Lisa Mascaro

Story Archive

Reid, Democrats consider health care reform options after losing supermajority in Senate: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010; Emerging from a closed-door meeting of Democratic senators a day after losing his 60-seat majority to a stunning Republican electoral victory in Massachusetts, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid faced questions for which he had no easy answers.
Krolicki eyes Senate prize: Lieutenant governor says John McCain, others prodding him to join pack seeking to unseat Reid; Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010; Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is strongly considering a run for the U.S. Senate against Sen. Harry Reid, he told the Sun on Wednesday, a move that would shake up a crowded Republican primary.
John McCain urges Krolicki to battle for Harry Reid's Senate seat: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010; Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki is now strongly considering a run for the U.S. Senate this year against Sen. Harry Reid, he told the Sun today. "There are serious people making compelling arguments to me both in the state and out of the state to reconsider the Harry Reid race," Krolicki said. Republicans in Washington are displeased with the current crop of candidates taking on Reid, which includes former state Sen. Sue Lowden, former UNLV basketball star Danny Tarkanian and former state Assemblywoman Sharron Angle.
GOP chairman: 'Republican renaissance' coming to Nevada: Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010; WASHINGTON -- On the heels of the Republican Senate victory in Massachusetts, the optimistic head of the Nevada state Republican Party projects a “Republican renaissance” in the state, and promised to close the nearly 100,000 voter registration advantage Democrats now enjoy by Oct. 1.
GOP victory in Mass. signals political trouble for Democrats: Close race draws Nevadans into election in final days; Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010; WASHINGTON -- In an epic upset in liberal Massachusetts, Republican Scott Brown rode a wave of voter anger to defeat Democrat Martha Coakley in a U.S. Senate election Tuesday that left President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul in doubt and marred the end of his first year in office.
Rep. Dina Titus back from trip to Afghanistan: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus returned this morning from a weekend trip to Afghanistan, where she met with military leaders on a fact-finding mission to learn more about the war effort.
FBI gets involved in Sen. John Ensign affair: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The FBI has begun interviewing former aides to Republican Sen. John Ensign as it probes the fallout from the Nevadan’s affair, the Sun has confirmed. The senator’s former staff members are being contacted by the FBI.
Tight Massachusetts race threatens Obama's agenda, Harry Reid's political future: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010; Democrats were trying to remain calm as they awaited the outcome of today’s special election in Massachusetts, recognizing that losing the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy would deal a setback to President Barack Obama’s agenda and, closer to home, the re-election campaigns of Nevada Democrats who have supported it.
Reid: Ushering compromise, powering green industry: Senator's influence helped seal rival utilities’ deal to build transmission line; Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010; The news conference was made for the cameras: The proud senator. The rival businessmen who had struck a deal. The towering construction equipment as backdrop. But last week’s announcement that Nevada’s long-desired north-south transmission line would be built jointly by competing power companies barely hinted at the harrowing negotiations throughout the Christmas holiday to seal the deal.
Harry Reid back at White House for health care talks: Friday, Jan. 15, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Greetings, Early Liners and welcome to this Friday afternoon political wrap-up.
White House, Energy Department clash over Yucca Mountain cuts: Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010; The Department of Energy and the White House are at odds over how steep to cut the Yucca Mountain budget for fiscal 2011, according to reports.
Harry Reid's GOP opposition vows to repeal 'ObamaCare': Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010; WASHINGTON – Three of the Republicans vying for the chance to run against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this year signed a pledge today – vowing to vote to repeal health care legislation if elected in November.
Can Harry Reid keep 60 Democrats? Analyst not so sure: Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Hello, Early Liners. Lots of moving parts today so here’s an afternoon political round-up for your perusal.
Union leaders announce agreement on health care plan tax: Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010; WASHINGTON -- After health care bill negotiations with the White House, union officials announced today that an agreement had been reached to raise the threshold of the tax on Cadillac health care plans and exempt unions.
Harry Reid, Obama negotiate health bill at White House: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spent most of Wednesday holed up at the White House with President Barack Obama and Democratic congressional leaders negotiating the landmark health care bill.
Michelle Obama: Harry Reid has 'no need to apologize': Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010; First Lady Michelle Obama said today that Senate Majority Leader Harry "has no need to apologize" to her for his racially insensitive remarks about her husband, the New York Times is reporting.
Magazine feature on Reid comes at opportune time: Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010; WASHINGTON — A preview of the New York Times Magazine story coming Sunday on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is now available, sure to introduce the often-inscrutable Nevadan to unfamiliar readers nationwide.
Nevada's pace of spending highway stimulus funds among slowest: Reps. Dina Titus, Shelley Berkley critical of Gov. Jim Gibbons; Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010; Nevada’s Democratic congresswomen continued their assault Tuesday on the state Transportation Department’s slow pace in spending stimulus funding on highway projects. NDOT has said it is working around the clock.
Analyst calls Harry Reid 'underdog' as GOP battle escalates: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010; WASHINGTON -- An influential analyst is saying Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the "underdog" in his re-election fight. Stu Rothenberg has shifted the race slightly toward takeover by a Republican candidate.
Dina Titus vote for reform bill could undercut support: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010; There is a reason why Democratic Rep. Dina Titus and her House colleagues say Republicans may be the opposition, but the Senate is the enemy. Titus and her Democratic colleagues are in a potentially uncomfortable spot.
GOP cites double standard, pressures Democrats over Harry Reid comments: Monday, Jan. 11, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Republicans opened a new line of attack against Harry Reid today, questioning why fellow Democratic senators who criticized racially insensitive remarks by a former Republican Senate leader are not similarly calling for Reid to step down.
Harry Reid’s latest gaffe revealed when it could really hurt: As Republicans pounce, vulnerable majority leader receives support from Obama, prominent black leaders; Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010; The substance and tone was more Joe Biden than Trent Lott, but that did not make Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s comments about Barack Obama being “light-skinned” and speaking with “no Negro dialect” any better for the embattled Nevadan.
Harry Reid apologizes for ‘no Negro dialect’ remark about Obama: Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Harry Reid apologized today for private remarks quoted in an upcoming book in which he promoted then-presidential candidate Barack Obama’s racial appeal as a “light-skinned” African-American.
Company gets $5.9 million to build solar panels in Nevada: Friday, Jan. 8, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The White House announced today that $5.9 million in stimulus funds has been awarded to a firm that plans to manufacturer solar panels in Nevada.
Harry Reid to champion health reform at Las Vegas event: Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Harry Reid will promote health care reform legislation at an event today in Las Vegas while questions continue over the sweeping bill, special deals for lawmakers and whether the final talks should be broadcast on C-SPAN.
Analyst: Dodd's announcement makes Harry Reid most vulnerable: Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd’s announcement today that he will not seek re-election puts Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the top spot as the nation’s most vulnerable Democratic senator in 2010.
Dina Titus slams homeland security chief over 'blunder': Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus cut no slack for Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano, saying the secretary committed a “terrible blunder” by suggesting the nation’s airport security system worked following the thwarted Christmas Day terrorist attack.
New decade begins with optimism: Monday, Jan. 4, 2010; Greetings, Early Liners. That New Year optimism is palpable, with much anticipation about the new decade being better than the lost one left behind — despite the nagging suspicion that the ailing economy, renewed terror threats and the hyper-partisanship political climate will not simply improve with the turning of the 2009 calendar page.
For a divided Congress, a full plate: Health care dominated in 2009, but it’s not the only pressing issue; Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010; Around the Senate historian’s office, the rule of thumb is it takes about seven years for an idea to go from concept to law. Immigration reform. Climate-change policy. Wall Street oversight. Card check for labor unions. Some of the top legislative issues heading into the New Year are old ones, ideas that have been kicked around the halls of Congress for years.
Reid never relaxed about bill’s passage in Senate: His errant ‘no’ vote reflects worries as colleagues cast ‘ayes’; Friday, Dec. 25, 2009; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could not sleep.
It was the night before the final Senate vote on the health care bill.
Harry Reid casts 'no' vote as joke — maybe: Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009; WASHINGTON — In the long health care debate of 2009, nothing is ever easy. Not even the final vote.
Tension filled the Senate on Thursday morning as senators, one by one, cast their votes on the historic health care reform legislation. The galleries were filled with onlookers.
Senate casts historic vote on health care reform: Along strict party lines, senators pass president's top domestic agenda item; Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009; WASHINGTON — In a Christmas Eve vote for the history books, the Senate early Thursday passed health care reform legislation along strictly party lines, putting President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority on a path toward passage in the New Year.
Road to health care reform still has obstacles: Often contentious relationship between House, Senate will be put to test; Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009; Even if today’s Christmas Eve vote in the Senate on health care legislation succeeds after a marathon 25 days of debate, the end is not quite in sight.
Senate clears a final procedural hurdle to health care reform: Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009; WASHINGTON — The Senate cleared the last 60-vote procedural hurdle to health care reform on Wednesday afternoon, setting up a final vote at 7 a.m. on Christmas Eve on President Barack Obama’s top domestic policy issue.
Health coverage requirement raises constitutionality debate: Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009; Republican Sen. John Ensign has inserted a complicated legal question into the health care debate: Can the federal government require Americans to buy health insurance? The health bill before the Senate would mandate it by 2014.
Reid bobs and weaves to land health care deal: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009; One by one, senators cast their votes in the earliest hours of Monday on landmark health care legislation.
Deal-making gets job done, Reid says: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009; Just as he made no apology for securing a special deal for Nevada three months ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made none Monday for enticing reluctant Democratic senators to support health care legislation with high-end sweeteners.
GOP to keep up its fight until the final deadline: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009; The Senate is keeping casino hours, racing nearly around the clock to finish the health care reform legislation by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s self-imposed Christmas deadline.
Obama welcomes 'historic' health care advance: Nevada Sen. John Ensign joins GOP senators in effort to fight passage; Monday, Dec. 21, 2009; WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday welcomed what he called the Senate’s “historic vote” to advance health care reform on a path toward possible passage – but by midday Republican senators had vowed to continue fighting the bill to the final hour on Christmas Eve.
Health care compromise gives sweet Medicaid deal to Nebraska: To win holdout vote from Nebraska senator, Reid got that state 100 percent funding; Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009; WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made no apologies three months ago when he secured in the health care bill 100 percent federal funding for an expansion of Medicaid in Nevada.
Health care bill clears tough Senate test: Vote ends GOP delay tactics, all but assures passage later in week; Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009; WASHINGTON — In the narrowest of party-line votes, the Senate early this morning advanced the health care reform bill on a path toward passage by Christmas, reaching the 60 votes needed to overcome a wall of opposition.
On debt, two Nevada pols find they agree: Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009; In one of its final votes before recess, the House passed an increase in the nation’s $12 trillion debt ceiling, allowing the U.S. Treasury to borrow just a little more to cover its bills. Fear of the debt has created an unlikely alliance between Nevada lawmakers, as Republican Rep. Dean Heller and Democratic Rep. Dina Titus both voted against lifting the ceiling.
Greater scrutiny for reverse mortgages: Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009; Concerned that older Nevadans may increasingly be targets of fraud from the heavily advertised reverse mortgage industry, Rep. Dina Titus succeeded in getting legislation passed recently to better regulate the industry’s practices.
Lenders get an order: Ramp up the rescues: Billions of dollars remain available for banks to spend to assist underwater homeowners; Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009; The Obama administration is publicly pressing banks to modify more mortgages after a Treasury Department report showed dismal results in a federally funded foreclosure prevention program — including only 16,000 mortgages being reworked in Southern Nevada.
Tax on tanning booths proposed to help pay for health care: 10 percent tax would raise $2.7 billion over 10 years; Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009; WASHINGTON — Move over Botox tax. The latest proposal to help pay for health care reform will hit tanning salons – or, more accurately, those who bronze themselves indoors rather than under the sun.
Reid introduces health care reform deal: Republicans stalling, but voting could begin early Monday morning; Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009; WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced the final compromise version of health care reform Saturday morning, believing he now has the 60 votes needed to pass the legislation.
Senate Dems in ﬁght for passage: Vote on latest version of bill could begin Monday, end on Christmas Eve; Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009; The Senate today convenes its third weekend session in a row, beginning an around-the-clock effort to overcome Democratic infighting, a wall of Republican opposition and slipping support in the polls to approve the health care legislation before Christmas.
Midnight Senate session to clear decks for health care debate: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009; WASHINGTON — Don’t touch that C-SPAN dial. The Senate is planning a midnight session tonight as Democrats and Republicans fight fire with fire over health care reform.
Poll shows support weak for 'card check' legislation: Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009; WASHINGTON -- New polling out today shows little support in Nevada for key provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act, the labor-led legislation that would make it easier for workers to form unions -- an issue that may return to the congressional agenda in the new year.
John Ensign calls for probe into Internet claim: Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009; WASHINGTON -- The proxy war between Nevada’s two senators has taken various twists over the years as Sen. John Ensign rose in Republican leadership and Sen. Harry Reid became the majority leader.