West Virginia
Marshall sued for discrimination over plans to drop women’s swimming, diving
More than a dozen members of the Marshall University women’s swimming and diving team have filed a lawsuit over plans by the school to drop the sport.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in southern West Virginia, accuses Marshall of discriminating against current and potentially future female student-athletes on the basis of their sex in violation of Title IX and by depriving them of equal opportunities to participate.
Marshall said Tuesday the decision to discontinue the program was in the best interest of the school. Marshall declined comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, which seeks an injunction prohibiting the school in Huntington, West Virginia, from moving forward with its plans.
Over the past year, a growing number of universities have added or dropped entire sports programs as dramatic changes roll through college athletics under a $2.8 billion NCAA settlement.
Marshall announced last month that it would drop swimming and add stunt — a sport that incorporates aspects of cheerleading — to its women’s sports offerings. The swim team found out the day before the start of its conference championship meet that its program would end after 23 years.
Athletic director Gerald Harrison told the Marshall Board of Governors on Feb. 17 that the team has a $819,000 annual budget, its facilities don’t meet NCAA competition standards and that the athletic department couldn’t commit the funding needed to upgrade the facilities and sustain the program. Stunt, which could support up to 65 athletes, would cost an estimated $320,000 per year, according to Marshall President Brad Smith.
Smith cited long-term financial sustainability, expanded participation opportunities under Title IX and the facility and infrastructure requirements necessary to support the program.
Title IX ensures equity between men and women in education and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal funds. The lawsuit alleges that even if Marshall were to keep swimming and add stunt, it would fail to comply with Title IX requirements for athletic participation opportunities for women.
Washington
Epstein’s longtime accountant testifies on his wealth and business ties
WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers were digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling financial portfolio on Wednesday as a committee deposed his former accountant and tried to understand his connections to some of the world’s wealthiest men.
Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for years and now serves as an executor of his estate, appeared for the closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill. He told lawmakers that he had not personally seen evidence of Epstein’s sexual abuse, but provided a fuller picture of how Epstein acquired his wealth. The wealthy financier made hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades, during which he struck up friendships with some of the world’s most powerful men.
Kahn “was under the impression that Epstein made his money as a tax advisor and a financial planner,” said Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers argued that a fuller picture of Epstein’s finances could help the public understand how, for years, he was able to get away with trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls.
“Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without Richard Kahn, who managed Epstein’s money for years, authorized payments, including payments to victims and survivors,” said Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., who added that Kahn told them he was unable to recall details of some of the transactions and communications that he was asked about.
Kahn has said that he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual abuse and had not seen any of his victims.
Comer, R-Ky., also said that lawmakers confirmed during the deposition that Epstein received significant amounts of money from former retail shopping chain executive Les Wexner, hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, tech entrepreneur Steven Sinofsky, investor Leon Black and the Rothschilds, a wealthy banking family.
None of those people have been accused of wrongdoing in their relationships with Epstein, but Democrats on the committee argued that anyone with ties to the wealthy financier should be scrutinized. Wexner was deposed by the committee last month, and Comer has also called on Black, among several others, to appear for transcribed interviews.
Kahn also told lawmakers that Epstein had financial ties to Ehud Barak, who was the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001, according to Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. Barak has not been accused of wrongdoing and has said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.
Comer also said Wednesday that the committee has reviewed over 40,000 documents that it subpoenaed from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Epstein was connected to at least 64 business entities, according to Comer.
Republican President Donald Trump has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his own ties to Epstein, and Comer said that Kahn had never seen any financial transactions between Epstein and Trump. Comer said that Kahn is the latest witness to testify that they had never seen Trump doing anything wrong with Epstein.
“The investigation’s about getting the truth to the American people, trying to figure out how the government failed, answer questions we all have,” Comer said.
Nevada
Sentencing delayed for actor convicted of sexual assault
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The sentencing for Nathan Chasing Horse following his conviction for sexual assault of Indigenous women and girls has been delayed by a week.
The sentencing was scheduled to take place Wednesday, but Judge Jessica Peterson agreed to move the hearing to March 18. It will bring to a close a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country.
The sentencing of the “Dances With Wolves” actor comes about a month after a Nevada jury convicted him on 13 of the 21 charges he faced. Most related to his conduct with a victim who was 14 when he began assaulting her. Chasing Horse was acquitted of some sexual assault charges.
He faces a minimum of 25 years in prison.
Following the trial, Chasing Horse’s attorney Craig Mueller filed a motion for a new trial, arguing a witness was not qualified to talk about grooming and that the statute of limitations had expired. That motion was denied.
Marshall sued for discrimination over plans to drop women’s swimming, diving
More than a dozen members of the Marshall University women’s swimming and diving team have filed a lawsuit over plans by the school to drop the sport.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in southern West Virginia, accuses Marshall of discriminating against current and potentially future female student-athletes on the basis of their sex in violation of Title IX and by depriving them of equal opportunities to participate.
Marshall said Tuesday the decision to discontinue the program was in the best interest of the school. Marshall declined comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, which seeks an injunction prohibiting the school in Huntington, West Virginia, from moving forward with its plans.
Over the past year, a growing number of universities have added or dropped entire sports programs as dramatic changes roll through college athletics under a $2.8 billion NCAA settlement.
Marshall announced last month that it would drop swimming and add stunt — a sport that incorporates aspects of cheerleading — to its women’s sports offerings. The swim team found out the day before the start of its conference championship meet that its program would end after 23 years.
Athletic director Gerald Harrison told the Marshall Board of Governors on Feb. 17 that the team has a $819,000 annual budget, its facilities don’t meet NCAA competition standards and that the athletic department couldn’t commit the funding needed to upgrade the facilities and sustain the program. Stunt, which could support up to 65 athletes, would cost an estimated $320,000 per year, according to Marshall President Brad Smith.
Smith cited long-term financial sustainability, expanded participation opportunities under Title IX and the facility and infrastructure requirements necessary to support the program.
Title IX ensures equity between men and women in education and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal funds. The lawsuit alleges that even if Marshall were to keep swimming and add stunt, it would fail to comply with Title IX requirements for athletic participation opportunities for women.
Washington
Epstein’s longtime accountant testifies on his wealth and business ties
WASHINGTON (AP) — House lawmakers were digging into Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling financial portfolio on Wednesday as a committee deposed his former accountant and tried to understand his connections to some of the world’s wealthiest men.
Richard Kahn, who worked closely with Epstein for years and now serves as an executor of his estate, appeared for the closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill. He told lawmakers that he had not personally seen evidence of Epstein’s sexual abuse, but provided a fuller picture of how Epstein acquired his wealth. The wealthy financier made hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades, during which he struck up friendships with some of the world’s most powerful men.
Kahn “was under the impression that Epstein made his money as a tax advisor and a financial planner,” said Rep. James Comer, the Republican chair of the House Oversight Committee. Lawmakers argued that a fuller picture of Epstein’s finances could help the public understand how, for years, he was able to get away with trafficking and sexually abusing underage girls.
“Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring would not have been possible without Richard Kahn, who managed Epstein’s money for years, authorized payments, including payments to victims and survivors,” said Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., who added that Kahn told them he was unable to recall details of some of the transactions and communications that he was asked about.
Kahn has said that he was unaware of Epstein’s sexual abuse and had not seen any of his victims.
Comer, R-Ky., also said that lawmakers confirmed during the deposition that Epstein received significant amounts of money from former retail shopping chain executive Les Wexner, hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin, tech entrepreneur Steven Sinofsky, investor Leon Black and the Rothschilds, a wealthy banking family.
None of those people have been accused of wrongdoing in their relationships with Epstein, but Democrats on the committee argued that anyone with ties to the wealthy financier should be scrutinized. Wexner was deposed by the committee last month, and Comer has also called on Black, among several others, to appear for transcribed interviews.
Kahn also told lawmakers that Epstein had financial ties to Ehud Barak, who was the prime minister of Israel from 1999 to 2001, according to Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam. Barak has not been accused of wrongdoing and has said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.
Comer also said Wednesday that the committee has reviewed over 40,000 documents that it subpoenaed from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Epstein was connected to at least 64 business entities, according to Comer.
Republican President Donald Trump has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his own ties to Epstein, and Comer said that Kahn had never seen any financial transactions between Epstein and Trump. Comer said that Kahn is the latest witness to testify that they had never seen Trump doing anything wrong with Epstein.
“The investigation’s about getting the truth to the American people, trying to figure out how the government failed, answer questions we all have,” Comer said.
Nevada
Sentencing delayed for actor convicted of sexual assault
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The sentencing for Nathan Chasing Horse following his conviction for sexual assault of Indigenous women and girls has been delayed by a week.
The sentencing was scheduled to take place Wednesday, but Judge Jessica Peterson agreed to move the hearing to March 18. It will bring to a close a case that sent shock waves through Indian Country.
The sentencing of the “Dances With Wolves” actor comes about a month after a Nevada jury convicted him on 13 of the 21 charges he faced. Most related to his conduct with a victim who was 14 when he began assaulting her. Chasing Horse was acquitted of some sexual assault charges.
He faces a minimum of 25 years in prison.
Following the trial, Chasing Horse’s attorney Craig Mueller filed a motion for a new trial, arguing a witness was not qualified to talk about grooming and that the statute of limitations had expired. That motion was denied.
