Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation case moved to New Jersey
A federal judge handed Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil a pair of court wins Wednesday in his bid to avoid deportation, denying the Trump administration's request to dismiss his petition and moving the case to New Jersey instead of Louisiana. Published March 19, 2025
Ohio law banning gender-transition drugs for youth overturned by state appellate court
An Ohio appeals court overturned the state's prohibition on gender-transition drugs for minors, reversing a lower-court decision ahead of the U.S. Supreme Court's highly anticipated ruling on a similar law in Tennessee. Published March 18, 2025
Pro-lifers protest ‘shameful’ exclusion from New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Pro-life advocates held a protest during the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, saying they were once again excluded from marching under their own banner even though LGBTQ groups have been welcome to do so for a decade. Published March 17, 2025
Education Department probing 50-plus universities for ‘illegal discrimination’ with DEI
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has initiated investigations into more than 50 universities over allegations of "race-exclusionary practices" as part of its crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion in academia. Published March 14, 2025
Police arrest 98 protesters at Trump Tower calling for release of Mahmoud Khalil
Police arrested nearly 100 demonstrators Thursday who stormed Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan demanding the release of Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil. Published March 13, 2025
Democratic AGs sue to stop Trump administration from dismantling Education Department
A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general sued Thursday to block the Trump administration from gutting the Department of Education, arguing that Congress created the Cabinet-level agency and only Congress may abolish it. Published March 13, 2025
Wyoming senator fights cashless trend at National Park properties
Tourists frustrated by the growing number of National Park Service properties refusing to accept cash have an ally in Sen. Cynthia Lummis. Published March 12, 2025
‘Free Mahmoud Khalil’: Democrats rally to stop deportation of anti-Israel activist
Democrats have a new cause celebre in their fight against the Trump administration: anti-Israel campus activist Mahmoud Khalil. Published March 12, 2025
Greenpeace USA faces reckoning over Dakota Access protests with $300M lawsuit
The 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests failed to stop the energy project from being completed -- and they could wind up bankrupting Greenpeace USA. Published March 12, 2025
House Dems protest violations of Palestinian activist’s constitutional rights, demand his release
Fourteen House Democrats demanded that the Department of Homeland Security release former Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, slamming his detention for campus activism an "act of anti-Palestinian racism." Published March 12, 2025
Maine Republican sues to overturn censure over transgender-athlete post
A Maine lawmaker has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Democrat-controlled state legislature of violating her First Amendment rights by censuring her over a social-media post about a transgender high-school athlete. Published March 11, 2025
White House says it has authority to revoke green card of Palestinian activist in campus protests
The White House on Tuesday defended the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who was involved in protests at Columbia University, saying the administration had the authority to revoke his green card under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Published March 11, 2025
Columbia reels as Trump opens war on campus antisemitism with arrest, canceled grants
President Trump launched his attack on campus antisemitism with a stunning one-two punch at Columbia University, but warned Monday that the campaign to root out "pro-terrorist" activity in academia has only just begun. Published March 10, 2025
California Republicans urge Newsom to walk the talk by supporting girls’ sports bill
Now that California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that it's unfair for biological males to compete against female athletes, state Republicans are hoping he'll support their girls' sports bill. Published March 7, 2025
Musk amplifies campaign urging Trump to pardon convicted George Floyd killer Derek Chauvin
A conservative website is calling for President Trump to pardon Derek Chauvin, arguing that the former Minneapolis police officer was wrongly convicted of killing George Floyd in a case that galvanized the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and riots. Published March 6, 2025
‘Deeply unfair’: Newsom breaks with Democrats on transgender athletes
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that allowing male-born athletes in female sports is "deeply unfair," breaking ranks with his fellow Democrats on an issue bedeviling the party ahead of his expected presidential run. Published March 6, 2025
Missouri AG wants DOJ to probe whether staff exploited Biden’s cognitive decline in final days
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wants the Department of Justice to investigate whether staffers of former President Joseph R. Biden took advantage of his cognitive decline to issue "radical" policies at the end of his term without his full understanding. Published March 6, 2025
Delaware legislator asks feds to defund state unless it follows Trump order on women’s sports
A complaint filed with the Justice Department asks the Trump administration to cut off federal funding to Delaware or require the blue state to comply with the president's executive order "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports." Published March 5, 2025
NEA, ACLU bring lawsuit against Trump administration’s attack on DEI in education
The nation's largest teachers' union sued the Trump administration over its effort to erase diversity, equity and inclusion programs in education, arguing that the policy violates the First Amendment and infringes on academic freedom. Published March 5, 2025
Federal judge rejects female athlete’s plea to block male-born runner from girls’ field
A federal judge refused to suspend a male-born athlete from competing in girls' sports in Pennsylvania, rejecting a request from a teenage girl who placed second to the transgender student at a cross-country meet. Published March 5, 2025
