• Negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats for how to fund border security continue amid a partial government shutdown.
• There are two updates that can give you an idea of where things stand...
• FIRST, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney says President Trump is willing to come off the $5 billion number hoping to meet Democrats in the middle.
• "We moved off of the five and we hope they move up from their 1.3," Mulvaney said.
• SECOND, Minority Whip Dick Durbin said Democrats would be willing to support a lot more funding for border security upgrades so long as it's not for the proverbial "wall."
• Asked whether he's willing to increase the price tag as long as the money is not spent on a wall, Durbin responded: "Absolutely."
• So, essentially President Trump is okay with less money as long as he can call it a wall, and Democrats are okay with more money as long as they don't have to call it a wall.
• Read more HERE.

• Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis will leave his post on January 1 instead staying on until the end February as originally planned.
• That's what President Trump has asked, or at least that's what he asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to tell Mattis.
• Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will become Acting Defense Secretary until a full-time replacement can be nominated and confirmed.
• Shanahan is a longtime Boeing Co. executive who came to the Pentagon in early 2017. He was Vice President and General Manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems and of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. In a March 2016 report, the Puget Sound Business Journal called Shanahan a Boeing "fix-it" man who was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the program's early years.
• The early departure came after a few days of criticism that clearly bothered the president. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to question why he had put Mattis in his Cabinet in the first place and said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1 to cover the accelerated departure.
• "If anybody but your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, announced that, after decimating ISIS in Syria, we were going to bring our troops back home (happy & healthy), that person would be the most popular hero in America. With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!" Trump tweeted.
• "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should. Interesting relationship-but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important-but not when they take advantage of U.S." he continued.
• Full story HERE.

• ADN Columnist Matthew Stokes has a touch of the poet in him this week.
• Specifically, he takes inspiration from the "Coming of the Magi," T.S. Eliot's classic retelling of the journey of the Three Wise Men bringing gifts to the baby Jesus.
• Many stories and traditions get papered over during the joy and excitement of the holiday season, he writes. But the journey of the Magi is a story of struggle that we couldn't ignore.
• If fact, it can serve as a helpful lesson during a time that some find especially lonely and difficult.
• Here's an excerpt:

• Read Matthew's full Christmas column HERE.

• Gerald Dial was first elected to the Alabama Legislature in 1974. He started in the House and then moved to the Senate, where he built a long and legendary career.
• All told, Dial spent 40 years representing his area in the State House. And from that time, he's learned a lot of lessons.
• In a special op-ed today, Dial, who is retiring, conveys those lessons he has learned and passes them along to lawmakers new and old.
• There are seven points of wisdom, though if you read closely you can glean a lot more than that.
• Something tells me there might be some competition for Chairman of the Parking Committee this term.
• Read his full column HERE.

• Facebook has suspended five accounts linked to the disinformation scam in Alabama's 2017 Senate special election.
• The New York Times and Washington Post revealed a covert operation to use Russian-style tactics to confuse voters, depress turnout and help Sen. Doug Jones defeat Roy Moore.
• Suspensions include Jonathon Morgan, a social media researcher who has compiles a report on Russian activities for the U.S. Senate.
• “We take a strong stand against people or organizations that create networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are or what they’re doing,” Facebook said.
• Full story HERE.

• U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called the CEOs of six major banks Sunday in an apparent attempt to reassure jittery financial markets coming off a turbulent week.
• Mnuchin disclosed the calls with the heads of Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo in a tweet about the private conversations.
• Mnuchin said the CEOs all assured him they have ample money to finance all their normal operations, even though there haven't been any serious liquidity concerns rattling the market.
• Worries about slowing economic growth and rising interest rates saddled the U.S. market with its worst week in more than seven years.
• Wall Street was poised for a higher opening today.  
• Full story HERE.