Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Trump administration opens 18 investigations into transgender-athlete policies
The Trump administration launched Title IX probes Wednesday into complaints about transgender-athlete policies at 18 school districts. Published January 14, 2026
More drama at Heritage Foundation as one scholar returns, another joins Pence defectors
One of the two legal experts who left the Heritage Foundation shortly before Christmas has joined his fellow defectors at former Vice President Mike Pence's policy shop -- and the other has returned to Heritage. Published January 14, 2026
Dueling rallies on transgender-athlete laws draw hundreds to Supreme Court
The Supreme Court hearing on the transgender-athlete issue drew hundreds of high-spirited activists as well as lawmakers to competing rallies Tuesday on the courthouse steps. Published January 13, 2026
ACLU unveils ad campaign starring Rapinoe, Page, Watts in support of trans athletes
A bevy of left-wing celebrities have launched an ad campaign in support of transgender athletes as the Supreme Court considers state laws in Idaho and West Virginia barring biological males from female sports. Published January 12, 2026
‘We know we’re right’: Defenders of female athletes optimistic ahead of Supreme Court hearing
Advocates for single-sex sports like their chances ahead of oral argument Tuesday on the Idaho and West Virginia bans on transgender athletes in female scholastic sports, given the high court's 6-3 conservative majority and the strength of their legal arguments. Published January 12, 2026
Basketball-playing legislator Barbara Ehardt sees her women’s sports law go before Supreme Court
Barbara Ehardt will be watching on Tuesday when the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on state laws that bar transgender athletes from competing in female sports. Published January 11, 2026
Nevada Gov. Lombardo leads ballot initiative to keep biological males out of girls’ sports
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo is heading a petition drive to bar biological males from girls' scholastic sports, seeking to put the issue directly before the voters after being thwarted by the Democrat-led state legislature. Published January 8, 2026
Gavin Newsom casting California as ‘beacon’ against Trumpism in previews of his 2028 campaign
Gov. Gavin Newsom, in his final State of the State address, said California has served as a bulwark against President Trump and the "purposeful chaos" emanating from Washington, casting his state as a "beacon" in a time of political unrest. Published January 8, 2026
Tucker Carlson mocked for predicting gay marriage as motivation for Maduro raid
There were plenty of reasons for the U.S. to want Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro out of power, but as far as Tucker Carlson is concerned, the socialist strongman may have crossed the line with his opposition to gay marriage. Published January 7, 2026
Appeals court revives California’s ban on disclosing students’ gender identity to parents
California schools are once again required to hide the opposite-sex gender identities of students from their parents under an emergency stay issued by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Published January 6, 2026
Colorado hit with $6 million tab after judge blocks ban on abortion pill reversal
That Colorado law banning health care professionals from offering abortion pill reversals to pregnant women is proving expensive. Published January 6, 2026
Universities ‘went wrong’ with faculty activism in classroom, Harvard president says
Harvard President Alan Garber may never be confused with Charlie Kirk, but it turns out the Ivy League leader has a problem with ideologically driven professors chilling open expression on campus. Published January 5, 2026
HHS targets Biden-era rule that funds child care centers before verifying attendance
The Trump administration took aim Monday at a Biden-era regulation requiring states to pay child-care providers before verifying attendance or delivering services, citing allegations of massive fraud in Minnesota day care centers. Published January 5, 2026
Transgender athlete advocacy takes hit with Kyrgios’ win over Sabalenka in Battle of the Sexes
An exhibition tennis match between the world's top-ranked women's player and a male opponent battling injuries wound up scoring points for advocates of sex-segregated sports. Published December 30, 2025
PragerU’s ‘pro-American’ Presidential Rankings Survey puts Washington first, Biden last
Presidential rankings tend to reward those on the left and penalize those on the right, which is where PragerU comes in. Published December 29, 2025
The Heritage Foundation restocks after wave of scholars defect to Pence-led group
The Heritage Foundation wasted no time filling some of the vacancies left by its departing scholars and staffers, taking an upbeat tone despite the recent defections to a rival conservative organization led by former Vice President Mike Pence. Published December 26, 2025
Trump administration rolls back Biden-era policy that put VA in abortion business
The Trump administration has reversed the Biden-era guidance requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide abortions, arguing that the directive violated congressional restrictions on using taxpayer dollars to fund elective pregnancy termination. Published December 23, 2025
California can’t hide students’ gender identity in ‘historic’ legal win for parental rights
A federal judge ruled that California schools can't conceal students' different-sex gender identities from their families, delivering a smackdown of the hotly contested state policy in a landmark victory for parental-rights advocates. Published December 23, 2025
Trump administration probes campus safety at Brown after deadly shooting
The Department of Education opened an investigation Monday into Brown University's compliance with federal campus-security law, a probe spurred by the recent mass shooting at an academic building that left two students dead. Published December 22, 2025
The Heritage Foundation loses a dozen scholars to Pence-led group in rift over leadership
The steady drip of departures from The Heritage Foundation turned into a cascade Monday as legal luminary Josh Blackman resigned and more than a dozen scholars and staff moved to a competing organization founded by former Vice President Mike Pence. Published December 22, 2025
