Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Senators strike gun background check deal in wake of church shooting
Key Republicans and Democrats announced a significant gun bill Thursday, striking a deal to push federal agencies to report more domestic violence records to the gun-buying background check system. Published November 16, 2017
Judge awards $1 million to lawyers who won rights for illegal immigrant children
A federal court this week ordered the administration to pay more than $1 million in fees to lawyers who won a major case forcing the federal government to treat illegal immigrant children better while in U.S. care. Published November 16, 2017
Steve Pearce moves to denied Bowe Bergdahl back pay
A Republican congressman moved Wednesday to try to block disgraced former Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from collecting back pay and retirement benefits tied to the time after he deserted his post in Afghanistan in 2009. Published November 15, 2017
Catch-and-release of illegal immigrant restarted in Texas, border patrol agents say
The Trump administration reinstated a de facto catch-and-release policy for illegal immigrants nabbed crossing the border in Texas, with Border Patrol agents being told Wednesday not to even bother turning them over for speedy deportation because there was no bed space, a top agent said. Published November 15, 2017
Democrats introduce articles of impeachment against Donald Trump
A handful of House Democrats officially introduced Wednesday five articles of impeachment against President Trump, accusing him of everything from breaking the Constitution's emoluments clause to being mean in his tweets about the press. Published November 15, 2017
Richard Cordray, Obama’s Wall Street cop, to leave job by the end of the month
The chief of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Wednesday he'll step down before the end of this month, marking the departure of yet another Obama-era holdover who'd battled the new administration. Published November 15, 2017
IG aims to complete probe of James Comey’s handling of Hillary Clinton by spring
The inspector general is looking into whether the Justice Department's policies were followed by then-FBI Director James Comey when he led the probe into Mrs. Clinton's secret email account. Published November 15, 2017
Paul Ryan: Congress to focus on spending cuts next year, after tax cuts
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that Congress will turn next year to spending cuts to try to lower the deficit, saying that's the second step after cutting taxes. Published November 14, 2017
Committee clears Kirstjen Nielsen, Trump’s pick to lead DHS
The Senate Homeland Security Committee voted Tuesday to approve Kirstjen Nielsen as the next Homeland Security secretary, overcoming objections from Democrats who said she lacked leadership experience and didn't appear to be independent enough from the White House. Published November 14, 2017
Paul Ryan orders mandatory anti-sexual harassment training for entire House
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that the entire U.S. House will now face mandatory training to avoid sexual harassment and discrimination, moving to address the growing national scandal over behavior ranging from the boorish to the criminal. Published November 14, 2017
Senate GOP to include repeal of Obamacare mandate in tax-cut bill
Senate Republicans said Tuesday they will include a repeal of Obamacare's individual mandate in their tax cut bill in a bold move that frees up more money for deeper tax cuts and takes a whack at the health care law they have repeatedly tried but failed to repeal. Published November 14, 2017
Trump picks Thomas Homan, immigration crackdown advocate, to be permanent chief of ICE
President Trump on Tuesday nominated Thomas D. Homan to become the permanent head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a move that heads off what could have been a crisis of leadership at the critical agency. Published November 14, 2017
ICE agents rebel, say Trump ‘betrayed’ them by leaving Obama’s people in place
The country's immigration enforcement officers launched a website Tuesday demanding that President Trump do more to clean up their agency, saying he has left the Obama team in place and it's stymying his goal of enforcing laws on the books. Published November 14, 2017
Paul Ryan says Roy Moore is betraying his voters by staying in race
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that Alabama GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore should drop out of the race, saying he's betraying the very people he says he's trying to represent. Published November 14, 2017
Jeff Sessions mulls Russia uranium deal investigation
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday he's considering appointing a special counsel to look at whether the FBI properly handled the investigation into Russia's purchase of uranium rights and donations to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary Clinton led the State Department. Published November 13, 2017
Sanctuary church immigration bid causes school to close
A Colorado preschool says it's shutting its doors after the church where it rented space declared itself a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, leaving parents of the toddlers miffed. Published November 13, 2017
Cory Gardner: Senate should expel Roy Moore if he wins
The top Senate Republican campaign official said Monday that the Senate should move to expel Roy Moore should he manage to win the special election next week for senator from Alabama. Published November 13, 2017
Mitch McConnell tells Roy Moore to quit Senate race
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Roy Moore, his party's candidate for Senate in Alabama, to quit the race, saying the women who have accused the former state chief justice of sexual advances on them when they were teens have told a compelling story. Published November 13, 2017
GOP lawmakers tell Sessions to probe Clinton-Comey or resign
Two House Republicans delivered an ultimatum Monday to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, telling him either to name a special counsel to investigate FBI Director James B. Comey's handling of last year's election, or else resign to clear the way for someone who will. Published November 13, 2017
Luis Gutierrez: Post office delays causing Dreamers to lose DACA amnesty
Some illegal immigrant "Dreamers" are demanding leniency from the government, saying they applied for renewed protections under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals deportation amnesty, but were denied because the post office delivered their applications too late. Published November 10, 2017
