Ron Johnson now says he helped coordinate effort to pass false elector slates to Pence, but his new explanation drew a quick rebuke  —  Molly Beck Lawrence AndreaMilwaukee Journal Sentinel  —  WASHINGTON - After initially claiming to be “basically unaware” of an effort by his staff …

Confidence in U.S. Supreme Court Sinks to Historic Low  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — With the U.S. Supreme Court expected to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision before the end of its 2021-2022 term, Americans' confidence in the court has dropped sharply over the past year and reached a new low in Gallup's nearly 50-year trend.

Senate Breaks Decades-Long Impasse on Gun Safety  —  The 65-33 vote late Thursday was aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous people.  Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court struck down New York's gun law, likely limiting the ability of other state and local governments to restrict guns outside the home.

POLITICO Playbook: New Jan. 6 witness: Trump had mystery call with Putin  —  With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross  —  DRIVING THE DAY  —  THE PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW: ALEX HOLDER — In September 2020, U.K. documentarian ALEX HOLDER started working on a film about DONALD TRUMP.

What Happens if the GOP Tries to Leave Trump Behind  —  It's not exactly a thunderous roar, more like a stage whisper, running through the ranks of what we used to think of as mainstream Republicans: “Maybe he doesn't have to be our nominee in 2024.”  —  They grasp, if not at straws …

Winning Lawyers in Supreme Court Gun Case Leave Firm  —  Partners Paul Clement and Erin Murphy depart Kirkland & Ellis after it says it won't take any more Second Amendment cases  —  WASHINGTON—Discord over gun rights erupted within the law firm that secured Thursday's Second Amendment victory …

Live Updates: Ukraine Is Withdrawing From Sievierodonetsk  —  The ruined industrial city in eastern Ukraine fell after months of Russian bombardment and weeks of urban combat.  Like Mariupol, it became emblematic of the savagery of the war.  —  Here's what you need to know:

BREAKING: Gov. Kemp to testify in Fulton County's Trump probe  —  Governor will deliver sworn recorded statement instead of appearing before grand jury  —  Gov. Brian Kemp will deliver testimony next month to Fulton County prosecutors investigating efforts to overturn Georgia's 2020 elections …

U.N. rights body says Israeli soldiers killed American journalist in West Bank  —  TEL AVIV — A veteran Palestinian American journalist was killed by Israeli forces while covering a military raid in the occupied West Bank, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights …

‘Unsettling,’ ‘un-American’: FPL consultant obtained personal information, surveillance photo of journalist Nate Monroe  —  An Alabama consulting firm that worked for Florida Power & Light during the attempted sale of JEA possesses records on Florida Times-Union columnist Nate Monroe …

Liz Cheney sends instructions to Wyoming Democrats on how to switch parties  —  Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) is sending mailers to Wyoming Democrats with instructions on how to switch their political parties ahead of the state's primary on Aug. 16.  —  News of the mailers comes as Cheney faces …

‘YOU take YOUR seat’: Very specific cheat sheet reminds Biden how to act  —  MORE ON:  —  President Biden on Thursday inadvertently held up a comically detailed cheat sheet prepared by his staff instructing the gaffe-prone leader of the free world to “take YOUR seat” and to limit his remarks to “2 minutes.”

The Biggest Disruption in the History of American Education  —  On March 4, 2020, a week before the World Health Organization formally declared the coronavirus a global pandemic, Northshore School District, in Washington State, closed its doors, becoming the first in the country to announce a districtwide shift to online learning.