Oct 3, 2019

Former N.C. GOP chair pleads guilty to making false statement to FBI

Robert "Robin" Hayes. Photo: Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images

Robert "Robin" Hayes, a former North Carolina congressman and state Republican Party chairman, pleaded guilty Wednesday to making a false statement to the FBI during a federal campaign finance probe, the Justice Department said in a statement.

The big picture: Hayes, 74, was indicted previously along with 3 other men for alleged bribery. They promised to spend "millions of dollars" on the North Carolina insurance commissioner's re-election "if he would remove an insurance regulator that oversaw companies" under the control of a business executive also indicted, Reuters notes.

Per the Washington Post, Hayes reached a plea deal to cooperate with federal prosecutors and could potentially testify against the others.

Go deeper: Chairman of North Carolina GOP indicted in federal campaign finance probe

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Axios

Updated 12 mins ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd protests: What you need to know

Police block protesters at a rally on May 30 outside the state house on the fourth straight day of demonstrations against the death of George Floyd. Photo: Megan Jelinger/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Protests over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black men spread across the U.S. Saturday, amid tense standoffs with police in several cities.

The big picture: Floyd's fatal run-in with police is the latest reminder of the disparities between black and white communities in the U.S. and comes as African Americans grapple with higher death rates from the coronavirus and higher unemployment from trying to stem its spread.

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Axios

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

U.S. cities crack down on protests against police brutality

Photo: Megan Jelinger/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Major U.S. cities have implemented curfews and called on National Guard to mobilize as thousands of demonstrators gather across the nation to continue protesting the death of George Floyd.

The state of play: Hundreds have already been arrested as tensions continue to rise between protesters and local governments. Protesters are setting police cars on fire as freeways remain blocked and windows are shattered, per the Washington Post. Law enforcement officials are using tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse crowds and send protesters home.

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Rebecca Falconer

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Trump to invite Russia and other non-member G7 countries to summit

President Trump at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday. Photo: Saul Martinez/Getty Images

President Trump told reporters on Saturday evening he would postpone the G7 summit to September and expand the meeting to more nations that are not members of the Group of 7.

Details: Trump said he would invite Russia, South Korea, Australia and India to the summit, according to a pool report. "I don’t feel that as a G7 it properly represents what’s going on in the world. It’s a very outdated group of countries," he said.

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