Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Gov. Andrew Cuomo OKs fracking ban in New York state
New York on Wednesday announced it will become the second state to ban hydraulic fracturing, ending a five-year moratorium and handing a pivotal win to foes of the revolutionary oil-drilling technique while fueling outrage from proponents of job growth. Published December 17, 2014
North Korea linked to Sony hacking as studio scuttles release of ‘The Interview’
Federal investigators have connected the Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. hacking to North Korea, even as the studio on Wednesday canceled the movie's scheduled Dec. 25 release amid a terrorist threat that prompted most of the top U.S. cinema chains to pull plans to show the film. Published December 17, 2014
‘The Interview’ fallout: Theater chains pull movie, cancel New York premiere after terrorist threat
The New York premiere of the movie at the heart of the Sony hacking uproar has been cancelled while at least two cinema chains have pulled the film after hackers threatened a Christmas terrorist attack on theaters showing the comedy. Published December 17, 2014
‘War on Christmas’: Atheists unveil anti-Christmas TV specials
Conservatives have been mocked for insisting there's an ongoing war on Christmas, but now it looks like they may have simply been ahead of their time. Published December 17, 2014
Sony hackers up ante with terrorist threat as cybersecurity bill languishes
Congress is expected to exit this week without passing legislation to combat cyberattacks like the one against Sony Pictures Entertainment, now grappling with a terrorist threat in addition to thousands of hacked emails and documents. Published December 16, 2014
Senate Democrats grouse over passage of sage-grouse rider
Not all Westerners were relieved to see the sage-grouse rider make it into the final $1.1 trillion federal spending bill. Published December 15, 2014
Sage grouse protection block gives Western developers win over environmentalists
A successful Republican move to stop in its tracks the Obama administration's bid to list the sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act may be a sign of things to come in the long-running battle between environmentalists and economic developers across the West. Published December 14, 2014
Federal crackdown on campus sex assault threatens free speech: report
The Obama administration's crackdown on campus sexual harassment has led to the adoption of "flatly unconstitutional" speech codes and poses what may be the greatest threat to free speech facing higher education today, according to a newly released report. Published December 14, 2014
Obama administration sued by Colorado’s Gov. Hickenlooper over Gunnison sage grouse
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper made good Friday on his promise to sue the federal government over its hotly contested move to list the Gunnison sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act. Published December 13, 2014
Independent Colo. women like Cory Gardner, not sold on Hillary Clinton: poll
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton may want to study some film on Republican Cory Gardner before wooing independent women voters in swing-state Colorado. Published December 11, 2014
Voters support CIA waterboarding, harsh interrogation tactics: poll
Nearly half of U.S. voters favor the use of waterboarding and other aggressive interrogation tactics employed by the Central Intelligence Agency to procure information from suspected terrorists, according to a poll released Thursday. Published December 11, 2014
Lena Dunham, U.Va. and people wrongly accused of rape
As victims go, college men who contend they have been wrongly punished for sexual assault don't get a lot of sympathy. But the fallout from the debacles surrounding the University of Virginia and Lena Dunham rape allegations could change that. Published December 10, 2014
![Iowa House Speaker and incoming chair of the Republican Legislative Campaign Committee Kraig Paulsen said the GOP takeover at the state levels "translates to better public policy [and] greater opportunity for middle-class families." (Associated Press)](https://twt-thumbs.washtimes.com/media/image/2014/12/10/12102014_ap4208342367328201_c0-272-4122-2674_s652x380.jpg?27ca74c2af0ae3e7c3cd244acfdebc80b892b0d7)
GOP holds more state legislatures than ever
Republicans control more state legislative seats and legislative chambers than perhaps at any time in the party's history. So what are they going to do with all those majorities? Published December 10, 2014
U.Va. rejects calls to reinstate frats, sororities even as rape account crumbles
The University of Virginia refused Tuesday calls to reopen fraternities and sororities suspended in the aftermath of an explosive Rolling Stone article, despite the magazine's apology for "mistakes" in its account of a brutal gang rape at a campus fraternity party. Published December 9, 2014
Denver mayor tells protesting students to return to class after four days of walk-outs
Mayor Michael Hancock had a message for the thousands of Denver high school students who have staged walk-outs over grand-jury decisions in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner: Get back to class. Published December 9, 2014
Scathing audit says Colorado’s Obamacare exchange mismanaged taxpayer funds
A devastating state audit released Monday found a rash of problems with the Colorado health-care exchange's handling of $32 million in taxpayer funds as well as possible violations of federal law. Published December 8, 2014
Eric Garner’s widow says husband targeted for illegally selling cigarettes, not race
The role of New York's high cigarette taxes in the death of Eric Garner drew more scrutiny Sunday as his widow said that he was targeted not because of his race, but because he continued to defy local ordinances by selling loose cigarettes. Published December 7, 2014
U.S. Yemen raid failed due to lack of surprise
The raid to rescue hostages held by terrorist forces in Yemen failed largely because U.S. commandos lost the element of surprise, an analyst said Sunday. Published December 7, 2014
Bush calls NYT review of book about his father ‘psychobabble’
Former President George W. Bush used one of his favorite words Sunday to dismiss speculation in a New York Times book review that he's in competition with his father, calling it "psychobabble." Published December 7, 2014
Mike Rogers predicts ‘violence and deaths’ if Senate releases report on CIA terror programs
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers called the anticipated release of a long-awaited Senate report on coercive interrogation techniques under the Bush administration "a terrible idea," saying it would result in "violence and deaths." Published December 7, 2014
