Joe Biden said in a lengthy statement Monday that he will consider any foreign election interference "an assault on the American people" that would result in sanctions and significantly impact the relationship between the U.S. and the interfering government.
Why it matters: Biden is the latest in a growing chorus of Democrats and intelligence officials who — with 105 days until the election — are sounding the alarm over potential disruptions similar to what the U.S. saw in the late stages of the 2016 race.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will introduce a bill Tuesday that would sanction foreign hackers attempting to steal U.S. coronavirus vaccine research, according to a copy of the bill obtained by Axios.
Why it matters: The Defend COVID Research from Hackers Act comes after China, Iran and Russia have been accused of deploying military and intelligence hackers to steal information about other countries' vaccine research and development.
Florida is shaping up as America's bellwether on reopening schools, with teachers unions suing the state on Monday.
Why it matters: The state is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., home to five of America's 10 biggest school districts and governed by an ally of President Trump.
There are around half a million independent restaurants in America, but upwards of 85% of them could go out of business without some sort of direct aid from Congress.
Axios Re:Cap digs into whether restaurants will be helped in the next round of economic stimulus. Our guests include Ivy Mix, a renowned bartender, co-owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn and author of "Spirits of Latin America," and Steven Soderbergh, the Oscar-winning film director who owns spirit brand Singani 63.
President Trump posted a photo of himself wearing a face mask on Monday and tweeted that "many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance."
Why it matters: It's the first time Trump has ever tweeted a picture of himself in a mask, which he had not worn in public until he visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center earlier this month.
Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams told Politico that security plans put forth for the Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, next month are "not achievable" under current time constraints.
22 states and Washington, D.C., are suhing the Department of Health and Human Services over a rule finalized in June that would make it easier for doctors, hospitals and insurance companies to deny transgender people health coverage.
The big picture: The states and D.C. argue that patients won't seek medical care if they are afraid of discrimination. Many Americans are already avoiding doctors' visits during the coronavirus pandemic for financial reasons or fears of catching the virus, the New York Times reports.
The Democratic Party of Georgia on Monday selected its chair, state Sen. Nikema Williams, to replace the late John Lewis on the ballot for Georgia's fifth congressional district in November, AP reports.
Why it matters: The 41-year-old Williams is very likely to win in the heavily Democratic district in November, succeeding a civil rights icon who served the district since 1987 and was known as "the conscience of the House."
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday denounced the Trump administration's use of federal agents against protesters in Portland, Oregon, saying, "We cannot give up liberty for security."
Why it matters: Paul's statement is the first pushback against the administration on the issue from a Republican lawmaker.
Top Democrats in the House and Senate have written a letter requesting that the FBI provide Congress with a defensive counterintelligence briefing regarding what appears to be a "concerted foreign interference campaign" targeting Congress.
Why it matters: U.S. intelligence officials have warned that Russia, China and other foreign adversaries are actively seeking to interfere in the 2020 elections. The Kremlin engaged in misinformation and hacking campaigns in 2016 in an effort to tilt the election to President Trump.
The parent company of Southern supermarket chain Winn-Dixie will not require face masks to be worn in its roughly 500 stores, saying it doesn't want to "put [its] associates in a position to navigate interpersonal conflict," reports the Washington Post.
Why it matters: The announcement underscores the political partisanship that has surrounded face mask requirements, despite scientific evidence suggesting they have been effective in stemming the spread of the coronavirus.
Rapper Kanye West failed to submit any of the 10,000 petition signatures needed to get on the ballot in South Carolina for the 2020 presidential election, the Post and Courier reports.
Why it matters: Despite holding a bizarre "campaign rally" in the state over the weekend, it's yet another indication that West's presidential hopes aren't backed by the type of organizational structure needed to get on enough ballots to make a significant impact in the race.
President Trump told reporters at the White house Monday that he plans to resume his daily coronavirus press briefings sometime this week, "probably starting" Tuesday.
Why it matters: The president ended the briefings in April after aides urged him to scale them back given their length and penchant for drawing controversy, such as when Trump suggested that disinfectants, like bleach, could be used to treat coronavirus.
The American Federation of Teachers on Monday warned Congress that 1.4 million public education jobs could be at risk if it doesn't move to prioritize funding for state and local governments in its next coronavirus stimulus package.
Why it matters: The call from the nation's second-largest largest teachers' union comes as Congress is set to begin negotiations on its "phase 4" coronavirus relief package — and there's no clear consensus between Democrats and Republicans regarding the inclusion of state and local relief in that bill.
With the deaths of Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees John Lewis and Cordy Tindell "C.T." Vivian on Friday following the death of honoree Joseph E. Lowery in March, the world has lost three vanguard leaders who conceived and led a revolutionary movement that changed the U.S. forever.
Why it matters: As fewer of these men remain to tell the story of how they engineered the civil rights movement, it's important to remember the economic and strategic vision that fueled it.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, under fire for allowing President Trump to post inflammatory statements on his platform, tells Axios there's no truth to whispers that the two have a secret understanding.
Why it matters: Zuckerberg, facing a growing ad boycott from brands that say Facebook hasn't done enough to curtail hate speech, has become increasingly public in criticizing Trump. "I’ve heard this speculation, too, so let me be clear: There's no deal of any kind," Zuckerberg told Axios. "Actually, the whole idea of a deal is pretty ridiculous."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tells Axios he'll introduce legislation this week requiring companies with business overseas to certify that their supply chains are free of forced labor — and he's especially concerned about China.
The state of play: "If these reports from anti-trafficking advocates, anti-slavery advocates are wrong, then the companies will have a chance to set the record straight," Hawley said in an interview. "But they will be held accountable."
America spent the spring building a bridge to August, spending trillions and shutting down major parts of society. The expanse was to be a bent coronavirus curve, and the other side some semblance of normal, where kids would go to school and their parents to work.
The bottom line: We blew it, building a pier instead.
Strike for Black Lives organizers expect tens of thousands of union workers to join social and racial justice advocates in more than 25 U.S. cities in walking off the job Monday in support of dismantling systemic racism.
Driving the news: The action builds on Black Lives Matter protests demanding change following the May death of George Floyd. Protesters plan to commemorate Black people killed by police by stopping work at noon for eight minutes, 46 seconds — the length of time prosecutors say former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck.
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