July 18

Michigan AG charges Clifford Frost in the false-elector case

Clifford Frost, then 75, of Warren, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Mayra Rodriguez in the false-elector case

Mayra Rodriguez, then 64, of Grosse Pointe Farms, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Michele Lundgren in the false-elector case

Michele Lundgren, then 73, of Detroit, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges James Renner in the false-elector case

James Renner, then 76, of Lansing, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: Renner's charges were dismissed under a cooperation agreement before the September 2025 dismissal of the remaining defendants. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Amy Facchinello in the false-elector case

Amy Facchinello, then 55, of Grand Blanc, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Timothy King in the false-elector case

Timothy King, then 56, of Ypsilanti, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Mari-Ann Henry in the false-elector case

Mari-Ann Henry, then 65, of Brighton, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Meshawn Maddock in the false-elector case

Meshawn Maddock, then 55, of Milford, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Stanley Grot in the false-elector case

Stanley Grot, then 71, of Shelby Township, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Kent Vanderwood in the false-elector case

Kent Vanderwood, then 69, of Wyoming, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Rose Rook in the false-elector case

Rose Rook, then 81, of Paw Paw, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Ken Thompson in the false-elector case

Ken Thompson, then 68, of Orleans, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Kathy Berden in the false-elector case

Kathy Berden, then 70, of Snover, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges Marian Sheridan in the false-elector case

Marian Sheridan, then 69, of West Bloomfield, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges William Choate in the false-elector case

William (Hank) Choate, then 72, of Cement City, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

Michigan AG charges John Haggard in the false-elector case

John Haggard, then 82, of Charlevoix, was one of 16 Michigan residents Attorney General Dana Nessel charged in the state false-elector case. Nessel alleged the defendants met at Michigan Republican Party headquarters on December 14, 2020, signed certificates saying they were Michigan's duly elected and qualified presidential electors, and sent the documents to the U.S. Senate and National Archives after Michigan certified Joe Biden's win. The case later ended before trial: the 54-A District Court dismissed the charges against the remaining 15 defendants on September 9, 2025, and Nessel announced on March 9, 2026 that she would not appeal. The March 9, 2026 announcement said the dismissals were neither findings of guilt nor findings of innocence, and the defendants remained presumed innocent.

OMB withholds $214M in Ukraine security aid, violating Impoundment Control Act

Beginning July 18, 2019, the Office of Management and Budget withheld $214 million in congressionally-appropriated military assistance to Ukraine through internal apportionment footnotes blocking all unobligated funds from obligation. OMB Director Mick Mulvaney coordinated the hold without informing the Defense Department of the reasons. The Government Accountability Office ruled on January 16, 2020 that the hold violated the Impoundment Control Act, stating that "faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law." The aid was released only after Congress learned of it through the Zelensky whistleblower complaint.

Judge denies Epstein bail and orders him detained until trial

U.S. District Judge Richard Berman denied Jeffrey Epstein's bail request following a hearing in which federal prosecutors argued he posed an extreme danger to the community and an unparalleled flight risk. The government presented evidence of Epstein's $500 million in assets, private aircraft, and foreign properties. Epstein was remanded to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan, where he was placed in the Special Housing Unit under enhanced supervision.

OSC finds Julian Castro violated Hatch Act during campaign interview

On July 18, 2016, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel found that HUD Secretary Julian Castro violated the Hatch Act after a Yahoo News interview mixed official housing policy with support for Hillary Clinton. Castro tried to separate the two by saying he was taking off his HUD hat, but OSC said the disclaimer did not cure the violation because the interview used his official title and agency work before the campaign statement. The finding showed how weak Hatch Act remedies can be for Cabinet officials: OSC could publicize the violation and recommend presidential action, but the public record showed no removal or suspension followed (OSC report; Texas Tribune; CBS News; Politico; OSC Hatch Act guidance).