LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Mention televised legislative debates, and what may come to mind are stuffy, policy-wonk discussions broadcast by C-SPAN. This year's Nebraska Legislature was more like a reality TV show, with culture-war rhetoric, open hostility among lawmakers, name-calling, yelling and more.

Many Nebraskans couldn't get enough of it.

“It was addictive,” said Jamie Bonkiewicz, 41, of Omaha. “If I wasn’t there, I was streaming it every day, just to hear what would come out of those senators’ mouths.”

Watching on television, streaming on computers and phones, following along in their cars, Nebraskans seemed captivated by what was easily one of the body's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-filibuster-nonpartisan-814790373744b59cd1822f472f6ab3ec">most acrimonious sessions</a>&nbsp;on record.

“Watching the Nebraska Legislature is like watching the worst train wreck that won’t end and the hits just keep coming,” Megan Moslander of Omaha tweeted when lawmakers triggered a constitutional challenge by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-b0b88845d29f1aaadf7936b7304a0507">combining</a>&nbsp;restrictions on abortion and trangender health care into a single bill.

Many viewers tuned in as national media attention focused on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filibuster-transgender-gender-affirming-therapy-bill-nebraska-cavanaugh-b9018fd1bf72112ca984ff58679eda6d">filibuster</a>&nbsp;by Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh. They stayed for the surrounding turmoil.

Cavanaugh, 44, and a handful of other progressive lawmakers vowed to block every bill — even ones they supported — in an attempt to derail a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Conservative lawmakers dug in on other hot-button bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-nebraska-omaha-06b7febb41715e7e0b28ae3a2b62c6ca">restrict abortions</a>, loosen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/constitutional-carry-bill-nebraska-a8168215d00c1e4bf51017e82e8da80b">gun laws</a>&nbsp;and divert public money to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-scholarships-nebraska-taxpayers-c7be118aa5a43b3ebc2da82aacaa4e29">private school scholarships</a>.

So much for Nebraska nice: Again and again during the 90-day session, lawmakers called each other “trash” and “garbage,” accused each other of unethical behavior and angrily swore retribution for various offenses. Cavanaugh amplified the protesters' chants and accused fellow lawmakers of pursuing genocide against trans kids.

There were silly moments, too: To hold the floor, she offered a recipe for pesto and deliberated over her favorite Girl Scout cookies and Omaha’s best doughnuts.

Art and Carolyn Wagner, retirees in Pleasant Dale, tuned in constantly.

“When we heard about the filibuster, that's when we started watching it on TV,” he said. “We had it on almost every day, probably for four to six hours a day. Some days, we watched it all day until the end — 10 hours or more.”

As with most state legislatures, Nebraska's floor debate can been viewed live on public television or streamed online. But unlike most others, it doesn't make an archive available. A group following the Legislature began posting debates to its YouTube channel, but it hasn't been widely publicized and the footage can take more than a day to appear.

That wasn't soon enough for many who wanted to catch what would happen next.

Bonkiewicz had little interest in the legislative process until she discovered last year that a family member had founded the far-right Nebraskans for Founders’ Values group. She vowed to become more involved in confronting what she sees as growing extremism and, when she wasn't protesting or meeting with lawmakers, she streamed the action live.

“It was chaos. It was like reality TV,” she said. “I've watched ‘Real Housewives’ and other reality shows, and it's addictive like that, the drama of it.”

Nebraska Public Media, which televises and streams the debates, said technology privacy policies make gauging viewership difficult, but it appeared to be up based on how many people called seeking help to tune in.

Nebraska lawmakers took notice as citizens weighed in on both sides.

“I mean, you should see our emails,” said Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, a conservative who authored the successful scholarship bill. “We've gotten thousands and thousands of people commenting on legislation and debate. And they say they're watching it all.”

Cavanaugh said family members and friends in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Nashville, Tennessee, told her their friends and family were watching after her filibuster made national news. She's been overwhelmed with the response.

“The number of people reaching out saying they've been watching is astounding,” Cavanaugh said. “It's been thousands of people. I've been in the Legislature five years now, and stayed pretty anonymous for four of them. Now I have people stopping me at the grocery store. People stop me at Lowe's. They stop me at my kids' games.”

For years on the chamber floor, lawmakers mostly ignored the stationary cameras. This year, many began looking directly into the lenses and appealing to "those watching live.”

The Legislature has seen its share of drama in years past, but much of it came before livestreaming was available, said Ari Kohen, a professor of political theory and philosophy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The pandemic changed the dynamic, with people turning to streaming to combat boredom. Then came the filibuster, as conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">nationwide</a>&nbsp;pushed culture war attacks on abortion rights and transgender identity, Kohen said.

As the country’s only officially nonpartisan, single-chamber legislative body, the unique makeup of the Nebraska Legislature also helped viewers track what was going on. There are only 49 seats, all held by part-time, citizen-lawmakers who tend to use everyday language in their debates, Kohen said.

“There are the characters you’re rooting for and the characters you don’t like,” he said.

The drama peaked when Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who at 27 has become one of the body's most conservative members, hobbled in from a hospital, two other lawmakers keeping her vertical, to cast the final vote needed to pass the abortion-transgender bill. The chamber echoed with the howls of protesters in the rotunda, just outside the doors.

Kohen compared it to watching a reality cooking show — you don't need to know your way around the kitchen to get hooked.

Nebraskans now have to wait until January 2024 for the next installment, featuring conservatives pushing for more abortion restrictions and progressives vowing to thwart them, along with rule changes to stymie another epic filibuster.

“They very clearly told people they would be back for season two,” Kohen said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661523699684.png" alt="The Nebraska State Capitol Building -photo Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska State Capitol Building -photo Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Mention televised legislative debates, and what may come to mind are stuffy, policy-wonk discussions broadcast by C-SPAN. This year's Nebraska Legislature was more like a reality TV show, with culture-war rhetoric, open hostility among lawmakers, name-calling, yelling and more.Many Nebraskans couldn't get enough of it.“It was addictive,” said Jamie Bonkiewicz, 41, of Omaha. “If I wasn’t there, I was streaming it every day, just to hear what would come out of those senators’ mouths.”Watching on television, streaming on computers and phones, following along in their cars, Nebraskans seemed captivated by what was easily one of the body's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-legislature-filibuster-nonpartisan-814790373744b59cd1822f472f6ab3ec">most acrimonious sessions</a>&nbsp;on record.“Watching the Nebraska Legislature is like watching the worst train wreck that won’t end and the hits just keep coming,” Megan Moslander of Omaha tweeted when lawmakers triggered a constitutional challenge by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-transgender-ban-nebraska-filibuster-b0b88845d29f1aaadf7936b7304a0507">combining</a>&nbsp;restrictions on abortion and trangender health care into a single bill.Many viewers tuned in as national media attention focused on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filibuster-transgender-gender-affirming-therapy-bill-nebraska-cavanaugh-b9018fd1bf72112ca984ff58679eda6d">filibuster</a>&nbsp;by Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh. They stayed for the surrounding turmoil.Cavanaugh, 44, and a handful of other progressive lawmakers vowed to block every bill — even ones they supported — in an attempt to derail a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Conservative lawmakers dug in on other hot-button bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-health-nebraska-omaha-06b7febb41715e7e0b28ae3a2b62c6ca">restrict abortions</a>, loosen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/constitutional-carry-bill-nebraska-a8168215d00c1e4bf51017e82e8da80b">gun laws</a>&nbsp;and divert public money to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/private-school-scholarships-nebraska-taxpayers-c7be118aa5a43b3ebc2da82aacaa4e29">private school scholarships</a>.So much for Nebraska nice: Again and again during the 90-day session, lawmakers called each other “trash” and “garbage,” accused each other of unethical behavior and angrily swore retribution for various offenses. Cavanaugh amplified the protesters' chants and accused fellow lawmakers of pursuing genocide against trans kids.There were silly moments, too: To hold the floor, she offered a recipe for pesto and deliberated over her favorite Girl Scout cookies and Omaha’s best doughnuts.Art and Carolyn Wagner, retirees in Pleasant Dale, tuned in constantly.“When we heard about the filibuster, that's when we started watching it on TV,” he said. “We had it on almost every day, probably for four to six hours a day. Some days, we watched it all day until the end — 10 hours or more.”As with most state legislatures, Nebraska's floor debate can been viewed live on public television or streamed online. But unlike most others, it doesn't make an archive available. A group following the Legislature began posting debates to its YouTube channel, but it hasn't been widely publicized and the footage can take more than a day to appear.That wasn't soon enough for many who wanted to catch what would happen next.Bonkiewicz had little interest in the legislative process until she discovered last year that a family member had founded the far-right Nebraskans for Founders’ Values group. She vowed to become more involved in confronting what she sees as growing extremism and, when she wasn't protesting or meeting with lawmakers, she streamed the action live.“It was chaos. It was like reality TV,” she said. “I've watched ‘Real Housewives’ and other reality shows, and it's addictive like that, the drama of it.”Nebraska Public Media, which televises and streams the debates, said technology privacy policies make gauging viewership difficult, but it appeared to be up based on how many people called seeking help to tune in.Nebraska lawmakers took notice as citizens weighed in on both sides.“I mean, you should see our emails,” said Sen. Lou Ann Linehan, a conservative who authored the successful scholarship bill. “We've gotten thousands and thousands of people commenting on legislation and debate. And they say they're watching it all.”Cavanaugh said family members and friends in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and Nashville, Tennessee, told her their friends and family were watching after her filibuster made national news. She's been overwhelmed with the response.“The number of people reaching out saying they've been watching is astounding,” Cavanaugh said. “It's been thousands of people. I've been in the Legislature five years now, and stayed pretty anonymous for four of them. Now I have people stopping me at the grocery store. People stop me at Lowe's. They stop me at my kids' games.”For years on the chamber floor, lawmakers mostly ignored the stationary cameras. This year, many began looking directly into the lenses and appealing to "those watching live.”The Legislature has seen its share of drama in years past, but much of it came before livestreaming was available, said Ari Kohen, a professor of political theory and philosophy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.The pandemic changed the dynamic, with people turning to streaming to combat boredom. Then came the filibuster, as conservatives&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">nationwide</a>&nbsp;pushed culture war attacks on abortion rights and transgender identity, Kohen said.As the country’s only officially nonpartisan, single-chamber legislative body, the unique makeup of the Nebraska Legislature also helped viewers track what was going on. There are only 49 seats, all held by part-time, citizen-lawmakers who tend to use everyday language in their debates, Kohen said.“There are the characters you’re rooting for and the characters you don’t like,” he said.The drama peaked when Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar, who at 27 has become one of the body's most conservative members, hobbled in from a hospital, two other lawmakers keeping her vertical, to cast the final vote needed to pass the abortion-transgender bill. The chamber echoed with the howls of protesters in the rotunda, just outside the doors.Kohen compared it to watching a reality cooking show — you don't need to know your way around the kitchen to get hooked.Nebraskans now have to wait until January 2024 for the next installment, featuring conservatives pushing for more abortion restrictions and progressives vowing to thwart them, along with rule changes to stymie another epic filibuster.“They very clearly told people they would be back for season two,” Kohen said.

Nebraska Legislature as reality TV, featuring filibuster and culture war drama

By Shondiin Silversmith&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

For the first time in history, the White House has launched a national plan to address gender-based violence on a federal level, introducing seven strategic action plans to help communities across the United States.

“As long as there are women in this country and around the world who live in fear of violence, there’s more we have to do to fulfill this sacred commitment,” President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/National-Plan-to-End-GBV.pdf">said in the U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence</a>. “No one — no one, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, should experience abuse. Period. And if they do, they should have the services and support they need to get through it.”

Gender-based violence is a public safety and public health crisis, according to the White House, and it is affecting urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities across the U.S.

The national plan defines gender-based violence as any harmful threat or act directed at an individual or group based on actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, sex characteristics or sexual orientation.

Gender-based violence impacts all populations, but the experiences of persons of color are disproportionately affected. The national plan reported that Black women and Indigenous women are killed by a current or former partner at a rate 2.5 times that of white women.

An estimated 56% of Indigenous women have reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, more than 55% have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner and 49% have experienced stalking, according to the White House’s plan.

“Gender-based violence violates fundamental human rights, destroys communities, and fosters social inequities,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a press release. “Identifying and preventing these crimes is a top department priority, underscored by this first-ever national plan and the government’s collective commitment to this cause.”

The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reported that more than half of women (54.3%) and nearly one-third (31%) of men in the United States had reported some form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetimes.

The rate of intimate partner violence of women was seven times the rate of men, according to National Crime Victimization Survey, and the rate of rape or sexual assault of women was also seven times the rate of men.

The White House launched the national plan on May 25, resulting from the Biden administration’s Gender Policy Council, which was established in 2021.

“Sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking are serious violent crimes that make our nation less equal and less just,” Acting Director Allison Randall of the Office on Violence Against Women&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-highlights-initiatives-prevent-and-address-gender-based-violence">said in a press release</a>.

“Only a comprehensive response that is deeply informed by survivors and historically marginalized communities can end gender-based violence,” Randall added.

The seven strategic pillars part of the national plan include: prevention; support, healing, safety, and well-being; economic security and housing stability; online safety; legal and justice systems; emergency preparedness and crisis response; and research and data.

The White House said that these strategies are building upon existing federal initiatives, and the national plan will provide an essential framework for strengthening ongoing federal action and interagency collaboration.

Each strategic pillar identifies different goals and objectives to help address gender-based violence. For instance, the prevention pillar outlines three goals which include: Enhancing and promoting gender-based violence prevention; enhancing dissemination and implementation of gender-based violence prevention strategies; and improving prevention efforts to change social norms that support or condone gender-based violence and to promote healthy and respectful relationships across the life course.

The national plan serves as a framework for federal agencies and other stakeholders working to end gender-based violence. It is intended to inform and guide federal and nonfederal entities’ research, policy development, program planning, service delivery, and other efforts.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/white-house-launches-national-plan-to-address-gender-based-violence-in-the-u-s/">Arizona Mirror</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686408349629.png" alt="Jennifer Klein is Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council" />
 <figcaption>Jennifer Klein is Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council</figcaption>
 </figure>By Shondiin Silversmith&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>For the first time in history, the White House has launched a national plan to address gender-based violence on a federal level, introducing seven strategic action plans to help communities across the United States.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to announce the launch of the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, a critical roadmap to guide the Federal government’s future efforts to address and prevent GBV. 1/2<a href="https://t.co/qf39PRkaD2">https://t.co/qf39PRkaD2</a> <a href="https://t.co/ph2fug2YfQ">pic.twitter.com/ph2fug2YfQ</a>&mdash; White House Gender Policy Council (@WhiteHouseGPC) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouseGPC/status/1661818724947558400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“As long as there are women in this country and around the world who live in fear of violence, there’s more we have to do to fulfill this sacred commitment,” President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/National-Plan-to-End-GBV.pdf">said in the U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence</a>. “No one — no one, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, should experience abuse. Period. And if they do, they should have the services and support they need to get through it.”Gender-based violence is a public safety and public health crisis, according to the White House, and it is affecting urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities across the U.S.The national plan defines gender-based violence as any harmful threat or act directed at an individual or group based on actual or perceived sex, gender, gender identity, sex characteristics or sexual orientation.Gender-based violence impacts all populations, but the experiences of persons of color are disproportionately affected. The national plan reported that Black women and Indigenous women are killed by a current or former partner at a rate 2.5 times that of white women.An estimated 56% of Indigenous women have reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, more than 55% have experienced physical violence by an intimate partner and 49% have experienced stalking, according to the White House’s plan.“Gender-based violence violates fundamental human rights, destroys communities, and fosters social inequities,” Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said in a press release. “Identifying and preventing these crimes is a top department priority, underscored by this first-ever national plan and the government’s collective commitment to this cause.”The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reported that more than half of women (54.3%) and nearly one-third (31%) of men in the United States had reported some form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetimes.The rate of intimate partner violence of women was seven times the rate of men, according to National Crime Victimization Survey, and the rate of rape or sexual assault of women was also seven times the rate of men.The White House launched the national plan on May 25, resulting from the Biden administration’s Gender Policy Council, which was established in 2021.“Sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and human trafficking are serious violent crimes that make our nation less equal and less just,” Acting Director Allison Randall of the Office on Violence Against Women&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-highlights-initiatives-prevent-and-address-gender-based-violence">said in a press release</a>.“Only a comprehensive response that is deeply informed by survivors and historically marginalized communities can end gender-based violence,” Randall added.The seven strategic pillars part of the national plan include: prevention; support, healing, safety, and well-being; economic security and housing stability; online safety; legal and justice systems; emergency preparedness and crisis response; and research and data.The White House said that these strategies are building upon existing federal initiatives, and the national plan will provide an essential framework for strengthening ongoing federal action and interagency collaboration.Each strategic pillar identifies different goals and objectives to help address gender-based violence. For instance, the prevention pillar outlines three goals which include: Enhancing and promoting gender-based violence prevention; enhancing dissemination and implementation of gender-based violence prevention strategies; and improving prevention efforts to change social norms that support or condone gender-based violence and to promote healthy and respectful relationships across the life course.The national plan serves as a framework for federal agencies and other stakeholders working to end gender-based violence. It is intended to inform and guide federal and nonfederal entities’ research, policy development, program planning, service delivery, and other efforts.This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/white-house-launches-national-plan-to-address-gender-based-violence-in-the-u-s/">Arizona Mirror</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.azmirror.com/blog/white-house-launches-national-plan-to-address-gender-based-violence-in-the-u-s/">Arizona Mirror</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

White House launches national plan to address gender-based violence 

MANCHESTER, Mo. (AP) — A 54-year-old man died after eating raw oysters from a seafood stand in the St. Louis suburb of Manchester, health officials announced Friday.

Officials are urging the public to dispose of any oysters purchased recently from the business.

The culprit in Thursday's death is the Vibrio bacteria, which doesn’t make an oyster look, smell, or taste any different. The oysters were probably already contaminated when they arrived at the stand, St. Louis County Public Health said in a news release. The man had eaten them sometime in the past week.

The release said the business is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no evidence that the business did anything to contaminate them. Health officials are trying to determine their source.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 80,000 people get vibriosis in the U.S. each year, and about 100 people die from it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686408636553.png" alt="Image of oblong-shaped, Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria -CDC" />
 <figcaption>Image of oblong-shaped, Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria -CDC</figcaption>
 </figure>MANCHESTER, Mo. (AP) — A 54-year-old man died after eating raw oysters from a seafood stand in the St. Louis suburb of Manchester, health officials announced Friday.Officials are urging the public to dispose of any oysters purchased recently from the business.The culprit in Thursday's death is the Vibrio bacteria, which doesn’t make an oyster look, smell, or taste any different. The oysters were probably already contaminated when they arrived at the stand, St. Louis County Public Health said in a news release. The man had eaten them sometime in the past week.The release said the business is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no evidence that the business did anything to contaminate them. Health officials are trying to determine their source.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 80,000 people get vibriosis in the U.S. each year, and about 100 people die from it.

54-year-old dies after eating raw oysters from stand in Missouri

MIAMI (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;improperly shared a Pentagon “plan of attack” and a classified map related to a military operation, according to a sweeping 37-count felony indictment related to the mishandling of classified documents that was unsealed Friday and that could instantly reshape the 2024 presidential race.

<a href="https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/r01AWvuP8TD0/v0">Click here to read</a> the full indictment&nbsp;

<a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2023-06-09-jdj-to-garland-re-mal.pdf">Click here to read the</a> House Judiciary Committee response

The indictment paints an unmistakably damning portrait of Trump’s treatment of sensitive information, accusing him of willfully defying Justice Department demands to return documents he had taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, enlisting aides in his efforts to hide the records and even telling his lawyers that he wanted to defy a subpoena for the materials stored in his estate.

“I don’t want anybody looking through my boxes,” one of Trump’s lawyers described the former president saying, according to the indictment. He also asked if it would be better “if we just told them we don’t have anything here," the indictment says.

Making his first public statements, Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel who filed the case, said: “Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk."

He added, "We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone.”

The indictment arrives at a time when Trump is continuing to dominate the Republican presidential primary and one day before a scheduled campaign trip to North Carolina. Though other candidates have largely attacked the Justice Department, rather than Trump, for the investigation, the indictment's breadth of allegations and startling scope will be harder for Republicans to rail against than an earlier New York criminal case that many legal analysts had derided as weak.

The 49-page charging document, alleging that Trump not only intentionally possessed classified documents but also cavalierly and boastfully showed them off to visitors, is startling in scope and in the breadth of allegations. The indictment is built on Trump's own words and actions as recounted to prosecutors by lawyers, close aides and other witnesses, with prosecutors even using against Trump his own words as a candidate and president professing to respect and know procedures related to the handling of classified information.

The indictment includes 37 counts — 31 of which pertain to the willful retention of national defense information, with the balance relating to alleged conspiracy, obstruction and false statements —that taken together could result in a yearslong prison sentence.

Trump is due to make his first court appearance Tuesday in federal court in Miami. He was charged alongside Walt Nauta, an aide and close adviser to Trump who prosecutors say brought boxes from a storage room to Trump's residence for him to review and later lied to investigators about the movement. A photograph included in the indictment shows several dozen file boxes stacked in a storage area.

Noting the “tens of thousands of members and guests” who visited the “active social club” of Mar-a-Lago between the end of Trump’s presidency in January 2021 through the August 2022 search, prosecutors argued that Trump had “nevertheless” stored the documents there, “including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, and office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.”

The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he has faced, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.

Enumerating the defense and foreign intelligence-related information included in the documents, prosecutors wrote that their “unauthorized disclosure ... could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686358157076.png" alt="This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom and shower in the Lake Room at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday, June 9, 2023. (Justice Department via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image, contained in the indictment against former President Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom and shower in the Lake Room at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents according to an indictment unsealed Friday, June 9, 2023. (Justice Department via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;improperly shared a Pentagon “plan of attack” and a classified map related to a military operation, according to a sweeping 37-count felony indictment related to the mishandling of classified documents that was unsealed Friday and that could instantly reshape the 2024 presidential race.<a href="https://assets.bwbx.io/documents/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/r01AWvuP8TD0/v0">Click here to read</a> the full indictment&nbsp;<a href="https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/republicans-judiciary.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2023-06-09-jdj-to-garland-re-mal.pdf">Click here to read the</a> House Judiciary Committee response<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Complete statement from Special Counsel Jack Smith: &quot;Today an indictment was unsealed charging Donald J. Trump with felony violations of our national security laws as well as participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/llUlrvpVe4">pic.twitter.com/llUlrvpVe4</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1667249235471880193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The indictment paints an unmistakably damning portrait of Trump’s treatment of sensitive information, accusing him of willfully defying Justice Department demands to return documents he had taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago, enlisting aides in his efforts to hide the records and even telling his lawyers that he wanted to defy a subpoena for the materials stored in his estate.“I don’t want anybody looking through my boxes,” one of Trump’s lawyers described the former president saying, according to the indictment. He also asked if it would be better “if we just told them we don’t have anything here," the indictment says.Making his first public statements, Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel who filed the case, said: “Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk."He added, "We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone.”The indictment arrives at a time when Trump is continuing to dominate the Republican presidential primary and one day before a scheduled campaign trip to North Carolina. Though other candidates have largely attacked the Justice Department, rather than Trump, for the investigation, the indictment's breadth of allegations and startling scope will be harder for Republicans to rail against than an earlier New York criminal case that many legal analysts had derided as weak.The 49-page charging document, alleging that Trump not only intentionally possessed classified documents but also cavalierly and boastfully showed them off to visitors, is startling in scope and in the breadth of allegations. The indictment is built on Trump's own words and actions as recounted to prosecutors by lawyers, close aides and other witnesses, with prosecutors even using against Trump his own words as a candidate and president professing to respect and know procedures related to the handling of classified information.The indictment includes 37 counts — 31 of which pertain to the willful retention of national defense information, with the balance relating to alleged conspiracy, obstruction and false statements —that taken together could result in a yearslong prison sentence.Trump is due to make his first court appearance Tuesday in federal court in Miami. He was charged alongside Walt Nauta, an aide and close adviser to Trump who prosecutors say brought boxes from a storage room to Trump's residence for him to review and later lied to investigators about the movement. A photograph included in the indictment shows several dozen file boxes stacked in a storage area.Noting the “tens of thousands of members and guests” who visited the “active social club” of Mar-a-Lago between the end of Trump’s presidency in January 2021 through the August 2022 search, prosecutors argued that Trump had “nevertheless” stored the documents there, “including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, and office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.”The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he has faced, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.Enumerating the defense and foreign intelligence-related information included in the documents, prosecutors wrote that their “unauthorized disclosure ... could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods.”____

🎥Read the Trump indictment in case of mishandling classified docs

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved staff recommendations for a 2024 mountain lion hunting season at its June 9 meeting in Alma.

For the first time, a mountain lion harvest season will take place outside the Pine Ridge as the Niobrara Unit is created, encompassing parts of Brown, Cherry, Keya Paha, Rock and Sheridan counties. The objective for the Niobrara Unit is to provide a harvest opportunity for mountain lions that allows the population to remain resilient and healthy, while slowing growth of the population.

Mountain lions in Nebraska are part of the larger western population that includes Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming, and are not isolated.

Mountain lion presence has been documented in the Niobrara River Valley of north-central Nebraska since 2001. There has been a resident reproducing population there since 2013 and information gathered through research suggests a population that is growing and will be resilient to harvest.

Season 1 in the Niobrara and Pine Ridge units will take place Jan. 2 through the end of February. The season will end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit are reached. The Pine Ridge limit will be four mountain lions with a sub-limit of two females, and the Niobrara limit will be two mountain lions with a one female sub-limit. Up to 320 permits will be issued by lottery in the Pine Ridge Unit and up to 160 permits will be issued in the Niobrara Unit. An auxiliary season would be held March 16 through the end of March if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit are not reached during Season 1 in a unit.

The Commission also approved changes to the river otter trapping season. These changes eliminate the overall season harvest limit and simplify the check-in process by allowing otters to be checked within two days after the close of the season and before the sale or transfer of the otter. The requirement of daily checking of season status is eliminated as well. The season will be Nov. 1, 2023, through Feb. 29, 2024. Each harvester will be limited to one otter per season.

In other business, the commissioners approved changes to sportfishing regulations that allow archery paddlefish permit holders to harvest paddlefish in the spillway below Gavins Point Dam. The north wall and discharge canal will remain closed to archery paddlefish fishing.

The Commission renamed the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln the Nebraska Game and Parks Turpin Outdoor Education Center in the memory of Dick Turpin, a longtime Game and Parks employee and outdoor enthusiast. A dedication and special event open to the public will be hosted at a later date.

Ted LaGrange, wetlands program manager, was recognized for 30 years of service to the Commission and his contributions to Nebraska’s wetland resources and the wildlife that depend on them.

He later presented on the recent Wetlands of Nebraska Outreach and Education project aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of wetlands in Nebraska. The project produced five documentary films and several publications, all available at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ2NjMDIuc2FmZWxpbmtzLnByb3RlY3Rpb24ub3V0bG9vay5jb20vP3VybD1odHRwJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3Lm5lYnJhc2thd2V0bGFuZHMuY29tJTJGJmRhdGE9MDUlN0MwMSU3Q3NoYXduYS5yaWNodGVyLXJ5ZXJzb24lNDBuZWJyYXNrYS5nb3YlN0NjYjA4NTZhMDU1NDk0MTVhODA3NDA4ZGI2OTE3MDBmNCU3QzA0MzIwN2RmZTY4OTRiZjY5MDIwMDEwMzhmMTFmMGIxJTdDMCU3QzAlN0M2MzgyMTkzMTk3NDE5MzA3MDIlN0NVbmtub3duJTdDVFdGcGJHWnNiM2Q4ZXlKV0lqb2lNQzR3TGpBd01EQWlMQ0pRSWpvaVYybHVNeklpTENKQlRpSTZJazFoYVd3aUxDSlhWQ0k2TW4wJTNEJTdDMzAwMCU3QyU3QyU3QyZzZGF0YT1BTk9VUSUyQkRTbDdmVVh1VWZ5QzN5aHRES1pGdVFMRnlZQnloUnglMkJ3cUttTSUzRCZyZXNlcnZlZD0wIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDYwOS43ODAyMjA2MSJ9.JrCrdhv4eXH1t2IcHyiA7ZPic9AfWnXg2gWILfeo48E/s/401498001/br/204632935182-l" target="_blank">NebraskaWetlands.com</a>.

Game and Parks coordinated the project, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Partners included the Platte Basin Timelapse group at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Ducks Unlimited.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1564771895094.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved staff recommendations for a 2024 mountain lion hunting season at its June 9 meeting in Alma.For the first time, a mountain lion harvest season will take place outside the Pine Ridge as the Niobrara Unit is created, encompassing parts of Brown, Cherry, Keya Paha, Rock and Sheridan counties. The objective for the Niobrara Unit is to provide a harvest opportunity for mountain lions that allows the population to remain resilient and healthy, while slowing growth of the population.Mountain lions in Nebraska are part of the larger western population that includes Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming, and are not isolated.Mountain lion presence has been documented in the Niobrara River Valley of north-central Nebraska since 2001. There has been a resident reproducing population there since 2013 and information gathered through research suggests a population that is growing and will be resilient to harvest.Season 1 in the Niobrara and Pine Ridge units will take place Jan. 2 through the end of February. The season will end immediately in a unit if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit are reached. The Pine Ridge limit will be four mountain lions with a sub-limit of two females, and the Niobrara limit will be two mountain lions with a one female sub-limit. Up to 320 permits will be issued by lottery in the Pine Ridge Unit and up to 160 permits will be issued in the Niobrara Unit. An auxiliary season would be held March 16 through the end of March if the annual harvest limit or female sub-limit are not reached during Season 1 in a unit.The Commission also approved changes to the river otter trapping season. These changes eliminate the overall season harvest limit and simplify the check-in process by allowing otters to be checked within two days after the close of the season and before the sale or transfer of the otter. The requirement of daily checking of season status is eliminated as well. The season will be Nov. 1, 2023, through Feb. 29, 2024. Each harvester will be limited to one otter per season.In other business, the commissioners approved changes to sportfishing regulations that allow archery paddlefish permit holders to harvest paddlefish in the spillway below Gavins Point Dam. The north wall and discharge canal will remain closed to archery paddlefish fishing.The Commission renamed the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln the Nebraska Game and Parks Turpin Outdoor Education Center in the memory of Dick Turpin, a longtime Game and Parks employee and outdoor enthusiast. A dedication and special event open to the public will be hosted at a later date.Ted LaGrange, wetlands program manager, was recognized for 30 years of service to the Commission and his contributions to Nebraska’s wetland resources and the wildlife that depend on them.He later presented on the recent Wetlands of Nebraska Outreach and Education project aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of wetlands in Nebraska. The project produced five documentary films and several publications, all available at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.JrCrdhv4eXH1t2IcHyiA7ZPic9AfWnXg2gWILfeo48E/s/401498001/br/204632935182-l" target="_blank">NebraskaWetlands.com</a>.Game and Parks coordinated the project, which was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Partners included the Platte Basin Timelapse group at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and Ducks Unlimited.

Commissioners approve a 2024 mountain lion season

By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Students gave nods of approval Thursday to Rodney Bennett, the priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, at a pair of student-focused forums.

For more than two hours, Bennett met with undergraduate and graduate students from UNL. He committed to examining the minimum stipend for graduate students, ensuring students have input in major decisions and fostering community among all stakeholders.

Mahima Rasquinha, a graduate student, spoke at both&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/public-forums-announced-june-5-9-for-university-of-nebraska-lincoln-chancellor-candidate/">forums</a>&nbsp;and asked Bennett, the former University of Southern Mississippi president, what was next after UNL, including whether Nebraska was a “stepping stone.”

Bennett said he planned early on to work until he was 67, with his plan to work at Nebraska for about 10 years and retire at 67. Bennett is 56; his birthday is Aug. 15.

“I think I’ve seen and heard enough to know that you would be a good fit here at UNL, and that you would be able to help us,” Rasquinha told Bennett.

Thursday was the fourth day in a week-long series of nearly 20 public forums, all part of a 30-day public review period Bennett is required to complete per state law.

Leaders of undergraduate and graduate student governing bodies moderated two respective forums.

University of Nebraska President Ted Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">announced</a>&nbsp;Bennett on May 22 as the priority candidate to succeed UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green, who plans to retire at the end of June.

The NU Board of Regents would give final approval.

One graduate student broached the topic of unions on campus, particularly for graduate students. While talks have been going on for a while and there are unions at NU’s Omaha and Kearney campuses, the student said, there has been little progress at UNL.

Bennett said he wants to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/unl-chancellor-candidate-addresses-diversity-equity-inclusion-at-tuesday-forum/">culture</a>&nbsp;where people do not feel that unions are their only option to “get the minimum things that they need to be successful here.”&nbsp;

However, should graduates form a union, Bennett said he wouldn’t stand in the way.

“I’m very interested in not creating toxic environments and opportunities where it’s just drama-filled and it’s just not even worth it at a certain point,” Bennett said. “If we are unionized, I can work within that union, because I’m always going to do the right thing. And I’m always going to put your interests at the forefront.”

‘You are in charge of your own destiny’

Jerome Okojokwu-idu, a graduate student, asked Bennett if there were any flaws the UNL community should know now before he becomes chancellor.

Bennett pointed to his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/unl-chancellor-search/rodney-bennett-transcript.pdf">undergraduate transcripts</a>, which feature multiple failed courses in his first few years at Middle Tennessee State University.

However, Bennett said he turned those&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/unl-chancellor-candidate-previews-research-economic-development-vision-for-nebraska/">grades</a>&nbsp;around from an 18-year-old kid, which taught him that no matter where people are in life, no matter how bad the scenario looks, it’s not the end.

“You are in charge of your own destiny,” Bennett said. “And at any moment, like that 18-year-old kid that I was almost 40 years ago, you have an opportunity to turn your situation around and do something pretty spectacular that leads and inspires and encourages other people that they too can do it.”

If approved as chancellor, Bennett said there will be difficult decisions ahead, including budgetary decisions where things will have to come off the table.

However, he said students will have a voice along the way. This could include the student body president or other student representatives.

“You all are the fundamental reason I’m here,” Bennett told students. “My work is centered around your success.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686306791919.png" alt=" Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, participated in two student-centered forums on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Rodney Bennett, priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, participated in two student-centered forums on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Students gave nods of approval Thursday to Rodney Bennett, the priority candidate for chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, at a pair of student-focused forums.For more than two hours, Bennett met with undergraduate and graduate students from UNL. He committed to examining the minimum stipend for graduate students, ensuring students have input in major decisions and fostering community among all stakeholders.Mahima Rasquinha, a graduate student, spoke at both&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/public-forums-announced-june-5-9-for-university-of-nebraska-lincoln-chancellor-candidate/">forums</a>&nbsp;and asked Bennett, the former University of Southern Mississippi president, what was next after UNL, including whether Nebraska was a “stepping stone.”Bennett said he planned early on to work until he was 67, with his plan to work at Nebraska for about 10 years and retire at 67. Bennett is 56; his birthday is Aug. 15.“I think I’ve seen and heard enough to know that you would be a good fit here at UNL, and that you would be able to help us,” Rasquinha told Bennett.<h2>Possible unionization</h2>Thursday was the fourth day in a week-long series of nearly 20 public forums, all part of a 30-day public review period Bennett is required to complete per state law.Leaders of undergraduate and graduate student governing bodies moderated two respective forums.University of Nebraska President Ted Carter&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/priority-candidate-for-unl-chancellor-is-30-year-veteran-of-higher-ed-and-would-be-first-person-of-color-in-the-role/">announced</a>&nbsp;Bennett on May 22 as the priority candidate to succeed UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green, who plans to retire at the end of June.The NU Board of Regents would give final approval.One graduate student broached the topic of unions on campus, particularly for graduate students. While talks have been going on for a while and there are unions at NU’s Omaha and Kearney campuses, the student said, there has been little progress at UNL.Bennett said he wants to create a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/unl-chancellor-candidate-addresses-diversity-equity-inclusion-at-tuesday-forum/">culture</a>&nbsp;where people do not feel that unions are their only option to “get the minimum things that they need to be successful here.”&nbsp;However, should graduates form a union, Bennett said he wouldn’t stand in the way.“I’m very interested in not creating toxic environments and opportunities where it’s just drama-filled and it’s just not even worth it at a certain point,” Bennett said. “If we are unionized, I can work within that union, because I’m always going to do the right thing. And I’m always going to put your interests at the forefront.”<h2>‘You are in charge of your own destiny’</h2>Jerome Okojokwu-idu, a graduate student, asked Bennett if there were any flaws the UNL community should know now before he becomes chancellor.Bennett pointed to his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/docs/unl-chancellor-search/rodney-bennett-transcript.pdf">undergraduate transcripts</a>, which feature multiple failed courses in his first few years at Middle Tennessee State University.However, Bennett said he turned those&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/unl-chancellor-candidate-previews-research-economic-development-vision-for-nebraska/">grades</a>&nbsp;around from an 18-year-old kid, which taught him that no matter where people are in life, no matter how bad the scenario looks, it’s not the end.“You are in charge of your own destiny,” Bennett said. “And at any moment, like that 18-year-old kid that I was almost 40 years ago, you have an opportunity to turn your situation around and do something pretty spectacular that leads and inspires and encourages other people that they too can do it.”If approved as chancellor, Bennett said there will be difficult decisions ahead, including budgetary decisions where things will have to come off the table.However, he said students will have a voice along the way. This could include the student body president or other student representatives.“You all are the fundamental reason I’m here,” Bennett told students. “My work is centered around your success.”

UNL chancellor priority candidate meets with Nebraska students

MIAMI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">mishandling classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, a remarkable development that makes him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw.

The Justice Department was expected to make public a seven-count indictment ahead of a historic court appearance next week in the midst of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by criminal prosecutions in multiple states.

The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted.

But it also has enormous political implications, potentially upending a Republican presidential primary that Trump had been dominating and testing anew the willingness of GOP voters and party leaders to stick with a now twice-indicted candidate who could face still more charges. And it sets the stage for a sensational trial centered on claims that a man once entrusted to safeguard the nation's most closely guarded secrets willfully, and illegally, hoarded sensitive national security information.

The Justice Department did not immediately confirm the indictment publicly. But two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.

Within minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, began fundraising off it for his presidential campaign. He declared his innocence in a video and repeated his familiar refrain that the investigation is a “witch hunt.”

The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he faces, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.

Appearing Thursday night on CNN, Trump attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act, which polices the handling of government secrets — obstruction, false statements and conspiracy.

The inquiry took a major step forward last November when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, a soft-spoken former federal judge who has long stated that no one person should be regarded as above the law, appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Jack Smith</a>, a war crimes prosecutor with an aggressive, hard-charging reputation to lead both the documents probe as well as a separate investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election.

The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. The most notable investigation was an earlier special counsel probe into ties between his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">2016 campaign and Russia,</a>&nbsp;but prosecutors in that probe cited Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Once he left office, though, he lost that protection.

The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property</a>, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.

Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.

Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">including the retention of national defense information</a>, destruction of government records and obstruction.

Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-grand-jury-justice-department-623428540a6cff1b5dcdf697cdf45b5d">including his own lawyers</a>. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.

Even so, it remains unclear how much it will damage Trump's standing given that his first indictment generated millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t weaken him in the polls.

The former president has long sought to use his legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.

Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.

Smith is separately investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.

Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-classified-documents-maralago-455e06ae11fecd5fc6aa565bee6b3878">Monday meeting between Trump’s lawyers</a>&nbsp;and Justice Department officials. His lawyers had also recently been notified that he was the target of the investigation, the clearest sign yet that an indictment was looming.

Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors took place.

The Justice Department has said Trump repeatedly resisted efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration to get the documents back. After months of back-and-forth, Trump representatives returned 15 boxes of records in January 2022, including about 184 documents that officials said had classified markings on them.

FBI and Justice Department investigators issued a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents that remained in Trump’s possession. But after a Trump lawyer provided three dozen records and asserted that a diligent search of the property had been done, officials came to suspect even more documents remained.

The investigation had simmered for months before bursting into front-page news in remarkable fashion last August. That’s when FBI agents served a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago and removed 33 boxes containing classified records, including top-secret documents stashed in a storage room and desk drawer and commingled with personal belongings. Some records were so sensitive that investigators needed upgraded security clearances to review them, the Justice Department has said.

The investigation into Trump had appeared complicated — politically, if not legally — by the discovery of documents with classified markings in the Delaware home and former Washington office of President Joe Biden, as well as in the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence. The Justice Department recently informed Pence that he would not face charges, while a second special counsel continues to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents.

But compared with Trump, there are key differences in the facts and legal issues surrounding Biden’s and Pence’s handling of documents, including that representatives for both men say the documents were voluntarily turned over to investigators as soon as they were found. In contrast, investigators quickly zeroed on whether Trump, who for four years as president expressed disdain for the FBI and Justice Department, had sought to obstruct the inquiry by refusing to turn over all the requested documents.

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.

The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. But two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's team had been informed that he had been indicted on seven counts and that prosecutors had contacted lawyers to advise them of the indictment shortly before Trump announced it himself on his Truth Social platform.

“This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America,” Trump posted. “We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”

Within 20 minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, had begun fundraising off it for his 2024 presidential campaign.

The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta that also could lead to criminal charges. As the prosecution moves forward, it will pit Trump’s claims of sweeping executive power against Attorney General Merrick Garland’s oft-stated mantra that no person, including a former commander in chief, should be regarded as above the law.

The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.

Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation.

Trump and his team have long seen the special counsel investigation as far more perilous than the New York matter — both politically and legally. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.

But it remains unclear what the immediate and long-term political consequences will be for Trump. His first indictment spurred millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t damage Trump in the polls. No matter what, the indictment — and the legal fight that follows -- will throw Trump back into the spotlight, sucking attention away from the other candidates who are trying to build momentum in the 2024 presidential race.

Trump has insisted he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.

The former president has long sought to use mounting legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.

The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden, who is seeking reelection in 2024.

Among the various state and federal investigations that Trump faces, legal experts — including Trump’s own former attorney general — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as one of the most likely to result in indictment and the one where evidence seemed to favor the government. Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed, including the retention of national defense information, destruction of government records and obstruction of an investigation.

Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump, including his own lawyers. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.

Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a June 5 meeting between Trump’s lawyers and Justice Department officials. After that meeting, Trump said on social media that he anticipated he could be charged, even as he insisted he had done nothing wrong.

Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors — including efforts to move the boxes — took place.

The special counsel has a separate probe underway focused on efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.

The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment.

Trump is currently in Bedminster, New Jersey. A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.

Trump said he is due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MIAMI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has been indicted on charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">mishandling classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, a remarkable development that makes him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges by the federal government that he once oversaw.The Justice Department was expected to make public a seven-count indictment ahead of a historic court appearance next week in the midst of a 2024 presidential campaign punctuated by criminal prosecutions in multiple states.<figure>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686268447743.png" alt="" />
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686270675966.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted.But it also has enormous political implications, potentially upending a Republican presidential primary that Trump had been dominating and testing anew the willingness of GOP voters and party leaders to stick with a now twice-indicted candidate who could face still more charges. And it sets the stage for a sensational trial centered on claims that a man once entrusted to safeguard the nation's most closely guarded secrets willfully, and illegally, hoarded sensitive national security information.The Justice Department did not immediately confirm the indictment publicly. But two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said that the indictment included seven criminal counts. One of those people said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced Thursday on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.Within minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, began fundraising off it for his presidential campaign. He declared his innocence in a video and repeated his familiar refrain that the investigation is a “witch hunt.”The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-investigations-charges-classified-documents-d822569227ea882cedfeffd3284f9d4c">additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta</a>&nbsp;that also could lead to criminal charges. But among the various investigations he faces, legal experts — as well as Trump's own aides — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as the most perilous threat and the one most ripe for prosecution. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.Appearing Thursday night on CNN, Trump attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act, which polices the handling of government secrets — obstruction, false statements and conspiracy.The inquiry took a major step forward last November when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/merrick-garland">Attorney General Merrick Garland</a>, a soft-spoken former federal judge who has long stated that no one person should be regarded as above the law, appointed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Jack Smith</a>, a war crimes prosecutor with an aggressive, hard-charging reputation to lead both the documents probe as well as a separate investigation into efforts to subvert the 2020 election.The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. The most notable investigation was an earlier special counsel probe into ties between his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">2016 campaign and Russia,</a>&nbsp;but prosecutors in that probe cited Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. Once he left office, though, he lost that protection.The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property</a>, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">including the retention of national defense information</a>, destruction of government records and obstruction.Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-grand-jury-justice-department-623428540a6cff1b5dcdf697cdf45b5d">including his own lawyers</a>. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.Even so, it remains unclear how much it will damage Trump's standing given that his first indictment generated millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t weaken him in the polls.The former president has long sought to use his legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.Smith is separately investigating efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-classified-documents-maralago-455e06ae11fecd5fc6aa565bee6b3878">Monday meeting between Trump’s lawyers</a>&nbsp;and Justice Department officials. His lawyers had also recently been notified that he was the target of the investigation, the clearest sign yet that an indictment was looming.Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors took place.The Justice Department has said Trump repeatedly resisted efforts by the National Archives and Records Administration to get the documents back. After months of back-and-forth, Trump representatives returned 15 boxes of records in January 2022, including about 184 documents that officials said had classified markings on them.FBI and Justice Department investigators issued a subpoena in May 2022 for classified documents that remained in Trump’s possession. But after a Trump lawyer provided three dozen records and asserted that a diligent search of the property had been done, officials came to suspect even more documents remained.The investigation had simmered for months before bursting into front-page news in remarkable fashion last August. That’s when FBI agents served a search warrant on Mar-a-Lago and removed 33 boxes containing classified records, including top-secret documents stashed in a storage room and desk drawer and commingled with personal belongings. Some records were so sensitive that investigators needed upgraded security clearances to review them, the Justice Department has said.The investigation into Trump had appeared complicated — politically, if not legally — by the discovery of documents with classified markings in the Delaware home and former Washington office of President Joe Biden, as well as in the Indiana home of former Vice President Mike Pence. The Justice Department recently informed Pence that he would not face charges, while a second special counsel continues to investigate Biden’s handling of classified documents.But compared with Trump, there are key differences in the facts and legal issues surrounding Biden’s and Pence’s handling of documents, including that representatives for both men say the documents were voluntarily turned over to investigators as soon as they were found. In contrast, investigators quickly zeroed on whether Trump, who for four years as president expressed disdain for the FBI and Justice Department, had sought to obstruct the inquiry by refusing to turn over all the requested documents.--------------MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Thursday he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-donald-trump-mar-a-lago-merrick-garland-government-and-politics-f63c018b600e1539ff3660a896a132d0">classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House.The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. But two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's team had been informed that he had been indicted on seven counts and that prosecutors had contacted lawyers to advise them of the indictment shortly before Trump announced it himself on his Truth Social platform.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686268181953.png" alt="" />
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 </figure><figure>
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 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686270675966.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America,” Trump posted. “We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”Within 20 minutes of his announcement, Trump, who said he was due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami, had begun fundraising off it for his 2024 presidential campaign.The case adds to deepening legal jeopardy for Trump, who has already been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">indicted in New York</a>&nbsp;and faces additional investigations in Washington and Atlanta that also could lead to criminal charges. As the prosecution moves forward, it will pit Trump’s claims of sweeping executive power against Attorney General Merrick Garland’s oft-stated mantra that no person, including a former commander in chief, should be regarded as above the law.The indictment arises from a monthslong investigation by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;into whether Trump broke the law by holding onto hundreds of documents marked classified at his Palm Beach property, Mar-a-Lago, and whether Trump took steps to obstruct the government’s efforts to recover the records.Prosecutors have said that Trump took roughly 300 classified documents to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-6bd103a8e418166b17a34d77e8d9102d">including some 100 that were seized by the FBI last August</a>&nbsp;in a search of the home that underscored the gravity of the Justice Department’s investigation.Trump and his team have long seen the special counsel investigation as far more perilous than the New York matter — both politically and legally. Campaign aides had been bracing for the fallout since Trump’s attorneys were notified that he was the target of the investigation, assuming it was not a matter of if charges would be brought, but when.But it remains unclear what the immediate and long-term political consequences will be for Trump. His first indictment spurred millions of dollars in contributions from angry supporters and didn’t damage Trump in the polls. No matter what, the indictment — and the legal fight that follows -- will throw Trump back into the spotlight, sucking attention away from the other candidates who are trying to build momentum in the 2024 presidential race.Trump has insisted he was entitled to keep the classified documents when he left the White House, and has also claimed without evidence that he had declassified them.The former president has long sought to use mounting legal troubles to his political advantage, complaining on social media and at public events that the cases are being driven by Democratic prosecutors out to hurt his 2024 election campaign. He is likely to rely on that playbook again, reviving his longstanding claims that the Justice Department — which, during his presidency, investigated whether his 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia — is somehow weaponized against him.The case is a milestone for a Justice Department that had investigated Trump for years — as president and private citizen — but had never before charged him with a crime. Garland was appointed by President Joe Biden, who is seeking reelection in 2024.Among the various state and federal investigations that Trump faces, legal experts — including Trump’s own former attorney general — had long seen the Mar-a-Lago probe as one of the most likely to result in indictment and the one where evidence seemed to favor the government. Court records unsealed last year showed federal investigators believed they had probable cause that multiple crimes had been committed, including the retention of national defense information, destruction of government records and obstruction of an investigation.Since then, the Justice Department has amassed additional evidence and secured grand jury testimony from people close to Trump, including his own lawyers. The statutes governing the handling of classified records and obstruction are felonies that could carry years in prison in the event of a conviction.Signs had mounted for weeks that an indictment was near, including a June 5 meeting between Trump’s lawyers and Justice Department officials. After that meeting, Trump said on social media that he anticipated he could be charged, even as he insisted he had done nothing wrong.Though the bulk of the investigative work had been handled in Washington, with a grand jury meeting there for months, it recently emerged that prosecutors were presenting evidence before a separate panel in Florida, where many of the alleged acts of obstruction scrutinized by prosecutors — including efforts to move the boxes — took place.Trump’s legal troubles extend beyond the New York indictment and classified documents case.The special counsel has a separate probe underway focused on efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. And the district attorney in Georgia’s Fulton County is investigating Trump over alleged efforts to subvert the 2020 election in that state.The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment.Trump is currently in Bedminster, New Jersey. A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.Trump said he is due in court Tuesday afternoon in Miami.

Trump indicted in classified documents case; historic first for a former president

OMAHA — A $25 million gift from a local philanthropist couple is to transform “The Barn” at the University of Nebraska’s rural agricultural campus and also spur more innovative projects at NU’s urban Omaha campus.

Announced Wednesday, the pledge by Barbara and Wally Weitz of Omaha will direct $19 million to UNO and $6 million to the College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska.

The gift is part of “Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future” — an effort to encourage benefactors to give a total of $3 billion to support NU students, faculty, research and programs addressing needs of Nebraska. The Weitzes are campaign chairs.

At the Curtis campus, the funds are to contribute to the renovation and expansion of a building students call “The Barn” into the Student Success and Activity Center. Originally built in 1917, the structure was the original gymnasium for the campus and now serves as a café and meeting place.&nbsp;

The $6 million from the Weitzes, said to be the largest donation to that rural arm of NU, is to match other private donations. Work on the $12 million project, intended to double the size and create more community event space, is to launch after fundraising is complete.&nbsp;

Barbara Weitz, a member of the NU Board of Regents, said she was “charmed” by the Curtis campus and called it a “too well-kept secret south of North Platte.”

“It is a seemingly small but remarkably important part of our commitment to bring resources, faculty and students to improving our agricultural knowledge and workforce in Nebraska,” she said.

The funds were inspired by the couple’s desire to promote workforce development in the agricultural sector and improve educational opportunities in rural Nebraska, said a statement by the University of Nebraska Foundation.&nbsp;

NCTA, a two-year school, seeks to grow from under 300 students to 500 in the next 10 years.

“We are teaching agriculture ‘in the field’ at the collegiate level, with the latest technology and practices in our academic programs,” said Larry Gossen, dean of NCTA. Programs include agronomy, animal science, equine industry management, ag mechanics, irrigation technology and agribusiness and veterinary technology.

Gossen foresees the student center project as a gathering place students will be proud of, where they can study, socialize and dine.

“It will draw in students living off-campus and generate the energy and excitement our students need to feel a sense of belonging,” he said.

At UNO, the Weitzes directed $14 million to create the Weitz Innovation and Excellence Fund, which is designed to elevate good programs to nationally recognized ones.

“UNO will have discretion in how to use these funds,” Wally Weitz said. “We have trust in the people doing the work to come up with the best ideas for our students and the community.”

UNO Chancellor Joanne Li is to request proposals annually that will be reviewed by a committee of senior faculty. She said projects are to be selected with an eye toward how they strengthen the community and state as a whole.

The fund, Li said, “will support our faculty to dream big and realize opportunities to make the future of Nebraska’s teaching, working and learning a reality.”

The remaining $5 million is to support the Barbara and Wally Weitz Endowed Chair in Higher Education Leadership. Awarded to the UNO chancellor, it is to aid in recruitment and retention of top leadership. The investment is to provide an estimated $200,000 in annual distributions to support the chancellor’s strategic priorities.

Barbara Weitz is also a retired faculty member of UNO’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work. Wally is founder and co-chair of the Omaha-based Weitz Investment Management.

UNO and the NU system are important to the state’s economy, Barbara Weitz said.

“We must have well-educated citizens for Nebraska,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686253928204.png" alt="Rendering of the exterior of a planned $12 million expanded student and community center at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska. (Courtesy of CG ID Architecture)" />
 <figcaption>Rendering of the exterior of a planned $12 million expanded student and community center at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska. (Courtesy of CG ID Architecture)</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA — A $25 million gift from a local philanthropist couple is to transform “The Barn” at the University of Nebraska’s rural agricultural campus and also spur more innovative projects at NU’s urban Omaha campus.Announced Wednesday, the pledge by Barbara and Wally Weitz of Omaha will direct $19 million to UNO and $6 million to the College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska.The gift is part of “Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future” — an effort to encourage benefactors to give a total of $3 billion to support NU students, faculty, research and programs addressing needs of Nebraska. The Weitzes are campaign chairs.<h2>‘Well-kept secret’</h2>At the Curtis campus, the funds are to contribute to the renovation and expansion of a building students call “The Barn” into the Student Success and Activity Center. Originally built in 1917, the structure was the original gymnasium for the campus and now serves as a café and meeting place.&nbsp;The $6 million from the Weitzes, said to be the largest donation to that rural arm of NU, is to match other private donations. Work on the $12 million project, intended to double the size and create more community event space, is to launch after fundraising is complete.&nbsp;Barbara Weitz, a member of the NU Board of Regents, said she was “charmed” by the Curtis campus and called it a “too well-kept secret south of North Platte.”“It is a seemingly small but remarkably important part of our commitment to bring resources, faculty and students to improving our agricultural knowledge and workforce in Nebraska,” she said.The funds were inspired by the couple’s desire to promote workforce development in the agricultural sector and improve educational opportunities in rural Nebraska, said a statement by the University of Nebraska Foundation.&nbsp;NCTA, a two-year school, seeks to grow from under 300 students to 500 in the next 10 years.“We are teaching agriculture ‘in the field’ at the collegiate level, with the latest technology and practices in our academic programs,” said Larry Gossen, dean of NCTA. Programs include agronomy, animal science, equine industry management, ag mechanics, irrigation technology and agribusiness and veterinary technology.Gossen foresees the student center project as a gathering place students will be proud of, where they can study, socialize and dine.“It will draw in students living off-campus and generate the energy and excitement our students need to feel a sense of belonging,” he said.<h2>On to national prominence</h2>At UNO, the Weitzes directed $14 million to create the Weitz Innovation and Excellence Fund, which is designed to elevate good programs to nationally recognized ones.“UNO will have discretion in how to use these funds,” Wally Weitz said. “We have trust in the people doing the work to come up with the best ideas for our students and the community.”UNO Chancellor Joanne Li is to request proposals annually that will be reviewed by a committee of senior faculty. She said projects are to be selected with an eye toward how they strengthen the community and state as a whole.The fund, Li said, “will support our faculty to dream big and realize opportunities to make the future of Nebraska’s teaching, working and learning a reality.”The remaining $5 million is to support the Barbara and Wally Weitz Endowed Chair in Higher Education Leadership. Awarded to the UNO chancellor, it is to aid in recruitment and retention of top leadership. The investment is to provide an estimated $200,000 in annual distributions to support the chancellor’s strategic priorities.Barbara Weitz is also a retired faculty member of UNO’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work. Wally is founder and co-chair of the Omaha-based Weitz Investment Management.UNO and the NU system are important to the state’s economy, Barbara Weitz said.“We must have well-educated citizens for Nebraska,” she said.

$25 million gift to NU will expand ‘The Barn’ into a rural student center

WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.

(Click below to watch a replay of the ceremony)

The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.

Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.

And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”

“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.

“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.

“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”

Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”

“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”

By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather, who brought to life the Great Plains of Nebraska, is now honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, becoming the 12th woman represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection.

U.S. and Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled the bronze figure of the woman who wrote the widely acclaimed “O Pioneers!,” “My Ántonia” and the Pulitzer-winning “One of Ours,” depicting the human experience in Nebraska and beyond in the years surrounding the turn of the 20th century.

“‘Let your fiction grow out of the land beneath your feet,’ this quote attributed to Cather, is an apt summation of the author’s life and work,” Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said at the morning ceremony in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. “Cather’s vivid, reflective writing has become synonymous with the pioneer spirit of Nebraska.”

Omaha sculptor Littleton Alston, who created the Cather statue, becomes the first Black artist to have a piece in the collection. Alston is an&nbsp;associate professor of sculpture at Creighton University.

“Thank you sir, for capturing this American hero’s impact on this nation and on our literary canon with such dignity and honor,” U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said to Alston, who sat with his family in the front row. Jeffries is the first Black party leader in the House.

Lawmakers from both parties delivered remarks to the hundreds seated in the hall to watch as a black cloth was ceremoniously removed to reveal Cather’s likeness.

Alston sculpted Cather in motion, walking through the open Nebraska prairie with a walking stick in her right hand. Cather is dressed in her field research clothing — a large, brimmed hat and a wool jacket — and holds a writing pen and paper in her left hand.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686173046821.png" alt="A crowd gathered to photograph the bronze statue of author Willa Cather after a dedication ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Statuary Hall on Wednesday June 7, 2023. The Cather statue is Nebraska’s second added to the National Statuary Hall Collection. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption>A crowd gathered to photograph the bronze statue of author Willa Cather after a dedication ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Statuary Hall on Wednesday June 7, 2023. The Cather statue is Nebraska’s second added to the National Statuary Hall Collection. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Willa Cather, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American author renowned for her portrayal of the lives of pioneer settlers in the U.S. Heartland, was honored Wednesday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in her likeness in the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall.(Click below to watch a replay of the ceremony)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/icmwM9y618o?start=511" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The statue’s creator, Littleton Alston, a professor of sculpture at Creighton University, is the first Black artist to have work represented in the national collection.Cather, whose works include “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers,” spent her young years in Red Cloud, Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1895. She won the Pulitzer Prize for the novel “One of Ours.”U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican from Nebraska, noted that Cather was a trailblazer in the literary world who has earned a lasting place among the great American writers.And U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said Cather’s fiction “truly feels like it grew from the soil of Nebraska.”“For decades until her death in 1947, Cather was unable to shake her creative spirit away from its home on the open plains of the Heartland,” Fischer said.Officials also recognized Alston.“You’re work inspires us, and hopefully this experience can inspire all of us in this room to go home and to do a little bit more than we ever thought we could,” Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said.Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told the crowd that Cather’s prose is still celebrated because it gave a voice to pioneers who chose to take a chance for a better life.“Nebraskans are lucky to call Willa Cather one of their own,” McCarthy said. “But ultimately, her work belongs here because it is American to the core. Her authenticity, emotion, artistry spoke of Americans’ fundamental values. Ultimately, it reminds us that this is a land of opportunity.”Each state has two statues at the U.S. Capitol, with many in the Statuary Hall. Nebraska’s other statue, of Ponca Chief Standing Bear, was unveiled in 2019.U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic minority leader of the House, said Cather was the first Pulitzer Prize winner and 12th woman recognized in the collection. He said she and Standing Bear captured “the heart and soul of the great state of Nebraska.”“Her stories are the stories of people who risked everything,” Jeffries said. “She captured in such a powerful way the story of America and our country’s exceptionalism.”---------------By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Pulitzer Prize-winning author Willa Cather, who brought to life the Great Plains of Nebraska, is now honored with a statue in the U.S. Capitol, becoming the 12th woman represented in the National Statuary Hall Collection.U.S. and Nebraska lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled the bronze figure of the woman who wrote the widely acclaimed “O Pioneers!,” “My Ántonia” and the Pulitzer-winning “One of Ours,” depicting the human experience in Nebraska and beyond in the years surrounding the turn of the 20th century.“‘Let your fiction grow out of the land beneath your feet,’ this quote attributed to Cather, is an apt summation of the author’s life and work,” Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska said at the morning ceremony in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. “Cather’s vivid, reflective writing has become synonymous with the pioneer spirit of Nebraska.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686173095001.png" alt="Littleton Alston, associate professor of sculpture at Creighton University in Omaha, stands next to his bronze depiction of author Willa Cather after a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday June 7, 2023. Alston was selected from over 70 artists to create the statue and becomes the first African American artist to have a sculpture in the National Statuary Hall Collection. (Ashley Murray/StatesNewsroom)" />
 <figcaption>Littleton Alston, associate professor of sculpture at Creighton University in Omaha, stands next to his bronze depiction of author Willa Cather after a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday June 7, 2023. Alston was selected from over 70 artists to create the statue and becomes the first African American artist to have a sculpture in the National Statuary Hall Collection. (Ashley Murray/StatesNewsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>Omaha sculptor Littleton Alston, who created the Cather statue, becomes the first Black artist to have a piece in the collection. Alston is an&nbsp;associate professor of sculpture at Creighton University.“Thank you sir, for capturing this American hero’s impact on this nation and on our literary canon with such dignity and honor,” U.S. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said to Alston, who sat with his family in the front row. Jeffries is the first Black party leader in the House.Lawmakers from both parties delivered remarks to the hundreds seated in the hall to watch as a black cloth was ceremoniously removed to reveal Cather’s likeness.Alston sculpted Cather in motion, walking through the open Nebraska prairie with a walking stick in her right hand. Cather is dressed in her field research clothing — a large, brimmed hat and a wool jacket — and holds a writing pen and paper in her left hand.&nbsp;Goldenrod, the Nebraska state flower, and a Western meadowlark, the state bird, are depicted at her feet.&nbsp;“I’ve portrayed Cather as a mature artist in her prime,” Alston said in 2021 upon the approval of his final design by the Architect of the Capitol. He added: “I sought to capture Willa Cather’s spirit, coupled with her achievements and aspirations, in this sculpture. I hope it will provide insight into Cather and her literature for viewers both young and old.”Cather is Nebraska’s most recent addition to the U.S. Capitol, erected alongside the state’s other effigy, of Chief Standing Bear, a Native American of the Ponca Tribe, installed in 2019. The two bronze figures frame the entrance to the south corridor leading from Statuary Hall to the House chamber."As anyone walks (to the chamber) you’ll see these two today,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said to the crowd.&nbsp;“Willa’s statue stands today as a monument to her incredible legacy and our people’s incredible spirit,” McCarthy, a California Republican, later continued. “Today we should celebrate the progress that America continues to make as a land of opportunity, but it is equally important that we follow in the footsteps of Willa’s pioneers.”Each state can contribute two statues to the Capitol’s collection. Standing Bear and Cather replace Nebraska’s former statues — Populist lawmaker William Jennings Bryan and former Secretary of Agriculture J. Sterling Morton.<h2>Cather’s life</h2>Cather was born in Back Creek Valley, Virginia, in 1873 and later moved with her family to Webster County, Nebraska, at the age of 9 before relocating to Red Cloud.She attended the University of Nebraska but began her writing career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she worked as a journalist and teacher for a decade.&nbsp;In 1908, she moved to New York City, where she worked as the managing editor of McClure’s Magazine before dedicating her focus to her own literary works that gained both national and international readers.Cather, who authored 12 novels and many works of short fiction, poetry and nonfiction, was awarded the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for “One of Ours,” the story of a Nebraska man who fights in World War I.Cather died in 1947, age 73, in Manhattan. She is buried in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.“Willa Cather was always a champion for Nebraska. While her writing spans settings that include the desert Southwest, 17th-century Quebec and the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, among others, many of her most well-known stories are about Nebraska and its people. I hope her representation in our U.S Capitol will encourage even more readers to discover the beauty and complexity of her writing,” said Ashley Olson, executive director of the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud.