House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said on CNN Monday that it would be "unfathomable" if President Trump knew about intelligence that Russian operatives allegedly paid Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops and still invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to rejoin the G7 summit in September.
Why it matters: Schiff is one of severalbipartisanmembers of Congress who have urged the Trump administration to provide answers in the wake of bombshell media reports about the alleged Russian bounties. He told CNN that he and several other House Democrats will be briefed on the intelligence on Tuesday morning.
Former Vice President Joe Biden laced into President Trump over news reports that Russian intelligence operatives paid Taliban fighters to kill U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Driving the news: "There are still a lot of discussion about what the facts are," Biden told Democratic donors at a virtual fundraiser. "But if the president knew this and did nothing, it’s outrageous."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a floor speech on Monday that Americans must have "no stigma — none — about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people."
Why it matters: Results from months of Axios-Ipsos coronavirus polling revealed a stark partisan divide when it comes to wearing masks. In surveys conducted between May 8 and June 22, 65% of Democrats reported wearing a mask every time they leave home, compared to just 35% of Republicans.
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) sent a letter to President Trump on Monday calling for Senate hearings over media reports that U.S. intelligence assessed that a Russian spy unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Why it matters: The letter, from a Republican Trump ally on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is a sign that the Senate could break partisan lines to scrutinize whether the president knew about the intelligence — and if so, why he did not act on it.
30% of Americans say they trust President Trump and his administration to "get the facts right" on the coronavirus — a lower mark than respondents gave the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (64%), their state governments (53%), local news (50%) and the news media in general (44%), according to a Pew Research Center poll released Monday.
Why it matters: As the coronavirus surges in states across the country, the largely mistrusted White House has been forced to step back into the spotlight. Vice President Mike Pence hosted his first coronavirus press briefing in weeks on Friday and appeared on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday, where he disputed that the new surge is a result of states reopening too quickly.
Twitch, the live-streaming service owned by Amazon, said Monday it issued a temporary suspension of President Trump’s channel "for comments made on stream," but that "the offending content has been removed," according to a spokesperson.
Why it matters: It's the latest major tech company to take action against one of the president's accounts for hate speech or conduct.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Monday that she is extending the House's historic remote voting period until Aug. 18 due to the ongoing public health emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Why it matters: The designated period, which began on May 20, marks the first time in history that congressional members have been able to vote remotely — in this instance, by directing another member to vote on their behalf. House Republicans have attacked the system as unconstitutional and sought to have it struck down in court in May.
Jacksonville, Florida, announced Monday that it would require the use of face masks indoors and in public to help curb the spread of coronavirus.
Why it matters: The Republican National Committee relocated the main events of its August convention, including President Trump's acceptance speech, to the city after a battle with North Carolina's government about restrictions on the event in Charlotte.
The House's select committee on the coronavirus crisis will not recognize members who do not wear a mask while in session, Chair James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told his Republican colleagues in a letter sent Monday.
The big picture: The move comes after every Republican in the committee did not wear a mask at last Friday's hearing, despite being warned to do so prior to the meeting, according to Clyburn.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced legislation Monday to extend and expand a nationwide eviction moratorium to protect tenants who may be struggling to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, Vox reports.
The big picture: The economic fallout has made it difficult for low-income renters to make timely payments, adding new burdens to the country's longstanding housing problems.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked top intelligence leaders on Monday to brief House members on reports that Russia secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The state of play: While President Trump has denied being briefed on the alleged intelligence, press reports indicate that he was aware of it earlier this year and that the National Security Council discussed the issue at an interagency meeting in late March.
The Supreme Court said the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutional, but that the agency can keep operating under new rules.
Why it matters: The court’s ruling will make it easier for future presidents to fire the leader of the powerful watchdog agency, making it more subject to political vicissitudes.
The Supreme Court struck down abortion restrictions in Louisiana on Monday, a sign that even if the court's newly expanded conservative majority wants to chip away at abortion rights, it will likely do so incrementally.
Why it matters: The court's 5-4ruling largely leaves the status quo of abortion law unchanged, affirms the court’s precedents and leaves big decisions about the future of abortion access for another day.
One man was killed and a 14-year-old remains in critical condition following a shooting in Seattle's Capitol Hill Organized Protest, or CHOP, area early Monday morning, according to the Seattle Times.
What's happening: Several shootings in the encampment have broken out since protesters began occupying the vacated police East Precinct. The city's efforts to dismantle the space have been unsuccessful.
House Democrats' climate change committee is slated to unveil a detailed, wide-ranging set of proposals Tuesday at an event featuring Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Why it matters: It's a preview of policies Democrats could try to advance if they control the White House and Senate after the 2020 election, which could open a political window to move climate legislation.
President Trump tweeted Sunday night that officials didn't brief him on alleged intelligence that a Russian military spy unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing U.S. troops in Afghanistan because "they did not find this info credible."
Why it matters: Kremlin involvement with the Taliban that resulted in the death of American troops would mark a massive escalation in the U.S.-Russian relationship. Trump has already faced intense criticism over reports that he knew about the intelligence and took no action.
NIAID director Anthony Fauci said during an interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival broadcast Sunday night he'd settle for a "70, 75% effective vaccine" against the novel coronavirus.
But such resistance, along with some Americans' opposition to vaccinations, means the U.S. is "unlikely" to achieve herd immunity, the White House coronavirus task force member said during his interview with CNN's Elizabeth Cohen.
What's new: Steven Nelson Lopez was charged with murder and wanton endangerment following the death of 27-year-old photographer Tyler Charles Gerth, per AP, which reports authorities saying the suspect "had taken part in demonstrations but was disruptive and had been asked by other protesters to leave."
