David Sherfinski
Articles by David Sherfinski
Sen. John Kennedy tells Scott Pruitt ‘Stop leading with your chin’
Sen. John Kennedy on Sunday said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt should "stop leading with your chin" and that Mr. Pruitt needs to cut out "stupid" "unforced errors" amid recently reported ethical lapses. Published April 8, 2018
Joe Crowley says Nancy Pelosi leadership challenge unlikely
Rep. Joe Crowley on Sunday said it's unlikely he'd mount a leadership challenge to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi if she runs again after the 2018 midterm elections. Published April 8, 2018
Mike Rounds defends Scott Pruitt
Sen. Mike Rounds on Sunday defended Scott Pruitt, the embattled Environmental Protection Agency administrator, saying Mr. Pruitt is following through on President Trump's agenda amid "nitpicking" on other matters. Published April 8, 2018
Trump condemns Putin, ‘Animal Assad’ after Syria chemical attack
President Trump on Sunday condemned a Saturday chemical attack in Syria and criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran for backing Syrian President Bashar al Assad, who Mr. Trump called an "animal." Published April 8, 2018
Trump says China will take down trade barriers
President Trump on Sunday predicted a "great future" for both China and the U.S. amid an escalating trade dispute, saying China would take down its trade barriers because it's "the right thing to do." Published April 8, 2018
Gun advocates sue Deerfield, Illinois, for ban on semiautomatic assault rifles
Gun-rights advocates on Thursday sued an Illinois village over its new ban on military-style semiautomatic "assault" rifles and high capacity ammunition magazines, saying the ordinance not only stops purchases but could lead to confiscations. Published April 5, 2018
Andrew Cuomo complains about tax breaks for wealthy, signs off on New York loopholes
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has complained that the federal tax overhaul approved last year gave tax cuts to wealthy people who didn't need the assistance. But the budget deal he signed last week includes loopholes designed to give those same wealthy people tax breaks, in what even some liberal watchdogs say is a legally suspect giveaway to the rich. Published April 5, 2018
Nearly 3 million gun-purchase background checks ran in March
Nearly 2.8 million gun-purchase background checks were processed last month, according to FBI data released Tuesday -- an indication that renewed talk of gun control in the wake of February's Parkland school massacre is fueling a record nationwide firearms buying spree. Published April 3, 2018
IRS tax return audit rate lowest in 15 years
The IRS is auditing fewer tax returns than at any other time in the past 15 years as the agency struggles with what it says it a shrinking budget and pressure from Congress to be less zealous in enforcement. Published April 2, 2018
Judge rules lawsuit filed against Massachusetts attorney general can move forward
Amid an 18-month-long court fight, a federal judge recently ruled that a lawsuit accusing Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey of improperly tightening the state's strict assault-style weapons ban on her own can move forward. Published April 1, 2018
House GOP to take another stab at balanced budget amendment
House Republicans are eyeing a vote on a balanced budget amendment when lawmakers return to Washington from their spring recess, taking another stab at a longtime GOP priority that's eluded them for more than three decades. Published March 29, 2018
Percentage of public schools with resource officers on the rise: Report
Congress is pushing schools to employ police as guards in the wake of recent shootings, but 57 percent of schools already have some security presence, according to a new study Thursday. Published March 29, 2018
Officials charge eight Rhode Island suspects in alleged ‘lie and try’ gun cases
Federal and state prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against eight Rhode Island residents who they said lied on their background checks in order to buy guns, marking the latest prosecutions as the Trump administration steps up efforts to enforce gun laws already on the books. Published March 28, 2018
Bump stocks ban dispute may stop Donald Trump’s gun restriction
The federal government has only just begun the process of banning bump stocks for firearms, but Second Amendment groups are already lining up to challenge whatever the Justice Department produces. Published March 27, 2018
John Paul Stevens, former Supreme Court justice: Repeal the Second Amendment
Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens on Tuesday called for repealing the Second Amendment, saying it would be the best way to sap the power of gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association. Published March 27, 2018
Gun purchase background checks surge after Parkland
Federal gun purchase background checks jumped by nearly 100,000 in February -- the largest year-over-year monthly increase since the 2016 elections and only the third increase since December 2016 -- as buyers seemingly reacted to growing talk of gun control. Published March 26, 2018
Special interest groups win big under new spending bill
Republicans and Democrats sparred over which party emerged victorious from the $1.3 trillion spending bill fight, but the real winners are thousands of interest groups — including wealthy foreign investors, striped bass fishing enthusiasts and cranberry researchers — to whom the bill doles out some serious assistance. Published March 25, 2018
Donald Trump threatens veto of $1.3 trillion spending bill
President Trump threatened to veto the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill Friday, saying it didn't do enough on immigration -- and raising the specter of another government shutdown. Published March 23, 2018
Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic leader: Spending deal brings end to ‘era of austerity’
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer on Thursday said the $1.3 trillion spending bill moving through Congress this week should close the chapter on what he called the "era of austerity." Published March 22, 2018
Congress passes $1.3 trillion spending bill
The House approved a $1.3 trillion spending bill Thursday to fund the government for the rest of fiscal year 2018 and the Senate followed suit early Friday morning, beating the shutdown deadline and leaving Republicans and Democrats to fight over credit and blame. Published March 22, 2018