1 The frigid cold temperatures across the Midwest are claiming lives
At least eight people have died with temperatures dipping to their lowest levels in a generation. As we’ve been telling you, Arctic air is passing through the region in the form of a polar vortex – and heading east is sending temperatures 40-degrees below normal. In some cases, it’s as bad as -75. According to Flightaware, more than 25-hundred flights were cancelled yesterday – with just over 22-hundred delayed. The skies are likely to see a repeat performance today. Meanwhile, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is calling on all Lower Peninsula residents to turn down their thermostats to 65 degrees or less through tomorrow to ensure everyone gets through the polar vortex crisis. Someone not particularly concerned about the -22 temps hitting his state? Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin isn't a fan of canceling school due to the frigid weather gripping much of the nation. Speaking to WHAS Radio, Bevin remarked that America is “getting soft.” While he noted that he was being "slightly facetious,” he added, “We're sending messages to our young people that if life is hard you can curl up in the fetal position in a warm place and just wait until it stops being hard.” NBC meteorologist Al Roker later called Governor Bevin a "nitwit" for those comments.
2 Mueller: Russians Using Discovery Materials to Run Disinformation Campaign
Think Russia has put their nasty Internet games on hold? Nope. At least, not according to federal prosecutors for Special Counsel Robert Mueller . They say Russian hackers stole information from their investigation and altered it as part of a disinformation campaign. Mueller’s team says in October of last year, a Twitter account tweeted that they had access to Mueller's "probe database” and blended “nonsensitive discovery to make it appear as though the irrelevant files contained on the webpage were the sum total evidence.” The Special Counsel's Office says the account used to publish the discovery materials – that’s evidence and documents traded between both sides of a court case – was registered by a user with an IP address that resides in Russia. The Twitter account has since been suspended, and the FBI has found no evidence that U.S. Government servers, including servers used by the Special Counsel's Office, fell victim to any computer intrusion.
3 Trump Warns Budget Negotiators To Fund Border Wall
It’s “game on” for lawmakers as both sides of the aisle attempt to get to the work of completing a budget agreement that President Trump will sign off on. As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said himself, “Shutdowns don’t work” – and neither side is making it easy for the other. If we don’t want another partial shutdown, however, there is one item that better be in the proposal: money for the wall. Mr. Trump is warning congressional budget negotiators to find money for a massive border wall. A special House-Senate committee was formed to craft a long-term budget extension and avert another government shutdown in mid-February. Trump tweeted yesterday that they are wasting their time if they are not seriously considering money for a "Wall or Physical Barrier." To that end, Trump has threatened another shutdown or a declaration of national emergency on the southern border if he does not get several billion dollars to help build the wall. “If the committee of Republicans and Democrats now meeting on Border Security is not discussing or contemplating a Wall or Physical Barrier,” he writes. “They are Wasting their time!”