What's happening in the political world:
Trump Jr. releases email chain amid Russia controversy
-- Donald Trump Jr. took to Twitter Tuesday morning and released screenshots of emails from June 2016 that details plans to hear information on his father's presidential campaign opponent Hillary Clinton.
Trump Jr. tweeted that he posted the emails "in order to be totally transparent."
In an email exchange with music publicist Rob Goldstone, Trump Jr. is told that the Russian government had damaging information against Clinton that "would be very useful to your father."
"If it's what you say I love it especially later in the summer," Trump Jr. replied to Goldstone.
Here's my statement and the full email chain pic.twitter.com/x050r5n5LQ
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017
Here is page 4 (which did not post due to space constraints). pic.twitter.com/z1Xi4nr2gq
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 11, 2017
Report: Email to Trump Jr. cites Russian effort to help Trump campaign
-- An email sent to Donald Trump Jr. last year stated that a Russian lawyer had "compromising" information about Hillary Clinton as "part of a Russian government effort" to help the Trump campaign, The New York Times reported.
Citing three people with knowledge of the email, the Times reported that Rob Goldstone, who connected Trump Jr. with the Russian lawyer, sent the email to Trump Jr. pointing to the Russian government as a source of potential information that could damage Clinton.
The story that Trump Jr. was offered potential information from the Russian government to aide his father's campaign came after months of staunch denials from President Donald Trump that his campaign had a connection to Russia.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Trump Jr.'s admission that he indeed met with a Russian lawyer is the first clear public evidence that senior Trump campaign officials met with Russians to try to discredit Clinton.
"This is the first time that the public has seen clear evidence of senior level members of the Trump campaign meeting Russians to try to obtain information that might hurt the campaign of Hillary Clinton," Warner told reporters.
Campaign committee launched in support of "The Rock"
-- A West Virginia man formally created a campaign committee that backs actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a potential presidential candidate in 2020.
Kenton Tilford told CNN: "I've been discussing (this committee) with friends for some time, but I ultimately decided to create the committee because America is incredibly divided. I know it's almost a cliche at this point, but I think it's tragic that our President (Donald Trump) has not made a serious effort to unite the country. With this level of vitriol and anger, I believe we desperately need a leader who can unite us and not just pander to a small base of supporters."
According to Tilford, the "Run The Rock 2020" committee's goal is "to build a grassroots community of Americans to show to Mr. Johnson that his incredible popularity as an actor and public figure can translate into politics seamlessly. And I hope it influences him to take the plunge and run in 2020."
CNN contributed to this report
