David Sherfinski
Articles by David Sherfinski
Survey: Americans pessimistic about government entering new year
After a rough 2013, Americans are entering the new year with a decidedly negative view of the direction of the country and the prospects for elected officials to turn things in government around in 2014. Published January 2, 2014
D.C. gun-control debate holds national clues
Gun-control legislation got a much closer look over the past year in the wake of the Connecticut school shootings — but the District and gun-rights activists have been fighting their own battle on the issue for the better part of a decade. Published January 2, 2014
D.C.’s gun debates a preview of national fights
Gun control legislation got a much closer look over the last year in the wake of the Connecticut school shootings — but the District and gun rights activists have been fighting their own battle on the issue for the better part of a decade. Published January 2, 2014
Six in 10 had bad health care exchange experience: poll
Six in 10 uninsured Americans who visited one of Obamacare's health care exchange website in the last three months say their experience was mostly negative, as the White House touts new enrollment numbers and tries to mitigate fallout from the disastrous rollout of Healthcare.gov. Published January 2, 2014
Rep. Jim McDermott: Democrats can run on Obamacare this year
Rep. Jim McDermott said Thursday that Democrats should adopt a "two-pronged approach" to their agenda and for the midterm elections this year — with one of the prongs involving Obamacare. Published January 2, 2014
Six in 10 favor ban on semi-automatic weapons: poll
Fifty-nine percent of likely voters favor a ban on semi-automatic, military-style weapons, which have gotten heightened attention in the wake of recent mass shootings, while just 18 percent think there should be a complete handgun ban in the U.S. Published January 2, 2014
Bloomberg jumps into hot Hawaii Democratic primary
Former New York City Mayor Michael I. Bloomberg, who departed office Wednesday and handed the reins of the Big Apple to Mayor Bill de Blasio, is headed to Hawaii Thursday to headline a fundraiser for Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz. Published January 2, 2014
Conservative group ad blitz targets Dems over Obamacare
The conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity wasted little time firing off one of the first big salvos in 2014 ahead of the November midterm elections, targeting three Democratic senators up for re-election with a seven-figure television ad campaign on President Obama's troubled health care law. Published January 2, 2014
White House repeats demand for more jobless benefits
As President Obama rang in 2014 in Hawaii, the director of his National Economic Council said Wednesday there would be "no better New Year's resolution for Congress" than to make its first legislative priority restoring emergency unemployment benefits for the estimated 1.3 million people who were cut off Dec. 28. Published January 1, 2014
Supreme Court Justice Roberts to Congress: Remember Judiciary in appropriations talks
U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Roberts used his year-end report on the federal judiciary to remind Congress about the financial belt-tightening going on in the courts, saying they have been strained by across-the-board spending cuts and flat budgeting in recent years. Published January 1, 2014
2013 ‘one of the worst’ years in U.S. history
"In both the executive branch and Congress, Americans witnessed an unwinding of the country's founding principles and of their government's most basic responsibilities. The rule of law gave way to the rule of rulers." Published December 31, 2013
Royce camp: GOP Rep. never filed to run in wrong district
The re-election campaign of Rep. Ed Royce, California Republican, is pushing back on a report from the Sacramento Bee that Mr. Royce filed to run for re-election in the wrong congressional district last week. Published December 30, 2013
No clear motive found for Newtown massacre
Newtown gunman Adam Lanza wrote obsessively about destruction and violence, was labeled "emotionally paralyzed" by a clinical nurse specialist at Yale University as early as 2006, and changed his socks 20 times a day. Published December 27, 2013
Website lets high-volume gun dealers skip background checks
Hundreds of high-volume private gun dealers are transferring tens of thousands of firearms every year over the Internet without conducting background checks, according to a report from the gun control advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns based on an investigation conducted from August to October. Published December 25, 2013
Ex-Rep. Davis backs out on run to Wolf’s House seat
Breaking: Ex-Rep. Davis says he won't run for Wolf's No. Va. seat Published December 23, 2013
Former Rep. Artur Davis won’t run for Wolf’s seat
Former Rep. Artur Davis, a Democrat-turned-Republican who represented Alabama in Congress and now calls Northern Virginia home, says he will not run for the seat of retiring Rep. Frank Wolf, Virginia Republican. Published December 23, 2013
Consumer board’s ‘guidance’ against discrimination angers car dealers, lawmakers
Despite backing the board and its new chief, even Democrats are expressing concern over an early ruling from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warning auto dealers that offering to strike deals on car loan interest rates could be discriminatory. Published December 22, 2013
DOJ reaches largest-ever federal government settlement over auto loan discrimination
The U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Friday that the government has reached a $98 million settlement agreement with Detroit-based Ally Financial over discriminatory auto lending practices — the federal government's largest auto loan discrimination settlement in history. Published December 20, 2013
Actress Glenn Close, advocacy groups prod Congress on mental health legislation
With a boost from some Hollywood royalty Wednesday, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are increasingly bullish about the likelihood they’ll be able to boost mental health spending in response to the Newtown school shooting, even as Democrats vowed not to let that spoil their push for a broader crackdown on gun ownership. Published December 18, 2013
Virginia conservative offers solution to bureaucratic nightmare regarding concealed weapons
A conservative Virginia lawmaker is proposing a solution to a potential bureaucratic nightmare created after lawmakers passed legislation this year to keep private the identities of people seeking concealed weapons permits. Published December 17, 2013