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.

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.”

<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.”

Lawsuit details alleged scheme to sabotage referendum on gerrymandered Missouri congressional map

SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward for information leading to the identification of subject or subjects involved in a robbery at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Topeka.

FBI said they are offering a $3,000 reward for subject identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual or individuals involved in the robbery.

Just before 9:30p.m. August 19, the KFC,&nbsp; 3920 SW 21st Street in Topeka was robbed at gunpoint. The investigation indicates that an unknown subject entered the business armed with a handgun and demanded money from the employees. The subject fled the scene on foot and to the north.

The subject is described as an adult male, approximately 6-foot-0 to 6-foot 2, 150 pounds with&nbsp; bright blue/green eyes. During the robbery, the subject was wearing khakis, black dress shoes, light grey gloves, a grey hoodie, a ball cap, and a full ski-mask. He was carrying a black/chrome handgun.

Anyone with information regarding this robbery is encouraged to call the Kansas City Division of the FBI at 816-512-8200 or Topeka Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. Tips can also be provided via the website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com/">www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com</a>&nbsp;or through the P3tips app.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763738744492.png" alt="Photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward for information leading to the identification of subject or subjects involved in a robbery at Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Topeka.FBI said they are offering a $3,000 reward for subject identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual or individuals involved in the robbery.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763738713309.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9:30p.m. August 19, the KFC,&nbsp; 3920 SW 21st Street in Topeka was robbed at gunpoint. The investigation indicates that an unknown subject entered the business armed with a handgun and demanded money from the employees. The subject fled the scene on foot and to the north.The subject is described as an adult male, approximately 6-foot-0 to 6-foot 2, 150 pounds with&nbsp; bright blue/green eyes. During the robbery, the subject was wearing khakis, black dress shoes, light grey gloves, a grey hoodie, a ball cap, and a full ski-mask. He was carrying a black/chrome handgun.Anyone with information regarding this robbery is encouraged to call the Kansas City Division of the FBI at 816-512-8200 or Topeka Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007. Tips can also be provided via the website at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com/">www.shawneecountycrimestoppers.com</a>&nbsp;or through the P3tips app.

Reward offered for info on Kansas armed robbery suspect

WASHINGTON–&nbsp;On Thursday,&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall released the following statement after the Senate passed his legislation to restore whole milk in schools.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act&nbsp;expands healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.

“Whole milk is the most nutritious drink known to mankind, and for whatever reason, the federal government took it out of our schools over a decade ago – robbing an entire generation of essential dairy intake. As an obstetrician, I cannot stress the extensive list of benefits that comes from drinking whole – and most of all, it just tastes better,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“I’m proud to see another win on the MAHA agenda cross the finish line in the Senate and am looking forward to seeing it signed into law.”

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.

The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

WASHINGTON–&nbsp;On Thursday,&nbsp; Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall released the following statement after the Senate passed his legislation to restore whole milk in schools.&nbsp;The&nbsp;Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act&nbsp;expands healthy milk options in schools by reversing the Obama-era law that took whole milk out of school cafeterias.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/UTi7tRhtMD">https://t.co/UTi7tRhtMD</a> <a href="https://t.co/W7QVf5dxvQ">pic.twitter.com/W7QVf5dxvQ</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1991605244988461489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Whole milk is the most nutritious drink known to mankind, and for whatever reason, the federal government took it out of our schools over a decade ago – robbing an entire generation of essential dairy intake. As an obstetrician, I cannot stress the extensive list of benefits that comes from drinking whole – and most of all, it just tastes better,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall.&nbsp;“I’m proud to see another win on the MAHA agenda cross the finish line in the Senate and am looking forward to seeing it signed into law.”The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</a>&nbsp;(DGA) reports that nearly 90% of Americans do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations. Specifically, Americans are lacking enough Calcium and Vitamin D, and whole milk is an excellent source of both vitamins. Leading nutritionists&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522012898?via%3Dihub">have found</a>&nbsp;that whole dairy fats have no negative effect on a diet, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.The legislation was first&nbsp;introduced&nbsp;by Senator Marshall in June of 2023. It was reintroduced in April of 2025 with numerous bipartisan sponsors and co-sponsors and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-legislation-to-restore-whole-milk-in-schools-passes-senate-agriculture-committee/">passed</a>&nbsp;the Senate Agriculture Committee in June of 2025.

Kan. U.S. Senator's bill to restore whole milk in schools passes the Senate

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash have identified the victim as&nbsp;36-year-old Amber Kirk, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ron Ekis.

The Topeka Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating anyone who was in the area of the NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Street intersection in Topeka at the time of the incident.

Just before 6p.m. November 15, police&nbsp;responded to a hit-and-run injury accident call at the intersection of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Streets in Topeka. The accident involved a vehicle and pedestrian. 

The pedestrian, later identified as Kirk, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries where she died.

During investigation of this incident, police identified Sultan Y. Andemichael, 18, Topeka, as a suspect. Andemichael was located and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on November 17. He remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; Involuntary manslaughter;&nbsp;Interference with LEO;  Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case and Failure to stop accident resulting in death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763425624800.png" alt="Andemichael photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Andemichael photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash have identified the victim as&nbsp;36-year-old Amber Kirk, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ron Ekis.The Topeka Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating anyone who was in the area of the NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Street intersection in Topeka at the time of the incident.Just before 6p.m. November 15, police&nbsp;responded to a hit-and-run injury accident call at the intersection of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Paramore Streets in Topeka. The accident involved a vehicle and pedestrian. The pedestrian, later identified as Kirk, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries where she died.During investigation of this incident, police identified Sultan Y. Andemichael, 18, Topeka, as a suspect. Andemichael was located and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on November 17. He remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; Involuntary manslaughter;&nbsp;Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case and Failure to stop accident resulting in death.

Police look for witnesses to hit-and-run that killed Kansas woman

President Trump is accusing six Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” after the lawmakers, all veterans, called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders” in a video posted to X.

This is the original video that prompted President Trump to respond.

President Trump is accusing six Democratic lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” after the lawmakers, all veterans, called on U.S. military members to uphold the Constitution and defy “illegal orders” in a video posted to X.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763674382514.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>This is the original video that prompted President Trump to respond.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/N8lW0EpQ7r">pic.twitter.com/N8lW0EpQ7r</a>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763731398462.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) goes on a ridiculous rant where she doubles down on her treason where she told US Military to disobey orders. She’s telling servicemembers to commit sedition. Her doing that is clear treason. Try her. Sentence her to life.<a href="https://t.co/YyXpGhfgdf">pic.twitter.com/YyXpGhfgdf</a>&mdash; Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1991643812389638283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Earlier this morning, President Trump threatened me and a group of service and veteran Members of Congress with arrest, trial, and death by hanging. Here’s my response: <a href="https://t.co/jIZYrQTlP7">pic.twitter.com/jIZYrQTlP7</a>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1991571957494448420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 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://t.co/rGyeeyOEXf">pic.twitter.com/rGyeeyOEXf</a>&mdash; Chrissy Houlahan (@RepHoulahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHoulahan/status/1991636065774628945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The President of the United States just called for my arrest and execution. In these moments, fear is contagious, but so is courage: <a href="https://t.co/QMkRRoUxEn">pic.twitter.com/QMkRRoUxEn</a>&mdash; Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJasonCrow/status/1991584226907681097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Don&#39;t give up the ship. <a href="https://t.co/T4EiN521iY">pic.twitter.com/T4EiN521iY</a>&mdash; Chrissy Houlahan (@RepHoulahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepHoulahan/status/1991572053825093961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sec_Noem</a> should agree to testify on domestic deployments. It is a fundamental issue to who we are as Americans. No matter where you land on the issue, transparency shouldn’t be seen as a threat. <a href="https://t.co/H3SrQ31RlX">pic.twitter.com/H3SrQ31RlX</a>&mdash; Sen. Elissa Slotkin (@SenatorSlotkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1991325305101832674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Donald Trump is calling for my death and others, and every political leader should condemn the President&#39;s violent threats. <a href="https://t.co/Cgtmoujsba">pic.twitter.com/Cgtmoujsba</a>&mdash; Congressman Chris Deluzio (@RepDeluzio) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDeluzio/status/1991611011942724004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Just to be clear, does the president want to execute members of Congress?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karoline Leavitt: &quot;No. Let&#39;s be clear about what the president is responding to...you have sitting members of the United States Congress who conspired together to orchestrate a video message… <a href="https://t.co/pPCLJ4LqCD">pic.twitter.com/pPCLJ4LqCD</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1991596354767057136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Dem lawmakers respond to President Trump's accusation of sedition

Republicans have been trying since 2006 to enact the photo ID requirement in Missouri. Prior to the 2022 law, every attempt had been rebuffed by the courts

The Missouri Supreme Court must decide if voters need government-issued ID cards and whether people trying to register new voters can be paid.

The judges on Wednesday heard a pair of cases arising from a&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1878&amp;Year=2022&amp;code=R" target="_blank">2022 law</a>&nbsp;that also established two weeks of early voting before each election. If the high court throws out the voter ID portion of the law, it would trigger a provision that also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/09/voter-id-requirement-absentee-ballot-changes-clear-missouri-senate/">scuttles the early voting period</a>.

The Missouri NAACP and the League of Women Voters filed both lawsuits and got a split result at the trial court level in Cole County. Circuit Judge Jon Beetem ruled the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/27/challenge-to-voter-id-law-heading-for-appeal-to-missouri-supreme-court/">photo ID requirements</a>&nbsp;were “everyday burdens” that did not violate voter rights but that the limitations on individuals and organizations running&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/FINAL%20ORDER%20AND%20JUDGMENT.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3368715" target="_blank">voter registration campaigns</a>&nbsp;“chill speech and advocacy related to voting and decrease participation in elections.”

Together, the outcome of the two cases will determine whether Republicans have finally succeeded in goals they have sought for years — stricter limits on acceptable voting identification and higher obstacles for organizations engaged in voter registration campaigns.

Opponents of the voter ID requirements aren’t arguing that there should be no requirement for identification, Jason Orr of the ACLU of Missouri told the court Wednesday. It is the limited list of acceptable identification that violates voter rights, he said.

To vote under the 2022 law, a person must present a Missouri drivers license, non-driver identification or another identification card issued by Missouri or the federal government with a photo, birthdate and expiration date.

“This type of state photo ID requirement does not pass muster under the Missouri Constitution,” Orr said.

Beetem’s ruling misses the mark, Orr said, because people with mobility issues who cannot obtain documents such as a birth certificate or who have misspellings on their documents have far more trouble than others getting identification issued.

The burdens “certainly are not shared by majority citizens, but they are real, and they frustrate the ability of some Missourians to exercise this right,” Orr said.

Missouri Republicans have been trying since 2006 to enact the photo ID requirement. Prior to the 2022 law, every attempt had been rebuffed by the courts. Before the law took effect, acceptable identification included a school ID, a voter card issued by their county clerk or a utility bill in their name at their voting address.

The photo ID requirement protects the integrity of elections and there is little evidence it has prevented Missourians from voting, said Lou Capozzi, state solicitor general.

People without ID can cast provisional ballots that will be counted if their signature matches the one on file, he said. In 2022, he said, only 116 ballots were not counted.

In his ruling, Beetem decided that the individual plaintiffs named in the lawsuit had not shown sufficient injury to sue and neither had the NAACP or the league as organizations. Capozzi noted that in his arguments.

“They could present the court with a single person unable to vote under the law,” he said.

At a news conference after the hearing, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said 116 “is not a lot of votes” and it shows the law is working as intended.

“The goal is that anybody who is trying to vote&nbsp; who shouldn’t be voting because they’re an illegal immigrant, because they don’t live in Missouri, because they’re trying to vote more than once, doesn’t get that opportunity,” Hanaway said.

Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she sees 116 votes not being counted as a violation of all Missourians’ rights. The inclusion of both the voter ID requirements and limitations on signing up new voters in the same bill shows the intent to make it harder, not easier, to vote, she said at a news conference.

“The burdens to voters of a strict photo ID requirement to vote, the burdens on political speech of the voter registration and absentee ballot solicitations, are not academic,” Lieberman said. “They are not simply a matter of constitutional debate. These affect real voters here in the state of Missouri.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/11/1763727941222.png" alt=" Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, center, speaks Wednesday about the Supreme Court hearings on laws requiring a government-issued voter ID and barring paid voter registration solicitors (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, center, speaks Wednesday about the Supreme Court hearings on laws requiring a government-issued voter ID and barring paid voter registration solicitors (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>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><h2>Republicans have been trying since 2006 to enact the photo ID requirement in Missouri. Prior to the 2022 law, every attempt had been rebuffed by the courts</h2>The Missouri Supreme Court must decide if voters need government-issued ID cards and whether people trying to register new voters can be paid.The judges on Wednesday heard a pair of cases arising from a&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1878&amp;Year=2022&amp;code=R" target="_blank">2022 law</a>&nbsp;that also established two weeks of early voting before each election. If the high court throws out the voter ID portion of the law, it would trigger a provision that also&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/09/voter-id-requirement-absentee-ballot-changes-clear-missouri-senate/">scuttles the early voting period</a>.The Missouri NAACP and the League of Women Voters filed both lawsuits and got a split result at the trial court level in Cole County. Circuit Judge Jon Beetem ruled the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/27/challenge-to-voter-id-law-heading-for-appeal-to-missouri-supreme-court/">photo ID requirements</a>&nbsp;were “everyday burdens” that did not violate voter rights but that the limitations on individuals and organizations running&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/FINAL%20ORDER%20AND%20JUDGMENT.PDF?courtCode=19&amp;di=3368715" target="_blank">voter registration campaigns</a>&nbsp;“chill speech and advocacy related to voting and decrease participation in elections.”Together, the outcome of the two cases will determine whether Republicans have finally succeeded in goals they have sought for years — stricter limits on acceptable voting identification and higher obstacles for organizations engaged in voter registration campaigns.Opponents of the voter ID requirements aren’t arguing that there should be no requirement for identification, Jason Orr of the ACLU of Missouri told the court Wednesday. It is the limited list of acceptable identification that violates voter rights, he said.To vote under the 2022 law, a person must present a Missouri drivers license, non-driver identification or another identification card issued by Missouri or the federal government with a photo, birthdate and expiration date.“This type of state photo ID requirement does not pass muster under the Missouri Constitution,” Orr said.Beetem’s ruling misses the mark, Orr said, because people with mobility issues who cannot obtain documents such as a birth certificate or who have misspellings on their documents have far more trouble than others getting identification issued.The burdens “certainly are not shared by majority citizens, but they are real, and they frustrate the ability of some Missourians to exercise this right,” Orr said.Missouri Republicans have been trying since 2006 to enact the photo ID requirement. Prior to the 2022 law, every attempt had been rebuffed by the courts. Before the law took effect, acceptable identification included a school ID, a voter card issued by their county clerk or a utility bill in their name at their voting address.The photo ID requirement protects the integrity of elections and there is little evidence it has prevented Missourians from voting, said Lou Capozzi, state solicitor general.People without ID can cast provisional ballots that will be counted if their signature matches the one on file, he said. In 2022, he said, only 116 ballots were not counted.In his ruling, Beetem decided that the individual plaintiffs named in the lawsuit had not shown sufficient injury to sue and neither had the NAACP or the league as organizations. Capozzi noted that in his arguments.“They could present the court with a single person unable to vote under the law,” he said.At a news conference after the hearing, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said 116 “is not a lot of votes” and it shows the law is working as intended.“The goal is that anybody who is trying to vote&nbsp; who shouldn’t be voting because they’re an illegal immigrant, because they don’t live in Missouri, because they’re trying to vote more than once, doesn’t get that opportunity,” Hanaway said.Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition said she sees 116 votes not being counted as a violation of all Missourians’ rights. The inclusion of both the voter ID requirements and limitations on signing up new voters in the same bill shows the intent to make it harder, not easier, to vote, she said at a news conference.“The burdens to voters of a strict photo ID requirement to vote, the burdens on political speech of the voter registration and absentee ballot solicitations, are not academic,” Lieberman said. “They are not simply a matter of constitutional debate. These affect real voters here in the state of Missouri.”The voter registration provisions bar paid voter registration solicitors, require anyone working to register voters to be a registered Missouri voter at least 18 years old and to file paperwork with the secretary of state’s office. The law also banned the practice of paying people to collect absentee ballots on behalf of homebound voters.Arguing to overturn Beetem’s ruling, Deputy Solicitor General Michael Patton said the lower court ruling accepted too broad a definition of soliciting. Organizations can engage in voter registration drives that direct people to sign up through official government websites, he said, but cannot have individuals fill out cards that are turned in by the group.Judge Paul Wilson was skeptical. He asked where else the limited definition would be acceptable.“Should we apply that in a soliciting sex case, saying that if it does not result in a completed transaction, it isn’t soliciting?” Wilson asked.Patton said the intent to receive sexual activity is what qualifies the act as soliciting.&nbsp;And if a person working for a voter registration drive does not intend to personally collect registration forms, he said, it would not violate the law.“Unless there is an exchange of a completed application, we do not believe that is soliciting,” Patton said.The law includes criminal penalties for people who violate the restrictions on registering new voters. That has a chilling impact on free speech because it is open to interpretation, Kristen Mulvey of the Missouri ACLU told the judges.The state has been unable to provide a consistent definition, Mulvey said. That will lead local law enforcement to make its own interpretations, she added.“It is not the secretary of state,” Mulvey said, “but each of the 115 prosecutors who are also defendants in this case, who are tasked with enforcing the criminal provisions.”