Skip to content

Articles by Stephen Dinan

From left: Backpage.com CEO Carl Ferrer, founder James Larkin, Chief Operating Officer Andrew Padilla, and founder Michael Lacey testified before Congress last year about the website's facilitation of online sex trafficking. Mr. Larkin gave $10,000 to House Majority PAC, which is connected to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat. (Associated Press/File)

Senate clears bill to punish websites for sex-trafficking ads

Brushing aside warnings about censoring the internet, Republican and Democratic senators linked arms and voted Wednesday to impose new rules on online forums, pushing them to do more to police their postings in hopes of stopping an explosion of sex trafficking, particularly of children.

March 21, 2018
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, are warning Republicans in high-tax blue states of an electoral backlash from middle-class suburbanites if they approve a tax reform bill without state and local tax deductions. (Associated Press/File)

Trump’s immigration initiatives ignored in $1.3 trillion spending bill

Congressional leaders on Wednesday reached agreement on a $1.3 trillion plan to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year, pouring new money into gun background checks and anti-opioid efforts but limiting President Trump's calls for investment in stiffer immigration enforcement.

March 21, 2018
In this Feb. 1, 2018 photo, a Saudi soldier guards an aid flight at an air base in Marib, Yemen. Saudi Arabia under King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has replaced its military chief of staff and other defense officials amid its stalemated war in Yemen early Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Jon Gambrell)

Senate defends U.S. help to Saudi Arabia in Yemen civil war

The Senate shot down an attempt Tuesday to force the U.S. to halt its support for one of the sides in Yemen's ongoing civil war, giving President Trump a free hand to continue aiding a Saudi-led coalition in the fight.

March 20, 2018
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., joined at left by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., meets with reporters following a GOP strategy session, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 14, 2018. With the Democrat edging past the Republican in the Pennsylvania special election in a Trump-heavy district, Ryan fielded questions on whether it was a wake-up call for the November midterms. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

GOP leaders: Do it for the troops on spending bill

Republican leaders told balky conservatives Tuesday to drop their complaints and approve a budget-busting spending bill in order in order to get the Pentagon more money and end what they have deemed a "readiness crisis" in the military.

March 20, 2018
Thousands of people take part in the ``Free the People Immigration March,'' to protest actions taken by President Donald Trump and his administration, in Los Angeles Sunday, Feb. 18, 2017. March and rally organizers are calling for an end to ICE raids and deportations, minority killings by police and that health care be provided for documented and undocumented individuals. Immigrant, faith, labor and community groups are expected to attend, calling for sanctuary to be given to immigrants.. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

California city votes to opt out of sanctuary law

A small California city voted Monday to opt out of the state's new sanctuary law, with the city's leaders saying they hoped others would follow their lead and defy the restrictions placed on their ability to cooperate with federal authorities.

March 20, 2018
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., meets with reporters following a GOP strategy session, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 14, 2018. Rattled Republicans were hit with the reality check Wednesday in the startling strong performance of a fresh-faced Democrat deep in Trump country.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Paul Ryan: Trump won’t fire Mueller

Top Republicans said Tuesday they're confident President Trump won't try to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, saying he should be allowed to finish his probe into the 2016 elections.

March 20, 2018
Rep. Justin Amash, Michigan Republican (Associated Press)

Spending bill: Republicans rush to beat shutdown

Congressional Republicans were rushing to put finishing touches on a $1.3 trillion bill Monday to fund the government for the rest of fiscal year 2018, retreating on most conservative demands in order to earn help from Democrats in passing the bill by a shutdown deadline Friday.

March 19, 2018
President Trump at this time last year was crowing over the debt, which stood at $19.947 trillion and quickly dipped after his inauguration. He took to Twitter to demand credit. (Associated Press)

Donald Trump adds $1 trillion to national debt in 14 months

President Trump has now amassed his first $1 trillion in debt, crossing that ignominious mark late last week -- and analysts said it's just a taste of what's to come after the tax-cuts and spending spree of recent months.

March 15, 2018
In this file photo, immigrant-rights supporters gather at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017. Frustrated with both President Trump and Congress, activists are increasingly turning to the courts to try to alter the country's immigration policies. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) **FILE**

Donald Trump hit with new round of immigration lawsuits

Frustrated with both President Trump and Congress, immigrant-rights activists increasingly are turning to the courts to try to alter the country's immigration policies -- with three new lawsuits filed on Thursday alone against the Department of Homeland Security.

March 15, 2018
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions addresses the California Peace Officers' Association at the 26th Annual Law Enforcement Legislative Day, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif. Sessions told law enforcement officers at the conference Wednesday that the Justice Department sued California because state laws are preventing federal immigration agents from doing their jobs. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Jeff Sessions made ‘error’ in DACA legal memo, says Justice Department

The Justice Department said in court Wednesday that Attorney General Jeff Sessions made an "error" in his memo laying out the legal problems with the Obama-era DACA program, as a federal judge repeatedly blasted the Trump administration for weak reasoning in revoking the deportation amnesty.

March 14, 2018