Good afternoon, everyone. The government shutdown is not just a political standoff. It is a slow-motion strangulation. Like a constrictor, it is squeezing the life out of the federal government, suffocating vital programs, and inflicting real harm on millions of Americans.
At first, the effects were invisible. Now, they are everywhere. Thousands of flights delayed. Air traffic control towers left unmanned. Critical programs losing funding by the hour. And as this crisis deepens, the White House is reportedly considering selective back pay for furloughed workers, rewarding loyalists while punishing others.
Let’s be clear: that is not just wrong. It is illegal. It violates federal law passed in 2019 guaranteeing back pay for all federal employees affected by shutdowns. More importantly, it exposes the authoritarian instincts of an administration willing to weaponize paychecks to enforce loyalty.
This should be front-page news everywhere. Every newsroom should be asking the same question: What happens to democracy when the government picks winners and losers among its own workers?
That is why independent journalism matters more than ever. When power moves in the shadows, we shine a light. If you believe in accountability, if you believe the truth still matters, now is the time to stand with us. Subscribe today and help keep independent media strong.
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With that, here’s what you missed:
Trump said furloughed workers may or may not receive back pay, depending on who they are, adding that “we’re going to take care of our people,” but some “don’t deserve to be taken care of” and would be handled differently.
Over 6,000 U.S. flights were delayed as air traffic control staffing shortages worsened during the government shutdown, forcing temporary airport closures while unpaid controllers worked extended hours amid mounting stress and partisan gridlock in Congress over funding.
NBC News reported that if the government shutdown continues past Sunday, federal funding for the Essential Air Service program—which sustains airline routes to 177 rural communities nationwide—will expire, threatening to cut off remote areas like Alaska from vital air connections as officials warn of severe economic and safety impacts.
As the government shutdown nears its second week, governors in Utah, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Colorado are using state funds to keep national parks open to protect tourism revenue, though conservationists warn the “patchwork” approach risks environmental damage and states won’t be reimbursed for the costs.
This afternoon I spoke with Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan about her race for the United States Senate along with her thoughts about the ongoing government shutdown and the impacts on Minnesota residents.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said she is open to working with Democrats on healthcare to prevent insurance premiums from doubling when tax credits expire, breaking with her party amid the government shutdown, while criticizing both Republicans for prioritizing foreign wars and Democrats for past healthcare policies.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed with Senate Democrats over Trump’s troop deployments and politicization of the Justice Department, refusing to discuss key cases and instead attacking lawmakers as Democrats accused her of undermining judicial independence and shielding political allies.
During the Senate hearing, Sen. Whitehouse pressed Attorney General Pam Bondi on what happened to $50,000 the FBI gave to “border czar” Tom Homan, but Bondi deflected, saying the investigation found no wrongdoing and telling him to ask the FBI, prompting frustration that she wouldn’t confirm whether Homan kept the money.
Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva accused House Republicans of delaying her swearing-in to prevent a vote on releasing the Epstein files, alleging Speaker Mike Johnson’s canceled sessions were part of a cover-up as Democrats said she holds the deciding vote on the petition.
MSNBC reported that Trump’s new acting U.S. Attorney, Lindsey Halligan, brought in outside prosecutors to handle the James Comey case after no federal prosecutors in her office agreed to pursue the charges.
Texas National Guard troops arrived in Chicago after a judge declined to block their deployment, escalating Trump’s federal crackdown amid lawsuits from Illinois and Chicago leaders who call the move an unconstitutional military intervention in a Democratic-led city.
Trump criticized the NFL for selecting Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny to headline the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show, calling the decision “crazy” and saying he’d “never heard of him,” while Bad Bunny — who has condemned Trump’s immigration policies — responded by mocking his critics on SNL and continuing to highlight Latino representation.
Glenn Medical Center, the only hospital in rural Glenn County, California, closed after losing its critical access status due to a federal distance-rule change, leaving 28,000 residents without nearby emergency care and sparking outrage as locals and officials warn the decision—amid nationwide rural hospital closures and federal healthcare cuts—endangers lives and cripples the community’s access to essential medical services.
The U.S. Supreme Court signaled it may overturn Colorado’s ban on “conversion therapy,” with conservative justices questioning whether the law violates free speech, while Colorado defended it as a necessary protection against a discredited and harmful practice for LGBTQ+ youth.
A Chicago woman, Marimar Martinez, was shot by federal agents during Trump’s immigration crackdown after allegedly ramming a CBP vehicle; her attorney claims bodycam footage shows an officer taunting her to “do something” before firing, while prosecutors describe the incident as reckless and dangerous amid mounting tensions over federal troop deployments in Illinois.
Satellite images show that two years of Israeli bombardment have damaged or destroyed about 80% of Gaza’s buildings, with cities like Gaza City and Rafah reduced to rubble, farmland replaced by overcrowded refugee camps, and over 67,000 Palestinians killed since the 2023 Israel-Hamas war began. This is a before and after screenshot from NBC News:
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers asked that he serve his 50-month prison sentence for interstate prostitution at FCI Fort Dix, a low-security New Jersey facility with drug treatment and family visitation programs, citing his need for rehabilitation following his conviction and public apology for past abusive behavior.
Thirty original Bob Ross paintings will be auctioned by Bonhams to support PBS and NPR stations after Trump cut federal funding for public broadcasting, with proceeds expected to raise up to $1.4 million to help sustain educational programming and honor Ross’s legacy of accessible art through public television.
