Michigan judge tosses case against 15 accused fake electors for Trump in 2020

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan judge has dismissed the criminal cases against 15 people accused of acting falsely as electors for President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. District Court Judge Kristen Simmons decided in a Tuesday hearing that the cases won’t go to trial. Charges were brought by the state’s Democratic attorney general over two years ago. The people charged include a few high profile members of the Republican Party in the battleground state. Each faced eight charges of forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery. The 15 had been accused of submitting certificates that falsely said Trump won the election in Michigan, when in fact President Joe Biden carried the state.

Missouri Republicans advance Trump-backed plan to redraw US House districts

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led House has passed a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts at the urging of President Donald Trump. The plan approved Tuesday now moves to the state Senate and could give Republicans a shot at winning almost all of Missouri’s U.S. House seats. The mid-decade redistricting is part of an emerging national trend, following similar efforts in Republican-led Texas and Democratic-led California. Missouri’s plan targets a Kansas City district held by a Democratic congressman by stretching it into rural Republican areas and reducing its minority voters. The Missouri NAACP has sued to try to stop the special legislative session.

RFK Jr.’s latest ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report calls for more scrutiny

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is urging public health agencies to prioritize investigations of vaccine injuries, prescription drug use and the cause of autism. This call is part of a new “Make America Healthy Again” report released Tuesday. Overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the report aims to end childhood diseases in the U.S. by refocusing public health on his so-called “MAHA” movement’s priorities. The report suggests using personal medical records and health insurance data to investigate diseases and disorders, including autism. It also addresses issues like ultraprocessed food consumption and water quality. The report calls for increased oversight of prescription drug ads, especially those by social media influencers.

US household income rose slightly last year, roughly matching 2019 level

WASHINGTON (AP) — The income for the typical U.S. household barely rose last year and essentially matched its 2019 peak, the Census Bureau said Tuesday, as stubbornly high inflation offset wage gains. The report also showed that the highest-earning households received healthy inflation-adjusted income increases, while middle- and lower-income households saw little gains. The figures help illustrate why many Americans have been dissatisfied with the economy: Median household incomes are essentially unchanged from five years earlier, the report showed.