MIAME COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after an arrest in rural Miami County Kansas.

Just before 1p.m. November 20,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 28980 Osawatomie Road, with assistance from the Osawatomie Police Department, according to. media release.

The search warrant resulted from an Osawatomie Police Department investigation into stolen property that led officers to the rural Miami County residence. During the search of the home, numerous items of stolen property were recovered related to an Osawatomie Police Department case, estimated to be valued at approximately $3,000. 

Additional stolen property belonging to victims in rural Miami County was also recovered, valued at around $500. Deputies additionally seized 1,076.5 grams (2.37 pounds) of marijuana from the property.

Larry Arthur Poage Jr., 56, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana – and transported to the Miami County Jail. While inside the jail, additional drug paraphernalia was located on his person, resulting in two additional requested felony charges that include Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility. As the investigations continue, additional charges may be filed. Poage has previous drug and driving convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763582371025.png" alt="Poag photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Poag photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAME COUNTY —A Kansas felon is back in custody after an arrest in rural Miami County Kansas.Just before 1p.m. November 20,&nbsp;the Miami County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 28980 Osawatomie Road, with assistance from the Osawatomie Police Department, according to. media release.The search warrant resulted from an Osawatomie Police Department investigation into stolen property that led officers to the rural Miami County residence. During the search of the home, numerous items of stolen property were recovered related to an Osawatomie Police Department case, estimated to be valued at approximately $3,000. Additional stolen property belonging to victims in rural Miami County was also recovered, valued at around $500. Deputies additionally seized 1,076.5 grams (2.37 pounds) of marijuana from the property.Larry Arthur Poage Jr., 56, was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana – and transported to the Miami County Jail. While inside the jail, additional drug paraphernalia was located on his person, resulting in two additional requested felony charges that include Trafficking Contraband into a Correctional Facility. As the investigations continue, additional charges may be filed. Poage has previous drug and driving convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon caught with stolen property and 2 pounds of pot

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.

Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.

“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”

The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.

“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.

“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.

Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;

Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.

“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”

In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.

“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”

In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”

“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”

She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.

The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;

Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.

“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”

In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.

Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.

Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.

An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.

Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;

According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.

“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.

At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”

“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”

Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.

Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.

“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.

Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.

Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;

But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;

Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion

Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.

That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.

“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.

Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.

“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.

Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1761944916334.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers, coming mere days after recipients began to see benefits that had been stalled during the government shutdown.Details remain scant a week after Rollins during an interview on the right-wing Newsmax network first publicly broached the startling idea that every beneficiary would have to reapply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, often called food stamps.The U.S. Department of Agriculture, asked for an explanation, referenced existing requirements and suggested more changes in SNAP rules could be in store.“Secretary Rollins wants to ensure the fraud, waste, and incessant abuse of SNAP ends,” a USDA spokesperson wrote Wednesday. “Rates of fraud were only previously assumed, and President Trump is doing something about it. Using standard recertification processes for households is a part of that work. As well as ongoing analysis of state data, further regulatory work, and improved collaboration with states.”The 2008 law governing SNAP leaves states responsible for administration. Part of that role includes periodically making sure that the low-income people in the program meet the qualifications for inclusion, but the law allows states to determine how often that occurs.“It’s not clear what she would be proposing that is different from what is already happening,” said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst for food assistance at the left-leaning think tank Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.One interpretation of Rollins’ comments is that she would remove all 42 million individuals from SNAP’s rolls and ask them to resubmit applications. Bergh said that would lead to people losing money they need for groceries. About 40% of those enrolled in SNAP are children.“If she’s suggesting that they’re going to somehow redo that process for more than 40 million people who already demonstrated their eligibility and who already have to periodically recertify their eligibility, that would be pretty duplicative and would likely create pretty significant paperwork backlogs that would cause people who are eligible to lose the food assistance that they need,” Bergh said.Administration critics have suggested that, while the comments are unlikely to lead to policy changes, they introduce even more confusion for a program that was used as a political token during the record government shutdown that ended this month.&nbsp;Making people reapply would underscore the Trump administration’s opposition to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/key-statistics-and-research" target="_blank">nearly $100 billion program</a>, which accounts for 70% of federal nutrition assistance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/research/snap/characteristics-fy23" target="_blank">USDA says</a>&nbsp;the average SNAP household in fiscal 2023 received a monthly benefit of $332, or $177 a person based on the average SNAP household size of 1.9 people.“Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration have cut food assistance for 42 million Americans multiple times this year,” U.S. House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig said in a Wednesday statement to States Newsroom. “Now, they’ve once again shown that they do not understand the program.”<h2>What did Rollins say?</h2>In the Nov. 13 interview on Newsmax, Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department. Acquiring data from the 21 other states would give the department a way to wholly remake the program, she said.“Can you imagine when we get our hands on the blue state data, what we’re going to find?” she said. “It’s going to give us a platform and a trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone reapply for their benefit, make sure that everyone that’s taking a taxpayer-funded benefit through SNAP or food stamps that they literally are vulnerable, and they can’t survive without it. And that’s the next step here.”In an interview Monday on Fox News, host Maria Bartiromo asked Rollins about the move to have recipients “reapply.”“Business as usual is over,” Rollins answered in part. “The status quo is no more. We know that the SNAP program is rife with fraud.”She added that guarding against fraud would help those the program is meant to serve.The comments touched off widespread confusion about what specifically Rollins meant.&nbsp;Asked about the initiative during a Thursday press conference, Craig, a Minnesota Democrat, said she was unclear about how it would work and predicted that Rollins would take credit in the future for the existing low rate of fraud.“We’re hearing off the record that, you know, maybe people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about,” she said. “In fact, I think they’re trying to take credit for the already very strict standards and the actual low fraud rate in the SNAP program … So we can find no real plan there. Not even sure there’s concepts of a plan there.”In response to a States Newsroom request this week for details about the initiative, USDA provided the statement that did not answer how the department would proceed or under what authority, but said Rollins was seeking to reduce fraud in the program.Spokespeople did not respond to follow-up questions, or a request to respond to Craig’s remarks Thursday.<h2>Low fraud rate</h2>Program experts say fraud is not a widespread problem for SNAP.An April&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF10860#_Ref509241731" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service found that retailers illegally trafficked about 1.6% of SNAP benefits from fiscal 2015 to 2017.Fraud by households applying for SNAP, which appear to be the main target of Rollins’ proposal, is even lower.&nbsp;According to a USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-sar-fy23.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>, about 26,000 applications were referred for an administrative review or prosecution on suspicion of fraud. That number accounts for about 0.1% of the 22.7 million households enrolled in the program, according to the Pew Research Center.“Long-standing data sources indicate that intentional fraud by participants is rare,” Bergh said.At Thursday’s press conference, Craig called Rollins’ comments “bullsh*t” and “propaganda.”“Secretary Rollins goes on TV and talks about all the fraud,” she said. “This most effective anti-hunger program in our history has a fraud rate of 1.6%. It’s actually one of the most effective, well-run programs in the country … The bullsh*t this administration is peddling is egregious.”<h2>More targeted reforms</h2>Even experts who advocate for reforms to SNAP say eligibility fraud is not a major issue.Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said high-net-worth individuals can receive SNAP benefits, but aren’t committing fraud by doing so.“Some of the issues with SNAP … aren’t because of fraud or abuse, but they are because of bad program rules,” said Boccia.Boccia also cited an “incentive misalignment” inherent in the state-federal program. States have little incentive to control payments because the federal government funds the program, she said.Forcing all beneficiaries to reapply would likely reduce the cost of the program by reducing the number of its beneficiaries, including by forcing out higher earners who may not consider the benefits they don’t actually need to be worth the onerous reapplication process, Boccia said.&nbsp;But it would also result in a percentage of low earners dropping off the program, as well as many who would be affected by the administrative backlog that would come with processing tens of millions of new applications, she said.&nbsp;<h2>Shutdown, the big beautiful bill, and confusion</h2>Bergh said Rollins’ comments “add insult to injury” because they come after congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump signed a major tax cuts and spending law that is expected to shrink federal SNAP spending by $187 billion over 10 years. The law added work requirements for many SNAP recipients and shifted some costs to states.That was followed by the six-week shutdown that saw&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/shutdown-tug-war-over-snap-benefits-timeline" target="_blank">a dizzying back-and-forth</a>&nbsp;over whether November SNAP benefits would be paid.“There has been huge amounts of chaos and confusion and disruption for both states and participants in recent weeks, largely due to the shutdown, but also because simultaneously, the administration has required states to implement many of the reconciliation bill’s SNAP cuts,” Bergh said.Craig, in her statement, also said Rollins’ comments would hurt the people who need the program.“I am astounded by the secretary’s careless disregard for the hungry seniors and children who can afford to eat because of this program,” she said.Sara Naomi Bleich, a public health policy professor at Harvard University, said in a phone interview the confusion from Rollins’ comments compounded hardships produced by the Republican reconciliation law, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.“Big picture with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is that there’s basically this tidal wave coming to families that have low income,” Bleich, who worked at USDA during the Obama and Biden administrations, said. “They’re going to lose Medicaid. They’re going to lose SNAP. There could be collateral impacts on the school meals. This is going to be a really hard time for families to navigate.”

USDA wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean?

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.

Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police responded to several reports of gunshots around SE 37th Street and SE Adams Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police  LT Jason Schumacher.

 While officers were investigating that area, they received information on a victim arriving at a local hospital by private vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. That individual was later pronounced deceased. Police released no additional details.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a fatal shooting in Topeka.Just before 1a.m. Saturday, police responded to several reports of gunshots around SE 37th Street and SE Adams Street in Topeka, according to Topeka Police LT Jason Schumacher. While officers were investigating that area, they received information on a victim arriving at a local hospital by private vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. That individual was later pronounced deceased. Police released no additional details.

Police: Kansas shooting victim died at the hospital

Sen. Jerry Moran seeks to insulate FAA; Rep. Ron Estes hunts CBO transparency

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas joined five dozen colleagues requesting a House vote on legislation extending federal tax credits set to expire at the end of December that were implemented to moderate Affordable Care Act insurance costs.

In the letter signed by 59 lawmakers and sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the coalition said a bill preserving the tax credit would allow more than 24 million Americans in the ACA to avoid substantial premium increases in 2026. Sky-high premiums could prompt as many as 4 million people to drop health coverage.

Davids said 160,000 Kansans relied on federal tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on health care premiums.

“Families in Kansas and across the country are staring down massive health care price hikes because Congress hasn’t done its job,” said Davids, the Democrat representing the 3rd District in the Kansas City area. “Republican leadership in the Senate has already promised a vote to extend ACA tax credits. There is no excuse for the House to stall any longer.”

Davids said a bipartisan majority in the House support action to mitigate rising health care costs. While Democrats have sought a tax-credit extension, Republicans complained the credits were costly to the government and helped boost insurance company profits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost the $350 billion in the next decade if the subsidy were extended.

“Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans’ budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs,” the letter said.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, said the 43-day government shutdown inhibited operation of the Federal Aviation Administration, caused widespread flight delays and interrupted an estimated $6 billion in travel spending.

Moran convened a Senate hearing to lay the groundwork for legislation capable of shielding the industry during government shutdowns.

“We convened this hearing because of the importance of the aviation and travel industry, a vital component of our nation’s economy,” Moran said. “We must do our part to enable the FAA and the Department of Transportation to make certain that America remains the standard for aviation and air safety.”

In March, the Kansas Republican introduced a bill that would insulate the FAA by making emergency funding available for critical operations and to pay air traffic controllers.

“When Congress fails to act, the FAA and the aviation industry suffer,” Moran said. “The people who work in the airports and in aviation cannot further afford the instability and chaos.”

The U.S. Travel Association reported more than $6 billion in travel spending was lost because of the inability of aircraft to fly as a result of the shutdown.

Moran said he was pleased the problem with flight delays had eased ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A record 31 million passengers were expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1. The busiest days were expected to be Sunday Nov. 30 and Monday Dec. 1.

U.S. Rep. Ron&nbsp;Estes, a Kansas Republican serving the Wichita area, said transparency and accuracy of the Congressional Budget Office was essential to the federal legislative process.

During a House budget committee hearing, Estes told CBO director Phillip Swagel that reports issued by the office had a dramatic impact on bills in the House and Senate. CBO, which operates as designated budget scorekeeper, influenced public perception of legislation, Estes said.

“We need to make sure that CBO works to improve scores, to actually make sure that they align with reality,” Estes said. “Unfortunately, as we’ve talked about previously in the committee room, CBO sometimes falls short of making those good estimates that help us make decisions.”

Estes said an example was the CBO’s estimate on the 2022 Inflation Adjustment Act, which focused on health care, climate and taxes, and was signed by President Joe Biden. Estes and GOP U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner of Kansas voted against the bill. Davids voted for it.

Estes said the CBO’s initial report said the energy and climate provisions of the bill would cost $391 billion. Credit Suisse concluded the cost was closer to $800 billion, he said.

“My struggle, and I think a lot of our struggle, is that we’re literally making trillion-dollar decisions based on this information, so we want to make sure it’s the best possible,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763824856148.png" alt=" U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, says the U.S. House should vote on legislation to extend tax credits useful to people who secure health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. In this image, Davids speaks during a Feb. 28, 2025, news conference in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, says the U.S. House should vote on legislation to extend tax credits useful to people who secure health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. In this image, Davids speaks during a Feb. 28, 2025, news conference in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Sen. Jerry Moran seeks to insulate FAA; Rep. Ron Estes hunts CBO transparency</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas joined five dozen colleagues requesting a House vote on legislation extending federal tax credits set to expire at the end of December that were implemented to moderate Affordable Care Act insurance costs.In the letter signed by 59 lawmakers and sent to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the coalition said a bill preserving the tax credit would allow more than 24 million Americans in the ACA to avoid substantial premium increases in 2026. Sky-high premiums could prompt as many as 4 million people to drop health coverage.Davids said 160,000 Kansans relied on federal tax credits last year to save an average of $700 annually on health care premiums.“Families in Kansas and across the country are staring down massive health care price hikes because Congress hasn’t done its job,” said Davids, the Democrat representing the 3rd District in the Kansas City area. “Republican leadership in the Senate has already promised a vote to extend ACA tax credits. There is no excuse for the House to stall any longer.”Davids said a bipartisan majority in the House support action to mitigate rising health care costs. While Democrats have sought a tax-credit extension, Republicans complained the credits were costly to the government and helped boost insurance company profits. The Congressional Budget Office estimated it would cost the $350 billion in the next decade if the subsidy were extended.“Inaction here will decimate millions of Americans’ budgets and force impossible decisions between receiving necessary care and other basic needs,” the letter said.<h2>Moran: Aviation shutdown</h2>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, chairman of the Senate Aviation, Space and Innovation Subcommittee, said the 43-day government shutdown inhibited operation of the Federal Aviation Administration, caused widespread flight delays and interrupted an estimated $6 billion in travel spending.Moran convened a Senate hearing to lay the groundwork for legislation capable of shielding the industry during government shutdowns.“We convened this hearing because of the importance of the aviation and travel industry, a vital component of our nation’s economy,” Moran said. “We must do our part to enable the FAA and the Department of Transportation to make certain that America remains the standard for aviation and air safety.”In March, the Kansas Republican introduced a bill that would insulate the FAA by making emergency funding available for critical operations and to pay air traffic controllers.“When Congress fails to act, the FAA and the aviation industry suffer,” Moran said. “The people who work in the airports and in aviation cannot further afford the instability and chaos.”The U.S. Travel Association reported more than $6 billion in travel spending was lost because of the inability of aircraft to fly as a result of the shutdown.Moran said he was pleased the problem with flight delays had eased ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. A record 31 million passengers were expected to fly from Nov. 21 to Dec. 1. The busiest days were expected to be Sunday Nov. 30 and Monday Dec. 1.<h2>Estes: CBO transparency</h2>U.S. Rep. Ron&nbsp;Estes, a Kansas Republican serving the Wichita area, said transparency and accuracy of the Congressional Budget Office was essential to the federal legislative process.During a House budget committee hearing, Estes told CBO director Phillip Swagel that reports issued by the office had a dramatic impact on bills in the House and Senate. CBO, which operates as designated budget scorekeeper, influenced public perception of legislation, Estes said.“We need to make sure that CBO works to improve scores, to actually make sure that they align with reality,” Estes said. “Unfortunately, as we’ve talked about previously in the committee room, CBO sometimes falls short of making those good estimates that help us make decisions.”Estes said an example was the CBO’s estimate on the 2022 Inflation Adjustment Act, which focused on health care, climate and taxes, and was signed by President Joe Biden. Estes and GOP U.S. Reps. Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner of Kansas voted against the bill. Davids voted for it.Estes said the CBO’s initial report said the energy and climate provisions of the bill would cost $391 billion. Credit Suisse concluded the cost was closer to $800 billion, he said.“My struggle, and I think a lot of our struggle, is that we’re literally making trillion-dollar decisions based on this information, so we want to make sure it’s the best possible,” he said.

Rep. Sharice Davids encourages House vote on extending tax credit for health insurance

SALINE COUNTY —A suspect is in jail facing multiple allegations after a high speed chase in Saline County.

Just after 12a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy near the south Saline County line around on Interstate 135 near the Kansas 104 exit was searching for a 2013 BMW that had been reportedly speeding northbound with no lights on, according to a statement from the Saline County Sheriff's Office.

The deputy found the vehicle traveling at 135 mph in Saline County and pursued. After an attempted stop, the vehicle continued northbound on the Interstate with no lights on.

The vehicle continued west on Interstate 70 until eventually pulling over just east of the Sylvan Grove exit in Ellsworth County. The driver identified as 22-year-old Hunter Sims of Denton, TX was arrested on requested charges of Reckless Driving, Speeding, Registration Violation, Driving with no Headlights and Felony Flee and Elude.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763660368568.png" alt="Sims photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Sims photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A suspect is in jail facing multiple allegations after a high speed chase in Saline County.Just after 12a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy near the south Saline County line around on Interstate 135 near the Kansas 104 exit was searching for a 2013 BMW that had been reportedly speeding northbound with no lights on, according to a statement from the Saline County Sheriff's Office.The deputy found the vehicle traveling at 135 mph in Saline County and pursued. After an attempted stop, the vehicle continued northbound on the Interstate with no lights on.The vehicle continued west on Interstate 70 until eventually pulling over just east of the Sylvan Grove exit in Ellsworth County. The driver identified as 22-year-old Hunter Sims of Denton, TX was arrested on requested charges of Reckless Driving, Speeding, Registration Violation, Driving with no Headlights and Felony Flee and Elude.

Sheriff: Driver jailed after I-70 chase at 130mph

WILSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a pedestrian identified as 21-year-old Angel M.&nbsp;Stephens of Altoona, was walking westbound on 7th Street in Altoona.&nbsp; She accidentally walked in front of and was struck by a northbound train.&nbsp;

Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that she did not see or hear the train, according to the KHP.

She was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home in Fredonia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763862132048.png" alt="Near the location of the accident in Altoona-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Near the location of the accident in Altoona-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WILSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 3p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a pedestrian identified as 21-year-old Angel M.&nbsp;Stephens of Altoona, was walking westbound on 7th Street in Altoona.&nbsp; She accidentally walked in front of and was struck by a northbound train.&nbsp;Stephens was pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that she did not see or hear the train, according to the KHP.She was transported to&nbsp;Countryside Funeral Home in Fredonia.&nbsp;

KHP: 21-year-old did not see or hear train in fatal accident

KANSAS CITY—A man was sentenced in federal court this week for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.

Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 57 months in federal prison without parole for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, according to the United State's Attorney.

On Sept. 17, 2022, Hodge and 12 other members of the Pagan’s and their support club chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo.&nbsp; Various members of the Pagan’s and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.&nbsp; Hodge, who was a Pagan’s prospect at the time, and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to their knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of their leg.&nbsp;Hodge and several others fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.

Following this event, several members, including Hodge, were awarded club patches for their participation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723844162274.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A man was sentenced in federal court this week for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 57 months in federal prison without parole for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, according to the United State's Attorney.On Sept. 17, 2022, Hodge and 12 other members of the Pagan’s and their support club chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo.&nbsp; Various members of the Pagan’s and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle.&nbsp; Hodge, who was a Pagan’s prospect at the time, and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to their knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of their leg.&nbsp;Hodge and several others fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.Following this event, several members, including Hodge, were awarded club patches for their participation.

Motorcycle club member going to prison for armed assault of rival

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/"></a>LINCOLN — In a blow to the local economy of Lexington, Nebraska, Tyson Foods announced that it is closing the town’s longtime Tyson beef plant that employed about 3,200 people.&nbsp;

The Arkansas-based Tyson said in a statement that changes were designed to “right-size” its beef business and position it for long-term success.

The Lexington plant is to close on or around Jan. 20.&nbsp;The statement did not elaborate on why the plant in the town of&nbsp; about 11,500 people was targeted.

The company said it also will convert an Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift and increase production at other company beef facilities. The number of layoffs from that eliminated shift is about 1,700.

A recent earnings report indicated that Tyson stands to lose some $600 million in its beef business next fiscal year, on top of the already-incurred $720 million loss over the last two years.&nbsp;

The closure sparked swift reaction from Nebraskans.

The Nebraska Cattlemen Board of Directors expressed disappointment — especially, it said, in light of Friday’s U.S. Department of Agriculture data that Nebraska cattle-on-feed inventories remain slightly above year-ago levels in spite of the ongoing cyclical tightness in national cattle numbers.

“We firmly believe there isn’t a better place to efficiently and economically raise cattle and produce beef than Nebraska,” the board said in a statement. “This will have a profound impact on the community of Lexington and many cattle producers.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen called the state’s cattle industry resilient and “the envy of the world.” He said Tyson leadership promised to “work on future value-added opportunities” in the state.

“Big picture — our excellent cattlemen and cattle feeders have emerging opportunities and will still have the Tyson market to sell into as its planned re-organization will boost capacity and jobs at other Nebraska plants,” Pillen said.

But U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, blasted the decision.

“As the single largest employer in Lexington, Tyson’s announcement will have a devastating impact on a truly wonderful community, the region and our state,” she said.

Calling Nebraska a beef state that knows better than anyone the highs and lows of the cattle market, Fischer added: “It’s no secret that just a few years ago, packers like Tyson were making windfall profits while the rest of the industry was continuously in the red.”

“I call on Tyson to do everything in its power to take care of the families affected by this short-sighted decision,” she said.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he would do what he could to support Nebraskans impacted and to help employees find work close to home.

“This news is especially heartbreaking around the holidays,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb, called the closure a disappointing loss for the city, Dawson County, the region and cattle industry as a whole.&nbsp;

“Nebraska’s hard-working cattle producers are innovative and highly efficient as they work to provide high quality beef for consumers,” Smith said. “I welcome input from producers and stand ready to assist as we all move forward.”

In its announcement, Tyson said it recognized the impact its decisions have on its team members and their communities.

“The company is committed to supporting our team members through this transition, including helping them apply for open positions at other facilities and providing relocation benefits,” it said.

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb, said in a statement that ranchers “dutifully raised cattle even when times were hard. Now they are being abandoned.”

He said that after Tyson closed its Norfolk plant in 2006, it “stripped the plant bare” and the property couldn’t be used as a beef processing facility. He said the plant still sits empty today.

Said Flood: “As they wind down their Lexington plant, Tyson needs to preserve it, so it can remain a beef processing operation and keep good paying jobs in Dawson County that support our ag communities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763775920806.png" alt="Nebraska representatives react to Tyson Foods Lexington Plant closure" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska representatives react to Tyson Foods Lexington Plant closure</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cindygonzalez/">Cindy Gonzalez</a> <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/">Nebraska Examiner</a><a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/17/lincoln-senators-clash-over-nebraska-school-retirement-bill-as-school-leaders-weigh-in/"></a>LINCOLN — In a blow to the local economy of Lexington, Nebraska, Tyson Foods announced that it is closing the town’s longtime Tyson beef plant that employed about 3,200 people.&nbsp;The Arkansas-based Tyson said in a statement that changes were designed to “right-size” its beef business and position it for long-term success.The Lexington plant is to close on or around Jan. 20.&nbsp;The statement did not elaborate on why the plant in the town of&nbsp; about 11,500 people was targeted.The company said it also will convert an Amarillo, Texas, beef facility to a single, full-capacity shift and increase production at other company beef facilities. The number of layoffs from that eliminated shift is about 1,700.A recent earnings report indicated that Tyson stands to lose some $600 million in its beef business next fiscal year, on top of the already-incurred $720 million loss over the last two years.&nbsp;The closure sparked swift reaction from Nebraskans.The Nebraska Cattlemen Board of Directors expressed disappointment — especially, it said, in light of Friday’s U.S. Department of Agriculture data that Nebraska cattle-on-feed inventories remain slightly above year-ago levels in spite of the ongoing cyclical tightness in national cattle numbers.“We firmly believe there isn’t a better place to efficiently and economically raise cattle and produce beef than Nebraska,” the board said in a statement. “This will have a profound impact on the community of Lexington and many cattle producers.”Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen called the state’s cattle industry resilient and “the envy of the world.” He said Tyson leadership promised to “work on future value-added opportunities” in the state.“Big picture — our excellent cattlemen and cattle feeders have emerging opportunities and will still have the Tyson market to sell into as its planned re-organization will boost capacity and jobs at other Nebraska plants,” Pillen said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am extremely disappointed by this news from Tyson today. As the single largest employer in Lexington, Tyson’s announcement will have a devastating impact on a truly wonderful community, the region, and our state. Nebraskans are nothing if not resilient, and Lexington has a…&mdash; Senator Deb Fischer (@SenatorFischer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorFischer/status/1991984414159442211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>But U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, blasted the decision.“As the single largest employer in Lexington, Tyson’s announcement will have a devastating impact on a truly wonderful community, the region and our state,” she said.Calling Nebraska a beef state that knows better than anyone the highs and lows of the cattle market, Fischer added: “It’s no secret that just a few years ago, packers like Tyson were making windfall profits while the rest of the industry was continuously in the red.”“I call on Tyson to do everything in its power to take care of the families affected by this short-sighted decision,” she said.&nbsp;U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., said he would do what he could to support Nebraskans impacted and to help employees find work close to home.“This news is especially heartbreaking around the holidays,” he said.U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb, called the closure a disappointing loss for the city, Dawson County, the region and cattle industry as a whole.&nbsp;“Nebraska’s hard-working cattle producers are innovative and highly efficient as they work to provide high quality beef for consumers,” Smith said. “I welcome input from producers and stand ready to assist as we all move forward.”In its announcement, Tyson said it recognized the impact its decisions have on its team members and their communities.“The company is committed to supporting our team members through this transition, including helping them apply for open positions at other facilities and providing relocation benefits,” it said.U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb, said in a statement that ranchers “dutifully raised cattle even when times were hard. Now they are being abandoned.”He said that after Tyson closed its Norfolk plant in 2006, it “stripped the plant bare” and the property couldn’t be used as a beef processing facility. He said the plant still sits empty today.Said Flood: “As they wind down their Lexington plant, Tyson needs to preserve it, so it can remain a beef processing operation and keep good paying jobs in Dawson County that support our ag communities.”

Tyson to close Nebraska beef plant with 3,200 workers

Voting rights advocates say both states must carefully guard personal information and should proceed with the understanding that databases could be flawed

TOPEKA, Kansas — The Republican secretaries of state for Kansas and Missouri have signed a memorandum of understanding to exchange voter registration information in a bid to identify people who failed to cancel registrations after moving from one state to the other.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said the partnership would enhance voter roll maintenance by “securely” sharing personal details on 1.87 million registered voters in Kansas and 4.13 million registered voters in Missouri.

Two organizations dedicated to advancing voter rights expressed skepticism the two-state agreement would do much to strengthen election security.

Neither secretary of state offered an estimate of the number of people in Kansas and Missouri who might have active registrations in a state where they used to reside.

“We can reduce duplicate registrations, created when residents move across the state line, by updating voter registration records timely and as allowed by law,” said Schwab, a candidate for the 2026 GOP nomination for governor in Kansas.

Hoskins said Missouri engaged in rigorous voter registration maintenance in accordance with state and federal law, but the deal “allows us to improve accuracy even further.”

He said the risk of duplicate registrations was real because thousands of Missourians and Kansans relocated each year across the state line in Kansas City metropolitan counties.

“This partnership is good government, plain and simple,” Hoskins said. “When voters move, their information should follow them and our local election officials deserve every available tool to keep the rolls clean, current and transparent.”

Esmie Tseng, spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the organization’s concerns with the Missouri-Kansas arrangement were comparable to those shared in September when Schwab announced&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/kansas-among-nine-states-to-swap-voter-rolls-with-texas-in-effort-to-find-duplicates-prevent-fraud/" target="_blank">a voter registration collaboration between Kansas and Texas</a>. She said both states must carefully guard personal information, and the states ought to proceed with the understanding that databases could be flawed.

“It should not be used as a way of simply scaring people about election integrity,” Tseng said.

Some states — but not Kansas — striving to upgrade election security in the past decade turned to the Electronic Registration Information Center. ERIC an organization of member states worked to collate motor vehicle department data, Social Security Administration death reports, address information from the U.S. Postal Service and state voter registration records to search for possible illegal voting.

Schwab’s predecessors as Kansas secretary of state operated the now-defunct Crosscheck program that promised to improve accuracy of state voter registration rolls. A lawsuit was filed challenging Crosscheck’s security shortcomings and a high rate of false positives. Settlement of the lawsuit in 2019 led to shelving of Crosscheck.

“Given the history of voter data mismanagement and its negative impact on Kansans, our big question is: How is this better than ERIC and different from Crosscheck?” said Melissa Stiehler, advocacy director for Loud Light, a Kansas organization focused on civil and voting rights.

Whitney Tempel, director of communications for Schwab, said all data sharing relevant to maintaining accurate voter rolls would be conducted in accordance with mandates of state or federal law.

She said the Kansas agreements with Missouri and Texas were part of a trend in which states proactively sought to update voter rolls through direct cooperation with other states.

“This is part of a national surge in one-to-one state agreements as opposed to multistate groups,” Tempel said. “This is one more tool for voter roll maintenance.”

Hoskins, the Missouri secretary of state, said Kansas and Missouri were part of a growing trend among states that voluntarily partnered on data-sharing projects to streamline work on election security.

In early 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice requested states turn over voter registration lists as part of a national inquiry into potential voter fraud. The Justice Department said the goal was to guarantee compliance with federal laws. DOJ subsequently revealed information was shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for inclusion in the Systemic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database.

On Tuesday, election officials in 10 states&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/11/18/state-election-officials-misled-trump/" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and DOJ asking for clarification of statements about uses for voter registration data by the administration of President Donald Trump. DOJ filed lawsuits against eight states for declining to comply with demands for information, which included driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

In response, the Kansas secretary of state praised the federal SAVE database. Schwab committed to providing DOJ with publicly available voter information.

<h2>Voting rights advocates say both states must carefully guard personal information and should proceed with the understanding that databases could be flawed</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — The Republican secretaries of state for Kansas and Missouri have signed a memorandum of understanding to exchange voter registration information in a bid to identify people who failed to cancel registrations after moving from one state to the other.Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab and Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said the partnership would enhance voter roll maintenance by “securely” sharing personal details on 1.87 million registered voters in Kansas and 4.13 million registered voters in Missouri.Two organizations dedicated to advancing voter rights expressed skepticism the two-state agreement would do much to strengthen election security.Neither secretary of state offered an estimate of the number of people in Kansas and Missouri who might have active registrations in a state where they used to reside.“We can reduce duplicate registrations, created when residents move across the state line, by updating voter registration records timely and as allowed by law,” said Schwab, a candidate for the 2026 GOP nomination for governor in Kansas.Hoskins said Missouri engaged in rigorous voter registration maintenance in accordance with state and federal law, but the deal “allows us to improve accuracy even further.”He said the risk of duplicate registrations was real because thousands of Missourians and Kansans relocated each year across the state line in Kansas City metropolitan counties.“This partnership is good government, plain and simple,” Hoskins said. “When voters move, their information should follow them and our local election officials deserve every available tool to keep the rolls clean, current and transparent.”Esmie Tseng, spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, said the organization’s concerns with the Missouri-Kansas arrangement were comparable to those shared in September when Schwab announced&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/09/23/kansas-among-nine-states-to-swap-voter-rolls-with-texas-in-effort-to-find-duplicates-prevent-fraud/" target="_blank">a voter registration collaboration between Kansas and Texas</a>. She said both states must carefully guard personal information, and the states ought to proceed with the understanding that databases could be flawed.“It should not be used as a way of simply scaring people about election integrity,” Tseng said.Some states — but not Kansas — striving to upgrade election security in the past decade turned to the Electronic Registration Information Center. ERIC an organization of member states worked to collate motor vehicle department data, Social Security Administration death reports, address information from the U.S. Postal Service and state voter registration records to search for possible illegal voting.Schwab’s predecessors as Kansas secretary of state operated the now-defunct Crosscheck program that promised to improve accuracy of state voter registration rolls. A lawsuit was filed challenging Crosscheck’s security shortcomings and a high rate of false positives. Settlement of the lawsuit in 2019 led to shelving of Crosscheck.“Given the history of voter data mismanagement and its negative impact on Kansans, our big question is: How is this better than ERIC and different from Crosscheck?” said Melissa Stiehler, advocacy director for Loud Light, a Kansas organization focused on civil and voting rights.Whitney Tempel, director of communications for Schwab, said all data sharing relevant to maintaining accurate voter rolls would be conducted in accordance with mandates of state or federal law.She said the Kansas agreements with Missouri and Texas were part of a trend in which states proactively sought to update voter rolls through direct cooperation with other states.“This is part of a national surge in one-to-one state agreements as opposed to multistate groups,” Tempel said. “This is one more tool for voter roll maintenance.”Hoskins, the Missouri secretary of state, said Kansas and Missouri were part of a growing trend among states that voluntarily partnered on data-sharing projects to streamline work on election security.In early 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice requested states turn over voter registration lists as part of a national inquiry into potential voter fraud. The Justice Department said the goal was to guarantee compliance with federal laws. DOJ subsequently revealed information was shared with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for inclusion in the Systemic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, database.On Tuesday, election officials in 10 states&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2025/11/18/state-election-officials-misled-trump/" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and DOJ asking for clarification of statements about uses for voter registration data by the administration of President Donald Trump. DOJ filed lawsuits against eight states for declining to comply with demands for information, which included driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.In response, the Kansas secretary of state praised the federal SAVE database. Schwab committed to providing DOJ with publicly available voter information.

Kansas, Missouri GOP officials agree to share voter registration details of 6 million people

KANSAS CITY —Police investigating another fatal shooting in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Jaquis Jones, according&nbsp;KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.&nbsp;

Just after 7:30p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to the area of 55th and Wabash on the sound of gunshots.

Officers checked the area and located a vehicle mid block to the south in the east side alley. Inside the vehicle officers located Jones. She was unresponsive. Officers called for EMS who responded to the scene and pronounced her deceased at the scene.

Homicide detectives responded to the scene canvassing for any witnesses.&nbsp; The shooting appears to have happened in the alley of the location, according to Becchina. Police have not reported any suspect details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763724181674.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police investigating another fatal shooting in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 23-year-old Jaquis Jones, according&nbsp;KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.&nbsp;Just after 7:30p.m. Thursday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to the area of 55th and Wabash on the sound of gunshots.Officers checked the area and located a vehicle mid block to the south in the east side alley. Inside the vehicle officers located Jones. She was unresponsive. Officers called for EMS who responded to the scene and pronounced her deceased at the scene.Homicide detectives responded to the scene canvassing for any witnesses.&nbsp; The shooting appears to have happened in the alley of the location, according to Becchina. Police have not reported any suspect details.

Homicide: Police ID woman found dead in her car in Kansas City

WASHINGTON—&nbsp; President Donald Trump met with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday.&nbsp; The Oval Office meeting&nbsp; went well despite what many thought would happen.

WASHINGTON—&nbsp; President Donald Trump met with New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Friday.&nbsp; The Oval Office meeting&nbsp; went well despite what many thought would happen.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani: &quot;He&#39;s got views that are a little out there, but who knows. We&#39;re going to see what works.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/5qBVFKDLxm">pic.twitter.com/5qBVFKDLxm</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1991971007012499913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;We had a meeting today that actually surprised me... We may disagree how we get there [on policy],&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his meeting with Mayor-elect Mamdani. &quot;I expect to be helping him, not hurting him... because I want NYC to be great. Look, I love NYC. That&#39;s where I come from.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/lHlT4jRP0q">pic.twitter.com/lHlT4jRP0q</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1991975583707025732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;That&#39;s okay. You can just say yes. It&#39;s easier than explaining it. I don&#39;t mind.&quot; 🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/5NpLP6v3gZ">pic.twitter.com/5NpLP6v3gZ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1991973604305916370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> says he and Mayor-elect Mamdani discussed illegal immigration &quot;at great length&quot;: &quot;He wants to have a safe New York. Ultimately, a safe New York is going to be a great New York... if you don&#39;t have safe streets, it&#39;s not going to be a success.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/yjd1KhLOUA">pic.twitter.com/yjd1KhLOUA</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1991972232373936541?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Trump and NY Mayor-elect Mamdani's friendly Oval Office meeting

By:<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/alander-rocha/">Alander Rocha</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/ross-williams/">Ross Williams</a> <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/">Georgia Recorder</a>

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, a Rome Republican, announced her plans to resign from Congress Friday evening in an unexpected video message.

Greene, who was first elected in Georgia’s 14th congressional district in 2020, said in a lengthy and pointed video statement posted on social media that her last day in Congress will be Jan. 5, 2026.

Once a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, Trump publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/11/17/congresswoman-marjorie-taylor-greene-is-charting-a-path-for-a-post-trump-era-gop-observers-say/">broke ties</a>&nbsp;with Greene after she expressed disagreement with him on a number of issues, the biggest of which was the release of the Epstein files.

Greene expressed disillusionment with the political system and Trump, predicting that if she were to stay in office, she would face and defeat a Trump-funded opponent while Republicans lose the midterms nationwide.

“It’s all so absurd and completely unserious,” she said in the video. “I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better. If I’m cast aside by the president and the MAGA political machine and replaced by neocons, big pharma, big tech, military industrial war complex, foreign leaders and the elite donor class that can never, ever relate to real Americans then many common Americans have been cast aside and replaced as well.”

“There is no plan to save the world or a 4-D chess game being played,” she added. “When common American people realize and understand that the political industrial complex of both parties is ripping this country apart, that not one elected leader like me is able to stop Washington’s machine from gradually destroying our country and instead the reality is that they, common Americans, the people, possess the real power over Washington, then I’ll be here by their side to rebuild it.”

Trump taunted Greene in a social media post early Saturday morning, rolling out nicknames he developed for her after the start of their feud.

“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, because of PLUMMETING Poll Numbers, and not wanting to face a Primary Challenger with a strong Trump Endorsement (where she would have no chance of winning!), has decided to call it ‘quits,’” he wrote.

Greene has said she found Trump’s “traitor” moniker for her especially galling because she has worked hard to support him for years. Trump says he now calls Greene Brown because green grass turns brown when it begins to rot.

“For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD. Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country!” Trump added.

Greene has said she has received a spike in death threats that she attributes to the president’s rhetoric.

The Constitution calls on a state’s governor to declare a special election when a vacancy happens in the House of Representatives.&nbsp;

Greene was reportedly considering a run for higher office, including as Georgia governor or for Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s seat, both of which are up next year, but&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/u-s-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-shell-skip-georgias-2026-race-for-governor/">bowed out</a>&nbsp;of consideration after being discouraged by Trump.&nbsp;

Republican strategist Brian Robinson said that it’s unclear what Greene will do next, but that “she has the profile and the talent to make a splash whatever she does.”

“Her video message laid out a clear and detailed vision that could serve as a roadmap to a political future,” he said in a statement.

Greene said in her speech that her goal was to hold the Republican party accountable and put “America first.”

“I look forward to seeing many of you again sometime in the future,” she said and signed off with a smile.&nbsp;

Josh McKoon, chair of the Georgia Republican Party, called the announcement a “surprise.” He thanked Greene for her “fierce and unwavering service” and said in a statement that the congresswoman “has been a tireless fighter” for conservatives.

“She entered Congress as a political outsider and never backed down from defending the forgotten men and women of our state,” McKoon said.

McKoon said the party will work to elect another conservative to the district. The 14th congressional district is deeply red, and Greene was reelected to her third term in 2024 with 64.4% of the vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714577209426.png" alt="File image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/alander-rocha/">Alander Rocha</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/ross-williams/">Ross Williams</a> <a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/">Georgia Recorder</a>U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia, a Rome Republican, announced her plans to resign from Congress Friday evening in an unexpected video message.Greene, who was first elected in Georgia’s 14th congressional district in 2020, said in a lengthy and pointed video statement posted on social media that her last day in Congress will be Jan. 5, 2026.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My official statement. <a href="https://t.co/x48zEugmPV">pic.twitter.com/x48zEugmPV</a>&mdash; Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) <a href="https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1992037226415554642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Once a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump, Trump publicly&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2025/11/17/congresswoman-marjorie-taylor-greene-is-charting-a-path-for-a-post-trump-era-gop-observers-say/">broke ties</a>&nbsp;with Greene after she expressed disagreement with him on a number of issues, the biggest of which was the release of the Epstein files.Greene expressed disillusionment with the political system and Trump, predicting that if she were to stay in office, she would face and defeat a Trump-funded opponent while Republicans lose the midterms nationwide.“It’s all so absurd and completely unserious,” she said in the video. “I refuse to be a battered wife hoping it all goes away and gets better. If I’m cast aside by the president and the MAGA political machine and replaced by neocons, big pharma, big tech, military industrial war complex, foreign leaders and the elite donor class that can never, ever relate to real Americans then many common Americans have been cast aside and replaced as well.”“There is no plan to save the world or a 4-D chess game being played,” she added. “When common American people realize and understand that the political industrial complex of both parties is ripping this country apart, that not one elected leader like me is able to stop Washington’s machine from gradually destroying our country and instead the reality is that they, common Americans, the people, possess the real power over Washington, then I’ll be here by their side to rebuild it.”Trump taunted Greene in a social media post early Saturday morning, rolling out nicknames he developed for her after the start of their feud.“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, because of PLUMMETING Poll Numbers, and not wanting to face a Primary Challenger with a strong Trump Endorsement (where she would have no chance of winning!), has decided to call it ‘quits,’” he wrote.Greene has said she found Trump’s “traitor” moniker for her especially galling because she has worked hard to support him for years. Trump says he now calls Greene Brown because green grass turns brown when it begins to rot.“For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD. Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country!” Trump added.Greene has said she has received a spike in death threats that she attributes to the president’s rhetoric.The Constitution calls on a state’s governor to declare a special election when a vacancy happens in the House of Representatives.&nbsp;Greene was reportedly considering a run for higher office, including as Georgia governor or for Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff’s seat, both of which are up next year, but&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/briefs/u-s-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-shell-skip-georgias-2026-race-for-governor/">bowed out</a>&nbsp;of consideration after being discouraged by Trump.&nbsp;Republican strategist Brian Robinson said that it’s unclear what Greene will do next, but that “she has the profile and the talent to make a splash whatever she does.”“Her video message laid out a clear and detailed vision that could serve as a roadmap to a political future,” he said in a statement.Greene said in her speech that her goal was to hold the Republican party accountable and put “America first.”“I look forward to seeing many of you again sometime in the future,” she said and signed off with a smile.&nbsp;Josh McKoon, chair of the Georgia Republican Party, called the announcement a “surprise.” He thanked Greene for her “fierce and unwavering service” and said in a statement that the congresswoman “has been a tireless fighter” for conservatives.“She entered Congress as a political outsider and never backed down from defending the forgotten men and women of our state,” McKoon said.McKoon said the party will work to elect another conservative to the district. The 14th congressional district is deeply red, and Greene was reelected to her third term in 2024 with 64.4% of the vote.

Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will resign in January

Signature gatherers were allegedly offered thousands of dollars to abandon their work and provide ‘intelligence’ to opponents of the referendum campaign

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Opponents of a referendum on Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered congressional map</a>&nbsp;are offering “huge sums of money” to signature gatherers in an effort to undermine the petition drive, according to accusations in a federal lawsuit.

Advanced Micro Targeting of Dallas, Texas, was hired by a PAC called People Not Politicians to help collect the signatures needed to put Missouri’s new congressional map on the 2026 ballot. In a lawsuit filed Nov. 11 in Missouri’s Western District U.S. Court, the company alleges four consulting firms are involved in an effort to pay signatures gatherers to abandon their work, turn over signatures and badmouth their employer.

The lawsuit says the defendants have “poached” 28 employees and illegally obtained proprietary information about workers and petition strategy.&nbsp;

U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Monday denied the company’s request for a temporary restraining order, stating the company had not proved “irreparable harm” that could not be compensated later. In response, the Advanced Micro Targeting filed an amended complaint, elaborating on the issues the activities of the four defendants are causing for the signature effort.

The defendants, the lawsuit states, are engaged in “an intentional and malicious effort to interfere with AMT’s operations in Missouri…”

According to campaign finance reports, Advanced Micro Targeting had been paid $1.1 million through Sept. 30 to collect signatures for the referendum. The company previously worked in Missouri on the drives to put abortion legalization and an increased minimum wage on the November 2024 ballot.

It is the first time since the company was established in 2007 that it has taken competitors to court, said Billy Rogers, company founder and president&nbsp;

“This was so egregious,” Rogers said. “We’ve never seen anything like this.”

The Advanced Micro Targeting lawsuit bases its claims on federal law protecting trade secrets and common law protections against defamation. But some of the accusations, if true, could violate the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=417.450&amp;bid=23887&amp;hl=" target="_blank">Missouri Uniform Trade Secrets Act</a>, while others may violate the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.&nbsp;

Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office did not respond to The Independent when asked for comment on the allegations. The only public mentions of Advanced Micro Targeting from Hanaway came in two posts on social media accusing the company of violating the law.

In one, she said her office was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGCHanaway/status/1991622663585009846?s=20" target="_blank">investigating the company</a>&nbsp;for employing undocumented immigrants “in their efforts to undermine the will of the people’s elected representatives.”

In&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGCHanaway/status/1991630554488533122?s=20" target="_blank">the other</a>, Hanaway said she had asked Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to investigate whether the company was “creating an environment for exploitation and human trafficking to thrive.”

Hanaway’s office did not respond to questions about the source of her information or why she deemed it to be credible.

Rogers said no one from the attorney general’s office has contacted him or his company to discuss the accusations. Every person being paid by his company to collect signatures, he said, is a direct employee — and every employee is a legal worker checked through the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.e-verify.gov/" target="_blank">E-verify system</a>.

“If we hear from the attorney general’s office or any other government agency, they want to take a look at our employee records and talk to us about our process, we’d be glad to talk to them,” Rogers said. “We do it right. We follow the law.”

Hanaway’s posts are an attempt at intimidation, said Richard von Glahn, director of People Not Politicians. She should know that the company verifies that its workers are eligible for employment, he said.

“The fact that she doesn’t know that shows that she conducted zero investigation and just put out the tweet, which continues the effort by opponents of the referendum to try to confuse and mislead voters as to what’s going on,” he said.

Republicans muscled the gerrymandering plan past Democratic opposition during a September special session. Using the new map, Republicans hope to win seven of the state’s eight congressional seats by adding enough GOP votes to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.

The lawsuit is a new layer of litigation&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/13/trial-over-referendum-on-missouris-gerrymandered-congressional-map-delayed-again/">related to the congressional map</a>.&nbsp;

There are at least eight cases currently underway, not all of which will be completed before the Dec. 11 deadline to turn in petition signatures. The next court hearing is Tuesday in St. Louis, where a federal judge will hear arguments over the constitutionality of a referendum on congressional district plans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1760697422004.png" alt="Protesters gather in the Missouri Capitol rotunda Sept. 10 in opposition to a gerrymandered congressional district map (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Protesters gather in the Missouri Capitol rotunda Sept. 10 in opposition to a gerrymandered congressional district map (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Signature gatherers were allegedly offered thousands of dollars to abandon their work and provide ‘intelligence’ to opponents of the referendum campaign</h2>BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Opponents of a referendum on Missouri’s&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/12/gerrymandered-congressional-map-initiative-petitions-limits-sent-to-missouri-governor/">gerrymandered congressional map</a>&nbsp;are offering “huge sums of money” to signature gatherers in an effort to undermine the petition drive, according to accusations in a federal lawsuit.Advanced Micro Targeting of Dallas, Texas, was hired by a PAC called People Not Politicians to help collect the signatures needed to put Missouri’s new congressional map on the 2026 ballot. In a lawsuit filed Nov. 11 in Missouri’s Western District U.S. Court, the company alleges four consulting firms are involved in an effort to pay signatures gatherers to abandon their work, turn over signatures and badmouth their employer.The lawsuit says the defendants have “poached” 28 employees and illegally obtained proprietary information about workers and petition strategy.&nbsp;U.S. District Judge Greg Kays on Monday denied the company’s request for a temporary restraining order, stating the company had not proved “irreparable harm” that could not be compensated later. In response, the Advanced Micro Targeting filed an amended complaint, elaborating on the issues the activities of the four defendants are causing for the signature effort.The defendants, the lawsuit states, are engaged in “an intentional and malicious effort to interfere with AMT’s operations in Missouri…”According to campaign finance reports, Advanced Micro Targeting had been paid $1.1 million through Sept. 30 to collect signatures for the referendum. The company previously worked in Missouri on the drives to put abortion legalization and an increased minimum wage on the November 2024 ballot.It is the first time since the company was established in 2007 that it has taken competitors to court, said Billy Rogers, company founder and president&nbsp;“This was so egregious,” Rogers said. “We’ve never seen anything like this.”The Advanced Micro Targeting lawsuit bases its claims on federal law protecting trade secrets and common law protections against defamation. But some of the accusations, if true, could violate the&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=417.450&amp;bid=23887&amp;hl=" target="_blank">Missouri Uniform Trade Secrets Act</a>, while others may violate the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.&nbsp;Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office did not respond to The Independent when asked for comment on the allegations. The only public mentions of Advanced Micro Targeting from Hanaway came in two posts on social media accusing the company of violating the law.In one, she said her office was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGCHanaway/status/1991622663585009846?s=20" target="_blank">investigating the company</a>&nbsp;for employing undocumented immigrants “in their efforts to undermine the will of the people’s elected representatives.”In&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGCHanaway/status/1991630554488533122?s=20" target="_blank">the other</a>, Hanaway said she had asked Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to investigate whether the company was “creating an environment for exploitation and human trafficking to thrive.”Hanaway’s office did not respond to questions about the source of her information or why she deemed it to be credible.Rogers said no one from the attorney general’s office has contacted him or his company to discuss the accusations. Every person being paid by his company to collect signatures, he said, is a direct employee — and every employee is a legal worker checked through the federal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.e-verify.gov/" target="_blank">E-verify system</a>.“If we hear from the attorney general’s office or any other government agency, they want to take a look at our employee records and talk to us about our process, we’d be glad to talk to them,” Rogers said. “We do it right. We follow the law.”Hanaway’s posts are an attempt at intimidation, said Richard von Glahn, director of People Not Politicians. She should know that the company verifies that its workers are eligible for employment, he said.“The fact that she doesn’t know that shows that she conducted zero investigation and just put out the tweet, which continues the effort by opponents of the referendum to try to confuse and mislead voters as to what’s going on,” he said.Republicans muscled the gerrymandering plan past Democratic opposition during a September special session. Using the new map, Republicans hope to win seven of the state’s eight congressional seats by adding enough GOP votes to flip the 5th District, currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.The lawsuit is a new layer of litigation&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/13/trial-over-referendum-on-missouris-gerrymandered-congressional-map-delayed-again/">related to the congressional map</a>.&nbsp;There are at least eight cases currently underway, not all of which will be completed before the Dec. 11 deadline to turn in petition signatures. The next court hearing is Tuesday in St. Louis, where a federal judge will hear arguments over the constitutionality of a referendum on congressional district plans.The Advanced Micro Targeting lawsuit names as defendants Let the Voters Decide of Celebration, Florida, and Vortex Elite LLC, of Miami, Florida; Synergy Wise Solutions, which has no website that could be found and lists an address that is a Pakmail storefront in Tucson, Arizona; and Onest Marketing, which also does not have a website that could be found and lists an address in an apartment building on the ocean in Miami, Florida.The defendants, according to the lawsuit, obtained a confidential list of employees that included productivity rankings.“Defendants are offering the employees on this confidential list huge sums of money (some were offered up to $30,000) to resign their employment with AMT and provide ‘intelligence gathering’ services for defendants,” the lawsuit states.Each person hired by the company signs an agreement not to work for a competitor for a year after leaving Advanced Micro Targeting and not to try to hire employees away from the company.In a statement issued through a communications consultant, Let the Voters Decide called the case a “bogus lawsuit” and cited Hanaway’s social media posts as evidence of bad practices.“We will defend our company aggressively against AMT’s absurd claims,” the company said. “And anyone who reports or reads these claims really ought to consider the source.”Vortex Elite did not respond to an email seeking comment. There were no contacts found for the other two defendants and none have lawyers listed for their defense.The petition drive needs about 110,000 signatures spread across six of the state’s eight congressional districts to force a referendum. In its most recent update, People Not Politicians said it has gathered more than 200,000 signatures.Von Glahn said the campaign will stop issuing updates as the deadline approaches.&nbsp;Most of the signature gatherers passing petitions are volunteers, von Glahn said. The efforts to divert signature gatherers from the task has been felt among volunteers as well, he said.One volunteer in Columbia reported being offered $1,000 for a backpack of signed petition sheets, he said. Others have been approached by people seeking to sign for a relative or when they are not registered, both violations of state campaign law, he said.“We’re going to continue together, even in the face of these clearly desperate attempts to keep this from reaching the ballot,” von Glahn said. “The interesting thing about all of the opposition tactics is they are not preparing to defend the map at the ballot. They are desperately seeking to keep it from going to a vote.”