Tipsheet: GOP struggles to confront racial issues

View in your browser     GOP struggles to confront racial issues By Scott Wong   Less than five months before the election, congressional Republicans are struggling to confront a host of thorny racial issues that have been unexpectedly thrust into the 2020 campaign spotlight. They’re still scrambling to craft a response to nationwide protests against police brutality following the May 25 killing of George Floyd, divided over whether to rename Army bases named after Confederate leaders and resistant to banning all Confederate statues from the Capitol. Read the full story here     Trump at West Point stresses unity amid 'turbulent' times By Morgan Chalfant   President Trump saluted West Point graduates for their service and accomplishments while emphasizing unity amid "turbulent" times during a commencement address Saturday that punctuated tensions over racial injustice and concerns about the novel coronavirus. Read the full story here     Secret Service walks back statement that no chemical agents were used on protesters at Lafayette Square By J. Edward Moreno   The Secret Service is walking back a statement it made last week claiming its agents did not use tear gas or pepper spray on protesters to “secure the area” near Lafayette Square last Monday. Read the full story here     Democrats see path to ridding Capitol of Confederate statues By Cristina Marcos and Mike Lillis   House Democrats are seizing on momentum from nationwide demonstrations over racial injustice to revive an effort years in the making: the removal of Confederate statues on Capitol Hill. Read the full story here       Atlanta police chief steps down after fatal shooting near Wendy's drive-thru By Kaelan Deese   Atlanta Police Chief Ericka Shields voluntarily stepped down from the city's department Saturday afternoon following the deadly police shooting of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks Friday night outside of a local Wendy's drive-thru. Read the full story here     State agency investigating after man shot, killed by Atlanta police By Tal Axelrod   A Georgia state agency is investigating a fatal shooting involving an Atlanta police officer as protests rile the country over police use of force and systemic racism. Read the full story here     Jones, Sessions spar over renaming of military bases By Tal Axelrod   Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions sparred Saturday over renaming Army bases that are named after Confederate military officers. Read the full story here     Police unions face lobbying fights at all levels of government By Alex Gangitano   Police unions are gearing up for their biggest lobbying fights in years as lawmakers at all levels of government push to reform law enforcement practices and protections. Read the full story here     Wins by young progressives start reshaping establishment By Reid Wilson   The left wing of the Democratic Party may have lost the war over the party's presidential nomination, but its members are quietly winning battles in states and cities across the country. Read the full story here     Texas, Florida, California hit highs for COVID-19 infections in last two weeks By Tal Axelrod   Three of the nation’s most populous states have all hit new highs for daily confirmed coronavirus cases in the past two weeks as states grapple with a resurgence of the virus. Read the full story here     Corporate America stands against injustices — except those 'Made in China' By Jenny Wang   OPINION | The killing of George Floyd has ignited a civil society deeply disturbed by systemic inequality and police brutality. In the wake of mass demonstrations throughout the country, countless companies have decided to speak out against injustice. Read the full story here     America doesn't just have a police problem: It has a morality problem By Joseph Chuman   OPINION | It’s happened again. This time in Minneapolis, a city with a progressive ambiance. A black man dies under the knee of a white cop. In an episode reminiscent of the death of Eric Garner in New York in 2014, George Floyd had a cop’s knee pressed on his neck for more than eight minutes as he cried out that he could not breathe. To be black in America is a potential death sentence. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Protesters in US call attention to deaths of more black men By Russ Bynum and Ed White   Protests initially ignited by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police continued over the weekend, as anti-racism protesters in the United States sought to call attention to the deaths of two more black men and Black Lives Matter demonstrations unfolded in London and Paris. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Scant evidence of antifa shows how sweeping the protests for racial justice have become By Isaac Stanley-Becker   The group of anti-fascist protesters the Trump administration has labeled a menace has mostly been nonexistent, experts and law enforcement officials say, amid largely peaceful protests. Read the full story here     The New York Times: GOP congressman faces primary after officiating same-sex wedding By Catie Edmondson   Representative Denver Riggleman could lose his bid for re-election in an unusual drive-through primary held at a Virginia church on Saturday. Read the full story here     The Wall Street Journal: White House ties with military face major test By Michael R. Gordon   Respect for military could be imperiled by embroiling it in domestic politics, retired generals have warned. Read the full story here     CNN: New York says it's 'tamed the beast' of coronavirus while some states see record hospitalizations By Faith Karimi   The number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations have gone up in some states, a bleak reminder that the pandemic that's infected more than 2 million people is not over. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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