By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-04/a-13-year-old-ran-away-from-a-kansas-foster-care-facility-and-died-driving-a-stolen-car">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — A 13-year-old foster child died after running away, stealing a car and crashing.

The
 boy was at a Halloween event in Independence, Kansas, accompanied by 
staff from qualified residential treatment program Successful Dreams, 
said the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

The child 
then took the car from Tom Davis Auto Group, the Parsons Police 
Department said. A Kansas Highway Patrol crash report says the child was
 driving west on U.S. Highway 400 on Oct. 27 when the car swerved into 
oncoming traffic and hit a semi truck.

The child died after being taken to the hospital.

Successful
 Dreams didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. DCF is 
investigating the incident but couldn’t comment further.

“These 
crashes are never easy,” Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said in a 
press release. “This hit our community hard. My sympathies go out to 
everyone involved. I only hope that this terrible incident (can be) 
learned from to avoid another senseless loss of life."

The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. 

This is the second report of a foster child who died after running away from custody this year. In April, foster child <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-05/a-15-year-old-runaway-foster-child-was-found-dead-in-kansas-city-kansas" target="_blank">Ace Scott</a> ran away and was found dead days later.

A
 federal report found that over 7% of foster children in Kansas went 
missing during a 30-month period, among the highest rate in the nation.

DCF spokesperson Mike Deines told <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/13/federal-watchdog-says-kansas-has-one-of-the-highest-rates-for-missing-foster-children/" target="_blank">the Kansas Reflector</a>
 that report used an odd time period, measuring the number of runaways 
in a 2.5-year stretch. Daily reports show about 1% of foster kids 
missing at any one time. He said the agency has improved its response to
 runaway kids since 2019, including hiring more people who look for the 
children.

“They make contact with family, friends, law enforcement
 and other community members to better understand where the youth may be
 and also identify the underlying reasons for the run behavior,” Deines 
said. “DCF believes that if we can address the ‘why’ these youth run, 
then we can make better placement decisions and connect them with 
services in order to prevent further run episodes.”

There are currently 58 children missing, down from the 74 runaways on Aug. 1.

Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the 
Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter 
@Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667581663463.png" alt="Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Blaise Mesa / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-11-04/a-13-year-old-ran-away-from-a-kansas-foster-care-facility-and-died-driving-a-stolen-car">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — A 13-year-old foster child died after running away, stealing a car and crashing.The
 boy was at a Halloween event in Independence, Kansas, accompanied by 
staff from qualified residential treatment program Successful Dreams, 
said the Kansas Department for Children and Families.The child 
then took the car from Tom Davis Auto Group, the Parsons Police 
Department said. A Kansas Highway Patrol crash report says the child was
 driving west on U.S. Highway 400 on Oct. 27 when the car swerved into 
oncoming traffic and hit a semi truck.The child died after being taken to the hospital.Successful
 Dreams didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. DCF is 
investigating the incident but couldn’t comment further.“These 
crashes are never easy,” Parsons Police Chief Robert Spinks said in a 
press release. “This hit our community hard. My sympathies go out to 
everyone involved. I only hope that this terrible incident (can be) 
learned from to avoid another senseless loss of life."The Kansas Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. This is the second report of a foster child who died after running away from custody this year. In April, foster child <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-05/a-15-year-old-runaway-foster-child-was-found-dead-in-kansas-city-kansas" target="_blank">Ace Scott</a> ran away and was found dead days later.A
 federal report found that over 7% of foster children in Kansas went 
missing during a 30-month period, among the highest rate in the nation.DCF spokesperson Mike Deines told <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/06/13/federal-watchdog-says-kansas-has-one-of-the-highest-rates-for-missing-foster-children/" target="_blank">the Kansas Reflector</a>
 that report used an odd time period, measuring the number of runaways 
in a 2.5-year stretch. Daily reports show about 1% of foster kids 
missing at any one time. He said the agency has improved its response to
 runaway kids since 2019, including hiring more people who look for the 
children.“They make contact with family, friends, law enforcement
 and other community members to better understand where the youth may be
 and also identify the underlying reasons for the run behavior,” Deines 
said. “DCF believes that if we can address the ‘why’ these youth run, 
then we can make better placement decisions and connect them with 
services in order to prevent further run episodes.”There are currently 58 children missing, down from the 74 runaways on Aug. 1.Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social services for the 
Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter 
@Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

Runaway Kansas foster child died driving a stolen car

LINCOLN, NEB.&nbsp; — Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol, working with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, arrested a Lincoln man after locating numerous controlled substances, explosives, and a firearm at his residence.

Wednesday, investigators served a search warrant at 2950 F Street #1 in Lincoln. During the search, investigators located 7 pounds of marijuana and smaller amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, tramadol pills, and THC wax. Investigators also found a shotgun, several boxes of ammunition, and two M class explosives. The explosives were removed from the home by the NSP Bomb Squad.

The resident, Jeffrey Ziegler,&nbsp;51, was lodged in Lancaster County Jail for possession of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and unlawful possession of an explosive.

By Nebraska State PatrolLINCOLN, NEB.&nbsp; — Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol, working with the Lincoln-Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force, arrested a Lincoln man after locating numerous controlled substances, explosives, and a firearm at his residence.Wednesday, investigators served a search warrant at 2950 F Street #1 in Lincoln. During the search, investigators located 7 pounds of marijuana and smaller amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, tramadol pills, and THC wax. Investigators also found a shotgun, several boxes of ammunition, and two M class explosives. The explosives were removed from the home by the NSP Bomb Squad.The resident, Jeffrey Ziegler,&nbsp;51, was lodged in Lancaster County Jail for possession of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and unlawful possession of an explosive.

Lincoln man arrested on several charges in task force investigation

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack on a student at Manhattan High School

Just after 8a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery at Manhattan High School in the 2100 block of Poyntz Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 17-year-old boy was listed as the victim when it was reported a 15-year-old girl kicked him in the head multiple times and punched him during school.

Police arrested 15-year-old Hanna Whitnack of Manhattan on requested charges of aggravated battery. She was processed through juvenile intake and released to a guardian.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack on a student at Manhattan High SchoolJust after 8a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated battery at Manhattan High School in the 2100 block of Poyntz Avenue, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.A 17-year-old boy was listed as the victim when it was reported a 15-year-old girl kicked him in the head multiple times and punched him during school.Police arrested 15-year-old Hanna Whitnack of Manhattan on requested charges of aggravated battery. She was processed through juvenile intake and released to a guardian.

Kan. girl arrested after alleged violent attack at high school

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Boot Hill Distillery owner Hayes Kelman.

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times host Gary Shorman speaks with Boot Hill Distillery owner Hayes Kelman.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V5dXj8UcwAc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

🎤 Forward Ever: Boot Hill Distillery owner Hayes Kelman

DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen is recalling nearly 225,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the tire pressure monitoring systems may not detect air losses in all four tires at the same time.

The recall covers certain 2019 Tiguan, Golf Sportswagen, Golf Alltrack, Golf R, and Audi Q3 and A3 vehicles. Also covered are some 2019 and 2020 Jetta, Golf, Atlas and Audi A3 models and some 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles.

Documents posted Friday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say a sudden pressure loss in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

Dealers will update the tire pressure monitoring software at no charge to owners. Notification letters will be sent Dec. 30.

Volkswagen petitioned to avoid a recall, saying the problem was inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. But the request was denied by the agency.

The automaker says it's not aware of any “incidents or injuries,” warranty claims or field reports about the problem.

DETROIT (AP) — Volkswagen is recalling nearly 225,000 vehicles in the U.S. because the tire pressure monitoring systems may not detect air losses in all four tires at the same time.The recall covers certain 2019 Tiguan, Golf Sportswagen, Golf Alltrack, Golf R, and Audi Q3 and A3 vehicles. Also covered are some 2019 and 2020 Jetta, Golf, Atlas and Audi A3 models and some 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport and Atlas vehicles.Documents posted Friday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say a sudden pressure loss in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.Dealers will update the tire pressure monitoring software at no charge to owners. Notification letters will be sent Dec. 30.Volkswagen petitioned to avoid a recall, saying the problem was inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. But the request was denied by the agency.The automaker says it's not aware of any “incidents or injuries,” warranty claims or field reports about the problem.

VW recall for vehicle tire pressure monitoring malfunction

Conspiracy theories about mail ballots. Anonymous text messages warning voters to stay home. Fringe social media platforms where election misinformation spreads with impunity.

Misinformation about the upcoming midterm elections has been building for months, challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-presidential-utah-conspiracy-theories-1cf8065da4c7c664da273bf0b360bfe6">election officials</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-voting-8db19582a2a2c1b0dfc2b762b0a10904">tech companies</a>&nbsp;while offering another reminder of how conspiracy theories and distrust are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-crime-social-media-race-and-ethnicity-05889f1f4076709c47fc9a18dbee818a">shaping America's politics</a>.

The claims are fueling the candidacies of election deniers and threatening to further corrode faith in voting and democracy. Many of them can be traced back to 2020, when then-President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">Trump refused to accept</a>&nbsp;the outcome of the election he lost to Joe Biden and began lying about its results.

“Misinformation is going to be central to this midterm election and central to the 2024 election,” said Bhaskar Chakravorti, who studies technological change and society and is the dean of global business at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. “The single galvanizing narrative is that the 2020 election was stolen.”

A look at key misinformation challenges heading into the 2022 election:

Political misinformation often focuses on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-social-security-number-border-552180846074">immigration</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-police-reform-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-4a65c2bc8386c06ed5bae5b7597c8f2e">crime</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-covid-19-conspiracy-theories-persist-2586c1bc28259f7e224885b609c8f131">public health</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-technology-misinformation-0da59f7a72705c5f3fcdb59af1fc7af0">geopolitics</a>, disasters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-333765746793">education</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-government-and-politics-shootings-texas-conspiracy-theories-8d9ac3b61420c6542b11d0da3f0b3a16">mass shootings</a>. This year, it's mostly about voting.

Claims about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-government-and-politics-8eaf001732ac25976f0560a3e49ed500">security of mail ballots</a>&nbsp;have grown in recent weeks, as have baseless rumors about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-science-nancy-pelosi-climate-and-environment-donald-trump-2a20444535cfc33dc605be44fcef9e1b">noncitizens voting</a>. That's in addition to claims about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-government-and-politics-presidential-299b03156144b12c0298184498f07958">dead people</a>&nbsp;casting ballots, ballot drop boxes being moved or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-9809670730">wild stories about voting machines</a>.

Trump, a Republican, attacked the legitimacy of the election even before he lost. He then refused to concede,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-fact-check-donald-trump-georgia-elections-atlanta-c23d10e5299e14daee6109885f7dafa9">spreading lies about the election</a>&nbsp;that inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol. His contention was rejected in more than 60 court cases and by his own attorney general, William Barr.

Together, these misleading claims about the nation’s electoral system have led some Republicans to say they're going to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-government-and-politics-election-2020-55f4744b484919cd20d4d5e8d72e444e">hold onto their mail ballots until Election Day</a>&nbsp;— a move that could slow down the count.

Others vow to monitor the polls to prevent cheating, leading to concerns about intimidation and even the possibility of violence at election sites.

Tech companies say they've implemented new policies and programs designed to ferret out misinformation.

“We’ve seen hundreds of elections play out on our platforms in recent years and we’ve been applying lessons from each one to strengthen our preparations,” Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said in a statement.

Yet critics say the volume of false claims spreading now shows there's more to be done, such as better enforcement of existing rules or government regulations requiring more aggressive policies.

“This is no longer a new problem," said Jon Lloyd, senior adviser at the nonprofit Global Witness, which last week released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-government-and-politics-misinformation-a18a35a2a2542eadfc3893983a818511">a report</a>&nbsp;showing that TikTok failed to remove many advertisements that contain election misinformation. Big social media platforms, he said, "are still simply not doing enough to stop threats to democracy.”

MISTAKES WILL HAPPEN — WHILE CLOCK IS TICKING

Elections involve the combined efforts of tens of thousands of people working under pressure. Mistakes are expected, which is why there's a robust system of checks and balances to ensure errors are found and corrected.

Taken out of context, stories about glitchy voting machines,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-pennsylvania-race-and-ethnicity-hispanics-election-2020-b873061d2149100f9a7621cea6d1f442">mixed-up ballots</a>&nbsp;or even “suspicious” vehicles arriving at election centers can become fodder for the next election fraud myth.

And with so much work to do at such a fast pace, election workers, local officials and even the media can have little time to push back on such claims before they go viral.

In Georgia in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-primary-elections-georgia-elections-ce8204935e991f740c94d6bc464481cf">a water leak</a>&nbsp;at a site where ballots were being counted was used to spin a far-fetched tale of ballot rigging. In Arizona,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-social-media-misinformation-7a17f398bbff08ef09b427cbe1ef125b">the choice of pens</a>&nbsp;given to voters filling out ballots led to similarly preposterous claims.

To avoid falling for a misleading claim, consult multiple sources including local election offices. Any significant voting irregularity will be covered by multiple news outlets and addressed by election officials. Be skeptical of claims from second-hand sources, said Shaye-Ann McDonald, a behavioral researcher at Duke University who studies ways to improve resistance to misinformation.

The most viral misinformation often elicits anger or fear that motivates readers to repost it before they've had time to coolly consider the underlying claim.

“When you read about something that provokes a strong emotion, that should be a warning sign,” McDonald said.

Just before the 2020 election, Spanish-language Facebook ads falsely claimed Biden, a Democrat, was a communist. On other platforms, posts warned Latinos in the U.S. not to vote at all.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-media-misinformation-9696392bf389ba8ca3441d2314abcefa">Misinformation in non-English languages</a>&nbsp;is a particular concern cited by researchers who say the major platforms — most of them U.S.-based — are focused on content moderation in English. Automated systems written to detect misinformation in English don't work as well when applied to other languages.

“As bad as they (tech companies) are moderating content in English, they’re even worse when it comes non-English languages,” said Jessica Gonzalez, co-CEO of Free Press, a nonprofit that works on issues of racial justice and technology.

While misinformation about elections spreads easily on big social media platforms like Facebook, it also has taken root on a long list of less familiar platforms: Gab, Gettr, Parler and Truth Social, Trump’s platform.

Meanwhile, TikTok has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-china-elections-data-privacy-misinformation-79d5400062cf107771148911ee62f5fb">a key network for younger voters</a>&nbsp;— and the politicians who want to reach them. The platform, owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance, has created an election center to connect users with trustworthy information about elections and voting. But nonetheless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-technology-politics-covid-health-5cdbe1ec32312699acbe8ba9b6a00eb5">misinformation persists</a>.

The problem isn’t limited to social media. The number of false claims transmitted by text and email has steadily increased in recent years. Last summer, Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-technology-health-voting-87dc504b3048e6034896733fc1aa49c6">voters in Kansas received misleading texts</a>&nbsp;telling them a yes vote on an upcoming referendum would protect abortion rights; the opposite was true.

Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter just weeks before the 2022 election upended that platform's plans for combating misinformation ahead of the midterms.

Musk quickly fired the executive who had overseen content moderation. Over the weekend he posted a tweet advancing a baseless conspiracy theory about the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, before deleting it.

Musk has called himself a free speech absolutist and had said he disagreed with the decision to boot Trump from the platform for incitement of violence on Jan. 6, 2021.

He has said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-social-media-e149b458b153f53268c00ad2a757cf14">a content moderation committee</a>&nbsp;will examine possible revisions to Twitter's rules but that no changes would be made until after the election.

“We’re staying vigilant against attempts to manipulate conversations about the 2022 US midterms.” Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, tweeted Tuesday.

Russian efforts to interfere in U.S. elections go back years, and there are indications that China and Iran are stepping up their game.

Tech companies, government officials and misinformation researchers say they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-campaigns-presidential-ea913f2b3b818651a9db1327adaa330a">monitoring for such activity</a>&nbsp;ahead of the midterms. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-loudest-attack-us-vote-bc653f799233e76dd60c27c37859d67b">misinformation threat posed by domestic groups</a>&nbsp;may be far greater.

Conspiracy theories about mail ballots. Anonymous text messages warning voters to stay home. Fringe social media platforms where election misinformation spreads with impunity.Misinformation about the upcoming midterm elections has been building for months, challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-wisconsin-presidential-utah-conspiracy-theories-1cf8065da4c7c664da273bf0b360bfe6">election officials</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-technology-voting-8db19582a2a2c1b0dfc2b762b0a10904">tech companies</a>&nbsp;while offering another reminder of how conspiracy theories and distrust are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-crime-social-media-race-and-ethnicity-05889f1f4076709c47fc9a18dbee818a">shaping America's politics</a>.The claims are fueling the candidacies of election deniers and threatening to further corrode faith in voting and democracy. Many of them can be traced back to 2020, when then-President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-capitol-siege-donald-trump-campaigns-presidential-070ced9a013c58cf001d6d4137e4abc0">Trump refused to accept</a>&nbsp;the outcome of the election he lost to Joe Biden and began lying about its results.“Misinformation is going to be central to this midterm election and central to the 2024 election,” said Bhaskar Chakravorti, who studies technological change and society and is the dean of global business at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. “The single galvanizing narrative is that the 2020 election was stolen.”A look at key misinformation challenges heading into the 2022 election:MISLEADING CLAIMS ABOUT VOTINGPolitical misinformation often focuses on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-social-security-number-border-552180846074">immigration</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-police-reform-health-coronavirus-pandemic-business-4a65c2bc8386c06ed5bae5b7597c8f2e">crime</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-covid-19-conspiracy-theories-persist-2586c1bc28259f7e224885b609c8f131">public health</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-technology-misinformation-0da59f7a72705c5f3fcdb59af1fc7af0">geopolitics</a>, disasters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-333765746793">education</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-government-and-politics-shootings-texas-conspiracy-theories-8d9ac3b61420c6542b11d0da3f0b3a16">mass shootings</a>. This year, it's mostly about voting.Claims about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-government-and-politics-8eaf001732ac25976f0560a3e49ed500">security of mail ballots</a>&nbsp;have grown in recent weeks, as have baseless rumors about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-science-nancy-pelosi-climate-and-environment-donald-trump-2a20444535cfc33dc605be44fcef9e1b">noncitizens voting</a>. That's in addition to claims about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-government-and-politics-presidential-299b03156144b12c0298184498f07958">dead people</a>&nbsp;casting ballots, ballot drop boxes being moved or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-checking-9809670730">wild stories about voting machines</a>.Trump, a Republican, attacked the legitimacy of the election even before he lost. He then refused to concede,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-fact-check-donald-trump-georgia-elections-atlanta-c23d10e5299e14daee6109885f7dafa9">spreading lies about the election</a>&nbsp;that inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. Capitol. His contention was rejected in more than 60 court cases and by his own attorney general, William Barr.Together, these misleading claims about the nation’s electoral system have led some Republicans to say they're going to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-government-and-politics-election-2020-55f4744b484919cd20d4d5e8d72e444e">hold onto their mail ballots until Election Day</a>&nbsp;— a move that could slow down the count.Others vow to monitor the polls to prevent cheating, leading to concerns about intimidation and even the possibility of violence at election sites.Tech companies say they've implemented new policies and programs designed to ferret out misinformation.“We’ve seen hundreds of elections play out on our platforms in recent years and we’ve been applying lessons from each one to strengthen our preparations,” Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said in a statement.Yet critics say the volume of false claims spreading now shows there's more to be done, such as better enforcement of existing rules or government regulations requiring more aggressive policies.“This is no longer a new problem," said Jon Lloyd, senior adviser at the nonprofit Global Witness, which last week released&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-government-and-politics-misinformation-a18a35a2a2542eadfc3893983a818511">a report</a>&nbsp;showing that TikTok failed to remove many advertisements that contain election misinformation. Big social media platforms, he said, "are still simply not doing enough to stop threats to democracy.”MISTAKES WILL HAPPEN — WHILE CLOCK IS TICKINGElections involve the combined efforts of tens of thousands of people working under pressure. Mistakes are expected, which is why there's a robust system of checks and balances to ensure errors are found and corrected.Taken out of context, stories about glitchy voting machines,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-pennsylvania-race-and-ethnicity-hispanics-election-2020-b873061d2149100f9a7621cea6d1f442">mixed-up ballots</a>&nbsp;or even “suspicious” vehicles arriving at election centers can become fodder for the next election fraud myth.And with so much work to do at such a fast pace, election workers, local officials and even the media can have little time to push back on such claims before they go viral.In Georgia in 2020,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-primary-elections-georgia-elections-ce8204935e991f740c94d6bc464481cf">a water leak</a>&nbsp;at a site where ballots were being counted was used to spin a far-fetched tale of ballot rigging. In Arizona,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-social-media-misinformation-7a17f398bbff08ef09b427cbe1ef125b">the choice of pens</a>&nbsp;given to voters filling out ballots led to similarly preposterous claims.To avoid falling for a misleading claim, consult multiple sources including local election offices. Any significant voting irregularity will be covered by multiple news outlets and addressed by election officials. Be skeptical of claims from second-hand sources, said Shaye-Ann McDonald, a behavioral researcher at Duke University who studies ways to improve resistance to misinformation.The most viral misinformation often elicits anger or fear that motivates readers to repost it before they've had time to coolly consider the underlying claim.“When you read about something that provokes a strong emotion, that should be a warning sign,” McDonald said.A MULTILINGUAL CHALLENGEJust before the 2020 election, Spanish-language Facebook ads falsely claimed Biden, a Democrat, was a communist. On other platforms, posts warned Latinos in the U.S. not to vote at all.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-race-and-ethnicity-media-misinformation-9696392bf389ba8ca3441d2314abcefa">Misinformation in non-English languages</a>&nbsp;is a particular concern cited by researchers who say the major platforms — most of them U.S.-based — are focused on content moderation in English. Automated systems written to detect misinformation in English don't work as well when applied to other languages.“As bad as they (tech companies) are moderating content in English, they’re even worse when it comes non-English languages,” said Jessica Gonzalez, co-CEO of Free Press, a nonprofit that works on issues of racial justice and technology.MISINFORMATION BY TEXT?While misinformation about elections spreads easily on big social media platforms like Facebook, it also has taken root on a long list of less familiar platforms: Gab, Gettr, Parler and Truth Social, Trump’s platform.Meanwhile, TikTok has emerged as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-china-elections-data-privacy-misinformation-79d5400062cf107771148911ee62f5fb">a key network for younger voters</a>&nbsp;— and the politicians who want to reach them. The platform, owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance, has created an election center to connect users with trustworthy information about elections and voting. But nonetheless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-technology-politics-covid-health-5cdbe1ec32312699acbe8ba9b6a00eb5">misinformation persists</a>.The problem isn’t limited to social media. The number of false claims transmitted by text and email has steadily increased in recent years. Last summer, Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-technology-health-voting-87dc504b3048e6034896733fc1aa49c6">voters in Kansas received misleading texts</a>&nbsp;telling them a yes vote on an upcoming referendum would protect abortion rights; the opposite was true.MUSK AND TWITTERElon Musk's purchase of Twitter just weeks before the 2022 election upended that platform's plans for combating misinformation ahead of the midterms.Musk quickly fired the executive who had overseen content moderation. Over the weekend he posted a tweet advancing a baseless conspiracy theory about the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, before deleting it.Musk has called himself a free speech absolutist and had said he disagreed with the decision to boot Trump from the platform for incitement of violence on Jan. 6, 2021.He has said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-inc-technology-social-media-e149b458b153f53268c00ad2a757cf14">a content moderation committee</a>&nbsp;will examine possible revisions to Twitter's rules but that no changes would be made until after the election.“We’re staying vigilant against attempts to manipulate conversations about the 2022 US midterms.” Yoel Roth, Twitter's head of safety and integrity, tweeted Tuesday.THREATS FOREIGN AND DOMESTICRussian efforts to interfere in U.S. elections go back years, and there are indications that China and Iran are stepping up their game.Tech companies, government officials and misinformation researchers say they're&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-russia-ukraine-campaigns-presidential-ea913f2b3b818651a9db1327adaa330a">monitoring for such activity</a>&nbsp;ahead of the midterms. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-loudest-attack-us-vote-bc653f799233e76dd60c27c37859d67b">misinformation threat posed by domestic groups</a>&nbsp;may be far greater.____

Misinformation and the midterm elections: What to expect

An Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Tiffany HARWOOD. An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Eastern Nebraska. The Papillion Police Department is attempting to locate, Tiffany HARWOOD who is a 21 years old, white female approximately 5’ 1" tall, approximately 105pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and possibly wearing zebra print pajamas, black shoes and a black backpack. HARWOOD is missing from 1000 block of Michelle Parkway, Papillion, Nebraska, and last seen at 9:30 pm on November 1, 2022. HARWOOD has medical conditions that require medication and can become confused and disoriented. If you have any information, please call 911, or contact the Papillion Police Department at (402) 740-3779 immediately. This advisory is for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop B&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667494952887.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLAn Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Tiffany HARWOOD. An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Eastern Nebraska. The Papillion Police Department is attempting to locate, Tiffany HARWOOD who is a 21 years old, white female approximately 5’ 1" tall, approximately 105pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, and possibly wearing zebra print pajamas, black shoes and a black backpack. HARWOOD is missing from 1000 block of Michelle Parkway, Papillion, Nebraska, and last seen at 9:30 pm on November 1, 2022. HARWOOD has medical conditions that require medication and can become confused and disoriented. If you have any information, please call 911, or contact the Papillion Police Department at (402) 740-3779 immediately. This advisory is for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop B&nbsp;&nbsp;

Endangered Missing Advisory issued for Papillion woman

If you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).

Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."

If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.

No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.

Selecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.

If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIf you are adding or changing your <a href="https://www.medicare.gov/" target="_blank">Medicare</a> or <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a>
 coverage during open enrollment, watch out for unsolicited calls 
claiming to "help" you find the best deal. Unfortunately, scammers see 
this open enrollment period as a chance to trick people out of money and
 personal information. Open enrollment runs through December 7 
(Medicare) or December 15 (Healthcare.gov).<h2>How the scam works&nbsp;</h2>Open enrollment has just begun, but <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>
 has already gotten numerous reports of scam calls pretending to be from
 Medicare. In one report, the target received "an automated message from
 Medicare and how they could help me. When I followed the prompts, it 
led me to a nice-sounding male who claimed they were working for 
Medicare." In another report, the person received calls claiming, "I 
requested information from them about Medicare on the Medicare website, 
which I NEVER did."If you stay on the line, these callers allege they can enroll you in a better plan than what you currently have, according to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">Scam Tracker reports.</a>
 This new plan is cheaper, and you can keep all the same services. To 
get started, all you need to do is provide some personal information, 
such as your Medicare ID number.No matter how good the deal sounds and how convincing the caller 
seems, don't do it! The call is a scam, and sharing personal information
 will open you up to identity theft.Tips to avoid open enrollment scamsSelecting a health insurance plan can be challenging and complex. Be on the lookout for common red flags.<ul>
 <li>Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue. <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov" target="_blank">Healthcare.gov</a> and Medicare provide <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/apply-and-enroll/get-help-applying/" target="_blank">legitimate help with figuring out which plan</a>
 is right for you. These people — sometimes called Navigators or 
Assisters — are not allowed to charge for their support. If someone asks
 you for payment, it's a scam. You will also need to contact them. They 
will not call you first.&nbsp;&nbsp; </li><li>Be wary of free gifts and "health screenings." Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/13033-scam-alert-beware-of-the-medicare-back-brace-scam" target="_blank">free gifts</a>
 or other special deals. Never sign up with a broker who offers you an 
expensive sign-up gift in exchange for providing your Medicare ID number
 or additional personally identifiable information. Other times, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/17378-scam-alert-when-a-free-health-screening-is-really-a-health-insurance-scam" target="_blank">brokers offer free "health screenings" to weed out people who are less healthy</a>. This technique is called "cherry picking" and is against Medicare rules. </li><li>Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer 
your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or 
banking information to anyone you don't know. </li><li>Go directly to official websites.&nbsp;If you want to make changes to your health care plan, go directly to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare.gov</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/">Healthcare.gov</a>, or your employer's health insurance provider. Don't click on links in suspicious messages.&nbsp; </li><li>Contact your employer directly. If you receive an 
unexpected email about benefits policies, ask your employer about it 
before you click on anything to make sure it's legitimate.&nbsp; </li>
 </ul><h2>For more information: &nbsp;</h2>If you are unsure whether a call or offer is from Medicare or you 
gave your personal information to someone claiming to be with Medicare, 
call 1-800-MEDICARE to report it. If you suspect fraud when signing up 
for ACA coverage, go to <a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/how-can-i-protect-myself-from-fraud-in-the-health-insurance-marketplace/" target="_blank">HealthCare.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the Health Insurance Marketplace call center at <a href="tel:8003182596" target="_blank">800-318-2596</a>.&nbsp;

Beware of health care cons during open enrollment

The FCC’s Robocall Response Team is warning consumers about a potential uptick in student loan debt robocalls in the wake of the recent announcement of nationwide federal student loan debt relief.  Scammers often use broadly publicized news to add an air of legitimacy and familiarity to their spoofed robocalls.  Scammers might use the calls to pressure consumers to make a payment or provide private information.  But consumers should be aware that there is no fee to apply for student loan debt relief and that applications are accepted only at StudentAid.gov/DebtRelief.  

The FCC also issued an Enforcement Advisory today to remind voice service providers of their role in protecting consumers by combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls aggressively, especially student loan robocalls, following recent announcements regarding student loan forgiveness and deferment.  

These calls typically state that the caller is informing the recipient that the payment suspension will end or that a petition can be filed on their behalf to get a certain amount of their loan “dismissed.”  Some common campaigns purport to be from the “student loan forgiveness center” or from a state forgiveness center.  Spoofing may be use to further confuse consumers by using seemingly legitimate caller ID information.

“We are calling on the phone companies to heighten their vigilance and take decisive measures to block student loan debt scam robocalls.  We are ready to take action in every way we can and throw the book at robocallers who illegally target consumers.”

The Chairwoman recently attended a meeting hosted by the National Economic Council to discuss this topic and prepare to combat scammers.  The FCC is working with its federal partners to combat such calls.

On August 24, 2022, President Biden announced student loan forgiveness for millions of Americans and an extension of the loan forbearance period through December 31, 2022.   The Department of Education has extended forbearance seven times since March 20, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.   Each time the Department of Education has extended the forbearance, fraudsters and unscrupulous marketers have taken advantage of these changes to flood American consumers with robocalls about student loans.  While the FCC has not seen any increase in consumer complaints about these calls to date, other evidence, including a recent warning from the FTC, suggests that callers are starting to flood phones in the United States with student loan-related robocalls in the months preceding the end of loan forbearance or changes to student loan programs.  

Consumers should be aware that they are likely talking to a scammer if the robocaller:

· Pressures you to provide money or information.

· Says you need to pay any sort of fee to apply or appeal your application.

· Directs you to any website outside of StudentAid.gov

· Purports to be calling from somewhere like the “student loan forgiveness center” or from a state forgiveness center.

· Uses suspicious caller ID, such as a name that is inconsistent with the substance of the message, or the same area code and first three digits of your phone number.

· Asks for your FSA ID, bank account, or credit card information.  (The real application requires your name, birth date, Social Security number, phone number, and email address.)

If you have received a possible scam robocall:

· Do not share any personal or financial information.

· If you’re not sure, hang up and call the institution using their publicly available, legitimate phone number.

· File a complaint with the FCC: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov

FCCThe FCC’s Robocall Response Team is warning consumers about a potential uptick in student loan debt robocalls in the wake of the recent announcement of nationwide federal student loan debt relief. Scammers often use broadly publicized news to add an air of legitimacy and familiarity to their spoofed robocalls. Scammers might use the calls to pressure consumers to make a payment or provide private information. But consumers should be aware that there is no fee to apply for student loan debt relief and that applications are accepted only at StudentAid.gov/DebtRelief. The FCC also issued an Enforcement Advisory today to remind voice service providers of their role in protecting consumers by combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls aggressively, especially student loan robocalls, following recent announcements regarding student loan forgiveness and deferment. <h2>Student Debt Scam Robocalls</h2>These calls typically state that the caller is informing the recipient that the payment suspension will end or that a petition can be filed on their behalf to get a certain amount of their loan “dismissed.” Some common campaigns purport to be from the “student loan forgiveness center” or from a state forgiveness center. Spoofing may be use to further confuse consumers by using seemingly legitimate caller ID information.Chairwoman Rosenworcel:“We are calling on the phone companies to heighten their vigilance and take decisive measures to block student loan debt scam robocalls. We are ready to take action in every way we can and throw the book at robocallers who illegally target consumers.”The Chairwoman recently attended a meeting hosted by the National Economic Council to discuss this topic and prepare to combat scammers. The FCC is working with its federal partners to combat such calls.<h2>What’s New?</h2>On August 24, 2022, President Biden announced student loan forgiveness for millions of Americans and an extension of the loan forbearance period through December 31, 2022. The Department of Education has extended forbearance seven times since March 20, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each time the Department of Education has extended the forbearance, fraudsters and unscrupulous marketers have taken advantage of these changes to flood American consumers with robocalls about student loans. While the FCC has not seen any increase in consumer complaints about these calls to date, other evidence, including a recent warning from the FTC, suggests that callers are starting to flood phones in the United States with student loan-related robocalls in the months preceding the end of loan forbearance or changes to student loan programs. <h2>Scam Clues for Consumers</h2>Consumers should be aware that they are likely talking to a scammer if the robocaller:· Pressures you to provide money or information.· Says you need to pay any sort of fee to apply or appeal your application.· Directs you to any website outside of StudentAid.gov· Purports to be calling from somewhere like the “student loan forgiveness center” or from a state forgiveness center.· Uses suspicious caller ID, such as a name that is inconsistent with the substance of the message, or the same area code and first three digits of your phone number.· Asks for your FSA ID, bank account, or credit card information. (The real application requires your name, birth date, Social Security number, phone number, and email address.)<h2>What to Do</h2>If you have received a possible scam robocall:· Do not share any personal or financial information.· If you’re not sure, hang up and call the institution using their publicly available, legitimate phone number.· File a complaint with the FCC: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov

Feds warn of scam student loan debt robocalls

By&nbsp;<a href="https://khn.org/news/author/harris-meyer/">Harris Meyer</a>, Kaiser Health News

In late October, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services opened an investigation at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Missouri, under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, department spokesperson Lisa Cox told KHN. It was authorized by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, which contracts with state agencies to conduct EMTALA surveys.

The case involves a woman whose water broke early in her pregnancy, but the hospital refused to let doctors perform an abortion. She eventually sought medical help outside the state.

The Biden administration in July had&nbsp;<a href="https://khn.org/news/article/emtala-abortion-care-gray-zone-trigger-laws/">reminded hospitals and physicians</a>&nbsp;in the 13 states that have outlawed most abortions that federal law requires them to provide life- or health-saving medical services — including abortion, if necessary — to patients experiencing emergency pregnancy complications.

The Missouri investigation is significant because EMTALA is one of the government’s strongest tools to ensure that patients with pregnancy complications receive needed abortions following the Supreme Court’s June ruling erasing the constitutional right to abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160326/MAGAZINE/303289881/why-patients-still-need-emtala">The 1986 EMTALA law</a>&nbsp;requires hospitals and physicians to provide screening and stabilizing treatment in emergency situations.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/emergency-medical-care-letter-to-health-care-providers.pdf">July policy guidance</a>&nbsp;from the Department of Health and Human Services stressed that EMTALA supersedes any state law barring abortion, and that hospitals and physicians who don’t comply with the federal mandate could face civil fines and termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

HHS cited several emergency pregnancy situations in which abortion might be required to prevent permanent injury or death, such as ectopic pregnancies, severe blood pressure spikes known as preeclampsia, and premature rupture of the membrane causing a woman’s water to break before her pregnancy is viable, which can lead to serious infections and threaten her life.

Other EMTALA investigations of hospitals and physicians alleged to have denied medically necessary emergency abortions have been opened in Texas but haven’t been publicly reported, said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who studies abortion issues.

CMS does not disclose EMTALA investigations before they have been completed and findings and penalties have been finalized, and states generally don’t publicize them either. But patients or hospital staff members might talk, particularly on issues like abortion if they strongly object to the alleged denial of services.

The Missouri investigation involves the case of Mylissa Farmer, 41, who went to Freeman Hospital on Aug. 2, after her water broke nearly 18 weeks into her pregnancy, followed by bleeding and cramping. Physicians there reportedly recommended terminating the pregnancy because it was not viable, Farmer had lost amniotic fluid, and she faced a risk of serious infection. Her case is described in detail in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2022/10/19/missouri-laws-abortion-ban-left-her-with-a-baby-dying-inside-pprom/10366865002/">Oct. 19 article in the Springfield News-Leader</a>, which Farmer, in a brief interview with KHN, said was accurate. Farmer confirmed she was contacted and questioned in October for the EMTALA investigation.

According to the newspaper article, Farmer’s physicians, after consulting with Freeman Hospital’s legal team, told her they could not offer her the standard procedure to terminate the pregnancy — dilation and evacuation — due to Missouri’s law banning all abortions, which took effect June 24.

That position was different from what Farmer said the physicians told her. “My doctors said it was an emergency, and I felt it was an emergency,” she told KHN.

Even though&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=188.017#:~:text=%E2%80%94%201.,in%20cases%20of%20medical%20emergency.">the law includes an exception</a>&nbsp;for “medical emergency,” the doctors and hospital lawyers allegedly determined that her case did not qualify for that exception. Providers found to violate the law can be prosecuted for a class B felony, as well as have their license to practice revoked. The burden of proof is on the providers to show that the abortion was performed because of a medical emergency.

<a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/08/american-abortion-laws-do-not-require-delaying-treatment-for-a-mothers-life-threatening-condition/">Abortion opponents argue</a>&nbsp;that most state anti-abortion laws include adequate exceptions for the health and life of the pregnant woman. But physicians and hospital lawyers say the exceptions are vaguely worded, and what really matters is how prosecutors in these conservative states interpret them.

Physicians say they need flexibility in deciding when there is an emergency that requires a pregnancy to be terminated and that it’s dangerous to have politicians and lawyers looking over their shoulders. “This is medicine, not law, and it’s very complicated,” said Dr. Kim Puterbaugh, a Cleveland OB-GYN who is a past president of the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists. Setting arbitrary limits on blood pressure or bleeding when determining if a pregnancy is “in distress, that’s ridiculous. There are too many variables.”

Democratic lawmakers in Missouri have pushed the governor, the attorney general, and state health officials for a clearer definition of the exception for medical emergencies.

Farmer and her boyfriend, who both wanted a child, called multiple hospitals in Kansas and Illinois to see whether she could deliver safely but were repeatedly told that the pregnancy wasn’t viable and that her health was at risk. She eventually got an appointment at the Hope Clinic for Women, across the state border in Granite City, Illinois, where she went into labor and received a procedure to end the pregnancy Aug. 6.

Freeman Hospital officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

“The Missouri statute puts doctors and providers between a rock and a hard place,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://reproductiverights.org/profile/genevieve-scott/">Genevieve Scott</a>, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York. “It creates an extreme deterrent to providing care in medical emergencies, given the risk of providers facing prosecution and losing their livelihood. That clearly threatens the health and lives of every pregnant person in the state.”

The Missouri investigation could provoke a new legal showdown between the Biden administration and Republican state elected officials who favor strict abortion bans. The administration already is locked in litigation in Texas and Idaho over the July guidance on EMTALA.

A Texas federal judge issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/24/politics/federal-judge-texas-abortion-services">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;in August saying the guidance was “unauthorized” and went beyond EMTALA in requiring abortions in emergency situations. Federal officials have appealed. But an Idaho federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/idaho-abortion-law-emergency-medical-care-judge-injunction/">sided with the administration’s position</a>, and Idaho officials have asked him to reconsider his ruling.

Experts doubt whether such litigation will block EMTALA enforcement in abortion-related situations like the Missouri case. The investigation of the actions of Freeman Hospital and its physicians will solely examine whether they complied with the requirements of federal law, not state law, said&nbsp;<a href="https://chir.georgetown.edu/faculty_katie_keith/">Katie Keith</a>, an associate research professor at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. Still, she added, the hospital could cite the Missouri anti-abortion law as a defense, setting up a court fight down the line.

Farmer’s case also is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/28/democrat-alleges-missouri-investigating-hospital-in-retaliation-for-ad-critical-of-eric-schmitt/">playing a role</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. Senate race in Missouri between Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Democratic nominee Trudy Busch Valentine, a nurse. Farmer appeared in a TV ad for Busch Valentine criticizing Schmitt for issuing a proclamation on June 24 that put Missouri’s anti-abortion trigger law into effect. “My Missouri doctors weren’t allowed to give me the care I needed, all because of the mandate Eric Schmitt put into place,” Farmer said in the ad. “Eric Schmitt doesn’t care about women like me.”

Schmitt’s campaign lawyers sent letters to the TV stations carrying the ad demanding that it be taken off the air, according to local news reports. They claimed it was inaccurate in stating that women could go to prison for having an abortion and failing to mention that it includes an exception to protect the health of the patient.

Cases similar to Farmer’s likely are happening every day in states that have banned abortions, and more EMTALA investigations will be launched, warned&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.gwu.edu/departments/health-policy-and-management/sara-rosenbaum">Sara Rosenbaum</a>, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University. This places hospitals and physicians in an excruciating spot, she added. CMS has said it will initiate investigations based on credible information including news reports.

An EMTALA investigation “is one of the worst things that can happen to you,” she said, speaking about providers, “because it puts a label on you that you denied what the woman needed to survive when it was clear that the baby was lost.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's health department is investigating whether a hospital violated federal health care rules in denying a woman an emergency abortion, an agency spokeswoman confirmed Monday.

Missouri Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox in a statement said the agency launched an investigation into southern Missouri's Freeman Health System's treatment of Mylissa Farmer.

Farmer, who is from Joplin, told The Associated Press that she went to the system's local emergency room when her water broke months early on Aug. 2. She said tests showed that she had lost all of her amniotic fluid because of a pregnancy complication and doctors told her the fetus was not expected to survive.

Doctors also told Farmer that “awaiting a medical emergency may put her at further risk for maternal mortality” or the removal of her uterus, medical records show.

But because her fetus still had a heartbeat and her condition wasn’t considered a life-threatening medical emergency at that moment, they couldn’t terminate the pregnancy in Missouri, they told her. She eventually got an abortion in Illinois.

Records from that visit say doctors told Farmer that the law supersedes their medical judgment and “contrary to the most appropriate management based (on) my medical opinion, due to the legal language of MO law, we are unable to offer induction of labor at this time.”

“They were telling me to basically get out of the state to get the care that I needed,” the 41-year-old told AP.

Farmer criticized Missouri's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">abortion ban</a>&nbsp;in a campaign ad for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who is running against Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

Missouri's abortion ban includes exceptions for medical emergencies, although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-missouri-columbia-fef01a409b24991a4e56cc70c874f0bd">doctors and hospitals have said they're unsure exactly what that covers</a>.

Hospital spokeswoman Liz Syer said it’s their practice not to comment on patient care. She did not immediately return a request for comment Monday regarding the investigation.

Missouri's health department investigation centers on a federal law requiring medical facilities to determine whether a person seeking treatment may be in labor or whether they face an emergency health situation — or one that could develop into an emergency — and to provide treatment.

In July, soon after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>, U.S. Health and Human Services&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-government-and-politics-4221f9306a596904b9af2e0d1fad23b9">Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in an email to health care providers</a>&nbsp;that the federal EMTALA statute “protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment to your pregnant patients, regardless of the restrictions in the state where you practice.”

Becerra wrote that a hospital violating any provision of EMTALA “may be subject to termination of its Medicare provider agreement and/or the imposition of civil monetary penalties. Civil monetary penalties may also be imposed against individual physicians for EMTALA violations. Additionally, physicians may also be subject to exclusion from the Medicare and State health care programs.”

By&nbsp;<a href="https://khn.org/news/author/harris-meyer/">Harris Meyer</a>, Kaiser Health NewsIn late October, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services opened an investigation at Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Missouri, under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, department spokesperson Lisa Cox told KHN. It was authorized by the federal Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services, which contracts with state agencies to conduct EMTALA surveys.The case involves a woman whose water broke early in her pregnancy, but the hospital refused to let doctors perform an abortion. She eventually sought medical help outside the state.The Biden administration in July had&nbsp;<a href="https://khn.org/news/article/emtala-abortion-care-gray-zone-trigger-laws/">reminded hospitals and physicians</a>&nbsp;in the 13 states that have outlawed most abortions that federal law requires them to provide life- or health-saving medical services — including abortion, if necessary — to patients experiencing emergency pregnancy complications.The Missouri investigation is significant because EMTALA is one of the government’s strongest tools to ensure that patients with pregnancy complications receive needed abortions following the Supreme Court’s June ruling erasing the constitutional right to abortion.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160326/MAGAZINE/303289881/why-patients-still-need-emtala">The 1986 EMTALA law</a>&nbsp;requires hospitals and physicians to provide screening and stabilizing treatment in emergency situations.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/emergency-medical-care-letter-to-health-care-providers.pdf">July policy guidance</a>&nbsp;from the Department of Health and Human Services stressed that EMTALA supersedes any state law barring abortion, and that hospitals and physicians who don’t comply with the federal mandate could face civil fines and termination from the Medicare and Medicaid programs.HHS cited several emergency pregnancy situations in which abortion might be required to prevent permanent injury or death, such as ectopic pregnancies, severe blood pressure spikes known as preeclampsia, and premature rupture of the membrane causing a woman’s water to break before her pregnancy is viable, which can lead to serious infections and threaten her life.Other EMTALA investigations of hospitals and physicians alleged to have denied medically necessary emergency abortions have been opened in Texas but haven’t been publicly reported, said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh, who studies abortion issues.CMS does not disclose EMTALA investigations before they have been completed and findings and penalties have been finalized, and states generally don’t publicize them either. But patients or hospital staff members might talk, particularly on issues like abortion if they strongly object to the alleged denial of services.The Missouri investigation involves the case of Mylissa Farmer, 41, who went to Freeman Hospital on Aug. 2, after her water broke nearly 18 weeks into her pregnancy, followed by bleeding and cramping. Physicians there reportedly recommended terminating the pregnancy because it was not viable, Farmer had lost amniotic fluid, and she faced a risk of serious infection. Her case is described in detail in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2022/10/19/missouri-laws-abortion-ban-left-her-with-a-baby-dying-inside-pprom/10366865002/">Oct. 19 article in the Springfield News-Leader</a>, which Farmer, in a brief interview with KHN, said was accurate. Farmer confirmed she was contacted and questioned in October for the EMTALA investigation.According to the newspaper article, Farmer’s physicians, after consulting with Freeman Hospital’s legal team, told her they could not offer her the standard procedure to terminate the pregnancy — dilation and evacuation — due to Missouri’s law banning all abortions, which took effect June 24.That position was different from what Farmer said the physicians told her. “My doctors said it was an emergency, and I felt it was an emergency,” she told KHN.Even though&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=188.017#:~:text=%E2%80%94%201.,in%20cases%20of%20medical%20emergency.">the law includes an exception</a>&nbsp;for “medical emergency,” the doctors and hospital lawyers allegedly determined that her case did not qualify for that exception. Providers found to violate the law can be prosecuted for a class B felony, as well as have their license to practice revoked. The burden of proof is on the providers to show that the abortion was performed because of a medical emergency.<a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/08/american-abortion-laws-do-not-require-delaying-treatment-for-a-mothers-life-threatening-condition/">Abortion opponents argue</a>&nbsp;that most state anti-abortion laws include adequate exceptions for the health and life of the pregnant woman. But physicians and hospital lawyers say the exceptions are vaguely worded, and what really matters is how prosecutors in these conservative states interpret them.Physicians say they need flexibility in deciding when there is an emergency that requires a pregnancy to be terminated and that it’s dangerous to have politicians and lawyers looking over their shoulders. “This is medicine, not law, and it’s very complicated,” said Dr. Kim Puterbaugh, a Cleveland OB-GYN who is a past president of the Society of OB/GYN Hospitalists. Setting arbitrary limits on blood pressure or bleeding when determining if a pregnancy is “in distress, that’s ridiculous. There are too many variables.”Democratic lawmakers in Missouri have pushed the governor, the attorney general, and state health officials for a clearer definition of the exception for medical emergencies.Farmer and her boyfriend, who both wanted a child, called multiple hospitals in Kansas and Illinois to see whether she could deliver safely but were repeatedly told that the pregnancy wasn’t viable and that her health was at risk. She eventually got an appointment at the Hope Clinic for Women, across the state border in Granite City, Illinois, where she went into labor and received a procedure to end the pregnancy Aug. 6.Freeman Hospital officials did not respond to repeated requests for comment.“The Missouri statute puts doctors and providers between a rock and a hard place,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://reproductiverights.org/profile/genevieve-scott/">Genevieve Scott</a>, senior counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights in New York. “It creates an extreme deterrent to providing care in medical emergencies, given the risk of providers facing prosecution and losing their livelihood. That clearly threatens the health and lives of every pregnant person in the state.”The Missouri investigation could provoke a new legal showdown between the Biden administration and Republican state elected officials who favor strict abortion bans. The administration already is locked in litigation in Texas and Idaho over the July guidance on EMTALA.A Texas federal judge issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/24/politics/federal-judge-texas-abortion-services">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;in August saying the guidance was “unauthorized” and went beyond EMTALA in requiring abortions in emergency situations. Federal officials have appealed. But an Idaho federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/idaho-abortion-law-emergency-medical-care-judge-injunction/">sided with the administration’s position</a>, and Idaho officials have asked him to reconsider his ruling.Experts doubt whether such litigation will block EMTALA enforcement in abortion-related situations like the Missouri case. The investigation of the actions of Freeman Hospital and its physicians will solely examine whether they complied with the requirements of federal law, not state law, said&nbsp;<a href="https://chir.georgetown.edu/faculty_katie_keith/">Katie Keith</a>, an associate research professor at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. Still, she added, the hospital could cite the Missouri anti-abortion law as a defense, setting up a court fight down the line.Farmer’s case also is&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/10/28/democrat-alleges-missouri-investigating-hospital-in-retaliation-for-ad-critical-of-eric-schmitt/">playing a role</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. Senate race in Missouri between Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Democratic nominee Trudy Busch Valentine, a nurse. Farmer appeared in a TV ad for Busch Valentine criticizing Schmitt for issuing a proclamation on June 24 that put Missouri’s anti-abortion trigger law into effect. “My Missouri doctors weren’t allowed to give me the care I needed, all because of the mandate Eric Schmitt put into place,” Farmer said in the ad. “Eric Schmitt doesn’t care about women like me.”Schmitt’s campaign lawyers sent letters to the TV stations carrying the ad demanding that it be taken off the air, according to local news reports. They claimed it was inaccurate in stating that women could go to prison for having an abortion and failing to mention that it includes an exception to protect the health of the patient.Cases similar to Farmer’s likely are happening every day in states that have banned abortions, and more EMTALA investigations will be launched, warned&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.gwu.edu/departments/health-policy-and-management/sara-rosenbaum">Sara Rosenbaum</a>, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University. This places hospitals and physicians in an excruciating spot, she added. CMS has said it will initiate investigations based on credible information including news reports.An EMTALA investigation “is one of the worst things that can happen to you,” she said, speaking about providers, “because it puts a label on you that you denied what the woman needed to survive when it was clear that the baby was lost.”------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's health department is investigating whether a hospital violated federal health care rules in denying a woman an emergency abortion, an agency spokeswoman confirmed Monday.Missouri Health and Senior Services spokeswoman Lisa Cox in a statement said the agency launched an investigation into southern Missouri's Freeman Health System's treatment of Mylissa Farmer.Farmer, who is from Joplin, told The Associated Press that she went to the system's local emergency room when her water broke months early on Aug. 2. She said tests showed that she had lost all of her amniotic fluid because of a pregnancy complication and doctors told her the fetus was not expected to survive.Doctors also told Farmer that “awaiting a medical emergency may put her at further risk for maternal mortality” or the removal of her uterus, medical records show.But because her fetus still had a heartbeat and her condition wasn’t considered a life-threatening medical emergency at that moment, they couldn’t terminate the pregnancy in Missouri, they told her. She eventually got an abortion in Illinois.Records from that visit say doctors told Farmer that the law supersedes their medical judgment and “contrary to the most appropriate management based (on) my medical opinion, due to the legal language of MO law, we are unable to offer induction of labor at this time.”“They were telling me to basically get out of the state to get the care that I needed,” the 41-year-old told AP.Farmer criticized Missouri's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">abortion ban</a>&nbsp;in a campaign ad for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine, who is running against Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt.Missouri's abortion ban includes exceptions for medical emergencies, although&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-missouri-columbia-fef01a409b24991a4e56cc70c874f0bd">doctors and hospitals have said they're unsure exactly what that covers</a>.Hospital spokeswoman Liz Syer said it’s their practice not to comment on patient care. She did not immediately return a request for comment Monday regarding the investigation.Missouri's health department investigation centers on a federal law requiring medical facilities to determine whether a person seeking treatment may be in labor or whether they face an emergency health situation — or one that could develop into an emergency — and to provide treatment.In July, soon after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">struck down Roe v. Wade</a>, U.S. Health and Human Services&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-government-and-politics-4221f9306a596904b9af2e0d1fad23b9">Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in an email to health care providers</a>&nbsp;that the federal EMTALA statute “protects your clinical judgment and the action that you take to provide stabilizing medical treatment to your pregnant patients, regardless of the restrictions in the state where you practice.”Becerra wrote that a hospital violating any provision of EMTALA “may be subject to termination of its Medicare provider agreement and/or the imposition of civil monetary penalties. Civil monetary penalties may also be imposed against individual physicians for EMTALA violations. Additionally, physicians may also be subject to exclusion from the Medicare and State health care programs.”

Hospital investigated for allegedly denying an emergency abortion

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/ricketts-expresses-some-interest-in-u-s-senate-seat-to-be-vacated-by-sasse/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts is expressing some interest, 
for the first time publicly, in being appointed to the U.S. Senate seat 
to be vacated by Ben Sasse, the political website Politico is reporting.

In a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/03/jockeying-to-replace-sasse-locked-up-00064740"> story posted Thursday by Politico</a>, Ricketts expressed fondness for the Senate.

“It’s still very relevant and important,” Ricketts told Politico reporter Jordain Carney of the Senate.

The governor, who is barred from running for re-election this year 
due to term limits, acknowledged that a move from the Governor’s Office 
to the U.S. Capitol could require a “mind frame shift.”

At least one state senator is urging the two-term governor to go for it.

“I don’t know who else would be more 
qualified. I’d support him,” said State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn,
 a longtime Ricketts supporter.

Linehan, a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., 
said that governors have the ideal background for service in Washington,
 given their knowledge of government.

Ricketts, 58, gave no indication publicly that he was interested in 
being appointed to the job after it became known a month ago that Sasse,
 a former president of Midland University in Fremont, was the sole 
finalist to become the next president at the University of Florida. 
Since then, Sasse’s appointment has been approved by the UF Board of 
Trustees.

Ricketts did make it clear that he would not be appointing himself to
 the vacancy — which was a possibility — but was instead letting the 
next governor make that choice, which is seen as less controversial.

The odds-on favorite to win the governor’s race is Columbus hog 
farmer and University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen. Ricketts has 
endorsed Pillen and contributed heavily to his campaign.

Ricketts, a member of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs and 
founded TD Ameritrade, has been interested in the U.S. Senate in the 
past. In 2006, in his first run for political office, he won the GOP 
primary before losing badly to incumbent U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, a 
Democrat.

But in 2014, Ricketts ran for governor and narrowly won the GOP 
primary over then Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, State Sen. Beau
 McCoy and State Auditor Mike Foley.

Ricketts cruised to victory that year, then won re-election in 2018. 
He is considered a shoo-in for the Senate appointment, if he wants it 
and if Pillen is elected.

The Politico story indicated that while Ricketts’ statement of 
interest was “weak,” it’s enough “to give national Republicans hope.”

“(Senator minority leader Sen. Mitch) McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rick
 Scott (R-Fla.), chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm, have been 
courting Ricketts as he plays coy about his interest in Sasse’s seat,” 
the website wrote.

McConnell, Politico added, has been unsuccessful in convincing other GOP governors to run for the Senate.

Ricketts’ interest in serving in the Senate is&nbsp;in stark contrast to 
his predecessor in the governor’s mansion. Former Gov. Dave Heineman 
turned down more than one opportunity to seek a Senate seek, saying he 
preferred his role as an executive over that of being among dozens of 
legislators.

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/ricketts-expresses-some-interest-in-u-s-senate-seat-to-be-vacated-by-sasse/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts is expressing some interest, 
for the first time publicly, in being appointed to the U.S. Senate seat 
to be vacated by Ben Sasse, the political website Politico is reporting.In a<a target="_blank" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/03/jockeying-to-replace-sasse-locked-up-00064740"> story posted Thursday by Politico</a>, Ricketts expressed fondness for the Senate.<h2>Senate ‘still relevant, important’</h2>“It’s still very relevant and important,” Ricketts told Politico reporter Jordain Carney of the Senate.The governor, who is barred from running for re-election this year 
due to term limits, acknowledged that a move from the Governor’s Office 
to the U.S. Capitol could require a “mind frame shift.”At least one state senator is urging the two-term governor to go for it.“I don’t know who else would be more 
qualified. I’d support him,” said State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn,
 a longtime Ricketts supporter.Linehan, a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., 
said that governors have the ideal background for service in Washington,
 given their knowledge of government.Ricketts, 58, gave no indication publicly that he was interested in 
being appointed to the job after it became known a month ago that Sasse,
 a former president of Midland University in Fremont, was the sole 
finalist to become the next president at the University of Florida. 
Since then, Sasse’s appointment has been approved by the UF Board of 
Trustees.<h2>Won’t appoint himself</h2>Ricketts did make it clear that he would not be appointing himself to
 the vacancy — which was a possibility — but was instead letting the 
next governor make that choice, which is seen as less controversial.The odds-on favorite to win the governor’s race is Columbus hog 
farmer and University of Nebraska Regent Jim Pillen. Ricketts has 
endorsed Pillen and contributed heavily to his campaign.Ricketts, a member of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs and 
founded TD Ameritrade, has been interested in the U.S. Senate in the 
past. In 2006, in his first run for political office, he won the GOP 
primary before losing badly to incumbent U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, a 
Democrat.<h2>Likely to be appointed, if he wants it</h2>But in 2014, Ricketts ran for governor and narrowly won the GOP 
primary over then Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, State Sen. Beau
 McCoy and State Auditor Mike Foley.Ricketts cruised to victory that year, then won re-election in 2018. 
He is considered a shoo-in for the Senate appointment, if he wants it 
and if Pillen is elected.The Politico story indicated that while Ricketts’ statement of 
interest was “weak,” it’s enough “to give national Republicans hope.”“(Senator minority leader Sen. Mitch) McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rick
 Scott (R-Fla.), chair of the Senate GOP campaign arm, have been 
courting Ricketts as he plays coy about his interest in Sasse’s seat,” 
the website wrote.McConnell, Politico added, has been unsuccessful in convincing other GOP governors to run for the Senate.Ricketts’ interest in serving in the Senate is&nbsp;in stark contrast to 
his predecessor in the governor’s mansion. Former Gov. Dave Heineman 
turned down more than one opportunity to seek a Senate seek, saying he 
preferred his role as an executive over that of being among dozens of 
legislators.

Ricketts expresses some interest in soon-vacant Senate seat

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/nebraskans-facing-deluge-of-political-mail-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — No central clearinghouse counts the number of political mailers clogging Nebraska mailboxes during election season.&nbsp;

But candidates say direct mail has increased during a record year of spending on state and local races.&nbsp;

Mail numbers jumped this spring 
during the state’s costliest-ever Republican primary for governor, 
political observers said. They have stayed high leading up to Tuesday’s 
general election because of two contested congressional races in eastern
 Nebraska and a large number of competitive legislative races.&nbsp;

Well-funded campaigns for the State 
Board of Education and local school board races, from both school choice
 advocates and people who support public education, also fueled the 
flurry of campaign literature in&nbsp; an unusual election year.

The increased volume drove up the number of questionable mailers, as well, both Republicans and Democrats said.&nbsp;

Campaign mailers typically spin or stretch the facts. Most base their claims on kernels of truth. Some leave reality behind.

• The Nebraska Federation for 
Children, a group that has received much of its funding from school 
choice advocates tied to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, sent a 
mailer with a photograph of a shirtless, long-haired man riding a 
playground pony. A second photo showed the same man shirtless with his 
eyes closed. The mailer implied that the photos were of Lincoln 
legislative candidate George Dungan, a Democrat. The photos were from 
Dungan’s Facebook page. Problem is, the photos don’t show Dungan — they 
show a friend of his. The Lincoln Journal Star spoke with the man 
pictured, who said he was shocked to see a decade-old photo of himself 
in a political ad. The group behind the ad told the Journal it had no 
reason to suspect it wasn’t Dungan. Dungan told the Nebraska Examiner 
this week that the man, a professional, now worries what will show up 
years from now when someone searches his name online. Political 
consultants said the effort appeared aimed at making Dungan seem like 
someone who was not serious.

Dungan’s response: “In terms of just 
pure deception, it was probably the worst I’ve seen. Not only were the 
pictures were not of me, I don’t believe any of the allegations were of 
me.”

• Preserve the Good Life, which 
has received funds from trial attorneys, firefighters and the Nebraska 
State Education Association, sent mailers opposing several GOP 
legislative candidates who signed onto a pledge sought by GOP mega-donor
 Charles Herbster’s Nebraska First PAC. Each targeted candidate had 
pledged to get rid of secret balloting for legislative committee chairs 
in Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature. One of the mailers 
said Omaha legislative candidate Christian Mirch was the Douglas County 
chairman of former President Donald Trump’s campaign. He was not. A 
second mailer said former Omaha Public Schools board member Lou Ann 
Goding, a Republican, supported the consumption tax. She does not. 
Political consultants said the efforts appeared aimed at tying the 
candidates to Herbster and Trump in purple districts.&nbsp;

Herbster’s response: “We asked every 
senator and candidate up for election one question: ‘Will you make all 
your votes as a member of the Nebraska Legislature public?’ That is all.
 They were not asked about any other issue. … To say anything else is a 
lie, and they are now lying to the voters of Nebraska.”

• Mirch’s campaign sent a mailer 
swiping at his Democratic opponent, State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, that 
said, “Cavanaughs support Mirch.” But the Cavanaughs featured, Omaha 
Public Power District board member Mike Cavanaugh and Metropolitan 
Utilities District board member Tim Cavanaugh, are no relation to the 
senator. She posted a response on Facebook Oct. 24, saying she has the 
support of her entire family and included a photo of her extended 
family. Mirch said he was proud to have the endorsements from people he 
respects who understand energy policy and called their last names “an 
added bonus.”&nbsp;

Cavanaugh’s response: “I feel like I 
equate it (enduring mailers each election cycle) to having a baby. You 
go through it and it’s this whole enormous thing. You kind of forget how
 horrible it was. Then you go through it again.”

• Cavanaugh’s campaign sent a 
mailer claiming credit for supporting over $1 billion in tax relief, 
from Legislative Bill 873. She co-sponsored a tax break on Social 
Security that made it into the&nbsp;final bill. But the legislative record 
shows she never voted for the final package at any step during the 
process. On the mic during early rounds of debate, she said she opposed 
parts of the bill, and she worked with Democrats to filibuster the 
package. She told the Examiner she would have voted for the bill’s final
 passage but didn’t make it back to the legislative floor in time. Her 
mailer cites a letter she filed with the Clerk of the Legislature saying
 she would have voted for the bill if she could have. State Sen. Julie 
Slama of Dunbar, a Republican who backed the bill in earlier rounds, 
filed a similar letter with the clerk. Cavanaugh said she and Slama 
missed the vote “by like a minute.”&nbsp;

Cavanaugh’s response: She said her 
opponent and the GOP are “attacking me for a technicality,” but 
described the decision to call out her votes as “fair game.”

• Defending Main Street sent a 
mailer attacking Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas for “voting to give 
himself a pay raise &amp; give you a tax hike.” Vargas, who is 
challenging U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., in the 2nd Congressional 
District, supported a ballot measure on a constitutional amendment to 
raise future state senators’ annual salary from $12,000 to $24,000. 
Vargas proposed increasing income taxes on Nebraska’s highest earners. 
That bill never made it out of committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Vargas’ response: “It’s tough when 
one side isn’t committed to the facts. But people are getting sick of 
the mailers. I’ve had people say they’re voting for me because they (the
 mailers) are so bad.”

• Vargas’ campaign sent a mailer saying Bacon’s anti-abortion bill would “leave victims of rape and incest with nowhere to turn.” It said Bacon’s bill “bans abortion when the life of the mother is at stake.” H.R. 1011, which Bacon backed in 2021, would have banned abortion and contained no explicit exceptions. Bacon has said the bill’s sponsor said it was written to leave room for states to carve out exceptions. Bacon has said he&nbsp;supports exceptions for the life and health of the mother. Vargas has said he supports abortion rights. He said he does not support abortion until birth but has not specified what limits, if any, he would accept.

Bacon’s response: “I am not the one with an extreme position on abortion. Tony is. Tony won’t say where he stands.”&nbsp;

Political consultant Kyle Clark said direct mail is “different this cycle because people are trying to cut through the noise.”&nbsp;The GOP governor’s primary left a lot of voters fatigued, he said, so grabbing attention has gotten harder.

Headlines, photos and messages have about seven seconds to catch a voter’s eye before a mail piece hits the trash, Clark said.

“They need to stand out a bit,” he said.

Hyperbole helps mailers grab 
attention, said Randall Adkins, a political scientist at the University 
of Nebraska at Omaha. Mailers are also more easily targeted at different
 slices of the electorate, he said, including by age, gender, voting 
frequency and personal interests.&nbsp;

Direct mail is one of the top methods
 of reaching voters, behind meeting a candidate and canvassing door to 
door, observers said.

Increased spending by outside groups 
and more interest from donors in races down the ballot are contributing 
to a glut of campaign literature.

Political polarization is hitting 
more state and local races, said Joan Blaukamp, a political scientist at
 the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

“National partisan dynamics have filtered all the way down, informing how people vote on school board,” she said.

Problem is, voters have no easy way 
to sort fact from fiction, and many don’t want to, said Dona 
Gene-Barton, a political scientist at the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln.

“From a political psychology 
standpoint, facts don’t really matter,” she said, citing research. 
“People want to find things that confirm what they already believe.”

Those who do want to cut through 
incomplete information and misinformation will have to check reputable 
sources, including local reporting and voter guides, Adkins said.&nbsp;

“I think I’d tell them that there’s 
probably a nugget of truth and a flood of rhetoric,” he said. 
“Historically, it’s nothing new.”

Blaukamp said she tells people to think about the competence of the candidates first.

“Past behavior is a much better predictor than a mailer,” she said.&nbsp;

Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska 
Democratic Party, said she worries that the most outlandish mailers feed
 into the negativity many Nebraskans feel toward politics. The risk, she
 said, is fewer people voting “because they don’t have trust that 
anything good will come out of it.”

Watson, political director of the 
Nebraska Republican Party, said concerns about mailers are being 
overblown. Voters, he said, have been dealing with campaign literature 
for centuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497413284.png" alt="Mailers continue to pour into Nebraska mailboxes at a high rate. Shown here are some from the 2nd Congressional District in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Mailers continue to pour into Nebraska mailboxes at a high rate. Shown here are some from the 2nd Congressional District in Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/03/nebraskans-facing-deluge-of-political-mail-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — No central clearinghouse counts the number of political mailers clogging Nebraska mailboxes during election season.&nbsp;But candidates say direct mail has increased during a record year of spending on state and local races.&nbsp;Mail numbers jumped this spring 
during the state’s costliest-ever Republican primary for governor, 
political observers said. They have stayed high leading up to Tuesday’s 
general election because of two contested congressional races in eastern
 Nebraska and a large number of competitive legislative races.&nbsp;Well-funded campaigns for the State 
Board of Education and local school board races, from both school choice
 advocates and people who support public education, also fueled the 
flurry of campaign literature in&nbsp; an unusual election year.The increased volume drove up the number of questionable mailers, as well, both Republicans and Democrats said.&nbsp;Campaign mailers typically spin or stretch the facts. Most base their claims on kernels of truth. Some leave reality behind.Examples from this cycle include:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497489878.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• The Nebraska Federation for 
Children, a group that has received much of its funding from school 
choice advocates tied to former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, sent a 
mailer with a photograph of a shirtless, long-haired man riding a 
playground pony. A second photo showed the same man shirtless with his 
eyes closed. The mailer implied that the photos were of Lincoln 
legislative candidate George Dungan, a Democrat. The photos were from 
Dungan’s Facebook page. Problem is, the photos don’t show Dungan — they 
show a friend of his. The Lincoln Journal Star spoke with the man 
pictured, who said he was shocked to see a decade-old photo of himself 
in a political ad. The group behind the ad told the Journal it had no 
reason to suspect it wasn’t Dungan. Dungan told the Nebraska Examiner 
this week that the man, a professional, now worries what will show up 
years from now when someone searches his name online. Political 
consultants said the effort appeared aimed at making Dungan seem like 
someone who was not serious.Dungan’s response: “In terms of just 
pure deception, it was probably the worst I’ve seen. Not only were the 
pictures were not of me, I don’t believe any of the allegations were of 
me.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497515175.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• Preserve the Good Life, which 
has received funds from trial attorneys, firefighters and the Nebraska 
State Education Association, sent mailers opposing several GOP 
legislative candidates who signed onto a pledge sought by GOP mega-donor
 Charles Herbster’s Nebraska First PAC. Each targeted candidate had 
pledged to get rid of secret balloting for legislative committee chairs 
in Nebraska’s officially nonpartisan Legislature. One of the mailers 
said Omaha legislative candidate Christian Mirch was the Douglas County 
chairman of former President Donald Trump’s campaign. He was not. A 
second mailer said former Omaha Public Schools board member Lou Ann 
Goding, a Republican, supported the consumption tax. She does not. 
Political consultants said the efforts appeared aimed at tying the 
candidates to Herbster and Trump in purple districts.&nbsp;Herbster’s response: “We asked every 
senator and candidate up for election one question: ‘Will you make all 
your votes as a member of the Nebraska Legislature public?’ That is all.
 They were not asked about any other issue. … To say anything else is a 
lie, and they are now lying to the voters of Nebraska.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497549028.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• Mirch’s campaign sent a mailer 
swiping at his Democratic opponent, State Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, that 
said, “Cavanaughs support Mirch.” But the Cavanaughs featured, Omaha 
Public Power District board member Mike Cavanaugh and Metropolitan 
Utilities District board member Tim Cavanaugh, are no relation to the 
senator. She posted a response on Facebook Oct. 24, saying she has the 
support of her entire family and included a photo of her extended 
family. Mirch said he was proud to have the endorsements from people he 
respects who understand energy policy and called their last names “an 
added bonus.”&nbsp;Cavanaugh’s response: “I feel like I 
equate it (enduring mailers each election cycle) to having a baby. You 
go through it and it’s this whole enormous thing. You kind of forget how
 horrible it was. Then you go through it again.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497586282.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• Cavanaugh’s campaign sent a 
mailer claiming credit for supporting over $1 billion in tax relief, 
from Legislative Bill 873. She co-sponsored a tax break on Social 
Security that made it into the&nbsp;final bill. But the legislative record 
shows she never voted for the final package at any step during the 
process. On the mic during early rounds of debate, she said she opposed 
parts of the bill, and she worked with Democrats to filibuster the 
package. She told the Examiner she would have voted for the bill’s final
 passage but didn’t make it back to the legislative floor in time. Her 
mailer cites a letter she filed with the Clerk of the Legislature saying
 she would have voted for the bill if she could have. State Sen. Julie 
Slama of Dunbar, a Republican who backed the bill in earlier rounds, 
filed a similar letter with the clerk. Cavanaugh said she and Slama 
missed the vote “by like a minute.”&nbsp;Cavanaugh’s response: She said her 
opponent and the GOP are “attacking me for a technicality,” but 
described the decision to call out her votes as “fair game.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497621698.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• Defending Main Street sent a 
mailer attacking Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas for “voting to give 
himself a pay raise &amp; give you a tax hike.” Vargas, who is 
challenging U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., in the 2nd Congressional 
District, supported a ballot measure on a constitutional amendment to 
raise future state senators’ annual salary from $12,000 to $24,000. 
Vargas proposed increasing income taxes on Nebraska’s highest earners. 
That bill never made it out of committee.&nbsp;&nbsp;Vargas’ response: “It’s tough when 
one side isn’t committed to the facts. But people are getting sick of 
the mailers. I’ve had people say they’re voting for me because they (the
 mailers) are so bad.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667497667691.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>• Vargas’ campaign sent a mailer saying Bacon’s anti-abortion bill would “leave victims of rape and incest with nowhere to turn.” It said Bacon’s bill “bans abortion when the life of the mother is at stake.” H.R. 1011, which Bacon backed in 2021, would have banned abortion and contained no explicit exceptions. Bacon has said the bill’s sponsor said it was written to leave room for states to carve out exceptions. Bacon has said he&nbsp;supports exceptions for the life and health of the mother. Vargas has said he supports abortion rights. He said he does not support abortion until birth but has not specified what limits, if any, he would accept.Bacon’s response: “I am not the one with an extreme position on abortion. Tony is. Tony won’t say where he stands.”&nbsp;Political consultant Kyle Clark said direct mail is “different this cycle because people are trying to cut through the noise.”&nbsp;The GOP governor’s primary left a lot of voters fatigued, he said, so grabbing attention has gotten harder.Headlines, photos and messages have about seven seconds to catch a voter’s eye before a mail piece hits the trash, Clark said.“They need to stand out a bit,” he said.Hyperbole helps mailers grab 
attention, said Randall Adkins, a political scientist at the University 
of Nebraska at Omaha. Mailers are also more easily targeted at different
 slices of the electorate, he said, including by age, gender, voting 
frequency and personal interests.&nbsp;Direct mail is one of the top methods
 of reaching voters, behind meeting a candidate and canvassing door to 
door, observers said.Increased spending by outside groups 
and more interest from donors in races down the ballot are contributing 
to a glut of campaign literature.Political polarization is hitting 
more state and local races, said Joan Blaukamp, a political scientist at
 the University of Nebraska at Kearney.“National partisan dynamics have filtered all the way down, informing how people vote on school board,” she said.Problem is, voters have no easy way 
to sort fact from fiction, and many don’t want to, said Dona 
Gene-Barton, a political scientist at the University of 
Nebraska-Lincoln.“From a political psychology 
standpoint, facts don’t really matter,” she said, citing research. 
“People want to find things that confirm what they already believe.”Those who do want to cut through 
incomplete information and misinformation will have to check reputable 
sources, including local reporting and voter guides, Adkins said.&nbsp;“I think I’d tell them that there’s 
probably a nugget of truth and a flood of rhetoric,” he said. 
“Historically, it’s nothing new.”Blaukamp said she tells people to think about the competence of the candidates first.“Past behavior is a much better predictor than a mailer,” she said.&nbsp;Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska 
Democratic Party, said she worries that the most outlandish mailers feed
 into the negativity many Nebraskans feel toward politics. The risk, she
 said, is fewer people voting “because they don’t have trust that 
anything good will come out of it.”Watson, political director of the 
Nebraska Republican Party, said concerns about mailers are being 
overblown. Voters, he said, have been dealing with campaign literature 
for centuries.“They’ll be fine,” he said.