Lisa Mascaro

Story Archive

Dina Titus goes on the attack in defense of jobless benefits: Tuesday, March 2, 2010; Ignoring that she’s a freshman congresswoman and he’s a two-term senator, Democratic Rep. Dina Titus leveled a broadside against Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky, who is holding up an extension of unemployment benefits for out-of-work Nevadans.
Heller not bound by political correctness: Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010; Republican Rep. Dean Heller is emerging as Nevada’s newest frank-talking politician — one in a line of elected officials who speak their mind, political correctness be damned.
Berkley to Sanford: Stop trying to 'screw Nevada': South Carolina governor sues to stop Obama shutdown of Yucca Mountain; Friday, Feb. 26, 2010; WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley said South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is “trying to screw Nevada” by suing to reverse the Obama administration’s efforts to kill Yucca Mountain.
Nevadans support Democrats' strategy on health care: Friday, Feb. 26, 2010; WASHINGTON — As Democrats consider a go-it-alone strategy for passing health care reform, polling out today shows a majority of Nevadans would support using the so-called reconciliation strategy to pass health legislation with a simple majority vote.
Shelley Berkley, Dina Titus soften health bill objections: Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Nevada’s Democratic congresswomen signaled they are increasingly willing to accept President Barack Obama’s latest health care proposal despite their earlier opposition to an excise tax on high-priced plans.
Harry Reid highlights Reno businessman, father at health summit: Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The White House health summit is under way this morning with the president and congressional leaders giving sober opening remarks at the day-long meeting that both sides know could easily slide into political theater. President Barack Obama lamented that throughout the year-long health care debate politics “ended up trumping common sense” and he hoped the meeting at Blair House would not devolve into partisan mugging for the cameras. “I hope this isn’t political theater,” Obama said.
A Vegas-style gamble on Obama’s agenda: Democrats, facing tough midterm elections, know passing key legislation may be their only ticket to re-election in November; Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010; The political strategy in Washington these days is a familiar one to Las Vegas. It amounts to going for broke. All in. After a year of impasse on key legislation and sobering results in recent special elections, one might think President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats would pull back on their political agenda, perhaps try a new approach, something little less ambitious, something a little more bipartisan.
SEC filing: Sue Lowden cut jobs, got bonus: Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010; WASHINGTON — Republican Sue Lowden’s company gave her husband a $200,000 bonus last year even as it slashed more than 100 jobs and eliminated the employee savings match, according to an annual report.
Dean Heller: Is the government creating ‘hobos’ with benefit extensions?: Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010; WASHINGTON — Heller told a weekend crowd at the Republican Party’s Lincoln Day Dinner in Elko that Washington’s efforts to continue extending unemployment benefits for jobless Americans may be creating a dependent class, unable to get work.
Harry Reid touts jobs bill that advances, with help from GOP senator: Monday, Feb. 22, 2010; WASHINGTON -- New Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown might be known as the 41st Republican but today he was the first of five Republicans to cross party lines.
Poll: Passing public option would lift Harry Reid's re-election chances: Monday, Feb. 22, 2010; WASHINGTON - One-third of voters in Nevada say they would be more likely to vote for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this fall if he wins passage of the public option in the health care bill, according to a poll released today.
Obama touts Harry Reid's efforts, says stimulus 'right thing to do': Friday, Feb. 19, 2010; President Barack Obama was in full campaign mode today at Green Valley High School, delivering a wide-ranging speech followed by a town-hall question-and-answer session that touched on health care reform, the economic recovery -- and even the importance of flossing daily.
Obama to announce new foreclosure rescue program in Las Vegas: $1.5 billion will help rework mortgages and save homes; Friday, Feb. 19, 2010; President Barack Obama will announce today during his visit to Las Vegas a new foreclosure rescue program, pumping $1.5 billion into Nevada and other hard-hit states.
Obama and Reid forge bond beyond politics as usual: Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010; WASHINGTON — In the midst of intense discussions in Congress last February over the economic recovery act, the new president turned to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for what would become the heavy lifting. The House and Senate were battling over the shape and substance of President Barack Obama’s first legislative priority.
Republican Senate hopeful John Chachas in D.C.: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Republican senatorial hopeful John Chachas is making the rounds in Washington this week as he builds his campaign bid to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in this fall's election.
Rep. Dean Heller: Feds looking at designating 2 Nevada national monuments: Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010; WASHINGTON - Rep. Dean Heller, who is troubled by the possibility, said today that the Interior Department is eyeing The Heart of the Great Basin and the Nevada portion of the Owyhee Desert, "one of the most remote areas in the continental United States." Heller cited documents he said came from Interior.
Obama's Las Vegas visit to include DNC fundraiser: Monday, Feb. 15, 2010; WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's visit to Las Vegas this week will include a fundraiser that aims to raise $1 million for the Democratic National Committee, according to a source familiar with the event. Obama is expected to touch down in Las Vegas on Thursday and head to a fundraiser that evening for the DNC. The president will stay overnight in Las Vegas.
McCain, Reid find political currency in mutual attacks: Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010; Tonight is the final performance of “The Rivalry,” a play that takes audiences at the historic Ford’s Theater on an itinerant journey through the Lincoln-Douglas senatorial debates that defined national politics in the 1858 midterm election.
Obama to visit Las Vegas next week to discuss economy: Friday, Feb. 12, 2010; WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will be returning to Las Vegas next week to visit with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, business leaders and residents about the economy, sources confirmed today.
Immigration reform proves a thorny issue for politicians: Friday, Feb. 12, 2010; The day after President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address — during which he uttered exactly one sentence about immigration reform — Democratic congressional leaders were asked if the issue was dead.
Harry Reid announces scaled-back $50 billion jobs bill: Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Facing a jobs bill bogged down with special interest requests, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid abruptly switched course this afternoon, announcing he would instead pursue a pared back, $50 billion effort as the first in a series of jobs initiatives this year.
Snowstorm brings government to a halt in nation's capital: Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010; It began as so much unexpected fun — the sledding on the grounds of the Capitol, the Facebook-inspired snowball fights and the clever nicknames for the freak storm — snowpocalypse, snowmaggedon.
Reducing congressional politics to a numbers game: Despite his status as the 41st, Brown not the only Republican who has sway; Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010; One of the emerging trends in this hyperpartisan era of politics is the enhanced view senators have of their ability to be the one person who can make or break the legislative agenda.
Harry Reid leads push to end nuke waste project Nevada never wanted: Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010; After all the years spent fighting the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, a phone call on a Wednesday in July between the Senate majority leader and the new energy secretary turned the tide.
Prospects for organized labor's legislative agenda rapidly fading: Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010; When Richard Trumka ascended a stage in Pittsburgh last year to accept the presidency of AFL-CIO, he vowed to reinvigorate a flagging labor movement beset by globalization, corporate power and union infighting.
Democrats find 60-vote majority in Senate gone in a flash: Reid back to trolling for one vote from GOP; Friday, Feb. 5, 2010; Here is how the Democrats’ 60-vote majority in the Senate came to an end. No election night confetti. No balloons. Just Sen.-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts standing at the back of the Senate chamber ready to take his place as the 41st Republican.
Dina Titus invites Homeland Security secretary to Las Vegas: Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010; WASHINGTON - Democratic Rep. Dina Titus on Thursday invited Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to visit Nevada and pressed her to remain vigilant in protecting hotels, resorts and other soft targets.
Ethics group urges president, lawmakers to boycott prayer breakfast: Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010; An ethics group urged President Barack Obama and lawmakers not to attend today’s National Prayer Breakfast, the annual gathering organized by the group that runs the C Street Christian home where Republican Sen. John Ensign and other lawmakers have lived.
Berkley to Obama on House floor: 'Watch what you say': Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010; Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley offered President Barack Obama unsolicited advice today after his impolitic remarks on Las Vegas.
Obama to Senate Democrats: 'Let's have a fight about real stuff': Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010; President Barack Obama continued his congressional tour this morning, telling Senate Democrats "we should not be spooked" as he presses his second-year agenda in an increasingly difficult election year for the party.
Harry Reid seeks alternative uses for Yucca Mountain: Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010; WASHINGTON -- If nuclear waste is not going to be sent to Yucca Mountain, what to do with the desert site?
Yucca Mountain’s death just a few steps away: Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010; The long and tortured effort to build a national burial ground at Yucca Mountain for highly radioactive waste will be halted once and for all, the Obama administration promised Monday, saying it would withdraw the application to build the project and starve it of funds.
Feds file request for suspension of Yucca Mountain license: Monday, Feb. 1, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department today filed a request to suspend Yucca Mountain's license application and announced plans to withdraw the license completely within a month -- a critical, crushing step to end the nuclear waste dump in Nevada. The Obama administration's new budget for 2011 out today promises to zero out funds and withdraw the license.
HUD boosts staff in Las Vegas to handle foreclosures: Monday, Feb. 1, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The HUD secretary said today he is dispatching a foreclosure rapid-response team to Las Vegas and plans to add a total of eight new members to its Clark County office to deal with the housing crisis.
Obama to zero out Yucca Mountain funding, pull license: Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010; WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama plans to zero out funding for Yucca Mountain and "take steps" to withdraw the project's pending license application.
Deals make politics, but deal-makers can suffer: Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010; Once the derisive nickname emerged — the “Cornhusker kickback” — it was all over.
Dying Yucca Mountain still has some life: ‘Screw Nevada’ bill supporters not ready for dump to be buried; Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010; After spending nearly 30 years developing Yucca Mountain as the nation’s nuclear waste storage site, Washington is discovering it may take more than one strategic blow to kill it.
Sue Lowden TV ads coming 'very soon': Friday, Jan. 29, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Republican Sue Lowden’s campaign to oust Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will begin running television ads next month as she tries to establish herself as the frontrunner in a wide field of Republican primary challengers, sources said.
Obama administration: 'We’re done with Yucca': Friday, Jan. 29, 2010; Declaring “We’re done with Yucca Mountain,” the Obama administration today announced the formation of a 15-member panel to study nuclear waste disposal alternatives – another critical step in killing the proposed waste dump in Nevada.
Harry Reid campaign raises $2 million in quarter: Friday, Jan. 29, 2010; Harry Reid's re-election campaign raised more than $2 million during the last quarter of 2009.
The campaign reported bringing in $2,019,548. It spent about $2 million during the quarter and has about $8.7 million on hand.
Friday announcement will unveil plans for panel on Yucca alternatives: Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department is expected on Friday to announce the formation of a long-awaited panel to study alternatives to the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository – a critical step toward ending the proposed dump project in Nevada, officials said.
Analyst: Shift away from Dems leaves Dina Titus race a 'toss-up': Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010; WASHINGTON -- The Southern Nevada congressional district held by Democratic Rep. Dina Titus is now a “toss-up” heading into the fall election, according to the Cook Political Report. “This is shaping up to be the worst year for Nevada Democrats in memory,” writes Cook’s David Wasserman.
No doubt: Titus is a tough talker: Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010; Those who know Democratic Rep. Dina Titus were not surprised to hear that she dropped an F-bomb in the presence of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Titus braves remark’s fallout: Nevadan’s frank words misconstrued, she assures Sen. Reid in telephone call; Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010; When word got out that Democratic Rep. Dina Titus had said in a closed-door meeting that she thought Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s career is “done” — and dropped an F-bomb in the process — the Nevadans quickly got on the phone to each other.
Nevada lawmakers react to Obama's feisty address: Obama takes on Congress, both parties and the Supreme Court in his first State of the Union; Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010; WASHINGTON — The White House promised a feisty first state of the union speech, and President Barack Obama delivered tonight as he gently scolded Congress, both parties and even the Supreme Court in a talk that Nevada’s Democrats said reasserted Obama’s dominance after a year of difficult setbacks.
Dina Titus denies Harry Reid comment, defends 'bold' language: Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus insists today she did not suggest Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s career is “done” – but she makes no apologies for dropping the f-bomb to express her concern about the difficult election climate facing Democrats in fall.
Harry Reid: 'There is no rush' on health care reform: Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed to press on with health care reform today while insisting “there is no rush” to finish the landmark legislation that has become stalled after last week’s election of a Republican senator from Massachusetts.
As attention shifts from health care, a new focus for Washington: Jobs: Democrats bear brunt of populist criticism that the party can’t fix the broken economy; Monday, Jan. 25, 2010; The first time then-President-elect Barack Obama assembled his economic team on a December day in Chicago in 2008, the prognosis was dire. The president embarked on an ambitious series of proposals that most economists believe saved the country from an even worse downturn in 2009.
Harry Reid’s boost for Fed chief Ben Bernanke's renomination has a catch: Delayed support for Bernanke set Washington, markets abuzz; Monday, Jan. 25, 2010; Ben Bernanke met with Sen. Leader Harry Reid last week in the Nevadan’s office as the days were counting down before Bernanke’s term would expire. The meeting ended with a glaring omission: No announcement of Reid’s support for Bernanke’s confirmation. A day later Reid announced that he had an agreement from Bernanke to take steps that will help Nevada and the nation — and Bernanke had the majority leader’s vote.
Mass. senator-elect Scott Brown visits Harry Reid: Thursday, Jan. 21, 2010; WASHINGTON -- Sen.-elect Scott Brown sat side-by-side with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today -- the Republican from Masschusetts who halted Reid's 60-seat majority after a stunning victory this week that upended Washington politics.