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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.
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Business Insider, RedState, IJR, Raw Story and Splinter
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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:
Politico, Business Insider, The Atlantic, National Review, Shareblue Media, ABC News, Washington Post, NBC News and Talking Points Memo


Senator using ‘talking stick’ breaks Collins' glass elephant during shutdown talks: reports — A senator inadvertently broke a glass elephant belonging to Sen. Susan Collins — (R-Maine) after throwing a “talking stick” during bipartisan shutdown talks in her office, according to multiple reports.
Discussion:
Fox News Insider and thecut


'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
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CNN, Vox, Politico, The Mahablog and Eschaton

Are Democrats becoming more like Republicans?
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The Atlantic, ABC News, The Daily Signal, Washington Post, Townhall.com and Politico

House votes to end government shutdown, sending legislation to Trump

Will Democrats Lose the Government Shutdown?
Discussion:
NewsBusters, New York Times, Politico, Washington Times and Power Line

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:
Townhall.com, NewsBusters, The Rush Limbaugh Show, IJR and Washington Times

McConnell promises immigration debate if government reopens
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Bloomberg, IJR, Democrats.com, TheBlaze and The Daily Beast


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 …
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The Hill, RedState, Business Insider, IJR, The Daily Caller, 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


“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.
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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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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
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New York Times and IJR

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


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 …
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Mother Jones, New York Magazine, Axios, IJR, Splinter, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story


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


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


At Davos, 6 Feet of Snow Brings Limousines to a Crawl — DAVOS, Switzerland — It may be tempting fate to try to gather 60 heads of state and hundreds of global business leaders in the dead of winter in a Swiss mountain valley. This year, the World Economic Forum's luck seems to have run out.
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thecut
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IMF Says Global Growth Picking Up as U.S. Tax Cuts Take Hold
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and NTK Network

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.


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:
The Week, CBS Los Angeles and thecut


‘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 …
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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