Trump faces demand for answers over his relationship with Putin
Covid-19 outbreaks at meat-processing plants in US being kept quiet
Los Angeles sheriff’s department faces reckoning after police shooting
Virginia joins states banning hair discrimination
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LIVE Updated
Trump has described the ‘Russian bounty’ story as a hoax in a series of early morning tweets. Photograph: Getty Images
10:23 Who is Lauren Boebert?
10:06 Fox News’ Ed Henry fired over sexual misconduct
09:55 Fauci comes under fire
08:18 Calls on Capitol Hill for answers from Trump over Russia “bounty” scandal
07:49 Homeland Security announces task force to protect monuments
07:33 Trump claims that ‘Russian bounty’ story is a hoax
06:52 Oklahoma votes narrowly to expand Medicaid
11:07
Julian Borger
State secretary Mike Pompeo was asked this morning about reports of Russian bounties to the Taliban for killing American soldiers. He did not deny it but instead suggested such things happened all the time.
I can tell you the intelligence community handled this incredibly well. We see threats in intelligence reporting to our soldiers stationed all over the world every single day,” he said. “And so I can assure you that whatever reporting it is that you’re referring to, that we responded in precisely the correct way with respect to making sure that our forces were postured appropriately, that they were aware of the level of the threat, the credibility of the threat.”
Pompeo added that Russians meddling in Afghanistan “is nothing new,” refuting members of Congress who he claimed “suggesting that they are shocked and appalled”.
They saw the same intelligence that we saw, so it would be interesting to ask them what they did when they saw whatever intelligence is that they are referring to,” Pompeo quipped. “They would have had access to this information as well, not just the intelligence committees, by the way, even more broadly than that.”
It is not true that Congress receives all the intelligence provided to the White House, however. Only a small number of members of Congress are periodically briefed on some intelligence issues.
11:00
Lawsuit claims Trump admin violates First Amendment of immigration judges
A lawsuit filed by the Knight Institute Wednesday is challenging the Trump administration’s use of gag orders to bar immigration judges from speaking or writing to the public and media.
The institute, which represents the National Association of Immigration Judges, alleges that restrictions the administration has placed on immigration judges violates the First Amendment, and “imposes an unconstitutional prior restraint on [their free] speech”.
From the complaint:
For years, [the Executive Office for Immigration Review] permitted immigration judges to speak in their personal capacities on issues relating to immigration, so long as they provided a disclaimer that they were not speaking on behalf of the agency. In recent years, however, the agency has taken steps that have strictly limited the ability of immigration judges to speak publicly in their personal capacities.
Read more about the lawsuit here.
10:41
New York City postpones reopening indoor dining
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio announced the city halting a planned reopening of indoor dining, a setback for bars and restaurants eager to rebuild amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The mayor vowed to “double down” on outdoor dining instead, allowing more parking spaces and public streets to be converted to accommodate table settings. The decision stems from Florida, Texas and California “slipping backward,” with from skyrocketing cases linked to loosened stay-at-home restrictions.
de Blasio added that more than 6,000 local restaurants are already participating.
10:23
Who is Lauren Boebert?
The restaurant owner stunned five-term Colorado congressman Scott Tipton in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Boebert, who said she “believes in personal freedom, citizen rights, and upholding the Constitution of the United States,” will run in November’s general election against Democrat Diane Mitsch Bush. Here are more facts about the Republican hopeful, via the AP.
Her claim to fame locally is that waiters in her restaurant openly carry guns. It’s named Shooter’s Grill and is located in a town called Rifle.
Crispin Havener (@CrispinHavener)
A big upset in my old stomping grounds. For my non-Grand Junction followers…Yes, Lauren Boebert owns Shooter’s Grill in the appropriately named Rifle, CO. All the waitresses wear holstered — and loaded — sidearms! https://t.co/LLQdvb5iWv
July 1, 2020
She has said she hopes QAnon is real
She’s expressed support for abolishing the Department of Education
Donald Trump congratulated Boebert on the surprise victory late Tuesday, even after first endorsing her opponent.
10:06
Fox News’ Ed Henry fired over sexual misconduct
In a bombshell revelation, CNN reports top Fox News anchor Ed Henry has been fired from the network after it “received a complaint … from a former employee’s attorney involving willful sexual misconduct in the workplace years ago”.
From CNN:
The executives said that an outside law firm was immediately brought in to investigate the claims. Until last week, Henry was a rising star at Fox, responsible for co-anchoring three hours of morning news coverage on the network.
This isn’t the anchor’s first scandal, he was previously suspended following a tabloid magazine’s report about an extramarital affair in 2016, causing then CEO Roger Ailes to publicly admonish him.
So far, Henry has not responded to the rival network’s requests for comment.
09:55
Fauci comes under fire
As coronavirus cases surge across the US, Dr Anthony Fauci, who lead’s the CDC’s pandemic response, is facing growing backlash from conservative leaders fed up with his warnings about states’ reopening efforts.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I don’t need his advice anymore,” Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.
Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell)
As COVID cases surge, TX Lt Gov Dan Patrick says he will no longer listen to Anthony Fauci: “I don’t need his advice anymore” pic.twitter.com/8w6mdCpLhN
July 1, 2020
Ingraham went on to accuse Fauci of working for Donald’s Trump Democratic rival, Joe Biden.
The backlash comes following Fauci’s testimony at a senate hearing Tuesday, where he said he’s certain that more new Covid-19 cases among young Americans can be attributed to bars opening back up, and large social gatherings – even though that same demographic marched side-by-side in major cities.
As Yahoo reports, the data backs up Fauci: parties, not protests are the cause for spikes in young people.
09:32
Young people warned of increasing Covid-19 risks
CDC officials and the Trump administration are sending a stern warning to young people that their quest for bars and beaches is putting their lives at risk. Coronavirus task force leader Mike Pence urged young Americans to take the virus more seriously.
“Young people have a particular responsibility to make sure that they’re not carrying the coronavirus into settings where they would expose the most vulnerable.” he said as part of the first coronavirus briefing to be held in nearly two months.
Later today, the Guardian reports how young people of color face a disproportionate risk of dying from Covid-19. Data from the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention have shown the majority of coronavirus hospitalizations among Black and Latino Americans are of those under the age of 50.
09:31
Donald Trump was not verbally briefed on a reported Russian effort to pay the Taliban to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan because the allegations were not corroborated at the time, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said moments ago.
O’Brien, however, declined to say whether the intelligence, which US ally Britain has said it was aware of, had been included in a written presidential briefing earlier this year, Reuters reports.
“The president’s career CIA briefer decided not to brief him because it was unverified intelligence,” O’Brien said on Fox News. He said the CIA briefer was an outstanding officer and he supported her decision.
The Republican president has faced a barrage of criticism after New York Times reports that a Russian military intelligence unit had offered bounties for US and allied soldiers and that Trump received a written briefing on the matter in February.
After Trump initially said he was not briefed on the matter, the White House said Trump was not “personally” briefed but did not address whether he had received a written report or read it, and why he had not responded more aggressively if so.
O’Brien told reporters later that Trump has now been briefed on the Russian bounty reports.“The president’s been fully briefed,” O’Brien said outside the White House, “We don’t get into written classified documents.”
Democrats on Tuesday called on Trump to consider imposing new economic sanctions on Russia if the information was confirmed.
Democratic lawmakers have asked for more in-depth briefings on the issue. O’Brien said the Gang of Eight – congressional leaders and intelligence committee lawmakers – would be briefed by intelligence officials, possibly later today.
Updated
09:16
Good morning!
I’m reporter Kenya Evelyn taking over live blog for today. Here’s what we’re following:
The latest primary races including a shocking unseating of five-term Colorado congressman Scott Tipton
Donald Trump tying defense spending to preserving Confederate-named military bases, and mocking Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren with a familiar racial slur
The latest on the administration’s attempt to block an upcoming book from the president’s niece
The US’s buyout of nearly the entire global stock of a potential Covid-19 treatment drug
Stay tuned for more throughout the day.
Updated
09:00
Key points so far today
Here are the main points of the day so far
Donald Trump twice insisted on Twitter that claims he did not act on intelligence about Russia offering a bounty for the deaths of US military personnel in Afghanistan were “a made up fake news media hoax started to slander me and the Republican Party”
White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien has this morning confirmed that the president has now been fully briefed. He declined to say whether the information had been included in a written presidential briefing earlier this year as multiple reports have stated.
Former US Navy helicopter pilot and New Jersey Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill had strong words over the issue on CNN, saying “We ask that the president come out and reassure us that he has our backs, that he will get to the bottom of this and that Russia will face repercussions. Whether or not he was told verbally about this, he knows now.”
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad F. Wolf, has announced the formation of a “special task force to coordinate Departmental law enforcement agency assets in protecting…historic monuments, memorials, statues, and federal facilities”. Wolf said “As we approach the 4 July holiday, I have directed the deployment and pre-positioning of Rapid Deployment Teams across the country to respond to potential threats to facilities and property.”
Oklahoma voters narrowly decided to expand Medicaid health insurance to tens of thousands low-income residents, becoming the first state to amend its Constitution to do so.
Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper won the Democratic nomination Tuesday to face Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in November
Also in Colorado, Lauren Boebert, the owner of a gun-themed restaurant she refused to close under coronavirus restrictions, will be running for Congress. Boebert, who has spoken approvingly of the QAnon far-right conspiracy theory, beat five-term Rep. Scott Tipton in the Republican primary for the state’s third congressional district
This is Martin Belam signing off in London – Kenya Evelyn will be taking over our coverage shortly. Have a great day.
08:56
One couple unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight in the last few days were the McCloskeys, who went viral on the internet after images emerged of them brandishing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their St Louis home.
Patricia McCloskey and her husband Mark McCloskey draw their firearms on protestors, including a man who holds a video camera and microphone Photograph: Lawrence Bryant/Reuters
Mark McCloskey was talking to Tucker Carlson on Fox News late last night and said:
When I saw that mob come through the gate with their rage and their anger, I thought that we would be overrun in a second. By the time I was out there with my rifle, the people were 20 or 30 feet from my front wall. I was literally afraid that within seconds they would surmount the wall, come into the house, kill us, burn the house down and everything that I had worked for and struggled for for the last 32 years.”
Mark insisted that the actions of himself and his wife Patricia McCloskey had nothing to do with race.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is investigating the incident, which has spawned a whole series of memes on social media. She said in a statement on Monday
I am alarmed at the events that happened over the weekend, where peaceful protestors were met by guns and a violent assault. We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation or threat of deadly force will not be tolerated
Protesters were marching to Mayor of St. Louis Lyda Krewson’s house to call for her resignation when the incident occurred.
08:51
While Donald Trump might be happy with those Pew Research Center numbers showing that he his holding onto his white evangelical base (see 7:57) the Politico/Morning Consult survey numbers out today make for grimmer reading.
They find that Trump’s job approval sank to 39 percent, with 59 percent of voters disapproving of the way he is doing his job.
There was also some pretty bleak news about the state of the country as a whole:
The poll found sinking voter optimism as well, with only a quarter of voters responding that the country is headed in the right direction, while 75 percent said things had “pretty seriously” gotten off on the wrong track — a record high for the Trump presidency. The 50-point gap also represents the largest gulf since Trump took office in 2017.
You can read the details here: Politico – Trump job approval dips as coronavirus fears rise
