Susan Crabtree
Articles by Susan Crabtree
Senate Dem Ron Wyden threatens John Brennan’s CIA nomination over White House drone policy
Amid growing furor, among both Republicans and Democrats, over revelations about the Obama administration's use of drones for targeted killings, a prominent Senate Democrat on Wednesday made a thinly veiled threat to filibuster John Brennan's CIA director nomination. Published February 6, 2013
Panic rises as sequesters grow near
Deadline legislating is once again the talk of Washington, with all sides now demanding an end to the automatic spending sequesters — even though just a few weeks ago many of them seemed to be bracing, or in some cases even welcoming, the $85 billion in cuts divided between defense and domestic needs. Published February 6, 2013
Obama pressed on information requests
Watchdog groups have repeatedly taken President Obama to task for not living up to his pledge to run the "most open and transparent administration in history." Now, the bipartisan leaders of a congressional oversight panel are piling on with fresh criticism of the administration's performance. Published February 6, 2013
Obama picks REI executive for Interior post
President Obama's pick of Sally Jewell as his new interior secretary immediately drew praise from the environmental community and even some in the oil and gas sector. Published February 6, 2013
Obama plans first trip as president to Israel
After taking heat from Republicans for failing to make the trip during his first term in office, President Obama will make his first visit to Israel as president in the coming months, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Published February 5, 2013
Navy to clip Blue Angels’ wings if sequester hits
With military concern about budget cuts set to hit the Pentagon and federal government March 1 reaching a crescendo, the Navy is prepared to ground the famous squadron for the second half of the 2013, according to an internal Navy memo. Published February 5, 2013
Obama ramps up pressure to resolve sequester
Warning of serious repercussions for the economy and the military if Congress fails to halt the next round of $85 billion in budget cuts next month, President Obama on Tuesday called for replacing the automatic spending "sequesters" with a vague mix of smaller cuts and more tax increases. Published February 5, 2013
Panetta leaves big bill as he flies away
As Leon E. Panetta ends a decades-long Washington career capped by his service as defense secretary, he has said repeatedly that he is ready to get back to his family's bucolic walnut ranch off the central coast of California. But while serving as CIA director and defense secretary for the past four years, he has been commuting back to Monterey, Calif., nearly every weekend on the taxpayers' dime. Published February 5, 2013
Democratic convention helped by energy firm
Five months after President Obama's made-for-media convention in Charlotte, N.C., the host committee for the three-day Democratic bash still has not paid off an unprecedented $10 million loan secured by Duke Energy, and there is no way of knowing whether it will ever be paid back. Published January 30, 2013
Obama lauds NBA stars as fathers, role models
President Obama gave a few players for the NBA champion Miami Heat a very public pat on the back for taking their roles as fathers seriously. Published January 28, 2013
Obama to begin immigration push Tuesday
President Obama will begin a major push to overhaul the nation's immigration laws next week, starting with an address during a trip to Las Vegas Tuesday. Published January 25, 2013
Obama taps McDonough as chief of staff
President Obama will announce Denis McDonough, a longtime senior adviser, as his new chief of staff at a ceremony in the East Room in the White House early this afternoon, according to a White House official. Published January 25, 2013
Obama picks ex-prosecutor to head SEC
Bracing for tougher enforcement of rules governing Wall Street in President Obama's second term, several business groups warily welcomed the president's nomination Thursday of Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney for Manhattan who made her name prosecuting terrorists, to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. Published January 24, 2013
Obama to nominate White to SEC chair
President Obama will nominate Mary Jo White, a former U.S. attorney, to head the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to a White House spokesman. Published January 24, 2013
Obama won’t propose carbon tax
Despite President Obama's renewed attention to climate change, as expressed in his inaugural address, the White House is ruling out any plans to propose a tax on carbon emissions favored by many environmentalist groups. Published January 23, 2013
White House pushes forward with Gen. Allen’s nomination
The White House is moving forward with Gen. John Allen's nomination to become commander of NATO forces in Europe after the Pentagon cleared him of any wrongdoing in exchanging emails with a Florida woman linked to the sex scandal that brought down David Petraeus and forced him to resign as CIA director. Published January 23, 2013
Kirk leaving Obama trade post
U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk will step down and leave the Obama administration by the end of February, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Published January 23, 2013
Climate blowing in the wind for Obama
After devoting scant attention to climate change during his re-election campaign, President Obama pivoted sharply on the issue during his inauguration speech and promised to make addressing the threat of global warming a major priority in his second term. Published January 22, 2013
Trade Representative Kirk to leave administration by end of Feb.
U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk will step down and leave the Obama administration by the end of February, the White House confirmed Tuesday. Published January 22, 2013
Obama would sign short debt ceiling extension
The White House praised House Republicans for deciding to forgo a fight over raising the nation's borrowing limit and said President Obama would likely sign a three-month extension of the debt ceiling even though he would prefer a longer-term deal. Published January 22, 2013