JUSTIN AMASH

Former Republican and lawmaker Justin Amash suggested he could be a possible candidate for Speaker of the House on Wednesday which was met with mockery on social media.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — As the Republican-controlled U.S. House votes on its next speaker, one familiar person in Michigan politics has inserted himself into the debate: former U.S. Rep. Justin Amash. Amash, a Republican turned Libertarian who represented Grand Rapids in Congress from 2011 to 2021, took to Twitter Tuesday morning to say he would “gladly” serve as House speaker for one term. McCarthy was facing an uphill battle Tuesday in his quest to become the next House speaker. In May 2019, he became the first House Republican to call for impeachment proceedings against Trump following U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into 2016 election interference. Later that year, on July 4, he announced in an op-ed in the Washington Post that he was leaving the Republican Party.

Former President George W.

The other six members are Republicans and include four from the so-called Kraken Caucus and the state’s two freshmen members. Newly sworn in Michigan Republican congressman Peter Meijer’s office was reached, but did not have an official comment on what he would do Wednesday. The vote to object is expected to ultimately fail to overturn the election results, with or without an emergency audit. Currently, the objectors do not have the votes to reject an electoral college vote from any state. Objectors have also been explicit about asking for an audit, which already takes place in the State of Michigan.

She carried the city of Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids, and she won a dozen other precincts in suburban Grand Rapids. The 3rd Congressional District race attracted significant attention in Michigan and beyond. In 2010, when Amash first ran for the 3rd Congressional District seat, he defeated Democrat Patrick Miles Jr. 59 percent to 38 percent. Meanwhile, in the 3rd Congressional District race, Scholten received 51 percent of the vote in Kent County, while Meijer received 49 percent. So, the vote totals for those cities are captured in the presidential race but not the 3rd Congressional District race.

The race was closely watched in Michigan, and it was among the last Congressional races in Michigan to be called following Tuesday’s election. Officials in Grand Rapids worked throughout the day Wednesday to count an estimated 59,000 ballots whose results were needed to declare a winner. The district encompasses Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties. Looking forward, Meijer says he’s eager to begin working on the issues important to West Michigan residents. “We may differ in approaches, but we all want to see West Michigan thrive and succeed,” said Meijer, a political newcomer who has never held public office before.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Republican candidate Peter Meijer has won the race to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash in Congress. Meijer, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran, defeated Democrat Hillary Scholten 53 percent to 47 percent, according to the Associated Press. You helped lay the foundation for progress and change in West Michigan. Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District includes the city of Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties. However, Meijer defeated Scholten in Ionia County, Barry County, Calhoun County and the small portion of Montcalm County that’s located within the district.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Republican congressional candidate Peter Meijer was leading Democrat Hillary Scholten early Wednesday morning in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Justin Amash in Congress. With 36 percent of precincts reporting, Meijer, a U.S. Army veteran whose family founded the Meijer supercenter chain, had 60 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press. Scholten and Meijer are competing for Michigan’s 3rd Congressional District seat. The district encompasses Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties. But this year’s race drew a lot of attention, with Democrats saying they’re poised to pull off an upset.

click to enlarge Anti-Defamation LeagueWe are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI. We are in close touch with the Jewish community and Law Enforcement to investigate this vandalism. "We are appalled by the reported desecration of gravestones at the Ahavas Israel Cemetery in Grand Rapids, MI," they wrote on Twitter. Rep. Justin Amash, the Palestinian-American Republican-turned-Libertarian Congressman whose district includes Grand Rapids, condemned the graffiti on Twitter. "Last year, someone plastered anti-Semitic posters on the door of the Temple Emanuel synagogue in Grand Rapids.

Under election law the House would intervene if the Electoral College gave no presidential candidate the majority Jan. 6. “There ain't no light at the end of the tunnel in the House of Representatives,” Pelosi said at a recent press conference. The president can be selected by a House majority — 26 states — if the Electoral College deadlocks or is unable to agree on the winner. Another is Montana, where Democratic state Rep. Kathleen Williams and Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale are vying for the state's lone at-large seat. Veteran GOP election lawyer Ben Ginsberg said there’s a long ways to go from election day Nov. 3 and a potential House vote on Jan. 6.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Democratic congressional candidate Hillary Scholten raised over $1.5 million over the past three months, her campaign said Friday, topping rival Republican candidate Peter Meijer’s $1 million fundraising haul. Counting Friday’s fundraising total, Scholten has now raised over $2.5 million since she jumped into the 3rd Congressional District race last year. As of June 30, the most recent period in which full FEC fundraising reports are available, Meijer had raised $1.5 million. The 3rd Congressional District encompasses Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties. A Democrat has not represented the city of Grand Rapids in Congress since 1976.

Scholten, who worked at the Department of Justice during the Obama administration, criticized Meijer for pledging to support a repeal of the health care law if elected. The district encompasses Grand Rapids, a large portion of Kent County, part of Montcalm County, as well as Ionia, Barry and Calhoun counties. The West Michigan region leans conservative, and a Democrat hasn’t represented Grand Rapids in Congress since 1976. Elsewhere in the hour-long debate, Scholten and Meijer spoke about the coronavirus pandemic, racial justice, environmental pollution and “misleading” statements and campaign advertisements. “We absolutely do need another stimulus,” Scholten said.

The issue of elected officials using their position of power to strengthen their stock portfolio grabbed headlines this spring. The federal Stock Act prohibits elected officials from using private information obtained through their official duties for personal benefit. Elected officials can also put their holdings in a “qualified” blind trust, McGehee said. To be considered a qualified blind trust, a person’s assets or holdings are put under the control of an independent party. Meijer’s campaign did not respond when asked whether he, if elected, would place his assets, or the assets he’s the beneficiary of, into a qualified blind trust.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – In close elections, it doesn't take much for third-party candidates to play an outsize role — as Democrats learned the hard way in 2016. A vital third-party candidate would likely help him tremendously.”But third-party candidates are facing hurdles that didn't exist four years ago, potentially weakening their impact. In a court decision last week, the Green Party candidate was barred from appearing on Pennsylvania’s ballot. “I saw last time, there’s no hope in a third-party candidate in this basically two-party system that we have. But the president’s team, which has denied playing a role in West’s bid, has done little game-planning for a third-party candidate.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – An Iraq War veteran whose family started the Meijer chain of stores has won the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District in western Michigan. Peter Meijer, of Grand Rapids, topped the five-person field in Tuesday’s election. Scholten, a lawyer who worked in the Justice Department during the Obama presidency, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. The district includes much of Kent County, a sliver of Montcalm County and all of Calhoun, Barry and Ionia counties. While it has long been held by Republicans — Amash often won by double digits — Democrats see an opportunity and plan to target it this fall.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – In a letter to congressional colleagues, Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash (MI-3) said he'll be introducing a bill to do away with the law that protects police officers from being sued while doing their jobs. Henning teaches criminal law and professional responsibility at Wayne State University. “Immunity has been part of the system since the mid-1960s,” he said. “We're going to see that police officer, being charged with a crime,” Henning said. The answer to that question may well be yes.”Amash’s, a former Republican, bill already has support from some of the most liberal members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-7) and Michigan delegation colleague Rep. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – What started as a peaceful protest Saturday in Grand Rapids has delved into a riot, into the early morning hours of Sunday. Heavy damage was reported throughout Downtown Grand Rapids. West Michigan Congressman Justin Amash said, “Let’s not conflate the protesters in Grand Rapids with the rioters in Grand Rapids. This is video of 5 cars on fire in downtown Grand Rapids right now. pic.twitter.com/oxqsGQClvL — alexaskonieski (@AlexaSkonieski) May 31, 2020Downtown Grand Rapids: police cars on fire, smashed-in windows of businesses that have been looted.

click to enlarge Gage Skidmore, Flickr Creative CommonsU.S. Rep. Justin Amash. Less than three weeks after announcing he was exploring running for president as the Libertarian Party candidate , U.S. Rep. Justin Amash has now dropped out of the race. "After much reflection, Ive concluded that circumstances dont lend themselves to my success as a candidate for president this year, and therefore I will not be a candidate," Amash wrote. "Nevertheless, Amash said he believes "the Libertarian Party is well-positioned to become a major and consistent contender to win elections at all levels of government. He's up for re-election for his House seat, but faces a crowded field of both Republican and Democratic challengers.

After leaving the Republican Party and supporting the impeachment of President Donald Trump, Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan is exploring a presidential run as a Libertarian. Here is an overview of his stances on several key domestic policy issues:Climate crisisAmash opposes regulations to combat climate change. These factors hurt all Americans while benefiting only a few.In the House, Amash frequently votes against legislation for spending reasons, even when its a controversial move. Amash has also introduced a balanced budget constitutional amendment that would prevent government spending from exceeding average annual revenue. In 2018, he was the only House Republican to vote against a GOP resolution supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement and denouncing progressive calls to abolish the agency.

click to enlarge Gage Skidmore, Flickr Creative CommonsU.S. Rep. and 2020 Libertarian Party candidate Justin Amash. "With Biden closer to the center politically than Trump, we suppose we could imagine him potentially picking off some #NeverTrump Republicans who might have otherwise voted for Amash. And a 2019 poll featuring a hypothetical matchup between Biden, Trump, and Amash found Amash would drop Biden's 12-point lead by six points.A new poll, however, released by Monmouth University on Wednesday, found Amash was unlikely to tilt the scale either way . The poll was conducted between April 30 and May 4, and has a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points.According to the poll, Biden has support from 47% of registered voters, while Trump has 40% and Amash has 5%. Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson won 172,000 votes.Should Amash get the Libertarian nomination, we can all rest assured that whatever happens in November, both Republicans and Democrats will absolutely blame Amash if they lose.

click to enlarge Gage Skidmore, Flickr Creative CommonsMichigan U.S. Rep. and Libertarian presidential candidate Justin Amash. Days after announcing he was seeking the Libertarian Party nomination for president , Michigan's U.S. Rep. Justin Amash sat down withmagazine for a freewheeling conversation for their podcast. One of the questions Amash was asked was how he would have handled Michigan's coronavirus crisis.Amash said he would have given local municipalities flexibility over how they would respond. "He added that there's "data on this showing that many people would just make the right decisions in these circumstances. The World Health Organization conceded that there are "lessons to be learned" from Sweden's approach to the coronavirus pandemic.

Justin Amash, a Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, announced Tuesday night that he is launching an exploratory committee for long-shot presidential bid as a Libertarian. Amash launched a website announcing he has formed an exploratory committee for a presidential campaign. If he is to run in the general election for president, Amash will have to win the Libertarian Partys nomination at their convention in Austin, Texas, which is currently set for the end of May. A traditional libertarian, he stood out from many of his House Republican colleagues to begin with, opposing expansive federal surveillance powers and American intervention abroad. Amash has repeatedly told reporters he would only run for president if he believes there is a path to victory.

click to enlarge Gage SkidmoreU.S. Rep. Justin Amash speaking with attendees at the 2017 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention. Self-described "lowercase 'L'" libertarian Justin Amash is looking to become an uppercase "L" Libertarian. The Grand Rapids-based U.S. Representative announced on Tuesday that he has launched an exploratory committee to seek the Libertarian Party's nomination for president. The deep-pocketed DeVos family has also turned its backs on Amash.In Michigan, the Libertarian Party enjoyed a boost in 2016 when former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson earned 172,136 votes for his presidential bid. That surge enabled Michigan's Libertarian Party to hold a primary in 2018 the first time a third party had qualified to do so in almost 50 years .

Justin Amash, a former Republican-turned independent congressman from Michigan, said Wednesday that he stopped actively campaigning for his House seat in mid-February as he has been considering running for president as a libertarian. His potential entry into the race comes after more than a year of refusing to rule out such a possibility. A traditional libertarian, he stood out from many of his House Republican colleagues to begin with, opposing expansive federal surveillance powers and American intervention abroad. He was the first and only House Republican to support impeachment. Amash has repeatedly told reporters he would only run for president if he believes there is a path to victory.

Rep. Justin Amash, I-Mich., is seen on the House steps of the Capitol before the House passed a $2 trillion coronavirus aid package by voice vote on Friday, March 27, 2020. Rep. Justin Amash, a former Republican who voted to impeach President Donald Trump, is getting close to making a decision about a third-party bid for the White House, his campaign said Wednesday. In a statement Wednesday, his campaign said: "In mid-February, Justin Amash paused active campaigning for his congressional seat to carefully consider a presidential run. Since then, he has continued to position himself as a Trump critic, receiving heat from top GOP officials and from the president himself. In an extension of the rivalry between Amash and the president, Donald Trump Jr. said in June that he planned to campaign against him during the primary.

click to enlarge Gage SkidmoreU.S. Rep. Justin Amash speaking with attendees at the 2017 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention. U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, of Michigan, was among four members of Congress to vote against a bill Wednesday that would make lynching a federal hate crime.By a 410-4 vote, the House approved the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act, named after the 14-year-old African American boy who was kidnapped, beaten, and lynched in 1955.Republican Reps. Louie Gohmert, Thomas Massie, and Ted Yoho also voted against the bill, which federal lawmakers have been trying to pass since at least 1900.The U.S. Senate is expected to approve the bill, which will require President Donald Trumps signature.Rep. This allows state officials who dont adequately address particular crimes to shift blame and avoid accountability. At the same time, it creates an incentive for budget-constrained state and local governments not to prosecute crimes and instead leave it to the feds.Amash's office didn't respond to' request for an interview.Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, said the bill is important because it sends a long-delayed message about the evils of lynching.Todays vote is a historical one that acknowledges the evil of the 5,000 lynchings in our nations history; the fear that African-Americans felt in their homes and communities; and will help with healing and reconciliation, Bacon says in a news release.

WASHINGTON The Democrat-led House of Representatives voted 374-37 Tuesday to build a women's history museum on the National Mall. "This is about giving women, all women our rightful place in history," said Maloney, who noted the lack of national landmarks or textbook entries dedicated to women. The measure, which has the bipartisan support of 293 co-sponsors, would establish a women's history museum within the Smithsonian Institution and make steps toward the construction of a facility. Maloney's office said she first introduced legislation to establish a women's history museum in 1998, and her bill to create a commission studying the necessity and feasibility of a women's history museum passed in 2014. The Smithsonian's newest addition is the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in September 2016, though Congress passed the original legislation to create the museum in 2003.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper tells CBS's Face the Nation that he did no see any specific evidence that an attack was underway on four U.S. embassies, on Sunday Jan. 12. WASHINGTON, D.C. Defense Secretary Mark Esper contradicted President Trump on Sunday, saying he did not see any specific evidence from intelligence officials that Iran had plans to attack four U.S. embassies. He also admitted that he did not see any specific evidence with regards to the four embassies. Officials have said in the days ensuing Jan 2 that they have exquisite intelligence that a broader attack on multiple U.S. embassies was likely. Trump said on Friday in an interview with Fox News that four embassies would have been attacked before Soleimani was killed.

The House will debate the articles for six hours and then vote separately on each of them, under parameters that the House Rules Committee recommended Tuesday. The rules for floor debate must still be adopted by the full House after an hour of debate Wednesday morning. "He acted in a way that rises to the level of impeachment," said House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., whose panel set the rules Tuesday for floor debate. The entire circus has been politically motivated from the very beginning," said Cole, the top Republican on the Rules Committee. Only two other presidents have faced Senate impeachment trials Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999 and neither was removed from office.

Our founders vision of a republic is under threat from actions from the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. If the House approves the articles, Trump would be just the third president in U.S. history to be impeached. It was just the first of many procedural votes Republicans could force throughout the all-day impeachment debate. Nearly a dozen House Democrats had floated censure as an option, as reported by Politico but have since backed away from it. Former President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before a House vote on articles of impeachment.

The House will debate the articles for six hours and then vote separately on each of them, under parameters that the House Rules Committee recommended Tuesday. "He acted in a way that rises to the level of impeachment," said House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., whose panel set the rules Tuesday for floor debate. The entire circus has been politically motivated from the very beginning," said Cole, the top Republican on the Rules Committee. Only two other presidents have faced Senate impeachment trials Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999 and neither was removed from office. Former President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before a House vote on articles of impeachment.

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Rep. Justin Amash said Friday that he is prepared to vote for three articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, ensuring that Democrats wont be the only ones to impeach the President when the historic vote hits the floor as soon as this month. He cautioned though he would wait to see the final language before ultimately committing to vote for them. Theres certainly probable cause to issue charges.So far, no House Republicans have signaled theyd vote to impeach Trump. Earlier this year, after months of criticism from his colleagues and the President, Amash left the GOP. Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party, Amash said in his announcement in a Washington Post op-ed in July.

Congressman Justin Amash speaking with attendees at the 2017 Young Americans for Liberty National Convention. U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, an independent from west Michigan and vocal critic of President Donald Trump, famously split from the Republican Party in a splashy op-ed published in(on Independence Day, no less). "You finally get to the point where nobody breaks from what the speaker wants or what the party leaders want," Amash said. "If I were to run for president, thats not something I would do unless I felt very confident I could win it. And so if you were to see me get into the race it means that I'm confident I can win the race."

There are people who support the president, who believe things he says, but its pretty clear hes not bringing home the troops. "Hes moving troops back into Iraq, he's moving other troops into Saudi Arabia and using our forces almost as mercenaries, paid mercenaries who are going to come in, as long as Saudi Arabia pays us some money, it's good to go," he added. Amash's comments come after Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters the troops departing northern Syria would head to Iraq to help fight against ISIS and as Trump tweeted that he was "bringing soldiers home." Other U.S. troops are heading to Saudi Arabia, Trump said last week, to help defend the country after a September attack on an oil facility. Earlier this month, the White House announced that it would move forces from the "immediate area" as Turkey began a "long-planned operation into Northern Syria."

“There are people who support the president, who believe things he says, but it’s pretty clear he’s not bringing home the troops. "He’s moving troops back into Iraq, he's moving other troops into Saudi Arabia and using our forces almost as mercenaries, paid mercenaries who are going to come in, as long as Saudi Arabia pays us some money, it's good to go," he added. Other U.S. troops are heading to Saudi Arabia, Trump said last week, to help defend the country after a September attack on an oil facility. Turkey began a military operation in northern Syria days after the announcement, clashing with Kurdish fighters in the region before a brief pause was announced. Earlier this month, the White House announced that it would move forces from the "immediate area" as Turkey began a "long-planned operation into Northern Syria."

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan alleges a Republican candidate for Congress has discriminated against a troupe of drag performers with Down syndrome. The civil rights group filed a complaint Thursday with the Michigan Civil Rights Department against Peter Meijer, one of several GOP candidates running to replace the newly declared independent Rep. Justin Amash. Meijer denied access to the U.K.-based Drag Syndrome for a performance in a Grand Rapids building he owns. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

(CNN) - Tuesday's vote on the House Democratic effort to condemn President Donald Trump's use of racist language ended up falling along party lines, with 240 Democrats in favor and 187 Republicans opposed. Four Republicans, however, refused to join their colleagues and decided to condemn their party's President, calling Trump's racist attacks unacceptable. Rep. Will Hurd (TX-23)In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour Monday, Hurd, the sole black Republican House member, deemed Trump's tweets "racist." Rep. Susan Brooks (IN-05)Brooks, who is retiring from Congress at the end of her term, tweeted Tuesday she voted to condemn Trump's "racially offensive remarks" because they "do not reflect American values." Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01)Speaking with a Pennsylvania talk radio station ahead of Tuesday's vote, Fitzpatrick said he took issue with Trump's tone.

I get people sending me text messages, people calling me, saying thank you for what youre doing,' Amash told CNNs Jake Tapper in a wide-ranging interview on State of the Union Sunday. On his 2020 plansThe Michigan lawmakers break with the Republican Party added fuel to growing speculation that he will seek the Libertarian Party nomination and launch a long-shot bid for president in 2020, which he has not ruled out. Amash was critical Sunday of Trumps impact on the country during his presidency, namely calling out Trump for divisiveness. And I think thats very dangerous for our country and I dont think a lot of people appreciate it, he said. Amash told Tapper that he is still very confident that he can win his congressional seat in Michigan as an independent.

And I think that's a problem for our country, it's a problem for the Republican Party, it's a problem for the Democratic Party when people aren't allowed to speak out." Amash, who announced Thursday he was leaving the GOP, said that he has had problems with the Republican Party "for several years,"and that he would leave even if Trump were not president. CNN's interview with Amash comes days after he announced in a Washington Post op-ed, "Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party." And I think that's very dangerous for our country and I don't think a lot of people appreciate it," he said. Amash responded, saying, "That's not how people are supposed to talk about each other, to each other."

The largest earthquake in Southern California in two decades marks the end of a quiet period in the states seismic history. It left residents near the epicenter in Ridgecrest and Kern County shaken, where there were reports of some moderate injuries, damage to stores and structure fires. For most of Southern California, the largest earthquake in two decades ended a period of seismic calm and served as a reminder to be prepared for the next one. Government biologists say the germ that causes white-nose syndrome has been found in a number of bats found near Lassen Volcanic National Park. More and more of the fruit is coming from Malaysia, where one man is known as the Durian King.

View of Detroit from the Windsor sky camera on July 4, 2019 at 8:21 p.m. (WDIV)4-year-old Warren boy killed in 2-car crash at Roseville intersection, police sayPolice said there are contradictory accounts about who was at fault for a two-car crash that killed a 4-year-old boy at a Roseville intersection. The crash happened around 11 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Little Mack Avenue and Masonic Road, officials said. 4-year-old Warren boy killed in 2-car crash at Roseville intersection, police sayWATCH Local 4 News at 114 fast factsThursday evening remains hazy, hot and humid with scattered showers and thunderstorms. READ MOREI-75 updateWhat was once introduced as a 15-year project was condensed into two years, and drivers are feeling headaches. Tweets by Local4NewsCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

DETROIT - Here's what is coming up on Local 4 News at 5:Child killedA 4-year-old boy was killed in a crash overnight in Roseville. No air conditioningA senior highrise with a big problem exposed yesterday by Help Me Hank. Justin Amash leaves GOPHe said he's using this Independence Day to declare his independence. Tuskegee AirmanWe celebrate our independence and pay tribute to the men and women who served our country. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Around the country:Ohio: A federal judge has temporarily blocked Ohio's "heartbeat" bill banning abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy from going into effect. A federal judge has temporarily blocked Ohio's "heartbeat" bill banning abortions as early as six weeks into a pregnancy from going into effect. Chicago: Seven people are facing charges after the famous "Bean" sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park was vandalized earlier this week. Seven people are facing charges after the famous "Bean" sculpture in Chicago's Millennium Park was vandalized earlier this week. More ENTERTAINMENT headlines:Tweets by Local4NewsCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Multiple Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levelsAs temperatures approach 90 degrees, many are turning to Michigan's beaches to cool off. Unfortunately, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reports 10 beaches in Michigan are currently closed due to high bacteria levels during the Independence Day week. Undercover MSP car involved in multicar crash in DetroitAn undercover Michigan State Police trooper was rushed to a hospital after being involved in a three-car crash. Neighbors rush to help rescue family from fire that killed Sterling Heights womanWhen a fire ripped through a Sterling Heights home Wednesday morning, neighbors rushed to try to help. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Olivier Douliery - Pool/Getty ImagesPresident Trump is calling Rep. Justin Amash a "total loser" after the Michigan congressman announced he is leaving the Republican party in a move against partisan politics. "Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is quitting the Party. Amash wrote he is leaving the Republican Party because he has "become disenchanted with party politics and frightened" by it. "The two-party system has evolved into an existential threat to American principles and institutions," he wrote. Im asking you to believe that we can do better than this two-party system and to work toward it.

Rep. Justin Amash, who represents Michigans 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Thursday morning that he is leaving the Republican Party. NEW: Trump calls Amash 'dumbest and most disloyal' in CongressIn the piece, Amash rails against what he calls "partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us." The Republican Party, I believed, stood for limited government, economic freedom and individual liberty principles that had made the American Dream possible for my family. Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party. Im asking you to believe that we can do better than this two-party system and to work toward it.

Multiple Michigan beaches closed due to high bacteria levelsAs temperatures approach 90 degrees, many are turning to Michigan's beaches to cool off. Unfortunately, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality reports 10 beaches in Michigan are currently closed due to high bacteria levels during the Independence Day week. Undercover MSP car involved in multicar crash in DetroitAn undercover Michigan State Police trooper was rushed to a hospital after being involved in a three-car crash. Neighbors rush to help rescue family from fire that killed Sterling Heights womanWhen a fire ripped through a Sterling Heights home Wednesday morning, neighbors rushed to try to help. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

(mudgposter/StormPins)DETROIT - ClickOnDetroit Morning Briefing -- July 4, 2019Rep. Justin Amash, who represents Michigans 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed Thursday morning that he is leaving the Republican party. Here's a list of stores and restaurants that are open or closed on this 4th of July holiday. More local headlines:For more Local News head to ClickOnDetroit.com/news/local. Submit a news tipTell us what's happening in your community -- submit a news tip to Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit right here. Tweets by Local4NewsCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

"However, Amash says the system has in recent years become corrupted by hyper-partisanship something that George Washington warned against in his farewell address. Amash writes that he has "become disenchanted with party politics and frightened by what I see from it. "He continues:It's not just President Donald Trump and the Republican Party that Amash takes aim at. "Preserving liberty means telling the Republican Party and the Democratic Party that well no longer let them play their partisan game at our expense," he writes. In May, upon having finished reading the Mueller report, Amash became the first and so far, only Republican in Congress to call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump .

Michigan Representative Justin Amash, the only Republican in Congress who said President Trump engaged in impeachable conduct, announced on the 4th of July that he's leaving the GOP. "Today, I am declaring my independence and leaving the Republican Party," Amash wrote in an op-ed for the Washington Post. Mr. Trump wasted no time in hitting back, without basis calling Amash one of the "dumbest" members of the GOP. "Great news for the Republican Party as one of the dumbest & most disloyal men in Congress is 'quitting' the Party," the president tweeted Thursday morning. Amash's op-ed made no direct mention of Mr. Trump or anyone else in the Republican Party, and it did not solely blame the GOP for partisanship.

(CNN) - The House Oversight Committee voted on Wednesday to subpoena testimony from White House counselor Kellyanne Conway after a federal agency recommended that she should be fired for repeatedly violating a law that limits the political activities of federal employees. Chairman Elijah Cummings, Democrat of Maryland, has warned that his panel would vote to hold Conway in contempt if she ignores the subpoena. Conway did not appear on Wednesday on the advice of White House counsel for the committee's scheduled hearing. Trump has said that he's not going to fire Conway over the alleged Hatch Act violations and White House counsel Pat Cipollone said in a letter Monday that Conway does not need to testify before Congress. In 2018, the OSC said Conway violated the law during the 2017 Alabama special election for Senate.

Courtesy photoU.S. Rep. Justin Amash the "lowercase L libertarian" from Michigan who is the only Republican in Congress so far to call to impeach President Donald Trump has teased that he could mount a third-party presidential campaign in 2020. "I haven't ruled anything out," 39-year-old Amash told The Hill on Wednesday when asked about a possible third-party bid.Such a move could siphon tens of thousands of votes from Trump in the Rust Belt, which Trump narrowly won in 2016 in a surprise upset. ""When I run for something, I run to win, he toldAmash is one of the highest-profile Republicans to speak out against Trump. "Trump is reportedly in talks to back a candidate to challenge Amash's House re-election bid out of revenge. A recent poll found Amash lagging behind challenger Jim Lower by 16 points.Amash seems unbothered by the fire, however.