Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Obama, in Colorado, comforts victims of theater shootings
President Obama flew Sunday to Colorado to console families of victims of the shooting rampage that killed 12 and wounded 58 people at a movie theater showing the latest Batman film. Published July 22, 2012
Police: Colo. suspect’s apartment booby trapped; five buildings evacuated
Police said Friday that the suspected gunman in the movie theater massacre rigged his north Aurora apartment with explosives before he killed 12 people at a midnight showing of the latest "Batman" movie. Published July 20, 2012
Police: Colo. shooting suspect bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition
Police moved to complete the grim task of identifying the dead and notifying their families Friday evening in the aftermath of the movie theater massacre that left 12 dead and 58 wounded. Published July 20, 2012
Obama administration to open voter database
It came as something as a shock last weekend when the Obama administration abruptly reversed its position on ballot security by agreeing to let states check suspected illegal voters against a federal database. Published July 17, 2012
Uncowed by ethics probe, Nevada’s Berkley hits hard in ads
Shelley Berkley showed Thursday why she's better known for her offense than her defense. Published July 12, 2012
Officials from 12 states press feds for help in cleaning up voter rolls
For the past year, Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler has been asking Homeland Security officials to check the names of thousands of possibly illegal voters in his state against a federal database. Published July 11, 2012
Berkley faces ethics probe as she runs for Nev. Senate seat
The House Ethics Committee's decision to investigate Rep. Shelley Berkley of Nevada comes as a worst-case scenario for Democrats in the state's crucial U.S. Senate race, which could go either way. Published July 10, 2012
Annual Day of Prayer proclamations in dispute
Colorado is embroiled in a legal battle over the constitutionality of the National Day of Prayer proclamation. Published July 4, 2012
Global warming seen as a factor in wildfires
A growing chorus of environmental groups is blaming climate change for the ferocity of this year's wildfires, heating up the debate over fire policy as wetter conditions brought relief to the Colorado front. Published July 3, 2012
A ‘tax’ by any other name smells just as foul to GOP
The Supreme Court may call it a tax and Republicans may call it a tax, but Democrats insisted Sunday that the fee for noncompliance with the Affordable Care Act bears no resemblance to the T-word. Published July 1, 2012
White House chief: ‘Penalty’ for health insurance noncompliance is ‘fair’
The Supreme Court may call it a tax and Republicans may call it a tax, but Democrats insisted Sunday that the fee for noncompliance with the Affordable Care Act bears no resemblance to a tax. Published July 1, 2012
Conservatives bash court ruling at Western summit
Still reeling from Thursday's Supreme Court decision, conservatives gathered Saturday at the annual Western Conservative Summit to lick their wounds, shake their fists and vow to strike back in November. Published June 30, 2012
Obama visits fire-ravaged Colorado
President Obama surveyed Friday the damage from the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs, praising responders for their efforts and remarking on the enormity of the devastation. Published June 29, 2012
Court inaction on Calif. cross leaves it standing
The Supreme Court declined this week to hear an appeal in the case of the Mount Soledad cross, but that doesn't mean the iconic cross is coming down any time soon. Published June 27, 2012
Utah’s Sen. Hatch, N.Y.’s Rep. Rangel win primary challenges
Two veteran congressmen, New York's Rep. Charles Rangel and Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch, headed to victory Tuesday after early returns showed them staving off primary challenges from younger rivals. Published June 26, 2012
Arizona’s AG: Court’s ruling is ‘a 70% win’
Arizona Republicans declared victory Monday after the Supreme Court upheld the key provision of the state's immigration law requiring police to check the status of suspected illegal immigrants during a lawful stop. Published June 25, 2012
Utah challenger a thorn in Hatch’s side
If Dan Liljenquist falls short in Tuesday's Utah Republican Senate primary, it won't be for a lack of trying. The former state senator has waged a no-holds-barred campaign against six-term incumbent Sen. Orrin G. Hatch. Published June 24, 2012
California voters deal twin blows to unions
An election night that began with Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker winning his recall election grew progressively worse for public-sector unions as California voters approved steep pension-cutting measures in two major cities. Published June 6, 2012
Prop 8 may go before high court
Supporters of traditional marriage announced Tuesday they will petition to bring California's Proposition 8 before the Supreme Court after a lower federal court refused to hear an appeal in the case. Published June 5, 2012
Laundry list California ballot has Feinstein, 23 others
California voters can head to the movies Tuesday to watch "Snow White and the Huntsman," or turn up at the ballot box to see something not much different: "Dianne Feinstein and the 23 Dwarfs." Published June 4, 2012