Trump's ugly new spin on Russia bounties actually incriminates him  —  With President Trump, it's often difficult to locate the point where his utter lack of self awareness blends into sheer shamelessness.  This poses an urgent problem with the spin he is now offering amid revelations …

Biden expands lead in swing states as voters hammer Trump over coronavirus, CNBC/Change poll says  — Voters in six 2020 swing states largely disapprove of how President Trump is handling the coronavirus as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the country, a CNBC/Change Research poll found.

Scoop: Trump regrets Kushner advice  —  President Trump has told people in recent days that he regrets following some of son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner's political advice — including supporting criminal justice reform — and will stick closer to his own instincts …

The virus didn't stop a Washington socialite from throwing a backyard soiree.  Then the tests came back positive.  —  This is A Cautionary Tale featuring well-intentioned people making poor choices.  It is also the tale of a socialite with an Instagram habit who recently held a fabulous backyard soiree during a pandemic.

POLITICO Playbook PM: Trump revs up for another culture war — over the military  —  WELL, HERE WE ARE AGAIN.  THE QUESTION hanging over Washington is whether President DONALD TRUMP will veto the National Defense Authorization Act — the Pentagon policy bill that has been signed into law for 59 consecutive years.

Trump calls proposed Black Lives Matter sign in NYC a “symbol of hate”  —  President Trump attacked New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Wednesday for reallocating $1 billion from the NYPD's budget and ordering a large Black Lives Matter mural to be painted on Fifth Avenue, condemning it in a tweet as a “symbol of hate.”

U.S. urges companies to avoid entanglement with Uighur human rights abuses  —  The Trump administration has cautioned U.S. companies about doing business with Chinese suppliers that rely on the forced labor of Uighurs, an ethnic group that lives mostly in China's Xinjiang province.

Fox News Fires Ed Henry Over Sexual Misconduct Claim  —  The veteran Washington correspondent and anchor was one of the most prominent reporters at the cable news channel.  —  Fox News has fired Ed Henry, one of the network's most prominent Washington-based journalists …

Americans Want More, Not Less, Immigration for First Time  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thirty-four percent of Americans, up from 27% a year ago, would prefer to see immigration to the U.S. increased.  This is the highest support for expanding immigration Gallup has found in its trend since 1965.

Trump-backed five-term Republican lawmaker loses primary to far-right challenger  —  (CNN)A five-term Republican congressman endorsed by President Donald Trump conceded his primary reelection bid in Colorado's 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday evening, a stunning upset that will vault …

Hugh Hewitt: Rumor has it Samuel Alito will retire from Supreme Court  —  Conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito may be eyeing retirement.  —  The “stronger rumor” is that Alito is “going to quit,” conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt told Washington Post reporter Robert Costa on his show Wednesday.

Exclusive: Hundreds of George W. Bush administration officials to back Biden, group says  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hundreds of officials who worked for former Republican President George W. Bush are set to endorse Democratic White House hopeful Joe Biden, people involved in the effort said …

Meet the Supporters Trump Has Lost  —  A significant majority of people who voted for him in 2016 are planning to do so again.  What is different about those who've had a change of heart?  —  For some, the disenchantment started almost as soon as Donald J. Trump took office.

The Trump administration just lent $700 million to a trucking company sued for ripping off taxpayers  —  New York (CNN Business)The US Treasury is giving a $700 million loan to YRC Worldwide, a troubled trucking company that warned in May it was in danger of going out of business.

America's Enduring Caste System  —  Our founding ideals promise liberty and equality for all.  Our reality is an enduring racial hierarchy that has persisted for centuries.  —  We saw a man face down on the pavement, pinned beneath a car, and above him another man, a man in uniform …

Fed officials raised concerns in June that U.S. could enter a much worse recession later this year if coronavirus cases continued to spike  —  The scenario, which officials described as plausible, was revealed in minutes of their June meeting before the surge in cases escalated

Trump allies take aim at his global media chief for firings  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven U.S. senators, including two strong allies of President Donald Trump, harshly criticized Trump's new chief of U.S.-funded global media on Wednesday for firing the heads of several international broadcasters without consulting Congress.

Richmond mayor orders prompt removal of Confederate statues  —  RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney on Wednesday ordered the immediate removal of all Confederate statues in the city, saying he was using his emergency powers to speed up the healing process for the former capital …

Spies, Lies, and Stonewalling: What It's Like to Report on Facebook  —  One day in July 2016, Casey Newton, a tech reporter for The Verge, sat down at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park for the biggest interview of his career.  Across from him was Mark Zuckerberg.

Civil rights activist and former de Blasio official considering run for mayor  —  A civil rights attorney who worked in the de Blasio administration and offers legal analysis on MSNBC is considering a run for mayor — an entrance that would upend the unpredictable race.

We can reopen schools in the fall — if we close bars and gyms now  —  Keeping community transmission of coronavirus low will get education closer to normal sooner.  —  Schools are not a luxury item — they are part of the bedrock of society.  They not only educate children, they also feed many of them.

‘But Gorsuch’ Is Still Trump's Best Argument  —  There is no “winning” in politics, after all, there is just the constant struggle.  —  This week, the Supreme Court struck down a Montana constitutional provision barring religious schools from benefiting from the state's tax dollars.