Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Thousands rally against Planned Parenthood in massive national protest
Thousands of pro-lifers turned out in U.S. cities nationwide Saturday for a massive show of opposition against Planned Parenthood, an event billed as the largest simultaneous protest ever aimed at the embattled abortion and health-care provider. Published August 22, 2015
Pro-life center rushes to post StemExpress footage after restraining order lifted
The Center for Medical Progress posted a short video Friday showing a StemExpress executive joking about receiving intact fetal cadavers from abortions, publishing the footage shortly after a Los Angeles judge dissolved a temporary restraining order against its release. Published August 21, 2015
Planned Parenthood losing social-media war sparked by undercover videos
Planned Parenthood for America is losing the social-media war in the aftermath of undercover videos on its fetal-tissue donations from abortions, according to an analysis released Friday. Published August 21, 2015
Gina McCarthy called to testify on Animas River toxic spill
The chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee called Friday on EPA administrator Gina McCarthy to testify before the panel on the Animas River wastewater spill triggered by an EPA-led crew. Published August 21, 2015
EPA draws ire of Navajo Nation after water arrives in dirty oil tanks
The EPA spill that contaminated rivers in Colorado and New Mexico was bad enough, but now Navajo Nation officials are fuming after a delivery of water for livestock and crops arrived in dirty oil tanks. Published August 20, 2015
Mine’s owner says he tried to keep out EPA but was threatened with fines
The owner of the Colorado's Gold King Mine says he tried to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from gaining access to his property, but that he relented after the agency threatened to pound him with ruinous fines if he refused. Published August 20, 2015
EPA toxic mine spill gets Interior second probe
A second federal investigation into the EPA's accidental toxic wastewater spill into the Animas River launched Tuesday, this one conducted by the Interior Department. Published August 18, 2015
Ben Carson visits Colorado to decry EPA’s toxic spill
The EPA's massive toxic spill triggered fallout Tuesday from Republicans as presidential hopeful Ben Carson visited the site, and a key congressman disclosed that at least two House committees are planning to investigate the incident. Published August 18, 2015
Planned Parenthood targets Republican senators with ads
Planned Parenthood moved to punish its enemies Tuesday with ads that say nothing about recent allegations of wrongdoing stemming from its fetal-tissue donations from abortions, but instead target vulnerable Republican senators. Published August 18, 2015
Russell Begaye, Navajo Nation president, won’t drink Animas water after EPA spill
EPA officials have assured those living along the Animas and San Juan rivers that water quality is back to normal, but some locals can be forgiven if they don't entirely trust the federal government after its monster mining spill. Published August 17, 2015
Masterpiece Cakeshop gets crowdfunding after court defeat in gay wedding case
Supporters of Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover his expenses as he fights an order stemming from his refusal to make a cake for a gay wedding. Published August 16, 2015
Gov. Hickenlooper’s big gulp from polluted Animas River slammed by health official
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper's big gulp of water from the formerly orange Animas River wasn't just icky, it was "reckless and irresponsible," said New Mexico's top environmental official. Published August 14, 2015
EPA denies Navajo pressure to waive rights to future payment claims in Animas River disaster
EPA administrator Gina McCarthy moved to mend fences Thursday with Navajo Nation as the agency denied accusations that it tried to force Indians to waive their rights to future claims stemming from the Gold King Mine blowout. Published August 13, 2015
Erin Brockovich: EPA must fire people in Colorado spill
Erin Brockovich, the anti-pollution crusader made famous in the eponymous movie starring Julia Roberts, says the EPA's apology for the Gold King Mine spill "just ain't gonna cut it" and urged the agency to "fire people" if necessary. Published August 13, 2015
Judge nixes StemExpress’s effort to obtain pro-life group’s undercover video
A California judge rejected Thursday an effort by StemExpress to gain access to video footage from the pro-life Center for Medical Progress exposing the company's business relationship with Planned Parenthood. Published August 13, 2015
Masterpiece Cakeshop: Bakery can’t refuse to make gay wedding cakes because of religion, court rules
The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled Thursday against a Christian baker who refused to prepare a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony, rejecting the argument that doing so would violate his First Amendment rights. Published August 13, 2015
Michael Bennet polls worse than Mark Udall, Colorado Democrat who lost in 2014
An analysis released Wednesday brought bad news for Sen. Michael Bennet, Colorado Democrat, whose numbers show him in bigger re-election trouble than was Democratic Sen. Mark Udall was at this stage of the 2014 election cycle that ended in his defeat. Published August 12, 2015
John Hickenlooper, Colorado governor, drinks from Animas River after EPA spill
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper once drank fracking fluid to prove a point, so guzzling water from the EPA-contaminated Animas River was apparently no big deal. Published August 12, 2015
Gold King Mine spill: Democrats, green activists scrambling to provide cover for EPA
The environmental left can be counted on to whip up an outcry whenever a private company despoils a gulf, stream or river -- unless the polluter in question is the Environmental Protection Agency. Published August 12, 2015
Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, ‘deeply sorry’ for wastewater spill
EPA administrator Gina McCarthy broke her silence Tuesday on the agency's wastewater spill from Colorado's Gold King Mine by saying she was "deeply sorry," but that wasn't enough to stave off a demand for congressional oversight into the accident and the agency's fumbled reaction. Published August 11, 2015