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The Guardian - US
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Graham Russell, Amber Jamieson, Tom McCarthy, Nadia Khomami and Scott Bixby (earlier)

Democrats hold all-night sit-in to fight for gun control vote in House – campaign live

Democrats shout down Republican speaker Paul Ryan in protest over gun control

Summary

This live blog is now closed. For continuing coverage of the Democrats’ sit-in and other developments in US politics, head over to our fresh live blog here:

Nancy Pelosi has returned to the House floor

The sit-in is still ongoing, at just after 6.30am in Washington DC.

There are reports that about 20 Democrats are still on the House floor. Stay tuned for any major developments.

Summary

  • The Democrats in the House of Representatives, led by Congressman John Lewis, have been leading a sit-in in the House to protest against a lack of policies on gun control.
  • The House officially adjourned at 3.14am, with the next votes scheduled for Tuesday 5 July. A hardcore group of Democrats remained in the chamber, continuing to give feisty speeches. The party will have a whip meeting at 10am.
  • There have been chaotic and at times physical scenes inside the chamber as Democrats held placards and chanted “No bill, no break” and heard from victims of gun violence, including the recent Orlando shooting.
  • With the House officially in recess, the office of the Speaker Paul Ryan has switched off the cameras and microphones covering proceedings. Protesting Democrats have taken to livestreaming their message via the Periscope app and Facebook on their mobile phones. TV networks such as C-Span have been broadcasting events using these social media channels.
  • Ryan was earlier shouted down as he tried to call for decorum.
  • Donald Trump has given a key speech in which he unleashed a new slogan – “I’m with you” (in contrast to Hillary Clinton’s “I’m with her”) – and spent most of the time personally criticizing Clintonfor her foreign policy actions as secretary of state. “Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched,” said Trump, as his campaign announced it was launching a new website called Lying Crooked Hillary.
  • Hillary Clinton responded with her own speech. “We can’t let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos. We need to write a new chapter in the American dream and it can’t be Chapter 11,” she quipped.
  • Marco Rubio – dubbed Little Marco by Trump during his failed presidential run – has announced he will recontest his Senate seat, after repeatedly promising he would not do so.

Updated

Republicans claim the Democrats have accomplished nothing other than disrupting the business of the House to score political points. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said:

Their PR stunt can’t prevent us from doing our jobs with dignity, that’s what we’re here for... I have no objection to them making fools of themselves on TV, in North Dakota it works very well for me.

Pelosi is addressing the Democrats left on the House floor. A group of supporters of gun law reform are still gathered outside the US Capitol at 4am.

Ted Deutch is reciting the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling on the House floor.

Pictures of the House Dems holding a presser at 3.30am are on Twitter.

David Cicilline said the GOP had “snuck out of Washington in the dark of night”.

Our Washington correspondent David Smith reports that the House officially adjourned at 3.14am, with the next votes scheduled for Tuesday 5 July.

Seats on the Republican side and in the public gallery emptied out. But Lewis, Pelosi and other leading Democrats gave their colleagues a pep talk and a hard core of members remained in the chamber, continuing to give feisty speeches.

Here’s an update of where we’re at now...

The House has adjourned until after July 4 after majority Republicans pushed through a partisan bill to deal with the Zika outbreak. Republicans moved to adjourn immediately after the Zika vote to shut down a round-the-clock sit-in by Democrats demanding votes on gun-control bills. Democrats denounced the GOP plan as “cowardly” and stayed on the floor to demand votes on bills to strengthen background checks and prevent suspected terrorists from buying guns.

A spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed the Democrats’ protest as a “publicity stunt” and said Republicans “have plowed ahead to do what is needed to responsibly address” the Zika crisis.

Spokeswoman AshLee Strong said the House “is focused on eliminating terrorists, not constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. And no stunts on the floor will change that.

The Democrats will have a whip meeting tomorrow at 10am. A small group continue their sit-in, with Maxine Waters declaring: “I said I’ll stay until hell freezes over. It’s only two hours till daybreak so I say we should stay until then.”

(Additional reporting by the Associated Press)

Meanwhile...

Maxine Waters has told Pelosi not to end the sit-in now. “I said I’ll stay until hell freezes over. It’s only two hours till daybreak so I say we should stay until then,” she said.

Pelosi says the choice now is stay for the rest of the evening or come back in the morning “ready to go”.

The Republican side and public gallery are now empty. Nancy Pelosi said “Just because they have left doesn’t mean we are taking no for an answer.

She said what the Democrats have done tonight “has changed the dynamic”.

Updated

The Democrats will have a whip meeting tomorrow morning and the sit end will probably end for now, Politico’s John Bresnahan reports.

John Lewis has been addressing the Democrats on the House floor as Republicans leave.

The House is in recess. The Periscopes go up. The Democrats continue their sit in-in

Steve King, an Iowa Republican and staunch opponent of LGBT rights, makes his presence felt. Given the context of this legislative protest – the Orlando shooting – his comments are likely to do little to quell at times chaotic scenes inside the chamber.

Our Washington correspondent David Smith has been talking to Texas Republican Louie Gohmert, who spoke out about the Democrats’ tactics.

It is really outrageous and it should have been stopped many hours ago. It is a complete violation of the rules on filming, on taking pictures and just disrupting. You’re not allowed to speak unless you’re at one of the microphones and you’re recognised. To just completely take over the floor when we’re supposed to be in session: it’s unprecedented.

I just couldn’t believe these 49 victims [of the Orlando shooting] were being disrespected. They were killed in the name of radical Islam. I’m amazed here on the House floor that to them it’s all about guns. The truth is that radical Islam is at war with western civilisation and moderate Muslims want this to stop.

When I said radical Islamists killed these innocent victims, one of the Democrats from New Jersey said, ‘You’re a racist!’ I thought he was smarter than that; if that’s the best you can do? So I was a little disappointed there.

Gohmert expressed fears for the future stability of Congress: “This is supposed to be about the last bastion of civility where we come together, we can argue, we can yell, we can raise voices but it’s never supposed to turn violent and we abide by the rules. We’re demonstrating tonight we’re in very grave danger of losing our republic if we cannot, in this last bastion of civility, follow the rules.”

The House is back in session. They stuck quite closely to the schedule laid out by the Whip’s Office earlier. Chants of “No bill. no break” and “shame” simmer down.

Congressman Eric Swalwell issues a fresh call to Republicans, urging them to come back to the chamber and work on legislation to tackle gun crime:

It’s 20 steps to courage, to that podium, and to give the gun violence victims a vote. That’s all it takes

Thirty thousand deaths a year. Can we give them those 20 steps?

Summary

  • The Democrats in the House of Representatives, lead by Congressman John Lewis, have spent the past 14 hours leading a sit-in in the House to protest against a lack of policies on gun control.
  • There have been chaotic and at times physical scenes inside the chamber as Democrats held placards and chanted “No bill, no break” and heard from victims of gun violence, including the recent Orlando shooting.
  • With the House officially in recess, the office of the Speaker Paul Ryan has switched off the cameras and microphones covering proceedings. Protesting Democrats have taken to livestreaming their message via the Periscope app and Facebook on their mobile phones. TV networks such as C-Span have been broadcasting events using these social media channels.
  • Ryan was earlier shouted down as he tried to call for decorum.
  • Donald Trump has given a key speech in which he unleashed a new slogan – “I’m with you” (in contrast to Hillary Clinton’s “I’m with her”) – and spent most of the time personally criticizing Clinton for her foreign policy actions as secretary of state. “Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched,” said Trump, as his campaign announced it was launching a new website called Lying Crooked Hillary.
  • Hillary Clinton responded with her own speech. “We can’t let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos. We need to write a new chapter in the American dream and it can’t be Chapter 11,” she quipped.
  • Marco Rubio – dubbed Little Marco by Trump during his failed presidential run – has announced he will recontest his Senate seat, after repeatedly promising he would not do so.

Updated

The Democrats’ decision to stage a sit-in protest in the House is very unusual, but not unprecedented. As the Atlantic notes, a similar situation occurred eight years ago, except it was the Republicans doing the protesting.

The party wanted to draw attention to energy legislation, and stayed on the floor, giving speeches that continued into the summer recess.

That time, Nancy Pelosi not only turned off the cameras, but also the lights in the chamber.

Here is a more up to date Periscope link from Congressman Eric Swalwell covering the somewhat unofficial proceedings in the House.

With the House in recess, the chants of “no bill, no break” return. Periscope links to proceedings inside tend to drop out, but this one from Scott Peters is working at the moment.

The second motion has passed and the cameras in the House go down once again. Time to switch channels. If you have recently joined us, the Democrats have been able to get their message out via Facebook and Periscope.

The first motion has passed. We have 233 Republicans for and 166 Democrats against. A second vote to adjourn is taking place now.

As we await an outcome on the vote, we have time to look at other comments made during the sit-in. Democrat Mark Takano earlier took his turn at the dais and referred to the mass shooting in Orlando. This from our Washington correspondent David Smith:

The first procedural vote mentioned below is taking place now

As C-Span moves away from relying on social media streams to the trusty House cameras, the Democrats hold up signs with pictures of Orlando victims, seemingly trying to block camera views of the dais

The cameras are back on, the House is back in session. Minority leader Nancy Pelosi revved up the crowd earlier, accusing the Republicans of cowardice. Cries of “Shame” ringing out.

Updated

Fresh votes scheduled

The Whip’s Office has sent out the plan for what lies ahead. For those readers outside the US, it is coming up to 1am in Washington.

We will reconvene at approximately 12:55 a.m. and expect two procedural votes – a motion to change convening time and a motion to adjourn.

Next the House will convene a new legislative day. This should happen at roughly 2:15-2:30 a.m.

Upon convening, we will move into debate on the rule for Zika/MilConVA conference report.

At approximately 2:20-2:35 a.m. we will have our second series of votes on the rule for the conference report. Members are advised that a series of votes – including passage of the conference report – will occur in quick succession following this vote series and Members should remain on or near the Floor as a result.

A GOP leadership aide told the Guardian that at least one more vote series is expected tonight. The next vote will be a procedural vote on a resolution for emergency funding to fight the Zika virus.

Speeches on the need for further gun control are interspersed with forceful chants of “No bill, no break” and hearty applause. Congresssman John Larson says the Democrats are just getting their second wind. “There are no signs of fatigue,” he says. It may be a case of #NoBillNoBreak but some comforts are allowed

Updated

Although the House has technically been in recess, we’re told a vote is expected in the next hour

As always, context and perspective is vital. Our reporter Ben Jacobs offers this:

Here’s a video of the moment earlier when Speaker Paul Ryan’s comments were drowned out by the chants of the Democrats

Democrats shout down Republican speaker Paul Ryan in protest over gun control

Summary

So this sit-in is still going strong and it seems they will be there all night, in one of the most chaotic and intense nights in Congress. It’s been a fairly big day, let’s just have a look back at what’s happened.

  • The Democrats in the House of Representatives, lead by Congressman John Lewis, have spent the past 12 hours leading a sit-in in the House to protest a lack of policies on gun control. At times representatives have swarmed the floor, screamed at each other and gotten extremely emotional while speaking about the effect of gun violence in their communities. “No bill, no break,” they chant, sitting on the ground at times and refusing to leave the House although it is no longer in session. Microphones and cameras were turned off by the Republicans, but politicians continue to livestream the event on their cell phones. “Welcome to history,” said Xavier Becerra, a representative from California.
  • Donald Trump gave a big speech where he unleashed a new slogan “I’m with you” (in contrast to Clinton’s “I’m with her”) and spent most of the time personally criticizing Clinton for her foreign policy actions as secretary of state. “Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched,” said Trump, as his campaign announced it was launching a new website called Lying Crooked Hillary.
  • Hillary Clinton responded with her own speech. “We can’t let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos. We need to write a new chapter in the American dream and it can’t be Chapter 11,” she quipped.
  • And Marco Rubio - dubbed Little Marco by Trump during his failed presidential run – announced he will recontest his Senate seat, after promising a number of times he would not do so.

Updated

“I have cried in my car every day,” said Joe Kennedy III, speaking about his reaction to the Orlando shooting this week. A member of the Kennedy clan, one of the most famous family’s affected by gun violence in the country, Kennedy spoke about how those whose loved ones die from guns will never stop thinking of the last moments of their lives. Kennedy said:

They will close their eyes and witness their last moments. They will see the panic, they will feel the pain. I’m sorry to all the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, spouses, children, who are asking why. Why has this country done nothing to prevent gun violence?

“We have been silent too long. Wake up congresspeople, your nation is angry and we want something done.”

Congressman Sam Farr from California reminded voters that there is an election coming up in a few months,

People of this country, if you like what you’re seeing tonight, you can thank us in November with your vote.

It might be time for someone to send some vegetables though:

Pizza for everybody!

CSpan
CSpan Photograph: C-Span

This from Greg Meeks, a representative from Queens, New York, earlier tonight, who spoke about how the death of boxer Muhammed Ali showed how this country can unite.

We saw this nation coming together. We saw people, Native Americans, African-Americans, Hispanics, white, Jews, Muslims, Christians, all day memorializing the life of a man who decided that he had to stand up and speak out no matter what the cost.

Meeks noted that many criticized the sit in as useless. “They said you can’t win. You don’t have the votes. You must be crazy. They said you’re wasting your time. Well I come back and say look at John Lewis in 1963 when he was almost beaten to death, and they said he couldn’t do it either, but he came back…. we can will and we will win.”

From Guardian reporter David Smith, who is inside the house:

The comparisons between sit ins during the civil rights movement and today’s House of Reps sit in have been numerous, and John Lewis - one of the heroes and leaders of the civil rights movement - spoke to supporters outside this evening about the power of them in US history.

“Many many years ago, before many of you were born, before you were even a dream, we participated in sit ins and stand ins to change America,” said Lewis.

Here’s some rather dodgy footage of the speech here:

Pro-sit in supporters have gathered outside the House tonight.

John Lewis, who has been leading this sit-in and many Democrat colleagues have mentioned how much John Lewis has personally inspired them, went outside to speak to supporters.https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/745812405813379072

When one Republican yelled out against Sherman’s speech, a female Democrat (I believe it was Linda Sanchez, based on someone replying “good job Linda”) retorted:

I know it’s hard but try and have some class and respect for your colleagues.

There are no microphones being used - as they’re not available since the house isn’t in session - but Democrats continue to yell out speeches from the floor.

From Representative Brad Sherman:

This microphone should work. Order should apply. And then we should have a vote. The purpose of this house is not to ignore the obvious will of the people.

Absolute bedlam on the floor right now, with constant chants of “no bill, no break”, and Republican Louie Gohmert from Texas, standing in the middle to declare “Radical islam killed these people!”

Democrats are taking it in turns to speak on the floor about this sit-in.

C-Span screenshot
C-Span screenshot Photograph: C-Span

“When people ask why are we doing this, it’s because we have no choice,” said Connecticut representative Joe Courtney.

Screenshot from C-Span
Screenshot from C-Span Photograph: C-Span

C-Span is battling with live Periscope feeds that appear and then drop out. “Technology is a wonderful thing until it isn’t,” said the C-Span host.

An earlier post from David Smith, who is inside the House of Reps tonight watching all of this unfold.

Rep Jim Himes, who represents a district near Sandy Hook Elementary School and walked out of a House moment of silence for Orlando, said: “This is a moment for moral clarity and moral language. Like all of you, I’m here to get something done, so I tend to shy away from moral language. But there are moments... When Americans are lying in pools of blood day in and day out, that is a time for moral clarity.”

Vote is over and House no longer in session, meaning the cameras have been turned off and C-Span currently doesn’t have any footage from the House of the Reps. They’re waiting for politicians inside to start livestreaming on Facebook or Periscope again.

Updated

Things have calmed briefly while the House is taking a five minute vote, which is a procedural vote on veto override of investment advice bill, AKA not anything to do with gun control and simply a bill that was already scheduled.

Back to the House of Reps, where Speaker Paul Ryan is having a tough day coping with scores of Democrats refusing to come to order.

The CNN Town Hall is just wrapping up with Gary Johnson, who normally always wear sneakers.

“Everybody in my campaign is like ‘don’t blow it with the shoes’,” said Johnson, who also is an athlete.

“I’ve probably competed in 300 athletic events... Hawaiian Iron Man four times,” said Johnson. He names the hardest thing he’s ever done: “Bicycling 600 miles in 36 hours.”

And Weld is also a novelist, so Cuomo asks him what title he’d give a novel about this year’s election.

“Monkey Business,” Weld quips.

Over in the House of Representatives, things are getting very heated.

Free trade will improve wages, says Johnson and Weld.

“How do you generate good jobs in the US?” asked Cuomo.

“If I could wave a magic wand, I would eliminate income tax, corporate tax, abolish the IRS... if we have no corporate tax, I believe we would grow millions of jobs. What do you replace all that with? One federal consumption tax,” said Johnson.

A voter asks what assurances they can give to prove that their campaign isn’t just a spoiler campaign.

“We would not be doing this if there were not the opportunity to win,” said Johnson.

“That duopoly down there in Washington is not getting a lot done,” said Weld. “I’m not sure I see a lot of original thought coming out of either party.”

“It’s a two party dinosaur and they’re about to come into contact with the comet,” said Johnson.

Back in DC, the Democrat sit-in in the House of Reps is still continuing - and all the security officers are still working.

Should there be US intervention in Syria?

“No, there should not have been military intervention in Syria and it’s had the unintended result of growing ISIS,” said Johnson.

Cuomo jokingly quizzes Johnson on how he himself has cut down on smoking marijuana if he thinks it’s so great.

“I don’t care if you drink yourself silly every night of the week, as long as you don’t get behind a car... why should someone who takes the edge off when it comes to marijuana not have that same ability, if they don’t do others’ harm,” said Johnson.

“This is my own life, these are the decisions I’ve made,” he added.

Now it’s onto drug legalization, a pet topic for Johnson who is known for pushing legalization of marijuana (although he himself hasn’t smoked pot for seven weeks).

A mother whose son was a heroin addict whose addiction left him severely disabled asked why Johnson supports the legalization of all drugs.

Johnson is trying to say that he only supports the legalization of marijuana but not other drugs including heroin.

“We don’t know how to deal with the legalization of heroin but we do have programs around the world,” said Johnson, noting issues like needle exchanges.

“What we’re really concerned with is death, disease, crime and corruption,” said Johnson.

When quizzed on if they’d vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, Johnson refused to pick but Weld happily chose Clinton.

Johnson spoke angrily about Donald Trump’s proposal to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants, noting it’s particular close to home for him as he’s a former governor of a border state where nearly 50% of citizens are Hispanic.

“How’s the deportation going to go in my home state?” he asked. “I’m just telling you, this is incendiary”

Vice-presidential hopeful Weld criticized it even further, noting that the idea of rounding up those undocumented is reminiscent of Nazi Germany rounding up the Jews.

Instead Johnson and Weld call for a strong work-visa program for Hispanic workers that doesn’t guarantee citizenship but does give them the right to employment.

“They don’t have to become citizens. They can do their work and go home,” said Weld.

Quizzed on religion, Johnson notes that he prays occasionally and believes in God but doesn’t subscribe to a specific religion or attend church - although he grew up Christian.

“The God I speak to doesn’t have a particular religion,” said Johnson.

Updated

Someone from the audience asked about abortion and their beliefs on a woman’s right to choose.

“It is the law of the land. The Casey v Planned Parenthood, it’s that a woman has the right to have an abortion up the viability of the fetus,” said Johnson.

“It’s a decision that should lie strictly with the woman involved,” said Johnson.

“There should be a safety net out there regarding health care. In no way we’re saying that this safety net should be removed,” said Johnson.

But he says insurance and healthcare are too expensive and premiums are rising and he doesn’t support Obamacare. He called for an open market in health care, noting that would give rise to new markets. “We would have Stitches R Us... When any of us go to the doctor, no one knows what the cost will be,” said Johnson.

Johnson notes one issue with the plan to restrict those on terror lists access to guns is that those lists are not perfect.

“All of these government lists are subject to error,” said Johnson.

First question comes from Jeanette, a survivor of last week’s Orlando shooting.

She talks about how drivers need driving licenses to drive cars, and she herself owns a gun but questioned the lack of restrictions on buying guns.

“When I went out dancing with my friends I ended up in the worst mass shooting in our nation’s history. I’m still a little distraught about it. How would making it easy to buy guns... make it better for us?” she asked.

Johnson says he doesn’t plan to make it easier to buy guns, but that he doesn’t believe further restrictions help.

Johnson and Weld just had to play a little word association game where they were to say the first word they think of after Cuomo threw a name at them.

“President Obama” got “good guy” from Johnson and “statesman” from Weld.

“Hillary Clinton” got “Dedicated public servant” from Johnson, while Weld said “Old friend, nice kid, knew her in her twenties,” and started speaking of how they shared an office together years ago and remain close.

“Donald Trump” got “huckster” from Weld - finally someone adhered to the “one word” rule.

Host Cuomo is talking about the money raising issues of the Trump campaign and asks how the Libertarian plans to raise money, and Johnson notes that tonight is a big deal for his campaign.

“Banking on the CNN ticket!” laughed Cuomo.

“Doesn’t it speak volumes that we’re sitting here on the money we have raised?” asked Johnson.

Weld explains how he is convincing donors so far, saying he has a one-line pitch: “We are the people who say we want the government out of your pocket book and out of your bedroom.”

Cuomo quizzes Johnson on Trump’s comments today about “Lying Crooked Hillary”.

“I don’t think either of us are going to engage in any sort of name calling, we’re going to keep this to the issues and there’s big issues,” said Johnson.

Important sartorial note: Johnson is wearing a royal blue tie, Weld is wearing a striped red and blue tie.

Johnson describes his possible vice-president as Bill Weld, former governor of Massachusetts, as “a political role model for me.”

Chris Cuomo’s first question: who is Gary Johnson and what is a Libertarian?

Johnson talks about being an athlete and being a two term governor of New Mexico.

Explaining Libertarianism: “Fiscally conservative, socially accepting, tolerant,” said Johnson. He speaks about less foreign intervention. Think we’ll hear a lot more about this tonight...

The people in the audience tonight are apparently a mix of Republicans, Democrats and independents, but they all have one thing in common - they’ve said they won’t vote either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

As the intro said: “In a time of big talk, he’s promising real talk... the unconventional choice in the least conventional election on record.”

And so the CNN Town Hall with Gary Johnson begins...

Coming up in just a few minutes, Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party presidential nominee will appear in a CNN Town Hall event with reporter Chris Cuomo.

A major national hour-long presidential interview of this nature is not something awarded to the Libertarian candidate - a real indication of how the 2016 campaign is vastly different to years past.

And Johnson knows how big this CNN Town Hall appearance is for him. “It can’t be bigger. I mean really, this is really, really big,” he told Reason. He added:

I think we’ve started the playoffs….We’re in the quarterfinals here, and we have a chance to move up. The Super Bowl being the presidential debates.

The plan for this evening is “to come off as likable, and as pragmatic,” Johnson said. He wants viewers - and possible voters - to think: “These are guys that have done it, and we like ‘em,” he told Reason.

The mood from the floor of the Democrats sit in is starting to resemble a bit of a party, with snacks and pillows.

But there’s still a somber tone. Elijah Cummings, who represents the city of Baltimore, addressed the House about the effects of gun violence in his city.

The Guardian’s Nicky Woolf just filed an update on the Democrats sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives in protest the lack of action on gun control, led by civil rights leader and congressman John Lewis.

As the scheduled time for an evening vote approached, John Lewis addressed the group again. “Thank you for getting in trouble - good trouble. Yes to trouble!”, he told them, to cheers.

The moment was broadcast via Periscope on the phone of Democratic congressman Scott Peters, who was orchestrating a group of lawmakers to record the event and broadcast it after the cameras in the chamber were turned off.

“I never ever thought that one day, after sitting in here many days and many nights, that one day I would be more than lucky but very blessed ... to sit down on the house floor with all you great ladies and gentlemen,” Lewis continued. “We have a right to protest for what is right. That’s all we can do. There are people hurting, there are people suffering, so we have an obligation, a mandate, to do something.”

“Maybe our forefathers all came to this land in different ships,” Lewis said, “but we’re all in the same boat now.”

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi also addressed the protesting representatives. “The press and others are saying, ‘how long will they stay?’” she said. “I said, it’s totally up to them. If John says we stay, we stay.”

The assembled lawmakers erupted in a chant of “No Bill, No Break.”

Read the full story here.

Democratic lawmakers may have temporarily seized the floor - literally - of the House of Representatives to protest a lack of action on proposed gun-control measures, but the Republican-lead body is planning to take back control of the room later tonight.

Democratic members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis and Rep. Elizabeth Esty, as they participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures.
Democratic members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis and Rep. Elizabeth Esty, as they participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures. Photograph: Rep. Chillie Pingree/AP

According to The Hill, House majority leader Kevin McCarthy of California will call for a vote to overturn a Labor Department rule, to be followed by a push for a vote on a spending bill on military construction and Veterans Affairs.

Whether the measures will take place over the heads of the protesting Democrats remains to be seen.

House minority leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters that the sit-in won’t end “until we get a bill” on gun-control issues.

“People are tired of moments of silence,” Pelosi said. “They refuse to just accept the fact that we’ll have a moment of silence and it will be indicative of the silence that will follow - that it will substitute for action.”

“And it’s just not going to happen again.”

Former Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush and his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, spoke with CBS This Morning co-anchor Norah O’Donnell in an interview to be released tomorrow morning, and the former FLOTUS had sharp words for the man who beat her son in the Republican presidential primary.

“It’s incomprehensible to me,” Bush said, of the rise of Donald Trump.

George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush.
George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush. Photograph: Eric Gay/AP

“I don’t know - he’s like a comedian, or like a showman, or something. Just the whole thing is... not working with Congress, not working with - that’s the way things get done in this country! Truthfully.”

Her son, Jeb, jumped in, saying that in elections past, a presidential candidate could not have cursed during a speech and gotten away with it. When Barbara Bush asked who it was, Jeb frowned. “Your buddy,” he said.

When O’Donnell asked Barbara Bush about Trump’s comments on Latinos, the former first lady seemed outraged. “And what about women?” she asked. “I mean, unbelievable. I don’t know how women can vote for someone who said what he said about Megyn Kelly. It’s terrible - and we knew what he meant too.”

“Don’t you get in his firing line,” she warned O’Donnell.

Bush, the daughter of a storied (and moneyed) Anglo-Saxon dynasty, dismissed Trump’s antics as evidence of vulgarity. “Money doesn’t buy everything - it’s accomplishments, and what you’re doing and giving,” Bush said. “It’s incomprehensible to me.”

Updated

The Guardian’s Nicky Woolf has more on Democratic lawmakers turning to Periscope after Paul Ryan refused C-SPAN’s request to allow the network to continue filming the House floor as members of Congress push for the consideration of gun-control measures:

A photo shot and tweeted from the floor of the House of Representatives by representative Katherine Clark.
A photo shot and tweeted from the floor of the House of Representatives by representative Katherine Clark. Photograph: HANDOUT/Reuters

Lawmakers turned to Periscope and Facebook Live to broadcast a sit-in protest in the House of Representatives after the Speaker’s office switched off the TV cameras inside the chamber.

Live-streaming video has long been a staple of reporting from civil unrest and other areas where bulky TV cameras struggle to reach, but the medium got its shining moment on Capitol Hill – and on C-Span – after the House GOP turned off the TV cameras inside the chamber.

This upshot was an initial media blackout on an hours-long sit-in protest by Democratic lawmakers over gun control legislation, which had coalesced on social media around the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak.

But in response, several representatives, including California’s Scott Peters, began using their phones to broadcast from inside the chamber.

“At 12 noon they shut all the cameras and the microphones and decided to turn them back on,” representative Peters told the Guardian. “So one of my staffers said, ‘why don’t we Periscope it?’”

Peters said he had never used the app before. “I downloaded it on the House floor, and turned it on,” he said. “Took some reprimands from House clerks, but we were in a protest.” Filming in the House chamber is not allowed; but after a while the assembled lawmakers proposed a motion to suspend the rules on filming, which passed unanimously.

After the feed became overwhelmed with people watching it, Peters corralled other representatives to begin broadcasting too, to reduce the load on each individual stream. Speaking from a phone just outside the chamber, Peters said that “we have four or five people Periscoping now”.

Under normal circumstances in normal presidential campaigns, this would not be news, but Donald Trump is releasing merchandise tied to today’s speech:

More than three decades ago, then-mayor Bernie Sanders declared “Gay Pride Day” in Burlington, Vermont.

Poll: Donald Trump leads Hillary Clinton in Texas by single digits

Donald Trump supporters enter a rally in The Woodlands, Texas.
Donald Trump supporters enter a rally in The Woodlands, Texas. Photograph: David J. Phillip/AP

A new poll released by Texas consulting firm Leland Beatty shows a remarkably tight race in the Lone Star State, with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leading Hillary Clinton by mere single digits in the deep-red state.

According to the poll, carried out on June 13 and 14, 36.8% of those polled said that they support Trump, while 29.7% said that they support Clinton. A mere 2.6% said that they support Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, while a whopping 31% told Leland Beatty that they are unsure of whom they plan on supporting in the general election.

Republicans make up 44.4% of those polled, which means that Trump is underperforming with some of the most die-hard members of his party. The poll, which has a margin of error of 3.1%, shows that nearly one-fourth of self-described Republican voters are unsure of whom to vote for, compared to a little less than one in five Democrats.

For a comparison, in the 2012 presidential election, Mitt Romney won Texas with 57.17% of the vote, compared to President Barack Obama’s 41.38%.

For those confused or scared of streaming apps on Twitter, C-SPAN has now taken to straight-up streaming Periscope from the (literal) House floor:

Donald Rumsfeld: I'll vote for Donald Trump

In an interview with the Daily Mail, former secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld said that he plans on supporting fellow Donald, Donald Trump, in the November general election, telling the paper that it was “not a close call” between the presumptive Republican nominee and Hillary Clinton.

Former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

“I’m a Republican, and there’s not any doubt in my mind how I’ll vote,” Rumsfeld said. “I don’t believe Hillary Clinton is qualified to be president of the United States.”

Rumsfeld is the highest-ranking member of the former administration of George W. Bush to endorse Trump, and is likely to remain so: The former president himself has joined the rest of the Bush clan in boycotting the Republican National Convention next month, still stinging from the bitter loss of brother Jeb Bush, who was dubbed “low-energy” by Trump in the Republican primary and never recovered.

Rumsfeld, who has never met Trump, told the Daily Mail that Trump’s position on banning Muslim immigration to the US is “absolutely right.”

“Anyone who thinks the radical Islamists are not going to try to utilize every venue they can find to infiltrate in the United States, and in western European countries, to achieve their goals – these people just don’t get it,” Rumsfeld said. “They’ve announced what they’re going to do.”

In January, Rumsfeld was more circumspect about Trump’s rise to the top of the Republican pantheon, only telling NBC that the real estate tycoon had “touched a nerve” with his boastful persona and unadulterated political views.

“He has caused people to respond in a way that most politicians have not been able to do,” Rumsfeld. “I see someone who has touched a nerve with our country.”

Video: A group of Democrats continue to hold a sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives, demanding that the chamber put off an upcoming recess until gun legislation is debated.

House Democrats hold sit-in protest over gun control

The protest was the latest bold move by Democrats to persuade the Republican majority in Congress to consider gun control legislation in response to the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, which was the deadliest in modern US history.

The political arm of the US Chamber of Commerce has released a sports-heavy advertisement in support of Arizona senator John McCain, whose bid to serve a sixth term in the Senate is facing stiff competition.

The ad, starring Arizona Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez, is titled Fighter.

Democratic members of the House of Representatives are still staging their sit-in as they demand legislative action on gun violence:

Donald Trump could pick Ronald Reagan’s ghost as his vice-president and fail to win us over, writes Jamie Weinstein. The current turmoil in his campaign shows that they’re right to resist.

Donald Trump speaks during an event at Trump SoHo Hotel.
Donald Trump speaks during an event at Trump SoHo Hotel. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Even before Monday’s Trump campaign turmoil, where campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was sent packing and a Federal Election Campaign finance report revealed Trump had less cash on hand at the end of May than some of his departed rivals, the wheels seemed to be coming off the Trump bus.

The House speaker, Paul Ryan, who tepidly endorsed Trump earlier this month,intimated on Sunday that he only backed The Donald for institutional reasons and that Republicans should vote according their conscience, even if their conscience tells them to oppose the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

“The last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something that’s contrary to their conscience,” he said.

Wisconsin Republican senator Ron Johnson, who has yet to endorse Trump, said on Sunday he isn’t even sure Trump will be the Republican nominee.

“It’s been my intention to support the Republican nominee,” he told CNN Sunday. “Again, nobody can predict the outcome of this thing. I think things remain reasonably uncertain.”

Perhaps Johnson got the idea that Trump’s nomination is still up in the air from the fact that hundreds of delegates to July’s Republican convention are lining up behind a movement to try to oust the billionaire real estate mogul as the nominee.

According to the CNN-ORC poll released on Tuesday, 48% of Republicans say they wish someone other than Trump would be the Republican nominee.

While it’s remarkable that Trump has been unable to unite the party behind him since forcing his last two rivals out of the nomination contest in early May, it’s not surprising. Though rumors abound of a new and improved Donald Trump about to emerge, all that has manifested so far is the same old Donald.

Carl Paladino, a 2010 New York gubernatorial candidate and co-chair of Donald Trump’s Empire State campaign, has vowed “war” if Republican delegates attempt to change the nomination rules at next month’s Republican National Convention.

Carl Paladino.
Carl Paladino. Photograph: Don Heupel/AP

In an interview with The Buffalo News, the tough-talking real estate tycoon - sound familiar? - predicted a GÖP-dämmerung if #NeverTrump delegates derail the presumptive nominee’s accession. “If there is any attempt in the rules committee to somehow allow delegates to go away from their pledged duty, there’s going to be a war,” Paladino said.

In the parlance of a Roaring Twenties gangster, Paladino said of potential rogue delegates: “I’d certainly whack them if they went off the reservation.”

Paladino, an upstart Republican whose Tea Party-backed candidacy lost in a landslide to New York governor Andrew Cuomo, is apparently distrustful of his fellow Empire State Republicans, telling the Buffalo news that he doesn’t “trust our entire delegation” and that “everything is not as hunky-dory as it appears.”

Updated

Brent Scowcroft, national security adviser to Republican presidents Ford and HW Bush, has endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton:

CSPAN airs Periscope, Facebook video from House floor

With cameras turned off in the House chamber as Democrats conduct a sit-in to call for a vote on gun safety, CSPAN has resorted to carrying various social media video feeds, including a Periscope by Representative Scott Peters of California:

Trump tweets a couple lines from his speech earlier today, framing the election as a choice between “can’t change” and “have to change”.

The “I’mWithYou” hashtag comes from Trump’s response to the Clinton slogan “I’m with her” (is it her campaign slogan, as Trump says? The campaign slogan on all of her props now is “stronger together”):

Clinton’s done.

Clinton: Trump spouts 'outlandish lies and conspiracy theories'

Clinton now takes a few shots at Trump for his speech this morning and tweets last night:

I know Donald hates it when anyone points out how hollow his sales pitch really is,” she says, but she figures she “got under his skin” with her criticism yesterday of his business career, because “right away he out lashed out on Twitter with outlandish lies and conspiracy theories.”

He’s going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance. In fact he doubled down on being the king of debt.

So all he can do is try to distract us. That’s even why he’s attacking my faith. Sigh. And of course attacking a philanthropic foundation that’s saving and improving lives around the world.

The Clinton Foundation helps poor people around the world get access to life-saving Aids medicine. Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his suits and ties.

We can’t let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos. We need to write a new chapter in the American dream and it can’t be Chapter 11.

Clinton: 'you're hired'

Clinton says the “Supreme Court hangs in the balance” in the election.

She calls for overturning Citizens United and then overhauling campaign finance.

“Reducing the power of special interests is directly related to getting Washington working again,” she says.

“Let’s do this together,” she says.

“As I said during the primary, I am a progressive who likes to get things done, and we can do this.”

“Just for a minute compare what I am proposing” to what Trump says, Clinton says. “The self-proclaimed king of debt has no real ideas” on college debt, rebuilding infrastructure, creating jobs she says – “and maybe we shouldn’t expect better from someone whose most famous words are “you’re fired”.

“As president I’m going to make sure that you hear, ‘You’re hired!’”

Clinton is on to her fifth goal, fitting the economy to the modern family.

She says there’s more pressure than ever on families, and that women have taken on new central economic roles.

“Many people now have wildly unpredictable schedules, or they cobble together part-time work.. now flexibility can be good but you shouldn’t have to worry whether your family could lose health care or retirement savings just because you change jobs...

“Why do you think every other advanced country has paid family leave?

“Working families need predictable scheduling, earned sick days and vacation days, health care and child care.”
“These are not luxuries, they are necessities”.

She calls for expanding social security too, “especially for older women who are widowed or who have taken time out from the workforce to care for a loved one.”

She calls for a “secure retirement for everyone.” Her goal is that families should not have to pay more than 10% of income for child care.

“I will not raise taxes on the middle class. I will give you tax relief to help ease these burdens.

Clinton says whenever she talks about family issues, Donald Trump accuses her of playing the woman card.

Here’s her tried-and-true line:

If fighting for child care... and paid leave is playing the woman card then deal me in.

The crowd chants along with the “deal me in” part.

Clinton calls for 'new tax on multi-millionaires'

Point four: “let’s make sure Wall street and the super rich pay their fair share of taxes.”

“That’s not even unfair, it’s bad economics,” Clinton says of tax loopholes.

“Let’s pass the so-called Buffett rule so top executives can’t pay a lower rate than their secretaries. And let’s ask the wealthiest americans to pay more, including a new tax on multi-millionaires.

Clinton says she has a plan to pay for her policy proposals. “Donald Trump disagree on a lot of things and one of them is simple math”.

Clinton calls for more overtime pay. “And I believe we should strengthen unions which have formed the bedrocked of a strong middle class.”

“And let’s close the loopholes that help companies ship jobs and profits overseas.”

“And if corporations try to move their headquarters to a foreign country to skip out on their tax bills, let’s slap a new exit tax” on them.

Clinton calls for “debt free college” for everyone.

“And let’s liberate the millions of Americans who already have student debt by making it easier to refinance.” She backs debt forgiveness in exchange for national service.

Clinton turns to her third goal: profit-sharing.

Clinton turns to the importance of pre-school and early childhood education.

“If you don’t have the skills for the jobs of tomorrow, it’s going to be difficult. Education is still the pathway for greater opportunities. Let’s start at the beginning....

“When it comes to primary and secondary education, I pledge to you we’re going to make sure that children have good teachers in good schools no matter what zip code they’re in.”

Clinton calls for higher teacher salaries. “We should support our teachers not scapegoat them. And then let’s make sure that every student has opportunities after high school”

Clinton calls for strengthening union apprenticeships and training programs.

Clinton calls for an end to the barriers of discrimination that hold back people of color and women from “fully participating in the economy”.

It’s not by accident that the unemployment rate now is twice as high for black Americans as it is for whites... right now I’m worried that if young people don’t get that first job when they’re young... it will be even more difficult to get them into the workforce.

Here are larger applause lines:

“It is way past time to guarantee equal pay for women.”

“As you have seen here in North Carolina, discriminating against LGBT Americans is bad for business.”

Clinton describes major jobs program in 'first 100 days'

“Let’s be just as ambitious to build our 21st-century American economy,” Clinton says.

She calls for privately funded infrastructure renovation.

She says in her first 100 days, she’ll work to create a jobs plan, including “the biggest investment in American infrastructure in decades” including establishing an infrastructure bank “That will bring private money off the sidelines”.

“Let’s connect every household to broadband by the year 2020.” She calls for a cleaner more resilient power grid. To fix failing water systems “like the one that poisoned children in Flint.” Renovate public schools. “Our 100 days jobs package will also include transformational investments” in manufacturing, clean energy and research, she says. She calls for more entrepreneurial innovation.

And for raising the national minimum wage. “So many of these jobs are so personal to us that they need to be respected and lifted up. And I know, I know too that we’ve got work to do to stand with those who are fighting to raise the minimum wage.

“Another engine for growth and job creation would be comprehensive immigration reform,” she says, because it would bring workers into the formal economy.

Clinton lays out five goals for economy

“Do not grow weary, there are great ideas out there and we’re going to be partners in a big bold effort” to achieve economic growth.

Five goals:

First: break through Washington dysfunction to launch biggest jobs program since World War II

Second: debt-free college

Third: profit-sharing and less outsourcing

Fourth: make sure Wall St and super rich pay fair share of taxes

Fifth: putting families first and matching policies to how we actually live and work

Updated

“It takes more than stern words and a flashy slogan” to reinvigorate the economy, Clinton says. “It takes a plan.”

“That means we need a president who knows what we’re up against, who has no illusions... but can actually get it done... The good news is everywhere I go, smart, determined people are working hard to reverse these trends.”

Clinton has given a little speech calling trickle-down economics a fantasy. “I like to look at evidence... I think evidence is important,” Clinton says.

“Twice now in the past 30 years a Republican president has created an economic mess and a Democratic president has had to come in and clean it up,” Clinton says.

She turns to attack Wall Street culture: “They’re driven by Wall Street’s obsession with short-term share prices and corporate profits”. The short-term pressure creates “perverse” incentives, she says.

It is wrong to take taxpayer dollars with one hand and give out pink slips with the other hand. And no company should be moving their headquarters overseas just to avoid paying their taxes here at home.

Clinton says in contrast with Trump’s “reckless” ideas she has a 5-step plan to make the economy “work for everyone”.

“The measure of our success will be how much incomes rise... how many children are lifted out of poverty... how many Americans can find good jobs... that provide a sense of dignity and pride.”

The mission, she says, is “an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top”.

Clinton starts as she did yesterday, sharing her joy at being a grandmother. Trump hasn’t talked much about being a newly re-minted grandfather.

“As we Methodists like to say, do all the good you can for all the people you can in as many ways as you can”, Clinton says, emphasizing a faith which just yesterday Trump said was undocumented.

Clinton speaks

Clinton has begun speaking in North Carolina. Here’s a live video stream:

Post investigation finds no trace of Trump charitable donations

The Washington Post’s David Fahrenthold is contacting hundreds of charities to try to figure out whether Donald Trump really has made “millions” in secret charitable deductions, as Trump claims.

Fahrenthold is having a difficult time finding recipients of Trump’s largesse. “Still just 1 personal gift from @realdonaldtrump to charity btw ‘08 and his $1m gift to vets this yr,” he writes:

Trump has not contributed to his foundation since 2008, according to tax records.

Clinton will reportedly serve up some tit-for-tat in her speech on economic policy this afternoon in North Carolina. The proceedings are to begin at 2.30pm ET, we will have a video feed for you.

Checking in on the House sit-in... which members have been advised could last all day:

Rubio: “This is a tough race, but we’re going to win it thanks to your work”:

Here’s video of Sanders saying “It doesn’t appear that I’m going to be the nominee”:

Bernie Sanders outran every other candidate in 2016 when it came to grassroots fundraising. Now the manager of digital fundraising for the Sanders camp expresses extreme doubt about a Trump campaign claim that they raised $2m in 12 hours:

As a Republican lawmaker from Illinois, Dennis Hastert led the House of Representatives as Speaker for eight years. In April he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for financial crimes related to purported sexual abuse of minors. The judge in the case called him a “serial child molester”.

Updated

Donald Trump has scored a “True” from Politifact for calling out Clinton’s Bosnia “sniper fire” story. Calling out this Clinton prevarication worked for Barack Obama eight years ago... maybe it will work in 2016 too?

Trump said, “Hillary Clinton who, as you know, as most people know, is a world class liar – just look at her pathetic email and server statements, or her phony landing in Bosnia where she said she was under attack but the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers, a total self-serving lie.”

Politifact says:

In all key respects, Trump is correct. Clinton did claim [during the 2008 campaign] that she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire and that there was no greeting ceremony. She later retracted the entire statement.

Sanders: 'It doesn’t appear that I’m going to be the nominee'

In the most stark language on the topic he has used to date, Bernie Sanders admitted Wednesday that he is not on the way to winning the Democratic presidential nomination.

“It doesn’t appear that I’m going to be the nominee, so I’m not going to determine the scope of the convention,” Sanders told CSPAN, in remarks to air later Wednesday and transcribed by the Washington Post.

“I’ve given a few speeches in my life. It would be nice to speak at the Democratic National Convention. If for whatever reason they don’t want me to speak, then whatever. But I do think I’ll speak at the convention....

“We are negotiating almost every day with the Clinton people and we want Secretary Clinton to stake out the strongest positions she can on campaign finance reform, on health care, on education — especially higher education — on the economy, on the minimum wage,” said Sanders. “She has clearly had to fight her way through a lot of sexism and unfair attacks over the years — which are based on sexism. But we have disagreements. She is clearly an establishment Democrat.”

Read further:

Updated

House Democrats rebut Trump charges against Clinton

House Democrats fired back at Donald Trump after meeting Hillary Clinton on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, reports Guardian Washington correspondent David Smith:

Asked about Trump’s assertion that Clinton ran the State Department “like her own personal hedge fund,” Representative Xavier Becerra, chairman of the House Democratic caucus, called on the media to hold the candidate to account.

“At some point we’re all going to ask Donald Trump to prove what he says,” he told reporters. “He doesn’t have a right to make accusations that he can’t back up. This is no longer a race with 17 candidates where he can say something and you’ve got to move on.

Becerra, right, and Crowley on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Becerra, right, and Crowley on Capitol Hill Wednesday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

“I would hope that our press and all of us who have had an opportunity to be in leadership positions would ask Donald Trump to show us what he means because Donald Trump says a whole lot but he can’t back it up. So when he makes outlandish claims like those he should show us what he bases those on and you should ask him what he bases those on. You shouldn’t just let him get away with making a statement.”

Becerra also responded to Trump’s claim that the Clintons have made millions from speeches and will therefore be beholden to lobbyists, companies and foreign governments.

“Donald Trump should be the last person to talk to people about how anyone makes their money,” he insisted. “The moment that Donald Trump reveals his tax returns, which every candidate for president has done for decades, then maybe we’ll listen to what Donald Trump has to say but until then, Donald Trump is hiding something.

“It’s hard for Americans to trust anyone and what they say about someone else’s finances when he himself has been unwilling to reveal his finances. Is he really rich? Prove it. Does he really donate? Prove it. Does he really pay taxes? I don’t think Donald Trump pays tax. Donald Trump: prove it.”

Clinton and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi arrive for a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus Wednesday.
Clinton and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi arrive for a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus Wednesday. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

Joe Crowley, vice-chair of the Democratic caucus, cited public complaints over Trump University. “This is conman Don. He likes to throw spaghetti on the refrigerator and see if it sticks. That’s all he’s done. He has marketed himself and by doing that he tries to bring his opponents down by name calling, attacking their first name, going after their brand.

“He’s a brander. The name Trump is a brand. It’s on every building he’s ever built and every golf course. The only thing bigger than the golf course is the name Trump because that’s what he’s about, branding, and part of branding is bringing other people down. He’s not about building up the country, he’s not about building up a constituency and have them focus on someone to believe in.”

Becerra, Crowley, Nancy Pelosi and others lavished praised on Clinton, contrasting a sense of affection and unity in the room with the turmoil besieging the Republican party. They acknowledged the importance of rallying Bernie Sanders supporters to her side and said she intends to pursue a 50-state strategy.

Becerra has been touted as potential running mate for Clinton. Crowley joked: “You should have seen in which Xavier poured so accurately that water and held it to her lips. It was a thing of beauty.”

Asked if he had been vetted, Becerra said: “I have no knowledge of that.”

But South Carolina Representative Jim Clyburn added: “He absolutely a stand-up kind of guy. If he’s not being vetted, I hope he will be.”

Updated

Rubio: prospect of a Trump presidency 'worrisome'

In a statement titled “Why I’m Running”, Marco Rubio has explained... why he is running for reelection to the US senate.

“In politics, admitting you’ve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes,” the statement begins. It includes these lines:

Still, the people of Florida deserve to know why I’ve changed my mind...

the Senate is also a place from which you can perform great services for the people you have the honor of representing....

...there’s another role for the Senate that could end up being its most important in the years to come: The Constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president.

Control of the Senate may very well come down to the race in Florida. That means the future of the Supreme Court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. [...]

The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable. If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. I’ve proven a willingness to do both.

CSPAN is at pains to point out that the decision not to televise the current sit-in has been taken by the (Republican-controlled) House itself, not by the cable station:

How long will the House sit-in last? Former Representative Gabrielle Giffords tweets her support:

Bill Clinton does too:

Updated

Clinton’s rapid response team compares Trump to noted conspiracy Froot Loop Alex Jones:

Will Sanders voters take Trump up on his invitation to join the movement?

MoveOn.org is not on the Trump Train:

Warren to join Clinton on campaign trail

Senator Elizabeth Warren will join Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail on Monday, 27 June, the Clinton camp has announced:

At a public event in Cincinnati, Clinton and Warren will discuss their shared commitment to building an America that is stronger together and an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.

Cruz supports Rubio for senate

Former presidential candidate and current senator Ted Cruz has supported Marco Rubio’s bid to keep his senate seat.

“Marco is a friend and has been an ally in many battles we have fought together in the Senate,” Cruz says in a statement:

I’m glad to support him in his bid for re-election. Marco is a tremendous communicator and a powerful voice for the American Dream. At this time of great challenges, we very much need strong leaders in the Senate who will fight to restore economic growth, to defend our constitutional liberties, and to ensure a strong national security for our nation.

Summary

Here’s a summary of Trump’s speech:

  • Trump attacked Hillary Clinton in broad terms, accusing her of spreading “death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched” as secretary of state.
  • Trump’s attacks on Clinton had the eerie quality of echoing attacks she has made on him. “She gets rich by making you poor,” Trump said. “She thinks it’s all about her. I know it’s all about you.” “She’s a world-class liar”.
  • Trump accused Clinton of taking money through the Clinton foundation from China and from regimes hostile to US economic interests.
  • Trump’s attacks were largely taken from the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer, a tendentious account of the Clintons’ business dealings over the years, which Trump quoted from liberally.
  • Trump asked Bernie Sanders voters to join his campaign, saying that he would end the rigged Washington system just as they wished to do.
  • Trump said that “thousands have suffered the same fate” as a police sergeant “killed by an illegal immigrant”.
  • Trump listed things he would do in his first 100 days. Not on the list were building a border wall, deporting undocumented migrants and banning Muslims.
  • Trump be-bopped through a bit of spoken-word riffing on “Americans, Americans, Americans, the people we love, Americans, America First, Make our country great again– are going to start believing in the future or our country.”

Updated

A pic from the House floor sit-in:

In an aside, Trump said that the United States is the highest-taxed country in the world, but that is false and not true.

Democrats stage sit-in on House floor to call for gun safety vote

Updated

Trump lapses into spoken word tribute to 'Americans'

Here’s the big finale, in which Trump breaks from the transcript to speak a hymn, an improvised ode, to “Americans, Americans, Americans”:

Our country is going to start working again.

People are going to start working again.

Parents are going to start dreaming big for their children again – including parents in our inner cities.

Americans, Americans, Americans, the people we love, Americans, America First, Make our country great again– are going to start believing in the future or our country.

We are going to make America rich again.

We are going to make America safe again.

We are going to make America Great Again – and Great Again For EVERYONE. Everyone. Thank you very much.

Trump is done. Standing applause up front. The announcer asks everyone to remain in place until Mr Trump and his family have left.

Updated

Trump: 'Massive new factories will come roaring into our country'

Trump makes a string of amazing promises:

Come this November, we can bring America back – bigger and better, and stronger than ever.

We will build the greatest infrastructure on the planet earth – the roads and railways and airports of tomorrow.

Our military will have the best technology and finest equipment – we will bring it back all the way. Strong, strong, strong.

Massive new factories will come roaring into our country – breathing life and hope into our communities.

Inner cities, which have been horribly abused by Hillary Clinton and the Democrat Party, will finally, finally, finally be rebuilt.

Construction is what I know -- I say, nobody knows it better.

The real wages for our workers have not been raised for 18 years -- but these wages will start going up, along with the new jobs. Hillary’s massive taxation, regulation and open borders will destroy jobs and drive down wages for everyone. And that’s what’s been happening, and that’s why you’ve seen so many people coming to our rallies.

We are also going to be supporting our police and law enforcement -- we can never forget the great job they do.

I am also going to appoint great Supreme Court Justices.

Trump: 'this is our last chance'

Trump is now doing what most candidates do, trying to frame the election as a basic contrast between two visions. In Trump’s interpretation, it’s “can’t change” versus “have to change”:

Come November, the American people will have a chance to issue a verdict on the politicians that have sacrificed their security, betrayed their prosperity, and sold out their country.

They will have a chance to vote for a new agenda with big dreams, bold ideas and enormous possibilities for the American people.

Hillary Clinton’s message is old and tired. Her message is that can’t change.

My message is that things have to change – and this is our one chance do it. This is our last chance to do it.

Here’s the meaty policy bit. What Trump would do, as opposed to what Clinton does wrong.

Trump’s not even going to get started on the wall or the deportations in the first 100 days, according to this list. Banning Mulsim migrants isn’t on the list, either. Why wait?

Here are a few things a Trump Administration will do for America in the first 100 days:

  • Appoint judges who will uphold the Constitution. Hillary Clinton’s radical judges will virtually abolish the 2nd amendment.
  • Change immigration rules to give unemployed Americans an opportunity to fill good-paying jobs
  • Stand up to countries that cheat on trade, of which there are many
  • Cancel rules and regulations that send jobs overseas
  • Lift restrictions on energy production
  • Repeal and replace job-killing Obamacare -- it is a disaster.
  • Pass massive tax reform to create millions of new jobs.
  • Impose tough new ethics rules to restore dignity to the Office of Secretary of State.

There is one common theme in all of these reforms.

It’s going to be America First.

Updated

Trump: 'thousands' killed by illegal immigrants

Trump says that “thousands have suffered the same fate” as a police sergeant “killed by an illegal immigrant”:

Let me share with you a letter our campaign received from Mary Ann Mendoza.

She lost her amazing son, Police Sergeant Brandon Mendoza, after he was killed by an illegal immigrant because of the open borders policies supported by Hillary Clinton.

Sadly, the Mendoza family is just one of thousands who have suffered the same fate.

Here is an excerpt from Mrs. Mendoza’s letter:

“Hillary Clinton, who already has the blood of so many on her hands, is now announcing that she is willing to put each and every one of our lives in harms’ way – an open door policy to criminals and terrorists to enter our country. Hillary is not concerned about you or I, she is only concerned about the power the presidency would bring to her. She needs to go to prison to pay for the crimes she has already committed against this country.”

Trump says the risk that Clinton’s emails have been hacked disqualify her for the presidency:

While we may not know what is in those deleted emails, our enemies probably do.

So they probably now have a blackmail file over someone who wants to be President of the United States.

This fact alone disqualifies her from the Presidency.

We can’t hand over our government to someone whose deepest, darkest secrets may be in the hands of our enemies.

Trump is listing bad things the book Clinton Cash says about Hillary Clinton. His bullet points include:

Hillary Clinton accepted $58,000 in jewelry from the government of Brunei when she was Secretary of State – plus millions more for her foundation. The Sultan of Brunei has pushed oppressive Sharia law, including the punishment of death by stoning for being gay. The government of Brunei also stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Hillary’s Trans-Pacific Partnership, which she would absolutely approve if given the chance.

Trump is going hard on the hostile policies of Gulf regimes towards gays and lesbians. The Unites States is close with certain of those regimes. Ergo Clinton is against the LGBTQ community, is his argument. Read the full speech here.

This line inspires the Trump crowd to chant “Trump! Trump! Trump!”

Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency.

Trump is on to immigration and refugee resettlement. He seems to say that Clinton wants to allow immigrants who wish to kill gay people because of donations to the Clinton Foundation:

The father of the Orlando shooter was a Taliban supporter from Afghanistan, one of the most repressive anti-gay and anti-women regimes on Earth.

I only want to admit people who share our values and love our people.

Hillary Clinton wants to bring in people who believe women should be enslaved and gays put to death.

Maybe her motivation lies among the more than 1,000 foreign donations Hillary failed to disclose while at the State Department.

Trump.
Trump. Photograph: Mary Altaffer/AP

Updated

“In short, Hillary Clinton’s tryout for the presidency has produced one deadly foreign policy disaster after another,” Trump says.

“One by one, they’re all bad, she’s virtually done nothing right, she’s virtually done nothing good”. He lists Iraq and Libya.

“She lacks the temperament, the judgment and the competence to lead. She should not be president under any circumstances.”

Trump: 'ISIS threatens us today because of the decisions Hillary Clinton has made'

Trump is critiquing Clinton’s foreign policy:

Thanks to Hillary Clinton, Iran is now the dominant Islamic power in the Middle East, and on the road to nuclear weapons.

Hillary Clinton’s support for violent regime change in Syria has thrown the country into one of the bloodiest civil wars anyone has ever seen – while giving ISIS a launching pad for terrorism against the West.

She helped force out a friendly regime in Egypt and replace it with the radical Muslim Brotherhood. The Egyptian military has retaken control, but Clinton has opened the Pandora’s box of radical Islam.

Then, there was the disastrous strategy of announcing our departure date from Iraq, handing large parts of the country over to ISIS killers.

ISIS threatens us today because of the decisions Hillary Clinton has made, along with President Obama.

Trump: Clinton spread death

Here’s quite a line:

Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched.

Then Trump goes hard on Benghazi:

Among the victims is our late Ambassador, Chris Stevens. He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed -- that’s right, when the phone rang at 3 o’clock in the morning, she was sleeping.

Ambassador Stevens and his staff in Libya made hundreds of requests for security.

Hillary Clinton’s State Department refused them all.

She started the war that put him in Libya, denied him the security he asked for, then left him there to die.

Trump transcript

Here’s a transcript of Trump’s speech. He’s sticking to it, by and large – even the part about Brian Williams was in the transcript.

He’s now saying:

It’s not just our economy that’s been corrupted, but our foreign policy too.

The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars – and unleashed ISIS across the world.

No Secretary of State has been more wrong, more often, and in more places than Hillary Clinton.

Trump: 'She gets rich by making you poor'

Trump quotes from the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer, which he says “documents how Bill and Hillary used the state department to enrich themselves at America’s expense.”

“She gets rich by making you poor.” Clinton said the same about him yesterday.

Trump quotes from the book. It accuses Clinton of negotiating deals with China that benefited her family and foundation but hurt the United States.

“We have to make America rich again,” Trump says. “And that’s what I mean by America first.”

He talks about the return of manufacturing to the United States. “Desperately we need those jobs.” He says George Washington signed a bill to protect US manufacturing and Abraham Lincoln warned against protectionism. He says he’s seen the devastation caused “by the trade policies of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and it’s total devastation”.

Trump does not offer an idea for how to bring manufacturing back to US shores.

Trump is now on to Nafta. He says Hillary Clinton supported it, as she supported China joining the World Trade Organization.

Trump is inhaling forcefully through his nostrils, which is audible.

All the people up front, who have been clapping a lot, clapped extra for the ‘I’m with you’ line (as opposed to ‘I’m with her’).

Trump: Clinton 'thinks it's all about her'

Trump has a retort for Clinton’s slogan, “I’m with her”.

Trump says, “I’m with you, the American people.”

“She thinks it’s all about her. I know it’s all about you, about making America great again.”

“If I’m elected president, I will end the special interest monopoly in Washington DC,” Trump says. His effective campaign manager, Paul Manafort, has worked as a lobbyist.

Clinton, in contrast, he says “has perfected the politics of personal profit and even theft”. As secretary of state, Trump says, Clinton “did favors” for reprehensible regimes “in exchange for cash”.

Then he hits her for getting paid to speak to the big banks after she left office. Bill Clinton took money for speeches too, he says.

“They totally own her, and that will never ever change, including if she became president, god help us.”

Trump: Clinton a 'world-class liar'

Trump makes his pitch for voters to support him as an outsider, the way they might previously have supported Sanders.

Then he lays into Clinton:

“She’s a world-class liar, just look at her pathetic email statements or her phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack, and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers. A total and self-serving lie. Brian Williams’ career was destroyed for saying less. Remember that.

Trump replies to Clinton’s attack of yesterday on his business record:

Trump says he “built a business that today is worth well over $10bn... I’ve always had a talent for building businesses and more importantly for creating jobs.”

Trump: 'We're asking Bernie Sanders voters to join our movement'

Trump says dilapidated airports and infrastructure and outsourced manufacturing can’t be fixed by Clinton but “only by me”.

Here’s a line: “jobs, jobs, jobs”.

“Everywhere I look I see the possibilities of what our country could be, but we can’t solve any of the problems by counting on the politicians who created the problems themselves.”

Trump : “We’re asking Bernie Sanders voters to join our movement so together we can fix the system for all Americans – so important”.

Trump: 'I'm running to give back'

Trump says he’d like to share his thoughts about the election. He says people ask him why he’s running for president when he already has a great business and gets to work with his kids.

“I’m running to give back to this country which has been so very good to me.”

Trump begins speech

Here he is, and here’s a live video stream:

Representative Murphy, should he win the Democratic primary, could be running against Rubio in November. He takes the occasion of this morning’s news to taunt Rubio a bit:

We’ll note that there are a couple TelePrompters here in the Trump ballroom. It’s unclear whether the candidate will be taking questions.

Participants staged a die-in outside Trump Tower Tuesday in memory of all the lives taken by homophobia.
Participants staged a die-in outside Trump Tower Tuesday in memory of all the lives taken by homophobia. Photograph: SIPA/REX/Shutterstock

Rubio to seek reelection – report

Marco Rubio will run for reelection to his senate seat, the New York Times reports, citing “three people who have been informed of his decision”.

Rubio had said he would not run in order to focus on his presidential bid. When that didn’t work, Rubio continued to insist that he would not run, even mocking the press for raising the question. The Republicans are at risk of losing Rubio’s seat. He is considered to be their strongest candidate and best shot at retaining it.

Rubio could face either Representative Patrick Murphy or Representative Alan Grayson, an outspoken figure polarizing within his own caucus whom senate minority leader Harry Reid said he hoped would lose.

Yesterday Rubio dismissed questions from the Guardian about whether he would run.

Here’s the exchange: “Are you any closer to a decision than you were an hour ago?”

Updated

Trump on Brexit: 'I don't think anybody should listen to me'

Donald Trump spoke with Fox Business this morning and was asked about the Brexit, which Trump has supported and which Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson argued for Tuesday by the logic that “America is here because of its own little Brexit”.

Trump says “my inclination would be to get out”, but he attached a rather significant caveat: “I don’t think anybody should listen to me because I haven’t really focused on it very much,” Trump told Fox.

CBS’ Sopan Deb has the transcript:

Hello from Trump Soho, a 46-story hotel-condo on far western Spring Street in Manhattan. We’re on the third floor, in a ballroom with a lot of icicle chandeliers, a lot of media colleagues and, up front, four American flags and a lectern with Trump’s name on it.

With the blog in the room is Guardian reporter Lauren Gambino, who took this picture about an hour ago:

The empty seats up front are a no-go zone for press. Eric Trump’s here, and spokeswoman Hope Hicks, among recognizable faces.

Trump is scheduled to begin speaking in about 45 minutes. We’ll have a live video stream when the time comes.

Hello and welcome to our live-wire coverage of the 2016 race for the White House. Donald Trump is to deliver a speech today that will expose Hillary Clinton, his likely rival, in what he says is all her crookedness. The Trump campaign has not shared details of the speech but has indicated it will represent a memory-lane tour of all the wincing-est episodes from the decades the Clintons have been in the public eye. We’ll be blogging from the scene in Manhattan.

Clinton will deliver a speech herself, in North Carolina, on her proposals for the economy, a day after attacking Trump over what she said were his lack of proposals.

Late on Tuesday, Trump defended his fundraising deficit – he had $1.3m at the end of May compared to Clinton’s $42.5m – by saying that Clinton had taken “blood money” and would be beholden to special interests.

“When she raises this money, every time she raises this money, she is making deals,” Trump said. “Saying, ‘Can I be the ambassador to this, can I do that. Make sure my business is being taken care of.’ I mean, gimme a break – all of the money she is raising is blood money. That’s blood money is blood money [sic].”

Some Republicans, however, would prefer for Trump to have the cash instead of the moral high ground (according to him). But the empty bank accounts and the sagging poll numbers are only the most visible symptoms of trouble in the Trump campaign, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington writes:

Behind the scenes, in the largely invisible world of digital organizing on which modern presidential campaigns increasingly depend, Trump is not merely lagging behind – he’s not on the map.

Read further:

There are signs the Trump campaign is trying to make changes that would make it worthy of the name. Fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski told a group of New York State Republicans on Tuesday that the campaign would probably hire between 100 and 150 staffers in the next month, and would campaign in New York “just like Ronald Reagan in 1984”.

It’s difficult to tease out how serious the vow to hire more staffers is when it comes in the same breath as a comparison between Trump and Reagan. But you can read further here:

Trump, who travels to Scotland on Thursday, described with unprecedented clarity on Tuesday his preference for a Brexit: “I would say that they’re [Britain is] better off without it [the EU]”, Trump said. “But I want them to make their own decision.” Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson also contributed her insight on the issue, pointing out that “America is here because of its own little Brexit”. The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs reports:

Spokeswoman Katrina Pierson, a longtime Trump aide, did not specify whether she was referring to the American revolution or whether she saw a modern parallel between the US political situation and the European Union, where the issue of immigration has become a political lightning rod.

Thanks for reading and, as always, please join us in the comments.

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