Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
New York legal brief may be blueprint for Obama climate change deal
Two years ago, the New York attorney general's office prepared a legal brief laying out a potential case for asking courts to make the U.S. cut greenhouse gas emissions based on international treaties, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Times. Published August 28, 2014
Police saddled with unwanted equipment amid militarization scrutiny
The sheriff's department in Chelan County, east of Seattle, figured it could use an armored vehicle to transport its SWAT team's response to thorny situations, thereby erasing the fear of taking fire as they sped into active shooter or barricade incidents. Published August 28, 2014
Obama says immigration action still to come
President Obama said Thursday his plans to take unilateral action on immigration were affected by the surge of illegal immigrant children on the southwest border, but he still vowed to move ahead where he can later this year. Published August 28, 2014
Legal settlement likely to slow deportation of illegal immigrants
Federal agents will have to read a Miranda rights-style list of protections to immigrants before sticking them in fast-track deportation proceedings, according to the terms of a legal settlement announced Wednesday that will make it tougher for the Obama administration to quickly deport illegal immigrants. Published August 27, 2014
Federal deficit to drop this year, but financial pain will return: budget office
President Obama is poised to notch the lowest deficit of his six-year tenure at just more than a half-trillion dollars, reflecting slow but steady progress he and Congress have made on cutting annual spending. But the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday that the long-term problems remain with entitlements such as Social Security and the major health care programs, which will send deficits soaring back toward $1 trillion within a decade. Published August 27, 2014
Obama to award belated Medal of Honor to Union Civil War officer
President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to 1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing, who gave his life at Gettysburg leading the effort to repel Pickett's Charge, the White House said Tuesday in an announcement historians say corrects a glaring omission in the rolls of the nation's top military honor. Published August 26, 2014
Frank Wolf calls on George W. Bush to play bigger role on world stage
Rep. Frank Wolf, a longtime defender of human rights, has asked former President George W. Bush to play a bigger role in world hot spots, pleading with him to get involved in trying to sort out the problems in South Sudan. Published August 26, 2014
California waiting period nixed for existing gun owners
A federal judge severely limited California's gun-purchase waiting period in a ruling released Monday that says the law is unconstitutional when applied to those who have gone through the process to get a concealed-weapons permit, or who the state already knows to be firearms owners. Published August 25, 2014
Immigrant rights groups accuse Obama of ‘deportation mill,’ sue to stop removals
Immigrant rights lawyers filed a lawsuit Friday hoping to halt one of the Obama administration's key actions designed to stem the surge of illegal immigrant families coming across the border, accusing the Homeland Security Department of running an unconstitutional "deportation mill." Published August 22, 2014
Bergdahl release violated law, used improper monies
Obama administration officials broke two federal laws when they exchanged Taliban warriors for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the government's top investigative office said in a legal report Thursday. Published August 21, 2014
DHS saw no option but to free 169 illegals convicted of murder
The Obama administration says it had no choice but to release almost all of the 169 murderers it let go from immigration detention last year, saying court decisions gave officials no choice in the matter — but it's promising a new system to better screen who gets let out. Published August 21, 2014
Rick Perry: U.S. must consider ground troops in Iraq
Texas Gov. Rick Perry called for deepening U.S. involvement in Iraq, including sending heavy weapons to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and deploying more American military air power and special operations teams. Published August 21, 2014
Campaign groups promise immigration showdown in 2014 elections
Immigrants' List, a political action committee dedicated to promoting a generous immigration system in the U.S., is clear in its chief goal this election season: namely, beating Rep. Steve King, Iowa Republican. Published August 20, 2014
Rocking horse becomes Trojan horse for cocaine smuggler
Federal authorities said they stopped an effort over the weekend to smuggle 29 pounds of cocaine into the U.S. that were hidden in two wooden rocking horses. Published August 20, 2014
Marine congressman says police don’t need military vehicles in Missouri
Rep. Duncan Hunter asked the Defense Department Wednesday to conduct its own review of the program that sends surplus military equipment to police departments, saying the Pentagon should see if there are categories of weapons that should no longer be transferred. Published August 20, 2014
Illegal immigrants file applications to force Obama’s hand on stopping deportations
Nearly a dozen illegal immigrations announced a campaign Wednesday to force President Obama's hand on halting deportations, saying they would file papers demanding to be let into the existing program granting so-called Dreamers legal status, even though none of them qualify. Published August 20, 2014
Voters say solve illegal border surge by sending kids home, poll shows
An overwhelming percentage of voters say it's better to send illegal immigrant children surging across the border back home, rather than trying to house them in the U.S., said a new Republican poll released Tuesday. Published August 20, 2014
Defiant Perry booked on abuse-of-office charges
Texas Gov. Rick Perry turned himself in to police on Tuesday to be processed in connection with his indictment on abusing his office — though the Republican made the most of it, holding a rally outside the courthouse to rail against the charges. Published August 19, 2014
Rep. Charles Rangel gets court date to fight congressional censure
A federal appeals court has set a Nov. 13 date to hear oral arguments in Rep. Charles Rangel's lawsuit against his House colleagues, who censured the New York Democrat in 2010. Published August 19, 2014
James Jeffords, who tilted Senate balance by leaving GOP, dies at 80
James M. Jeffords, who died Monday at age 80, built a three-decade career in Washington but cemented his place in history with one decision: fleeing the Republican Party and siding with Democrats, delivering them control of the Senate in 2001. Published August 18, 2014
