Category: LEAD

Feds Quietly Ban Liability for Vax Makers Through Trump’s Full Term as FDA Exposes RSV Trial Harm

Just the News
Vaccine

The federal government is protecting the manufacturers of COVID-19 and flu vaccines from product liability for another five years, on the cusp of a new administration likely to aggressively look for vaccine injuries and release its hidden books that Just the News went to court to obtain.

Didn’t hear about it? That’s because the Department of Health and Human Services does not appear to have told the public outside a Dec. 11 Federal Register notice, primarily read by regulated entities, and a generic page buried deep within HHS’s website.

Read More

Luigi Mangione Indicted on First-Degree Murder Charge in UnitedHealthcare Killing

Just the News
Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione, the suspected shooter of the late UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was indicted by a grand jury in New York on Tuesday on one count of first-degree murder, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

The 26-year-old was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania on Dec. 9, following a major manhunt. He has been formally charged in Pennsylvania with one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm. 

Read More

‘U of M Is Controlled by Wealthy Jews:’ Alleged Comments from Michigan DEI Official Leads to Firing

Michigan Star Staff
Rachel Dawson

A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer is without a job after the University of Michigan fired her for antisemitic remarks and “extremely poor” judgement stemming from an incident nine months ago.

The New York Times reports that Rachel Dawson, the former director of the university’s Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives, reportedly made antisemitic comments in a conversation at a conference in March. Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request show Dawson allegedly said U of M was “controlled by wealthy Jews.”

Read More

Michigan State Legislature Considers Election Bills Undermining Election Integrity, Critics Warn

Just the News
Voters

The Michigan state legislature is considering several election bills which would undermine election integrity if enacted, according to election integrity proponents.

The election bills that are being considered for passage by the lame-duck session of the state legislature are the Michigan Voting Rights Act, National Popular Vote legislation, and restrictions on voter roll transparency and election challengers. Election integrity advocates are concerned about the negative impact these bills will have on elections, from creating a “lawfare state” to changing how the state will allocate its electoral votes.

Read More

Michigan Parents Opting to Keep Children Out of Child Care as Closures Continue

The Center Square

Michigan is one of the most-expensive states in the nation for child care, leading some to label it a “crisis” for parents, who are increasingly choosing to opt out of it.

A new report from the Committee for Economic Development found there are 23% fewer children in paid child care throughout the state, decreasing from 400,807 in 2019 to 306,595 in 2022. It is unlikely that just one factor is contributing to those decreases.

Read More

Report: Average American Household Has More than $10,000 in Credit Card Debt

The Center Square
Empty Wallet

The average American household credit card balance as of the third quarter of 2024 was about $10,757 after adjusting for inflation, according to a new study.

The personal-finance website WalletHub on Friday released its new Credit Card Debt Study, which found that consumers added $21 billion in debt during the third quarter of 2024.

Read More

Legislation Would Combat Censorship, Book Bans in Michigan’s Public Libraries

The Center Square
Library Reading

Two bills before the Michigan House Committee on Government Operations would grant public and district library directors sole authority over the selection, inclusion, and withdrawal of library materials, as well as prohibit out-of-district withdrawal requests.

House Bills 6034 and 6035 would respectively create the Public Library Freedom to Read Act and the District Library Freedom to Read Act, which do not apply to school libraries. Cosponsor of the bills state Rep. Carol Glanville, D-Walker, said the bills are nonpartisan and aim to both support librarians and the communities they serve.

Read More

GM Pulls Out of Michigan Battery Plant Deal; GOP Calls Move Betrayal to Taxpayers

The Center Square
Ford Factory

With the construction of the Ultium Cells LLC battery cell plant in Lansing nearly finished, General Motors announced it will sell back its stake to its joint venture partner LG Energy Solution.

According to a news release, the transaction does not change GM’s ownership interest in the Ultium Cells LLC project, in which GM and LG have invested a total of $7 billion U.S. taxpayer dollars, sourced from a Department of Energy loan program.

Read More

After Record Number of Chinese Illegally Entered U.S., Biden Admin Announces Action

The Center Square
Illegal immigrants detained by CBP

After the greatest number of Chinese nationals illegally entered the country under the Biden administration – more than 176,000, creating national security threats – President Joe Biden and his administration announced several actions.

Read More

Michigan Lawmaker Pushes for New State Flag Design

The Center Square
Michigan New Flag

Michigan’s flag of 113 years could be redesigned if new legislation passes both chambers.

State Rep. Phil Skaggs, D-East Grand Rapids, introduced a bill that would set up a 17-member flag commission to officiate a public design contest to change the current state flag.

Read More

Michigan Election Integrity Group Warns Security Is Weak on Overseas Ballots, Recommends Reforms

Just the News
Absentee Ballot

A Michigan election integrity group is warning about the lack of security for overseas ballots, recommending reforms both federally and statewide.

Republicans and election integrity proponents raised concerns regarding ballots cast by U.S. citizens living overseas ahead of the presidential election, with some even taking the issue to the courts. Following the election, Michigan Fair Elections Institute (MFEI) released a report regarding issues with overseas ballots, both on the federal and state levels, and is looking forward to legislators resolving these issues.

Read More

Christian Vote, Especially Catholics, Critical to Trump’s Historic Win

The Center Square
People Voting

Christians helped push President-elect Donald Trump across the finish line on Election Day, a survey found.

Trump received the majority of the Christian vote, while Vice President Kamala Harris received the majority of the non-Christian vote.

Read More

Critics Blast Michigan Bail Reform Bills as ‘Clear Threat to Public Safety’

The Center Square
Graham Filler

Six bills under consideration in the Michigan’s House Criminal Justice Committee would reform state law to limit judges from requiring bail as a condition of release for some accused criminals awaiting trial.

Among other changes, House Bills 4655-4656 and 4658-4661 would stiffen the criteria for imposing detention conditions on a person accused of a low-level crime awaiting trial, denying judges the ability to factor in a defendant’s criminal history, prior failures to appear in court, or potential danger to the community.

Read More

Michigan Election Legislation Would Clarify Early, Absentee Voting Procedures

The Center Square
Penelope Tsernoglou

State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, introduced four House bills that would expand the allowable uses for on-demand ballot printing and clarify statutory language that was missed when implementing Michigan’s Proposal 2 of 2022.

HB 6052 would allow clerks to use on-demand ballot printing for same-day registration voters in a clerk’s office or in election day voting centers. It would also allow on-demand ballot printing for ballots printed in a language other than English so that clerks could avoid having to pre-print large numbers of non-English ballots.

Read More

Michigan House Flips Republican, Ending Trifecta of Democratic Control

The Center Square
Michigan Capitol

Republicans have taken back control of the Michigan House, flipping the chamber they lost in 2022 and ending Democrats’ governing trifecta.

Republicans will likely work to change the series of Democrat pieces of legislation implemented over the past two years, such as repealing Michigan’s Right To Work law, passing gun safety restrictions, handing out corporate subsidies in efforts to boost electric vehicle manufacturing and adoption in the state, and allowing state regulators to override local zoning laws and public choice to expand green energy projects across the state.

Read More

Michigan Supreme Court Expands Democratic Majority as GOP-Backed Judges Fail to Pick Up Seats

Daily Caller News Foundation
Michigan Supreme Court

Democrats expanded their majority on the Michigan Supreme Court, picking up an additional seat, multiple outlets reported.

Both of the Democrat-backed candidates defeated their Republican-backed opponents, shifting the Democratic majority to 5-2, according to multiple reports. Nominees for the state supreme court are chosen during party conventions, although the race is listed as nonpartisan on the ballot.

Read More

Donald Trump Projected Winner of 2024 Presidential Election

TPappert

Former President Donald Trump will be the 47th President of the United States after being projected to win 270 votes in the Electoral College by Fox News, Newsmax, DecisionDesk HQ, and NewsNation just after midnight on November 6, making him the President-elect of the United States. He will serve alongside Senator JD Vance, who was elected to serve as vice president.

Read More

Michigan Is a Road to the White House, Rep. Huizenga Says

The Daily Signal
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., said he has seen a political shift in the swing state of Michigan.

“It’s interesting to see how Michigan has just grown in importance, and as a crossroads,” Huizenga told The Daily Signal, “quite literally the road to the White House, the road to the Senate [Republican] majority, and the road to our own majority in the House of Representatives, I think runs right through Michigan.”

Read More

Non-Citizen Allegedly Cast Ballot in Michigan, Faces Criminal Charges

Just the News
Voting Stickers

A non-citizen allegedly cast a ballot in Michigan and is facing criminal charges, according to the Michigan secretary of state’s office.

The non-citizen allegedly registered to vote and cast a ballot at an Ann Arbor early voting site on Sunday, per a joint statement from the Washtenaw County prosecutor’s office and the Michigan secretary of state’s office. The alleged non-citizen voter faces charges of Unauthorized Elector Attempting To Vote and Perjury – Making a False Affidavit for Purpose of Securing Voter Registration.

Read More

Michigan Bill Would Increase Voter ID Requirements

The Center Square
Michigan Voter ID Bill

Michigan voters would need to provide extensive documentation when showing up to the polls in order for their vote to be immediately counted if a newly introduced state senate bill becomes law.

Senate Bill 1034, sponsored by state Sen. Jonathan Lindsey, R-Allen, would require Michiganders to present both proof of identity and proof of residency when signing an affidavit to receive a ballot at polling locations.

Read More

Michigan to Use Millions of Taxpayer Dollars for Free Birth Control

Daily Caller News Foundation
Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer launched a new multimillion-dollar program in her state Wednesday offering free birth control to all residents.

The “Take Control of your Birth Control” program will provide Michiganders with condoms, over-the-counter oral contraceptives and emergency contraception starting in November until supplies run out, according to a press release. The program is being administered by Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services, which was awarded $5.6 million in taxpayer funds to expand family planning services, according to the state’s budget.

Read More

Detroit Muslim Leader Removed from Harris Campaign Rally Says Muslims Feel ‘Unwelcome in This Party’

Just the News
Ahmed Ghanim

A Detroit Muslim leader was removed from a Kamala Harris rally and says a campaign organizer told him to leave without providing a reason.

“She took me to the door, and she closed it, and I found two police officers waiting there, and she said, ‘You have to leave right now,’” Ghanim told the Metro Times on Tuesday. “I asked why she was kicking me out. She wouldn’t answer. I was very calmly asking why I was being kicked out.”

Read More

Michigan Judge Blocks Republican Effort to Limit Votes of Children and Spouses of Americans Overseas

Just the News

A federal judge in Michigan on Monday blocked a Republican-led effort to limit the votes of certain adult children and spouses of military servicemembers and other personnel who are stationed overseas.

The Republican National Committee and the Michigan Republican Party sued Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson earlier this month, questioning the constitutionality of allowing voters who were born to military service members or diplomatic staff stationed overseas to vote in the state if they never actually resided there.

Read More

Complaint Alleges Michigan’s Top Election Official Misrepresented Facts to Keep RFK Jr. on Ballot

The Daily Signal
Jocelyn Benson

Michigan’s top election official, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, is the subject of a bar complaint over her department’s actions to keep independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name on the ballot.

State Sen. Ruth Johnson, a Republican who immediately preceded Benson as secretary of state, filed the bar complaint alleging that Benson manipulated procedures to undermine the Nov. 5 election.

Read More

RNC Strikes Deal with Detroit to Boost Number of Republican Poll Workers Ahead of 2024 Election

Just the News

The Republican National Committee (RNC) on Friday secured a settlement from the city of Detroit, which includes hiring more Republican poll workers ahead of next month’s presidential election.

The settlement comes after the RNC, Michigan GOP, and chairs of Wayne County Republican committee sued Detroit in August over hiring over seven times more Democratic poll workers than Republican ones in the state’s primary election, in an alleged violation of state law.

Read More

Michigan Catholic Bishops Slam Whitmer over Viral Skit Accused of Mocking Communion

Just the News
Gretchen Whitmer

The Michigan Catholic bishops conference on Friday slammed the state’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over a skit that appeared to mock people receiving Communion. 

The video, which was posted on social media by podcast host Liz Plank, showed Whitmer placing a Dorito onto the kneeling Plank’s tongue in the same manner that priests place a wafer on the recipient’s tongue in the Holy Eucharist.

Read More

New Michigan Law Extends Family Welfare Program Time Limit to Five Years

The Center Square
Sarah Anthony

Michigan families relying on the Family Independence Program can now stay on welfare for a longer period of time after a new law took effect Tuesday.

Senate Bill 932, sponsored by state Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, extends the time families can receive cash assistance through the FIP from four to five years.

Read More

Whitmer to Sign Bills Unionizing Family Caregivers in Michigan

The Center Square
Caregivers

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature would unionize the home caregiver field in Michigan by creating a replica of a state council that voters overwhelmingly repealed in 2012.

Senate bills 790 and 791 would create the Home Help Caregiving Council, which would classify home caregivers as employees of the state rather than employees of the person they care for. This would allow the Service Employees International Union to collect dues out of caregivers’ Medicaid subsidies for the purposes of collective bargaining. 

Read More

Feds Charge Five Michigan College Graduates from China Found near Military Site

Just the News
University of Michigan sign

Federal prosecutors charged five University of Michigan graduates from China with several crimes on Tuesday night, after they were allegedly discovered at a military facility in northern Michigan last year.

The graduates were caught with cameras at the facility during a joint training exercise between U.S. national guardsmen and members of the Taiwanese military in August of 2023, according to the Detroit News.

Read More

Likely Voters in Michigan and Wisconsin Choose Trump over Harris, Poll Finds

The Center Square
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

With absentee voting having already started, Michigan and Wisconsin voters are leaning Republican, an Atlas Intel poll released recently finds.

Former president Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris in the Midwest swing states among likely voters, both in head-to-head matchups and multi-candidate ballots.

Read More

Michigan Bills Would Prevent State Funding of Companies Using Slave Labor

The Center Square
Bryan Posthumus

Two identical bills introduced to the Michigan House and Senate would prohibit the state from entering economic development deals with companies tied to forced Chinese labor in the global supply chain.

HB 5959, sponsored by State Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Cannon Township, and SB 1015, sponsored by State Sen. Joe Bellino, would forbid the Michigan Strategic fund from subsidizing or providing tax incentives to companies that appear on the national Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List.

Read More

Potential Conflict of Interest Between Local Officials and China-Linked Gotion Rattle Michigan Suit

Just the News

The Michigan township that turned against a planned battery plant project led by a China-tied company, and is now being sued over their decision, alleged in court filings that former board trustees failed to disclose conflicts of interest and apparent inducements to approve the controversial project. 

The allegations filed late last week are poised to shake up battery-maker Gotion’s lawsuit against the Green Charter Township and its new board, which moved to reverse efforts by the previous trustees to facilitate the firm’s plans to build and electric vehicle battery plant in the community. The new board’s efforts, Gotion claims, violate a Development Agreement signed between it and the township last year. 

Read More

Michigan Lawmakers Aim to Boost Funding, Recruitment of Law Enforcement

The Center Square

Michigan lawmakers are launching bipartisan efforts to increase police recruitment and benefits as the number of law enforcement officers trends downward in the state. U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Mich., introduced legislation Friday that would provide $50 million annually to state and local law enforcement agencies to create “Pathways to Policing” programs aimed at boosting recruitment in the field. 

Read More

Michigan Minors Could Face Social Media Restrictions, Increased Parental Oversight

The Center Square
Kids on Tablet

Michigan House lawmakers are taking steps to increase online child safety by introducing a bill that would impact minors, their parents and social media companies.

The Social Media Regulation Act, introduced by State Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, would require social media companies to verify the ages of new and existing users, restrict companies from collecting data or sharing minors’ personal information, and provide extensive parental controls.

Read More

Michigan Republicans Reveal Plan to Boost School Resources, Student Learning

The Center Square
Students in Class Learning

Following a Michigan Department of Education report showing drops in reading and math proficiency in some grades, Michigan House Republicans have unveiled a multi-step plan to boost student achievement and teacher support.

The plan would provide extra funding for school safety and mental health resources, waive state fees for teachers and modernize the standard curriculum, State Reps. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, and Nancy DeBoer, R-Holland, announced Monday.

Read More

Feds: Radioactive Waste Shipment to Wayne County Poses No Environmental Threat

The Center Square
Niagara Falls Storage Site

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers addressed concerns voiced by Michigan lawmakers about the shipment of radioactive waste to Wayne Disposal, assuring the public all proper safety measures are in place and that environmental surveillance will continue throughout the transport process.

Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, had submitted a series of questions to the USACE, asking for details about its unexpected plan to ship 6,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and concrete and 4,000 gallons of contaminated groundwater from the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Wayne County.

Read More

Michigan U.S. Senate Candidates Clash on Electric Vehicles in Labor Policy Visions

The Center Square
Electric Vehicle charging station

Michigan’s U.S. Senate candidates are running on their records regarding labor and economic policy, but they are opposed on the role of electric vehicles. 

Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin’s approach to labor policy focuses primarily on supporting domestic manufacturing. Her campaign page says she is focused on “creating jobs with dignity, bringing our supply chains back to America, and protecting the rights of workers.”

Read More

Grand Rapids, Other Cities Granted $275 Million for Development Projects

The Center Square
Workers laying concrete

As part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Make it in Michigan” plan, a state board has approved millions in subsidies for development projects in Grand Rapids, Northville and Greenville. 

The Michigan Strategic Fund board authorized a $252.3 million Transformational Brownfield Plan incentive package for mixed-use development projects in Grand Rapids that include construction of the 12,000-seat Acrisure Amphitheater, an 8,500-seat soccer stadium, a riverwalk, and a 21-story mixed-use building with 475 rental apartments, 3,660 square feet of retail and 475 parking garage spaces. 

Read More

Michigan Lawmakers Demand Oakland County End Water Pollution, Citing Community Health Risks

The Center Square
Cleaning dishes in kitchen sink

Michigan lawmakers continue to condemn Oakland County for polluting nearby waterways, demanding the county end its decades-old practice of dumping wastewater overflow through drains that empty into nearby waterways.

“Protecting our waterways and strengthening our infrastructure is one of the most important responsibilities that elected officials in Michigan have, whether we serve at the local or state level,” Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion, said Monday. “Oakland County officials can’t claim to care about the environment while they continue to put residents and wildlife at risk through this dangerous practice.”

Read More

Poll: Slight Harris Lead in Michigan, But Issues Favor Trump

American Greatness
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

A new American Greatness/TIPP poll shows that among likely voters in Michigan, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in a near-dead heat battle, with Harris at 46%, Trump at 45%, and RFK Jr. at 5%, before his announcement to drop out of the race and endorse Trump.

In a two-person race, Kamala leads by 2%, 48-46%, within the margin of error for this survey.

Read More

Michigan Attorney General Admits Michigan’s Minimum Wage Increase Poses Difficulties

The Center Square
Dana Nessel

Republican lawmakers are not the only ones raising concerns about Michigan’s minimum wage changes. Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed a motion with the state’s Supreme Court, asking for guidance on how to implement inflation adjustments.

Nessel specifically pointed out how the court’s broad language in its July ruling could lead to five possible options for when and how to adjust the minimum wage over time, with the state Department of Treasury’s approach and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s approach also at odds with each other.

Read More

City of Detroit Hired over 2,000 More Democratic Poll Workers than GOP in 2024 Primary, Violating State Law

Just the News
Voting Station

The Detroit Department of Elections hired 2,000+ more Democrats than Republicans as poll workers for the August primary election, similar to prior elections over the last four years and contrary to state law. That law states that election clerks must “appoint an equal number, as nearly as possible, of election inspectors in each election precinct from each major political party.”

Nearly 80% more Democrats were hired as poll workers for Detroit’s primary election this year compared to Republicans. This stark contrast is a trend that has repeatedly occurred over the last four years in Detroit and happened in Flint in 2022, despite state law requiring nearly equal numbers of poll workers from both political parties.

Read More

Feds Plan to Send Polluted Waste to Michigan

The Center Square
Niagara Falls Storage Site

Michigan lawmakers are expressing alarm at an unexpected federal decision to send thousands of tons of radioactive waste from New York to a disposal facility in Wayne County.

The Niagara Falls Storage Site, which holds World War II era radioactive byproducts and waste from uranium processing during the atomic bomb project, will send 6,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and concrete and 4,000 gallons of groundwater with elevated radiation levels to Wayne Disposal.

Read More

Michigan Bill Would Protect Some First Responders from Employer Discrimination

The Center Square
Firefighters

A new bill introduced to the Michigan House would protect emergency responders from getting penalized for leaving work to address crises.

Rep. Jaime Greene, R-Richmond, introduced HB 5905 Tuesday, which would prohibit employers from discriminating against, disciplining or discharging an employee for being absent from work to deal with an emergency as an emergency responder.

Read More

Michigan Teacher Shortages Alleviated but Student Performance Has Not Increased

The Center Square
Classroom

Michigan has made progress addressing teacher shortages in hard-to-fill subjects and specialties within the past five years, the State Board of Education announced.

Since the 2017-18 school year, the number of certified teachers teaching math jumped 60 percent, 31 percent for science, and 53 percent for English as a Second Language and bilingual education. The number of early childhood education teachers increased by 171 percent.

Read More

Michigan Senate Candidates Bash Each Other for Alleged Deals with Chinese Companies

The Center Square

Both Michigan candidates for the U.S. Senate hold “tough on China” stances, but in the wake of the Aug. 6 primaries, Democrat Rep. Elissa Slotkin and Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers have escalated accusations that their opponent supports Chinese businesses. 

“Want to know the truth about Slotkin? All it takes is a quick Google search,” Rogers posted to social media recently. 

Read More

Failed Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Paid $60,000 to Teach University of Michigan Public Policy Class

Michigan Star Staff
Lori lightfoot

The University of Michigan is spending $60,000 to have ousted Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot co-teach a course on public policy this fall, according to her contract obtained by The College Fix.

Lightfoot is a Democrat whose onerous actions on COVID-19, her refusal to give exclusive interviews to white journalists, and rampant crime during her tenure, among other issues, prompted massive criticism and led to her losing her re-election bid last year to Mayor Brandon Johnson. She has since become a darling of higher education institutions, teaching at Harvard, University of Chicago, and now Michigan.

Read More