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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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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, National Review, Shareblue Media, ABC News, The Atlantic, Washington Post and NBC News


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

'It's Morally Reprehensible': Liberals Livid With Senate Dems Over Shutdown Deal
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Week

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

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

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

With Talking Stick in Hand, Moderate Senators Broke the Shutdown
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Outside the Beltway

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


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:
Business Insider, IJR, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Palmer Report, The Week, 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.


FBI head threatened to resign after Sessions pressured him to fire deputy director: report
Discussion:
RedState and Palmer Report

Was Lynch coordinating with Comey in the Clinton investigation?
Discussion:
Politico and 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, Business Insider, Addicting Info, Fortune, The Root, The Week, Shareblue Media, VICE, Raw Story, Little Green Footballs, Mediaite and AOL, more at Mediagazer »


Feds: Man threatened to kill CNN employees — A Michigan man was arrested after an FBI investigation, accused of threatening to travel to Atlanta to commit mass murder at CNN headquarters. — According to federal court documents, the man, from a Detroit suburb, made 22 calls to CNN about a week ago.
Discussion:
Mediaite
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Man arrested, accused of threatening to kill CNN employees — A Michigan man was arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot and kill CNN employees, WGCL-TV reported Monday. — The FBI launched an investigation after the man, who is unnamed in the CBS report, reportedly called CNN 22 times about a week ago.
Discussion:
RedState


Melania Trump will no longer join the President in Davos — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)First lady Melania Trump, in a change of plans, will not be joining President Donald Trump on his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later this week.
Discussion:
KTLA
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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


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 …
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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:
Palmer Report, Axios, Raw Story, Shareblue Media and Mediaite


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?
Discussion:
The Atlantic, ABC News, The Daily Signal, Washington Post, Townhall.com and Politico


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


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


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


No Passport or Ticket: How a Woman Evaded Airport Security and Flew to London — With neither a ticket nor a passport, Marilyn Hartman slipped into Chicago O'Hare International Airport last week, sneaked onto a British Airways flight and traveled to London, where she was apprehended by customs officials …
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune, Washington Post and NBC News


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


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, thecut and CBS Los Angeles

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.


Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and ‘The Game’ author Neil Strauss partnering on book — Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracy theorist, is working on a book with New York Times bestselling author Neil Strauss, according to a proposal sent to major publishers that was obtained by CNN.
Discussion:
Raw Story


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 …


WATCH: Hot mic catches GOP senator ogling ‘beautiful’ teenaged girls with fellow lawmaker — As the Senate prepared to pass the continuing resolution that would re-open the government, a Mississippi Republican was caught on a hot mic making comments about the appearances of high-school aged pages.