Cortney Merritts, husband of former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, has been charged with defrauding the government by accepting $20,000 in payments from pandemic relief programs. He allegedly falsified details about his businesses to obtain loans from the Small Business Administration and has been charged with two counts of wire fraud. Merritts intends to plead not guilty, and the charges come after an investigation into campaign payments to him, leading to controversy surrounding Bush and her criticism of Israel’s response to attacks in 2023.
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Americans grapple with affordability crisis: “Hard for me just to survive”
As the U.S. faces an affordability crisis, CBS Evening News highlights the struggles of Americans like teacher Michelle Boisjoli, police officer Anthony Bartolini, and 70-year-old widow Olivia Moreno Carlson, each grappling with rising costs and stagnant wages. A CBS News poll reveals that two out of three Americans are financially stressed, with many resorting to second jobs and facing challenges in achieving homeownership. More Context
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