David Sherfinski
Articles by David Sherfinski
Boehner: House group ‘essentially in agreement’ on immigration reform
House Speaker John A. Boehner and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer both said Tuesday that a bipartisan group of eight House members are essentially in agreement on comprehensive immigration reform, and Mr. Hoyer said he expects a final agreement to be reached "in the near term." Published March 19, 2013
Priebus: Rob Portman ‘a good, conservative Republican’ after announcing support for gay marriage
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus batted away the idea on Monday that Sen. Rob Portman would receive any less support from the party after he recently expressed his support for same-sex marriage. Published March 18, 2013
GOP road map: Immigration reform, fewer debates, $10M for minority outreach
Republican leaders spent three months studying their 2012 election defeat and on Monday announced they were beat on nearly every aspect of politicking, from money to message to manpower, and said one immediate change should be to embrace immigration reform — a lightning-rod issue that nearly tore the party apart under the George W. Bush administration. Published March 18, 2013
Rand Paul wins The Washington Times-CPAC 2013 Straw Poll
Sen. Rand Paul won the 2013 Washington Times-CPAC presidential preference straw poll this past weekend with Sen. Marco Rubio coming in a close second, easily outdistancing the rest of the field and signaling the rise of a new generation of conservative leaders. Published March 16, 2013
CPAC 2013: Jindal says growth, not austerity, the best path for GOP
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal challenged the recent Republican drumbeat decrying bloated government spending and deficits Friday, saying that the conservative movement's "obsession with zeroes" and federal spending only serves to narrow the political discourse to its opponents' turf. Published March 15, 2013
CPAC 2013: ‘We will not be demonized, and we will not be silent,’ NRA’s LaPierre says
National Rifle Association executive vice president and CEO Wayne LaPierre struck a defiant tone during an address Friday morning at the Conservative Political Action Conference, saying that advocates of the Second Amendment will never back down, despite the "elitists" who constantly denigrate and mock them. Published March 15, 2013
GOP’s Rob Portman now supports gay marriage, has homosexual son
Sen. Rob Portman, a longtime opponent of gay marriage, has changed his views on the issue after his son came out to him and his wife two years ago. Published March 15, 2013
CPAC 2013: Youth-favorite Rand Paul chastises ‘stale and moss-covered’ GOP
Fresh off his filibuster that captured the hearts of libertarian conservatives, Sen. Rand Paul told attendees Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference that the Republican Party has become "stale" and must return to basic constitutional principles if it wants to ignite a political revolution. Published March 14, 2013
CPAC 2013: Cuccinelli says govt. must speak for those without a voice
Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II helped kick off the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference with a measured address that was part rallying cry, part stump speech as the conservative darling gears up his push to become the next governor in what's now a solidly purple state. Published March 14, 2013
House bars state welfare work waivers
The House of Representatives passed a measure Wednesday to block the Obama administration's ability to grant states waivers from work eligibility requirements for welfare — a politically-charged issue that the Republicans seized upon during the 2012 presidential campaign. Published March 13, 2013
White House: Secret Service’s call to cancel tours
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday it was the Secret Service's decision to cancel tours of the president's home, a week after the spokesman said the White House itself had made the decision after being presented with options. Published March 13, 2013
An American pope would not ‘be taking orders from me,’ President Obama says
President Obama dismissed the notion that an American pope would be too closely aligned with the U.S. government, pointing out that America's Catholic bishops "don't seem to be taking orders from me." Published March 13, 2013
Senate panels OKs broad background checks for gun buys
On a straight party-line vote, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill Tuesday dramatically expanding background checks to cover nearly every gun purchase. Published March 12, 2013
Democratic lawmaker floats higher retirement age for budget deal
Maryland Democratic Rep. John Delaney laid out a series of proposed entitlement reforms Tuesday considered anathema to many of his fellow Democrats —such as raising the retirement age — but ones he said are necessary to balance the nation's long-term budget. Published March 12, 2013
Winning Senate seat on $14,000 a day
Successful Senate candidates raised an average of more than $14,000 per day during the last election cycle — a sum that campaign finance reform advocates said shows a system begging for an overhaul. Published March 11, 2013
Buds of skepticism on Obama’s olive branch
Republicans on Sunday said they welcome the White House's new "charm offensive" — even if they are skeptical of the motives behind President Obama's renewed effort to schmooze with some of his administration's harshest critics. Published March 10, 2013
Rep. Paul Ryan: Thursday lunch was first extended conversation with Obama
Rep. Paul Ryan said that a Thursday lunch with President Obama at the White House was the first conversation between the two men that lasted more than a few minutes. Published March 10, 2013
Jeb Bush: ‘Not much daylight’ between immigration plans
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, blanketing the Sunday talk shows, vigorously denied charges leveled at him in the past week that he's shifted his views on immigration reform as other Republicans eyeing potential 2016 presidential bids jockey for position on the issue. Published March 10, 2013
First post-Newtown shooting gun control bill clears key Senate hurdle, tougher work lies ahead
Amid deep party-line divisions, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved Congress' first post-Newtown gun control bill — a proposal to crack down on gun trafficking and straw purchases meant to circumvent the law — but the panel pushed the toughest work off until next week. Published March 7, 2013
Senate wrangles with range of gun proposals; checking buyers is a sticking point
The range of gun-related legislation likely to pass the full Senate rounded into shape Wednesday, as lengthy bipartisan negotiations over universal background checks broke down and lawmakers offered a separate measure on mental illness just a day ahead of key committee votes. Published March 6, 2013
