Valerie Richardson

Heath Mello’s abortion politics fail in Omaha, Nebraska

OMAHA, Neb. | The Democratic Party's big tent has shrunk a little with the defeat of Heath Mello, whose failed bid for Omaha mayor exposed a rift in the party on abortion and the viability of the progressive wing in middle America.

May 10, 2017

Betsy DeVos delivers graduation speech over boos of students at raucous ceremony

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday plowed through the first commencement address of her tenure over a noisy chorus of boos during a raucous ceremony at Bethune-Cookman University.

May 10, 2017

Heath Mello loses Omaha mayor’s race after anti-Trump theme, abortion message flop

The Democratic Party's big tent has shrunk a little with the defeat of Heath Mello, whose failed bid for Omaha mayor exposed a rift in the party on abortion and the viability of the progressive wing in middle America.

May 10, 2017

Cory Gardner called by North Korea ‘human dirt’ with no body hair

North Korea denounced Sen. Cory Gardner as human dirt who has lost all body hair after the Colorado Republican last week referred to the communist nation's leader as a "wack job."

May 8, 2017

Democrats hit GOP health care using scare tactics

Hoping Trumpcare does for them what Obamacare did for Republicans at the ballot box, Democrats have seized on the House repeal-and-replace bill even as Republicans insist that fans of the collapsing health care exchange are deluding themselves.

May 7, 2017

Jonathan Gruber blames Trump for Obamacare decline

Obamacare co-architect Jonathan Gruber, who once credited the "stupidity of the American voter" for the passage of the sweeping health-care exchange bill, said Sunday that President Trump was to blame for its decline.

May 7, 2017

Reince Priebus voters will reward Republican Obamacare repeal

Liberals are betting that Trumpcare will be as devastating at the ballot box for Republicans as Obamacare was for Democrats, but Reince Priebus said he wouldn't count on it.

May 7, 2017

Paul Ryan, House speaker, rejects criticism of Obamacare repeal as ‘bogus attack from left’

Paul Ryan on Sunday dismissed as "bogus" criticism by Democrats accusing Republicans of rushing through the Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill.

May 7, 2017

Susan Collins, Maine Republican: House GOP made ‘mistake’ in defunding Planned Parenthood

Sen. Susan Collins on Sunday called it a "mistake" for the House Republicans' health care bill to defund Planned Parenthood.

May 7, 2017

Kellyanne Conway: Hillary Clinton joining ‘resistance’ likely to backfire on Democrats

Kellyanne Conway said Sunday she welcomes Hillary Clinton's return to the national spotlight.

May 7, 2017

Networks accused of ‘censorship’ for refusing to air pro-Trump ad over ‘fake news’ jab

Four major television networks have come under fire from the Trump camp for "censorship" after refusing to air a political ad over its reference to "fake news."

May 7, 2017

FBI report finds officers ‘de-policing’ as anti-cop hostility becomes ‘new norm’

An unclassified FBI study on last year's cop-killing spree found officers are "de-policing" amid concerns that anti-police defiance fueled in part by movements like Black Lives Matter has become the "new norm."

May 4, 2017

Labor unions, environmentalists square off at Keystone XL pipeline hearing

YORK, Nebraska | As union workers extolled the virtues of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline at Wednesday's hearing before the Nebraska Public Service Commission, Jeanne Crumly grew exasperated.

May 3, 2017

Ted Wheeler condemns Portland May Day rioting, 25 arrests

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler condemned the May Day rioting that resulted Monday in 25 arrests, the latest in a series of violent outbreaks that have roiled the liberal Oregon enclave for months.

May 2, 2017

Doug Burgum seeks North Dakota disaster declaration due to pipeline protesters

North Dakota spent tens of millions of dollars grappling with activists who used federal land as a launch pad for repeated protests against the Dakota Access pipeline, and now state officials want the federal government to pay.

May 1, 2017

Climate March donated to by liberal billionaire George Soros

The People's Climate March on Saturday in the nation's capital had a powerful billionaire behind it: Democratic Party donor George Soros.

April 30, 2017

People’s Climate March postponed in Colorado due to snow

At least one of the People's Climate March rallies scheduled for Saturday in Colorado was cancelled as a result of a major snowstorm, providing climate skeptics with a good chuckle.

April 29, 2017

Dane Powell, ‘Black bloc’ protester, pleads guilty to felonies from Inauguration Day rioting

A Florida man with the radical "black bloc" protest network pleaded guilty Friday to felony rioting and assault for his role in the Inauguration Day chaos in Washington, D.C.

April 28, 2017

George Soros gave $36M to groups behind People’s Climate March

The People's Climate March scheduled for Saturday has a powerful billionaire behind it: Democratic Party donor George Soros.

April 28, 2017

Arkansas executions halted due to lack of drugs

The final execution in Arkansas's condensed April timetable was scheduled for Thursday night, but it could be months or even years before the state is able to carry out another one.

April 27, 2017