Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Brave Books hosts anti-socialism library reading after ALA leader calls for ‘socialist organizing’
After the American Library Association president declared that libraries need to be a "site of socialist organizing," Brave Books swung back with a salute to freedom. Published September 28, 2023
Nevada woman’s death after taking abortion pills spurs lawsuit, safety fears
The family of a Nevada woman who died of sepsis after taking abortion pills is suing for wrongful death, a case that is reigniting safety concerns as the Biden administration seeks to expand access by relaxing medical protocols. Published September 28, 2023
Federal judge throws out Texas ‘drag ban’ on free speech grounds
A federal judge threw out a Texas law prohibiting "sexually oriented performances" in public or where they may be viewed by children, saying the so-called "drag ban" represented an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. Published September 26, 2023
Politics blamed as Biden administration delays transgender-friendly Title IX rule
The Biden administration is in no hurry to finalize its proposed regulations extending Title IX protections to transgender students, including athletes, an issue that may be too hot for the White House to handle as the 2024 election nears. Published September 26, 2023
Frustrated Denver CEO dumps human poop from homeless on city hall steps
Tired of cleaning up human waste outside his Denver office, Independence Institute CEO Jon Caldara sent a message to the powers that be by depositing the refuse on the front steps of the Denver City and County Building. Published September 25, 2023
Missouri sues clinic that challenged ban on gender-transition drugs for minors
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has taken action against a clinic that sought to block the state's ban on gender-transition drugs for minors, accusing the provider of previously treating children without adequate psychological evaluations. Published September 25, 2023
Pro-life ad featuring Biden to run during Ohio State-Notre Dame game
A pro-life ad against an Ohio abortion-rights ballot measure features an unlikely advocate: President Biden. Published September 22, 2023
Illustrated version of Anne Frank’s diary gets teacher fired over sexual content
School districts in Florida and Texas have been slammed for pulling "Anne Frank's Diary," but it turns out there's more than one version of the Jewish girl's famed journal of her life under Nazi occupation -- and not all of them are G-rated. Published September 21, 2023
Riley Gaines rips Kentucky Gov. Beshear in campaign ad for vetoing Save Women’s Sports Act
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's veto of a bill banning male-born athletes in female sports has riled Riley Gaines. Published September 20, 2023
L.A. hotels fight ballot measure requiring them to give vacant rooms to homeless
Los Angeles hotels provided rooms to thousands of homeless people during the coronavirus pandemic as part of Project Roomkey, but innkeepers are feeling less than hospitable about a proposal to host the homeless on a regular basis. Published September 20, 2023
Trump seeks to mend fences with pro-lifers after blasting Florida’s heartbeat bill
Former President Donald Trump is defending his anti-abortion record after being accused of betraying the pro-life movement, saying it has "tremendous negotiating power" thanks to the Trump-appointed justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade. Published September 19, 2023
DeSantis warns pro-lifers that Trump will ‘sell you out’ on abortion
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned pro-lifers that Donald Trump will "sell you out" after the former president called for a compromise on abortion and lambasted the Sunshine State's heartbeat law as a "terrible mistake." Published September 18, 2023
Newsom boosts climate cred by suing ‘Big Oil’ as California struggles to tap brakes on fossil fuels
California Gov. Gavin Newsom kicked off Climate Week with a litigation-and-legislation blitz, shoring up his green energy credentials amid criticism that his administration has failed to walk the talk when it comes to ditching fossil fuels. Published September 18, 2023
Teacher-union head slammed for comparing school-choice backers to segregationists
Teachers' union chief Randi Weingarten equated parents who seek alternatives to traditional public schools to segregationists, a comparison that didn't sit well with conservatives, starting with Sen. Tim Scott. Published September 14, 2023
‘The View’ co-host Sunny Hostin predicts Biden will lose Black vote if he dumps Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris is increasingly viewed as a drag on the 2024 Democratic presidential ticket, but "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin cautioned that President Biden drops her at his peril. Published September 14, 2023
Nebraska woman, 21, sues doctors who removed her breasts at 16 as part of ‘gender-affirming care’
A Nebraska woman who had her breasts removed at 16 has sued University of Nebraska Medical Center doctors for malpractice, saying she and her parents were manipulated into gender-transition medical treatments that "robbed her of her womanhood." Published September 14, 2023
Ex-clerk Kim Davis ordered to pay $100K for denying marriage license to same-sex couple
A former county clerk in Kentucky must pay $100,000 to a same-sex couple for refusing to grant them a marriage license based on her religious convictions shortly after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015. Published September 13, 2023
Republicans pressure Merrick Garland to stop New Mexico’s ‘chilling’ gun ban
Senate Republicans want Attorney General Merrick Garland to protect New Mexico gun owners from the Democratic governor's "chilling" executive order suspending open- and concealed-carry laws, calling it an "unconstitutional power grab." Published September 13, 2023
Abortion rights ad featuring image of Jesus faces Catholic blowback
An abortion rights ad that includes a venerated image of Jesus is drawing pushback from conservative Catholics who want the commercial removed. Published September 13, 2023
Marine veteran Cole Lyle enlists service dogs in fight against veteran suicide
When Cole T. Lyle was struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in Afghanistan, his service dog, Kaya, was able to help him in ways that therapy and medication couldn't. Published September 13, 2023