Mary Clare’s Recent Stories
Politics May 21
Senate confirms Ratcliffe as national intelligence chiefThe Senate on Thursday confirmed Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence, installing a new head of the nation's intelligence agencies at a time when President Donald Trump has ousted multiple officials.
Politics May 20
Senate panel approves subpoena in Hunter Biden probeThe Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday voted 8-6 to subpoena Blue Star Strategies. The lobbying firm was a consultant to Burisma, a gas company in Ukraine that paid Hunter Biden to serve as a board member.
Politics May 18
Rubio named acting chair of Senate intelligence panelFlorida Sen. Marco Rubio is taking over a powerful committee in Congress. Republican leaders announced Monday that Rubio will temporarily become chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Politics May 14
Burr steps aside as Senate intelligence chair amid FBI probeSen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., stepped aside as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday after the FBI served a search warrant for his phone as part of an ongoing insider-trading investigation tied to the coronavirus pandemic.
Politics May 13
Senate narrowly rejects new limits on internet surveillanceA debate has erupted in Congress over whether to protect the browsing history of internet users. The Senate came one vote short Wednesday of approving a proposal to prevent federal law enforcement from obtaining internet browsing information without seeking a…
Politics May 05
Intel chief nominee Ratcliffe says he won’t be swayed by politicsA Senate panel is considering Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe's nomination for director of national intelligence, holding the in-person hearing amid President Donald Trump's shakeup of the intelligence community and under drastic new distancing rules to protect Capitol Hill from the…
Economy Apr 23
New House panel poised to track virus aid dollarsCongressional oversight of the coronavirus rescue effort is quickly expanding. The House is voting Thursday to create a new subcommittee to track more than $2 trillion in coronavirus aid.
Politics Apr 21
Senate panel backs assessment that Russia interfered in 2016The report rejects Trump's claims that the intelligence community was biased against him when it concluded that Russia had interfered on his behalf in the election.
Politics Apr 17
As $2 trillion in coronavirus aid starts to flow, oversight still lagsCongress created at least four different bodies to help prevent fraud and abuse as the government doles out a massive amount of money to businesses, states and individuals. But none of those bodies has been set up yet.
Politics Apr 07
Trump sidelines watchdog tapped for virus rescue oversightGlenn Fine, the acting Defense Department inspector general and a veteran watchdog, had been selected by peers last month for the oversight position. But Trump has instead nominated a replacement inspector general at the Pentagon and appointed an acting one…