Group seeks to block insurance coverage of abortion in Michigan

A group backed by Right to Life of Michigan has been approved to circulate petitions seeking a new state law prohibiting health insurance companies from covering elective abortion procedures.

Trump: Immigrants won’t vote for GOP

Donald Trump, the billionaire real-estate developer who flirted with running for president last year told Oakland County Republicans Tuesday if immigrants in the country illegally get a path to citizenship, “they will not be voting Republican.”

Judge won’t allow hearing in lawsuit to void Detroit EM Orr’s appointment

Ingham County Judge William Collette refused Wednesday to allow an evidentiary hearing to compel testimony from top state officials in a lawsuit seeking to void the appointment of Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr.

Gov, GOP reach deal on surplus

Gov. Rick Snyder and Republican legislative leaders reached an agreement Tuesday on how to divvy up nearly $702 million in surplus revenue as lawmakers race to complete the 2014 fiscal year budget by June 1.

Hunting of gray wolves in Michigan’s U.P. put on hold

A planned hunt of gray wolves in the Upper Peninsula has been put on hold — for now — after the law authorizing the harvest was suspended Wednesday pending a statewide referendum vote in November 2014.

IRS official Lerner: 'I did nothing wrong'

Washington — The Internal Revenue Service official at the center of the storm over the agency's targeting of conservative groups told Congress on Wednesday that she had done nothing wrong in the episode, and then invoked her constitutional right to refuse to answer lawmakers' questions.

Automakers, dealers object to rental recall bill

Automakers came under harsh criticism for opposing a bill that would require rental car companies to park all recalled vehicles until they are repaired.

Anthony Weiner launches bid to become New York City mayor

New York — Anthony Weiner's run for a renaissance is officially on.

House panel to vote on changes to curb military sexual assaults

Washington — Determined to check the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the armed forces, a House panel is poised to approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law. They include stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction and requiring that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged.

Michigan officials to develop school violence hotline

Lansing — Attorney General Bill Schuette and other state officials said Tuesday they want to develop a new statewide hotline for students, parents and other members of the public to leave confidential tips about potential school violence.

Republican divisions may hinder party's momentum

Washington — A string of unrelated events is highlighting divisions among Republicans just when they'd like to show a united front and take full advantage of President Barack Obama's latest political problems.

EM opponent accuses Michigan Treasurer of perjury

Lansing — A union activist trying to get Detroit’s emergency manager’s appointment voided alleged the state treasurer lied under oath about correspondence he had with a state board that tapped the EM in March.

Senate rejects bid to let states run food stamp program

Washington — The Senate on Wednesday rejected a Republican bid to turn the federal food stamp program over to the states.

House Republicans promote 20-week abortion ban

Washington — House Republican who oppose abortion promoted legislation Wednesday that would ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Eric Garcetti elected mayor of Los Angeles

Los Angeles — City Councilman Eric Garcetti defeated Controller Wendy Greuel to become next mayor of Los Angeles after a campaign in which he depicted ...

Will Senate bid lure Rogers from his House seat?

Washington — Republican Rep. Mike Rogers has pulled off a rare feat in a bitterly divided Congress — a working, productive relationship with ...

Peters urges probe of Detroit waste storage

U.S. Rep. Gary Peters has taken to the House floor to criticize the storage of piles of an oil-refining byproduct known as petroleum coke along the Detroit ...

Michigan senators seek answers on Ontario nuclear storage project

Michigan senators approved a resolution Wednesday calling on Ontario power officials to answer questions before proceeding with a controversial nuclear waste ...

IRS chief to take fifth at hearing

Washington — Summoned by Congress, a key figure in the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups plans to invoke her constitutional right ...

Intern for Romney, Ryan campaign faces federal cyberstalking charges

Detroit — A 2012 Republican presidential campaign intern who worked for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan made a brief appearance in federal court Tuesday on charges ...

Lawmakers push state to make sure pet coke piles are safe

Two members of Michigan's congressional delegation are targeting the growing piles of petroleum coke along the Detroit River, calling on the state's ...

Hathaway lawyer pleads case to keep her out of prison; feds want her to serve 12-18 months

Detroit — Former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway shouldn’t spend a day in federal prison, her lawyer said Monday, despite admitting she ...

Panel: Apple uses firms outside U.S. to avoid taxes

— Apple's CEO is disputing assertions by a Senate panel that the company avoids billions of dollars in U.S. taxes by shifting profits to foreign affiliates.

Officials: Senators reach deal on high-tech visas

Washington — Leading senators working on immigration legislation reached a compromise Tuesday on the details of an expanded high-tech visa program, ...

Ex-IRS chief: Can’t say how tea party targeting happened

Washington — The man who led the Internal Revenue Service when it was giving extra scrutiny to tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt ...

Detroit state reps unveil no-fault auto insurance reform plan

Detroit — The city’s nine Democratic state House members announced an auto insurance reform package Monday that seeks to drive down the rates Detroiters pay as ...

Peters names campaign manager for Senate bid

Washington — Rep. Gary Peters is kick-starting his bid to become Michigan’s next U.S. senator by assembling his campaign leadership with no Republican yet ...

Obama aides knew of IRS audit, say he wasn’t told

Washington — White House chief of staff Denis McDonough and other senior advisers knew in late April an impending report was likely to say the IRS had ...

Senators: Require fingerprinting of foreigners at 30 airports

Washington —Foreigners leaving the country through any of the nation’s 30 busiest airports would undergo mandatory fingerprinting under an amendment senators ...