Trump claimed women were gagged with tape.  Then Border Patrol tried to find some evidence.  —  An internal email, sent 2 weeks after Trump started making the claim, asked agents for “any information” about what Trump was describing.  —  It's become a staple of President Donald Trump's riffs …

Stone indictment: Serious Russia investigation charges hint Mueller has more coming  —  The FBI arrested Roger Stone, longtime campaign associate of President Donald Trump.  Stone is indicted for lying about the Russian investigation in the 2016 election.  —  Mueller clues show possibility …

We demand BuzzFeed pay out earned paid time off to its recently laid-off employees.  —  To Jonah Peretti, Lenke Taylor, and Ben Smith:  —  We are the BuzzFeed News Staff Council, a group of employees appointed to open up the lines of communication between News employees and company management.

Americans fault Trump for chaotic government shutdown, as more believe US is ‘on the wrong track’: NBC-WSJ poll  — An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll showed that by 63 percent to 28 percent , a margin greater than two to one, Americans believe the country is “off on the wrong track” rather than “headed in the right direction.”

Trump Thought Firing Flynn Would End ‘Russia Thing,’ Chris Christie Writes in Book  —  President Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, believed that the “Russia thing” would end as a side effect from the firing of the national security adviser, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn …

Ginni Thomas Storms The Oval Office, Bullies Trump Because She Can  —  Virginia “Ginni” Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is unafraid to throw her weight around, especially when it comes to crony appointments and spewing hatred.  —  The right-wing influence group “Groundswell” is alive, well, and thriving.

Pence, Ivanka, Kushner no-show as Mattis gets standing ovation at elite DC dinner  —  Trump blasts Mattis: What's he done for me?  —  Washington (CNN)Former Defense Secretary James Mattis received a standing ovation Saturday at the annual black-tie Alfalfa Club dinner after delivering …

Mulvaney says Trump didn't lose shutdown battle  —  The oft-repeated saying in politics is that no one wins when the federal government shuts down.  On Sunday, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney did his best to make sure President Donald Trump wasn't branded the loser this time.

Kamala Harris kicks off 2020 campaign with rally in hometown of Oakland  —  Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris kicked off her campaign for the presidency on Sunday with an energetic rally of thousands of supporters in her hometown of Oakland, California, framing her candidacy as an effort …

Concern around NFL that 4 officials in NFC Championship Game live in Southern California  —  In the latest twist to the simmering controversy from last Sunday's NFC Championship Game, there is some concern in league circles about the NFL's judgment in allowing four game officials who live …

On Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw Says ‘The Hispanics Should Work Harder at Assimilation’  —  On Meet the Press, venerable news anchor Tom Brokaw made what may seem a surprising statement about immigration Sunday when he argued “the Hispanics” should “work harder” at assimilation.

I was a secret Trump supporter: Model feared politics would kill her career  —  Elizabeth Pipko, a 23-year-old model who has appeared in Maxim, has kept a secret from her industry colleagues out of fear it could derail her career: She was a Donald Trump supporter and worked full-time on his 2016 presidential campaign.

The Foolish Quest to Be the Next Barack Obama  —  Kamala Harris was dubbed the “Female Obama” even before she announced she was going to “pull off an Obama-sized feat in 2020,” as McClatchy put it when the California senator formally entered the Democratic presidential primary this week.

The Crisis Facing American Journalism Did Not Start With the Internet  —  For decades, newspaper conglomerates lapped up profits and failed to adapt.  Our communities are worse off for their folly.  — It's Been a Bad Week to Work for Elon Musk  —  A recent study by researchers …

Cancel in protest?  Or stay with a local newspaper that's being strip-mined for profits?  —  Jeffrey Miller might be the ideal news consumer: He's well-informed, thoughtful and understands the role good journalism plays in American democracy.  —  And he has a question, one that might seem small …

America's Hidden Workforce Returns  —  Disabled workers join job market at highest level in years amid low unemployment and stricter rules for claiming benefits  —  WYOMING, Mich.—Like many adults with disabilities, Nathan Mort has often struggled to find and hold a job.

Mixed attitudes toward investigations of Trump  —  Poll Questions  —  Q: Special Counsel Robert Mueller has been investigating possible collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia, among other issues.  How much confidence do you have Mueller's final report will be fair and even-handed?

Run, Howard, run!  —  Nick Troiano is executive director of Unite America and a former independent congressional candidate from Denver.  Charles Wheelan is founder and co-chair of Unite America and a senior lecturer in public policy at Dartmouth College.  —  In reportedly exploring …

Billionaires have historically been alluring, magical figures, but that view might be changing  —  The largest gathering of billionaires in the world took place last week in the not-particularly-luxurious Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland.  —  What happened: Axios' Steve LeVine reports …