Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Trump administration’s antisemitism agreement with Columbia sets template for higher ed
Columbia University may soon be $221 million poorer, but its decision to sign a resolution agreement with the Trump administration has provided a model for academic institutions seeking to regain their federal funding by uprooting campus antisemitism. Published July 24, 2025
Christian photographer won’t be prosecuted by New York for declining same-sex weddings
Chalk up another win for Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Christian business owners who draw the line at working same-sex weddings. Published July 24, 2025
Kaiser Permanente to ‘pause’ gender-transition surgeries for those under 19 under Trump pressure
Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation's largest hospital networks, said it will "pause" gender-transition surgeries for those under 19, citing intense pressure from the Trump administration that has created "significant risks" for providers. Published July 23, 2025
Missouri AG sues Planned Parenthood for ‘disinformation’ about risks of abortion pill
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey wants the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to pay at least $1.8 million for its promotion of the abortion pill, accusing the abortion giant of deceiving clients about the health risks to "cut costs and boost revenue." Published July 23, 2025
Five universities face federal probe over scholarships for undocumented, DACA students
The Department of Education launched investigations Wednesday into whether five leading universities are violating federal anti-discrimination law by granting certain scholarships exclusively to undocumented students or those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. Published July 23, 2025
U.S. Olympic Committee bows to Trump on transgender athletes in ‘seismic’ move
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee revised without fanfare its eligibility rules to comply with President Trump's executive order on women's sports, effectively barring male-born athletes from competing on women's teams across the Olympic landscape. Published July 22, 2025
‘Gloves are off’: Colbert rants profanely against Trump after show’s cancellation
Stephen Colbert hasn't exactly been shy about heckling President Trump, but "The Late Show" host says he plans to ramp up the invective now that CBS has scheduled his show for the scrap heap. Published July 22, 2025
Republican attorneys general urge NCAA to boot transgender athletes from women’s records
The NCAA banned males from female competition five months ago, but the organization is coming under pressure to take the next step by removing them from the women's record books. Published July 22, 2025
Outraged Democrats blame Trump for CBS axing ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’
For years, Democrats yawned as Republicans accused media outlets of squelching conservative voices, but now leftists are beating the free-speech drum with the cancellation of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." Published July 21, 2025
Feulner remembered as man who built Washington’s conservative mind
Edwin J. Feulner Jr., who died Friday at the age of 83, was mourned as a pivotal figure in the rise of the conservative movement, a key architect of the network dedicated to spreading, defending and implementing its principles of freedom and traditional values. Published July 20, 2025
Jewish student harassed by anti-Israel protesters sues Harvard
A former Harvard graduate student who was roughed up during an anti-Israel protest has filed an antisemitism lawsuit against the university, accusing school officials of taking no action to punish his alleged attackers and even bestowing honors on two of them. Published July 18, 2025
Colorado law mandating preferred pronouns faces lawsuit from Christian bookstore
Colorado's newly passed ban on misgendering has drawn another free-speech lawsuit, this time from a Christian bookstore whose owners object to using opposite-sex pronouns. Published July 17, 2025
OpenAI does about-face, extends discounts to religious groups after lawsuit
OpenAI will no longer deny its nonprofit discount to religious organizations under a settlement reached with the Christian ministry Holy Sexuality. Published July 16, 2025
Florida cracks down on transgender athletes in women’s masters’ swimming
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday called on U.S. Masters Swimming to ban male-born athletes from the women's field, saying that the organization's recent revisions fall short of complying with state law. Published July 15, 2025
Jewish groups call on National Education Association to reject vote to boycott ADL materials
Jewish organizations are pushing back after the nation's largest teachers' union voted to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League. Published July 15, 2025
Democratic-led states sue to force Trump administration to unfreeze $7 billion in education funding
Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia sued Monday to restore nearly $7 billion in education funding paused by the Department of Education, accusing the Trump administration of thwarting the will of Congress and causing "chaos" in state educational programs. Published July 14, 2025
Trump administration intensifies crackdown on ‘gender-affirming care’
The Trump administration has ramped up its battle against "gender-affirming care" for minors, sending subpoenas to providers and opening an investigation into whether the industry is engaged in deceptive trade practices. Published July 10, 2025
‘Superwoke’? Director of ‘Superman’ draws immigration parallels to Krypton-born Man of Steel
Red flags are flying around the latest "Superman" remake after the creator of the DC Studios film described the action hero from the planet Krypton as an immigrant. Published July 9, 2025
Trump administration sues California to bar biological males from girls’ sports
The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit Wednesday accusing California of engaging in illegal sex discrimination and endangering female athletes by letting biological males compete against them in girls' scholastic sports. Published July 9, 2025
NEA delegates vote to cut ties with Anti-Defamation League
The National Education Association has voted to break with the Anti-Defamation League, seeking to end a decades-long partnership on fighting antisemitism while offering more evidence that defenders of Israel may no longer have a home on the progressive left. Published July 8, 2025
