BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged sex crimes in Butler County and made seven arrests.

On March 21 and 22, the Butler County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Andover Police Department, and El Dorado Police Department conducted a joint counter-human trafficking operation to deter human trafficking and commercial sex crimes in Butler County, according to Sheriff Monty Hughey.

Investigators and officers worked with ICTSOS, a local advocacy group providing support to survivors of trafficking. They met with potential victims of trafficking and offered paths to survivorship to ten people who were engaged in commercial sex work during the course of the operation. One suspect was identified as a sex trafficker during this advocacy initiative, located nearby, and arrested for promoting the sale of sexual relations, a felony.

This operation also identified and arrested six men who agreed to purchase sexual relations from a minor child in Butler County. These men have been arrested and booked into the Butler County jail on a variety of felony charges:

Kimron Charvell Burris, 31, has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Driving While Suspended.

Shane Anthony Pitman (39) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Indecent Solicitation of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.

Jose Campos-Urrutia (36) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation of a Child.

Andrew Jordan Bikar (22) has been charged with Aggravated Human trafficking, Electronic Soliciatation Of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Indecent Solicitation Of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.

Anthony Joseph Blakely (35) has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child,&nbsp;Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.

Joseph Frank Patrick III, 31, has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Aggravated Indecent Liberties With a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.

Alexander Jamal Lane was arrested and is awaiting charges of Promoting The Sale of Sexual Relations

This operation was carefully designed to create a perception of risk to anyone willing to come to Butler County to exploit trafficking victims, vulnerable children, or engage in commercial sex. It was also designed to create hope and path to freedom for those who being exploited by these suspects.

The investigative team received incredible support from the Butler County Attorney's Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, Clinton County (MO) Sheriff's Office, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, and the Ray County (MO) Counter-Human Trafficking Task Force. This operation represents the ongoing commitment of all the agencies and organizations to combat human trafficking.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742934932573.png" alt="Pitman Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Pitman Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating alleged sex crimes in Butler County and made seven arrests.On March 21 and 22, the Butler County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Andover Police Department, and El Dorado Police Department conducted a joint counter-human trafficking operation to deter human trafficking and commercial sex crimes in Butler County, according to Sheriff Monty Hughey.Investigators and officers worked with ICTSOS, a local advocacy group providing support to survivors of trafficking. They met with potential victims of trafficking and offered paths to survivorship to ten people who were engaged in commercial sex work during the course of the operation. One suspect was identified as a sex trafficker during this advocacy initiative, located nearby, and arrested for promoting the sale of sexual relations, a felony.This operation also identified and arrested six men who agreed to purchase sexual relations from a minor child in Butler County. These men have been arrested and booked into the Butler County jail on a variety of felony charges:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935004769.png" alt="Burris -photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Burris -photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kimron Charvell Burris, 31, has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Driving While Suspended.Shane Anthony Pitman (39) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Indecent Solicitation of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935047933.png" alt="Campos-Urrutia-photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Campos-Urrutia-photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Jose Campos-Urrutia (36) has been charged with Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935091849.png" alt="Bikar photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Bikar photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Andrew Jordan Bikar (22) has been charged with Aggravated Human trafficking, Electronic Soliciatation Of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Indecent Solicitation Of a Child, and Promote Obscenity, distribute obscene material.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935152063.png" alt="Blakely photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Blakely photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anthony Joseph Blakely (35) has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child,&nbsp;Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935210342.png" alt="Patrick photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Patrick photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Joseph Frank Patrick III, 31, has been arrested and is awaiting charges of Aggravated Human Trafficking, Electronic Solicitation of a Child, Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of a Child, Aggravated Indecent Liberties With a Child, and Indecent Solicitation Of a Child.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742935284256.png" alt="Lane photo Butler Co." />
 <figcaption>Lane photo Butler Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Alexander Jamal Lane was arrested and is awaiting charges of Promoting The Sale of Sexual RelationsThis operation was carefully designed to create a perception of risk to anyone willing to come to Butler County to exploit trafficking victims, vulnerable children, or engage in commercial sex. It was also designed to create hope and path to freedom for those who being exploited by these suspects.The investigative team received incredible support from the Butler County Attorney's Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office, Greenwood County Sheriff's Office, Clinton County (MO) Sheriff's Office, Bourbon County Sheriff's Office, and the Ray County (MO) Counter-Human Trafficking Task Force. This operation represents the ongoing commitment of all the agencies and organizations to combat human trafficking.

6 Kan. men accused of wanting to purchase sexual relations from a minor child 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The House and Senate on Tuesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation that could result in thousands of advance ballots being disqualified.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;moves the deadline for counting mail-in ballots to 7 p.m. on Election Day. From 2018 to 2024, the law allowed ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.

Kelly, a Democrat, had&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/24/kansas-governor-vetoes-legislation-that-would-disqualify-slow-arriving-mail-in-ballots/">vetoed the bill Monday</a>&nbsp;over concerns that the new law would disenfranchise voters. The Secretary of State’s Office earlier this year provided written testimony that showed more than 2,000 ballots from the November 2024 election would have been disqualified by getting rid of the three-day grace period.

But Republicans embraced talking points associated with lies about the 2020 presidential election, when ballots that were counted after Election Day gave Joe Biden and edge over Donald Trump.

House Republican leadership in a joint statement said the governor’s “misguided veto was a slight to voter confidence.”

“Kansas voters — whether in rural communities or urban centers — deserve an election system that is transparent, fair, and trusted,” the statement said. “This override reflects House Republicans’ commitment to ensuring all Kansans’ votes will be counted.”

The override of a veto requires support from two-thirds of the members of both chambers — 27 out of 40 in the Senate and 84 out of 125 in the House.

The Senate overrode the veto by a 30-10 vote that matched the total earlier this month when the Senate passed the bill. Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, joined the chamber’s nine Democrats in opposition.

The House completed the override with an 84-41 vote, with three Republicans opposed: Rep. Jesse Borjon of Topeka, Rep. Ken Collins of Mulberry and Rep. Laura Williams, of Lenexa.

One Republican, Rep. Angel Roeser of Manhattan, flipped her vote from earlier in the month to support the override.

House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, said the legislation would harm seniors, college students and rural Kansans.

“Senate Bill 4 directly undermines the integrity of our elections and disenfranchises those who are most vulnerable,” Woodard said in a statement. “House Democrats will never support these types of partisan Republican efforts that deliberately make it harder for Kansans to vote.”

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The House and Senate on Tuesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation that could result in thousands of advance ballots being disqualified.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;moves the deadline for counting mail-in ballots to 7 p.m. on Election Day. From 2018 to 2024, the law allowed ballots to be counted if they were postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.Kelly, a Democrat, had&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/24/kansas-governor-vetoes-legislation-that-would-disqualify-slow-arriving-mail-in-ballots/">vetoed the bill Monday</a>&nbsp;over concerns that the new law would disenfranchise voters. The Secretary of State’s Office earlier this year provided written testimony that showed more than 2,000 ballots from the November 2024 election would have been disqualified by getting rid of the three-day grace period.But Republicans embraced talking points associated with lies about the 2020 presidential election, when ballots that were counted after Election Day gave Joe Biden and edge over Donald Trump.House Republican leadership in a joint statement said the governor’s “misguided veto was a slight to voter confidence.”“Kansas voters — whether in rural communities or urban centers — deserve an election system that is transparent, fair, and trusted,” the statement said. “This override reflects House Republicans’ commitment to ensuring all Kansans’ votes will be counted.”The override of a veto requires support from two-thirds of the members of both chambers — 27 out of 40 in the Senate and 84 out of 125 in the House.The Senate overrode the veto by a 30-10 vote that matched the total earlier this month when the Senate passed the bill. Sen. Brenda Dietrich, a Topeka Republican, joined the chamber’s nine Democrats in opposition.The House completed the override with an 84-41 vote, with three Republicans opposed: Rep. Jesse Borjon of Topeka, Rep. Ken Collins of Mulberry and Rep. Laura Williams, of Lenexa.One Republican, Rep. Angel Roeser of Manhattan, flipped her vote from earlier in the month to support the override.House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, said the legislation would harm seniors, college students and rural Kansans.“Senate Bill 4 directly undermines the integrity of our elections and disenfranchises those who are most vulnerable,” Woodard said in a statement. “House Democrats will never support these types of partisan Republican efforts that deliberately make it harder for Kansans to vote.”

Kansas Legislature overrides governor’s veto of bill to limit advance voting

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just before 9:30a.m. March 22, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the junction of K-68 and K-268 highways, near Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.

Deputies took Curtis W. McCammon, 46, of Waverly into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742568954237.png" alt="McCammon photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>McCammon photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just before 9:30a.m. March 22, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at the junction of K-68 and K-268 highways, near Quenemo for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, deputies found illegal narcotics.Deputies took Curtis W. McCammon, 46, of Waverly into custody and transported him to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia and Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

Kansas man without a driver's license caught transporting meth

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-3-25-2025">downplayed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-plans-trump-hegseth-atlantic-230718a984911dd8663d59edbcb86f2a">texting of sensitive plans for a military strike</a>&nbsp;against Yemen's Houthis this month to a group chat that included a journalist, saying it was “the only glitch in two months” of his administration as Democratic lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration for handling highly sensitive information carelessly.

Trump told NBC News that the lapse “turned out not to be a serious one," and articulated his continued support for national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">Mike Waltz</a>, who mistakenly added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chain that included 18 senior administration officials discussing planning for the strike.

“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said. He also appeared to point blame on an unnamed Waltz aide for Goldberg being added to the chain. “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there."

But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">use of messaging app Signal</a>&nbsp;to discuss a sensitive operation has opened the administration to blistering criticism from Democratic lawmakers who expressed outrage at the White House's and senior administration officials' insistence that no classified information was shared. Senior administration officials have struggled to explain why the publicly available app was used to discuss such a delicate matter.

One Democrat calls the mistake ‘an embarrassment’

One official reported to be on the Signal chain, Director of National Intelligence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tulsi-gabbard">Tulsi Gabbard,</a>&nbsp;acknowledged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday that she was traveling overseas during the exchange. She wouldn't say whether she was using her personal or government-issued phone because the matter is under review by the White House National Security Council.

Both Gabbard and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-ratcliffe">John Ratcliffe</a>, who also was a participant in the Signal exchange and also testified at Tuesday's intelligence hearing, faced blistering criticism from lawmakers.

“This is an embarrassment,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat. “This is utterly unprofessional. There’s been no apology. There’s been no recognition of the gravity of this error.”

In the run-up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fb2e92a47f054019a2589ace78d20836">his 2016 election victory</a>&nbsp;over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump urged criminal prosecution of the former secretary of state for communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up. The matter was investigated, but the FBI ultimately recommended against charges. None were brought.

Clinton was among Democrats this week to criticize Trump administration officials' use of Signal.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.

Trump also faced charges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-182ac44fde89767bc0c3e634f61686bd">for mishandling</a>&nbsp;classified information at his Mar-a-Lago resort following his first White House term. Those charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">later dismissed.</a>

Administration says Democrats shouldn't be outraged

But on Tuesday, top administration officials were insistent the Democratic outrage was misplaced.

On Capitol Hill, Ratcliffe and Gabbard told lawmakers that no classified information was included in the texts about U.S. attack plans in the message chain.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">the Atlantic reported</a>&nbsp;that the messages included precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, but did not publish those details.

Pressed on whether such information should be classified, Gabbard hedged. “I defer to the secretary of defense, the National Security Council, on that question,” she said.

Democrats pushed back, saying the leaked military plans show a sloppy disregard for security, but Ratcliffe insisted no rules were violated.

“My communications to be clear in the Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information,” Ratcliffe told lawmakers in the hearing that was supposed to be focused on global security threats.

Facing heated questions from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, Gabbard said there’s a difference between “inadvertent” releases of information and intentional leaks. “There was no classified material that was shared,” Gabbard said.

Warner, though, said the lapse in security could have cost lives.

“If this information had gotten out, American lives could have been lost. If the Houthis had this information they could reposition their defensive systems,” Warner said.

In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Gabbard and Ratcliffe said they would participate in an audit looking into administration officials' use of Signal. Wyden said it must be investigated.

“I’m of the view that there ought to be resignations,” Wyden said.

FBI Director Kash Patel, appearing with Ratcliffe and Gabbard at the hearing, said he was only recently briefed on the Signal chat matter and doesn’t have an update on whether the FBI has opened an investigation into it. Warner asked for an update by the end of the day.

The White House in a statement Tuesday called the uproar a “coordinated effort to distract from the successful actions taken by President Trump and his administration to make America’s enemies pay and keep Americans safe.”

White House communications director Steven Cheung grumbled that the article triggering the criticism of the administration was the work of a segment of Washington's "NatSec establishment community running the same, tired gameplay from years past.

“From the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax of the first term to the fake documents case of the last four years … at every turn anti-Trump forces,” Cheung posted on X, referring to investigations into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump's classified documents case.

Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, in his first comments on the matter on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hegseth-slams-journalist-after-officials-text-yemen-war-plans-to-a-group-chat-in-a-secure-app-signal">attacked the journalist</a>&nbsp;who received the messages, Goldberg, as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication.

“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters on Monday.

Signal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/privacy-encryption-signal-whatsapp-9faf31ed3411bc5b7cab0647b4ab224d">an app</a>&nbsp;that can be used for direct messaging and group chats as well as phone and video calls. It uses end-to-end encryption for its messaging and calling services that prevents any third party from viewing conversation content or listening in on calls.

In other words, messages and calls sent on Signal are scrambled; only the sender and recipient at each end will have the key to decipher them.

Signal’s encryption protocol is open source, meaning that it’s freely available for anyone to inspect, use or modify. The encryption protocol is also used by another popular chat service, social media company Meta’s WhatsApp platform.

Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, such as scheduling sensitive meetings. But in the Biden administration, people who had permission to download it on their White House-issued phones were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the administration.

The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to notify someone that they should check for a classified message sent through other means.

The use of Signal became more prevalent during the last year of the Biden administration after federal law enforcement officials warned that China and Iran were hacking the White House as well as officials in the first Trump administration, according to the official.

Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent, questioned Ratcliffe and Gabbard over their assertion that no classified information was included in the chat.

“It’s hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742932610024.png" alt="President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump National Security team before a Senate committee on Tuesday-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-3-25-2025">downplayed</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/war-plans-trump-hegseth-atlantic-230718a984911dd8663d59edbcb86f2a">texting of sensitive plans for a military strike</a>&nbsp;against Yemen's Houthis this month to a group chat that included a journalist, saying it was “the only glitch in two months” of his administration as Democratic lawmakers heaped criticism on the administration for handling highly sensitive information carelessly.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump on Signal group chat: &quot;There was no classified information as I understand it.&quot; National Security Adviser Michael Waltz: &quot;We have our technical experts looking at it. We have our legal teams looking at it...the attack was phenomenal and it&#39;s ongoing.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2DjG0idfJa">pic.twitter.com/2DjG0idfJa</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904617345160532395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump told NBC News that the lapse “turned out not to be a serious one," and articulated his continued support for national security adviser&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">Mike Waltz</a>, who mistakenly added the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the chain that included 18 senior administration officials discussing planning for the strike.“Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man," Trump said. He also appeared to point blame on an unnamed Waltz aide for Goldberg being added to the chain. “It was one of Michael’s people on the phone. A staffer had his number on there."But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/signal-app-atlantic-war-plans-32699da142c5209b845e57f690df4925">use of messaging app Signal</a>&nbsp;to discuss a sensitive operation has opened the administration to blistering criticism from Democratic lawmakers who expressed outrage at the White House's and senior administration officials' insistence that no classified information was shared. Senior administration officials have struggled to explain why the publicly available app was used to discuss such a delicate matter.<h2>One Democrat calls the mistake ‘an embarrassment’</h2>One official reported to be on the Signal chain, Director of National Intelligence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tulsi-gabbard">Tulsi Gabbard,</a>&nbsp;acknowledged during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday that she was traveling overseas during the exchange. She wouldn't say whether she was using her personal or government-issued phone because the matter is under review by the White House National Security Council.Both Gabbard and CIA Director&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-ratcliffe">John Ratcliffe</a>, who also was a participant in the Signal exchange and also testified at Tuesday's intelligence hearing, faced blistering criticism from lawmakers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenOssoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenOssoff</a>: &quot;This is an embarrassment. This is utterly unprofessional. There&#39;s been no apology. There has been no recognition of the gravity of this error...We will get the full transcript of this chain and your testimony will be measured carefully against its content.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/rgeBxLrbKS">pic.twitter.com/rgeBxLrbKS</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904568753917943950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This is an embarrassment,” said Sen. Jon Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat. “This is utterly unprofessional. There’s been no apology. There’s been no recognition of the gravity of this error.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Sen. Cotton: &quot;They testified...that there&#39;s no intelligence community classified information, is that correct?&quot; Ratcliffe: &quot;That&#39;s correct.&quot; Gabbard: &quot;Yes.&quot; Sen. King: &quot;That&#39;s not correct! She said repeatedly there&#39;s nothing classified. Period.&quot; Sen. Warner: &quot;Period.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ta27JnxKXt">pic.twitter.com/Ta27JnxKXt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904564790569156611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In the run-up to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fb2e92a47f054019a2589ace78d20836">his 2016 election victory</a>&nbsp;over Democrat Hillary Clinton, Trump urged criminal prosecution of the former secretary of state for communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up. The matter was investigated, but the FBI ultimately recommended against charges. None were brought.Clinton was among Democrats this week to criticize Trump administration officials' use of Signal.“You have got to be kidding me,” Clinton said in an X post that spotlighted The Atlantic article and included an eyes emoji.Trump also faced charges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-182ac44fde89767bc0c3e634f61686bd">for mishandling</a>&nbsp;classified information at his Mar-a-Lago resort following his first White House term. Those charges were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-smith-c66d5ffb7ba86c1b991f95e89bdeba0c">later dismissed.</a><h2>Administration says Democrats shouldn't be outraged</h2>But on Tuesday, top administration officials were insistent the Democratic outrage was misplaced.On Capitol Hill, Ratcliffe and Gabbard told lawmakers that no classified information was included in the texts about U.S. attack plans in the message chain.But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">the Atlantic reported</a>&nbsp;that the messages included precise information about weapons packages, targets and timing, but did not publish those details.Pressed on whether such information should be classified, Gabbard hedged. “I defer to the secretary of defense, the National Security Council, on that question,” she said.Democrats pushed back, saying the leaked military plans show a sloppy disregard for security, but Ratcliffe insisted no rules were violated.“My communications to be clear in the Signal message group were entirely permissible and lawful and did not include classified information,” Ratcliffe told lawmakers in the hearing that was supposed to be focused on global security threats.Facing heated questions from Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, Gabbard said there’s a difference between “inadvertent” releases of information and intentional leaks. “There was no classified material that was shared,” Gabbard said.Warner, though, said the lapse in security could have cost lives.“If this information had gotten out, American lives could have been lost. If the Houthis had this information they could reposition their defensive systems,” Warner said.In response to questions from Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, Gabbard and Ratcliffe said they would participate in an audit looking into administration officials' use of Signal. Wyden said it must be investigated.“I’m of the view that there ought to be resignations,” Wyden said.FBI Director Kash Patel, appearing with Ratcliffe and Gabbard at the hearing, said he was only recently briefed on the Signal chat matter and doesn’t have an update on whether the FBI has opened an investigation into it. Warner asked for an update by the end of the day.The White House in a statement Tuesday called the uproar a “coordinated effort to distract from the successful actions taken by President Trump and his administration to make America’s enemies pay and keep Americans safe.”White House communications director Steven Cheung grumbled that the article triggering the criticism of the administration was the work of a segment of Washington's "NatSec establishment community running the same, tired gameplay from years past.“From the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax of the first term to the fake documents case of the last four years … at every turn anti-Trump forces,” Cheung posted on X, referring to investigations into Russian influence on the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump's classified documents case.Defense Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pete-hegseth">Pete Hegseth</a>, in his first comments on the matter on Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/hegseth-slams-journalist-after-officials-text-yemen-war-plans-to-a-group-chat-in-a-secure-app-signal">attacked the journalist</a>&nbsp;who received the messages, Goldberg, as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication.“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters on Monday.<h2>Examining the security of Signal</h2>Signal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/privacy-encryption-signal-whatsapp-9faf31ed3411bc5b7cab0647b4ab224d">an app</a>&nbsp;that can be used for direct messaging and group chats as well as phone and video calls. It uses end-to-end encryption for its messaging and calling services that prevents any third party from viewing conversation content or listening in on calls.In other words, messages and calls sent on Signal are scrambled; only the sender and recipient at each end will have the key to decipher them.Signal’s encryption protocol is open source, meaning that it’s freely available for anyone to inspect, use or modify. The encryption protocol is also used by another popular chat service, social media company Meta’s WhatsApp platform.Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, such as scheduling sensitive meetings. But in the Biden administration, people who had permission to download it on their White House-issued phones were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the administration.The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to notify someone that they should check for a classified message sent through other means.The use of Signal became more prevalent during the last year of the Biden administration after federal law enforcement officials warned that China and Iran were hacking the White House as well as officials in the first Trump administration, according to the official.Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent, questioned Ratcliffe and Gabbard over their assertion that no classified information was included in the chat.“It’s hard for me to believe that targets and timing and weapons would not have been classified,” he said.___

🎥Trump team scrambles to handle fallout from 'careless' Signal chat 

KANSAS CITY—A man who was shot by Kansas City police after fleeing from officers in a stolen vehicle on Friday has been charged in connection with the crime.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2557/Dockins-Complaint-Red">Steven Dockins faces</a>&nbsp;Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, and Resisting a Lawful Stop, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2556/Dockins-PC-Red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police attempted to stop a Hyundai sedan on March 21 for a traffic violation, but the driver refused to stop. Police discovered the vehicle had been stolen and continued following it. The vehicle pulled into an alley near 11th Street and Prospect Avenue where the driver stopped and exited the vehicle with a bag.

Officers chased the defendant on foot. An officer said the defendant was running with a firearm in his right hand and carrying a backpack. Officers then reported shots were fired. The defendant was transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;

The defendant has several prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms. He is in custody on a $75,000 cash bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742379426063.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A man who was shot by Kansas City police after fleeing from officers in a stolen vehicle on Friday has been charged in connection with the crime.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2557/Dockins-Complaint-Red">Steven Dockins faces</a>&nbsp;Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, 1st Degree Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, and Resisting a Lawful Stop, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742919068106.png" alt="Dockins photo Missouri Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Dockins photo Missouri Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2556/Dockins-PC-Red">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police attempted to stop a Hyundai sedan on March 21 for a traffic violation, but the driver refused to stop. Police discovered the vehicle had been stolen and continued following it. The vehicle pulled into an alley near 11th Street and Prospect Avenue where the driver stopped and exited the vehicle with a bag. Officers chased the defendant on foot. An officer said the defendant was running with a firearm in his right hand and carrying a backpack. Officers then reported shots were fired. The defendant was transported to an area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;The defendant has several prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing firearms. He is in custody on a $75,000 cash bond.&nbsp;

Car theft suspect wounded by KCPD faces numerous charges

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/susan-haigh">SUSAN HAIGH</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/adriana-morga">ADRIANA MORGA</a>

If you haven’t filed your 2021 tax returns you might be missing out on a COVID stimulus payment. Taxpayers who haven’t filed 2021 tax returns who may be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit must file it by April 15, 2025 to claim the credit.

Earlier this year, the IRS announced that it’s distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who didn’t receive their COVID stimulus payments. The agency said it’s distributing these payments to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for individuals who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as stimulus payments.

“Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement.

The special payments announced by the IRS are being sent to those taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return but left the data field for the Recovery Rebate Credit blank or they filled it out as $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit.

How much money will eligible taxpayers receive?

Payments will vary but the maximum amount will be $1,400 per individual. In total, the IRS will be distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

The IRS has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-questions-and-answers" target="_blank">posted information online</a>&nbsp;about eligibility and how the payment was calculated.

Why is the IRS sending out stimulus checks?

The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for individuals who didn’t receive the Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus payments, during 2020 and 2021. A refundable tax credit is a credit you can get as a refund even if you don’t owe any tax.

The IRS announced this initiative after reviewing its internal data and finding that many eligible taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return didn’t claim the credit.

“To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people will not be required to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it,” said Werfel.

If I qualify for a stimulus payment, how will I receive it?

If you qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit you don’t have to take any action. The IRS plans sent letters to eligible taxpayers notifying them of the special payment. The payments went out automatically and should’ve arrived by direct deposit or check by late January. They’ll are being sent to the bank account listed on the taxpayer’s 2023 return or to the address IRS has on file.

What if I haven’t filed my 2021 tax return yet?

You still might be able to receive the money. However, taxpayers need to file a tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit by the April 15, 2025 deadline, even if any income from a job, business or other source was minimal or nonexistent, according to the IRS.

How many rounds of COVID stimulus payments were there?

There were three rounds of payments to households impacted by the pandemic, totaling $814 billion. IRS based the amounts that taxpayers received on their income, tax filing status and number of children or qualifying dependents.

In March 2020, eligible individuals received up to $1,200 per income tax filer and $500 per child under the CARES Act. In December 2020, eligible individuals received up to $600 per income tax filer and $600 per child under the Consolidated Appropriations Act. In March 2021, eligible individuals received up to $1,400 per income tax filer and $1,400 per child under the American Rescue Plan Act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579706571729.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/susan-haigh">SUSAN HAIGH</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/adriana-morga">ADRIANA MORGA</a>If you haven’t filed your 2021 tax returns you might be missing out on a COVID stimulus payment. Taxpayers who haven’t filed 2021 tax returns who may be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit must file it by April 15, 2025 to claim the credit.Earlier this year, the IRS announced that it’s distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who didn’t receive their COVID stimulus payments. The agency said it’s distributing these payments to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for individuals who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as stimulus payments.“Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement.Here’s what you need to know:<h2>Who is eligible to receive a check?</h2>The special payments announced by the IRS are being sent to those taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return but left the data field for the Recovery Rebate Credit blank or they filled it out as $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit.<h2>How much money will eligible taxpayers receive?</h2>Payments will vary but the maximum amount will be $1,400 per individual. In total, the IRS will be distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.The IRS has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2021-recovery-rebate-credit-questions-and-answers" target="_blank">posted information online</a>&nbsp;about eligibility and how the payment was calculated.<h2>Why is the IRS sending out stimulus checks?</h2>The Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for individuals who didn’t receive the Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus payments, during 2020 and 2021. A refundable tax credit is a credit you can get as a refund even if you don’t owe any tax.The IRS announced this initiative after reviewing its internal data and finding that many eligible taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return didn’t claim the credit.“To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people will not be required to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it,” said Werfel.<h2>If I qualify for a stimulus payment, how will I receive it?</h2>If you qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit you don’t have to take any action. The IRS plans sent letters to eligible taxpayers notifying them of the special payment. The payments went out automatically and should’ve arrived by direct deposit or check by late January. They’ll are being sent to the bank account listed on the taxpayer’s 2023 return or to the address IRS has on file.<h2>What if I haven’t filed my 2021 tax return yet?</h2>You still might be able to receive the money. However, taxpayers need to file a tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit by the April 15, 2025 deadline, even if any income from a job, business or other source was minimal or nonexistent, according to the IRS.<h2>How many rounds of COVID stimulus payments were there?</h2>There were three rounds of payments to households impacted by the pandemic, totaling $814 billion. IRS based the amounts that taxpayers received on their income, tax filing status and number of children or qualifying dependents.In March 2020, eligible individuals received up to $1,200 per income tax filer and $500 per child under the CARES Act. In December 2020, eligible individuals received up to $600 per income tax filer and $600 per child under the Consolidated Appropriations Act. In March 2021, eligible individuals received up to $1,400 per income tax filer and $1,400 per child under the American Rescue Plan Act.

Haven’t filed your 2021 tax return? You might be missing out on a COVID stimulus check

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Sam Peterson is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">thousands of fired federal workers</a>&nbsp;who was offered his job back under a judge’s order, but he didn’t jump at the chance to go back to his park ranger position at Washington state’s Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Instead, he quickly turned it down, opting to move with his wife to start a career outside the government at an Oregon museum.

“We signed a lease Monday and who knows what the next few months would bring if I were to return to federal employment,” said Peterson, 26.

Whether to return to the federal workforce is a decision confronting thousands of fired employees after two judges this month found legal problems with how President Donald Trump is carrying out a dramatic downsizing of the U.S. government. One ruling by a California federal judge would reinstate 16,000 probationary employees.

On Monday, the Trump administration sought to stop giving fired workers any choice by asking the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-trump-administration-supreme-court-bfe86f68e9877bf58c64bbc3b01db9c6">to halt the rehiring orders</a>. It was not clear how quickly the nation’s high court could rule on the emergency appeal, which argued that U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, went beyond his legal authority.

Although it is unknown how many federal workers are taking up the offers to return to work, some employees have already decided to move on, fearing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">more reductions</a>&nbsp;down the road.

Others who were asked to return were immediately put on administrative leave, with full pay and benefits, or offered early retirement. For those who chose to return, some say the decision came down to their dedication to the work and a belief that what they do is important.

Eric Anderson, 48, got word last week that he can return to his position as a biological science technician at the Indiana Dunes National Park. He said he’s excited to go back on Tuesday, where he’ll lead a crew conducting prescribed burns to limit wildland fire impacts, but is concerned about the uncertainty.

“I’ve heard that some people’s positions have changed from doing what they normally do to doing something completely weird and different,” Anderson said. “It’ll be interesting going back and seeing if stuff still changes by the day.”

Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, has not disclosed how many probationary workers were cut, how many were reinstated or how many rehired workers were placed on leave.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked the Government Accountability Office to seek answers to those questions and to study the impacts of the firings, arguing that removing people from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/job-cuts-doge-reductions-force-rif-musk-197a432955b328073714bcc0e4ff95be">critical areas of government</a>&nbsp;— such as air travel, wildland firefighting, infectious disease control, nuclear security and veterans’ health care — has put the county’s health and safety at risk. In a letter to Warren and other Democratic senators, the federal office said it accepted their request to review the firings.

One agency, the National Park Service, was authorized to rehire 1,000 workers, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. The group celebrated the reversal but criticized the process.

“This chaotic whiplash is no way to manage the Park Service, especially as they are welcoming millions of visitors right now,” said association president and CEO Theresa Pierno. “This administration needs to stop playing games with the future of our national parks.”

Brian Gibbs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-doge-grand-teton-baedee0a748a6374eafb6f95aac5dadc">who was fired</a>&nbsp;from his environmental educator job at the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa in February, returned to work Monday. In a widely shared Facebook post, Gibbs said he’s committed to serving the American public “to the best of my abilities as long as I am authorized to” and leading field trips at the park.

Some Department of Interior workers were given their jobs back only to be offered an early retirement package, according to a letter reviewed by The Associated Press.

Other returning workers were placed on administrative leave as the Trump administration appeals the court rulings on mass firings. That means some workers were fired as part of an effort to eliminate government waste only to be rehired and paid, at least for a time, to not work.

Sydney Smith, 28, was a probationary employee with the Forest Service who was on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-federal-workforce-presidential-fellow-0e2acf445d13c08251d9d28653797c6e">temporary assignment to the Library of Congress</a>&nbsp;when she was terminated. She was rehired but was immediately placed on administrative leave with backpay. Smith said she’s ready to get back to work and hopes others get back too.

“It’s not clear at what point they would have me return to work,” she said. “So I am being paid but not working. That feels inefficient.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742925269954.png" alt="Sign for USDA office in Topeka -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Sign for USDA office in Topeka -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Sam Peterson is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">thousands of fired federal workers</a>&nbsp;who was offered his job back under a judge’s order, but he didn’t jump at the chance to go back to his park ranger position at Washington state’s Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.Instead, he quickly turned it down, opting to move with his wife to start a career outside the government at an Oregon museum.“We signed a lease Monday and who knows what the next few months would bring if I were to return to federal employment,” said Peterson, 26.Whether to return to the federal workforce is a decision confronting thousands of fired employees after two judges this month found legal problems with how President Donald Trump is carrying out a dramatic downsizing of the U.S. government. One ruling by a California federal judge would reinstate 16,000 probationary employees.On Monday, the Trump administration sought to stop giving fired workers any choice by asking the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-trump-administration-supreme-court-bfe86f68e9877bf58c64bbc3b01db9c6">to halt the rehiring orders</a>. It was not clear how quickly the nation’s high court could rule on the emergency appeal, which argued that U.S. District Judge William Alsup, who was appointed by Democratic President Bill Clinton, went beyond his legal authority.Although it is unknown how many federal workers are taking up the offers to return to work, some employees have already decided to move on, fearing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">more reductions</a>&nbsp;down the road.Others who were asked to return were immediately put on administrative leave, with full pay and benefits, or offered early retirement. For those who chose to return, some say the decision came down to their dedication to the work and a belief that what they do is important.Eric Anderson, 48, got word last week that he can return to his position as a biological science technician at the Indiana Dunes National Park. He said he’s excited to go back on Tuesday, where he’ll lead a crew conducting prescribed burns to limit wildland fire impacts, but is concerned about the uncertainty.“I’ve heard that some people’s positions have changed from doing what they normally do to doing something completely weird and different,” Anderson said. “It’ll be interesting going back and seeing if stuff still changes by the day.”Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-firings-federal-workers-trump-administration-7cc7320f469cc65529367aaea2fd9dcb">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, has not disclosed how many probationary workers were cut, how many were reinstated or how many rehired workers were placed on leave.Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked the Government Accountability Office to seek answers to those questions and to study the impacts of the firings, arguing that removing people from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/job-cuts-doge-reductions-force-rif-musk-197a432955b328073714bcc0e4ff95be">critical areas of government</a>&nbsp;— such as air travel, wildland firefighting, infectious disease control, nuclear security and veterans’ health care — has put the county’s health and safety at risk. In a letter to Warren and other Democratic senators, the federal office said it accepted their request to review the firings.One agency, the National Park Service, was authorized to rehire 1,000 workers, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. The group celebrated the reversal but criticized the process.“This chaotic whiplash is no way to manage the Park Service, especially as they are welcoming millions of visitors right now,” said association president and CEO Theresa Pierno. “This administration needs to stop playing games with the future of our national parks.”Brian Gibbs,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-park-firings-doge-grand-teton-baedee0a748a6374eafb6f95aac5dadc">who was fired</a>&nbsp;from his environmental educator job at the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa in February, returned to work Monday. In a widely shared Facebook post, Gibbs said he’s committed to serving the American public “to the best of my abilities as long as I am authorized to” and leading field trips at the park.Some Department of Interior workers were given their jobs back only to be offered an early retirement package, according to a letter reviewed by The Associated Press.Other returning workers were placed on administrative leave as the Trump administration appeals the court rulings on mass firings. That means some workers were fired as part of an effort to eliminate government waste only to be rehired and paid, at least for a time, to not work.Sydney Smith, 28, was a probationary employee with the Forest Service who was on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-federal-workforce-presidential-fellow-0e2acf445d13c08251d9d28653797c6e">temporary assignment to the Library of Congress</a>&nbsp;when she was terminated. She was rehired but was immediately placed on administrative leave with backpay. Smith said she’s ready to get back to work and hopes others get back too.“It’s not clear at what point they would have me return to work,” she said. “So I am being paid but not working. That feels inefficient.”

Fired federal workers face choices now that a judge wants them rehired

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect&nbsp;suspect who killed a horse on March 25th near Interstate 70 and SW Carlson Road in rural Wabaunsee County, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff. A reward for information in the case is now $10,000.

&nbsp;If you know something about the crime,&nbsp; call the Wabaunsee County Dispatch 785 765 3323.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect&nbsp;suspect who killed a horse on March 25th near Interstate 70 and SW Carlson Road in rural Wabaunsee County, according to the Wabaunsee County Sheriff. A reward for information in the case is now $10,000.&nbsp;If you know something about the crime,&nbsp; call the Wabaunsee County Dispatch 785 765 3323.

Reward increased for information on who killed a horse

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another online scam and warning the public after a 47-year-old Salina woman lost $700 while attempting to secure an apartment through Facebook.

The victim had contacted a person claiming to represent “Wendy Sherman Realty, " according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The suspect sent her a rental contract and instructed her to make three payments through Zelle, totaling $525.

After completing the initial payments, the suspect requested an additional $175 using an Apple gift card. When the woman attempted to meet the suspect to receive the keys to the apartment, the suspect refused and would not refund her money. The victim later discovered that the actual listing for the property was under a different realty company. The total loss from the scam amounted to $700.

The Salina Police Department is reminding the public to exercise caution when attempting to rent properties online. Authorities advise never to make payments without first visiting the property and conducting a walkthrough. Legitimate realty companies and landlords should always allow potential renters to inspect the space before accepting deposits.

Additionally, police warn that any request for gift card payments should raise suspicion, as this is a common red flag in fraudulent transactions.

Anyone who has become a victim to a similar scam or has information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Salina Police Department.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another online scam and warning the public after a 47-year-old Salina woman lost $700 while attempting to secure an apartment through Facebook.The victim had contacted a person claiming to represent “Wendy Sherman Realty, " according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. The suspect sent her a rental contract and instructed her to make three payments through Zelle, totaling $525.After completing the initial payments, the suspect requested an additional $175 using an Apple gift card. When the woman attempted to meet the suspect to receive the keys to the apartment, the suspect refused and would not refund her money. The victim later discovered that the actual listing for the property was under a different realty company. The total loss from the scam amounted to $700.The Salina Police Department is reminding the public to exercise caution when attempting to rent properties online. Authorities advise never to make payments without first visiting the property and conducting a walkthrough. Legitimate realty companies and landlords should always allow potential renters to inspect the space before accepting deposits.Additionally, police warn that any request for gift card payments should raise suspicion, as this is a common red flag in fraudulent transactions.Anyone who has become a victim to a similar scam or has information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Salina Police Department.

Police: Kan. woman lost $700 in online rental scam

KANSAS CITY —Police investigating a deadly weekend shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 48-year-old Samuel Aro, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just before 2:30 a.m., March 23, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 7800 block of N Oak in Kansas City.&nbsp;

When officers arrived to the area they located several citizens performing life saving measures on Aro who was suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. Officers took over life saving measures until EMS responded and transported the victim to an area hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp;

Preliminarily investigation indicates a verbal dispute may have occurred between the victim and another man that escalated into gunfire. The suspect left the area prior to police arriving on the scene. Police have not released the name of a suspect or additional details.

On Monday, detectives were notified Aro died as a result of his injuries.&nbsp;

Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility of the case.

KANSAS CITY —Police investigating a deadly weekend shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 48-year-old Samuel Aro, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just before 2:30 a.m., March 23, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 7800 block of N Oak in Kansas City.&nbsp;When officers arrived to the area they located several citizens performing life saving measures on Aro who was suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. Officers took over life saving measures until EMS responded and transported the victim to an area hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp;Preliminarily investigation indicates a verbal dispute may have occurred between the victim and another man that escalated into gunfire. The suspect left the area prior to police arriving on the scene. Police have not released the name of a suspect or additional details.On Monday, detectives were notified Aro died as a result of his injuries.&nbsp;Homicide detectives have assumed responsibility of the case.

KCPD: 48-year-old hospitalized after shooting has died

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed legislation that would eliminate a three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots to arrive after Election Day.

The proposal would result in thousands of ballots from lawfully registered voters being thrown in the trash during high-turnout elections.

Under current law, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

“Not only will removing the three-day grace period for mail ballots disenfranchise thousands of Kansas voters, but it also shows a lack of understanding of our elections in Kansas,” Kelly said. “Implementing this will create confusion among county election officials.”

House Republican leadership promised to override the governor’s “reckless” veto.

“We eagerly anticipate overriding the governor’s misguided veto to safeguard our elections and ensure quick, reliable outcomes,” the House GOP leaders said in a joint statement. “By setting a firm Election Day deadline, we reaffirm Kansans’ trust in our elections.”

Republican claims about “reliable outcomes” being available on the night of the election are rooted in widespread lies about the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in a safe and secure election.

Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican who chairs the election committee, told Republicans in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">private meeting in February 2024</a>&nbsp;that he intended to end the three-day grace period because he doesn’t support advance voting and because he wanted to punish Democrats and advocacy groups who wouldn’t accept a compromise he had offered.

“I had a deal, and then Loud Light and Appleseed, which are the kind of bomb throwers in the election debate, they blew it up,” Proctor said in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/0X7MLXASbWE?feature=shared" target="_blank">a leaked video clip</a>. “And I told all of them — and you know, please don’t put this on Facebook or in the news — I told them all, this is your year for a deal. You can either negotiate and we can get a deal, or next year I’m ramming the thing through the way I want it to look.”

“If it was up to me, Election Day would be Election Day,” Proctor added. “There wouldn’t be early voting. Mail-in ballots would only be for military or severely disabled. But I got to bring 84 people with me, so I’m trying to chip away at it.”

The House passed&nbsp;SB 4 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed it 30-10 on March 6.

In her veto message, the governor said the bill is an attack on rural Kansans who are more vulnerable to delays in processing of mail.

“I will not sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted,” Kelly said.

Loud Light advocacy director Melissa Stiehler said the three-day grace period is “a common sense solution” to ongoing mail delays. She also said the bill to repeal it “was born from the conspiracy theories during the 2020 election.”

“The reality is that the only thing this bill does is throw out our Kansans votes for no good reason,” Stiehler said. “We are thankful that the governor stood up for democracy today and encourage the Legislature to do the same by voting to sustain the veto.”

The Legislature could vote at any time this week to override the governor’s veto, which would require support from two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742863728293.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she would refuse to "sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday she would refuse to "sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted." (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed legislation that would eliminate a three-day grace period for advance mail-in ballots to arrive after Election Day.The proposal would result in thousands of ballots from lawfully registered voters being thrown in the trash during high-turnout elections.Under current law, ballots are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the following Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb4/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 4</a>&nbsp;would require ballots to be returned instead by 7 p.m. on Election Day.“Not only will removing the three-day grace period for mail ballots disenfranchise thousands of Kansas voters, but it also shows a lack of understanding of our elections in Kansas,” Kelly said. “Implementing this will create confusion among county election officials.”House Republican leadership promised to override the governor’s “reckless” veto.“We eagerly anticipate overriding the governor’s misguided veto to safeguard our elections and ensure quick, reliable outcomes,” the House GOP leaders said in a joint statement. “By setting a firm Election Day deadline, we reaffirm Kansans’ trust in our elections.”Republican claims about “reliable outcomes” being available on the night of the election are rooted in widespread lies about the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump in a safe and secure election.Rep. Pat Proctor, a Leavenworth Republican who chairs the election committee, told Republicans in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/14/in-private-video-house-elections-chair-says-he-wants-to-end-early-voting-grace-period-in-kansas/">private meeting in February 2024</a>&nbsp;that he intended to end the three-day grace period because he doesn’t support advance voting and because he wanted to punish Democrats and advocacy groups who wouldn’t accept a compromise he had offered.“I had a deal, and then Loud Light and Appleseed, which are the kind of bomb throwers in the election debate, they blew it up,” Proctor said in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/0X7MLXASbWE?feature=shared" target="_blank">a leaked video clip</a>. “And I told all of them — and you know, please don’t put this on Facebook or in the news — I told them all, this is your year for a deal. You can either negotiate and we can get a deal, or next year I’m ramming the thing through the way I want it to look.”“If it was up to me, Election Day would be Election Day,” Proctor added. “There wouldn’t be early voting. Mail-in ballots would only be for military or severely disabled. But I got to bring 84 people with me, so I’m trying to chip away at it.”The House passed&nbsp;SB 4 80-39 on Feb. 27 and the Senate passed it 30-10 on March 6.In her veto message, the governor said the bill is an attack on rural Kansans who are more vulnerable to delays in processing of mail.“I will not sign legislation that deprives Kansans from having their vote counted,” Kelly said.Loud Light advocacy director Melissa Stiehler said the three-day grace period is “a common sense solution” to ongoing mail delays. She also said the bill to repeal it “was born from the conspiracy theories during the 2020 election.”“The reality is that the only thing this bill does is throw out our Kansans votes for no good reason,” Stiehler said. “We are thankful that the governor stood up for democracy today and encourage the Legislature to do the same by voting to sustain the veto.”The Legislature could vote at any time this week to override the governor’s veto, which would require support from two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate.

Kan. governor vetoes legislation that would disqualify slow-arriving mail-in ballots

RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash that occurred March 21 in Reno County have released the name of the victim as 6-year-old Cameron Epp, according to a statement from the Reno County Sheriff.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-cameron-epp-support-needed">Click here to visit the fundraiser</a> to help support the family.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;were dispatched to an injury accident on Sun City Road just west of the Turon city limits.

First responders found the accident involving a 2000 Dodge Dakota that had collided with a bridge railing . The truck was occupied by 3 people, 2 of which had minor to no injuries. The 6-year-old was pronounced deceased at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742905796512.png" alt="Cameron Epp" />
 <figcaption>Cameron Epp</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash that occurred March 21 in Reno County have released the name of the victim as 6-year-old Cameron Epp, according to a statement from the Reno County Sheriff.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-cameron-epp-support-needed">Click here to visit the fundraiser</a> to help support the family.Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, sheriff's deputies&nbsp;were dispatched to an injury accident on Sun City Road just west of the Turon city limits.First responders found the accident involving a 2000 Dodge Dakota that had collided with a bridge railing . The truck was occupied by 3 people, 2 of which had minor to no injuries. The 6-year-old was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Sheriff IDs 6-year-old Kan. boy killed in pickup crash

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department has issued a felony pick-up for 18-year-old Jaden Watts in connection with a weekend homicide in Wichita.

Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo.

First responders located a victim later identified as 24-year-old Demarc Burgess, according to police. Burgess had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Jaden Watts is wanted for questioning regarding this case and may have pertinent information, according to police.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between a suspect and Burgess, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp;

If you have information about Watts whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407. 

If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742835831698.png" alt="Watts photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Watts photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Police Department has issued a felony pick-up for 18-year-old Jaden Watts in connection with a weekend homicide in Wichita.Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, police responded to an EMS call at a residence in the 14000 block of E. Twinlake Drive in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Reboledo.First responders located a victim later identified as 24-year-old Demarc Burgess, according to police. Burgess had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.Jaden Watts is wanted for questioning regarding this case and may have pertinent information, according to police.Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred during a gathering at the residence, where a disturbance broke out between a suspect and Burgess, which ultimately led to the shooting. The individuals involved are known to each other, and this is not believed to be a random act of violence.&nbsp;If you have information about Watts whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Investigators at 316-268-4407. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Kan. teen wanted in connection with homicide is still at large

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a theft and assault on a law enforcement officer and asking the public for help to identify suspects.

On March 16, police responded to a reported theft in progress near the intersection of 97th Street and Quivira Road in Overland Park, according to John Lacy. The suspects exited a retail establishment without paying for multiple items.  An Overland Park Police officer attempted to initiate contact.  The suspects entered a Dodge Journey, the driver deliberately impacted the driver's side of the officer's marked police vehicle. The suspect vehicle travelled east on W. 95th Street and south on U.S. 69 Hwy.

If you are able to identify either of these suspects, please contact Det. Wimsatt at phone number 913-344-8742 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742866430680.png" alt="Security camera images Overland Park Police" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Overland Park Police</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a theft and assault on a law enforcement officer and asking the public for help to identify suspects.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742866249101.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On March 16, police responded to a reported theft in progress near the intersection of 97th Street and Quivira Road in Overland Park, according to John Lacy. The suspects exited a retail establishment without paying for multiple items. An Overland Park Police officer attempted to initiate contact. The suspects entered a Dodge Journey, the driver deliberately impacted the driver's side of the officer's marked police vehicle. The suspect vehicle travelled east on W. 95th Street and south on U.S. 69 Hwy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1742866466796.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you are able to identify either of these suspects, please contact Det. Wimsatt at phone number 913-344-8742 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

Theft suspect rammed Kansas police vehicle during getaway

MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a newborn baby in McPherson County.

On Monday, the McPherson County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted on March 17 in reference to the death in the city of Moundridge, according to a media release.

&nbsp;Due to the active investigation and pending autopsy results, the sheriff's office released no additional details.

MCPHERSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a newborn baby in McPherson County.On Monday, the McPherson County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted on March 17 in reference to the death in the city of Moundridge, according to a media release.&nbsp;Due to the active investigation and pending autopsy results, the sheriff's office released no additional details.

Sheriff investigates death of newborn at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, the magazine reported in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">story posted online</a>&nbsp;Monday. The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic.”

Trump initially told reporters he was not aware that the highly sensitive information had been shared, 2 1/2 hours after it was reported. He later appeared to joke about the breach.

The material in the text chain “contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Iran-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">Houthi-rebels in Yemen,</a>&nbsp;including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing,” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg reported.

It was not immediately clear if the specifics of the military operation were classified, but they often are and at the least are kept secure to protect service members and operational security. The U.S. has conducted airstrikes against the Houthis since the militant group began targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea in November 2023.

Just two hours after Goldberg received the details of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-911e99729c71e3c59420f8b511afa2e9">attack on March 15</a>, the U.S. began launching a series of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

The National Security Council is looking into the matter

The National Security Council said in a statement that it was looking into how a journalist’s number was added to the chain in the Signal group chat. In addition to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, it included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence.

Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.

Hegseth in his first comments on the matter attacked Goldberg as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication. He did not shed light on why Signal was being used to discuss the sensitive operation or how Goldberg ended up on the message chain.

“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters after landing in Hawaii on Monday as he began his first trip to the Indo-Pacific as defense secretary.

In a statement late Monday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the president still has the “utmost confidence” in Waltz and the national security team.

Earlier Monday, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time.” He added that The Atlantic was “not much of a magazine.”

By early evening, the president jokingly brushed it aside. He amplified a social media posting from Elon Musk spotlighting a conservative satirical news site article with the cutting headline: “4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans to ‘The Atlantic’ Where No One Will Ever See Them."

Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, but it is not classified and can be hacked. Privacy and tech experts say the popular end-to-end encrypted messaging and voice call app is more secure than conventional texting.

The sharing of sensitive information comes as Hegseth's office has just announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaks-pentagon-polygraph-trump-investigation-685b08e14d813050a722cec89eb5c323">crackdown on leaks</a>&nbsp;of sensitive information, including the potential use of polygraphs on defense personnel to determine how reporters have received information.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including his defense secretary, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The Atlantic, the magazine reported in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/trump-administration-accidentally-texted-me-its-war-plans/682151/">story posted online</a>&nbsp;Monday. The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> Hegseth on <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffreyGoldberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeffreyGoldberg</a>: &quot;You&#39;re talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who&#39;s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again...This is a guy who peddles in garbage...Nobody was texting war plans and that&#39;s all I have to say.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IEYyMPYQBz">pic.twitter.com/IEYyMPYQBz</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1904315678842097972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump initially told reporters he was not aware that the highly sensitive information had been shared, 2 1/2 hours after it was reported. He later appeared to joke about the breach.The material in the text chain “contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Iran-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-yemen-houthis-rebels-attack-airstrike-11b0e080b3982542dd621338a7b18afd">Houthi-rebels in Yemen,</a>&nbsp;including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing,” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg reported.It was not immediately clear if the specifics of the military operation were classified, but they often are and at the least are kept secure to protect service members and operational security. The U.S. has conducted airstrikes against the Houthis since the militant group began targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea in November 2023.Just two hours after Goldberg received the details of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-911e99729c71e3c59420f8b511afa2e9">attack on March 15</a>, the U.S. began launching a series of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.<h2>The National Security Council is looking into the matter</h2>The National Security Council said in a statement that it was looking into how a journalist’s number was added to the chain in the Signal group chat. In addition to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, it included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence.Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump's national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.Hegseth in his first comments on the matter attacked Goldberg as “deceitful” and a “discredited so-called journalist” while alluding to previous critical reporting of Trump from the publication. He did not shed light on why Signal was being used to discuss the sensitive operation or how Goldberg ended up on the message chain.“Nobody was texting war plans and that’s all I have to say about that,” Hegseth said in an exchange with reporters after landing in Hawaii on Monday as he began his first trip to the Indo-Pacific as defense secretary.In a statement late Monday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the president still has the “utmost confidence” in Waltz and the national security team.Earlier Monday, Trump told reporters, “I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time.” He added that The Atlantic was “not much of a magazine.”By early evening, the president jokingly brushed it aside. He amplified a social media posting from Elon Musk spotlighting a conservative satirical news site article with the cutting headline: “4D Chess: Genius Trump Leaks War Plans to ‘The Atlantic’ Where No One Will Ever See Them."Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, but it is not classified and can be hacked. Privacy and tech experts say the popular end-to-end encrypted messaging and voice call app is more secure than conventional texting.<h2>Reaction poured in quickly</h2>The sharing of sensitive information comes as Hegseth's office has just announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/leaks-pentagon-polygraph-trump-investigation-685b08e14d813050a722cec89eb5c323">crackdown on leaks</a>&nbsp;of sensitive information, including the potential use of polygraphs on defense personnel to determine how reporters have received information.Sean Parnell, a spokesman for Hegseth, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the defense secretary posted war operational plans on an unclassified app.The administration's handling of the highly sensitive information was swiftly condemned by Democratic lawmakers. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for a full investigation.“This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a floor speech Monday afternoon.“If true, this story represents one of the most egregious failures of operational security and common sense I have ever seen,” said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement.He said American lives are “on the line. The carelessness shown by Trump’s Cabinet is stunning and dangerous. I will be seeking answers from the Administration immediately.”Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he was “horrified” by the reports.Himes said if a lower-ranking official “did what is described here, they would likely lose their clearance and be subject to criminal investigation. The American people deserve answers,” which he said he planned to get at Wednesday’s previously scheduled committee hearing.Some Republicans also expressed concerns.Sen. Roger Wicker, the Mississippi Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters Monday, “We’re very concerned about it and we’ll be looking into it on a bipartisan basis.”Reed said he would be speaking with Wicker about what the committee will do to “follow up” on the Signal leak.Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wants to learn more about what happened.“Obviously, we got to to run it to the ground, figure out what went on there,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican.Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson offered a notably forgiving posture.“I think it would be a terrible mistake for there to be adverse consequences on any of the people that were involved in that call," Johnson said. "They were trying to do a good job, the mission was accomplished with precision."<h2>There are strict laws around handling defense information</h2>The handling of national defense information is strictly governed by law under the century-old Espionage Act, including provisions that make it a crime to remove such information from its “proper place of custody” even through an act of gross negligence.The Justice Department in 2015 and 2016 investigated whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke the law by communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up, though the FBI ultimately recommended against charges and none were brought.In the Biden administration, some officials were given permission to download Signal on their White House-issued phones, but were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the Democratic administration.The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to communicate what they internally referred to as “tippers” to notify someone when they were away from the office or traveling overseas that they should check their “high side” inbox for a classified message.The app was sometimes also used by officials during the Biden administration to communicate about scheduling of sensitive meetings or classified phone calls when they were outside the office, the official said.The use of Signal became more prevalent during the last year of the Biden administration after federal law enforcement officials warned that China and Iran were hacking the White House as well as officials in the first Trump administration, according to the official.The official was unaware of top Biden administration officials — such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan — using Signal to discuss sensitive plans as the Trump administration officials did.Some of the toughest criticism targeted Hegseth, a former Fox News Channel weekend host. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, said on social media that Hegseth, “the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in history, is demonstrating his incompetence by literally leaking classified war plans in the group chat.”<h2>Leak reveals internal debate on Houthi operation</h2>Vance in the chain of the messages questioned whether Americans would understand the importance of strikes that came with the risk of “a moderate to severe spike in oil prices” and if the timing of the operation might be a “mistake.”“I am willing to support the consensus of the team and keep these concerns to myself,” Vance argued. “But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc.”Vance also made the case that Europe would benefit much more than the U.S. by the action aimed at decimating the Houthis and securing Red Sea shipping lanes.“If you think we should do it let’s go. I just hate bailing Europe out again,” Vance said in a back-and-forth with Hegseth.“I fully share your loathing of European free-loading. It’s PATHETIC,” Hegseth replied. He added, “I think we should go.”The vice president’s communication’s director, William Martin, in a statement downplayed the debate. He said Vance “unequivocally supports this administration’s foreign policy.”