Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
George Zimmerman’s legal woes may not be over; NAACP, others call for federal civil rights charges
George Zimmerman may have been acquitted of all charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, but he may have to defend himself once more — this time against the federal government. Published July 14, 2013
A relieved George Zimmerman not guilty; verdict stirs emotion across the country
A Florida jury late Saturday cleared George Zimmerman of any criminal charges in the February 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin, rejecting the state’s case that the neighborhood watch volunteer had stalked and killed the unarmed black teenager. Published July 13, 2013
Zimmerman jury deliberates as Florida, nation on edge
As a jury weighs the fate of accused murderer George Zimmerman, leaders in Sanford, Fla., and beyond are pleading for calm but also preparing for violence as one of the most racially charged trials in recent U.S. history draws to a close. Published July 13, 2013
Blame game escalates; student loan bill fails again in Senate
Senators are going back to the drawing board after another attempt to address the July 1 increase in college-loan interest rates failed Wednesday and left millions of students faced with even more debt as they head into the fall academic term. Published July 10, 2013
Texas House passes nation’s most restrictive abortion bill
The Texas House on Wednesday passed new abortion limits widely seen as the most restrictive in the nation and, in doing so, guaranteed the state will remain ground zero in the white-hot national debate over life and choice. Published July 10, 2013
Binz record on energy in Colorado concerns many
As Ronald J. Binz heads to Washington to become one of the country's most powerful energy regulators, critics say the former Colorado official leaves in his wake a record of dramatic overreach, an outright hostility to coal and an "anti-business" bent. Published July 9, 2013
In Zimmerman trial, prosecution’s case circling the drain
George Zimmerman's defense attorneys have yet to take the field, but they're already up by double digits. Published July 2, 2013
College loan rates double as frustration with Congress grows
As student loan interest rates doubled Monday, Republicans and Democrats in Washington criticized each other for failing to come to a last-minute agreement and stave off the increase. Published July 1, 2013
Julian Assange, Edward Snowden promise more secrets will be revealed
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Sunday that Edward Snowden — the former National Security Agency and CIA contractor still holed up in a Moscow airport after leaking classified national security information to media outlets — has more secrets to reveal and that there's nothing the U.S. government can do to stop him. Published June 30, 2013
House GOP to Senate: No rush on immigration
As the immigration reform debate moves to the House, Republicans have all but rejected the Senate's comprehensive approach and instead are embracing a package of targeted bills. Key sponsors of the Senate legislation, however, aren't giving up hope. Published June 30, 2013
Feds: Massive amounts of carbon dioxide can be stored underground
President Obama's new climate change agenda seems to spell the eventual end of coal-fired power plants in America. But new findings released Wednesday could offer a path to survival for the fuel, which still provides about 40 percent of the nation's electricity. Published June 26, 2013
Obama administration pumps unprecedented power into EPA
With the Environmental Protection Agency set to take on an even broader regulatory role in the years ahead, a report released Wednesday shows the agency's footprint already is at a historic high. Published June 26, 2013
Obama gives himself an out on Keystone
President Obama on Tuesday used a hyped speech on climate change to signal — with a wink and a nod — that he's likely to approve the $7 billion Keystone XL oil sands pipeline. Published June 25, 2013
Obama to push unilateral action against climate change
President Obama says he will renew his push to combat climate change, beginning with a speech Tuesday — but he will find his options more limited than during his first term when temperatures appeared to be on the rise, along with momentum for curbing greenhouse gas emissions at home and abroad. Published June 24, 2013
Cost of Obama’s Africa trip under fire, overshadows economic, democracy focus
With President Obama set to leave for a weeklong stay in Africa, the goals of his trip — boosting economic partnerships and engagement with the U.S. and promoting democratic development in African nations — are in danger of being overshadowed. Published June 23, 2013
Obama meets with privacy watchdog panel … in private
The White House over the past several days has launched a public relations offensive to convince Americans that, under President Obama's leadership, privacy and Fourth Amendment rights won't be sacrificed in the name of national security. Published June 23, 2013
White House still mulling Taliban swap offer for U.S. POW
As the Obama administration prepares for a potential sit-down with the Taliban, the White House hasn't decided whether it will entertain a trade offer that would return an American soldier held since 2009 in exchange for five Taliban operatives held at Guantanamo Bay. Published June 21, 2013
As surveillance scandals swirl, Obama to sit down with privacy board
With concerns over federal surveillance near the boiling point, President Obama on Friday will hold his first meeting with the newly constituted Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, a senior administration official said. Published June 21, 2013
Obama’s remarks about Catholic schools spark new fight with church
President Obama's remarks on Catholic schools during his trip to Northern Ireland this week have sparked an unexpected uproar, with critics accusing him of diminishing religious education. Published June 20, 2013
Obama tells Berliners: ‘Here in the United States…’ during sweat-soaked speech
Defending U.S. surveillance and data-collection practices, President Obama on Wednesday told a crowd in Berlin that those programs help keep people safe "here in the United States." Published June 19, 2013
