U.S. and world news for June 27

Trump recording: A Trump campaign spokesperson claims that Donald Trump was just showing newspaper and magazine clippings to people at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, while he was being recorded saying that he was holding a classified government document. An audio recording of Trump was released last night by CNN. The recording also can be heard on the Westfair Communications website, westfaironline.com. The recording was given to Special Counsel Jack Smith prior to Trump’s indictment in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case. On the recording, Trump is heard telling the people with him that what he’s showing them is a government secret and that he could have declassified it while he was president but did not do so and can no longer declassify it because he’s no longer president.

Jan. 6 evidence allegedly ignored: A report by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee claims that the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security ignored or minimized a massive amount of evidence that there would be violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The report says that evidence that something violent would happen started piling up weeks before the assault on the Capitol took place.

Ex-Audi chief sentenced: The former head of German automaker Audi was sentenced today in a court in Munich after pleading guilty to fraud as a result of Audi issuing phony results of diesel emissions tests. Rupert Stadler was sentenced to 21 months in prison and then the sentence was suspended. He also was ordered to pay a fine of $1.2 million. Two Audi engineers also received suspended prison sentences and were ordered to pay fines.

Russian insurrection aftermath: The Russian government said today that members of the Wagner Group will be turning in their weapons and will not be prosecuted for taking part in the failed insurrection over the weekend. The development follows yesterday’s late night speech by President Vladimir Putin in which he urged the mercenaries to join the regular Russian army, go back to their homes or leave Russia. Putin said that a civil war had been stopped and also disclosed that Russia had paid the Wagner Group $1 billion from in the past year to fight for Russia.

Canadian wildfires: Smoke from the Canadian wildfires is bringing unhealthy air to the Upper Midwest today and is forecast to likely return to the New York City Metro area in a few days depending on the direction of upper level winds. Yesterday, moderate amounts of smoke had drifted down over northern parts of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. There have been an estimated 2,800 wildfires in Canada this year burning 18 million acres with an estimated 460 fires still burning.

James Crown dies in accident: President Biden and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon are among those who issued statements mourning the death of billionaire James Crown, who was killed in a race car accident over the weekend in Woody Creek, Colorado. Crown, whose fortune had been estimated at more than $10 billion in 2020, headed the investment firm Henry Crown and Company. He served on the board of JPMorgan Chase and was a guest at last week’s State Dinner for India’s Prime Minister at the White House.