Texas town arrests all but *1* city official. Let’s just get to the good stuff:

“Crystal City’s mayor, city manager, mayor pro tempore, one of three current councilmen and a former councilman were all arrested under an indictment obtained by the U.S. attorney’s office in San Antonio, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney said.”

Charges in the indictment allege the group used their positions as town leaders “to enrich themselves by soliciting and accepting payments and other things of value.”  FoxNews Latino says another councilman was charged in a separate incident earlier involving smuggling Mexican immigrants. That leaves just one councilman not facing federal charges in Crystal City.

Religiosity: Candidates may want to check out the new Gallup poll measuring the most and least religious states in the nation. Respondents were asked about “religious service attendance” and “how important religion is in daily life.” Based on answers participants were grouped into either very religious, moderately religious and nonreligious categories.  Mississippi came out as most religious with 63 percent being very religious. New Hampshire is at the bottom with 20 percent claiming to be very religious.

Vets trump Trump:  Remember when we told you, here at Redstate, that veteran’s groups were running away from the Donald Trump vet event which coincided with the GOP debate in Iowa? Turns out Donald is still trying to give away money. In an Exclusive at The Daily Beast we’re told a NH veteran’s organization was offered a 6-figure check if they would stand on stage tomorrow with Trump to accept the money.  The group’s Director declined saying it would affect their non-profit status. In the end, the group will get Trump’s money to help vets but it won’t be quite as showy. The money will first go to a NH state Rep, who will then present it to the group after the primary, and in a “more subdued way”.

 New Hampshire Polls:  Over at RCP there are four new polls: A CNN/WMUR; an ARG; a UMass/7Nnews; and a Monmouth. The ARG and UMass are tracking polls. I checked the CNN poll and it ended just as the debate started. All of them ended yesterday. So, look at them if you like but I have no idea what can be wrung from all the numbers, if anything. We’ll know soon enough if the debate was a game changer for anybody.

You may be late tomorrow for work: Understandable, it has been a busy couple of days.  If you sleep in you may need a good excuse for why you’re late for work. Here are 12 of the worst, absolutely do not use, excuses courtesy NBCNewYork.  Stuff like, “I thought of quitting today, but then decided not to, so I came in late”, and the complicated “My lizard had to have emergency surgery in the morning and died during surgery. I had to mourn while deciding whether to have the lizard disposed of by the vet or bring the lizard corpse with me to work.”

• Quickhits: Donald Trump’s appeal to Democrats is well known.  Now, John Kasich admits he’s got Dem fans, too: “I ought to be running in a Democrat primary, I got more Democrats for me — you have any Republican friends?”
• Forget the game. For some the Super Bowl is all about the ads.  Here’s a place that has just the commercials.  As of this writing they’ve put up 11 of the best commercials they’ve seen so far for today’s game.
• The party that didn’t want many debates at all now can’t schedule them fast enough.  CNN is hosting a debate March 6th between Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in Flint, Mich.  The debate is two days before Michigan and Mississippi hold their primaries.
• Dems in Iowa still have problems.  The only person to caucus in Woodbury County No. 43 caucused for Bernie, but Hillary got the delegate.

 Trumpism of the day: Donald Trump is a dealmaker and explained how to close to close a deal with Congress. “You have to get people in. Grab ’em, hug ’em, kiss ’em, and get the deal done, but it’s got to be the deal that you want.”  (Tell you what, you hug and kiss McCain and Pelosi and we’ll just sit back and watch.)

Today is  Super Bowl/Puppy Bowl/Kitten Bowl Day. If you don’t like one there are alternatives.  Puppy Bowl is on Animal Planet and Kitten Bowl is on the Hallmark Channel.

That dries out another Water Cooler.  Been a busy two days and much to talk about. Leave a comment down below on something you saw here at the ‘cooler, or something you tripped over elsewhere that you want to pass along. Breaking news, quick jabs, no time for a diary, bowl predictions – leave it here cause it’s all good. Water cooler is always an Open Thread.

* all emphasis mine