DEMOCRAT

SAGINAW, MI — A new policy requires employees of Saginaw County in close personal relationships with each other to tell their supervisors. In a 7-2 vote, the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners approved the language during a Tuesday, May 18, meeting. Close personal relationships include “dating, short or long-term sexual relationships, and any other conduct or behavior generally associated with romantic or sexual relationships,” county records indicate. The policy prohibits “all close relationships between supervisors and subordinates” and “strongly” discourages those kinds of liaisons between employees not in management roles. “With that kind of transparency, employees and supervisors can be moved around to different departments so that they can maintain their relationship,” Webster said.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Ann Arbor City Council Member Kathy Griswold still remembers what it was like before Roe v. Wade when abortion was illegal in Michigan. With the U.S. Supreme Court’s potential overturn of Roe now pending, Ann Arbor is joining the legal fight for abortion rights. Gretchen Whitmer’s lawsuit asking the Michigan Supreme Court to recognize a constitutional right to an abortion under the due-process clause of the Michigan Constitution. “The city of Ann Arbor has a strong interest in supporting these challenges,” the council resolution states, noting Ann Arbor voters declared the city a “zone of reproductive freedom” in 1990, a law protecting abortion that still remains in the city charter. It would not be the first time a population in the U.S. lost rights, said Council Member Lisa Disch, D-1st Ward.

Updated, 3:50 p.m., 5/17/22, with comments from Planned Parenthood A Court of Claims judge granted a preliminary injunction in a suit brought by Planned Parenthood...

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland says he has suffered a minor stroke and is being treated at George Washington University Hospital.

IRS boss Charles Rettig is under fire over the destruction of data related to millions of tax returns. President Joe Biden is being asked to replace him.

Regular and specialized baby formulas have been running low across the U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she will ask President Biden to consider using the Defense Production Act to boost production.

The Senate has confirmed economist Phillip Jefferson to the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors.

A New York judge said he will lift the contempt of court order if Donald Trump meets conditions including paying $110,000 in fines he's racked up for being slow to respond to a civil subpoena.

The decision comes after some voters sued the state, saying a map drawn by DeSantis's staff unfairly eliminates a congressional district held by a Black Democrat.

Trump must also explain his and his company’s document retention policies, among other conditions.

U.S. Rep. Michael Quigley has endorsed Alexi Giannoulias, a former state treasurer, in the contentious race for the Democratic nomination for Illinois secretary of state.

SAGINAW, MI — The Saginaw County Board of Commissioners will appoint one of three candidates to a vacancy on the governing body. Saginaw County clerk’s office records indicate she did not provide a political party affiliation in her application for the appointed post. A short-term opportunityOf the 10 remaining commissioners on the Saginaw County board, two are Republicans. Once each decade, a statewide redistricting process re-draws the map boundaries that tie constituents to specific elected offices, including the Saginaw County Board of Commissioners. The shifting boundaries moved Graham from Matthews’ expiring county district to the new district sought by Ball, Slodowski and Riebschleger.

The law could put doctors, and even patients, in prison for up to four years. And the state's attorney general says she can't stop local prosecutors from enforcing it.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was on hand with local officials for a ribbon-cutting at a new Joliet transit center that links, Metra, Pace and Amtrak.

WALKER, MI – For the first time in nearly three decades, a Democrat will represent the state House’s 74th District located in Kent County. As of 10:40 p.m., 35 of 36 precincts in the 74th District were fully reporting. The people of the 74th District have spoken, and I hear you. How many of the write-in votes went to him won’t be known until Kent County certifies the election results. The state House’s 74th District was left open by state Sen. Mark Huizenga, R-Walker, who vacated the seat after winning the Nov. 3, 2021, special election to fill the vacant 28th state Senate District seat.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the request in hopes of freeing up financial assistance for recovery efforts.

Furious Senate Democrats are vowing to vote on legislation to protect abortion access for millions of Americans.

A Los Angeles protest over the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion that would throw out Roe v.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is asking President Joe Biden to declare a disaster as firefighters scramble to clear brush, build fire lines and spray water to keep the largest blaze burning in the U.S. from destroying more homes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vows that Washington will stand with Ukraine until it defeats Russia.

Nancy Pelosi is the highest-ranking U.S. leader to visit Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

Truckers protesting in an Oakland, Calif., neighborhood on Friday afternoon had to end their demonstration when residents attacked the convoy with eggs — many, many eggs.

A Democratic Michigan state senator whose passionate Senate Floor speech went viral last week is saying that her Republican colleagues are creating problems that don’t exist in an effort to rile up their supporters and avoid addressing “real issues.”

Click here)WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - An Ann Arbor Democrat seeking to make the jump to statewide office has one Republican challenger in the race for a new Michigan State House seat stretching between Ann Arbor and South Lyon. Current Washtenaw County Commissioner Jason Morgan of Ann Arbor and Wayne County Republican Richard L. Sharland of Plymouth Township have filed to run to represent the newly-drawn 23rd Michigan House of Representatives District in Lansing. The district covers much of downtown Ann Arbor, including the University of Michigan’s Central Campus, before stretching east into Ann Arbor and Superior townships. Read more Washtenaw County election coverage here. More from The Ann Arbor News:What new Congressional, legislative maps mean for Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County votersSee who’s running for new Ann Arbor-area seat in CongressHere’s who’s running for new Michigan House seat in Ypsilanti areaSee who’s running for Michigan’s new 15th District Senate seat in Ann Arbor areaSee who’s running for new 33rd District state House seat in Ann Arbor area

The filing deadline has now come and gone for political offices, and newly redrawn congressional maps in Michigan mean primary elections are going to be packed.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- The filing deadline has past, and several familiar names are running for offices such as the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners in this year’s primary election. A total of 20 candidates beat the deadline to make the ballot for Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, while 16 candidates filed for state senator or state representative races in the county. Here are the candidates listed on the ballot for races in Kalamazoo County:Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners (2-year seats)1st DistrictTami Rey, Democrat, incumbentMichael A. Candidates in Kalamazoo County township races are also listed on the county website. Additionally, view the list of candidates for judicial positions on the Aug. 2 ballot in Kalamazoo County here.

ANN ARBOR, MI — A challenger has emerged in Ann Arbor’s 2nd Ward City Council race, saying he wants to advance a progressive, inclusive vision for the city. Chris Watson is running against first-term incumbent Kathy Griswold in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. Griswold, a former Ann Arbor school board member and pedestrian safety advocate, joined council in 2018 by narrowly ousting Kirk Westphal with just over 50% of the vote and is finishing her first four-year term. Watson is running with support from Washtenaw County Commissioner Andy LaBarre, Ward 2 community advocate Praveena Ramaswami and Council Member Linh Song, D-2nd Ward. “He will bring a fresh, caring and informed perspective to City Council,” she said.

The U.S. government will sharply boost royalty rates for companies as federal officials weigh efforts to fight climate change against pressure to bring down high gasoline prices.

The Interior Department on Friday said it’s moving forward with the first onshore sales of public oil and natural gas drilling leases under President Joe Biden, but will sharply increase royalty rates for companies as federal officials weigh efforts to fight climate change against pressure to bring down high gasoline prices. The royalty rate for new leases will increase to 18.75% from 12.5%. Biden suspended new leasing just a week after taking office in January 2021.

MUSKEGON, MI – A Muskegon attorney has announced his intentions to run as a Democrat for the 87th state House seat. The newly drawn 87th House district covers urban Muskegon County, including Muskegon and Muskegon Heights, North Muskegon, and rural areas north of North Muskegon along the shore and east along M-120 to Twin Lake. He is an attorney with Brower Vander Veen and an adjunct faculty member in the business department at Muskegon Community College. He is a board member for the Foundation for Muskegon Community College and Parties in the Park and is past president of the Greater Muskegon Jaycees. Also running as Democrats for the 87th House seat are Deb Warren and Will Snyder.

The speaker is fully vaccinated and received her booster shot, a spokesman for Pelosi tweeted.

Trump is trying to boost Palin and take out Lisa Murkowski — plus there's ranked-choice voting in the mix.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is one step closer to making history as the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. She's expected to be confirmed later this week now that three Senate Republicans are supporting her nomination. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion joins Anne-Marie Green to discuss why the senators are breaking party lines.

Jarrin Jackson, who said he plans to run as a Republican for Oklahoma state senate, repeated falsehoods about Dominion.

Senate Democrats already had enough votes to confirm her to the high court if every member in their party voted in her favor.

Senate Democrats already had enough votes to confirm her to the high court if every member in their party voted in her favor.

Senate Democrats already had enough votes to confirm her to the high court if every member in their party voted in her favor.

Ethiopia is being urged to uphold its international commitments to the freedoms of expression and the press by releasing journalists it has imprisoned

Michael Madigan's indictment alleges he tried to muscle pals into jobs and also shows the upside-down world of Illinois politics.

Projects show that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats are headed for a clear election win in a western state that their conservative rivals have led since 1999.

Senator and combat war veteran pushes Senate for memorial for the "Rosie the Riveters" who worked as "letter carriers, code breakers, manufacturers and more."

New polling shows where members of the two parties agree — and where they don't.

Right away, she and Democrats defended against Republican attacks, like that she's weak on child sex predators

Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was mocked on social media Friday after appearing on Instagram Live and whispering into the camera that “most people don’t know what Capitalism is.”

A Texas ranch foreman's son, Lauro F. Cavazos Jr. rose to become U.S. secretary of Education under Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday submitted voter signatures to run for reelection, saying Michigan needs continued strong leadership as it emerges from tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trial of four men charged with planning to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will resume Thursday after a three-day break because of a COVID-19 case.

Public servants tasked with overseeing elections are increasingly facing restrictive laws and personal threats. A bipartisan pair of lawyers has created a pro bono legal defense network for election officials.

Kane, who resigned after a tumultuous first term that ended in several convictions, will be charged this week, according to Scranton police.

Sen. Joe Manchin, the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, said he is opposed to Sarah Bloom Raskin's nomination to the Federal Reserve.

With gun crimes continuing to rise, the NYPD is preparing to roll out its new anti-crime units. They'll be in neighborhoods with the highest number of shootings, but some are concerned they could violate people's rights. CBS2 political reporter Marcia Kramer asked Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell about that.

Four men described by prosecutors as radicals who schemed to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are on trial in a federal courthouse named for Gerald R. Ford, a political Mr. Nice Guy revered for moderation and bridge-building after the...

After two years of the pandemic battering New York City, Mayor Eric Adams is hoping to steer his city toward an economic revival by luring tourists back, beautifying the streets and embracing New York’s looming legal pot industry. Adams, a Democrat who was elected last year on a pro-business, anti-crime message, unveiled an economic development plan Thursday that he said would usher in a “New New York.” New York City, with a population of 8.8 million, became the early epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. and was again at the center of the storm this past winter when the omicron variant emerged.

THOMAS TOWNSHIP, MI — Former Michigan governor and current member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet, Jennifer Granholm, will visit mid-Michigan this week to highlight the manufacturing industry’s role in the president’s clean energy initiatives. Granholm, the U.S. secretary of energy, will tour Hemlock Semiconductor Corp. (HSC) in Thomas Township as well as XALT Energy in Midland on Friday, March 11, officials said. Officials said the trip is to raise awareness about Biden’s initiative to achieve energy independence in the U.S. through clean energy, strong domestic supply chains, and American manufacturing. XALT Energy manufactures batteries and battery technology. Saginaw plans electric vehicle charging stations for downtownDeepening distrust between Saginaw City Council trio dates back to 2020 election campaign

Just six months after he resigned from office in disgrace over sexual harassment allegations, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to be hinting at a political comeback in remarks at a Brooklyn church on Sunday. The Democrat made a campaign-like stop at a Brooklyn church Sunday, delivering a speech in which he condemned “cancel culture." Cuomo quoted the Bible several times as he described his travails then went on the offensive to attack the “political sharks” in Albany who, he said, “smelled blood” and exploited the situation for political gain.

The measure in Florida comes as Republicans across the country move to tighten access to the procedure.

Farmworkers in Oregon would earn overtime pay for the first time in the state under a bill that the Legislature has approved.

LANSING, MI -- Republican gubernatorial hopeful James Craig said proposed tax cuts passed by the Michigan Legislature are a “great start,” but he’d like to go even further. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, told legislative leaders it’s fiscally irresponsible to cut the state income tax rate from 4.3% to 3.9% and reduce the corporate income tax rate from 6% to 3.9%. Craig, speaking with reporters during a business development conference in Lansing, said he thinks the state can do better.

MUSKEGON, MI – Democrat Deb Warren, a former Muskegon city commissioner, has announced her candidacy for the new 87th state House district in Muskegon County. The newly drawn 87th House District covers urban Muskegon County, including Muskegon and Muskegon Heights, North Muskegon, and rural areas north of North Muskegon along the shore and east along M-120 to Twin Lake. Warren of Muskegon represented the third ward on the city commission from 2016 to 2020 and works as a registered dietitian. Warren is involved with Muskegon Public Schools’ diversity, equity and inclusion committee; Love Community Garden; and Muskegon Citizens for a Strong City. Warren is a graduate of Mona Shores High School and Central Michigan University and attended Muskegon Community College.

As a candidate, President Biden said fighting climate change would create jobs. But as president, there hasn't been much action.

The U.S. Senate is launching a bipartisan working group of lawmakers to scrutinize conditions within the Bureau of Prisons following reporting by The Associated Press that uncovered widespread corruption and abuse in federal prisons.

West Virginia’s only Black female lawmaker has filed a lawsuit alleging harassment and intimidation.

Federal prosecutors say a Hawaii state senator and a state representative took bribes including cash, hotel rooms and casino chips in exchange for shaping legislation that would benefit a company involved in publicly financed cesspool conversion projects.

The House has approved legislation financing federal agencies for another month.

There was something fishy about New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ declarations that he’s a vegan.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will propose a $1 billion, or nearly 20%, boost to Michigan’s transportation budget to repair roads and increase other spending.

Manhattan’s district attorney is trying to blunt questions about his commitment to prosecuting armed robbery and assaults on police.

The fight over voting rights and voting rules reveals yet another massive American divide.

Watch Flashpoint every Sunday at 10 a.m. on Local 4 News.

Documents show a group from Michigan attempted to overturn the 2020 election by sending false documents to the state, the courts and the national archives.

Gov. Kathy Hochul wants New York to impose term limits on her office and other statewide elected officials and ban them from earning an outside income.

The late former Senate majority leader from Nevada, Harry Reid, will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda next week.

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn says he has tested positive for COVID-19, though he is fully vaccinated with a booster and has no symptoms.

Former President Donald Trump sued New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday, seeking to end her civil investigation into his business practices.

Massachusetts congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is upset that her beloved Mariah Carey Christmas album has gone missing.

President Joe Biden will be in the house for the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has taken the state’s case against the nation’s three biggest drug distributors to trial.

Two members of the House of Representatives are urging the NFL and the Washington Football Team to release individuals from non-disclosure agreements that would prevent them from discussing sexual harassment and workplace issues at owner Daniel Snyder’s club.

New York City will require police officers, firefighters and other municipal workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be placed on unpaid leave.

A government watchdog group says it has filed an ethics complaint against White House press secretary Jen Psaki for a comment she made earlier this week about Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe.

Protesters have already gathered ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to Howell.

Several far-reaching laws aimed at boosting police accountability and transparency are set to take effect in Maryland this week.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday will deem some Republican-backed budget provisions unconstitutional attempts to restrict COVID-19 public health measures but allow language limiting potential state and municipal vaccination requirements.

On Monday, the former chairmen of the Democrat and Republican parties in Michigan announced their support for a new ballot initiative that would change things in a big way.

Firefighters are working to quash new fires ignited by lightning after thunderstorms with mostly small but welcome amounts of rain rumbled across drought-stricken Northern California, where forests have been burning for weeks.

California could soon force large department stores to display some child products in gender neutral terms.

New York’s new governor is acknowledging that the state has had nearly 12,000 more deaths from COVID-19 than former Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the public.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo spent his second-to-last day in office projecting an image that he is still in control and fully engaged as the state dealt with heavy rain from Tropical Storm Henri.

Some Republican governors are using federal pandemic assistance to promote school choice programs, including charter schools and vouchers for private schools.

An Arizona state senator who resigned after being arrested early this month on child molestation charges has been indicted.

A recent poll by the University of Michigan asked local government leaders how they felt about the safety and efficacy of COVID vaccines.

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Election officials and experts are raising alarms about the private fundraising surrounding Republican-led reviews of the 2020 presidential election, an effort that is expanding to more states former President Donald Trump falsely claims he won.

The nation’s reckoning on race has given new momentum to efforts to help U.S. homeowners somehow disassociate their properties with historic, racially restrictive property covenants.

Some legislators want to change New York’s campaign finance rules after Gov. Andrew Cuomo used $285,000 in political donations to pay lawyers representing him in sexual harassment and misconduct investigations.

The House has voted overwhelmingly to allow in thousands more of the Afghans who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign has raised $8.5 million this year, the most for any gubernatorial candidate in a non-election year in Michigan history.

A former South Carolina state lawmaker and failed congressional candidate has been placed on leave from her Pentagon job during a probe into allegations of an unauthorized release of classified information.

The 49 people killed in a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida have been honored in Orlando and around the world on the fifth anniversary of the attack.

A former Detroit city councilman has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years of probation after pleading guilty last month to accepting an illegal cash campaign contribution.