By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/fortenberry-files-notice-of-appeal-and-claims-false-statements-statutes-too-easily-abused/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — One day after<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/fortenberry-sentenced-to-probation-not-prison-for-lying-to-federal-investigators/"> being sentenced</a>
 to probation for lying to federal agents, former U.S. Rep. Jeff 
Fortenberry on Wednesday followed through with his pledge to appeal his 
conviction.

His legal representatives, including a new 
specialist in such appeals, also said they expect to file a complaint 
with the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, alleging that 
FBI agents used &nbsp;“deceptive tactics” in getting Fortenberry to talk to 
them.

Attorney Glen Summers, who also represented 
Fortenberry during the trial, said in a statement Wednesday that federal
 false statements statutes are “far too susceptible to abuse” and that 
the 61-year-old Republican should not have been prosecuted for comments 
he gave to FBI agents.

Summers cited the case of &nbsp;Micheal Flynn, 
former national security adviser to then-President Donald Trump. Flynn 
had pleaded guilty to making false statements about contacts he had with
 a Russian ambassador prior to Trump’s election in 2016, but the charges
 were dropped later by the Department of Justice, which called the FBI’s
 probe into Flynn “unjustified.”

Fortenberry’s six-page “notice of appeal” was filed Wednesday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California.

“We look forward to presenting these issues 
on appeal and hopefully helping to rein in the weaponization of Section 
1001 by federal law enforcement agencies,” Summers said.

Section 1001 of the federal code makes it 
illegal to make false statements to a federal investigation. The 
congressman and Flynn were prosecuted under that section.

A Fortenberry spokesman said “one of the 
nation’s leading appellate lawyers,” Kannon Shanmugam of Paul, Weiss, 
Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison, along with his colleague Aimee Brown, 
had been brought in to join Summers for the appeal. The Paul, Weiss 
firm, according to its website, has over 1,000 lawyers at eight offices 
worldwide.

The appeal puts on hold the sentence 
Fortenberry received Tuesday: two years’ probation, a $25,000 fine and 
320 hours of community service.

In March, a federal jury in Los Angeles took
 only two hours to find Fortenberry guilty of&nbsp; two counts of lying to 
federal agents and one count of misleading them by failing to correct 
his federal campaign spending report to reflect the true source of 
certain political donations.

Fortenberry could have received up to five 
years in prison on each of the three charges. But U.S. District Judge 
Stanley Blumenfeld ruled that prison time was not justified and that 
Fortenberry’s offenses did not compare with recent cases of malfeasance 
by public officials who did get time behind bars.

Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of six 
months in prison, arguing that Fortenberry repeatedly lied about the 
source of $30,000 in campaign contributions he received in 2016 in Los 
Angeles. The money came from a Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire, Gilbert 
Chagoury, making it an illegal, foreign campaign contribution. That fact
 was related to Fortenberry in a phone call two years after the L.A. 
fundraiser, but he did not relate that to FBI agents probing the illegal
 donations in 2019.

Defense attorneys had belittled the case as a
 failed “memory test” and maintained that Fortenberry’s statements, even
 if false, weren’t material to the FBI’s broader investigation. Thus, 
they argued, he should not have been charged.

The appeal also puts a hold on any attempt 
to disqualify Fortenberry from receiving a federal pension because of 
the convictions for three felonies.

An official with the National Taxpayers 
Union Foundation, which has fought to bar pensions for members of 
Congress convicted of crimes, told the Examiner on Tuesday that no 
representative convicted of a felony has lost a pension in the past 15 
years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656601076850.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, arm in arm with his wife and a daughter, leaves the U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles after a jury finds him guilty in March. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, arm in arm with his wife and a daughter, leaves the U.S. District Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles after a jury finds him guilty in March. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/fortenberry-files-notice-of-appeal-and-claims-false-statements-statutes-too-easily-abused/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — One day after<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/fortenberry-sentenced-to-probation-not-prison-for-lying-to-federal-investigators/"> being sentenced</a>
 to probation for lying to federal agents, former U.S. Rep. Jeff 
Fortenberry on Wednesday followed through with his pledge to appeal his 
conviction.His legal representatives, including a new 
specialist in such appeals, also said they expect to file a complaint 
with the Inspector General of the Department of Justice, alleging that 
FBI agents used &nbsp;“deceptive tactics” in getting Fortenberry to talk to 
them.Attorney Glen Summers, who also represented 
Fortenberry during the trial, said in a statement Wednesday that federal
 false statements statutes are “far too susceptible to abuse” and that 
the 61-year-old Republican should not have been prosecuted for comments 
he gave to FBI agents.<h2>Michael Flynn case</h2>Summers cited the case of &nbsp;Micheal Flynn, 
former national security adviser to then-President Donald Trump. Flynn 
had pleaded guilty to making false statements about contacts he had with
 a Russian ambassador prior to Trump’s election in 2016, but the charges
 were dropped later by the Department of Justice, which called the FBI’s
 probe into Flynn “unjustified.”Fortenberry’s six-page “notice of appeal” was filed Wednesday with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California.“We look forward to presenting these issues 
on appeal and hopefully helping to rein in the weaponization of Section 
1001 by federal law enforcement agencies,” Summers said.Section 1001 of the federal code makes it 
illegal to make false statements to a federal investigation. The 
congressman and Flynn were prosecuted under that section.<h2>New lawyers brought on</h2>A Fortenberry spokesman said “one of the 
nation’s leading appellate lawyers,” Kannon Shanmugam of Paul, Weiss, 
Rifkind, Wharton &amp; Garrison, along with his colleague Aimee Brown, 
had been brought in to join Summers for the appeal. The Paul, Weiss 
firm, according to its website, has over 1,000 lawyers at eight offices 
worldwide.The appeal puts on hold the sentence 
Fortenberry received Tuesday: two years’ probation, a $25,000 fine and 
320 hours of community service.In March, a federal jury in Los Angeles took
 only two hours to find Fortenberry guilty of&nbsp; two counts of lying to 
federal agents and one count of misleading them by failing to correct 
his federal campaign spending report to reflect the true source of 
certain political donations.Fortenberry could have received up to five 
years in prison on each of the three charges. But U.S. District Judge 
Stanley Blumenfeld ruled that prison time was not justified and that 
Fortenberry’s offenses did not compare with recent cases of malfeasance 
by public officials who did get time behind bars.<h2>Repeated lies</h2>Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of six 
months in prison, arguing that Fortenberry repeatedly lied about the 
source of $30,000 in campaign contributions he received in 2016 in Los 
Angeles. The money came from a Nigerian-Lebanese billionaire, Gilbert 
Chagoury, making it an illegal, foreign campaign contribution. That fact
 was related to Fortenberry in a phone call two years after the L.A. 
fundraiser, but he did not relate that to FBI agents probing the illegal
 donations in 2019.Defense attorneys had belittled the case as a
 failed “memory test” and maintained that Fortenberry’s statements, even
 if false, weren’t material to the FBI’s broader investigation. Thus, 
they argued, he should not have been charged.The appeal also puts a hold on any attempt 
to disqualify Fortenberry from receiving a federal pension because of 
the convictions for three felonies.An official with the National Taxpayers 
Union Foundation, which has fought to bar pensions for members of 
Congress convicted of crimes, told the Examiner on Tuesday that no 
representative convicted of a felony has lost a pension in the past 15 
years.

Day after sentencing, Fortenberry files notice of appeal

MENDON, Mo. (AP) — An Amtrak passenger train was going about 87 mph when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">collided with a dump truck</a>&nbsp;at a rural Missouri railway crossing, killing four people, an official with the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.

The speed limit is 90 mph (145 kph) at the crossing where the collision occurred Monday in western Missouri, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said. The Southwest Chief was traveling about 89 mph (143 kph) when it began blowing its horn about a quarter mile (400 meters) from the collision site, she said.

The early investigation found no concerns with the train's brakes or other mechanical issues, Homendy said.

The crossing, which had no lights or other signals to warn about an approaching train, is “very steep” and Homendy acknowledged area residents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">had expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;about it before the crash.

The truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, died in the collision, the Chariton County coroner said.

Two train passengers — Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, died at the scene. A third passenger, 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">died Tuesday</a>&nbsp;at a hospital.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.

The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. Amtrak officials said about 275 passengers and 12 crew members were aboard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656360596114.jpeg" alt="An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri." />
 <figcaption>An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri.</figcaption>
 </figure>MENDON, Mo. (AP) — An Amtrak passenger train was going about 87 mph when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">collided with a dump truck</a>&nbsp;at a rural Missouri railway crossing, killing four people, an official with the National Transportation Safety Board said Wednesday.The speed limit is 90 mph (145 kph) at the crossing where the collision occurred Monday in western Missouri, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said. The Southwest Chief was traveling about 89 mph (143 kph) when it began blowing its horn about a quarter mile (400 meters) from the collision site, she said.The early investigation found no concerns with the train's brakes or other mechanical issues, Homendy said.The crossing, which had no lights or other signals to warn about an approaching train, is “very steep” and Homendy acknowledged area residents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">had expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;about it before the crash.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656537737436.png" alt="Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, died in the collision, the Chariton County coroner said.Two train passengers — Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, died at the scene. A third passenger, 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">died Tuesday</a>&nbsp;at a hospital.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. Amtrak officials said about 275 passengers and 12 crew members were aboard.

NTSB: Amtrak train was below speed limit before fatal crash

News Release United States Department of Justice

OMAHA, Neb.-A Nevada man was arrested today in Los Angeles for an alleged investment fraud scheme that defrauded more than 10,000 victims of over $45 million. A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska previously returned an indictment on June 14 charging the man, which was unsealed today in Omaha.

According to the indictment, Neil Chandran, 50, of Las Vegas, owned a group of technology companies that he used in a scheme to defraud investors by falsely promising extremely high returns on the premise that one or more of his companies, operated under the banner of “ViRSE,” was about to be acquired by a consortium of wealthy buyers. Chandran’s companies — which included Free Vi Lab, Studio Vi Inc., ViDelivery Inc., ViMarket Inc., and Skalex USA Inc., among others — developed virtual-world technologies, including their own cryptocurrency, for use in the companies’ own metaverse. The indictment alleges that Chandran caused other individuals to make various materially false and misleading representations to investors, including that (a) investors in Chandran’s companies would soon receive extremely high returns when one or more of those companies was purchased by a group of wealthy buyers, (b) investor funds would be used for normal expenses to keep the companies operating until they were purchased, and (c) prominent business figures, including two billionaires, were involved in the purchase. In fact, according to the indictment, there was no such buyer group that was about to purchase the companies for the claimed returns; a substantial portion of the funds were misappropriated for other business ventures and the personal benefit of Chandran and others, including the purchase of luxury cars and real estate; and there were no prominent billionaires involved in purchasing Chandran’s companies.

Chandran is charged with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. If convicted, Chandran faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years in prison for each count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The indictment also alleges that 100 different assets — bank accounts, real estate, and luxury vehicles, including 39 Tesla vehicles — are subject to forfeiture as proceeds of the fraud. U.S. Marshals and the FBI are seizing most of the assets pending resolution of the criminal case.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the FBI’s Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Omaha field offices.

Assistant Chief William E. Johnston and Trial Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Senior Policy Advisor Darrin McCullough and Trial Attorney Sarah Roessler of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are handling forfeiture. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Nebraska, Nevada, and the Central District of California provided valuable assistance.

All investor victims of this fraud are encouraged to visit the webpage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/united-states-v-chandran">https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/united-states-v-chandran</a>&nbsp; to identify themselves as potential victims and obtain more information on their rights as victims, including the opportunity to submit a victim impact statement.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

News Release United States Department of JusticeOMAHA, Neb.-A Nevada man was arrested today in Los Angeles for an alleged investment fraud scheme that defrauded more than 10,000 victims of over $45 million. A federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska previously returned an indictment on June 14 charging the man, which was unsealed today in Omaha.According to the indictment, Neil Chandran, 50, of Las Vegas, owned a group of technology companies that he used in a scheme to defraud investors by falsely promising extremely high returns on the premise that one or more of his companies, operated under the banner of “ViRSE,” was about to be acquired by a consortium of wealthy buyers. Chandran’s companies — which included Free Vi Lab, Studio Vi Inc., ViDelivery Inc., ViMarket Inc., and Skalex USA Inc., among others — developed virtual-world technologies, including their own cryptocurrency, for use in the companies’ own metaverse. The indictment alleges that Chandran caused other individuals to make various materially false and misleading representations to investors, including that (a) investors in Chandran’s companies would soon receive extremely high returns when one or more of those companies was purchased by a group of wealthy buyers, (b) investor funds would be used for normal expenses to keep the companies operating until they were purchased, and (c) prominent business figures, including two billionaires, were involved in the purchase. In fact, according to the indictment, there was no such buyer group that was about to purchase the companies for the claimed returns; a substantial portion of the funds were misappropriated for other business ventures and the personal benefit of Chandran and others, including the purchase of luxury cars and real estate; and there were no prominent billionaires involved in purchasing Chandran’s companies.Chandran is charged with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. If convicted, Chandran faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years in prison for each count of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The indictment also alleges that 100 different assets — bank accounts, real estate, and luxury vehicles, including 39 Tesla vehicles — are subject to forfeiture as proceeds of the fraud. U.S. Marshals and the FBI are seizing most of the assets pending resolution of the criminal case.Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case. Significant assistance was also provided by the FBI’s Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Omaha field offices.Assistant Chief William E. Johnston and Trial Attorney Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Senior Policy Advisor Darrin McCullough and Trial Attorney Sarah Roessler of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are handling forfeiture. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Nebraska, Nevada, and the Central District of California provided valuable assistance.All investor victims of this fraud are encouraged to visit the webpage&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/united-states-v-chandran">https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/united-states-v-chandran</a>&nbsp; to identify themselves as potential victims and obtain more information on their rights as victims, including the opportunity to submit a victim impact statement.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Neb. Grand Jury indicts Nevada tech company owner in $45M fraud scheme

MADRID (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the U.S. will significantly increase its military presence in Europe for the long haul, including by establishing its first permanent presence in Poland, to bolster regional security after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</a>

Meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-zelenskyy-politics-jens-stoltenberg-54c91903690f0d56537fa40ada88d83c">the opening of the alliance’s annual leaders’ summit</a>&nbsp;in Madrid, Biden said “NATO is strong and united” and that steps to be taken during the gathering will “further augment our collective strength.” The White House said Biden’s commitments mean the U.S. will maintain a presence of 100,000 troops in Europe, up 20,000 from the levels before the Ukraine war began, for the “foreseeable future.”

In addition to the new basing of a U.S. military garrison in Poland, Biden also said the U.S. is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the U.K. and more air defenses and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.

“Today I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthening our collective security,” he said.

Stoltenberg, who earlier Wednesday said the alliance was facing its biggest challenge since World War II because of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine, welcomed Biden’s announcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-finland-05bee518928c878dc3c170ff3044fa93">as the summit began.</a>

“This really demonstrates your decisive leadership and strength in the trans-Atlantic bond,” Stoltenberg said, thanking Biden for the “unwavering support from you and from the United States to Ukraine.”

The more muscular American presence in Europe is bolstered by stepped-up defense commitments from NATO allies announced at the summit. It is still a far cry from its posture during the Cold War, when roughly 300,000 American troops, on average, were stationed in the region.

Biden said the U.S. will permanently station the U.S. Army V Corps forward command in Poland, a move that he said would strengthen US-NATO interoperability across the alliance’s eastern flank. The decision marks the first permanent basing of U.S. forces on NATO’s eastern edge. Biden added that the U.S. is also stepping up its rotational deployments of troops to Romania and the Baltic region.

Celeste Wallander, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for international affairs, told reporters that having a permanent presence in Poland will be key to helping NATO navigate the changed security environment in Europe caused by Russia’s invasion. The U.S. supplies the bulk of NATO’s military power.

U.S. officials emphasized that the permanent basing applied only to headquarters units, not combat troops, and was therefore consistent with a 1997 agreement between NATO and Russia in which the alliance agreed not to permanently base combat troops in Eastern Europe as it aimed to build more constructive ties in the post-Cold War environment.

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski told Poland’s state PAP news agency that the decision to add U.S. command structure was a “manifestation of the ever closer cooperation between the U.S. and Poland” and would give give NATO allies a frontline insight into the Russian threat.

The combat units Biden is sending to Romania and the Baltic region are on rotational deployments, rather than permanent assignment, to remain in compliance with that agreement.

“There has been no communication with Moscow about these changes, nor is there a requirement to do that,” John Kirby, a spokesman for Biden’s National Security Council.

Biden announced on Tuesday after arriving for the summit that the U.S. would base two additional destroyers at its naval base in Rota, Spain, bringing the total number to six.

Biden predicted that meetings this week would make for a “history-making summit” as leaders were set to approve a new strategic framework, announce a range of steps to boost their defense spending and capabilities, and clear the way for historically neutral&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-biden-turkey-madrid-0441ed4a13ea31aad5df316572f082bf">Finland and Sweden</a>&nbsp;to join NATO.

Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin thought NATO members would splinter after he invaded Ukraine, but got the opposite response instead.

“Putin was looking for the Finland-ization of Europe,” Biden said. “You’re gonna get the NATO-ization of Europe. And that’s exactly what he didn’t want, but exactly what needs to be done to guarantee security for Europe.”

Turkey, the last remaining holdout to approve the Nordic countries’ accession into NATO, reached an agreement on the eve of the summit late Tuesday to support adding them to the 30-nation alliance.

While the White House said the U.S. was not a direct party to the negotiations, a senior administration official said Biden spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday to encourage him to clear the way for Sweden and Finland to join. The two leaders are set to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss other issues, the White House said.

Biden also sat down Wednesday with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who are attending the NATO summit as the alliance looks to strengthen its ties in the Indo-Pacific region and address challenges from China.

The three leaders discussed North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which Biden said the three found “deeply concerning.”

Biden said “our trilateral cooperation in my view is essential” and said the meeting was an opportunity for the leaders to coordinate a shared response, as U.S. officials say the isolated nation may soon conduct another nuclear test.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656512460520.png" alt="“Today I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthening our collective security,” President Biden said.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>“Today I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthening our collective security,” President Biden said.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MADRID (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the U.S. will significantly increase its military presence in Europe for the long haul, including by establishing its first permanent presence in Poland, to bolster regional security after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</a>Meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-zelenskyy-politics-jens-stoltenberg-54c91903690f0d56537fa40ada88d83c">the opening of the alliance’s annual leaders’ summit</a>&nbsp;in Madrid, Biden said “NATO is strong and united” and that steps to be taken during the gathering will “further augment our collective strength.” The White House said Biden’s commitments mean the U.S. will maintain a presence of 100,000 troops in Europe, up 20,000 from the levels before the Ukraine war began, for the “foreseeable future.”In addition to the new basing of a U.S. military garrison in Poland, Biden also said the U.S. is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the U.K. and more air defenses and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.“Today I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthening our collective security,” he said.Stoltenberg, who earlier Wednesday said the alliance was facing its biggest challenge since World War II because of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine, welcomed Biden’s announcement&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-politics-finland-05bee518928c878dc3c170ff3044fa93">as the summit began.</a>“This really demonstrates your decisive leadership and strength in the trans-Atlantic bond,” Stoltenberg said, thanking Biden for the “unwavering support from you and from the United States to Ukraine.”The more muscular American presence in Europe is bolstered by stepped-up defense commitments from NATO allies announced at the summit. It is still a far cry from its posture during the Cold War, when roughly 300,000 American troops, on average, were stationed in the region.Biden said the U.S. will permanently station the U.S. Army V Corps forward command in Poland, a move that he said would strengthen US-NATO interoperability across the alliance’s eastern flank. The decision marks the first permanent basing of U.S. forces on NATO’s eastern edge. Biden added that the U.S. is also stepping up its rotational deployments of troops to Romania and the Baltic region.Celeste Wallander, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for international affairs, told reporters that having a permanent presence in Poland will be key to helping NATO navigate the changed security environment in Europe caused by Russia’s invasion. The U.S. supplies the bulk of NATO’s military power.U.S. officials emphasized that the permanent basing applied only to headquarters units, not combat troops, and was therefore consistent with a 1997 agreement between NATO and Russia in which the alliance agreed not to permanently base combat troops in Eastern Europe as it aimed to build more constructive ties in the post-Cold War environment.Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski told Poland’s state PAP news agency that the decision to add U.S. command structure was a “manifestation of the ever closer cooperation between the U.S. and Poland” and would give give NATO allies a frontline insight into the Russian threat.The combat units Biden is sending to Romania and the Baltic region are on rotational deployments, rather than permanent assignment, to remain in compliance with that agreement.“There has been no communication with Moscow about these changes, nor is there a requirement to do that,” John Kirby, a spokesman for Biden’s National Security Council.Biden announced on Tuesday after arriving for the summit that the U.S. would base two additional destroyers at its naval base in Rota, Spain, bringing the total number to six.Biden predicted that meetings this week would make for a “history-making summit” as leaders were set to approve a new strategic framework, announce a range of steps to boost their defense spending and capabilities, and clear the way for historically neutral&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-nato-biden-turkey-madrid-0441ed4a13ea31aad5df316572f082bf">Finland and Sweden</a>&nbsp;to join NATO.Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin thought NATO members would splinter after he invaded Ukraine, but got the opposite response instead.“Putin was looking for the Finland-ization of Europe,” Biden said. “You’re gonna get the NATO-ization of Europe. And that’s exactly what he didn’t want, but exactly what needs to be done to guarantee security for Europe.”Turkey, the last remaining holdout to approve the Nordic countries’ accession into NATO, reached an agreement on the eve of the summit late Tuesday to support adding them to the 30-nation alliance.While the White House said the U.S. was not a direct party to the negotiations, a senior administration official said Biden spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday to encourage him to clear the way for Sweden and Finland to join. The two leaders are set to meet Wednesday afternoon to discuss other issues, the White House said.Biden also sat down Wednesday with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who are attending the NATO summit as the alliance looks to strengthen its ties in the Indo-Pacific region and address challenges from China.The three leaders discussed North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, which Biden said the three found “deeply concerning.”Biden said “our trilateral cooperation in my view is essential” and said the meeting was an opportunity for the leaders to coordinate a shared response, as U.S. officials say the isolated nation may soon conduct another nuclear test.—-

Russian threat drives U.S. troops in Europe to more than 100,000

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/29/ricketts-calls-jan-6-hearings-a-partisan-rehash-of-mostly-old-information/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday 
called the congressional hearings into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the 
U.S. Capitol a “partisan rehash of mostly old information.”

The Republican governor was asked his opinion of the hearings during a press conference.

On Tuesday, Cassidy Hutchinson, a key aide&nbsp;to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows at the time of the attack,
 &nbsp;provided explosive testimony describing how then-President Donald 
Trump knew the angry mob descending on the Capitol had guns and other 
weapons, that the former president did nothing to stop the violent 
attack, and that he ignored pleas to call for their retreat.

Ricketts, who said last week he wasn’t 
paying much attention to the hearings, on Wednesday said that people 
need to keep the testimony “in perspective.”

“Ms. Hutchinson, she is reciting things that are second- or third-hand,” Ricketts said.

He said viewers of the hearings should not 
“fall into the same trap” as the Washington Post, which had to publish a
 correction to a January 2021 story maintaining that Trump had pressured
 a Georgia election investigator to “find the fraud” in the 2020 voting 
and become “a national hero.”

The Post’s correction later said those 
quotes were wrong and that Trump had instead urged the investigator to 
scrutinize ballots in Georgia, asserting she would find “dishonesty” 
there.

“You have to have the whole story here,” 
Ricketts said of the recent testimony in Congress. “We’re getting one 
person’s perspective. It’s third-hand.”

When asked by a Nebraska Examiner reporter 
if Republicans in Congress should have placed members on the committee 
that would cross-examine witnesses, therefore providing a wider 
perspective, that’s when Ricketts responded that it was a “rehash of 
mostly old information.”

Not everyone has agreed with Ricketts’ 
assessment. On Tuesday, State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha, who is 
also a Republican, tweeted that “if you are a Republican politician who 
CONTINUES to bury your head in the sand to Donald Trump’s criminality, 
you are complicit. History will not remember you fondly.”

Hutchinson testified that Trump, besides 
trying to subvert the election results and doing nothing to stop a 
violent attack on the Capitol, tried to wrestle control of a vehicle 
away from the Secret Service to steer it to the Capitol and expressed 
support for the mob chanting to hang Vice President &nbsp;Mike Pence.

“Donald Trump is a mob boss,” McCollister also tweeted.

A week ago, when asked about the hearings, 
Ricketts said that he was too busy with the state’s business to watch 
the hearings and that Nebraskans were more concerned about inflation and
 the high price of fuel.

Trump and the Ricketts family, wo are major 
contributors to Republican and conservative causes, have had a 
complicated relationship. The family was initially opposed to Trump’s 
candidacy, giving $5.5 million to a PAC working to block his nomination.
 But later, when Trump became the clear frontrunner, the Ricketts family
 became major donors.

More recently, Gov. Ricketts and Trump 
diverged on who to support in the GOP primary for Nebraska governor. 
Ricketts endorsed and campaigned for University of Nebraska Regent Jim 
Pillen, who won the primary. Trump endorsed and made an appearance in 
Nebraska for Falls City businessman Charles Herbster.

The governor did not answer a question posed
 last week about whether he would vote for Trump if he ran again for the
 presidency in 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650916433946.png" alt="Gov. Pete Ricketts at a State Capitol press conference in January 2022. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Pete Ricketts at a State Capitol press conference in January 2022. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/29/ricketts-calls-jan-6-hearings-a-partisan-rehash-of-mostly-old-information/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Pete Ricketts on Wednesday 
called the congressional hearings into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the 
U.S. Capitol a “partisan rehash of mostly old information.”The Republican governor was asked his opinion of the hearings during a press conference.On Tuesday, Cassidy Hutchinson, a key aide&nbsp;to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows at the time of the attack,
 &nbsp;provided explosive testimony describing how then-President Donald 
Trump knew the angry mob descending on the Capitol had guns and other 
weapons, that the former president did nothing to stop the violent 
attack, and that he ignored pleas to call for their retreat.<h2>Keep hearings ‘in perspective’</h2>Ricketts, who said last week he wasn’t 
paying much attention to the hearings, on Wednesday said that people 
need to keep the testimony “in perspective.”“Ms. Hutchinson, she is reciting things that are second- or third-hand,” Ricketts said.He said viewers of the hearings should not 
“fall into the same trap” as the Washington Post, which had to publish a
 correction to a January 2021 story maintaining that Trump had pressured
 a Georgia election investigator to “find the fraud” in the 2020 voting 
and become “a national hero.”The Post’s correction later said those 
quotes were wrong and that Trump had instead urged the investigator to 
scrutinize ballots in Georgia, asserting she would find “dishonesty” 
there.<h2>Need the ‘whole story’</h2>“You have to have the whole story here,” 
Ricketts said of the recent testimony in Congress. “We’re getting one 
person’s perspective. It’s third-hand.”When asked by a Nebraska Examiner reporter 
if Republicans in Congress should have placed members on the committee 
that would cross-examine witnesses, therefore providing a wider 
perspective, that’s when Ricketts responded that it was a “rehash of 
mostly old information.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656536942608.jpeg" alt="State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Not everyone has agreed with Ricketts’ 
assessment. On Tuesday, State Sen. John McCollister of Omaha, who is 
also a Republican, tweeted that “if you are a Republican politician who 
CONTINUES to bury your head in the sand to Donald Trump’s criminality, 
you are complicit. History will not remember you fondly.”Hutchinson testified that Trump, besides 
trying to subvert the election results and doing nothing to stop a 
violent attack on the Capitol, tried to wrestle control of a vehicle 
away from the Secret Service to steer it to the Capitol and expressed 
support for the mob chanting to hang Vice President &nbsp;Mike Pence.“Donald Trump is a mob boss,” McCollister also tweeted.A week ago, when asked about the hearings, 
Ricketts said that he was too busy with the state’s business to watch 
the hearings and that Nebraskans were more concerned about inflation and
 the high price of fuel.<h2>Complicated relationship</h2>Trump and the Ricketts family, wo are major 
contributors to Republican and conservative causes, have had a 
complicated relationship. The family was initially opposed to Trump’s 
candidacy, giving $5.5 million to a PAC working to block his nomination.
 But later, when Trump became the clear frontrunner, the Ricketts family
 became major donors.More recently, Gov. Ricketts and Trump 
diverged on who to support in the GOP primary for Nebraska governor. 
Ricketts endorsed and campaigned for University of Nebraska Regent Jim 
Pillen, who won the primary. Trump endorsed and made an appearance in 
Nebraska for Falls City businessman Charles Herbster.The governor did not answer a question posed
 last week about whether he would vote for Trump if he ran again for the
 presidency in 2024.

Neb. governor: 1/6 hearings a ‘partisan rehash of mostly old information’

CHARLTON COUNTY, Mo. —Authorities investigating the fatal Amtrak, truck crash have identified the three passengers killed as 58-year-old Rachelle Cook; 56-year-old&nbsp;Kim Holsapple both of DeSoto, Kansas and 82-year-0ld Binh Pham of Kansas City, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Cook and Holsapple were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the MSHP. EMS transported Pham to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri where he was pronounced dead.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the truck driver also&nbsp; as 54-year-old Billy Barton II of Brookfield, Missouri.

Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago Monday afternoon when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-derailment-missouri-a5ca59f5243b1a1008f4cf9b11c2fb31">struck a dump truck and derailed</a>&nbsp;at the crossing near Mendon.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced the fourth death Tuesday afternoon and provided its first estimate of the injured — about 150 people taken to 10 area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious.

The collision derailed seven cars, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The truck was broken into pieces.

The crossing in a rural area about 84 miles northeast of Kansas City has no lights or other signals to warn of an approaching train.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656536448704.png" alt="Photo of the accident scene- Missouri State Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo of the accident scene- Missouri State Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLTON COUNTY, Mo. —Authorities investigating the fatal Amtrak, truck crash have identified the three passengers killed as 58-year-old Rachelle Cook; 56-year-old&nbsp;Kim Holsapple both of DeSoto, Kansas and 82-year-0ld Binh Pham of Kansas City, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656537737436.png" alt="Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Kim Holsapple(center left) and Rochelle Cook (center right)-photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Cook and Holsapple were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the MSHP. EMS transported Pham to University Hospital in Columbia, Missouri where he was pronounced dead.The Missouri State Highway Patrol identified the truck driver also&nbsp; as 54-year-old Billy Barton II of Brookfield, Missouri.Amtrak’s Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago Monday afternoon when it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-derailment-missouri-a5ca59f5243b1a1008f4cf9b11c2fb31">struck a dump truck and derailed</a>&nbsp;at the crossing near Mendon.The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced the fourth death Tuesday afternoon and provided its first estimate of the injured — about 150 people taken to 10 area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to serious.The collision derailed seven cars, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The truck was broken into pieces.The crossing in a rural area about 84 miles northeast of Kansas City has no lights or other signals to warn of an approaching train.

Patrol IDs 2 Kansas women who died in Amtrak crash

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Abortion pills smuggled into the United States from Mexico inside teddy bears. A New York home used as a pill distribution hub. A small apartment just south of the U.S.-Mexico border converted into a safe place for women to end their pregnancies.

Networks of Mexican feminist collectives working with counterparts in the United States are ramping up their efforts to help women in the U.S. who are losing access to abortion services to end their pregnancies.

With the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the landmark decision that gave women the right to access abortion last week, these networks of activists are preparing to be busier than ever. So far this year, according to the organizations, they have helped at least 1,700 women living the U.S. who have sought their help.

The number may seem anecdotal, but it’s exponentially higher than what they saw before. With a number of U.S. states already enacting abortion bans since the court overturned Roe v. Wade last week, the activists expect the pace to continue increasing.

“The demand is going to triple,” said Sandra Cardona of “I Need an Abortion,” a collective based in the northern Mexico city of Monterrey, 138 miles from Texas. “Before we accompanied about five women a month from the United States; now there are five to seven a week.”

These organizations’ strategy is clear: a self-managed abortion, that is to say, putting the abortion-inducing misoprostol and mifepristone in the hands of women who want to end their pregnancies and accompanying them, usually virtually, when they take the drugs.

The drugs are legal in the United States and more than half of the abortions performed there in 2020 used them, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights organization. But there they require a doctor’s prescription, some states require a doctor to be present and they are usually taken in women’s health clinics, many of which have been forced to close.

In addition to the 13 states that already have laws banning abortion, there are another half-dozen that have almost complete bans or that do not permit them after six weeks, when many women do not know they are pregnant.

So there’s no doubt that the alternative will be abortions at home. And that is something with which the Mexican activists have a lot of experience. Even though Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled last year that it was unconstitutional to consider abortion a crime and 10 states have made it legal, not all have abortion services and abortion, with some exceptions, remains a crime in 22 states of the strongly Catholic country.

“At the same time that we were taking it for granted in the United States, people in Mexico, advocates in Mexico, have been working and testing narratives and building, building power, convincing people that their message was the correct one,” said Texas state lawmaker Erin Zwiener during a visit to Mexico in May.

Mexican activists built networks, battled the stigma, pushed for legal changes and little by little made headway, Zwiener said.

Their strategy since January has been the same, but cross-border.

Collectives far from the U.S. border like Unasse in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula coordinate donations from abroad to buy the pills, explained Amelia Ojeda, one of its members. Others to the north, focus on getting the pills into the United States inside toys, jars of vitamins or sewn into the hems of clothing.

“Those who are detected at the border, it’s like you were crossing drugs,” said Marcela Castro of Green Tide Chihuahua, a state bordering Texas. There are also women who live between the two countries and carry them when they fly.

The pills are then stored at so-called “medicine banks,” that are really private homes in strategic cities in Texas or even in New York where abortion remains legal.

From there they are distributed by low-profile volunteers by any means available -- hand-to-hand, through the mail, etc. -- to women across the country who need them. Most are in states like Texas and Oklahoma that have imposed bans, but also states where abortion remains legal but women prefer to end their pregnancies in the privacy of their homes.

“The new modern menace is a chemical or medical abortion with pills ordered online and mailed directly to a woman’s home,” Randall O’Bannon, an anti-abortion activist, said at a national convention last week in Atlanta. “With Roe headed for the dustbin of history, and states gaining the power to limit abortions, this is where the battle is going to be played out over the next several years”.

“Medication abortion will be where access to abortion is decided,” said Mary Ziegler, a professor at Florida State University College of Law who specializes in reproductive rights, told the AP last month. “That’s going to be the battleground that decides how enforceable abortion bans are.”

Las Libres -- The Free -- one of the most experienced groups in Latin America has a strong network network of allies in Mexico. Just there people have helped 1,500 women living in the United States this year with pills, information and accompaniment.

Veronica Cruz, their director, said that has been possible because of the help of some 100 volunteers, mostly in New York and California. But facing growing demand, she said, they need “more medicine, more hands and more heads that want to collaborate.”

As battles play out in U.S. state courts, the fear among activists grows.

“In such a litigious country (like the United States), the risks are taken seriously,” said Castro of the Chihuahua group. “And they’re besieged on all sides,” she added, noting the financial penalties or even prison sentences that those who help could be subject to in some states.

I Need an Abortion receives women in its office in Monterrey. “The majority tell us they prefer talking and having first-hand information,” they take the pills and cross the border back to Texas, said director Sandra Cardona.

Others decide to have the abortion in the collective’s offices, which is Cardona’s house.

When they arrive, they stand with their mouth hanging open when they see what they call the “aborteria.”

“It’s really crazy,” Cardona explained. “They tell us, ‘but this isn’t a clinic! It isn’t a shady place! It’s not scary!’”

“Well, of course, it’s a home!” she said.

Cardona has opened their doors to women for five years. Since May, they have outfitted a small apartment on the second floor of her home with a desk and sofa bed where women have gone through the whole process in privacy or with accompaniment based on their preference.

At first, women don’t believe they give away the pills for free, because some have been scammed online, and they’re surprised to feel so psychologically protected.

One even told them “that if she didn’t have to pay we weren’t a serious organizations,” Cardona said laughing. They give them the option of making a donation. “Our Paypal link has never been used so much.”

After their abortion, most realize they could have done it in their own homes. And that, says the activist, is important because the message gets passed on.

So far, most of the women seeking assistance from the collectives in Monterrey and Chihuahua have been Latina and Black.

Cruz was surprised because most of those who contacted The Free spoke English, suggesting to her a big pending issue: undocumented migrants.

“The women who most need it, who don’t even have internet access, still haven’t made it to us,” she said.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Abortion pills smuggled into the United States from Mexico inside teddy bears. A New York home used as a pill distribution hub. A small apartment just south of the U.S.-Mexico border converted into a safe place for women to end their pregnancies.Networks of Mexican feminist collectives working with counterparts in the United States are ramping up their efforts to help women in the U.S. who are losing access to abortion services to end their pregnancies.With the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the landmark decision that gave women the right to access abortion last week, these networks of activists are preparing to be busier than ever. So far this year, according to the organizations, they have helped at least 1,700 women living the U.S. who have sought their help.The number may seem anecdotal, but it’s exponentially higher than what they saw before. With a number of U.S. states already enacting abortion bans since the court overturned Roe v. Wade last week, the activists expect the pace to continue increasing.“The demand is going to triple,” said Sandra Cardona of “I Need an Abortion,” a collective based in the northern Mexico city of Monterrey, 138 miles from Texas. “Before we accompanied about five women a month from the United States; now there are five to seven a week.”These organizations’ strategy is clear: a self-managed abortion, that is to say, putting the abortion-inducing misoprostol and mifepristone in the hands of women who want to end their pregnancies and accompanying them, usually virtually, when they take the drugs.The drugs are legal in the United States and more than half of the abortions performed there in 2020 used them, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights organization. But there they require a doctor’s prescription, some states require a doctor to be present and they are usually taken in women’s health clinics, many of which have been forced to close.In addition to the 13 states that already have laws banning abortion, there are another half-dozen that have almost complete bans or that do not permit them after six weeks, when many women do not know they are pregnant.So there’s no doubt that the alternative will be abortions at home. And that is something with which the Mexican activists have a lot of experience. Even though Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled last year that it was unconstitutional to consider abortion a crime and 10 states have made it legal, not all have abortion services and abortion, with some exceptions, remains a crime in 22 states of the strongly Catholic country.“At the same time that we were taking it for granted in the United States, people in Mexico, advocates in Mexico, have been working and testing narratives and building, building power, convincing people that their message was the correct one,” said Texas state lawmaker Erin Zwiener during a visit to Mexico in May.Mexican activists built networks, battled the stigma, pushed for legal changes and little by little made headway, Zwiener said.Their strategy since January has been the same, but cross-border.Collectives far from the U.S. border like Unasse in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula coordinate donations from abroad to buy the pills, explained Amelia Ojeda, one of its members. Others to the north, focus on getting the pills into the United States inside toys, jars of vitamins or sewn into the hems of clothing.“Those who are detected at the border, it’s like you were crossing drugs,” said Marcela Castro of Green Tide Chihuahua, a state bordering Texas. There are also women who live between the two countries and carry them when they fly.The pills are then stored at so-called “medicine banks,” that are really private homes in strategic cities in Texas or even in New York where abortion remains legal.From there they are distributed by low-profile volunteers by any means available -- hand-to-hand, through the mail, etc. -- to women across the country who need them. Most are in states like Texas and Oklahoma that have imposed bans, but also states where abortion remains legal but women prefer to end their pregnancies in the privacy of their homes.“The new modern menace is a chemical or medical abortion with pills ordered online and mailed directly to a woman’s home,” Randall O’Bannon, an anti-abortion activist, said at a national convention last week in Atlanta. “With Roe headed for the dustbin of history, and states gaining the power to limit abortions, this is where the battle is going to be played out over the next several years”.“Medication abortion will be where access to abortion is decided,” said Mary Ziegler, a professor at Florida State University College of Law who specializes in reproductive rights, told the AP last month. “That’s going to be the battleground that decides how enforceable abortion bans are.”Las Libres -- The Free -- one of the most experienced groups in Latin America has a strong network network of allies in Mexico. Just there people have helped 1,500 women living in the United States this year with pills, information and accompaniment.Veronica Cruz, their director, said that has been possible because of the help of some 100 volunteers, mostly in New York and California. But facing growing demand, she said, they need “more medicine, more hands and more heads that want to collaborate.”As battles play out in U.S. state courts, the fear among activists grows.“In such a litigious country (like the United States), the risks are taken seriously,” said Castro of the Chihuahua group. “And they’re besieged on all sides,” she added, noting the financial penalties or even prison sentences that those who help could be subject to in some states.I Need an Abortion receives women in its office in Monterrey. “The majority tell us they prefer talking and having first-hand information,” they take the pills and cross the border back to Texas, said director Sandra Cardona.Others decide to have the abortion in the collective’s offices, which is Cardona’s house.When they arrive, they stand with their mouth hanging open when they see what they call the “aborteria.”“It’s really crazy,” Cardona explained. “They tell us, ‘but this isn’t a clinic! It isn’t a shady place! It’s not scary!’”“Well, of course, it’s a home!” she said.Cardona has opened their doors to women for five years. Since May, they have outfitted a small apartment on the second floor of her home with a desk and sofa bed where women have gone through the whole process in privacy or with accompaniment based on their preference.At first, women don’t believe they give away the pills for free, because some have been scammed online, and they’re surprised to feel so psychologically protected.One even told them “that if she didn’t have to pay we weren’t a serious organizations,” Cardona said laughing. They give them the option of making a donation. “Our Paypal link has never been used so much.”After their abortion, most realize they could have done it in their own homes. And that, says the activist, is important because the message gets passed on.So far, most of the women seeking assistance from the collectives in Monterrey and Chihuahua have been Latina and Black.Cruz was surprised because most of those who contacted The Free spoke English, suggesting to her a big pending issue: undocumented migrants.“The women who most need it, who don’t even have internet access, still haven’t made it to us,” she said.

Mexican networks ramp up help for US women seeking abortions

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died just after 4p.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.

According to Wichita Police Officer&nbsp;Juan Rebolledo, a moped driven by 33-year-old&nbsp; Kiefer Goseland of Wichita was northbound in the 3800 Block of South Hoover Road. He lost control of the vehicle. 

The moped struck a utility pole and Goseland was ejected.&nbsp; Sedgwick County EMS pronounced him deceased on the scene.

Speed, drugs, or alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the accident, according to Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656528862216.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the fatal crash-photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the fatal crash-photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man died just after 4p.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.According to Wichita Police Officer&nbsp;Juan Rebolledo, a moped driven by 33-year-old&nbsp; Kiefer Goseland of Wichita was northbound in the 3800 Block of South Hoover Road. He lost control of the vehicle. The moped struck a utility pole and Goseland was ejected.&nbsp; Sedgwick County EMS pronounced him deceased on the scene.Speed, drugs, or alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the accident, according to Rebolledo.

Police: Kansas man dies after moped strikes a utility pole

News Release National Parks Service

A 34-year-old male from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was gored by a bull bison near Giant Geyser at Old Faithful on June 27.

The male was walking with his family on a boardwalk when a bull bison charged the group.

Family members did not leave the area, and the bull bison continued to charge and gored the male.

The male sustained an injury to his arm and was transported by ambulance to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

This incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share.

Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached! When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes - and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in proximity.

This is the second reported incident in 2022 of a visitor getting too close to the animal and the bison responding to the perceived threat by goring the individual. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.

Learn more about safety in the park, including how to behave around wildlife: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm

See the video of the incident <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1121953244/videos/762507828092798/">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1564532031317.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release National Parks ServiceA 34-year-old male from Colorado Springs, Colorado, was gored by a bull bison near Giant Geyser at Old Faithful on June 27.The male was walking with his family on a boardwalk when a bull bison charged the group.Family members did not leave the area, and the bull bison continued to charge and gored the male.The male sustained an injury to his arm and was transported by ambulance to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.This incident remains under investigation, and there is no additional information to share.Wildlife in Yellowstone National Park are wild and can be dangerous when approached! When an animal is near a campsite, trail, boardwalk, parking lot, or in a developed area, give it space. Stay more than 25 yards (23 m) away from all large animals - bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, and coyotes - and at least 100 yards (91 m) away from bears and wolves. If need be, turn around and go the other way to avoid interacting with a wild animal in proximity.This is the second reported incident in 2022 of a visitor getting too close to the animal and the bison responding to the perceived threat by goring the individual. Bison are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.Learn more about safety in the park, including how to behave around wildlife: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htmSee the video of the incident <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1121953244/videos/762507828092798/">HERE</a>.

Man gored by bison at Yellowstone National Park

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/gov-pete-ricketts-takes-voter-id-show-on-the-road-with-town-halls/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

WAYNE,
 Nebraska — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and supportive state senators 
are hosting town hall meetings this week aimed at boosting a petition 
drive for requiring ID to vote.

Fourteen
 of the 18 people who attended Tuesday’s meeting in Wayne signed the 
petition to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. 
Another handful of people also stopped in to sign.

But
 the governor remains unsure of whether petition circulators will secure
 the 124,000 signatures they must turn in by July 7 to get the voter ID 
amendment on the ballot this November.

“I think there is still work to be done,” Ricketts said. “I think it’s been a challenging year to be able to get signatures.”&nbsp;

Firms
 that hire paid petition circulators are facing the same problems that 
Nebraska businesses face: Hiring workers is harder when the state is 
posting record-low unemployment numbers, he said.

Ricketts
 and State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, who attended Tuesday’s 
meetings, said in separate interviews that the Nebraskans they’re 
talking to on behalf of Citizens for Voter ID want to require ID to 
boost belief in the integrity of voting.

In
 downtown Wayne, 18 people gathered midafternoon near the back of the 
Majestic Theater, within eyeshot of the screen where “Thor: Love and 
Thunder” is playing.

Several
 asked questions about how a voter ID requirement would work. Ricketts 
said the Legislature would decide how to implement the system if voters 
approve the change.

Many,
 including local financial adviser George Phelps, expressed interest in 
seeing elections made more secure. He said he’d like to make it easier 
for people to believe in election results.

“We
 have to have an ID for almost anything we do,” Phelps said. “If we 
don’t have integrity and voting integrity, then it’s a really difficult 
thing for our constitution.”

One
 attendee asked how the state would help poor people and the elderly 
avoid being disenfranchised from voting if they lack a state-issued ID 
card or active driver’s license.

“It’s
 sounding like a lot of rules would be implemented after,” she said 
after the event, declining to give her name. “A lot of people would need
 to be informed.”

Ricketts
 and Albrecht said the Legislature has heard similar concerns across the
 state and said they would make sure people who need help to pay the 
fees for an ID card get it.

“We’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that everybody has a state ID, as they should,” Albrecht said.

Voting
 rights advocates, including Civic Nebraska, have argued that 
restricting voting to people with state-issued ID cards and driver’s 
licenses risks keeping thousands of Nebraskans from being able to cast 
ballots. They have also argued that the costs of implementing voter ID 
could top $1 million a year.

Steve
 Smith, a spokesman for Civic Nebraska, said Nebraskans don’t need to 
change the state constitution to make elections secure.&nbsp;

Voters
 already provide IDs when they register to vote, Smith said, and they 
sign affidavits when they sign in to vote in person or when they cast 
ballots by mail.

“This
 process works,” Smith said. “It’s safe, it’s secure and it has the 
force of law behind it. There is no evidence of voter impersonation 
occurring in Nebraska, and our elections are well-run.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656514933041.png" alt="Gov. Pete Ricketts speaks to people in Wayne, Nebraska, who gathered to hear more about a petition drive the governor supports that would require people present ID in Nebraska to vote. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Pete Ricketts speaks to people in Wayne, Nebraska, who gathered to hear more about a petition drive the governor supports that would require people present ID in Nebraska to vote. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/28/gov-pete-ricketts-takes-voter-id-show-on-the-road-with-town-halls/">Nebraska Examiner</a>WAYNE,
 Nebraska — Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and supportive state senators 
are hosting town hall meetings this week aimed at boosting a petition 
drive for requiring ID to vote.Fourteen
 of the 18 people who attended Tuesday’s meeting in Wayne signed the 
petition to put the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot. 
Another handful of people also stopped in to sign.But
 the governor remains unsure of whether petition circulators will secure
 the 124,000 signatures they must turn in by July 7 to get the voter ID 
amendment on the ballot this November.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656514992382.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts address about 18 people in Wayne, Nebraska, on Tuesday who gathered to hear more about a petition drive for a constitutional amendment to require ID to vote in Nebraska. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston and Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts address about 18 people in Wayne, Nebraska, on Tuesday who gathered to hear more about a petition drive for a constitutional amendment to require ID to vote in Nebraska. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>“I think there is still work to be done,” Ricketts said. “I think it’s been a challenging year to be able to get signatures.”&nbsp;Firms
 that hire paid petition circulators are facing the same problems that 
Nebraska businesses face: Hiring workers is harder when the state is 
posting record-low unemployment numbers, he said.Ricketts
 and State Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, who attended Tuesday’s 
meetings, said in separate interviews that the Nebraskans they’re 
talking to on behalf of Citizens for Voter ID want to require ID to 
boost belief in the integrity of voting.In
 downtown Wayne, 18 people gathered midafternoon near the back of the 
Majestic Theater, within eyeshot of the screen where “Thor: Love and 
Thunder” is playing.Several
 asked questions about how a voter ID requirement would work. Ricketts 
said the Legislature would decide how to implement the system if voters 
approve the change.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656515022240.jpeg" alt="Local financial adviser George Phelps attended a town hall Tuesday in Wayne about the proposed constitutional amendment to require ID to vote in Nebraska. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Local financial adviser George Phelps attended a town hall Tuesday in Wayne about the proposed constitutional amendment to require ID to vote in Nebraska. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Many,
 including local financial adviser George Phelps, expressed interest in 
seeing elections made more secure. He said he’d like to make it easier 
for people to believe in election results.“We
 have to have an ID for almost anything we do,” Phelps said. “If we 
don’t have integrity and voting integrity, then it’s a really difficult 
thing for our constitution.”One
 attendee asked how the state would help poor people and the elderly 
avoid being disenfranchised from voting if they lack a state-issued ID 
card or active driver’s license.“It’s
 sounding like a lot of rules would be implemented after,” she said 
after the event, declining to give her name. “A lot of people would need
 to be informed.”Ricketts
 and Albrecht said the Legislature has heard similar concerns across the
 state and said they would make sure people who need help to pay the 
fees for an ID card get it.“We’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that everybody has a state ID, as they should,” Albrecht said.Voting
 rights advocates, including Civic Nebraska, have argued that 
restricting voting to people with state-issued ID cards and driver’s 
licenses risks keeping thousands of Nebraskans from being able to cast 
ballots. They have also argued that the costs of implementing voter ID 
could top $1 million a year.Steve
 Smith, a spokesman for Civic Nebraska, said Nebraskans don’t need to 
change the state constitution to make elections secure.&nbsp;Voters
 already provide IDs when they register to vote, Smith said, and they 
sign affidavits when they sign in to vote in person or when they cast 
ballots by mail.“This
 process works,” Smith said. “It’s safe, it’s secure and it has the 
force of law behind it. There is no evidence of voter impersonation 
occurring in Nebraska, and our elections are well-run.”

Ricketts takes voter ID show on the road with town halls

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/cyberattack-downs-system-nebraskans-use-to-file-for-jobless-benefits/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

The NEworks website — used by Nebraskans to file for unemployment benefits — has been shut down as a result of a cyberattack.

The
 Nebraska Department of Labor issued a statement Tuesday, saying the 
website is unavailable due to a national outage involving the 
department’s web vendor, Geographic Solutions Inc. GSI reportedly 
discovered a cyberattack that required its state labor exchange and 
unemployment claims systems to be taken offline.

GSI
 has not provided a projection for when the problem will be resolved but
 indicated the site will be down for at least two more days, Labor Department spokeswoman Grace Johnson said in the statement.

She
 said that once access to the site has been restored, the state will 
issue instructions to ensure that all eligible users have an opportunity
 to file their unemployment claims.

The
 vendor has indicated that the attack affected only access to GSI online
 systems and that there was no evidence of user data being compromised.

Currently, the website informs visitors that
 it is temporarily down for maintenance. “We are performing scheduled 
maintenance,” it says. “We will be back online shortly.”

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/cyberattack-downs-system-nebraskans-use-to-file-for-jobless-benefits/">Nebraska Examiner</a>The NEworks website — used by Nebraskans to file for unemployment benefits — has been shut down as a result of a cyberattack.The
 Nebraska Department of Labor issued a statement Tuesday, saying the 
website is unavailable due to a national outage involving the 
department’s web vendor, Geographic Solutions Inc. GSI reportedly 
discovered a cyberattack that required its state labor exchange and 
unemployment claims systems to be taken offline.GSI
 has not provided a projection for when the problem will be resolved but
 indicated the site will be down for at least two more days, Labor Department spokeswoman Grace Johnson said in the statement.She
 said that once access to the site has been restored, the state will 
issue instructions to ensure that all eligible users have an opportunity
 to file their unemployment claims.The
 vendor has indicated that the attack affected only access to GSI online
 systems and that there was no evidence of user data being compromised.Currently, the website informs visitors that
 it is temporarily down for maintenance. “We are performing scheduled 
maintenance,” it says. “We will be back online shortly.”

Cyberattack downs system Nebraskans use to file for jobless benefits

KANSAS CITY —A judge has sentenced a Kansas City man to 28 years in&nbsp; &nbsp;prison for the deaths of two men in August 2019 in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Mario J. Markworth, 25, pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree for the death of Kevin Waters and he pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter for the death of Michael McLin. The defendant was sentenced to 28 years for the Murder 2nd Degree conviction and 15 years for the Manslaughter conviction. The judge set those sentences to run concurrently.

According to court records filed Monday, Kansas City Police responded on an emergency medical call to a parking lot behind a church in the 5700 block of Winner Road in Kansas City. Officers found a deceased man and several yards away, a second deceased man. The victims had several wounds from head trauma and sharp force. The Jackson County Medical Examiner determined they were the victims of homicide. 

One victim was 30-year-old Michael McLin while the other was 55-year-old Kevin Waters.

Both were determined by police to be transients known to associate with others in the northeast area of Kansas City. Information from witnesses led police to the defendant. who was taken into custody on Aug. 7, 2019. He told police detectives he and McLin had been in an altercation. When McLin started to walk away, the defendant picked him up and dropped him on the pavement. 

He said McLin hit his head on his axe. Then, the defendant said, he struck the victim more times in the head with the axe so he wouldn't tell anyone. As he was trying to hide McLin's shoes he saw another man hidden along the fence nearby, he told detectives, so he asked him if he had seen him and McLin. Then he struck him with an axe. The defendant told detectives he had been raised in a Christian home and knew right from wrong. He also knew his actions were not right.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656365210883.png" alt="Markworth-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Markworth-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge has sentenced a Kansas City man to 28 years in&nbsp; &nbsp;prison for the deaths of two men in August 2019 in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Mario J. Markworth, 25, pleaded guilty to Murder 2nd Degree for the death of Kevin Waters and he pleaded guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter for the death of Michael McLin. The defendant was sentenced to 28 years for the Murder 2nd Degree conviction and 15 years for the Manslaughter conviction. The judge set those sentences to run concurrently.According to court records filed Monday, Kansas City Police responded on an emergency medical call to a parking lot behind a church in the 5700 block of Winner Road in Kansas City. Officers found a deceased man and several yards away, a second deceased man. The victims had several wounds from head trauma and sharp force. The Jackson County Medical Examiner determined they were the victims of homicide. One victim was 30-year-old Michael McLin while the other was 55-year-old Kevin Waters.Both were determined by police to be transients known to associate with others in the northeast area of Kansas City. Information from witnesses led police to the defendant. who was taken into custody on Aug. 7, 2019. He told police detectives he and McLin had been in an altercation. When McLin started to walk away, the defendant picked him up and dropped him on the pavement. He said McLin hit his head on his axe. Then, the defendant said, he struck the victim more times in the head with the axe so he wouldn't tell anyone. As he was trying to hide McLin's shoes he saw another man hidden along the fence nearby, he told detectives, so he asked him if he had seen him and McLin. Then he struck him with an axe. The defendant told detectives he had been raised in a Christian home and knew right from wrong. He also knew his actions were not right.

Man sentenced for axe murder of two men behind KC church

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s top health official said Tuesday that “every option is on the table” when it comes to helping women access abortion in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade</a>.

Click below to watch Secretary Becerra's comments

But the gap between outrage over the ruling and the administration’s response appeared as wide as ever. Despite Democrats and activists pushing for swift and sweeping policies, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra conceded that there’s “no magic bullet” to ensure abortion access.

For now, he’s pledging that “if there is something we can do, we will find it and we will do it at HHS.”

He said the administration would work to ensure that medication abortions remain available, that patient privacy is preserved and family planning care like emergency contraceptives is protected.

Biden has not elaborated on his plans for abortion since the ruling, which he called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-ruling-reaction-699a24d04b6085bcfa80824f530782b0">a sad day for the court and the country</a>.” On the next day, he left for a previously scheduled trip to international summits in Europe, and he’s not back until Thursday.

A White House official, who declined to be identified publicly speaking about strategy, said the administration was going to make fighting for abortion a priority.

“Throughout the week we’re going to be making a strong case demonstrating the contrast between the president — who believes we should defend the right of all Americans to make their own decisions — and the radical policies proposed by Republican officials, which include Congress instituting a nationwide abortion ban, statewide abortion bans with no exceptions for rape or incest, and criminalizing women who have an abortion and the physicians who perform them,” the official said.

Biden has tried to limit expectations for what he can accomplish on his own.

“The only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose and the balance that existed is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law,” he said after the court ruling. “No executive action from the president can do that.”

However, there’s little chance that a sharply divided Senate would take such a step, meaning abortion legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-united-states-migration-government-and-politics-94a51740b9af58d26f526799a77fdf50">would encounter the same roadblock</a>&nbsp;that has stopped so many of Biden’s proposals.

Despite the challenges, the administration’s response has still proved disappointing to some.

“The White House should have been better prepared,” said Lawrence Gostin, who runs the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health at Georgetown Law. “And that just didn’t happen.”

Becerra indicated that abortion pills would be a key avenue for the administration’s efforts.

“Medication abortion has been approved by the FDA for years and is safe for patients,” he said.

More than half of U.S. abortions are now done with pills, rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">The FDA last year</a>&nbsp;lifted a long-standing requirement that women pick up abortion pills in person. Federal regulations now also allow mail delivery nationwide. Even so, 19 states have passed laws requiring a medical clinician to be physically present when abortion pills are administered to a patient. And more restrictions are expected in Republican-controlled states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656451712383.png" alt="Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra conceded that there’s “no magic bullet” to ensure abortion access.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra conceded that there’s “no magic bullet” to ensure abortion access.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s top health official said Tuesday that “every option is on the table” when it comes to helping women access abortion in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade</a>.Click below to watch Secretary Becerra's comments<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHHS%2Fvideos%2F1608645752862504%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=645" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>But the gap between outrage over the ruling and the administration’s response appeared as wide as ever. Despite Democrats and activists pushing for swift and sweeping policies, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra conceded that there’s “no magic bullet” to ensure abortion access.For now, he’s pledging that “if there is something we can do, we will find it and we will do it at HHS.”He said the administration would work to ensure that medication abortions remain available, that patient privacy is preserved and family planning care like emergency contraceptives is protected.Biden has not elaborated on his plans for abortion since the ruling, which he called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-ruling-reaction-699a24d04b6085bcfa80824f530782b0">a sad day for the court and the country</a>.” On the next day, he left for a previously scheduled trip to international summits in Europe, and he’s not back until Thursday.A White House official, who declined to be identified publicly speaking about strategy, said the administration was going to make fighting for abortion a priority.“Throughout the week we’re going to be making a strong case demonstrating the contrast between the president — who believes we should defend the right of all Americans to make their own decisions — and the radical policies proposed by Republican officials, which include Congress instituting a nationwide abortion ban, statewide abortion bans with no exceptions for rape or incest, and criminalizing women who have an abortion and the physicians who perform them,” the official said.Biden has tried to limit expectations for what he can accomplish on his own.“The only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose and the balance that existed is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law,” he said after the court ruling. “No executive action from the president can do that.”However, there’s little chance that a sharply divided Senate would take such a step, meaning abortion legislation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-texas-united-states-migration-government-and-politics-94a51740b9af58d26f526799a77fdf50">would encounter the same roadblock</a>&nbsp;that has stopped so many of Biden’s proposals.Despite the challenges, the administration’s response has still proved disappointing to some.“The White House should have been better prepared,” said Lawrence Gostin, who runs the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health at Georgetown Law. “And that just didn’t happen.”Becerra indicated that abortion pills would be a key avenue for the administration’s efforts.“Medication abortion has been approved by the FDA for years and is safe for patients,” he said.More than half of U.S. abortions are now done with pills, rather than surgery, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">The FDA last year</a>&nbsp;lifted a long-standing requirement that women pick up abortion pills in person. Federal regulations now also allow mail delivery nationwide. Even so, 19 states have passed laws requiring a medical clinician to be physically present when abortion pills are administered to a patient. And more restrictions are expected in Republican-controlled states.Becerra said federal law requires the providing of medication abortion in cases involving rape or incest or to protect the life of the mother. “Now more than ever, it is imperative that all federally supported programs and services are complying with the law,” he said.Becerra said he also wants his department to examine its authority to ensure that the judgment of doctors and hospitals is supported in treating pregnant patients, “including those experiencing pregnancy loss or complications and reaffirming that abortion care can be appropriate to stabilize patients.”Despite the ruling, he said, “the rights continue forward, whether it’s family planning, whether it is in birth control services, and we want to make sure that there’s no misunderstanding and that we will enforce any violations of those rights.”Asked if the administration was considering setting up abortion clinics on federal land, as some Democrats have suggested, Becerra didn’t rule it out, saying no decision had been made yet.“Every option is on the table,” he said. “We will take a look at everything we can, and everything we do will be in compliance with the law.”But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that such an option could put women and care providers who are not federal employees at risk for prosecution in states where abortion is now illegal.Jean-Pierre, speaking aboard Air Force One — where Biden was flying between summits in Germany and Spain — called that proposal “well intentioned” but also noted that “there’s actually dangerous ramifications to doing this.”Becerra on Tuesday also was asked about the prospect of providing transportation to women who travel to another state to get an abortion and how the government would ensure that doesn’t conflict with the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother.“Once we tell you exactly what we believe we are able to do, have the money to do, we will let you know,” he said.