Sep 22, 2019

Giuliani says he misspoke in CNN interview about Ukraine and Biden

President Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani said on "Fox News Sunday" that he misspoke during his interview with CNN's Chris Cuomo on Friday when he at first denied that he asked Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

"I clarified it immediately. He said to me, 'Did you ever talk about Joe Biden.' I said no. Then I said, "I did say that you should investigate Joe Biden and Hunter Biden. The no was obviously wrong. I clarified it immediately. I corrected it before he corrected it. The reality is⁠ — the distinction is this. What they're trying to say is I went there for a political mission to kind of get Joe Biden in trouble. Ridiculous. I went there as a lawyer defending his client."

Why it matters: Giuliani said that he asked Ukrainian officials to investigate "Ukrainian collusion" that he claims occurred during the 2016 presidential election, but the acknowledgment that his request involved Biden is now at the heart of an unraveling controversy that involves President Trump.

  • House Democrats are now investigating Giuliani's time in Ukraine and whether Trump pressured Ukraine's president to open an investigation into Biden and his son. Trump confirmed on Sunday that he discussed Biden with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a July phone call.

Go deeper: Trump confirms he discussed Biden with Ukrainian president

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 a.m. ET: 5,695,155 — Total deaths: 355,688 — Total recoveries — 2,351,177 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 1:30 a.m. ET: 1,699,933 — Total deaths: 100,442 — Total recoveries: 391,508 — Total tested: 15,192,481 — Map.
  3. Public health: CDC issues guidelines for reopening offices — Fauci says data is "really quite evident" against hydroxychloroquine.
  4. States: California hospitals strained by patients in Mexico — Texas Supreme Court blocks mail-in expansion to state voters.
  5. Business: MGM plans to reopen major Las Vegas resorts in June — African American business owners have seen less relief from PPP, Goldman Sachs says.
  6. Tech: AI will help in the pandemic — but it might not be in time for this one.
  7. World: EU proposes a massive pandemic rescue package.
  8. 1 🎶 thing: Local music venues get rocked by coronavirus.
  9. 🎧 Podcast: Trump vs. Twitter ... vs. Trump.
  10. What should I do? When you can be around others after contracting the coronavirus — Traveling, asthma, dishes, disinfectants and being contagious — Masks, lending books and self-isolating — Exercise, laundry, what counts as soap — Pets, moving and personal health — Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — How to minimize your risk.
  11. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it, the right mask to wear.

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Minneapolis unrest as hundreds protest death of George Floyd

Protesters and police clash during demonstration on Wednesday over the death of George Floyd in custody outside the Third Police Precinct. Photo: Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty Images

Minneapolis police clashed for a second night with protesters demonstrating the death of George Floyd, an African American man who died in police custody.

The latest: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted late Wednesday that the situation where the clashes were taking place was "extremely dangerous" as he urged people to leave the area. There were multiple news reports of police firing tear gas at protesters and of some people looting a Target store.

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Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers sue CVS, alleging drug pricing fraud

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Six Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers have sued CVS Health, alleging the pharmacy chain overcharged them based on "artificially inflated prices" for generic drugs and concealed the true cash prices of those drugs.

The big picture: CVS has faced legal scrutiny over its cash discount programs since 2015, and this lawsuit adds big names to a mounting problem.

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