Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
James Comey declares he’s a Taylor Swift fanboy in ‘bizarre’ anti-Trump video
Not only is former FBI Director James B. Comey a big fan of Taylor Swift, but he says the pop phenom known for her autobiographical songs has the right idea when it comes to the Trump administration. Published August 18, 2025
Northern Virginia schools face funding cuts after defying administration on transgender policies
It didn't take long for the Trump administration to bring down the hammer after Northern Virginia school officials refused to bar biological males from girls' restrooms. Published August 17, 2025
Northern Virginia schools defy Trump administration on transgender bathroom access
Five Northern Virginia school districts plan to keep allowing students to use restrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity, despite an ultimatum from the Trump administration. Published August 15, 2025
Costco won’t sell abortion pill at pharmacies in win for pro-life groups
Costco Wholesale Corp. will forgo dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone, citing low customer interest, in a victory for pro-life organizations seeking to pull the drugs from pharmaceutical shelves. Published August 14, 2025
Kirk Cameron has last laugh in book battle, landing Library of Congress story hour
Three years ago, Kirk Cameron was stiff-armed by the nation's public libraries, but on Saturday, the Christian actor plans to read his children's books at the most famous library in the world. Published August 14, 2025
Harvard drops DEI branding targeted by Trump even as it resists deal
Harvard University has undertaken a major restructuring of its anti-discrimination bureaucracy, scrapping references to DEI and consolidating its departments as pressure builds to make a deal with the Trump administration. Published August 5, 2025
Oregon drops Medicaid coverage for risky surgery except in cases of ‘gender affirmation’
In Oregon, Medicaid no longer covers high-risk surgery to remove excess skin from the lower abdomen unless it's part of "gender-affirming care," raising questions about whether gender ideology is actually harming those it purports to help. Published August 4, 2025
Democratic states sue to foil Trump crackdown on gender surgery for minors
Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration over its efforts to stop gender-transition drugs and surgery for youth, accusing the federal government of infringing on states' rights and denying patients "medically necessary health care." Published August 1, 2025
Florida State bars student from campus over harassment of Jewish student
A Florida State University student has been banned from campus after a video showed her pushing and cursing at a Jewish student who wore an "Israel Defense Forces" T-shirt. Published August 1, 2025
ADL complaint accuses Baltimore City Public Schools of shrugging off ‘egregious’ antisemitism
The Anti-Defamation League has asked the Trump administration to open a civil-rights investigation into the Baltimore City Public Schools, accusing the district of failing to address "egregious antisemitic harassment" against Jewish students. Published July 31, 2025
No more diversity statements: DOJ guidance draws line on ‘unlawful DEI’
Recipients of federal funds wondering if their "BIPOC-only study lounges" will pass muster under the Trump administration now have an answer: not likely. Published July 31, 2025
Brown agrees to pay $50 million, wins back federal contracts in deal with Trump administration
By entering into the agreement, Brown ensured that the administration "will end the large-scale freeze that ultimately had implications for hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding to Brown." Published July 30, 2025
Trump administration jumps in after Oregon girls sue over transgender athlete
Two Oregon track athletes who were muzzled for protesting a transgender competitor at the girls' state championships have drawn the support of the Trump administration. Published July 30, 2025
Democratic attorneys general pile on by suing to stop Planned Parenthood defunding
Democratic attorneys general sought Tuesday to block enforcement of the federal measure defunding Planned Parenthood, a day after a judge did exactly that in response to a separate lawsuit. Published July 29, 2025
Republican state officials call on firms to prove that they’ve abandoned woke investing
Financial officers representing 21 red states said Tuesday that if investment firms want to conduct business with their states, they need to confirm that their decisions are based on fiduciary integrity, not woke ideology. Published July 29, 2025
UCLA agrees to pay $6 million to settle lawsuit over ‘Jew Exclusion Zone’
The University of California, Los Angeles agreed Tuesday to pay more than $6 million to resolve antisemitism claims brought by Jewish students and faculty, abandoning its yearlong court battle a week after Columbia University settled its antisemitism dispute with the Trump administration for $221 million. Published July 29, 2025
Trump administration targets Duke University for alleged racial bias
The Trump administration has turned its focus to Duke University, zeroing in on allegations of racial discrimination at the Duke Law Journal, Duke University School of Medicine, and Duke Health. Published July 28, 2025
Columbia janitors assaulted by anti-Israel protesters settle claims under Trump deal
The Trump administration's historic antisemitism settlement with Columbia University has already resulted in relief for at least two of the victims of last year's campus unrest. Published July 28, 2025
‘Massive fail’: Gatorade lands in foul trouble with ‘Let Her Cook’ WNBA ad campaign
A Gatorade ad campaign intended to showcase WNBA players has instead gone viral for the wrong reasons, thanks to the much-mocked slogan "Let Her Cook." Published July 28, 2025
Education Dept. finds five Virginia school districts’ gender-identity policies violate Title IX
A federal investigation has found five Northern Virginia school districts in violation of Title IX for allowing "transgender-identifying" students to use restrooms and locker rooms based on gender identity versus biological sex. Published July 25, 2025
