Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
GOP punts to 2017 on spending; puts government on stopgap funding through March
Congressional Republicans have officially punted on 2016, saying Thursday that they will pass a short-term spending bill to get them into the new year, when they are counting on majorities on Capitol Hill and a President Trump in the White House to make for smoother sailing. Published November 17, 2016
IRS aware of tea party targeting as early as 2011, watchdog finds
The IRS knew agents were targeting tea party groups through "guilt by association" as far back as 2011, according to new documents released Wednesday by Judicial Watch that show the tax agency was deeply skeptical of all the new conservative groups emerging under President Obama's watch. Published November 16, 2016
GOP avoids earmark blowup, but Paul Ryan sets up 2017 showdown
House Republicans shelved a debate to restore earmarks Wednesday after fierce pushback from conservative groups who said it would be a betrayal of voters who elected Donald Trump, and a final appeal from House Speaker Paul D. Ryan. Published November 16, 2016
Trump team says he didn’t intend to mislead press
The transition team didn't intend to mislead the press when President-elect Donald Trump went out for dinner and ditched the reporters who are supposed to be allowed to cover him, Mr. Trump's former campaign manager said Wednesday. Published November 16, 2016
Republicans seek to bring back earmarks after past problems
A trio of respected Republicans is pushing for the return of some earmarks to Capitol Hill, saying it's time to restore Congress' full power of the purse — and drawing passionate pushback from conservative groups who say the GOP would betray its voters if it returned to pork barrel spending. Published November 15, 2016
Paul Ryan kept by GOP as House speaker
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan was unanimously re-elected Tuesday by Republicans to be their party leader and to be speaker in the new Congress next year. Published November 15, 2016
Illegals demand Obama issue mass pardons, last-ditch effort to stop Trump deportations
Illegal immigrants are preparing to ask President Obama to pardon some 750,000 Dreamers, saying such a move is their last, best hope to stave off what they fear will be a wave of deportations once Donald Trump takes the Oval Office. Published November 15, 2016
Paul Ryan says House is on board Trump agenda
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said the hubbub over incoming White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon is a distraction, saying President-elect Donald Trump will be judged not on his personnel but on what he does for the economy and government. Published November 15, 2016
Obama’s legacy: Democratic losses, party chaos
As their majorities in Congress slipped away and they ceded the lead in governorships over the past six years, President Obama and his top lieutenants comforted themselves with the changing demographics that they said would make it impossible for a Republican to win the top job. Donald Trump punctured that belief in stunning fashion last week. Published November 14, 2016
Hill Dems demand first investigation of President-elect Trump over financial ties
Donald Trump is still two months from being sworn in as president but Democrats are already demanding a congressional investigation into him, saying they fear his massive business empire will influence his decision-making in the White House. Published November 14, 2016
Kellyanne Conway ‘offended’ by criticism of Trump’s Bannon pick
Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway bristled Monday at charges incoming White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon leans too far to the right, saying she was "offended" at the accusations and she wouldn't have been part of an operation with him if she'd seen him catering to the "alt-right." Published November 14, 2016
Paul Ryan tells Trump worriers to ‘relax, things will be fine’
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan told Americans upset over the election of Donald Trump to calm down, saying Monday that he understands the surprise of a Trump win after polls suggested otherwise. Published November 14, 2016
Trump promises pro-life, pro-gun judges, will keep some Obama policies in place
President-elect Donald Trump began to add caveats to a host of his campaign promises, saying in an interview aired Sunday that he will work to keep some of the more popular parts of Obamacare intact and focus his deportation efforts on criminals — the same policy that President Obama claims to have. Published November 13, 2016
IRS denies tea party groups after long wait for decision on tax-exempt status
Nearly seven years after it applied to the IRS for nonprofit status, the Albuquerque Tea Party has finally been given a decision: Denied. Published November 13, 2016
Reince Priebus named Trump chief of staff
Reince Priebus, the man who navigated treacherous GOP political waters over the last two years to emerge with a victorious presidential candidate, will be the new White House chief of staff, the Trump transition team announced Sunday. Published November 13, 2016
Trump settles on transition team, Pence is at the top
Vice president-elect Mike Pence will now oversee the Trump presidential transition team, officials announced Friday, signaling the ascendance of Mr. Pence on the operational side of things. Published November 11, 2016
Harry Reid unleashed: Election shows America is ‘hate and bigotry’
Other Democratic lawmakers are being gracious in defeat, but retiring Sen. Harry Reid unleashed fury on Donald Trump and the country Friday, saying his election confirms the ascendance of "hate and bigotry in America." Published November 11, 2016
Donald Trump can eviscerate Obama policies by dropping lawsuits, revoking memos
Forget about waiting for Congress -- Donald Trump can eviscerate Obamacare and cripple President Obama's global warming framework all on his first few days in office. Published November 10, 2016
DHS admits to surge of illegals on border
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson on Thursday said agents are seeing a renewed surge of people attempting to sneak into the U.S. through the southwestern border over the past few months, with more than 46,000 caught in October alone. Published November 10, 2016
Donald Trump celebrates historic victory, gets to work
Donald Trump accepted congratulations from across the political spectrum at home and from leaders around the globe Wednesday, just hours after voters elected him the nation's 45th president, and he hunkered down in New York to ponder a list of hefty decisions awaiting him. Published November 9, 2016
