Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Jeffrey Epstein ABC story wasn’t ready to air, network says after ‘hot mic’ backlash
ABC News is defending itself against charges that it was afraid to air an interview with a Jeffrey Epstein accuser after video emerged Tuesday showing its reporter, Amy Robach, venting about her story. Published November 5, 2019
Colorado Proposition CC would let state keep taxpayer refunds
On Tuesday's ballot is Proposition CC, which would allow the state to keep state revenue that exceeds the budget cap, also known as the TABOR surplus, to be used for transportation, K-12 and higher education, instead of refunds to taxpayers. Published November 4, 2019
Gavin Newsom, California governor, dismisses Trump advice on wildfires
California Gov. Gavin Newsom swung back at President Trump's threat to cut federal wildfire funding, telling the president he should have no say in how the state manages its forests because he doesn't "believe in climate change." Published November 4, 2019
Montgomery County police barred from displaying wooden Blue Lives Matter flag
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Sunday blasted Montgomery County's decision to ban the display of a homemade wooden "Thin Blue Line" flag, saying he was "offended and disgusted." Published November 3, 2019
Ronan Farrow: Bill Clinton ‘credibly accused of rape’ by Juanita Broaddrick
Author and journalist Ronan Farrow, whose reporting provided a leading impetus for the #MeToo movement, said that former President Bill Clinton was "credibly accused of rape" by Juanita Broaddrick, an allegation "overdue for revisiting." Published November 3, 2019
Oregon antifa activist sentenced to nearly six years for cracking man’s skull
An Oregon antifa activist was sentenced Friday to nearly six years in prison for using an expandable baton to crack the skull of another man at a June melee pitting right-wing activists against protesters from the left-wing anarchist group. Published November 2, 2019
Cuomo mocked for declaring ‘We didn’t have hurricanes’ in New York before climate change
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared Friday that New York had never been hit by hurricanes or other strong storms before climate change, prompting double-takes and fact-checks from those who haven't forgotten, for example, Hazel, Carol and Edna. Published November 1, 2019
Kentucky Supreme Court rules in favor of Christian printer who refused to make gay-pride shirts
The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of a Christian print shop owner hit with a discrimination complaint, handing a victory to religious-freedom advocates fighting legal challenges that pit free-speech rights against anti-bias laws. Published October 31, 2019
Ralph Northam’s office circulated talking points from Planned Parenthood after infanticide interview
Hours after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's infanticide interview in January, a senior state official circulated talking points written by Planned Parenthood to calm the furor over his late-term abortion comments. Published October 31, 2019
Republicans target green-energy funds to prevent California wildfires, blackouts
The tons of greenhouse gases emitted each year by California wildfires are thwarting the state's aggressive climate-change agenda, and as far as Assemblyman James Gallagher is concerned, that's a problem. Published October 30, 2019
Californians grappling with rolling blackouts, large wildfires
California utilities imposed rolling electricity blackouts in the name of preventing devastating wildfires, but now the state is grappling with both. Published October 29, 2019
House Democrats block GOP effort to prevent nationwide fracking ban
House Democrats blocked Tuesday consideration of a resolution in support of hydraulic fracturing as Republicans sought to protect the U.S. energy boom from Democratic presidential candidates seeking to ban fracking nationwide. Published October 29, 2019
Michael Bloomberg climate agenda pushed by privately funded New Mexico prosecutor
The idea behind billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg's State Impact Center was to promote a climate change agenda by providing state attorneys general with privately paid legal staff, and it seems to be working in New Mexico. Published October 28, 2019
Nick Sandmann, Covington Catholic student, Washington Post defamation lawsuit reopened
A federal judge in Kentucky has reopened the $250 million defamation case filed by a Covington Catholic student against The Washington Post after dismissing it in July. Published October 28, 2019
70% of millennials would vote for a socialist; half view capitalism unfavorably: Survey
Seven in 10 millennials would be at least somewhat likely to vote for a socialist candidate, and their views of communism and Marxism are increasingly positive, according to a survey released Monday. Published October 28, 2019
Exxon sued by Massachusetts AG as Democrats, climate activists kick into overdrive
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey on Thursday sued ExxonMobil for misleading investors and consumers about climate change, topping off a week that saw Democrats and activists take their anti-Exxon campaign into overdrive. Published October 25, 2019
EPA-funded children’s health centers accused of ‘junk science’
Environmentalists were outraged when the EPA decided to cut funding to children's environmental health centers, but a report released Thursday argues that the program is awash with political activism and junk science. Published October 24, 2019
NBA fans defy China, cheer Hong Kong as regular season tips off
The official start of the NBA regular season Tuesday saw protesters hand out thousands of free pro-Hong Kong T-shirts outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles and Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the only two venues to host games on opening night. Published October 23, 2019
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dings ‘predominantly white’ areas for hurricanes that killed minorities
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez put a racial spin Wednesday on climate change and hurricanes, attributing emissions from "predominantly white" corporations and communities for juicing recent storms that cost "predominantly black and brown lives" in Louisiana and Puerto Rico. Published October 23, 2019
Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley float bill to move 90% of jobs in 10 federal departments outside D.C.
The decision to move the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado's Western Slope should be viewed not as a one-off, but a good start, as far as some Senate Republicans are concerned. Published October 23, 2019
