Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
House panel report concludes that Lerner lied to Congress on IRS targeting
Lois G. Lerner, the woman at the center of the IRS tea party targeting, lied to congressional investigators when she claimed in 2012 that they were not targeting tea party groups, House Republicans charged Tuesday in a new report documenting her role in the scandal. Published March 11, 2014
Congress bans taxpayer funding for political conventions
Congress on Tuesday agreed to cancel its giveaway of taxpayer money to its own political conventions every four years, as the Senate cleared a bill to cut off funds. Published March 11, 2014
Intelligence chairwoman accuses CIA of intimidation, snooping on Congress
In a stunning public accusation Tuesday, the chairwoman of the Senate intelligence committee said the CIA snooped through congressional computers and is trying to intimidate Congress into backing off a report looking into charges of torture during terrorist-linked interrogations. Published March 11, 2014
CPAC 2014: Poll shows GOP discontent, Congress frustration
Last week's Conservative Political Action Conference did little to dispel the notion of a deep rift between grass-roots activists and national GOP leaders, with CPAC's three-day straw poll showing frustration with Congress and a growing discontent with "establishment" presidential candidates. Published March 9, 2014
U.S. has lost track of tens of thousands of foreign students who came study to then took jobs
The federal government has lost track of tens of thousands of foreign students who came to the U.S. to study and then took jobs, often in violation of the terms of their visas, according to a new internal audit. Published March 9, 2014
Border Patrol Chief: Agents can still shoot at rock throwers
U.S. Border Patrol agents can still use deadly force to respond to rock-throwing attacks along the border, even though they must take care in assessing whether their lives are in danger, Border Patrol Chief Michael J. Fisher said in a new directive Friday. Published March 9, 2014
Rand Paul wins 2014 CPAC straw poll, Ted Cruz finishes a distant second
Sen. Rand Paul demolished his competition in the 2014 Washington Times/CPAC presidential preference straw poll on Saturday, winning 31 percent of the vote -- nearly three times the total of second-place Sen. Ted Cruz. Published March 8, 2014
Border Patrol policy still permits agents to shoot at rock-throwers
U.S. Border Patrol agents can still use deadly force in response to rock-throwing attacks along the border, even though they must take care in assessing whether their lives are in danger, Border Patrol Chief Michael J. Fisher said in a new directive Friday. Published March 7, 2014
IRS to turn over Lerner emails in tea party targeting probe
House Republicans said Friday that the IRS has agreed to turn over documents and emails from Lois G. Lerner, the agency's former employee who was at the center of the tea party targeting scandal. Published March 7, 2014
House defeats Democrats’ attempt to rebuke Issa
Republicans circled around Rep. Darrell Issa Thursday, rejecting a Democratic effort to censure the House's top investigator after he cut off the microphone of the top Democrat on the oversight committee Wednesday during a heated hearing. Published March 6, 2014
Obama declares himself ‘champion in chief’ for immigration
President Obama on Thursday tweeted that he is the "champion in chief for comprehensive immigration reform" — a move activists saw as an admission that he's suffering from his administration's record-setting level of deportations. Published March 6, 2014
Senate blocks Obama’s civil rights nominee
Senators blocked President Obama's nominee to lead the Justice Department's civil rights division Wednesday in a bipartisan filibuster, with opponents saying his history defending a convicted cop-killer in the Supreme Court made him a poor choice. Published March 5, 2014
House GOP considers contempt of Congress charge for Lerner
Top House Republicans signaled Wednesday that Lois G. Lerner, the former IRS official at the center at the tea party targeting scandal, will eventually have to testify or be held in contempt of Congress after she once again refused to answer lawmakers' questions. Published March 5, 2014
DEA: Drug cartels look to capitalize on legal marijuana laws
Drug cartels are already trying to take advantage of the Obama administration's new rules allowing banks to do business with marijuana shops in Colorado and Washington, a top Drug Enforcement Administration official testified to Congress on Tuesday. Published March 4, 2014
Reid hits Koch Brothers for putting money in politics with incendiary speech
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Tuesday singled out the Koch brothers in an incendiary speech on the chamber floor, calling their involvement in politics "un-American" and accusing them of trying to use their wealth to undermine democracy. Published March 4, 2014
Obama budget raises spending, taxes
Saying he's optimistic the economy and the government's fiscal picture have finally turned the corner five years into his tenure, President Obama announced a $3.9 trillion 2015 budget Tuesday that calls for tax hikes and a $60 billion boost in spending next year. Published March 4, 2014
Obama budget likely to be political document
The budget President Obama will release Tuesday bows more to political realities than it does to the government's fiscal picture, as the White House looks to do no harm to fellow Democrats in the run-up to November's elections. Published March 3, 2014
Supreme Court refuses to rule on city’s illegal immigration law
The Supreme Court declined Monday to review a ruling that overturned a Pennsylvania town's effort to fight illegal immigration, leaving the legal situation muddled for communities. Published March 3, 2014
National parks shutdown cost local economies $400 million
When federal officials closed national parks during last year's government shutdown, it meant nearly 8 million fewer visits to the parks and cost local communities more than $400 million in economic activity, the National Park Service said Monday. Published March 3, 2014
Selling Hillary Clinton: Papers reveal advice, ‘fans’
As first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton and her team had a deep preoccupation with the press, repeatedly searching for ways to soften her image and taking stock of who her friends in the media might be, according to documents released last week from her private papers. Published March 2, 2014