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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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 …

Internal Messages Reveal Crisis at Houston Hospitals as Coronavirus Cases Surge  —  Texas was one of the first states in the nation to ease social distancing mandates.  In Houston, the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has quadrupled since Memorial Day.  “It's time to be alarmed,” one expert said.

Facebook Does Not Benefit from Hate  —  This piece originally ran in AdAge.  —  When society is divided and tensions run high, those divisions play out on social media.  Platforms like Facebook hold up a mirror to society — with more than 3 billion people using Facebook's apps every month …

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 …

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.

In Mark McCloskey interview, Chris Cuomo fishes for clickbait and proves himself a fool  —  CNN's business model relies heavily on its talent antagonizing conservatives, the New York Post's Karol Markowicz argued this week.  —  The “whole point,” she writes, is to attract the ire of the Right “because, hey, hits are hits.

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.

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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 …