May 31, 2019

Trump lawyer asked for "heads up" from Michael Flynn's lawyer

President Trump with Michael Flynn Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

President Trump's lawyer asked for a "heads up" from former national security advisor Michael Flynn’s attorney as Flynn was preparing to cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation according to a transcript released by federal prosecutors on Friday.

Why it matters: The message is included in Mueller's report, but illustrates how people working closely with the president tried to exercise their influence over those who were in contact with Mueller, per Bloomberg.

"If, on the other hand, there's information that implicates the President, when we've got a national security issue, or maybe a national security issue, I don't know...some issue, we've got to deal with, not only for the President, but for the country. So...uh..you know, then-then, you know, we need some kinds of heads up."

— President Trump's lawyer John Dowd to Michael Flynn's lawyer Rob Kelner

Read the transcript:

Go deeper: Michael Flynn assisted in Mueller's obstruction and WikiLeaks investigations

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Updated 17 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 11,288,094 — Total deaths: 531,244 — Total recoveries — 6,075,489 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 2,839,917 — Total deaths: 129,676 — Total recoveries: 894,325 — Total tested: 34,858,427 — Map.
States: Photos of America's pandemic July 4 — ICU beds in Arizona hot spot near capacity.
Public health: U.S. coronavirus infections hit record highs for 3 straight days.
Politics: Trump extends PPP application deadline — Kimberly Guilfoyle tests positive.
World: Mexican leaders call for tighter border control as infections rise in U.S.
Sports: 31 MLB players test positive as workouts resume.
1 📽 thing: Drive-in movie theaters are making a comeback.

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17 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Protester dies after car drives through closed highway in Seattle

Protesters gather on Interstate 5 on June 23, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. Photo: David Ryder/Getty Images

One person is dead and another is in serious condition after a car drove onto a closed freeway in Seattle early Saturday and into protesters against police brutality, AP reports.

"Summer Taylor, 24, of Seattle died in the evening at Harborview Medical Center, spokesperson Susan Gregg said."

Where it stands: The suspect, Dawit Kelete of Seattle, fled the scene after hitting the protesters, and was later put in custody after another protester chased him for about a mile. He was charged with two counts of vehicular assault. Officials told the AP they did not know whether it was a targeted attack, but the driver was not impaired.

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Trump's failing culture wars

Data: Google; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

President Trump built his political brand by stoking the nation's culture wars, but search data is showing us how much harder it's been for him to replicate that success while running against another white man in his 70s — and while there's a coronavirus pandemic.

The big picture: Google Trends data shows Trump's "Sleepy Joe" name-calling isn't generating nearly the buzz "Crooked Hillary" (or "Little Marco") did in 2016. Base voters who relished doubting President Obama's birth certificate aren't questioning Biden's.

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