Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Susan Collins says she will vote for Kavanaugh nomination to Supreme Court
Sen. Susan Collins delivered a masterful defense of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh on Friday, and moments later a key Democrat also announced his support, virtually ensuring Judge Kavanaugh's elevation to the high court. Published October 5, 2018
Jeff Merkley’s bid to delay Kavanaugh vote rejected by Judge
Sen. Jeff Merkley lost his bid to delay the Senate's final vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after a federal judge ruled Friday that he had waited too long to sue. Published October 5, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh on track to Supreme Court as GOP defeats Dem filibuster
Republicans beat back a Democrat-led filibuster Friday and voted to keep Brett Kavanaugh on track for the Supreme Court, linking arms and jumping into a political maelstrom. Published October 5, 2018
Chuck Grassley blasts Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers in latest Kavanaugh kerfuffle
Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley scolded Christine Blasey Ford's legal team in a letter Thursday, chiding them for refusing to turn over evidence that they had said would back up her claims of sexual assault by Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh. Published October 5, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh Wall Street Journal op-ed caps chaotic confirmation
Brett M. Kavanaugh made a last-minute appeal to senators Thursday to elevate him to the Supreme Court, and Republicans were increasingly hopeful of corralling the votes this weekend to do just that, after an FBI investigation failed to back up several women's claims of sexual misconduct during his high school and college years. Published October 4, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh FBI report fails to settle Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez accusations
The FBI's updated background investigation into Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh reached out to 11 people, compiled 46 new pages of notes from its interviews -- and appears to have made little headway in settling what really happened at high school and college parties more than 30 years ago. Published October 4, 2018
Jackson Cosko caught after sneaking into Maggie Hassan’s office, police say
Jackson Cosko, the Democratic staffer accused of "doxxing" Republican senators during the Kavanaugh confirmation fight, was caught after he sneaked into a Senate Democrat's office earlier this week and tried to use one of their computers, police said in an affidavit made public Thursday. Published October 4, 2018
Jeff Merkley demands immediate court ruling to halt Kavanaugh vote
Sen. Jeff Merkley asked a court Thursday afternoon to quickly step in and delay the Senate from voting on this weekend on Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court. Published October 4, 2018
Heidi Heitkamp says she will vote against Kavanaugh
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp said Thursday she will vote against confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, leaving a narrowing path to confirmation. Published October 4, 2018
DACA ‘Dreamer’ arrested for smuggling meth
An illegal immigrant "Dreamer" in the U.S. under protection of the Obama-era DACA deportation amnesty was arrested Tuesday on charges of trying to smuggle more than 17 pounds of methamphetamine through a Border Patrol checkpoint. Published October 4, 2018
Christine Blasey Ford lawyers: FBI probe is ‘stain’ on Kavanaugh confirmation
Lawyers for Christine Blasey Ford, the chief accuser of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, said Thursday that the FBI's updated background investigation was a "stain" on the confirmation process and the FBI because it wasn't thorough enough. Published October 4, 2018
Chuck Grassley: ‘No hint of misconduct’ in FBI’s new Kavanaugh report
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley said Thursday the FBI's updated background report doesn't provide any new evidence to corroborate the allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Published October 4, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh filibuster vote set for Friday
The FBI was sending its new background check into Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the Senate late Wednesday, and Republicans moved quickly to set up a first floor test, a vote to end a Democratic filibuster, for Friday. Published October 3, 2018
Judge Edward Chen blocks U.S. from ending temporary protected status for immigrants from 4 countries
A federal judge blocked the administration's attempt to cancel legal status for migrants from four countries, ruling Wednesday that President Trump poisoned the decision-making by calling them "s--hole" countries. The ruling means hundreds of thousands of migrants from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Sudan, who were going to be forced to return to their home countries, can remain in the U.S. under special humanitarian protections. Published October 3, 2018
Capitol Hill security measures increase as anti-Kavanaugh protesters voice objections
Images from Capitol Hill this week have featured a new backdrop behind senators — police officers, who have been assigned to protect lawmakers from violent protests as they walk the halls of their office buildings. Published October 3, 2018
Jackson A. Cosko, Democratic operative, charged with ‘doxxing’ senators
Jackson Cosko, the Democratic staffer accused of "doxing" Republican senators during the Kavanaugh confirmation fight, was caught after he sneaked into a Senate Democrat's office this week and tried to use a computer, police said in an affidavit made public Thursday. Published October 3, 2018
Christine Blasey Ford will only give documents to FBI
Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers said Wednesday that they won't give senators documents related to her sexual assault claim against Brett Kavanaugh, but will provide them to the FBI -- if agents want to interview her about her allegation. Published October 3, 2018
Most Americans would fail U.S. citizenship test, study finds
It's probably lucky that most Americans are granted citizenship at birth -- a new study suggests they wouldn't be able to pass the citizenship test if they had to. Published October 3, 2018
ICE officers demand Portland mayor relinquish control of police after Occupy ICE protests
ICE officers asked the mayor of Portland, Oregon, to give up control of the city's police department and sent letters Wednesday requesting federal and state investigations over his handling of Occupy ICE protests this summer. Published October 3, 2018
McConnell says GOP ‘will not be intimidated’ on Kavanaugh
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell angrily denounced "far-left protesters" who have attempted to pressure Republicans over Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, saying Wednesday that the efforts have crossed the line. Published October 3, 2018