Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Third court overturns Obama recess appointments
A third federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that President Obama violated the Constitution last year when he made recess appointments to the National Labor Relations Board, adding more weight to the case as it goes before the Supreme Court in the justices' next session. Published July 17, 2013
Obama loses support for renewal of surveillance; NSA phone program will expire next year
The lawmaker who wrote the USA Patriot Act said Wednesday that, as it stands, the House will never renew the provisions that the Obama administration uses to collect Americans' phone records, meaning the government's surveillance program will be cut off some time next year. Published July 17, 2013
IRS officials in Washington ordered special scrutiny: congressional investigation finds
IRS employees have told congressional investigators that they were ordered by the agency's Washington office to give extra scrutiny to tea party groups' applications for tax-exempt status, according to excerpts from interviews with the employees that were released by House committee chairmen Wednesday. Published July 17, 2013
Senate Democrats win votes on four nominees in ‘nuclear option’ showdown
Bowing to an ultimatum, Senate Republicans agreed Tuesday to drop objections to key Obama administration nominees, delivering a victory to Senate Democrats who said they will shelve — for now — their own plans to change the rules and curtail filibusters. Published July 16, 2013
Senate ‘nuclear option’ on filibusters defused — for now
The "nuclear option" has been defused — for now — after Republican senators said Tuesday they would drop their blockade of Richard Cordray to be the new head of a consumer protection bureau, ending for now what had appeared to be a major crisis over the filibuster and minority rights in the Senate. Published July 16, 2013
Senators fail in final attempt to avoid ‘nuclear option’ on filibuster rules
Last-minute negotiations failed to break through the Senate's impasse on nominees, leaving Democrats prepared to ignite the "nuclear option" Tuesday and use a shortcut to change the chamber's filibuster rules, allowing them to push easily through President Obama's appointments. Published July 15, 2013
Filibuster fights play both ways and nominees from both parties know it
C. Boyden Gray has seen the filibuster fight from both sides, serving as chief cheerleader for President George W. Bush's judicial nominations when they were being blocked by Democrats, and then watching Democrats block his own nomination when Mr. Bush tapped him to be an ambassador. Published July 15, 2013
Sen. Harry Reid: Founding Fathers didn’t want filibusters
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Monday that the men who wrote the Constitution intended for the president's nominees to be subject to only a majority vote, and said filibusters of nominees were never envisioned. Published July 15, 2013
Reid prepares to light fuse of ‘nuclear option’ in Senate
Declaring that the country faces a presidential nominations crisis, the Senate's top Democrat vowed Sunday to press ahead with showdown votes this week that could end up rewriting Senate rules to power through President Obama's team, but also threatens to end the comity that is essential to the chamber's operations. Published July 14, 2013
Napolitano’s move from DHS to California schools chief draws protests
While many across the political spectrum are happy to see Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano leave her job in Washington, some who live on the West Coast say they'd just as soon not see her out there, after it was revealed Friday that she's poised to take over as head of the University of California school system. Published July 12, 2013
Janet Napolitano to resign Homeland Security post
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who has led the embattled agency for the entirety of President Obama's administration, said Friday she is resigning to run the University of California system. Published July 12, 2013
Reid blocks own immigration bill from House vote
Democratic leaders have told the House to pass the Senate immigration bill as is, but they can't — because Majority Leader Harry Reid hasn't actually sent the bill over to the House yet. Published July 11, 2013
Harry Reid prepares Senate to go ‘nuclear,’ end nomination filibusters
Senate Democrats laid the groundwork Thursday to trigger the "nuclear option" against minority filibusters, setting up a dramatic Tuesday showdown in which Republicans either will have to accept seven of President Obama's controversial appointments or watch as Democrats change the rules and end filibusters of executive branch nominees. Published July 11, 2013
Immigration reform unlikely this year with House GOP approach
House Republican leaders struck out on their own path on immigration Wednesday, saying they don't trust President Obama to secure the borders and rejecting the broad approach the Senate took in favor of tackling the issue in pieces — a move that severely dims chances for a final deal this year. Published July 10, 2013
Pelosi calls for ‘bipartisan’ immigration solution
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday prodded House Republicans to take up an immigration bill -- though she stopped short of calling for the chamber to pass the version that cleared the Senate last month. Published July 10, 2013
George W. Bush warns against bitter immigration debate
Former President George W. Bush warned Washington politicians Wednesday not to engage in a bitter immigration debate, hours before his former party colleagues in the House were set to meet to hash out a strategy to deal with the thorny issue. Published July 10, 2013
Immigration: GOP steps away from any path to citizenship; House leadership to hash out plan
House Republicans are meeting Wednesday to hash out their own strategy on immigration, but already one major difference has emerged between them and their Senate counterparts — they are far less enthusiastic about an eventual path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Published July 9, 2013
Futility Index: House Republicans sputter toward one of the worst years on record
The legislative zeal that drove House Republicans in the last Congress has evaporated and they are headed for one of the least accomplished years on record, according to the latest findings in The Washington Times' Legislative Futility Index. Published July 9, 2013
Democrats defy Obama and Republicans as student loan rates double
Standing on the Capitol steps Monday with students who said they may not be able to finish college without help from federal student loans, House Republicans on Monday called for President Obama to pressure members of his own party to accept a bipartisan solution to keep rates from doubling. Published July 8, 2013
Numbers don’t add up on Obama’s pledge to deport more illegal immigrants
The Obama administration is deporting fewer people than it did in 2011 or 2012, but has ousted more than 110,000 illegal immigrants this year who didn't have criminal records, according to statistics that call into question the Obama administration's public statements about its deportation policies. Published July 8, 2013
