Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
IRS can’t verify illegal immigrant IDs, vulnerable to fraud: Audit
The IRS cannot verify that illegal immigrants are who they say they are, the tax agency's inspector general reported Thursday in a new study that says the government doesn't have the tools to validate foreign governments' identity documents, and could be paying refunds without truly knowing who it's sending them to. Published August 6, 2015
Mitch McConnell says no immigration deal this year
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Thursday that the prospect the 114th Congress passing an overhaul of the broken immigration system is dim thanks to President Obama's unilateral push to grant amnesty to some illegal immigrants. Published August 6, 2015
Chuck Grassley blocks more Obama’s State Dept. nominees over stymied Hillary Clinton probe
Sen. Charles E. Grassley on Thursday escalated his confrontation with President Obama over the administration's failure to answer questions about Hillary Rodham Clinton's tenure at the State Department, saying he would block more nominees to the agency. Published August 6, 2015
Scott Walker, Rick Perry, Chris Christie, Bobby Jindal didn’t penalize sanctuary cities
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has said mayors who run sanctuary cities should be held criminally liable -- but he did not stop Orleans Parish, in his own state, from becoming a sanctuary itself in 2013. Published August 5, 2015
10 tea party groups still awaiting approval from IRS
Ten tea party groups are still awaiting approval by the IRS years after they applied for tax-exempt status, Senate investigators revealed Wednesday in a report that recommends the tax agency issue a ban preventing employees who work on nonprofit applications from engaging in political activity. Published August 5, 2015
Grassley to block Obama’s State Dept. nominee until Huma questions answered
A top Republican senator announced Wednesday he will block one of President Obama's State Department nominees until the administration does a better job of answering questions surrounding former Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton's tenure. Published August 5, 2015
Former Ron Paul staffers indicted on corruption charges
Three of former presidential hopeful Ron Paul's 2012 campaign staffers, one of whom also worked for top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell's 2014 campaign, were charged in an indicted unsealed Wednesday that accuses them of paying off an Iowa state senator to switch allegiance in the last presidential race. Published August 5, 2015
Donald Trump’s rise, staying power turn 2016 Republican contest on its head
Donald Trump has not only survived but thrived in nearly two months as the must-watch presidential candidate by easily surmounting controversies and high-profile clashes with fellow Republicans and making an ascent in the polls that has confounded pundits, pollsters and political opponents alike. Published August 4, 2015
Congress sets dramatic September votes on Iran nuclear deal
GOP leaders in the House and Senate both said Tuesday they will hold votes in September on resolutions to disapprove of President Obama's Iran nuclear program deal, setting up a dramatic showdown that will test the White House's ability to keep its allies on board in the face of stiff political pressure. Published August 4, 2015
GOP fails to cut off Planned Parenthood funding
Congressional Republicans lost the first battle of the new war over federal funding for Planned Parenthood on Monday as Democrats successfully filibustered to keep money flowing to the controversial organization in the wake of videos seemingly showing its employees negotiating over the sale of fetal body parts. Published August 3, 2015
Bobby Jindal cancels Planned Parenthood contract in wake of videos
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal canceled Planned Parenthood's Medicaid contract with his state Monday, moving to strip the organization of funding in the wake of disturbing undercover videos that appeared to show employees haggling over selling fetal tissue obtained from abortions. Published August 3, 2015
Jeb Bush calls for sanctuary crackdown, local enforcement of immigration laws
GOP presidential hopeful Jeb Bush announced a six-point plan to improve border security Monday, calling for a series of basic steps that draw general agreement -- and a controversial crackdown on sanctuary cities. Published August 3, 2015
Mark Everson, former IRS chief, challenges Fox News debate
Mark Everson, a former chief of the IRS who is making a long shot bid for the GOP's presidential nomination, said he is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Monday challenging the method Fox News is using to pick the candidates on stage for Thursday's first primary debates. Published August 3, 2015
Obama revokes 22 illegal immigrants’ amnesties; unclear if they will be deported
Homeland Security has revoked 22 Dreamers' amnesties, but officials would not say this weekend whether that means they will be actively deported or whether they will be allowed to remain in the U.S. without the ability to work. Published August 1, 2015
Hillary Clinton email release falls well short of judge’s order
The State Department admitted it was violating a judge's order Friday in releasing only 1,356 new emails from former Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton's time in the administration, with officials saying they're falling behind because they are having to run all of the documents by intelligence agencies to make sure classified documents aren't being released. Published July 31, 2015
Jesus Deniz Mendoza, Mexican accused of double murder, was legal immigrant
The man accused of killing two Good Samaritans who tried to help him on a Montana roadside was encountered by immigration authorities earlier this year after a burglary arrest, but was unable to be deported because he had already gotten legal status, federal authorities said this week. Published July 31, 2015
Donald Trump sues Jose Andres, chef, for $10 million breach of contract after immigration comments
Donald Trump sued Jose Andres' organization Friday for breach of contract after the celebrity chef canceled his plans to open a restaurant in a massive building the Trump group is renovating in Washington in the wake of the billionaire businessman's immigration comments. Published July 31, 2015
Hillary Clinton emails released by State Department
The Obama administration slapped a secret designation Friday on a number of Hillary Rodham Clinton's emails from her time as secretary of state, raising more questions about whether her controversial email arrangement led to classified information being left unsecured. Published July 31, 2015
Planned Parenthood: Obama White House calls undercover videos ‘fraudulent’
The White House described undercover videos of Planned Parenthood officials selling fetal tissue as "fraudulent" Thursday and said President Obama will reject efforts to strip federal funding from the organization, setting up yet another potential shutdown showdown for September. Published July 30, 2015
Nancy Pelosi on Iran deal opponents: ‘Have they even read it?’
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi wondered Thursday whether opponents of President Obama's Iran nuclear program agreement read the deal before coming out in opposition to it, and said she's certain she can keep enough Democrats in line to sustain an Obama veto and preserve his policy. Published July 30, 2015
