Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Tom DeLay: ‘I can get my concealed weapons license back’
Former Rep. Tom DeLay said not much changed after a Texas appeals court overturned his conviction Thursday and acquitted him of charges he violated campaign finance laws — except that he will have a key constitutional right restored. Published September 19, 2013
Tom DeLay’s money-laundering conviction overturned by Texas appeals court
A Texas appeals court acquitted former Rep. Tom DeLay of money laundering Thursday, closing an eight-year-long criminal case against the man who was once the most powerful Republican in Congress — but Democrats achieved their goal of keeping him on the political sidelines for all that time. Published September 19, 2013
IRS spied on tea party after granting tax-exempt status
Republicans investigating the IRS targeting scandal said Wednesday that the agency continued to conduct secret surveillance on tea party groups even after approving them for tax-exempt status. Published September 18, 2013
Obama’s energy nominee in danger of defeat
Two key senators said Wednesday they will vote against confirming Ron Binz to be chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, dealing what could be a fatal blow to President Obama's pick for the obscure but powerful panel. Published September 18, 2013
State Dept.: FBI can’t get into Benghazi to arrest suspects
Libya will allow reporters in but won't let the FBI into Benghazi to try to arrest those responsible for last year's attacks because the security situation is too tenuous, a senior State Department official told Congress on Wednesday. Published September 18, 2013
Illegal immigrants chain themselves to White House fence
Seven illegal immigrants chained themselves to the White House fence Wednesday to demand President Obama halt all deportations, saying he has a moral obligation to keep families together. Published September 18, 2013
Energy panel choice sought BP’s aid
President Obama's nominee to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked top officials at BP oil company to lobby on his behalf, further expanding the list of lobbyists and former lobbyists Ron Binz has worked with as he's tried to win the chairmanship of the obscure but powerful panel, according to new emails released this week. Published September 17, 2013
!["We as a society have a fundamental choice of whether to cut back on [entitlements] or to raise taxes to pay for them. And so far, we've chosen to do very little of either," says Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf. (associated press)](https://twt-thumbs.washtimes.com/media/image/2013/09/17/9_172013_ap1110260310268201_c37-0-1395-792_s652x380.jpg?8a022757d1cc97d3d44acbb322885eb26df62d75)
CBO says government finances will be in dire straits by 2038
Federal taxes will go up, but spending will rise even faster over the next 25 years, leaving the national government in dire fiscal straits, according to projections the Congressional Budget Office released Tuesday. Published September 17, 2013
IRS officials thought Obama wanted crackdown on tea party groups, worried about negative press
IRS employees were "acutely" aware in 2010 that President Obama wanted to crack down on conservative organizations and were egged into targeting tea party groups by press reports mocking the emerging movement. Published September 17, 2013
Obama energy nominee Ron Binz faces rocky confirmation hearing
President Obama's nominee to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission apologized Tuesday for what described as inadvertently misleading senators about a team of lobbyists backing his bid for chairman of the obscure but powerful panel, and asked for a chance to meet and clear the record. Published September 17, 2013
Social Security fix would require big tax increase
Preserving Social Security for the next 75 years without reducing any projected benefits would require an immediate and permanent 3.4 percent payroll tax increase, the Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday in a new report looking at long-term budget challenges that shows there are no easy options left. Published September 17, 2013
Top Obama energy nominee Ron Binz asked oil company employees for confirmation help
President Obama's nominee to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asked top officials at BP oil company to lobby on his behalf, further expanding the list of lobbyists and former lobbyists Ron Binz has worked with as he's tried to win the chairmanship of the obscure but powerful panel, new emails released late Monday showed. Published September 17, 2013
Biometric ID viable at U.S. entry points: report
Federal law has long called for all visitors to the U.S. to submit to biometric identification both coming and going, but the government has never lived up to that promise — and senators in their immigration bill this year even announced a retreat, weakening the law, saying the requirement is too expensive. Published September 17, 2013
Senate closing after Navy Yard shooting revives openness debate
A defensive Senate was left to explain Monday why it shut its doors to the public seven hours after the Navy Yard mass shooting — even as the rest of official Washington remained open. Published September 16, 2013
Senate lockdown lifted
The Senate lifted its lockdown Monday afternoon after a little more than an hour, though Sergeant at Arms Terrance W. Gainer defended the initial decision, which came more than seven hours after the Navy Yard shooting, saying he believes it kept staffers safe. Published September 16, 2013
U.S. Capitol on guard: SWAT-style teams deployed in wake of Navy Yard shooting
At the U.S. Capitol, police armed with military-style assault rifles were posted at the intersection of Constitution and Delaware avenues to intercept traffic headed to the Senate side of the complex. Published September 16, 2013
Immigrant-rights groups call for October rally in D.C.
Fighting to make sure they don't lose steam in their push for Congress to act, immigrant-rights groups said Monday that they are planning a major Washington rally on Oct. 8 to try to keep a focus on their issue. Published September 16, 2013
U.S. releases illegal immigrants who are sex offenders
The news last week that federal authorities had to release 2,837 convicted sex offenders back onto the streets has renewed focus on a Supreme Court case that requires the government to release immigrants whose home countries won't take them back. Published September 15, 2013
Feds’ ‘Predator App’ nabs first sex crimes suspect
The federal government's new "predator app" that enrolls the public in helping spot child sex crimes suspects was operating for little more than a day before it nabbed its first capture, authorities said Friday. Published September 14, 2013
Energy nominee Ron Binz plots with lobbyists to win confirmation
President Obama's nominee to head the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is coordinating his campaign with two lobbyists for energy companies, a Democratic strategy firm and several other green-technology strategists, according to emails that show an unprecedented effort to gain a position on the obscure board. Published September 12, 2013
