuesday he will apply for the U.S. Senate seat <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/ben-sasse-makes-it-official-will-resign-u-s-senate-seat-jan-8/">being vacated by Ben Sasse.</a>“For me, it came down to a single question: How can I best serve the 
people of Nebraska and advance our conservative values?” Ricketts said 
in a statement.Later in the morning, the 58-year-old Republican fended off questions
 about whether his appointment was a “done deal” — as many speculate — 
since it will be decided by Gov.-elect Jim Pillen. Ricketts endorsed 
Pillen and contributed $1.3 million to Pillen’s campaign victory during a
 highly contested GOP spring primary.<h2>‘An applicant like everybody else’</h2>“I’ll make my case on why I’m the best applicant when I have a chance
 to talk to Gov.-elect Pillen about it,” Ricketts said at a morning 
press conference on a different subject.Jane Kleeb, the chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, called 
Ricketts’ pursuit “the state’s most obvious pay-to-play case,” in a 
tweet Tuesday morning.Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs and founded TD 
Ameritrade, rejected that when asked the same question by a reporter at 
the morning news conference. He said that he had been friends and a 
political ally with Pillen for two decades and that he will be “an 
applicant like everybody else.”&nbsp;“I love this 
state and would love to look for additional ways to help the people of 
Nebraska. And this may be one of those opportunities,” the governor 
said.Ricketts, who unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2006, said in his
 press statement that the decision came after many hours of prayer and 
family discussion.<h2>‘Delivering results’</h2>“Over the last eight years, we’ve shown the world the real impact 
conservative leadership can have,” Ricketts said. “I want to continue 
delivering results for our state, fighting to reduce taxes, grow our 
economy, defend our liberties, and run government more like a business.”It has been widely speculated that the Senate post is Ricketts’, if he wanted it.Pillen announced Monday that he was seeking applicants and that he 
wanted to fill the vacancy quickly. He set a Dec. 23 deadline for 
applications.When <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/10/07/ricketts-punts-decision-to-next-governor-to-appoint-replacement-for-ben-sasse-if-he-resigns/">Sasse’s pending resignation became public in October</a>,
 Ricketts said he would defer the appointment of a replacement to 
Pillen, who takes office Jan. 5, three days before Sasse’s resignation 
takes effect.<h2>Deferred decision</h2>Ricketts, in a statement then, said, “If I choose to pursue the 
appointment, I will leave the appointment decision to the next governor 
and will follow the process established for all interested candidates.”Since then, the state’s top Republican has stuck to that script, saying he would defer to Pillen.“I would love to remain involved in policy and politics,” Ricketts told a caller to his monthly call-in show two weeks ago.Some Republicans have spoken out against Ricketts getting the 
appointment. In a recent submitted column in the Omaha World-Herald, 
Jeremy Aspen wrote that it looks “tawdry” and “inappropriate” that 
Ricketts would attain such a position via appointment rather than via an
 election.Ricketts said that vacancies in the U.S. Senate are filled by 
appointment, unlike vacancies in the House of Representatives, which are
 filled via special election.“This is the process,” he said.But others, including State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, a 
political ally, have said there is no one more qualified for the job 
than Ricketts.<h2>One other candidate</h2>Even before the ink dried Monday on Sasse’s official resignation 
letter, one candidate threw his hat into the ring — retired Lt. Col. 
John Weaver of Omaha. He was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Congress
 this year. Weaver wrote to Pillen that he would represent conservative 
values if selected.Last month, the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/sen-ben-sasse-confirmed-as-next-president-of-the-university-of-florida/">University of Florida Board of Governors voted</a>&nbsp;to affirm Sasse’s appointment as the next president of the university in Gainesville, Florida.Sasse, 50, had served as president of Midland University in Fremont 
before he was elected to the Senate in 2014. His first day at Florida 
will be Jan. 6.