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.

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.”

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 against self-incrimination and decline to testify at a congressional hearing today.

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.

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 he cyber-stalked 15 women and extorted them into sending nude photos.

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.

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.

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 environmental agency to enforce all applicable regulations against the company handling the material.

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 orchestrated an elaborate two-year scheme to defraud her bank of $600,000 owed on a Grosse Pointe Park home.

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, officials said as the Senate Judiciary Committee neared completion of its work on the measure.

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 status told Congress on Tuesday that he knew little about what was happening while he was still commissioner.

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 well as make public information from a $14 billion fund for catastrophic accident claims.

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 stepping forward to challenge the Oakland County Democrat.

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 ...

Scientists: Don't drop federal wolf protections

Traverse City — Groups of scientists are urging federal officials not to remove protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states.

Michigan Republicans seek new limits on welfare aid

The Legislature’s Republican majority has redoubled its efforts to squeeze welfare spending by imposing new conditions on aid recipients.

Tea party looks to seize on White House controversies

Des Moines, Iowa — Is the tea party getting its groove back? Shouts of vindication from around the country suggest the movement's leaders certainly think ...

Michigan cancer patients to back Medicaid expansion

Lansing — Cancer patients and survivors in Michigan are expected to call on lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage for about 400,000 uninsured Michigan ...

Supreme Court to weigh in on legislative prayers

Washington — The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear a new case on the intersection of religion and government in a dispute over prayers used to open ...

Senators working on immigration bill agree to tighten asylum controls

Washington — Senators working on a wide-ranging immigration bill have agreed to tighten controls on the asylum system that allows people fleeing war or ...

AP CEO calls records seizure unconstitutional

Washington — The president and chief executive officer of The Associated Press on Sunday called the government's secret seizure of two months of ...

Michigan disabled vets could see property tax relief

Lansing — Some disabled veterans living in Michigan could get some relief next tax season under legislation being debated in the state Senate.

White House insists Obama was not involved in IRS

Washington — A top White House adviser insisted President Barack Obama learned the Internal Revenue Service had targeted tea party groups only "when it ...

Tea party looks to take advantage of moment

Des Moines, Iowa — Is the tea party getting its groove back? Shouts of vindication from around the country suggest the movement's leaders certainly ...

Obama to speak on legality of drone program

Washington — President Barack Obama will discuss the legality of his administration's secret drone program and other counterterrorism practices during a ...

Emails show Snyder aides aware of ‘skunk works’ group

Lansing — Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration has claimed the once-secret “skunk works” education reform project was not a government-sanctioned work group, but ...

Mich. Rep. Camp: IRS lied, must clean house

Washington — A top House Republican blasted the Internal Revenue Service for “lying” to the American people at the first congressional hearing since the agency ...