Valerie Richardson

The end of an era: The rise of social media, cable TV has led to the demise of the October surprise

The 2020 election season already has provided enough October surprises to fill a pinata, but the would-be bombshells involving President Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden have yet to pack much of a punch.

October 25, 2020

Chelsea Handler: 50 Cent can’t support Trump’s reelection bid because he’s Black

Comedian Chelsea Handler says she has informed the rapper 50 Cent that he cannot support President Trump's reelection campaign because he's Black.

October 24, 2020

Greg Abbott, Texas governor: Biden transition from oil would ‘transition Texans from their paycheck’

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday that Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden's plan to "outlaw oil" would lay waste to the state's economy, pulling billions of dollars from schools and eliminating nearly 430,000 jobs.

October 23, 2020

Trump campaign predicts Biden’s anti-oil pledge will ‘put nail in coffin for Pennsylvania’

The Trump campaign predicted Friday that former Vice President Joseph R. Biden's "massive stumble" on transitioning U.S. energy production from the oil industry would dash the Democrat's hopes in shale-rich Pennsylvania.

October 23, 2020

Jewish students file federal complaint against University of Illinois over ‘anti-Semitic harassment’

Jewish students and their supporters announced Friday the filing of a federal complaint alleging an "unrelenting campaign of anti-Semitic harassment" at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

October 23, 2020

Pete Buttigieg backs Biden on saying goodbye to oil industry: ‘We’ve got a few short years’

Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden unleashed a gusher of criticism for his debate comment about making a "transition" from the oil industry, but former Democratic primary rival Pete Buttigieg was solidly in Mr. Biden's corner.

October 23, 2020

Biden stuns Trump by pledging to ‘transition’ from oil-and-gas industry

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden said Thursday that he would "transition" away from the oil-and-gas industry even as he continued to deny that he would ban fracking.

October 22, 2020

Biden at debate blasts Trump for slashing Obama climate regulations

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden on Thursday blasted President Trump for taking an ax to the Obama administration's extensive environmental regulations, arguing that they were needed to combat climate change.

October 22, 2020

Biden: ‘I have not taken a penny from any foreign source’

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden denied Thursday accepting money from "any foreign source," seeking to bat down allegations of a pay-for-influence scam involving China and his son Hunter Biden.

October 22, 2020

Los Angeles accused of ‘harassment’ for fining Our Lady of Angels Catholic church

Attorneys for Our Lady of Angels Catholic Church on Thursday accused Los Angeles County officials of harassment, alleging that they retaliated over the church's lawsuit challenging the novel coronavirus shutdown rules with public-health inspections and fines.

October 22, 2020

Biden blamed as support for fracking ban drops among Democratic voters

Support for a fracking ban declined significantly among Democrats after the first presidential debate, prompting foes of hydraulic fracturing to urge Joseph R. Biden to stop talking about the issue.

October 22, 2020

‘Obamagate’ movie on FBI Russia collusion probe draws cheers on right

Conservatives cheered the premier of "Obamagate," a "verbatim theater" production about the FBI Russia collusion investigation from Irish filmmakers Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney.

October 21, 2020

2020 election October surprises pile up, but can’t captivate public

The 2020 election already has seen enough October surprises to fill a pinata, but the would-be bombshells involving President Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden have yet to pack much of a punch.

October 21, 2020

Biden’s tax-the-rich plan would ultimately cost middle-class earners, analysis says

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden has vowed to raise taxes only on individuals earning more than $400,000 annually, but critics contend that his economic plan would wind up draining the wallets of middle-class families as well.

October 21, 2020

Jared Polis, Colorado governor, has church coronavirus mask, capacity rules blocked by judge

A federal judge has blocked Gov. Jared Polis from enforcing capacity and mask rules at two Colorado churches, ruling that the novel coronavirus restrictions were more onerous for houses of worship than for secular institutions.

October 20, 2020

Jeffrey Toobin suspended from New Yorker for exposing himself on Zoom

Memo to Zoom callers: Before unzipping your pants, make sure the camera is turned off.

October 19, 2020

Facebook, Twitter censored Trump, campaign 65 times, Biden zero: Study

Facebook and Twitter have censored President Trump and his campaign accounts at least 65 times in the last two years, while Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden and his camp have never been dinged, according to a report released Monday.

October 19, 2020

Ralph Z. Hallow, Washington Times editor, reporter, remembered for insight into GOP political scene

He was a celebrated Washington fixture known for his good cheer and bonhomie, and yet even his closest friends knew to stay out of the way when Ralph Z. Hallow was in hot pursuit of a story, as he often was.

October 18, 2020

Ralph Z. Hallow, longtime Times political correspondent, columnist, dies at 82

Ralph Z. Hallow, the longtime chief political correspondent for opinion and columnist for The Washington Times, died Saturday of complications from surgery in Delaware. He was 82.

October 17, 2020

John James takes on Biden: ‘You’re only where you are because you were Obama’s vice president’

Michigan Senate candidate John James unloaded on Joseph R. Biden's history of condescending comments about Black Americans after the Democratic presidential candidate referred to the Republican as a "disaster."

October 17, 2020