Melania Trump's White House Absence Fuels Intrigue | JQJO

Virginia state Senator L. Louise Lucas, eighty‑two, was charged with racketeering and money laundering conspiracy tied to a cannabis business she co‑owns. Federal authorities announced the indictment on Thursday, and Lucas surrendered to the FBI. She faces additional charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The case also involves her daughters and other associates. The Justice Department noted the investigation began before the Trump administration, and the charges were filed just weeks before the midterm election. Lucas issued a statement saying she will not be intimidated and will continue to fight against perceived silencing.

In a Wednesday night debate, Kansas Senate candidates Roger Marshall (R) and Adam Hamilton (D) clashed over President Donald Trump, immigration, Iran, transgender athletes, artificial intelligence, and personal controversies. Marshall was questioned about a New York Times review that found his former medical practice sued more than 700 patients over unpaid bills; he defended the practice’s charitable giving and business expenses. Hamilton faced questions about a volunteer at his church’s summer camp who was accused of sexual abuse; he admitted he should have prevented the individual from returning to the camp. Trump appeared via footage from a recent campaign event, prompting Marshall to say he does not always agree with the president’s agenda. The debate, held less than two weeks before Election Day, underscored the national attention on the race, with Trump traveling to Kansas earlier in the week to campaign for Marshall. The discussion set the stage for a highly contested Senate contest in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.

A federal judge ruled late Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s practice of knocking on doors and asking about immigration status and recent voting likely violates the Voting Rights Act. Judge Araceli Martinez‑Olguin ordered immigration authorities to cease elections‑related field operations in nine states, including California and New York, until polls close. The ruling followed a CBS News investigation that documented agents approaching homes in multiple states. Martinez‑Olguin sided with groups that sued over the practice, citing intimidation of legal voters and high likelihood of error in target lists. The order remains until Election Day, with a stay until Friday 5 p.m. to allow appeal.

A federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to stop field investigations targeting noncitizen voters in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin. The judge cited faulty data that includes U.S. citizens and warned that investigations could wrongly target citizens. The order will take effect Friday afternoon, giving the Trump administration time to appeal, and will remain in force until after the midterm elections. The ruling limits DHS actions such as interviews and door‑knocking when a target may be a citizen.

Prosecutors in New Mexico filed a civil lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime lawyer Darren Indyke and accountant Richard Kahn, accusing them of profiting from his sex‑trafficking ring. The lawsuit, filed under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act and New Mexico Racketeering Act, claims the men concealed abuse at Epstein’s Zorro Ranch near Santa Fe. Indyke and Kahn deny any knowledge of the crimes and their attorney rejected the claims as "categorically false." The suit is separate from the state’s criminal probe, which was re‑launched in February. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez argues the executors are blocking victims’ efforts to recover Epstein’s estimated $635 million estate.

A Republican candidate released a viral attack ad that featured the mother of Democratic nominee Amy Acton, calling her daughter a liar. The ad omitted that Acton alleged her mother was raped by her stepfather forty years ago when she was twelve. Acton and her brother were removed from their mother’s custody in 1978 after her stepfather was arrested and charged. The stepfather was never prosecuted and died in 2004. The ad was first posted on social media on Monday evening, and the campaign confirmed it on Tuesday, pledging to spend four million dollars to air it further. Ohio Governor Kathy Hochul and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker condemned the attack as abhorrent and vile. Acton’s team countered with a video featuring her brother Philip Stearns, describing childhood abuse and criticizing the Republican candidate.