Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Texas Senate approves elections bill as House Democrats decamp in D.C.
The Texas Democrats' exodus to Washington, D.C., may have hamstrung the Lone Star State's House but not its Senate. Published July 14, 2021
‘Patria y vida’: Cuban-born players signal support for protests at All-Star Game
Two Cuban-born players sent shout-outs to anti-regime protesters Tuesday at the start of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Denver. Published July 13, 2021
Rob Manfred won’t speculate on Georgia, Texas eligibility for future All-Star games
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred tied the All-Star Game to Georgia's voting law when he moved the event out of Atlanta, but he refused to elaborate Tuesday on how he plans to apply that standard going forward. Published July 13, 2021
Texas House votes to approve arrest warrants for wayward Democrats
The Texas House voted Tuesday to send law enforcement to bring back Democratic legislators who fled the state on chartered jets to block a vote on a GOP elections bill in a political showdown playing out on the national stage. Published July 13, 2021
Judge denies California Gov. Newsom’s request to label himself as Democrat on recall ballot
A California state judge ruled Monday that Gov. Gavin Newsom cannot identify himself as a Democrat on the September recall ballot, saying he failed to meet the deadline to designate his party affiliation. Published July 12, 2021
‘Despicable’: Climate groups blasted for urging Biden to turn down heat on China
A coalition of progressive and environmental groups took a roasting on the right after urging President Biden to quit bad-mouthing Beijing to secure its cooperation on climate change. Published July 12, 2021
‘Punch in the gut’: Alaska sues Biden administration for stalling reopening of federal lands
Alaska is fighting the Biden administration's move to delay the reopening of millions of acres of federal land, including allotments for tribal veterans, accusing the Interior Department of seeking to keep vast swaths of the state locked up as "de facto parks." Published July 11, 2021
Schlapp accuses Baron Cohen of faking appearance at CPAC for ‘Borat’ movie
In last year's "Borat" sequel, the character played by Sacha Baron Cohen infiltrates CPAC 2020 in a Donald Trump suit, but American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said he doubts the comedian was ever there. Published July 10, 2021
Biden administration loses again on loan relief for non-White farmers only
The Biden administration was slammed Thursday with another court ruling against its pandemic-relief program to pay off the federal loans of all non-White farmers. Published July 8, 2021
Air Force Academy admits including ‘elements’ of critical race theory ‘canon’
The U.S. Air Force Academy acknowledged Thursday including "some elements" of critical race theory in a course but insisted that the doctrine is not endorsed by the federal military institution. Published July 8, 2021
‘America UnCanceled’: Matt Schlapp goes beyond Beltway with CPAC Texas
Matt Schlapp may be the consummate Beltway insider, but he believes the nation's conservative power center is moving away from Washington -- so CPAC is shifting with it. Published July 8, 2021
Republicans erupt over professor pushing critical race theory at Air Force Academy
Stunned Republicans demanded answers Wednesday after a professor declared that she teaches critical race theory at the U.S. Air Force Academy, directly contradicting recent congressional testimony from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Published July 8, 2021
Hunting group pulls support for Biden’s pick over ‘extreme’ Earth First ties
The Dallas Safari Club has rescinded its support for Tracy Stone-Manning, President Biden's pick to head the Bureau of Land Management, calling her involvement as a graduate student in the radical environmental group Earth First "unacceptable." Published July 6, 2021
Supreme Court delivers defeat to Harris with donor-privacy decision
As California attorney general, Kamala Harris turned up the heat on charitable nonprofits by insisting that they submit to her office the names of leading donors, then threatening to levy fines and suspend their state registrations if the groups refused to comply. Published July 6, 2021
Oregonians closely split on Greater Idaho plan to let rural counties switch states: poll
A newly released poll shows that Oregonians are divided on Greater Idaho, the campaign to permit willing rural Oregon counties to join their red-state neighbor to the east. Published July 5, 2021
Company behind Keystone XL pipeline seeks $15B in damages from the Biden administration
The Canadian company behind the now-defunct Keystone XL pipeline is pursuing $15 billion in damages from the U.S. government for President Biden's decision to pull the plug on the massive infrastructure project. Published July 5, 2021
House Democrats slammed for America-bashing July 4th posts
Most lawmakers commemorated Independence Day with patriotic or at least positive messages, but not Democratic Reps. Cori Bush and Maxine Waters. Published July 5, 2021
Facebook roasted for blocking hashtag ‘revolution’ on Independence Day weekend
Facebook came under fire Sunday for blocking the hashtag "revolution" on the Fourth of July, a federal holiday celebrating the passage of the Declaration of Independence during the American Revolution. Published July 4, 2021
‘Orwellian’: Facebook faces backlash for ‘harmful extremist content’ alerts
Facebook's newly launched warnings about "extremist content" have triggered a backlash from those who worry that the alerts represent a social-media crackdown on politically disfavored speech. Published July 4, 2021
Biden encourages Maxine Waters to run for Senate: ‘You think I’m kidding. I’m not’
Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla may want to watch their backs: President Biden has a California Democrat in mind for the Senate, and it's not them. Published July 1, 2021
