Valerie Richardson

Meteorologist blasts those linking nor’easter to climate change

Meteorologist Joe Bastardi had a decidedly unscientific term for the effort to link Thursday's frigid winter storm to human-caused climate change: "witchcraft."

January 4, 2018

Planned Parenthood enters transgender market

As dozens of its clinics closed amid a dwindling U.S. abortion rate, Planned Parenthood has moved to diversify its business model by getting into transgender hormone therapy.

January 3, 2018

Matthew Riehl, Colorado gunman, railed against police, university before killing deputy in ‘ambush’

Before Sunday's deadly shooting spree, Matthew Riehl raised red flags with his disjointed diatribes against law enforcement and his alma mater, prompting the University of Wyoming to issue warnings to students and staff.

January 1, 2018

Trump administration kills Obama-era fracking rule before it can be enacted

The Obama administration's 2015 fracking rule was never actually implemented, thanks to an ongoing court battle, and it apparently never will be.

December 31, 2017

Report: ‘Multiple officers down’ in Sunday morning shooting near Denver

A gunman killed a sheriff's deputy and wounded six others Sunday before dying in a hail of gunfire, a bloody scene that shook this quiet suburban community on the last day of the year.

December 31, 2017

Donald Trump cheers as holiday shoppers set spending records

There was plenty of good cheer at America's shopping malls this holiday season as consumers unleashed their wallets and set spending records, buoying retailers and raising confidence levels for more economic gains in 2018.

December 28, 2017

Anita Hill as Hollywood sex harassment commission choice controversial

Casting Anita Hill to lead a commission on sexual harassment in Hollywood may have seemed like an inspired choice, but it turns out the feminist icon hasn't always been a champion of women preyed upon by powerful men.

December 27, 2017

Jeff Sessions orders examination of Bundy case after mistrial over prosecution bungling

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has stepped into the Bundy prosecution after Wednesday's mistrial, ordering a third-party examination of the case in light of the latest government snafu.

December 21, 2017

Judge declares mistrial in Cliven Bundy case, faults federal prosecutors for withholding evidence

Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy has long maintained that the federal government is persecuting him, and Wednesday's mistrial over prosecutorial misconduct did nothing to dispel that notion.

December 20, 2017

Record snow on Alaska mountain linked to climate change

A study released Tuesday in the journal Scientific Reports found that snowfall on the highest peak in the Alaska Range has more than doubled since the start of the Industrial Revolution in the mid-19th century, which researchers attribute to climate change.

December 19, 2017

Watergate nostalgia in vogue as Trump foes seek to link him to Nixon

If you missed the Senate Watergate hearings in 1973, fear not: A massive wave of nostalgia for the scandal that brought down a Republican president has engulfed foes of President Trump as they seek to draw parallels to his administration.

December 18, 2017

Students stand, turn back on Betsy DeVos at University of Baltimore graduation speech

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was met Monday by several dozen students and at least one faculty member who stood and turned their back to her during her fall commencement speech at the University of Baltimore.

December 18, 2017

White House officials tamp down speculation about firing special counsel Robert Mueller

There was plenty of chatter Sunday outside the White House about whether President Trump will fire special counsel Robert Mueller, but apparently nothing of the sort on the inside.

December 17, 2017

Bernie Sanders: Corporate taxes would ‘absolutely’ go back up if Democrats win Senate in 2018

Sen. Bernard Sanders said Sunday that corporate taxes would "absolutely" go back up if Democrats retake the Senate in 2018.

December 17, 2017

John Cornyn, Texas Republican senator, hits Democrats griping about tax bill

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn pushed back Sunday against Democrats griping about the tax reform bill, saying they have refused to participate despite being invited to do so by Republicans.

December 17, 2017

Steve Mnuchin, Treasury secretary, has ‘no doubt’ tax reform will pass this week

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Sunday that he had "no doubt" the tax reform bill would arrive on President Trump's desk by Christmas.

December 17, 2017

Doug Jones, Alabama senator-elect, says he’ll consider voting on some issues with Senate Republicans

Sen.-elect Doug Jones insisted Sunday that he will break with Democrats and vote with Senate Republicans whenever he thinks it's in the best interest of the people of Alabama.

December 17, 2017

NFL posts highest unfavorable rating of any major sport for third straight month

The NFL registered the highest unfavorable rating of any major U.S. sport for the third straight month in a newly released survey, a hit attributed in part to the ongoing protests during the national anthem.

December 16, 2017

Democratic attorneys general vow to sue FCC over net-neutrality repeal

Democratic attorneys general wasted no time Thursday in vowing to sue the Federal Communications Commission over its decision to repeal the Obama-era net neutrality rule.

December 14, 2017

FCC votes down Obama-era ‘net neutrality’ rules

Not even a bomb threat and impromptu evacuation could stop the Federal Communications Commission from voting Thursday to repeal net neutrality, setting up another legal battle between the Trump administration and Democratic attorneys general.

December 14, 2017