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PHOENIX — An Arizona grand jury has indicted two out-of-state residents for allegedly applying to the state’s private school voucher program as parents to 50 children – 43 of whom did not exist – and receiving more than $110,000. The duo collected the money by submitting false, forged or fraudulent documents and spent it on personal living expenses in Colorado, according to an indictment released Monday by Attorney General Kris Mayes. The voucher program — Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account — has been a source of political tension for years. It expanded vastly in 2022 when then-Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, signed legislation to allow all parents in the state to take money that would go to local public schools and instead use it on private school tuition or other education costs. The program is championed by many Republicans and advocates of the school choice movement. But many Democrats, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, have called for the program’s overhaul as its costs have skyrocketed. Hobbs has also criticized the program for funding what she called luxury items, including ski resort passes and pianos. The grand jury in Maricopa County handed down the indictment Nov. 12, charging Johnny Lee Bowers and Ashley Meredith Hewitt each with 60 felony counts, including conspiracy, fraud and forgery. The Associated Press left voice messages at numbers listed for Bowers and Hewitt, also known as Ashley Hopkins, seeking comment late Monday. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . According to the indictment, the two received the money by submitting applications for school vouchers between December 2022 and May 2024, using the names of both real and fictitious children, purportedly as parents and by using “ghost” names of parents. Some of the made-up children's names in their applications included Louis Dobbs, Tucker Gil and Poppy Fox. The “false, forged, or fraudulent” documents included birth certificates, utility bills and lease agreements, according to the indictment. Mayes' office said that Bowers and Hewitt now appear to reside in Utah.BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 5, 2024-- Smartsheet Inc. (NYSE: SMAR), the AI enhanced enterprise grade work management platform, today announced financial results for its third fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2024. The section titled "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below contains a description of the non-GAAP financial measures with a reconciliation between GAAP and non-GAAP information. The section titled "Definitions of Key Business Metrics" contains definitions of certain non-financial metrics provided within this press release. In a separate press release issued on September 24, 2024, we announced that we have entered into a definitive agreement ("Merger Agreement"), to be acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners. A copy of the press release and supplemental materials can be found on the "Investors" page of our website at and on the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, website at . Additional details and information about the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are available in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on September 24, 2024. Given the announced transaction, we will not be hosting an earnings conference call nor providing financial guidance in conjunction with this press release. For further detail and discussion of our financial performance, please refer to our third quarter 2025 Form 10-Q for the quarter ended October 31, 2024, filed today with the SEC. To supplement our condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, we use certain non-GAAP financial measures, as described below, to understand and evaluate our core operating performance. These non-GAAP financial measures, which may be different than similarly titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors’ overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of the non-GAAP financial measures to such GAAP measures can be found in the accompanying financial statements included with this press release. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information about our financial performance, enhance the overall understanding of our past performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to important metrics used by our management for financial and operational decision-making. We are presenting these non-GAAP financial metrics to assist investors in seeing our financial performance through the eyes of management, and because we believe that these measures provide an additional tool for investors to use in comparing our core financial performance over multiple periods with other companies in our industry. We define non-GAAP operating income as GAAP operating loss excluding share-based compensation expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets, one-time costs associated with mergers and acquisitions, lease restructuring costs, and litigation expenses and settlements related to matters that are outside the ordinary course of our business, as applicable. We define non-GAAP net income as GAAP net income (loss) excluding non-recurring income tax adjustments associated with mergers and acquisitions and the same exclusions that are used to derive non-GAAP operating income. We define basic non-GAAP net income per share as non-GAAP net income divided by weighted-average shares outstanding ("WASO"). We define diluted non-GAAP net income per share as non-GAAP net income divided by diluted WASO. Diluted WASO includes the impact of potentially dilutive securities, which include stock options, restricted share units, performance share units, and shares subject to our 2018 employee stock purchase plan. There are a number of limitations related to the use of these non-GAAP measures as compared to GAAP operating loss and net income (loss), including that the non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation expense, which has been, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, a significant recurring expense in our business and an important part of our compensation strategy. We use the non-GAAP financial measure of free cash flow, which is defined as GAAP net cash flows from operating activities, reduced by cash used for purchases of property and equipment (inclusive of spend on internal-use software) and principal payments on finance lease obligations. We believe free cash flow is an important liquidity measure of the cash that is available, after capital expenditures and operational expenses, for investment in our business, share repurchases, and potential acquisitions. Free cash flow is useful to investors as a liquidity measure because it measures our ability to generate excess cash beyond what is required for our operations. Once our business needs and obligations are met, cash can be used to maintain a strong balance sheet and invest in future growth. There are a number of limitations related to the use of free cash flow as compared to net cash from operating activities, including that free cash flow includes capital expenditures, the benefits of which are realized in periods subsequent to those when expenditures are made. We define annualized recurring revenue, or ARR, as the annualized recurring value of all active subscription contracts at the end of a reporting period. We exclude the value of non-recurring revenue streams, such as our professional services revenue, that are recognized at a point in time. We use ARR as one of our operating measures to assess the strength of the Company’s subscription services. ARR is a performance metric and should be viewed independently of revenue and deferred revenue, and is not intended to be a substitute for, or combined with, any of these items. Both multi-year contracts and contracts with terms less than one year are annualized by dividing the total committed contract value by the number of months in the subscription term and then multiplying by 12. Annualizing contracts with terms less than one year results in amounts being included in our ARR calculation that are in excess of the total contract value for those contracts at the end of the reporting period. The value of subscription contracts that are sold through third-party resellers, wherein we do not have visibility into the pricing provided, is based on the list price. We use average ARR per domain-based customer to measure customer commitment to our platform and sales force productivity. We define average ARR per domain-based customer as total outstanding ARR for domain-based subscriptions as of the end of the reporting period divided by the number of domain-based customers as of the same date. We define domain-based customers as organizations with a unique email domain name. We calculate dollar-based net retention rate as of a period end by starting with the ARR from the cohort of all customers as of the 12 months prior to such period end (“Prior Period ARR”). We then calculate the ARR from these same customers as of the current period end (“Current Period ARR”). Current Period ARR includes any upsells and is net of contraction or attrition over the trailing 12 months, but excludes subscription revenue from new customers in the current period. We then divide the total Current Period ARR by the total Prior Period ARR to arrive at the dollar-based net retention rate. Any ARR obtained through merger and acquisition transactions does not affect the dollar-based net retention rate until one year from the date on which the transaction closed. The dollar-based net retention rate is used by us to evaluate the long-term value of our customer relationships and is driven by our ability to retain and expand the subscription revenue generated from our existing customers. Smartsheet (NYSE: SMAR) is the modern enterprise work management platform trusted by millions of people at companies across the globe, including over 85% of the 2024 Fortune 500 companies. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit to learn more. Smartsheet announces material information to its investors using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, and on its investor relations page of the company’s website at . Subscription $ 273,703 $ 232,470 $ 786,328 $ 659,993 Professional services 13,168 13,448 39,939 41,396 Total revenue 286,871 245,918 826,267 701,389 Subscription 41,445 34,258 115,216 101,009 Professional services 12,291 12,780 36,693 38,948 Total cost of revenue 53,736 47,038 151,909 139,957 Gross profit 233,135 198,880 674,358 561,432 Research and development 63,477 58,257 189,514 172,805 Sales and marketing 127,854 137,920 383,315 382,685 General and administrative 45,155 38,153 124,489 109,654 Total operating expenses 236,486 234,330 697,318 665,144 Loss from operations (3,351 ) (35,450 ) (22,960 ) (103,712 ) Interest income 8,272 6,976 24,934 18,040 Other income (expense), net 47 (790 ) (593 ) (1,381 ) Income (loss) before income tax provision 4,968 (29,264 ) 1,381 (87,053 ) Income tax provision 3,644 3,164 1,057 8,602 Net income (loss) $ 1,324 $ (32,428 ) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Net income (loss) per share, basic $ 0.01 $ (0.24 ) $ 0.00 $ (0.71 ) Net income (loss) per share, diluted $ 0.01 $ (0.24 ) $ 0.00 $ (0.71 ) Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net income (loss) per share, basic 139,007 135,189 138,287 133,868 Weighted-average shares outstanding used to compute net income (loss) per share, diluted 142,668 135,189 141,306 133,868 Share-based compensation expense included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations was as follows (in thousands, unaudited): Cost of subscription revenue $ 2,983 $ 3,164 $ 9,055 $ 9,980 Cost of professional services revenue 1,485 1,777 4,734 5,602 Research and development 17,763 17,220 54,036 52,263 Sales and marketing 14,453 17,462 45,472 55,505 General and administrative 9,151 10,024 29,827 30,099 Total share-based compensation expense $ 45,835 $ 49,647 $ 143,124 $ 153,449 Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 454,281 $ 282,094 Short-term investments 306,640 346,701 Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $5,335 and $6,560, respectively 200,436 238,708 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 69,840 64,366 Total current assets 1,031,197 931,869 Restricted cash 18 19 Deferred commissions 156,724 148,867 Property and equipment, net 39,139 42,362 Operating lease right-of-use assets 29,693 39,480 Intangible assets, net 20,635 27,960 Goodwill 141,477 141,477 Other long-term assets 4,408 5,445 Total assets $ 1,423,291 $ 1,337,479 Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,128 $ 2,937 Accrued compensation and related benefits 74,840 77,453 Other accrued liabilities 37,309 30,534 Operating lease liabilities, current 15,288 16,040 Finance lease liabilities, current 255 216 Deferred revenue 556,320 568,670 Total current liabilities 685,140 695,850 Operating lease liabilities, non-current 23,936 33,100 Finance lease liabilities, non-current 279 455 Deferred revenue, non-current 4,095 1,785 Other long-term liabilities 696 434 Total liabilities 714,146 731,624 Shareholders’ equity: Preferred stock, no par value; 10,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024 — — Class A common stock, no par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 139,302,943 shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2024; 500,000,000 shares authorized, 136,884,011 shares issued and outstanding as of January 31, 2024 — — Class B common stock, no par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding as of October 31, 2024 and January 31, 2024 — — Additional paid-in capital 1,621,429 1,468,805 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 196 (146 ) Accumulated deficit (912,480 ) (862,804 ) Total shareholders’ equity 709,145 605,855 Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 1,423,291 $ 1,337,479 Net income (loss) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Share-based compensation expense 143,124 153,449 Depreciation and amortization 21,121 20,008 Net amortization of premiums (discounts) on investments (6,059 ) (8,746 ) Amortization of deferred commission costs 50,328 38,439 Unrealized foreign currency (gain) loss (577 ) 684 Non-cash operating lease costs 7,513 9,450 Impairment of long-lived assets 3,237 1,448 Other, net 5,495 3,089 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable 33,770 16,541 Prepaid expenses and other current assets (5,576 ) 1,060 Other long-term assets (1,039 ) (1,401 ) Accounts payable (1,665 ) (997 ) Other accrued liabilities 6,656 4,100 Accrued compensation and related benefits (5,483 ) 2,021 Deferred commissions (58,185 ) (58,705 ) Deferred revenue (9,952 ) 25,439 Other long-term liabilities 262 278 Operating lease liabilities (10,544 ) (12,326 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 172,750 98,176 Purchases of short-term investments (235,421 ) (375,387 ) Maturities of short-term investments 281,965 281,900 Purchases of property and equipment (1,437 ) (2,097 ) Proceeds from sale of property and equipment 53 28 Capitalized internal-use software development costs (6,549 ) (7,850 ) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 38,611 (103,406 ) Proceeds from exercise of stock options 10,957 1,330 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of restricted stock units (14,896 ) (1,644 ) Proceeds from contributions to Employee Stock Purchase Plan 14,403 15,664 Principal payments of finance leases (141 ) — Repurchases of Class A Common Stock and related costs (50,000 ) — Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (39,677 ) 15,350 Effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 379 (248 ) Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash 172,063 9,872 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period 282,442 223,757 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period $ 454,505 $ 233,629 Cash paid for interest $ 43 $ — Cash paid for income tax 7,655 9,471 Accrued purchases of property and equipment, including internal-use software 1,081 1,264 Share-based compensation expense capitalized in internal-use software development costs 2,355 3,283 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities 558 1,684 Right-of-use asset reductions related to operating leases 2,832 4,451 Purchases of fixed assets under finance leases — 693 Loss from operations $ (3,351 ) $ (35,450 ) $ (22,960 ) $ (103,712 ) Add: Share-based compensation expense (1) 46,842 50,170 145,511 154,919 Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (2) 2,308 2,701 7,320 8,117 Lease restructuring costs (3) 40 1,934 3,359 2,051 One-time acquisition costs 10,525 — 10,525 — Non-GAAP operating income $ 56,364 $ 19,355 $ 143,755 $ 61,375 Operating margin (1 )% (14 )% (3 )% (15 )% Non-GAAP operating margin 20 % 8 % 17 % 9 % Net income (loss) $ 1,324 $ (32,428 ) $ 324 $ (95,655 ) Add: Share-based compensation expense (1) 46,842 50,170 145,511 154,919 Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets (2) 2,308 2,701 7,320 8,117 Lease restructuring costs (3) 40 2,142 3,359 2,258 One-time acquisition costs 10,525 — 10,525 — Non-GAAP net income $ 61,039 $ 22,585 $ 167,039 $ 69,639 Non-GAAP net income per share, basic $ 0.44 $ 0.17 $ 1.21 $ 0.52 Non-GAAP net income per share, diluted $ 0.43 $ 0.16 $ 1.18 $ 0.51 Weighted-average shares outstanding; basic 139,007 135,189 138,287 133,868 Effect of dilutive securities: Shares subject to outstanding common stock awards 3,661 3,232 3,019 3,653 Weighted-average common shares outstanding; diluted 142,668 138,421 141,306 137,521 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 63,528 $ 15,146 $ 172,750 $ 98,176 Less: Purchases of property and equipment (414 ) (702 ) (1,437 ) (2,097 ) Capitalized internal-use software development costs (1,232 ) (3,035 ) (6,549 ) (7,850 ) Principal payments of finance leases (89 ) — (141 ) — Free cash flow $ 61,793 $ 11,409 $ 164,623 $ 88,229 View source version on : CONTACT: Smartsheet Inc. Investor Relations Contact Aaron Turner Contact Lisa Henthorn KEYWORD: WASHINGTON UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE DATA ANALYTICS FINANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DATA MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH SOURCE: Smartsheet Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/05/2024 04:07 PM/DISC: 12/05/2024 04:06 PMjilimacao withdrawal 。

French President Emmanuel Macron vowed Thursday to stay in office until the end of his term, due in 2027, and announced that he will name a new prime minister within days in efforts to overcome the political deadlock following the resignation of ousted Prime Minister Michel Barnier. Macron came out fighting a day after a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes at the National Assembly left France without a functioning government. He laid blame at the door of his opponents on the far right for bringing down Barnier’s government. “They chose disorder,” he said. The president said the far right and the far left had united in what he called “an anti-Republican front” and stressed: “I won’t shoulder other people’s irresponsibility.” He said he’d name a new prime minister within days but gave no hints as to who that might be. Earlier in the day, Macron “took note” of Barnier’s resignation after just three months in office — the shortest tenure of any prime minister in modern French history. While critical of his political opponents, Macron also acknowledged what he described as his own responsibility in the chaos now shaking French politics and alarming financial markets. He revisited his decision in June to dissolve parliament. That precipitated the crisis, leading to legislative elections that produced the now hung parliament, divided between three minority blocs that do not have enough seats to govern alone. “I do recognize that this decision wasn’t understood. Many criticized me for it,” Macron said. However, he argued, “I believe it was necessary” to let French voters speak. Macron said the new prime minister “will be charged with forming a government of general interest.” He confirmed that a special law will be presented by mid-December to enable the state to levy taxes from Jan. 1, based on this year’s rules, and avoid a shutdown. “Public services will be operational, businesses will be able to work,” he said. The new government will then prepare a budget law for 2025, which will allow France to invest as planned in its military, its justice and police — and also to support struggling farmers, Macron said. Along with its own domestic political and financial difficulties — not least France’s ballooning levels of debt — Macron noted that the country faces multiple international challenges, citing the wars in Ukraine and Middle East. He looked back at the Paris Olympics in July-August and ahead to the reopening this weekend of Notre Dame Cathedral, arguing that France can emerge from this latest political crisis if it sets its mind on it. “It’s proof that we know how to do great things, that we know how to achieve the impossible,” he said. “Twice this year, the world has admired us for this,” he said, referring to the hosting of the Olympics and the restoration of Notre Dame. “Well, for the nation, we must do same thing.” Macron faces the critical task of naming a replacement for Barnier capable of leading a minority government in a parliament where no party holds a majority. Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly and a member of Macron’s party, urged the president to move quickly. “I recommend he decide rapidly on a new prime minister,” Braun-Pivet said Thursday on France Inter radio. “There must not be any political hesitation. We need a leader who can speak to everyone and work to pass a new budget bill.” The process may prove challenging. French media have reported a shortlist of centrist candidates who might appeal to both sides of the political spectrum. The no-confidence vote has galvanized opposition leaders, with some explicitly calling for Macron’s resignation. “I believe that stability requires the departure of the President of the Republic,” Manuel Bompard, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, said on BFM TV Wednesday night. Far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen, whose party holds the most seats in the Assembly, stopped short of calling for Macron’s resignation but warned that “the pressure on the President of the Republic will get stronger and stronger.” The French constitution does not call for a president to resign after his government was ousted by the National Assembly. It also says that new legislative elections cannot be held until at least July, creating a potential stalemate for policymakers. The political instability has heightened concerns about France’s economy, particularly its debt, which could rise to 7% of GDP next year without significant reforms. Analysts say that Barnier’s government downfall could push up French interest rates, digging the debt even further. Rating agency Moody’s warned late Wednesday that the government’s fall “reduces the likelihood of consolidating public finances” and worsens the political gridlock. A planned protest by teachers against budget cuts in education took on a new tone Thursday, as demonstrators in Paris linked their demands to the political crisis. “Macron quit!” read a sign held by Dylan Quenon, a 28-year-old teacher at a middle school in Aubervilliers, just north of Paris. Quenon said Macron bears responsibility for what he described as the dismantling of public services such as schools. “The only way for this to change is to have him out of office,” he said. Protesters expressed little hope that Macron’s next appointee would reverse course. “I’m glad this government is falling, but it could possibly lead to something even worse,” said Élise De La Gorce, a 33-year-old teacher in Stains, north of Paris.The Senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district, Seriake Dickson, has assured Nigerians that the Tax Reform Bill will be passed despite opposition, much like the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) that was passed with a 3% allocation to host communities instead of the proposed 10%. He stressed that public outcry should not deter the legislative process, as the bill is essential for correcting imbalances in the current tax system. “Heavens did not fall when the PIB passed at 3% instead of 10%, and they won’t fall now,” Dickson said. “This Tax Reform Bill is in the national interest, and it will be passed through the normal legislative process.” The Senator highlighted a key issue driving his support for the bill: the unfair distribution of taxes. “Currently, taxes from Bayelsa are being paid to Lagos State because of where company headquarters are located. That must change. If you consume goods or services in Bayelsa—whether it’s making a call, buying cement, or even drinking kaikai—the taxes should go to Bayelsa, not Lagos,” he explained. Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa, recalled his long-standing fight against the flawed tax system, including taking VAT matters to the Supreme Court. He called on other states worried about potential revenue losses to present their data during the public hearings. “Public hearings are for raising concerns with facts, not sentiment. There will be no intimidation—let everyone make their case,” he urged. Addressing fears of opposition, particularly from northern states, Dickson dismissed regional concerns, reiterating his focus on national unity. “I don’t engage in regional politics. I am a national politician, and I support what’s best for the country,” he stated. He also referenced his history of taking principled stands, including his opposition to the Naira redesign policy and his advocacy for a higher percentage in the PIB. “I act on conviction, not sentiment. When everyone supported the Naira redesign, I stood against it because it wasn’t in the national interest. The same applies here,” he said. Dickson urged Nigerians to embrace the tax reform, noting that it is a long-overdue correction that will ensure fairness in revenue distribution. “This country needs a tax system that ensures states receive what they’re due. We cannot allow a few states to retain taxes that belong to others. This bill is about justice, fairness, and progress,” he added. With public hearings imminent, Dickson’s message is clear: the Tax Reform Bill will pass, and it will bring long-awaited equity to Nigeria’s revenue-sharing framework.

Lily-Rose Depp thinks it is "important to protect" her private lifePut politics aside and act on online harms, mother of sextortion victim tells MPs

ATLANTA (AP) — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats now are grappling with President Joe Biden’s pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of any federal crimes his son might have committed. The 82-year-old president said in a statement that his son’s prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who along with Biden and other White House officials insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon . That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden’s reversal could make it harder to take on Trump , who has argued that multiple indictments and one conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on the social media platform X. “When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation,” the governor continued, a reference to the president invoking fatherhood in explaining his decision. “Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on X: “This wasn’t a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers.” Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden “put personal interest ahead of duty” with a decision that “further erodes Americans’ faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all.” Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was “an improper use of power” that erodes faith in government and “emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests.” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon “understandable” if viewed only as the “action of a loving father.” But Biden's status as “our nation's Chief Executive," the senator said, rendered the move “unwise.” Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump’s use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump’s campaign and first administration. “Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France,” wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on X. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there “is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden.” Harrison pointed to Trump's apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP's pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. “Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right,” Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, “Of course I support the pardon of my son.” Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Before beating Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump faced his own legal troubles, including two cases that stemmed from his efforts to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Those cases, including Trump’s sentencing after being convicted on New York state business fraud charges, have either been dismissed or indefinitely delayed since Trump’s victory on Nov. 5, forcing Democrats to recalibrate their approach to the president-elect. In June, President Biden firmly ruled out a pardon or commutation for his son, telling reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case: “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” As recently as Nov. 8, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre ruled out a pardon or clemency for the younger Biden, saying: “We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no.” The president’s about-face came weeks before Hunter Biden was set to receive his punishment after his trial conviction in the gun case and guilty plea on tax charges. It capped a long-running legal saga for the younger Biden, who disclosed he was under federal investigation in December 2020 — a month after his father’s 2020 victory. The sweeping pardon covers not just the gun and tax offenses against the younger Biden, but also any other “offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014, through December 1, 2024.” Hunter Biden was convicted in June in Delaware federal court of three felonies for purchasing a gun in 2018 when , prosecutors said, he lied on a federal form by claiming he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs. He had been set to stand trial in September in a California case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes. But he agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor and felony charges in a surprise move hours after jury selection was set to begin. In his statement Sunday, the president argued that such offenses typically are not prosecuted with the same vigor as was directed against Hunter Biden. “The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election,” Biden said in his statement. “No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son. ... I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.” Associated Press journalists Will Weissert aboard Air Force One and Darlene Superville, Mary Claire Jalonick and Michael Tackett in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Popular vodka brand files for Chapter 11 bankruptcyStarmer vows to put Ukraine ‘in strongest possible position for negotiations’ with Russia

MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) — Tarence Guinyard scored 31 points as UT Martin beat Champion Christian 123-56 on Sunday night. Guinyard added eight rebounds and five assists for the Skyhawks (4-7). Josue Grullon scored 23 points while shooting 8 for 16, including 7 for 13 from beyond the arc and added eight rebounds. Matija Zuzic shot 6 for 14, including 5 for 12 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points. The Tigers were led in scoring by Noah Brooks, who finished with 14 points and two blocks. Champion Christian, a member of the Association of Christian College Athletics, also got 11 points from Adrian Brown. KJ Younge finished with nine points and three steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .