Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Liberal activist used iPhone to eavesdrop on McConnell staff
What first looked to be a campaign leak or a "Watergate-style" bugging may actually have been one guy with an iPhone. Published April 12, 2013
‘War on coal’ may burn EPA nominee; GOP senators question Gina McCarthy’s record
With the Environmental Protection Agency set to play the central role in President Obama's second-term climate change agenda, would-be agency chief Gina McCarthy on Thursday tried to calm Republican fears that she would continue the perceived "war on coal" and other harsh regulations under her predecessor. Published April 11, 2013
Next step for Sens. Joe Manchin, Pat Toomey? ‘To go out and sell this’ gun deal
With a deal on gun background checks finally done, Sens. Pat Toomey and Joe Manchin have another difficult task ahead: selling the American people and their colleagues in Congress on the specifics. Published April 11, 2013
Canada campaigns for Keystone pipeline
Canada is counting on its oil sands for sustained economic growth for the next few decades, but first it needs a reliable customer — preferably the United States. Published April 10, 2013
Saturday mail delivery survives; Postal Service blames Congress
Saturday mail has been pulled off the chopping block, and the U.S. Postal Service isn't happy about it. Published April 10, 2013
Pennsylvania man charged in White House bomb threat
D.C. police have arrested a Pennsylvania man after he threatened to blow up a truck bomb near the White House on Wednesday morning, The Associated Press reported. Published April 10, 2013
Rep. Paul Ryan: President Obama ‘creaking the door open’ on entitlements
He's skeptical about whether President Obama's budget truly will tackle runaway spending, but the House Republicans' budget point man believes the White House has taken a small step forward on the sticky issue of Social Security. Published April 10, 2013
Background checks brokered: Sens. Pat Toomey, Joe Manchin reach gun deal, report says
With a Senate gun-control showdown looming, Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey have reached a deal on background checks for firearm purchases, NBC News reported Wednesday morning. Published April 10, 2013
Model aircraft owners drawn into privacy debate on drones
Steve Barnett has been flying unmanned aerial systems for more than 30 years — long before the word "drone" started making global headlines. But now, the 65-year-old Army veteran and model-airplane enthusiast finds himself answering new questions as his hobby gets dragged into a white-hot national debate. Published April 9, 2013
Communists, tyrants and rogues — and the stars who play to them
From Hanoi Jane to Havana Jay-Z, the celebrity culture's coziness with communists, tyrants and rogues has been at odds with U.S. foreign policy for a half-century. Published April 9, 2013
Ernest Moniz, Obama’s energy secretary nominee, lauds fracking ‘revolution’
President Obama's pick to head the Energy Department offered something for everyone during Senate confirmation hearings. Published April 9, 2013
McConnell camp: Our offices were bugged
Calling it "Watergate-style bugging," the re-election campaign of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is now working with the FBI to find out how a recording of private political "war room" conversations was leaked to the liberal magazine Mother Jones. Published April 9, 2013
U.S. diplomats wasting time with ‘crazy people’ running North Korea: McCain
The U.S. has for decades tried diplomacy to deal with North Korea, and Sen. John McCain is fed up with it. Published April 9, 2013
Connecticut police: Man pulls out BB gun as Obama’s motorcade passes
A man is in custody after, police say, he brandished a BB gun as President Obama's motorcade passed through Bloomfield, Conn., on Monday afternoon, local media reported. Published April 9, 2013
Rep. Peter King says Senate gun control filibuster would be ‘just wrong’
Echoing the sentiments of Sen. John McCain, a leading House Republican on Tuesday blasted the increasingly popular idea of filibustering any gun control measures in the Senate. Published April 9, 2013
Bill Clinton embraces Twitter — for one tweet
Bill Clinton was a two-term president, but he was one and done using the social media tool Twitter. Published April 9, 2013
Feds approved Beyonce, Jay-Z trip to Cuba, report says
Beyonce's and Jay-Z's widely criticized fifth anniversary trip to communist-run Cuba was blessed by the Obama administration, Reuters reported Tuesday morning. Published April 9, 2013
Out of politics, Ron Paul launches his own curriculum
It's not uncommon for former government officials or politicians to enter academia when they leave Washington. Former Rep. Ron Paul has gone a few steps further by creating his very own curriculum. Published April 8, 2013
The buck stops with Obama: Democrats count on president to revive urgency for gun control
As he heads to Connecticut on Monday, it's up to President Obama to revive the "sense of urgency" for stronger gun measures, a top Democratic senator said Monday. Published April 8, 2013
Fracking support becomes bipartisan as both parties see economic benefits
As he weighs whether to allow fracking in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is under intense pressure from the oil and gas industry, Republican lawmakers and long-struggling communities eager to see the drilling technique jump-start the state's economy. Published April 7, 2013
