Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Congressional Budget Office punishment bills fail to pass House
Conservatives failed in their bid Wednesday to punish the Congressional Budget Office for its grim evaluations of GOP health care proposals, with the House rejecting two different efforts to strip funding from the nonpartisan agency. Published July 26, 2017
Thomas Homan, ICE chief, says immigrant ‘sanctuaries’ break smuggling laws
The country's top immigration enforcement officer says he is looking into charging sanctuary city leaders with violating federal anti-smuggling laws because he is fed up with local officials putting their communities and his officers at risk by releasing illegal immigrants from jail. Published July 26, 2017
Arkansas bar declines to punish Hillary Clinton over emails
The Arkansas bar association says it won't permanently strip Hillary Clinton of her ability to practice law in the state, rejecting requests to punish her for risking national security with her secret email server, and misleading Congress. Published July 26, 2017
IRS approves tea party application process
The IRS has finally agreed to a process for deciding on the last remaining nonprofit application that was snared in the Obama administration's tea party targeting, more than four years after the illegal singling-out of conservative groups for special scrutiny was first revealed. Published July 25, 2017
Justice Department issues new financial warning to sanctuary cities
"This is what the American people should be able to expect from their cities and states, and these long overdue requirements will help us take down MS-13 and other violent transnational gangs, and make our country safer," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. Published July 25, 2017
House still headed for vacation; says it’ll be ‘on call’ for Obamacare repeal
House lawmakers are still rushing toward the exits this week with a five-week summer vacation awaiting them, but GOP leaders said they'll bring the chamber back to vote should the Senate approve an Obamacare repeal. Published July 25, 2017
Judge blocks deportation of 1,400 Iraqis; latest court to thwart Trump immigration plans
A federal judge late Monday issued an order blocking deportation of some 1,400 Iraqis -- many with serious criminal records including murder -- ruling that the government sprung a sneak-attack on them, and they must be given a chance to reargue their deportation cases. Published July 25, 2017
Paul Manafort subpoenaed by Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena late Monday demanding former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort testify publicly about his activities with foreign governments. Published July 25, 2017
‘Supreme Court 5’ protesters get jail time for disruption
Five activists decided the best way to protest a major First Amendment Supreme Court case was with more First Amendment activity, so they disrupted the justices' oral arguments two years ago. The justice system struck back Monday when a federal judge in Washington sentenced the activists to jail time. Published July 24, 2017
Court allows Trump’s voter commission to proceed
A federal judge on Monday rejected complaints that President Trump's voter integrity commission was breaking the law by requesting and storing states' voter data, saying that as long as the panel is just advisory it doesn't need to meet strict standards that would apply to government agencies. Published July 24, 2017
James Bradley Jr., trucker, charged with smuggling after 10 illegal immigrants die
Federal prosecutors charged a truck driver Monday with smuggling illegal immigrants after 10 of them died in his trailer over the weekend, renewing a fierce argument over border security and the risks migrants take to try to sneak into the U.S. Published July 24, 2017
Democrats vow to win back working-class voters
After watching working-class voters flee their party in last year's elections, congressional Democrats promised Monday to try to win them back by becoming the economic populist warriors that President Trump had promised to be -- and they have already lined up a record number of candidates to help them. Published July 24, 2017
Democrats surge to giant advantage in recruiting candidates: Report
A huge number of Democrats have already filed papers signaling an interest in running for the U.S. House in 2018, according to a new study released Monday that signals just how much anti-Trump sentiment is shaping the political scene Published July 24, 2017
Congress tests Donald Trump with Russia sanctions bill
Congress will vote this week on codifying Obama-era sanctions against Russia, pursuing a bipartisan deal that will mark lawmakers' first major show of independence from President Trump. Published July 23, 2017
Congress strikes deal to stiffen Russia sanctions; Trump questions boost bill
Congress has reached a final deal on new Russia sanctions legislation, leaders announced Saturday, clearing the path for final approval of legislation that would codify penalties imposed by the Obama administration and would require President Trump to seek approval from Capitol Hill should he want to lift the sanctions. Published July 22, 2017
DHS grants small number of guest-worker visas, tests Trump’s ‘America first’ promise
Homeland Security will issue 15,000 additional seasonal guest-worker visas over the next few months, the department said Monday, delivering some relief to businesses who'd insisted they were starving for workers and desperate for foreigners to fill seasonal jobs such as landscaping and seafood processing. Published July 17, 2017
Eric Conn gets 12 years for Social Security fraud scheme
Eric C. Conn, the man responsible for the largest Social Security disability fraud in history, was sentenced in absentia Friday to 12 years in prison, and ordered to pay a staggering sum of nearly $170 million in restitution. Published July 16, 2017
Donald Trump’s travel ban to head back to Supreme Court
President Trump's travel ban is already headed back to the Supreme Court after a Hawaii judge late last week put severe limits on the administration's ability to enforce the ban, forcing the Mr. Trump to seek again the help of the high court. Published July 16, 2017
Jeff Sessions says he’ll appeal travel ban case back to Supreme Court
The administration on Friday said it will appeal directly to the Supreme Court after a lower federal judge, for the second time, ruled against President Trump's updated travel ban policy. Published July 14, 2017
Eric Conn, Social Security fraudster, hit with $170 million penalty
Eric C. Conn, the man responsible for the largest Social Security disability fraud in history, was sentenced in absentia Friday to 12 years in prison, and ordered to pay a staggering sum of nearly $170 million in restitution. Published July 14, 2017
