Everybody. It is july, july 1st, in fact. Im yasmin vossoughian. Weve got a lot to cover this morning. We are learning new information about that money trail linked to a suspected russian bounty plot, targeting u. S. Troops in afghanistan. The New York Times reports that american officials intercepted electronic data showing large financial transfers from a bank account controlled by russias military intelligence agency, to a talibanlinked account, according to three officials familiar with the intelligence. And the times also notes that investigators identified the names of numerous afghans in a network linked to the operation, including a man believed to have served as an intermediary, in the distribution of money. Afghan officials also confirmed that over the past six months they have arrested several businessmen, suspected of being part of a ring of middle men who, quote, operate between the Russian Intelligence Agency and talibanlinked militants. A white house spokesperson declined to comment on the times reporting. Meanwhile, abc has so lid slid learning about it. Claiming no one had briefed him about the matter. The Associated Press reports that Trumps National security adviser at the time, john bolton, told colleagues that he briefed the president about the intelligence in march of 2019. Nbc news, though, has not confirmed that reporting. The Trump Administration insists the president was never briefed on the matter. The source added that the information was, quote, out there, at least a month before the april 2019 car bomb attack in paff began stan that killed three u. S. Marines. Nbc news has not confirmed a link between the bombing and any alleged offers of bounties by the russians. And White House Press secretary Kayleigh Mcenany told reporters that trump has now been briefed and attacks the New York Times for publishing the allegations in the first place. President has been briefed on what is unfortunately in the Public Domain because of the New York Times. And the irresponsible leaks. Yes, he has been briefed but that does not change the fact that theres no consensus on this intelligence that still has yet to be verified. I guess more broadly, you know, i would ask the question whether it was in the material, but asking makes you defend why the president isnt necessarily reading his pbd . The president does read. He also consumes intelligence verbally. This president ill tell is you the most informed person on planet earth when it comes to the threats that we face. Hes constantly being briefed on important matters. Im not going to allow the New York Times to dictate when we give topsecret service and dont give topsecret information. Meanwhile, democrats briefed on the bounty intel said the briefing was inadequate. Lawmakers said they learned no new information and instead of hearing from officials within the intelligence community, democrats say they were briefed by the president s political appointees. One democratic aide telling nbc news that Robert Obrien occasionally chiming in we need to hear from the heads of the intelligence agencies. In my view, the right people were not in the room to give us the kind of briefing we needed to get. I thought this briefing was the white house personnel telling us their perspective. I think we knew the white house perspective. What we need to know is the intelligence perspectives. The president called this a hoax. Publicly. Nothing in the briefing that we have just received led me to believe it is a hoax. This was a red flag. It either was not waved, or the president ignored the wave. President truman said the buck stops here. President trump says i never saw the buck. So, the sources telling nbc news that the white house will brief the partisan gang of aet on the bounty issue today that is, the democratic and Republican Leaders of the house and senate and the chairman and ranking members of the house and senate intel communities. Also senator Mitch Mcconnell was asked if he would support new sanctions on russia, he didnt answer the question directly, but he did say this i cant verify the current rumors that all of you are writing about, but would i be surprised if the russians were doing Something Like this . Absolutely not. They are trying to create a problem for us everywhere. They particularly want us out of syria and out of afghanistan. So it shouldnt be a surprise to anyone that theyre going to try to create as many problems as they can for our continued presence in the middle east, or for that matter, anywhere else in the world that they can stick their thumb in our eyes. Lets be clear here, though, these are not rumors. This is based on intelligence of the u. S. Intelligence community. So, mcconnell also broke with the president when asked if russia should be allowed back into the g7, saying, quote, absolutely not. Joining me now nbc news news correspondent leigh ann caldwell. Leigh ann, thank you for getting up with us. Of course. Lawmakers on capitol hill, as we are hearing, they are fighting for more access to intelligence reports about the afghan militants being offered russian bounties. Do you think theyre going to get what they want . This administration, yasmin, has not been completely open with information when democrats and republicans have asked for it, when it is critical to the president. So, if the past is any indication of whats going to happen in the future, its unlikely. Democrats sent a letter to defense secretary esper yesterday, as well as secretary of state mike pompeo asking for what they knew in this situation as well. And democrats have made the point yesterday, as you mentioned in your opening, that they they got a political briefing. They were briefed by mark meadows, the head of john ratcliffe, the head of director of national intelligence. Just two months ago he was a very conservative republican congressman. So this briefing had a definitive spin on it. And even republican liz cheney, a member of leadership, she says she has a lot more questions. And she absolutely wants to hear from intelligence officials such as the head of the cia gina haspel. One thing serious, yasmin, this has raised a lot of question and questions that the republicans are trying to downplay a little bit. The significant thing, of course, we know that russia was is a bad actor here. Both sides definitely say theyre going to continue to look into it, and they have a lot more questions. So, lets talk about republicans here for a moment. Once again, republicans are in a position where they are facing questions about the president s relationship to russia. And why it seems as if he continues to not be tough enough on russia, considering this most recent intelligence. What are you hearing in that respect . Republicans continue to say that they are have been more tougher on russia than in recent history. That this administration has been tougher on russia, as far as their policies are concerned than any recent administration, and that is a line that i have heard over and over again since, you know, over the past one to two years. And thats one that they maintain as well. You heard that in Mitch Mcconnells response saying that absolutely russia should not be part of the g7 and it should not be expanded to the g8. And that is something that theyre going to continue to hone in on, especially leading into the election, as more and more questions are raised about the president s, you know, relationship with vladimir putin. And what role he puts National Security in that relationship, yasmin. But mcconnell not willing to go so far as to say he in fact will support sanctioning russia because of this latest intelligence. Nbc news, leigh ann caldwell, thank you so much. Ill talk to you in a little bit. Lets talk covid for a moment. The nations Infectious Disease dr. Anthony fauci sending a stark warning over the countrys efforts to combat the coronavirus. Well im very concerned about whats going on right now, particularly in the four states that are accounting for about 50 of the new infections. But the other vulnerable states. So, id have to say the numbers speak for themselves. Im very concerned. Im not satisfied with whats going on because were going in the wrong direction. Clearly, we are not in total control right now. We cant just focus on those areas that are having the surge. It puts the entire country at risk. We are now having 40 plus thousand new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day, if this does not turn around. And so i am very concerned. A very startling and scary prediction there from dr. Anthony fauci. Still ahead, everybody, a major blow to President Trumps immigration agenda. A federal judge has just struck down a Trump Administration policy on claiming asylum. Also later, the governor of mississippi signs a historic bill to remove a confederate symbol from the state flag. Those stories, and then, of course, a check of your weather, when we come back. Welcome back. Late last night, a federal judge struck down a Trump Administration rule that required those seeking asylum in the United States to have applied in another country. The rule is deemed unlawful for a lot of reasons including being contrary to the immigration and national act. U. S. District court judge kelly generally allows anyone who has made to the u. S. Asylum. And joining me now sh, msnbc le analyst danny cevallos. Danny, good morning. Nice to see you this morning. Good morning. This came down for the same reason that the Supreme Court received daca last week. A flaw. Break this down for us . Congress is made up of our elected representatives and when they enact legislation, they do so through the legislative process. But it was generally worded, thou shall pay your taxes or Something Like that. Then theres the executive law that enforces the law that has to create all of these rules and regulations that essentially have the force of law. But when the executive branch creates that law, its not through an elected representative. Its through some person in office in an executive branch. So these laws, so to speak, arent subject to any sort of democratic process. For that reason, we have the administrative procedures act and other laws that require the rules to be put out there for the public to comment on them. And they do comment on them. But in this case, the government, the executive branch, decided to streamline these without the notice and comment procedure, under what it thought were some valid exceptions. And the court said, no, these exceptions dont apply. You still have to put this out there for notice and comment. Or else, the regulations are completely unfair because the public has had no opportunity at all to weigh in on it. So, first of all, this seems like a major win for asylum seekers. Take us through that. And also the decision suggested it was illegal for other reasons as well as what i suggested. So, is it unlikely theres going to be some new and improved version of this rule that would eventually pass muster . Anytime a District Court invalidates a regulation based on the administrative procedures act, its essentially saying, its not passing on whether or not the executive branch had the power ultimately to do this in some other way. Its just saying it didnt follow the proper procedures in this instance. But the courts opinion does suggest that the urgency and the need that the government had to enact these rules, or put out these rules, wasnt as urgent as the government made it out to be. So that could be a harbinger of what courts in the future may decide on this. But keep in mind, anytime a Court Invalidates a regulation on the procedures act it just means the executive branch failed to follow a procedure. It really doesnt mean that the executive branch can achieve what it wanted to achieve through other means. All right. Well be watching this develop. Danny cevallos. Thank you as thaulalways, great see you. Still ahead, were breaking down Election Results that impacts several Key Senate Races this november. We are back in a moment. Oment. A continuous glucose monitor, you dont have to. With a painless, onesecond scan you can check your glucose with a smart phone or reader so you can stay in the moment. 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The kentucky secretary of state said that more than 161,000 people voted in person last tuesday, but there were more than 500,000 million ballots that needed to be counted. Mcgrath initially held an enormous if you wafundraising o booker. Also, former Governor John Hickenlooper won tuesdays primary in colorado and will face senator cory gartner. Hickenlooper beat back a challenge from andrew romanoff. Across to politico, the Colorado Senate race was the most significant on tuesday because the state was essential for the democrats path back to the senate majority. Lets switch gears getting first look at your forecast with meteorologist janessa webb. Good morning, janessa. Good morning, yasmin. Here in july and were tracking the storms ant heat that continue to build. Well take a look at current radar. Nothing too severe. But well see a squall line across the south and from South Carolina into georgia. The primary thread will be damaging winds and a little bit of hail this afternoon. Possibility with all of the heat that we are currently seeing an isolated tornado in that area. But youre going to see pockets of cells that are going to produce torrential rain. Potential rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. I do think for the Central Plains well start to see the flash flooding concerns start to expand from memphis to nashville, even to the ohio valley. And this as the storm well to the south, its producing well air. And the storm will pop up across this front causing gusty conditions all the way through thursday afternoon. I think the real big story for today, were going to see this expanse of heat from Oklahoma City all the way to little rock, even parts of the deep south. Right now, were only seeing 19 million. But this will start to make its way to the southeast, to the mississippi valley, ohio valley, as well this afternoon. But were talking about these heat indexes, theyre going to reach 105 to potentially 115. Thats what it feels like on the skin. The air temperature is going to be sitting in the lower 90s. And then this starts to really make its way into the northeast. So the ac is going to be cranking across the great lakes, even from minneapolis this afternoon where its sitting at 93 degrees. Then 90s will be the thing as we go into this weekend, fourth of july, washington, d. C. , sitting in the 90s, yasmin. Thank you, janessa. Still ahead, everybody, with coronavirus cases on the rise in several states, were seeing a growing number of republicans break with the president on the issue of face masks. Also, joe biden tears into the president s Coronavirus Response and explain what is he would do differently. We are back in a moment. Tmobile and sprint are joining forces to build americas largest and most reliable 5g network. With more towers, and more engineers, youll get the best 5g network and the best prices. Welcome to tmobile. Welcome back, everybody. I am yasmin vossoughian. Were going to begin this half hour with the u. S. Hitting a new record. Nearly 48,000 coronavirus cases were reported yesterday alone. That is the most any day since the beginning of this pandemic. Texas, florida, arizona, continuing to emerge as the countrys latest epicenters as cases are surging there. Texas reporting more than 6,800 new cases just yesterday, bringing the states total to over 166,000. Florida, nearly 7,000 cases reported there. The state is one of several that have shut down bars to slow the spread of the virus, as it has start stod ed to increasingly i younger people. California, more than 6,000 cases, surpassing the deaths. Arizona,