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The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it will pay nearly $139 million to survivors of Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse as part of a settlement stemming from the FBI’s mishandling of the initial allegations.

‘These allegations should have been taken seriously from the outset,’ acting associate attorney general Benjamin Mizer said in a statement. ‘While these settlements won’t undo the harm Nassar inflicted, our hope is that they will help give the victims of his crimes some of the critical support they need to continue healing.’

Olympic champions Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman were among the more than 100 victims who filed claims with the Department of Justice in 2022, roughly a year after the release of a report by the department’s inspector general. The report found that FBI officials in Indianapolis failed to respond to allegations of abuse they received involving Nassar ‘with the utmost seriousness and urgency’ in 2015, a delay that allowed the abuse to continue.

Nassar, the former U.S. women’s national gymnastics team doctor and Michigan State employee, was found to have sexually assaulted more than 500 women and girls under the guise of providing medical treatment. He is now serving what will amount to a lifetime prison sentence on sexual assault and child pornography charges.

The victims who filed administrative claims with the Justice Department are represented by a large, disparate group of attorneys. But four of those attorneys, who represent 77 of the 139 claimants, described the settlement in a statement Tuesday as ‘monumental.’

‘We are proud to have achieved a monumental settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, that not only secures the recovery the survivors deserve but also holds the DOJ and FBI accountable for their failures,’ Thomas Behm, Megan Bonanni, Mick Grewal and Michael Pitt said in a joint statement.

‘We hope this serves as a lesson for federal law enforcement and they make the changes necessary to prevent anything like this from happening again.’

Tuesday’s settlement brings the combined liability payouts in legal cases brought by victims of Nassar’s abuse to more than $1 billion. Michigan State agreed to distribute $500 million to survivors, while USA Gymnastics reached a separate settlement with them worth $380 million.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Erik Jones will not compete in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway after being diagnosed with a compression fracture in a lower vertebra of his back.

Corey Heim, the reserve driver for Legacy Motor Club, will pilot the No. 43 Toyota Camry. It will be Heim’s debut in the Cup Series.

There is no timetable for Jones to return to the seat. He will travel with this team to Dover.

“Erik’s long-term health is our number one priority,” said Jimmie Johnson, co-owner of Legacy Motor Club. “It will be great to see him at the track Sunday and we intend to give him the time it takes to recover properly. I know Corey will do a great job behind the wheel for the Club. In the meantime, our thoughts are with Erik and his wife Holly – they have our total support.”

“I don’t know if I’m all right,” Jones radioed to his team after the crash. “I need help; my back.”

After being released from the infield care center, Jones said he was sore and his back had been stretched in the crash. He later returned to the infield care center and was transported to UAB University Hospital for further evaluation. Jones was released at 11:30 local time and returned to North Carolina.

NASCAR took the No. 43 car from Talladega Superspeedway for further evaluation.

Legacy Motor Club has requested and been granted a medical waiver for Jones. It keeps him eligible for the Cup Series playoffs.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The months leading up to the 2024 NFL draft have been replete with cautionary tales of unfulfilled potential and botched player development.

Just before free agency opened, the New England Patriots struck a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to send former starting quarterback Mac Jones off in a trade for a mere sixth-round pick. And on Monday, just three days before the first round is set to kick off in Detroit, the New York Jets finally brought an end to Zach Wilson’s tenure with the team, trading the former No. 2 selection to the Denver Broncos in a late-round pick swap.

The disappointing fates for the two signal-callers taken in the 2021 class served as a reminder of how easily things can go awry for once-promising prospects. Yet for all those who earned the dreaded bust label, there have been plenty of others who had a shaky outlook entering the pros and still went on to find significant success.

Figuring out which players present the most volatile range of potential outcomes isn’t always easy, but each draft class tends to produce at least a handful of picks who offer both higher risk and greater upside than most of their peers.

These are the 11 biggest boom-or-bust players to watch in this year’s draft:

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

Finding the next Josh Allen or Justin Herbert is one of the optimal routes for any franchise to flip its fortune. Easier said than done, of course. There are only so many passers who can attack the entire field thanks to top-notch arm strength and comfort throwing on the run, and even fewer who can still patiently operate from the pocket when defenses try to take away the big play.

Often compared to both of the star AFC quarterbacks, Maye hopes to follow those two’s trajectories as NFL sensations who found their footing after uneven college careers. At North Carolina, the 6-4, 223-pound signal-caller often looked the part of a future No. 1 pick, dazzling with deep shots and off-platform throws on the move. But an overreliance on those rare tools seemed to create a tendency for Maye to play hero too often. Bad habits followed, from iffy decision-making and fluctuating footwork to erratic ball placement and poor processing. All that makes Maye an uneasy projection, especially for any team investing a top-five pick. A good number of his most pressing problems should be resolvable with proper coaching. It’s on Maye and his future team, however, to sort out his shortcomings in order to get him on the same track as Allen and Herbert.

Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee

The 5-10, 210-pounder’s big-play credentials were already evident in a 2023 season in which he averaged 7.4 yards per carry, but Wright underscored his explosiveness by posting a 4.38-second 40-yard dash and 11-2 broad jump at the NFL scouting combine. He’s more than just a linear threat, too, as he regularly shakes defenders in tight quarters to open up daylight.

Running between the tackles is a bit dicey for Wright, however, as his patience and vision are lagging behind the other elements of his game. While it’s distinctly possible Wright carves out a career as an all-purpose threat who can readily rip off big gains, earning a starter’s workload could depend on his ability to be a more instinctive, hard-nosed inside runner.

Johnny Wilson, WR/TE, Florida State

A 6-6, 231-pound target who can threaten defenses down the seam should be a sure thing to carve out a valuable role in any passing attack. Between his size and knack for adjusting to haul in off-target throws, Wilson might seem like a natural red-zone weapon.

But that’s just not his game – at least not at this stage. Despite the advantages afforded to him by his build and massive wingspan, Wilson has a mixed track record at best on contested catches, and only two of his 41 catches last season were for scores. Drops also have plagued him, as he too often looks uncomfortable securing even the easiest passes. Wilson still can create mismatches downfield, but he might require a coaching staff that can use him creatively and help him become a more precise and focused pass catcher.

Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma

What’s not to like about a 6-8, 322-pound offensive tackle who moves like a tight end? A former H-back before transferring from TCU, Guyton puts together all the requisite characteristics of a premier pass protector. His frame and fluidity give him a chance to hold his own against even the NFL’s most athletic edge rushers.

With only 15 career starts, however, Guyton is still learning to tap into his abilities. Leverage issues could hinder him throughout his career, particularly in the run game. The best plan for his development might be easing him in on a team like the Philadelphia Eagles, who are set with their offensive tackle starters but could use someone like Guyton to serve as the successor to Lane Johnson, who already has taken the fellow former Sooner under his wing.

Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia

After making his first two career starts in the 2022 College Football Playoff for the champion Bulldogs, Mims looked squarely on track to follow in former teammate Broderick Jones’ footsteps in becoming a top-15 pick. But a left ankle injury limited him to playing just six games last season. Now, evaluators have to balance his overall inexperience against the raw ability of a 6-8, 340-pound blocker who moves much more nimbly than one would expect from a blocker his size.

Those physical tools should still earn Mims a ticket to the first round. He might need to be brought along more slowly than some of his peers, however, which could be difficult if he lands with a playoff-caliber team looking for an immediate starter at offensive tackle, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers or Dallas Cowboys.

Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU

Any five-star recruit will face heightened expectations. So, too, will an offensive tackle who is a cousin of Penei Sewell, the Detroit Lions’ two-time All-Pro right tackle. It was no surprise, then, that Suamataia arrived at Oregon – Sewell’s alma mater – touted as a future standout NFL pass protector in the making.

After one season, however, the Utah native transferred to BYU. And despite spending the last two years as a starter – first at right tackle, then on the left side – Suamataia’s biggest selling point is still rooted in what he has yet to accomplish rather than what he has shown. Though he has the agility and strength to stop a variety of imposing edge rushers, he could be exploited by savvy linemen who can get him off balance or work back inside. Playing him early could prove problematic, especially for any legitimate contender.

Chop Robinson, DE, Penn State

The combine numbers speak for themselves. The 6-3, 254-pounder recorded the fifth-fastest 40-yard dash time (4.48 seconds) and 10-yard split (1.54) since 2003 of any player weighing 250 pounds or more, according to Next Gen Stats and ESPN. He continued to highlight his explosiveness with a 10-8 broad jump, tied for the best mark among all edge rushers. That elite package of physical traits has some envisioning the next Micah Parsons, Robinson’s predecessor at Penn State.

Naturally, that lofty comparison falls short in several areas. Robinson didn’t produce at the same level that Parsons did for the Nittany Lions, recording just 9 ½ sacks in two years after transferring from Maryland. Whereas Parsons demonstrated he could disengage blockers to free himself up to make plays, Robinson still is too easily neutralized when he doesn’t beat linemen instantly with his first step. Still, he has all the trappings of a double-digit sack artist. For now, however, he projects as a high-upside pass rusher who could flash on one snap and disappoint on the next.

Darius Robinson, DE, Missouri

At 6-5 and 285 pounds with a massive wingspan and a forceful approach, Robinson is a nightmare one-on-one matchup for any blocker. A first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick in 2023, he walked back linemen to repeatedly disrupt offenses, racking up 8 ½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss. His extensive reach helps him to rip past blockers and corral opponents, making him a significant asset in stopping the run.

That unique make-up, however, also has its downfalls, as it could leave Robinson with the unwanted tweener label. While his breakout season last year came after a move to the edge, Robinson might lack the fluidity and burst to consistently win there at the next level. He could prove plenty disruptive in the right role, but Robinson won’t be a fit for every defensive scheme.

Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State

When Fiske beats opposing offensive linemen off the ball, look out. The sixth-year senior and transfer from Western Michigan excels at tracking down ball carriers, utilizing his high-energy approach and closing speed to notch six sacks last season. Everything about Fiske’s play is relentless, and he can exploit opponents who let up even for a moment.

The 6-4, 292-pounder can experience trouble, however, when he’s stonewalled out of the gates. Fiske lacks the counters to keep his rush alive and the sheer strength to disengage from bigger blockers with longer reach. Teams seeking more of a stout presence on the interior likely will turn elsewhere, but any defense looking to enhance its disruptiveness up the middle likely will gravitate toward Fiske in the first two rounds.

Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky

It’s not difficult to figure out the appeal of a linebacker who was a former track standout and weightlifting champion, especially in a weak year at the position in the draft. The 6-1, 237-pound Wallace comfortably chases down ball carriers all over the field and can hold his own in a variety of man coverage matchups. As a blitzer, he’s not afraid of charging past or through much bigger blockers to create disruption in the backfield.

All those descriptions, however, capture Wallace operating at his peak. There are still far too many occasions – both against the run and pass – in which he is caught out of position, as he regularly misdiagnoses plays and lets his aggressiveness get the best of him. Seeing the field consistently early in his career might hinge on him adopting a more disciplined style of play. As it stands, Wallace seems equally likely to vex opposing coaches as his own.

Khyree Jackson, CB, Oregon

Jackson’s football career has been nomadic, as the cornerback attended three different junior colleges before enrolling at Alabama. He then transferred to Oregon for his lone season as a starter and flashed the promise many had been waiting to see, recording three interceptions and 10 passes defensed. At 6-4 and 196 pounds, Jackson has an ideal makeup – both physically and mentally – for press coverage. His ultracompetitive and physical demeanor routinely surfaces when he’s smothering receivers at the line of scrimmage and attacking at the catch point.

It comes as little surprise, however, that a player with his limited experience still needs polish. Jackson’s footwork can give him problems, and savvy route runners too often break free from his coverage with a simple change of direction. His disruptiveness is worth harnessing, but even teams that utilize him heavily in press man coverage could be in for a bit of a wild ride as he develops his technique and hones his instincts.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The NBA in its Last Two-Minute Report Tuesday acknowledged officiating errors at the end of the New York Knicks’ 104-101 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers Monday in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

Much focus was on Philadelphia’s ability to in-bound the basketball after the Knicks cut Philadelphia’s lead to 101-99 on Jalen Brunson’s 3-pointer with 27.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The 76ers committed a turnover on the in-bounds which led to Donte DiVincenzo’s game-winning 3-pointer.

The NBA said in its report that Brunson should’ve been called for a foul on the in-bounds pass to Tyrese Maxey with 27 seconds remaining because Brunson “pulls Maxey’s jersey away from his body, which affects Maxey’s ability to secure the pass.”

As that in-bounds play continued, the league also said Josh Hart should’ve been called for a foul on Maxey with 24.9 seconds to go because Hart “steps forward into Maxey’s space and initiates lower body contact that causes Maxey to lose his balance and fall to the floor.”

Just before that inbounds pass at 27.2 seconds, Maxey made marginal contact with his hands on Hart, and the NBA concluded the refs made the right by decision by not calling a fault on Maxey. During this sequence, Sixers coach Nick Nurse tried to call a timeout but the NBA said the timeout was “ neither recognized nor granted by the officials.’

As the play continued, Maxey lost control of the ball, and the league said Hart cleanly stole the ball and not calling foul was the correct no-call at 23.7 seconds. Nurse again tried to call a timeout but the request is “neither recognized nor granted by the officials; the timeout request is simultaneous to Hart making contact with the ball and PHI not having possession,” according to the league.

There were no other incorrect or incorrect no-calls the remainder of the game.

Following the game, the Sixers said they planned to file a grievance.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

In March 2023, the Carolina Panthers made a trade with the Chicago Bears to move up eight spots for the No. 1 overall pick. It’s a draft pick trade that could go down in NFL infamy as one of the worst ever made.

The Panthers sent wide receiver DJ Moore, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, a 2023 second-rounder, 2024 first-rounder and 2025 second-rounder to the Bears in exchange for the top pick. The Bears used the 2023 first-round pick on offensive lineman Darnell Wright, who started every game last season. That 2023 second rounder turned into defensive back Tyrique Stevenson, who made 16 starts and registered four interceptions as a rookie. Moore had a career year in his first season in Chicago, posting career-highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364) and receiving touchdowns (8).

For the Panthers, this move has backfired terribly (so far).

The player the Panthers took at No. 1 — Alabama quarterback Bryce Young — struggled on what was the league’s worst team during the 2023 season. The Panthers’ miserable 2023 season resulted in having the NFL’s worst record and sending their first-round pick to the Bears, who weren’t all that much better and earned a second top-10 selection on their own.

While the Bears held the top overall selection briefly in 2023, the team appears set to use its No. 1 pick for the first time in nearly eight decades … and draft a potential franchise-altering talent in quarterback Caleb Williams.

NFL DRAFT HUB: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis.

While the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks have never picked No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, the Bears’ last No. 1 selection came long before any of those franchises even existed. You would have to go deep into the way-back machine to locate the Bears’ No. 1 picks.

Have the Bears ever had the No. 1 pick?

Yes. Well, for starters, the Bears had the No. 1 pick for two months last year before trading it to the Panthers for a bounty that could help the team dig itself out of the NFC North cellar.

When did the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick and actually use it? Dust off your pro football history books, sports fans. The NFL draft was still a relatively fresh concept the previous two times that the Bears selected at No. 1.

The NFL held its first draft in 1936, and five years later the Bears had the No. 1 pick for the first time. The Bears selected Michigan halfback Tom Harmon with the No. 1 pick in the 1941 draft.

Harmon never played a down for the Bears. Harmon had a decorated career with the Wolverines, winning the 1940 Heisman Trophy and would eventually be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. At first, Harmon wanted to bypass pro football for a career in acting. World War II put both his young acting career and prospective pro football career on hold. A pilot during the conflict, Harmon survived a bomber crash and being shot down in China. He was presented with both the Purple Heart and Silver Star, but his war service took a physical toll that hindered his return to pro football. Harmon signed with the Rams in 1946 and played two seasons for the team (notably, the first two seasons for the team in Los Angeles). While sharing backfield duties with Fred Gehrke (whose side hustle as an artist made the Rams the first NFL team to have a helmet logo) and pro football pioneer Kenny Washington, Harmon rushed for 542 yards and scored seven total touchdowns (six rushing, six receiving, one punt return) in his two NFL seasons.

Six years later, in the 1947 draft, the Bears held the No. 1 overall selection again and drafted Oklahoma State halfback Bob Fenimore. Fenimore — who finished third in the 1945 Heisman Trophy voting — had an injury-riddled 1946 season for Oklahoma State. Despite that, the Bears still chose Fenimore with the top pick. It didn’t go well. Fenimore lasted just one season in the NFL, with 189 yards rushing, 219 yards receiving and three touchdowns scored.

Bears picking in the top five of the NFL draft

The 2024 NFL draft will make the 20th time that the Bears have picked in the top five, including three times with the No. 2 overall pick.

The Bears’ first No. 2 pick was quarterback Sid Luckman, who led the Bears to four NFL championships and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The team’s most recent No. 2 pick, quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, was named the Nickelodeon Valuable Player of the Bears’ wild-card playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints during the 2020 season.

In 1965, the Bears selected all-time great players with back-to-back picks at Nos. 3-4: linebacker Dick Butkus and running back Gale Sayers. Despite the presence of the two iconic players, the Bears enjoyed just two winning seasons in the seven years the two Hall of Famers were on the team.

These are the Bears’ all-time top-five picks:

2017 — Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina (No. 2)
2005 — Cedric Benson, RB, Texas (No. 4)
1998 — Curtis Enis, RB, Penn State (No. 5)
1982 — Jim McMahon, QB, BYU (No. 5)
1979 — Dan Hampton, DE, Arkansas (No. 4)
1975 — Walter Payton, RB, Jackson State (No. 4)
1974 — Waymond Bryant, LB, Tennessee State (No. 4)
1972 — Lionel Antoine, OT, Southern Illinois (No. 3)
1965 — Dick Butkus, LB, Illinois (No. 3)
1965 — Gale Sayers, RB, Kansas (No. 4)
1961 — Mike Ditka, TE, Pittsburgh (No. 5)
1951 — Bob Williams, QB, Notre Dame (No. 2)
1950 — Chuck Hunsinger, HB, Florida (No. 3)
1948 — Bobby Layne, QB, Texas (No. 3)
1947 — Bob Fenimore, HB, Oklahoma State (No. 1)
1946 — Johnny Lujack, QB, Notre Dame (No. 4)
1941 — Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan (No. 1)
1941 — Norm Standlee, FB, Stanford (No. 3)
1939 — Sid Luckman, QB, Columbia (No. 2)

When teams had two top-10 NFL draft picks

In this year’s draft, the Bears also will have two top-10 selections.

This is the 21st time going back to the first common-era draft in 1967 after the AFL-NFL merger agreement that a team has owned two top-10 first-round picks.

2023 — Houston Texans: QB C.J. Stroud (No. 2), LB Will Anderson (No. 3)
2022 — New York Jets: CB Sauce Gardner (No. 4), WR Garrett Wilson (No. 10)
2022 — New York Giants: DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (No. 5), OT Evan Neal (No. 7)
2018 — Cleveland Browns: QB Baker Mayfield (No. 1), CB Denzel Ward (No. 4)
2000 — Washington: LB LaVar Arrington (No. 2), OT Chris Samuels (No. 3)
2000 — Baltimore Ravens: RB Jamal Lewis (No. 5), WR Travis Taylor (No. 10)
1997 — Seattle Seahawks: CB Shawn Springs (No. 3), OT Walter Jones (No. 6)
1994 — Indianapolis Colts: RB Marshall Faulk (No. 2), LB Trev Alberts (No. 5)
1992 — Indianapolis Colts: DE Steve Emtman (No. 1), Quentin Coryatt (No. 2)
1990 — New England Patriots: LB Chris Singleton (No. 8), Ray Agnew (No. 10)
1988 — Los Angeles Raiders: WR Tim Brown (No. 6), CB Terry McDaniel (No. 9)
1982 — Baltimore Colts: LB Johnie Cooks (No. 2), QB Art Schlichter (No. 4)
1979 — Buffalo Bills: LB Tom Cousineau (No. 1), WR Jerry Butler (No. 5)
1979 — Chicago Bears: DE Dan Hampton (No. 4), DE Al Harris (No. 9)
1977 — Cincinnati Bengals: DE Eddie Edwards (No. 3), DT Wilson Whitley (No. 8)
1974 — San Francisco 49ers: RB Wilbur Jackson (No. 9), DT Bill Sandifer (No. 10)
1973 — Baltimore Colts: QB Bert Jones (No. 2), DT Joe Ehrmann (No. 10)
1973 — Philadelphia Eagles: OT Jerry Sisemore (No. 3), TE Charle Young (No. 6)
1969 — Los Angeles Rams: RB Larry Smith (No. 8), WR Jim Seymour (No. 10)
1967 — Minnesota Vikings: RB Clint Jones (No. 2), WR Gene Washington (No. 8)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Glimpses of Tyrese Maxey’s ascent from 21st pick in the 2020 NBA draft to All-Star in 2024 were gradual but not without signs of what was possible.

Like the 39-point, seven-rebound, six-assist, two-steal performance his rookie season in 2020-21.

Or the jump from 8.0 points per game his rookie year to 17.5 points per game the following season.

He made another leap in 2022-23 – averaging 20.3 points and shooting 48.1% from the field, 43.4% on 3-pointers – and his production let the Philadelphia 76ers know that they could part with James Harden and give the point guard keys to Maxey.

This season – with increased responsibility in wake of Harden’s trade to the Los Angeles Clippers – Maxey produced an All-Star season, averaging career highs in points per game (25.9), assists (6.2), steals (1.0), minutes (37.5) and assist-to-turnover ratio (5.5:1).

Maxey, 23, did all that while getting a bump in his usage rate which is a percentage of possessions used by a player.

For his effort, Maxey on Tuesday was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. He was an All-Star for the first time this season and has developed into a vital part of the Sixers’ roster.

Maxey had 22 games with at least 30 points, including three games of 50 or more: 50 against the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 12, 51 against the Utah Jazz on Feb. 1 and 52 against the San Antonio Spurs on April 7.

‘Tyrese is a tireless worker who has elevated his game to an All-Star level in a short period of time,’ 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. ‘In my years of coaching against him and our one year together so far, it is clear that he brings a special joy and energy to the game of basketball and his enthusiasm and work ethic will continue to lift his game for years to come.’

The Houston Rockets’ Alperen Sengun and the Chicago Bulls’ Coby White were the other two finalists with White finishing second and Sengun third.

2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player voting results

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers (319 total points)
Coby White, Chicago Bulls (305)
Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (92)
Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder (79)
Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks (25)
Deni Avdija, Washington Wizards (24)
Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets (18)
Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic (11)
Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers (5)
Grayson Allen, Phoenix Suns (4)
Duncan Robinson, Miami Heat (4)
Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs (3)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (3)
Aaron Nesmith, Indiana Pacers (1)

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

A $95 billion package with aid to both Ukraine and Israel passed the Senate on Tuesday night after the House’s various adjustments were approved in the lower chamber over the weekend. 

By a vote of 79 to 18, the Senate sent the package to President Biden’s desk, and he is expected to sign off on the additional foreign aid. It notably passed with more votes than the previous Senate-passed version had garnered in February.

The package ultimately included aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, alongside measures requiring TikTok to divest from Chinese-owned ByteDance and to allow $5 billion in Russian assets held in U.S. banks to be transferred to Ukraine.

Biden had initially requested the supplemental foreign aid in October. A different version of the package with funds for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan passed the Senate in February but was never voted on in the House. 

Under the measures, roughly $61 billion is set aside for supporting Ukraine in the war against Russia, about $26 billion is allotted for Israel and humanitarian aid, and nearly $8 billion is provided for the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan.

The Senate cleared the way for quick passage of the bills earlier on Tuesday when it voted in favor of invoking cloture, 81-19.

After the cloture motion passed, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., celebrated, telling senators in floor remarks, ‘In a resounding bipartisan vote, the relentless work of six long months has paid off: Congress is sending the supplemental to President Biden’s desk.’ 

‘This is an important day for America and a very important day for freedom-loving countries around the world,’ Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., remarked to reporters following the vote to invoke cloture. 

Prior to the cloture vote, a significant number of senators sought a motion to table an amendment tree, which blocks other amendments from being considered in regular order. The motion to table was a close vote, with 48 supporting it and 50 voting against, allowing the amendment tree to stand.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., released a statement following the motion’s failure, noting that it meant his amendment wouldn’t be considered. He wanted to see votes on his two amendments to the package, which would have ended unconditional aid to Israel and restored funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). 

‘Polls show that a majority of Americans, and a very strong majority of Democrats, want to end U.S. taxpayer support for Netanyahu’s war against the Palestinian people,’ Sanders said in a statement. ‘It is a dark day for democracy when the Senate will not even allow a vote on that issue.’ 

A number of Republican lawmakers also wanted votes on their respective amendments, including Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who proposed an amendment to require repayment of the foreign aid loan to Ukraine, in order to make it ‘real.’ 

If any amendments were passed in the Senate, the bill would be sent back to the House for its consideration once again. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The Supreme Court is set to consider arguably the highest-profile cases of the term Thursday to determine whether former President Trump can claim presidential immunity against criminal charges brought by the Biden Justice Department.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought charges against Trump following his investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and Trump’s alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election result, argued in briefs submitted to the high court that ‘presidents are not above the law.’

Trump’s legal team conversely argued, ‘A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President…[t]he threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial decisions, taking away the strength, authority, and decisiveness of the Presidency.’ 

Legal experts told Fox News Digital that while all nine justices might be skeptical of Trump’s sweeping immunity claims, they are likely to give guidance on where presidential immunity from criminal prosecution ends for actions taken while in the Oval Office – which could have a profound impact in the criminal cases against the former president.

Jonathan Turley, a practicing criminal defense attorney and professor at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital the case is ‘surrounded by rather steep constitutional cliffs.’

‘This case may be rather maddening for the justices because it is surrounded by rather steep constitutional cliffs. If the court goes one way, a president has little protection in carrying out the duties of his office. If they turned the other way, he has a little accountability for the most serious criminal acts,’ Turley said. 

‘This is a court that tends to be incremental. They tend not to favor sweeping rulings,’ he said.

The Justice Department argued in lower court that a president has virtually no immunity when he leaves office, and the lower court agreed.

Turley says the justices ‘could reject the lower court decision and send it back for a more nuanced approach on constitutional immunity.’

‘The justices may find that presidents do require immunity, even with regard to some criminal acts,’ Turley said, adding that ‘any remand would work significantly in the former president’s favor on a tactical level.’

Turley explained that if the case were to be remanded back down to Judge Tanya Chutkan in the D.C. District Court, that process would make a trial before the November election ‘even less likely.’ 

‘There are both constitutional and tactical aspects to the ruling, but I think these justices are likely to approach this argument with an eye toward balancing these interests, and if that’s the case, they could well come up with a different approach than the lower court or the former president,’ Turley said.

The thrust of Trump’s legal argument is that Supreme Court precedent says absolute immunity from civil liability exists for a former president for his official acts, and that the same immunity should apply to a criminal context. 

‘There’s a real likelihood that the Supreme Court will give some concrete guidance on the exact amount of protection a president is entitled to,’ Jim Trusty, former legal counsel for Trump and a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital.

‘There are still likely to be factual issues that the lower courts will then have to decide as to where President Trump’s actions fit within this continuum of protected or unprotected conduct,’ he explained.

John Shu, a constitutional law expert who served in both the George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations, gave a similar view.

‘The chances of the Supreme Court giving the office of the president some amount of level of immunity are pretty good,’ Shu told Fox News Digital.

But Shu also said ‘there’s also a decent chance that whatever immunity the court carves out, it may not encompass Trump’s alleged acts.’

‘They won’t be making purely legal arguments, but political power arguments as well, and they’ll have to get at least five Supreme Court justices to agree with them,’ Shu said.

Trusty said the questions put to each of the parties in Thursday’s oral arguments ‘could be pretty transparent as to each justice’s view of immunity.’

So far, Shu observed, Trump’s attorneys have argued that the president has absolute immunity, even after he leaves office, for any and all acts.

‘I don’t think the court will go that far,’ Shu said.

Similarly, Trusty said he expects the court to ‘give very little credit to the notion of absolutely unlimited immunity, as President Trump’s lawyers have argued.’

‘But I do think there is a strong possibility that the court confirms the notion that immunity protects the president and that their ruling could set in motion the eventual dismissal of the Jan. 6, Mar-a-Lago and Georgia cases,’ he said.

The Supreme Court will hear the case, Trump v. United States, on Thursday at 10 a.m.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement, ‘Without immunity for official acts, there can be no Presidency. No President in American history has faced prosecution for his official acts — until now.’

‘Allowing political opponents to prosecute the President once he leaves office will distort the President’s most important decisions. Even during his Presidency, his enemies will blackmail and extort him with threats of lawless criminal charges and imprisonment once his term ends. The Framers of our Constitution wisely created a system that prevented this endless, destructive cycle of recrimination for 234 years,’ he continued.

‘The Supreme Court should uphold Presidential immunity and put an end to Jack Smith’s deranged, unconstitutional witch hunt against President Trump, once and for all,’ he said.

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Utah Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican, criticized the Senate’s passage of the foreign aid package Tuesday night, calling it ‘wrong,’ ‘shameful’ and a ‘sad day for America’ for spending money the government does not have to fund another country’s war.

The $95 billion package includes $61 billion to support Ukraine’s war against Russia, $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid amid the Jewish State’s war against Hamas and nearly $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan. It would also force TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the platform or face a ban in the U.S.

The Senate passed the legislation by a 79 to 18 vote, and it now heads to President Biden, who said he will sign it on Wednesday.

Lee made a series of posts on social media Tuesday night calling out the Republican Party for siding with Democrats to pass the measure, taking particular issue with the aid for Ukraine, saying lawmakers are ‘spending money that doesn’t belong to them.’

‘Americans are about to be made nearly $100 billion poorer,’ Lee said Tuesday night on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. ‘Not to secure our own borders. But to secure the borders of other countries. Republicans—spurred by Republican leadership in both chambers—gladly advanced the Democrats’ agenda. Neglecting our own. This is shameful.’

In a video attached to the post, Lee said this was a ‘sad day for America.’

In another video, he said Republicans ‘can do better’ than to accept GOP lawmakers in Washington who ‘act like Democrats.’

‘It is time to expect more, it is time to expect freedom,’ he wrote.

‘They think they’re Churchill,’ Lee said in another post. ‘They’re congratulating themselves for spending money that doesn’t belong to them—money we don’t have and will have to borrow and print. Spending other people’s money to fight someone else’s war—against their will—isn’t heroic. It’s cowardice.’

Several lawmakers sought votes on their respective amendments, including Lee, who proposed an amendment to require repayment of the foreign aid to Ukraine.

Lee wrote on X: ‘We need bold colors in the GOP. We lose with pastels.’

‘It doesn’t end well for any political party whose elected officials repeatedly display contempt for the party’s most faithful voters,’ he wrote. ‘Dems don’t do this to their base. Dems fight for their base, not against it.’

Citing past comments from former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, Lee said foreign aid ‘often involves taking money from poor people in rich countries to give to rich people in poor countries.’

‘I’m sure Americans will sleep better tonight knowing that a few rich people in Ukraine are about to get a lot richer,’ Lee added.

Lee went on to say that the bill is not ‘heroic’ or ‘brave.’ ‘It’s wrong,’ he said.

In response to Biden’s statement commending the passage of the bill, the Republican senator said the measure will lead to more Ukrainian deaths.

‘Mr. President, I believe that this bill will prolong a bloody conflict and cost more Ukrainians their lives, even as their cause is righteous,’ Lee wrote. ‘I also believe that you do want to end the killing. Can we work to establish a negotiated peace in Ukraine?’

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The Supreme Court is set to consider a second abortion case on Wednesday, this time dealing with claims by a Republican-led state that the Biden administration is attempting to wield a 40-year-old federal law as an ‘abortion mandate.’

On the heels of a debate over the Federal Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of an abortion pill, the high court will consider whether the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) preempts the state of Idaho’s newly enacted Defense of Life Act – which makes it a crime for any medical provider to perform an abortion with exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.  

The Justice Department argued that the state’s law does not go far enough to allow abortions in more medical emergency circumstances.

However, proponents of the state law say that the administration’s lawsuit against Idaho is attempting to use a federal statute as an ‘abortion mandate’ to benefit the president ahead of the 2024 elections.

‘Construing EMTALA as a federal abortion mandate raises grave questions under the major questions doctrine that affect both Congress and this Court,’ Idaho argued in legal filings. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said, ‘The Supreme Court made it clear that it’s up to the states to decide what our laws should be and that it’s not for the federal government.’ 

‘But Joe Biden and his administration decided to come straight and sue us in federal courts.  We are excited to go before the Supreme Court to show that the state should be deciding these issues and not the federal government,’ he said.

The DOJ said in its response to the high court that while Idaho’s law makes it a felony for a doctor to terminate a pregnancy unless doing so is ‘necessary’ to prevent the patient’s ‘death,’ that exception is ‘narrower’ than EMTALA, which by its terms ‘protects patients not only from imminent death but also from emergencies that seriously threaten their health.’ 

However, Idaho accused the administration of ‘construing the spare phrase’ in the federal law ‘as a blank slate to be filled with the Executive Branch’s preferred abortion policy collides with multiple statutory provisions guaranteeing emergency medical care for a pregnant woman and her unborn child.’ 

‘It’s clear that the administration is just manipulating EMTALA and that both laws should be able to coexist,’ John Bursch, senior litigator at civil rights firm Alliance Defending Freedom and co-counsel in the case, told Fox News Digital in an interview.

‘If a woman’s life is in danger, Idaho’s Defense of Life Act makes it clear that the women should be treated and helped. Because in that instance, when the mom’s life is in danger, it’s not an abortion in Idaho or any of the other 49 states,’ he said.

But the White House says that the 21 states enforcing abortion bans are causing ‘chaos and confusion.’

‘These extreme state laws have caused chaos and confusion, and women are being denied the essential care they need. But these dangerous state laws do not change the responsibility that health care providers have to their patients in emergencies covered by the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act,’ White House spokesperson Kelly Scully told Fox News Digital.

‘The Biden-Harris Administration has long been clear that federal law requires hospitals to offer health and life-saving care to patients in an emergency. The Administration remains focused on working with doctors, hospitals, and patients to make these federal requirements clear while the Department of Justice defends that understanding in the Supreme Court. No woman should be denied the care she needs,’ she said. 

The Center for Reproductive Rights also filed a lawsuit in September 2023, calling Idaho’s abortion ban ‘a six-week ban that has ‘vigilante’-style civil liability provisions.

The Center filed the suit on behalf of seven plaintiffs: four women who were denied medically necessary abortion care in their home state, two Idaho physicians who provide obstetrical care, and a professional membership organization consisting of Idaho physicians, medical residents and medical students.

EMTALA is a federal statute signed by then-President Reagan in 1986 after earning bipartisan congressional support, designed to prevent hospitals from turning away indigent patients who are in critical need of medical care and offer the same ‘stabilizing’ care they would to a patient who could pay or is covered by insurance.

After the Dobbs decision in 2022, which overturned Roe v. Wade and left states to decide their own abortion limitations, Bursch said the Biden administration, for the first time in the law’s history, used it to impose an ‘abortion mandate.’

A district court sided with DOJ and ordered a preliminary injunction of the state’s law. The Ninth Circuit affirmed that decision, which Idaho then appealed to the Supreme Court. Oral arguments are set for April 24. 

‘What the Biden administration wants to do is take this law and turn it into an abortion enclave in emergency rooms,’ Bursch said. ‘And to the point where even if a patient came in, and they said that they were in critical condition because of a mental health problem, like depression, or anxiety, that would give doctors a carte blanche ability to ignore laws like Idaho’s and take the life of the innocent child, and EMTALA doesn’t say anything like that.’ 

Bursch added that what he believes is ‘so ironic’ is that following the Dobbs decision, President Biden himself said that he disagreed with the decision, but that he understood that states operating through the democratic process would get to decide what abortion laws would control each state. 

‘And it was only a matter of weeks later that he changed course and said, ‘oh no, the federal government is just going to impose this new requirement by reinterpreting EMTALA in a way that it’s never been interpreted in its nearly four-decade history.’

 ‘It is subverting states’ rights. It’s pushing abortion on states that don’t want it, and it’s all blatantly illegal,’ he said.

Stephen Billy, vice president of state affairs for SBA Pro-Life America, said the administration’s novel legal challenge to a state’s abortion law looks politically motivated ahead of the November elections amid Biden’s dwindling poll numbers. 

‘The Biden administration doesn’t feel like they have any other issue to run on, and it’s clear what they’re going to talk about and what they’re trying to run on. Whether abortion is going to be a campaign issue or not, the Biden administration is going to try to make it one,’ he added.

Billy cited the Women’s Health Protection Act, which Democrats in Congress attempted to pass last year. It would have legalized virtually limitless abortion nationwide, but ultimately failed.

‘Congress’s opposition to that comes from the will of the people who sent the elected representatives to D.C., and they have very little national support when you look at the polling for the extreme position of the Women’s Health Protection Act,’ said Billy.

‘So Biden turned to executive action, ignoring the text of laws and just trying to use executive fiat to expand abortion on demand wherever you can, and however you can. And EMTALA is just one example of that,’ he said. 

Billy added that he believes the Biden administration is using ‘fear and scare tactics’ around the issue. 

‘The entire case is basically a claim that women can’t get medical care,’ he said, but noted that every ‘pro-life state’ allows for a mother’s health exception and allows doctors to act when there’s a medical emergency. 

‘They are trying to use that fear to drive a political agenda and to save their campaign because they don’t really have anything else to run on,’ he said. 

The Justice Department declined to comment on pending litigation.

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