NEW YORK — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of tax and gun charges . People are also reading... “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Former President Donald Trump walks to make comments to members of the news media May 30 after a jury convicted him of felony crimes for falsifying business records in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York. Seth Wenig, Associated Press/Pool In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, also would allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and since were selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes. PHOTOS: Donald Trump's Election Day 2024 Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Julia Demaree Nikhinson Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as Melania Trump looks on at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Lynne Sladky Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks as former first lady Melania Trump listens after they voted on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump visits his campaign headquarters, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, joined by, from right, Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican Presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives with =former first lady Melania Trump and son Barron Trump at the Palm Beach County Convention Center during an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Lynne Sladky Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump walk after voting on Election Day at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump, with Melania Trump and Barron Trump, arrives to speak at an election night watch party, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletterDonte DiVincenzo grabbed a defensive rebound under the hoop off a Max Christie air ball, took a couple of hard dribbles to the side of the floor and heaved the ball forward into the frontcourt, dropping his pass over Christie’s out-stretched arms and into the lap of Julius Randle. The result was an easy flush for Randle that extended Minnesota’s lead to 12 in the second quarter of the Wolves’ win over the Lakers on Monday night at the Target Center. ADVERTISEMENT As Randle was putting away the score, Wolves head coach Chris Finch looked back and pointed at DiVincenzo, his way of saying, “Thank you.” Minnesota scored 20 fast-break points Monday, marking just the fourth time this season it’s hit such a total. Nine of those points came off DiVincenzo dimes. “He did a really good job of igniting our break,” Finch said. “We’ve been emphasizing trying to kick ahead more, throw the pass wide, change the angle of the floor, all that. He did a really good job of getting off of it, he and Nickeil (Alexander-Walker) connected on a couple. His decision-making was really good tonight, getting off of it quick and finding the open guy and moving it.” DiVincenzo noted there’s a distinct trust factor in basketball, and it’s prevalent in several areas within the game. If you want your teammates to consistently do something, they need to believe you’ll hold up your end of the bargain. If the Wolves want Rudy Gobert to block a shot, they need to be checking the man he is leaving on the defensive glass. If you want your teammates to run the floor hard in transition, you had better be willing to kick the ball ahead. “That’s what we did tonight, everybody,” DiVincenzo said. “And when we do that, it deflates the other team.” Minnesota has infrequently been difficult to play against this season. A piece of that equation is the Wolves often leave the easy money on the table. Fast-break points sit atop that list. According to CleaningTheGlass.com, only 13.1% of Minnesota’s offensive possessions are played in transition. That’s dead last in the NBA, even after Monday’s performance. Transition was a weak point of last year’s team, as well, but the additions of Randle and DiVincenzo were supposed to infuse some pace. But old habits die hard. The Wolves have rarely looked for opportunities to get out and run. They often don’t seem interested in the idea. It requires effort and intention. So, it’s a difficult switch to flip after it spent much of last year in the “off” position. ADVERTISEMENT “Just knowing you’ve got to run the floor at all times,” Wolves wing Jaden McDaniels said. “Even when you’re tired, or if the game is not going your way, just to get easy points and run the floor for your teammates.” Randle agreed that sometimes he’ll dribble up the floor and no one will be running alongside him, but added there are things he should do differently, as well. “I might get the rebound and I’m probing instead of just pushing and throwing the ball ahead and looking to flatten the defense out that way,” he said. “Or you’re probing instead of punching the gaps, or whatever it is, and you’re letting the defense catch up, so it’s just little things like that.” Minnesota’s best transition groups figure to be those that don’t include Gobert. But those lineups have been hindered by an inability to grab defensive rebounds. That has to be priority No. 1 in any instance; but once that’s secured, there needs to be more urgency to go. As Monday showed, transition offense can be a major feather in the cap of a team that sometimes struggles to score with consistency. For instance, in the first quarter, the Wolves scored just 22 points, but six came in transition. The positive sign for Minnesota is that when the issue was emphasized, players like DiVincenzo made a point to answer the call. “I think playing fast, making quick decisions, letting us use our athleticism and our quick decisions (helps),” DiVincenzo said. “I think when you slow down sometimes, guys kind of get out of rhythm. Playing fast, getting the early transition opportunities, gets everybody going, and then we can play both types of games.” ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. 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Shares of Ball Corp. .css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-321ztr-OverridedLink.css-321ztr-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} .css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{display:inline;color:var(--color-interactiveLink010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:200ms,200ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink{transition-property:color,fill;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1),cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1);}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink020);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink020);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveLink030);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:active:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveLink030);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled){color:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:visited:hover:not(:disabled) svg{fill:var(--color-interactiveVisited010);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-color:var(--outlineColorDefault);outline-style:var(--outlineStyleDefault);outline-width:var(--outlineWidthDefault);outline-offset:var(--outlineOffsetDefault);}@media not all and (min-resolution: 0.001dpcm){@supports (-webkit-appearance: none) and (stroke-color: transparent){.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:focus-visible:not(:disabled){outline-style:var(--safariOutlineStyleDefault);}}}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(54,119,168,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link svg{fill:rgba(54,119,168,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:rgba(47,112,157,1);border-bottom:1px solid;border-bottom-color:rgba(47,112,157,1);}.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink.css-1vykwuz-OverridedLink:any-link:hover svg{fill:rgba(47,112,157,1);} BALL shed 1.08% to $62.15 Tuesday, on what proved to be an all-around mixed trading session for the stock market, with the S&P 500 Index SPX rising 0.05% to 6,049.88 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA falling 0.17% to 44,705.53. Ball Corp. closed $9.17 below its 52-week high ($71.32), which the company achieved on April 30th.
How to Change the Default Search Engine in Google ChromeDavid Herndon, the Kansas bank commissioner, told a joint committee of the Kansas Legislature that he continued to have reservations about the banking charter issued to Beneficient Fiduciary Financial LLC of Hesston because the law creating the unique form of banking prevented state regulators from fully reviewing operations of SFF. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — The Kansas banking commissioner renewed apprehension about regulatory limitations in state law that inhibit thorough examination of the unusual business granted a banking charter by order of the Kansas Legislature. State banking commissioner David Herndon said Kansas law adopted in 2022 provided the charter to Beneficient Fiduciary Financial LLC of Hesston and simultaneously forbid the Kansas Office of State Banking Commissioner from applying international evaluation standards to BFF. The statute blocked the commissioner from rating BFF in terms of capital adequacy, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity and sensitivity to market risk. Kansas kept state banking regulators from fully examining operations of BFF, Herndon said, despite his belief BFF’s debt instruments should be considered a “substandard asset.” Two recent limited evaluations of BFF by Herdon’s staff remain confidential, he said. In addition, Herndon last week told the Kansas Joint Committee on Fiduciary Financial Institutions that state law failed to meet requirements established by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for background checks of organizers at BFF or any other technology-enabled fiduciary financial institution, or TEFFI, authorized by the state. So far, BFF is the lone TEFFI in Kansas. “Those concerns remain, and in some cases, have deepened,” said Herndon, who had sounded alarms since inception of the TEFFI concept. “It is still impossible to conduct a meaningful safety and soundness examination.” The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission launched an investigation of Beneficient, the Dallas-based parent company of BFF. In July, Beneficient said the SEC closed that inquiry and wouldn’t recommend enforcement action by the SEC. However, Herndon said, financial problems at the parent company could bleed into BFF and other Beneficient subsidiaries. A series of executives associated with Beneficient and BFF offered the bipartisan House and Senate oversight committee a contrary perspective on work to implement a TEFFI law unique to Kansas. The executives said the company had faced challenges, but were bullish on prospects of generating revenue, contributing to economic development in Kansas and serving as a positive example for how business could be conducted under a TEFFI model. The heart of the operation involved Beneficient assisting wealthy individuals and business owners to exchange illiquid assets locked in investment funds for liquid assets such as cash and stock. Beneficient has no interest in the deals on expensive artwork, antique vehicles or wine collections, but has targeted private equity assets that hold value but don’t produce regular cash flow. The Kansas-endorsed business earns fees for work with these alternative assets. Twenty percent of a 2.5% cut in fee revenue must be diverted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for distribution to economic development projects across the state. The remaining 80% of this slice of fee revenue must flow to the Beneficient Heartland Foundation for economic development in Hesston. Brad Heppner, CEO and board chairman of BFF, said constraints in the U.S. economy inhibited mergers and acquisitions that would have contributed to Beneficient’s TEFFI business model. After taking Beneficient public on Nasdaq in 2023, the financial services company’s stock crashed. The 52-week high in Beneficient stock value was $51.14 per share and the 52-week low was less that $1 per share. On Tuesday, it sat at 82 cents per share. Heppner told state lawmakers he was optimistic there would be a surge during the next year or so in U.S. mergers and acquisitions. He said the forecast was based, in part, on promises made by President-elect Donald Trump. “We have turned the corner,” Heppner said. “Finally, after a pretty disastrous previous year.” He said there were no guarantee of a stronger market for alternative asset deals, “but there’s general euphoria.” In April 2022, Heppner predicted as many as 50 companies eager to operate as a TEFFI could open offices in Hesston within two years. None have done so. Rep. Stephen Owens, a Hesston Republican and legislative champion of BFF and Beneficient, said when the TEFFI law was created that it could attract alternative asset businesses to Kansas in the same way the credit card issuing industry boomed in South Dakota. He said two years ago a business-friendly TEFFI model could drive as much as $1 billion over a decade into Kansas. Owens is on the joint legislative oversight committee responsible for monitoring BFF. Democratic Sen. Jeff Pittman of Leavenworth, another member of the committee, said he was concerned the TEFFI concept hadn’t taken off in the way Heppner and Owens predicted in the past. He said members of the Legislature would benefit from testimony by independent experts in the banking industry who might explain what was holding back investment in the TEFFI market. During the joint committee’s recent hearing at the Capitol, testimony came from BFF associates, the state banking commissioner and the state Department of Commerce. Heppner said it was true BFF remained the lone TEFFI in the United States, but he asserted there was interest from two out-of-state groups that might be willing to enter the alternative asset business in Kansas. He didn’t identify those entities. The state banking commissioner said he’d had no inquiries from companies intrigued by Kansas’ first-of-its-kind alternative asset framework. Sen. Michael Fagg, R-El Dorado, praised BFF’s distribution of several million dollars in economic development seed grants through the Department of Commerce. The third round of grants were released by the Department of Commerce in September. Fagg lauded plans to move ahead with revitalization of Main Street in Hesston, including development of a grocery store. That work is funneled through the Beneficient’s foundation. “We wouldn’t have any of this economic development without BFF,” Fagg said. “We’re trying to promote a new idea. I wanted to personally and publicly thank them (BFF) for that.” Former state Sen. Jeff King, an attorney with Crossroads Legal Solutions who represents Benificient and BFF, said the federal SEC investigation of Beneficient came to an end. He said the Beneficient believed it was time for the Legislature to consider how the current regulatory structure had performed and how changes could more effectively attract clients. Alan Dienes, managing director and chief operating office at BFF, urged lawmakers to exempt BFF from certain regulations typical of a bank. He said state law required BFF to complete daily and monthly reports in the manner of a bank, but the TEFFI shouldn’t be treated as such. He said the 2025 Legislature should allow BFF more time to compile quarterly reports and be exempted from lending limits. “We think it’s time to start fine-tuning the statute,” he said. “The world changes a little bit.” BFF executives urged the Legislature to compel the Department of Commerce to launch a marketing campaign to recruit businesses that might make use of a TEFFI charter. BFF president Derek Fletcher said the state’s TEFFI law should be amended during the upcoming session to recognize movement toward digitization of asset ownership. He said the state’s $250,000 application fee for a TEFFI was too high, despite the scheduled lowering of that fee to $100,000 next year. He said the fee was a barrier to entry into the TEFFI business world. If the Legislature took up a TEFFI reform bill, the state banking commissioner said lawmakers should include provisions that would address voluntary or involuntary termination of BFF operations or of any subsequent TEFFI. Beneficient executives previously opposed placement into statute of language that outlined what would happen if a TEFFI was declared insolvent. In the past, Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, was unsuccessful in generating interest in legislation that would grant state regulators the authority to suspend Beneficient’s operations. Holland also had sought a state-led inquiry of Beneficient and Beneficient’s former parent company, GWG Holdings. A federal lawsuit alleges GWG Holdings misled investors by selling hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds. GWG Holdings spun off Beneficient in 2022 as the Legislature was engaged in developing a program to create the TEFFI sought by Beneficient.