Aug 28, 2017

Report: Mueller investigating Trump's role in Don Jr.-Russia meeting response

Shannon Vavra

Alex Brandon / AP

Special Counsel Robert Mueller's federal investigators are zeroing in on the president's role in responding to reports that his son, Donald Trump Jr., met with a Russian government lawyer in Trump Tower last year, "three sources familiar with the matter" told NBC News. They're interested in learning what Trump knew about the meeting and whether he tried to hide its purpose.

  • The initial response on July 8 was that Trump Jr. "was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person [he] would be meeting with beforehand."
  • Trump "weighed in" on that statement, according to the White House.
  • It was revealed the next day that Trump Jr. had been told he'd be presented with "official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary [Clinton]."

Why it matters: Trump's involvement in the drafting carries legal risks since he's "needlessly vulnerable to allegations of a coverup," as the Washington Post put it.

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Coronavirus dashboard

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  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 2:30 p.m. ET: 905,279 — Total deaths: 45,371 — Total recoveries: 190,710 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 2:30 p.m. ET: 199,092 — Total deaths: 4,361 — Total recoveries: 8,362 — Map.
  3. Federal government latest: Vice President Mike Pence said that White House modeling suggests "Italy may be the most comparable area to the United States" in terms of coronavirus impact.
  4. State updates: Florida and Pennsylvania are the latest to issue stay-at-home orders, totaling 34 states and Washington, D.C.
  5. 2020 update: West Virginia is latest state to delay its primary — Bernie Sanders urged Wisconsin to delay April 7 primary.
  6.  🎧 Podcast: The Defense Production Act
  7. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

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Axios

West Virginia is latest state to delay primary due to coronavirus

Photo: Barbara Davidson/Getty Images

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice rescheduled the state's May 12 primary election to June 9 on Wednesday, citing fears surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, AP reports.

Why it matters: 23 other states and the District of Columbia haven't held primaries yet. The White House is recommending, for now, that Americans practice social distancing and gather in groups of no more than 10 people — while many states have issued stay-at-home orders.

Go deeperArrowUpdated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy
Rashaan Ayesh

Florida governor issues stay-at-home order

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a statewide stay-at-home order on Wednesday after the number of coronavirus cases in the state rose to nearly 7,000.

Why it matters: DeSantis has been criticized for declining to order any statewide mandates to curb the spread of coronavirus as Florida — home to a significant elderly population — has increasingly become a hotspot. The order will go into effect Thursday at midnight and last for 30 days.

Go deeperArrow1 hour ago - Health