Monday Scoop: Raid Me, My Friend

Welcome to the Morning Scoop for July 2. Our favorite Trump story has risen to the surface again with an exclusive ABC interview – but this time, the tables have turned. We applaud you, Mr. Cohen. 

Over the weekend, our team of student journalists wrote about the positive side of the Toys’R’Us closings, reactions to LeBron’s move, and a huge Fentanyl raid. Busy weekend for all of us. 

Michael Cohen Speaks Openly for the First Time Since FBI Raid

The last time Cohen went on the record for something like this? (Image: Flickr)

Last night, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen sat down with ABC News reporter George Stephanopoulos in an exclusive interview to discuss recent FBI investigations by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, among other things.

Some time has passed since the FBI raid in April which uncovered details about a large payoff to porn star Stormy Daniels. Throughout this scandal, Cohen remained loyal to President Trump, taking large hits for his longtime colleague and friend. President Trump has reciprocated this loyalty by calling Cohen “a fine person with a wonderful family,” confident that Cohen would defend him under any and all circumstances.

In last night’s interview, however, Cohen was quick to disagree with the president’s disdain for the ongoing investigations, stating that he “respects the prosecutors and the process.” Along these lines, Cohen indicated that he would cooperate with investigators, even if it puts Trump in jeopardy.

In a powerful statement, Cohen remarked, “I put family and country first.”

LeBron James Signs With the LA Lakers

Shockwaves swept the sports world yesterday after LeBron James, longtime member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, signed a four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for $154 million.

This will be the second time the Ohio native leaves his home team, after a stint with the Miami Heat between 2010 and 2014. He announced his decision yesterday through sports management agency Klutch. Many sports experts have been quick to read into James’ decision, considering he had several options in front of him, including the Boston Celtics or a re-sign with the Cavaliers. 

Read more from our resident basketball expert Tom Spurling in his analysis here.

Mexico Elects a New President

With only a fraction of the votes counted after polls closed Sunday, three candidates that were in the race for the Mexican presidency conceded leaving leftist veteran Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on course for the win.

CNN reports, “Shortly after polls closed Sunday, Jose Antonia Meade, a former finance minister and candidate for the center-right Institutional Revolutionary Party, which dominated politics in Mexico for decades, conceded in a speech to supporters.”

Meade added that voting conditions did not favor him or his fellow candidates, predicting Lopez Obrador would win the majority of the vote.

For more on this, read Duane Murphy’s analysis here.

Today in a Tweet: It’s Getting Hot in Here

Taking off all your clothes is optional. 

Last But Not Least: Toys’R’Us Closes Its Doors for Good

Over the weekend, many who were born in the 1980’s and 1990’s mourned the loss of their beloved childhood toy store, Toys’R’Us. The toy store announced earlier in the year that they intended to shut down after struggling financially with competition from Amazon and Walmart.

Friday was the last day of operation for the final stores of 735 nationwide locations of Toys’R’Us, as well as Babies’R’Us. Mourners quickly shared a photo of the toy store’s mascot, Geoffrey the Girafffe, standing in an empty store and leaving for “vacation,” causing strong emotions all over social media.

We’ll miss you.

Monday’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Arianna Lynne, Tom Spurling, Cam Taylor, Duane Murphy, Natalia Kolenko, and the CMN Staff. We’re leaving on a jet plane, we know when we’ll be back again. We’ll also have some craft brew from the microbrewery capital of the country for everyone. And we’ll have sand in our shoes.