We asked 1,000 Americans who they blame for the shutdown  —  Here's what they said.  —  Just now  —  How concerned are Americans about the partial shutdown of the federal government and whom do they blame for causing it?  The Washington Post texted a nationally representative sample of 1,010 people on Wednesday to ask.

Early polls show Trump and GOP taking more blame than Democrats for shutdown  —  The national surveys taken in the final days of September and the first day of the shutdown find that voters are more inclined to blame Trump and his party.  But many are uncertain.

Leaked Document Justifies Boat Strikes as “Non-International Armed Conflict”  —  The Trump administration is waging a secret war against undisclosed enemies without the consent of Congress, according to a confidential notice that was sent to several congressional committees this week and obtained by The Intercept.

Raskin Statement on Trump Administration's Use of Federal Departments and Agencies for Propaganda Purposes; Possible Violations of the Hatch Act  —  Washington, D.C. - Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08) released the following statement:  —  “I have been contacted by numerous constituents outraged …

Government Workers Say Their Out-of-Office Replies Were Forcibly Changed to Blame Democrats for Shutdown  —  Some employees at the Department of Education changed their responses back to the more neutral language, only to have it changed yet again to the partisan response, multiple sources tell WIRED.

Farmers, a key GOP constituency, hit hard by shutdown  —  The government shutdown is already hurting a key GOP constituency: farmers.  Thousands of USDA's Farm Service Agency offices that help producers across the country access loans and other services are completely shuttered and only available for “emergency scenarios.”