The State Department warned employees last month to not "improperly engage" the agency in "the political process" as the 2020 election draws near, per an internal memo released by House Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) on Monday.
House Homeland Security chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday demanding that the agency turn over documents related to its interactions with the "We Build the Wall" campaign, whose founding members were indicted for fraud last week.
Why it matters: Thompson notes that Brian Kolfage, the group's president, tweeted on several occasions that the project to privately fund a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border had been "approved" and "endorsed" by DHS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele announced on Monday that he has joined the Lincoln Project, a group founded by Republicans who oppose President Trump's re-election.
Why it matters: Steele's announcement lands on the first day of the Republican National Convention and on the tails of a media blitz by the "never Trump" group, which has produced some of the most viral political ads of the election cycle.
I'm told this is the speech from tonight's Republican National Convention opener that the Trump campaign thinks will get the buzz tomorrow.
What to watch: In the 9 p.m. ET hour, Vernon Jones, a Democratic state representative from Georgia, will argue that Democrats have abandoned Black voters and the working class.
The next name you'll hear: Jacob Blake, 29, who is in serious condition after being shot seven times in the back by police officers while reaching into his car in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Why it matters: Black men are shot by white police officers at a disproportionate rate, and justice for these shootings is often scarce — or only initiated after mass protests and unrest.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris plan to get regularly tested as they ramp up in-person campaigning ahead of Election Day, a Biden campaign spokesperson confirmed Monday.
Why it matters: Biden had not received a coronavirus test as of this weekend, his deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday. Bedingfield said that Biden did not have the virus, but did not clarify how that was determined without a test.
Under questioning from Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Postmaster General Louis DeJoy acknowledged at a hearing on Monday that he knows "very little about postage stamps."
Why it matters: Porter and other Democrats have accused DeJoy, a Trump donor and successful businessman, of being unqualified to serve in his position at a time when the U.S. Postal Service is set to deliver a record number of mail-in ballots ahead of the November election.
In a fiery exchange with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) on Monday, U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy scoffed when asked if he would reinstall dismantled mail-sorting machines, saying, "Get me the billion and I'll put the machines in."
Driving the news: The exchange came during a heated House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on recent changes to the USPS that Democrats fear will threaten the Postal Service's ability to handle the expected surge in mail-in ballots for November's election. Earlier in the day, DeJoy defiantly told the committee he would not reinstall the dismantled machines.
The Republican National Convention kicks off this evening, with plans to lay out an economic vision different from what the Democrats presented last week.
Axios Re:Cap speaks with Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, about where the economy has been, where it's at, and where Trump wants to take it in a second term.
A Florida judge on Monday struck down an emergency order from the Florida Department of Education that would have required all schools to reopen for in-person learning this month, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Why it matters: Leon County Judge Charles Dodson ruledthat Florida had "essentially ignored the requirement of school safety" in pushing to reopen schools and that the state's order overrode school boards' constitutional authority to make decisions for their school systems, per the Times.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Sunday that he should have "listened earlier" to quarterback Colin Kaepernick about issues of police brutality and racial injustice that led Kaepernick to begin kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
Why it matters: Activism in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, including by top NFL players, successfully pressured the league in May to take a stand against racism, support players' right to peacefully protest, and express regret over how it handled the Kaepernick controversy.
The Trump administration is delaying a decision on whether to approve a controversial mine in a sensitive Alaskan ecosystem that faces opposition from President Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., and other prominent conservatives.
Why it matters, via Axios' Amy Harder: The situation could allow the president to avoid making a definitive statement before Election Day, temporarily appeasing both sides. It's still bad news for the mine developers given Joe Biden has vowed to block the project should he win.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) announced Monday that her office had filed a lawsuit to compel the Trump Organization to comply with subpoenas related to an investigation into whether President Trump and his company improperly inflated the value of its assets on financial statements.
The state of play: The investigation was launched after the president's former personal attorney Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump inflated and deflated his net worth at various times in order to obtain tax benefits and more favorable terms for loans.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Monday called for "an immediate, full and transparent investigation" into the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Driving the news: Authorities declared an emergency curfew amid protests in Kenosha on Sunday, after video posted on social media appeared to show police shoot Blake seven times in the back when he reached into his car, ignoring their commands. Kenosha Police said the incident is being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
TikTok is suing the Trump administration over the president's executive order to ban the app unless it's sold to a U.S. company, arguing it's no security threat and that it was deprived due process.
Why it matters: There are bipartisan concerns that TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, could share U.S. user data with Beijing. TikTok has lobbied aggressively to dispel those accusations and now says the executive order is invalid because the government has failed to prove that point.
Why it matters: It's the latest example of the stark contrast in how the two sites handle controversial posts from the president. The pressure on both companies is likely only to intensify as the presidential election draws closer.
TikTok is expected to sue the Trump administration Monday over its move to ban the app, in what's likely to be an explosive and closely watched court battle.
Why it matters: The Trump administration has given ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, a deadline to divest its U.S. operations or else see its massively popular social video app banned.
The Trump campaign on Sunday released a 49-point wishlist for President Trump's second term on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
Why it matters: It comes after Trump has repeatedly struggled to detail what his second term might look like, which has both frustrated and worried top Republicans and left critics questioning whether he even had an agenda.
Former Republican Sen. Jeff Flake, along with more than two dozen former GOP members of Congress, signed onto a "Republicans for Biden" effort, Fox News reports.
Why it matters: The group is part of the Biden campaign's strategy to appeal to moderate Republicans currently on the fence about backing President Trump.
President Trump made lots of specific economic promises to voters during his 2016 campaign, but only fulfilled some of them before the pandemic plunged America into recession.
Why it matters: Trump's economic record and promises for future prosperity will be front and center during this week's Republican National Convention.
The Trump campaign is going all in on digital advertising for the Republican National Convention, with plans to again take over the YouTube masthead and flood Facebook, Google and streaming services like Hulu with pro-Trump messaging.
The big picture: The massive digital ad buy — which is in the high seven figures, according to the campaign — will complement the Trumpian production planned for each night of the convention this week.
In his first interview since announcing Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, Joe Biden told ABC's David Muir that he doesn't blame President Trump for the COVID crisis but for "walking away and not dealing with the solutions."
Why it matters: Trump has been criticized for his administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak. The U.S. has reported more deaths from COVID-19 and more cases than any other country.
Kellyanne Conway announced Sunday night she's stepping down from her position as counselor to President Trump "Gratefully & Humbly" to spend more time with her family at the end of the month.
The big picture: Conway's resignation, which she stressed was "completely my choice," comes ahead of this week's Republican National Convention, where Trump is set to formally accept his party's nomination to run for a second term. Conway is due to speak at the convention on Wednesday.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris presented a united front against President Trump, even as ABC's Robin Roberts and David Muir pushed them on topics of race and more.
The big picture: In one of the key moments during the early days of the Democratic primary race, Harris directly challenged Biden over busing and school segregation. When asked about that moment, Harris said, "There are real racial disparities that are rooted in systemic racism and a failure to address the truths that may be difficult truths. Joe Biden does that. And he is doing that. He is addressing these truths."
Sen. Kamala Harris said during an ABC interview broadcast Sunday that President Trump called her "nasty" as a distraction, and Joe Biden also addressed Trump's attacks on him.
Details: In the interview Sunday evening with ABC's David Muir, Biden said of Trump questioning his mental fitness to lead: "Watch me."
