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Susan Collins had senators in bipartisan meetings use talking stick — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)During bipartisan talks between senators to discuss passing a funding bill to end the government shutdown, Sen. Susan Collins whose office was being used for the negotiations, figured out a civil way to create discussion.
Discussion:
Business Insider, RedState, IJR, Splinter and Raw Story
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Congress votes to end shutdown — In a dramatic turnaround, Senate Democrats voted to reopen the government on Monday after receiving a commitment from Republicans to hold a vote on immigration legislation — paving the way to end the three-day shutdown. — The Senate voted 81-18 …


Dems Fold on This Shutdown, but the Next One Could Be Worse … Two truths emerged from a deal that the Senate cut on Monday to re-open the federal government after a weekend-long shutdown. The first is that Democrats caved. The second is that they find themselves somewhat better positioned …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Politico, Business Insider, The Atlantic, Washington Post, National Review, Shareblue Media, ABC News and NBC News


'It's Morally Reprehensible': Liberals Livid With Senate Dems Over Shutdown Deal — Progressives and immigrant advocates are furious at Senate Democrats for agreeing to end a short-lived shutdown without any guarantee that they'll win protections for undocumented immigrants brought …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Week


Democrats' Bold Fold Shifts the Pressure Onto Trump and His GOP Enablers
Discussion:
Washington Post and Washington Free Beacon

Trump is facing a big moment of truth. And no amount of spin and lies can change it.
Discussion:
Raw Story, New Republic, New York Times, Breitbart, The Federalist, Vox, CNN and Outside the Beltway

DEMOCRATS ARE ALLOWING REPUBLICANS TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS ON THE DREAMERS
Discussion:
CNN, Vox, Politico, The Mahablog and Eschaton

House votes to end government shutdown, sending legislation to Trump

Senator using ‘talking stick’ breaks Collins' glass elephant during shutdown talks: reports
Discussion:
Fox News Insider and thecut

Senate ends debate, setting up vote to conclude shutdown, fund government temporarily
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Root, IJR and Talking Points Memo

Left says Dems caved on shutdown
Discussion:
NewsBusters, Townhall.com, The Rush Limbaugh Show, IJR and Washington Times

'We're Back at Square One' — Pro-immigrant activists reacted …
Discussion:
Washington Post and Mother Jones


Scoop: FBI director threatened to resign amid Trump, Sessions pressure — Attorney General Jeff Sessions — at the public urging of President Donald Trump — has been pressuring FBI Director Christopher Wray to fire Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, but Wray threatened to resign if McCabe was removed …
Discussion:
The Hill, RedState, Business Insider, Palmer Report, Political Wire, Mediaite and Splinter
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More than 50,000 texts exchanged between FBI officials Strzok and Page, Sessions says — More than 50,000 texts were exchanged between two FBI officials who have come under fire for exchanging anti-Trump messages during the 2016 election, Attorney General Jeff Sessions revealed Monday.


Was Lynch coordinating with Comey in the Clinton investigation?
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit

GOP considers releasing intel behind memo alleging FISA abuses
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, The Daily Signal, Palmer Report and Power Line


“I've Got Another Nut Job Here Who Thinks He's Running Things”: Are Trump and Kelly Heading for Divorce? — With the president and his chief of staff arguing in public, Ivanka Trump takes charge of finding a replacement. — Donald Trump's relationship with John Kelly, his chief of staff …
Discussion:
Politico, The Root, The Week, Shareblue Media, VICE, Little Green Footballs, Raw Story, Mediaite and AOL


Watchdog group files complaint against Trump campaign over reported payout to Stormy Daniels — The confidentiality settlement reportedly paid to an adult-film star who said she had an affair with Donald Trump years before he became president may have violated campaign finance laws, a watchdog group alleged Monday.
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, Raw Story, The Week, In Touch Weekly and Washington Times
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Trump Taxes Solar Imports in Biggest Blow to Renewables Yet — President approves four years of tariffs starting at 30% — Tariffs set to gradually decline to 15 percent in fourth year — In the biggest blow he's dealt to the renewable energy industry yet, President Donald Trump decided …
Discussion:
CNBC, Grist, Political Wire and Axios
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Trump Slaps Steep Tariffs on Foreign Washing Machines and Solar Products
Discussion:
The Verge


George Papadopoulos is the ‘John Dean’ of the Russia investigation, his fiancee says — He has been mocked by President Trump as a “low level volunteer” and “proven to be a liar.” — But the fiancee of George Papadopoulos, the former Trump campaign adviser who pleaded guilty in October …
Discussion:
Axios, Raw Story, Shareblue Media, Mediaite and Political Wire


Pennsylvania Supreme Court Strikes Down State's Congressional Map, Saying It Illegally Benefits GOP — Republicans had consistently received a 13-5 advantage in the state's congressional delegation since 2012. — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the state's congressional map went …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and New York Magazine
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Pennsylvania's Supreme Court just gave Democrats a big win on redistricting
Discussion:
New York Times and IJR

Pennsylvania court throws out congressional boundaries
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune and The Week


The immigration negotiations Congress just gave itself 3 weeks to do, explained — Democrats know what they want. Republicans have no idea. — Congress just gave itself three weeks to solve US immigration policy. — Ostensibly, they agreed to a deal that would reopen the federal government and keep it funded through February 8.
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Are Democrats becoming more like Republicans?
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The Atlantic, ABC News, The Daily Signal, Washington Post, Townhall.com and Politico


Trump voting commission bought Texas election data flagging Hispanic voters — President Trump's voting commission asked every state and the District for detailed voter registration data, but in Texas's case it took an additional step: It asked to see Texas records that identify all voters …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Axios, IJR, New York Magazine, Splinter, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story


Budweiser falls off the list of America's three favorite beers — Tapping into craft beer's online potential — Budweiser is no longer one of America's three most popular beers. — Before 2001, Budweiser was the top-selling U.S. beer, but it relinquished that crown to Bud Light.
Discussion:
Business Insider and WTVR-TV


Bank of America: No More Free Checking for Customers With Low Balances — eBanking customers switched into accounts that typically require direct deposit or a minimum balance to avoid $12 monthly fee — Bank of America Corp. BAC .69% has eliminated a free checking account popular …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and The Charlotte Observer

A Jewish journalist is confronting Trump's immigration advisers with their own immigrant histories — NEW YORK (JTA) — During a combative news conference in early August, White House adviser Stephen Miller told reporters that the United States should prioritize immigrants who speak English.


‘Defiance Disorder’: Another new book describes chaos in Trump's White House — In late July, the White House had just finished an official policy review on transgender individuals serving in the military and President Trump and his then-chief of staff, Reince Priebus, had agreed to meet …
Discussion:
Politico, Fortune, Shareblue Media, Hullabaloo, Salon, ABC News, Raw Story, The Daily Beast, Mediaite and Joe.My.God., more at Mediagazer »
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Howard Kurtz book to offer another look at White House “disorder”
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico and RedState


Scoop: Read the draft White House infrastructure plan — Below is a leaked draft document with plans for the White House infrastructure plan, a key campaign priority of President Trump. — Comment from White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters: “We are not going to comment on the contents …


Naomi Parker Fraley, the Real Rosie the Riveter, Dies at 96 — Unsung for seven decades, the real Rosie the Riveter was a California waitress named Naomi Parker Fraley. — Over the years, a welter of American women have been identified as the model for Rosie, the female war worker …
Discussion:
CBS Los Angeles and thecut