Article snippet: Frustrated GOP senators read Vice President Pence the riot act at a closed-door meeting Thursday, telling him the partial government shutdown needs to end soon, according to lawmakers in the room. Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader MORE that he needs to resolve the crisis as soon as possible. Lawmakers vented their irritation to Pence shortly before six GOP senators defected to vote for a Democratic-backed bill that would open the government without funding Trump’s proposed border wall. One GOP senator said lawmakers told Pence “the shutdown needs to come to an end, this is not a strategy that works [and] we never should have had a shutdown in the first place.” Pence in turn told them that “the president is interested in striking a deal,” according to the source. The pushback against Pence came from outspoken critics of the shutdown like Sen. MORE (Kan.). One of the most remarkable moments during the Senate luncheon came when McConnell told Pence that shuttering the government to try to secure funding for a border wall was not a smart approach. “McConnell talked about how we need to bring this process to a close; we should never have had a shutdown; they don’t work; I’ve said this numerous times; I don’t know how many times I’ve told you there’s no education in the second kick of a mule,” said a GOP source familiar with the meeting. A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on specific conversations during the private lunch but noted that t... Link to the full article to read more