WASHINGTON: Donald Trump’s eldest son revealed Tuesday that he was eager to hear damaging information about Hillary Clinton from the Russian government, disclosing a series of emails that marked the clearest sign to date that Trump’s campaign was willing to consider election help from a longtime U.S. adversary.

The email exchange posted to Twitter by Donald Trump Jr. showed him conversing with a music publicist who wanted him to meet with a “Russian government attorney” who supposedly had dirt on Clinton as “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” The messages reveal that Trump Jr. was told the Russian government had information that could “incriminate” Clinton and her dealings with Russia.

“I love it,” Trump Jr. said in one email response.

As the emails reverberated across the political world, Trump Jr. defended his actions in an interview with Fox News, blaming the decision to take the meeting on the “million miles per hour” pace of a presidential campaign and his suspicion that the lawyer might have information about “underreported” scandals involving Clinton. Trump Jr. said the meeting “really went nowhere” and that he never told his father about it because there was “nothing to tell.”

“In retrospect I probably would have done things a little differently,” Trump Jr. said.

Democrats in Congress voiced outrage and insisted the messages showed clear collusion, with California Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, declaring that “all of the campaign’s previous denials obviously now have to be viewed in a different context.”

Yet Republicans — who stand the most to lose politically from Trump’s Russia ordeal — did not join in the condemnation. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he was confident Senate investigators would “get to the bottom of whatever happened.” And Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican on the Intelligence Committee, cautioned that the emails were “only part of the picture.”

Trump Jr., who was deeply involved in his father’s presidential campaign, portrayed his decision to release the emails as an effort “to be totally transparent.” In fact, they had already been obtained by the New York Times.

Hours after the son posted the emails, the father rose to his defense.

“My son is a high-quality person and I applaud his transparency,” the president said in a statement read to reporters by White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Although Sanders declined to answer questions about the emails, she stood by the White House’s long-standing insistence that no one in Trump’s campaign colluded to influence the election.

The messages were the latest disclosure to roil the ongoing investigation into Russia’s interference in the election and potential collusion with Trump’s campaign. U.S. intelligence agencies have said the Russian government meddled in the election through hacking to aid Trump.

As congressional committees and special counsel Robert Mueller investigate, the emails will almost certainly be reviewed for any signs of coordination with the Kremlin, which the White House and Trump Jr. have repeatedly said did not take place. A spokesman for Mueller, the former FBI director, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation.

In the emails — dated early June 2016, soon after Trump secured the GOP nomination — music publicist Rob Goldstone wrote to Trump Jr. to connect him to Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya. Goldstone wrote that the information “would be very useful to your father.”

“If it’s what you say I love it especially later in the summer,” Trump Jr. replied in one of the emails. Days later, Veselnitskaya met with Trump Jr. on June 9 at Trump Tower in New York. Veselnitskaya has denied ever working for the Russian government.

The emails show Goldstone telling Trump that singer Emin Agalarov and his father, Moscow-based developer Aras Agalarov, had “helped along” the Russian government’s support for Trump. The elder Agalarov was involved with Trump in hosting the 2013 Miss Universe pageant in Moscow.

Here's my statement and the full email chain pic.twitter.com/x050r5n5LQ

The Diocese of Cleveland has a new bishop — a Cuban-American who was born in Miami and grew up in New Jersey with a view of the Manhattan skyline.

Pope Francis named Bishop Nelson J. Perez, auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre, N.Y., to the position Tuesday.

Perez, who displayed an affable personality and sense of humor during his introductory news conference in Cleveland, will be installed as the 11th bishop in the history of the diocese at a Mass on Sept. 5 at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in downtown Cleveland.

He admitted that he never imagined becoming an auxiliary bishop, let alone a bishop when he was ordained a priest in 1989 in Philadelphia.

“God’s ways and thoughts are not ours, but I know, I know, and I trust his ways are always better and deeper than our own comprehension,” Perez said. “I thank God for this awesome, incredible privilege to embark on this journey with you, the wonderful people of Cleveland.”

Perez, 56, said he was humbled by the opportunity. He joked that he received numerous texts, phone calls and emails congratulating him and assuring him that “Cleveland rocks.”

Perez, the first Hispanic bishop in the diocese, also used a portion of his news conference to speak in Spanish.

After he was introduced to the local community, he celebrated Mass at the Cathedral.

The Rev. Paul Rosing, pastor at Holy Family Parish in Stow, attended the news conference, celebrated Mass with Perez and had lunch with him along with other diocesan priests.

“He lights up the room when he walks in,” he said. “There’s a lot of energy there.”

During lunch, the new bishop picked up on the “frustrations and joys” shared by the priests. Rosing also was impressed with Perez’s self-effacing sense of humor and that he asked the priests to share stories about themselves.

“The biggest thing is he’s hopeful and joyful,” Rosing said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

The Rev. Mike Williamson, pastor at St. Matthew Parish in Akron’s Ellet neighborhood, watched the announcement Tuesday online with excitement.

Williamson, who has not met the new bishop, is looking forward to working with Perez.

“He seems very personable with a strong pastoral background,” Williamson said. “Those are great traits to have in a shepherd.”

St. Matthew has a growing Hispanic community and it’s also exciting to have a leader who has worked with Hispanic groups before, he added.

Perez succeeds Bishop Richard Lennon who retired in December after being diagnosed with vascular dementia. Diocese of Toledo Bishop Daniel E. Thomas has been overseeing the Cleveland Diocese on an interim basis and will continue until Perez is installed.

“In Bishop Nelson Perez, the Diocese of Cleveland is receiving a faithful, enthusiastic and joyful shepherd for Christ and his church,” Thomas said. “With his warm personality, Bishop Perez will quickly endear himself to all who meet him.”

Perez’s strong faith was instilled by his parents, David and Emma Perez. They emigrated to Miami while Emma Perez was pregnant.

“I was made in Cuba and unpackaged here in Miami,” Perez said, with a laugh.

“I’ve been so blessed to be raised in a faith-filled family; one that nurtured my faith and ultimately my vocation to the priesthood,” he added. “Without them, I simply would not be here today.”

Before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, Perez received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Montclair State University in 1983 and taught at Colegio la Piedad, a Catholic elementary school in Puerto Rico. He also has master’s degrees in divinity and theology.

In 1998, he was named a Chaplain of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II and Prelate of Honor in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.

In June 2012, Perez was named auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and received episcopal ordination on July 25, 2012.

He previously has served as a parish pastor, was the founding director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelization and serves as chair of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops’ Subcommittee for Hispanic Affairs. He also has taught courses in religion and psychology at La Salle University.

The Diocese of Cleveland is the 23rd-largest diocese in the U.S., overseeing 677,000 Catholics in Cuyahoga, Summit, Lorain, Lake, Geauga, Medina, Wayne and Ashland counties.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .

COPLEY: Walmart is abandoning plans to open a supercenter on Rothrock Road in the township, saying the retail climate has changed since it first proposed the move.

The world’s largest retailer notified township leaders in a letter this week that the company “does not desire to move forward with the development …” and is withdrawing its zoning application.

Walmart had considered moving its Walmart and Sam’s Club stores from the Rosemont Commons plaza in Fairlawn to neighboring Copley for at least a decade. The company had been interested in opening a supercenter with a full grocery and fuel station on Rothrock — about a mile from its current site.

But the retail market has changed dramatically since then, with many national retailers, including Walmart, shuttering stores. Walmart also recently began testing a delivery service using its own store employees to compete with online giant Amazon.

“As you can imagine, so many things have changed,” Walmart spokeswoman Anne Hatfield said Tuesday.

She said the retailer has renewed its Walmart lease at its current location. She didn’t know for how long. The future of the Sam’s Club, though, is still up in the air.

“We’re still determining that,” she said when asked if the Sam’s Club could be relocated.

She added that the company plans to sell the property it owns on Roth­rock.

Copley, which had been at a stalemate in negotiations for a new development agreement with Walmart, is happy that the ongoing “will Walmart, won’t Walmart” soap opera is coming to an end.

“The Copley Township trustees are pleased that Walmart has finally made a decision about the Rothrock Road site,” township attorney Irv Sugerman said. “Now that Walmart has abandoned the project, the trustees plan to initiate discussions about the future of that property and engage our neighbors in Fairlawn about dealing with the traffic issues in the Montrose area.”

Stark Enterprises, which manages the Rosemont Commons, also couldn’t be reached for comment.

Walmart has faced stiff opposition to the relocation from Fairlawn officials and the potential move created friction between city and township leaders.

In response to the company’s plans, Fairlawn closed a portion of Rothrock to through traffic. The decision, which prompted a lawsuit that the city won, made it more difficult for many motorists to reach the site.

The potential relocation also spawned two lawsuits against Summit County by developers who sought a traffic impact study in the busy Montrose shopping area, where Fairlawn, Copley and Bath meet. Those lawsuits, which have since been combined, are still pending in Summit County Common Pleas Court but may be dismissed based on Walmart’s decision.

Fairlawn Mayor Bill Roth was unaware Tuesday that Walmart had withdrawn its zoning application.

“We did what we had to do to protect the residential integrity of Fairlawn,” he said about the city’s opposition to the move.

He added that there are no plans to reopen Rothrock, saying that the closure wasn’t about stopping Walmart but more about the potential for commercial development along the road.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .

An Akron man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a slew of new charges accusing him of impersonating a police officer as part of a Scared Straight program.

Christopher Hendon, 26, was arraigned on the new charges in Summit County Common Pleas Court by visiting Judge John Enlow, sitting in for Judge Christine Croce. Hendon, who was dressed in a striped polo shirt and black dress pants, is free on a $2,500 bond.

Hendon faces 60 charges, a combination of felonies and misdemeanors, including assault, kidnapping, abduction and endangering children.

Prosecutors say Hendon, dressed as an officer, attempted to enter the Summit County Juvenile Detention Center and the Summit County Jail and went to two schools with children in handcuffs between March 29 and April 6.

Hendon is not a certified peace officer in Ohio, but has a permit to carry a concealed weapon.
Hendon was arrested April 6 after he attempted to enter the juvenile detention center with a firearm and a child in handcuffs. He claimed to be a resource officer working as part of a Scared Straight program. He had a security badge with the word “security” covered with a band, investigators said.

Hendon was originally charged with 13 offenses. A supplemental indictment by a Summit County grand jury in late June added 47 more charges. He will next be in court Aug. 1.

Donald Malarcik, Hendon’s attorney, said his client is accused of taking kids who had gotten into trouble from their school and bringing them to the juvenile detention center, where youth offenders are housed, taking them on a tour, and then returning them to school or their parents. He said Hendon’s aim was to “instill a respect for authority” in these young people and some parents were grateful for his help.

“Drugs and violence are consuming a generation of children in Akron,” Malarcik said. “Chris Hendon tried to reach these kids to save them from a life far worse than a ride to juvenile court.”

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj  and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.

A 54-year-old Akron man who exchanged gunfire with Akron police Sunday was killed when a bullet from one of the officer’s weapons hit him in the chest, the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Tuesday.

The shooting of Edward Earl Taylor has been ruled a homicide because the death happened at the hands of someone else. But it’s unclear whether the police shooting was justified or whether the two officers who fired their weapons could face criminal charges or disciplinary action.

The case remains under investigation.

Akron police said the incident began about 4 a.m. Sunday when police received a report that a 40-year-old woman was being raped at gunpoint by an acquaintance at 2070 Thurmont Road, which is off North Hawkins Avenue.

Two officers responded. When they pulled up outside the house, a woman came running out and a man with a gun opened fire on officers, police said.

The two officers returned fire and brought in a SWAT team, hoping to negotiate with the man to surrender. It was unclear whether the man they exchanged fire with was seriously injured.

After four hours, SWAT deployed chemicals and entered the home, finding a man shot dead. He was later identified as Taylor, who lived at the home.

It’s unclear how many times Taylor was shot. The medical examiner’s office on Tuesday didn’t specify, other than to say a single bullet to the chest killed Taylor.

A special unit in the Akron Police Department that handles police-involved shootings is handling the investigation, police said. Independent investigators from Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation were brought in to collect evidence at the site.

As part of the investigation, the two officers who fired a weapon in the case will be read his or her rights, like any other citizen would when interviewed, police said.

It was not clear Tuesday whether those interviews had yet occurred. But during each interview, investigators would be present, along with prosecutors from Summit County and the city of Akron, plus the officer’s Fraternal Order of Police representative and an FOP lawyer, police said.

Findings of the Akron police investigation — which could take weeks — and evidence from BCI will be presented to the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, which will determine whether officers face criminal charges, police said.

A Cleveland man was sentenced to 2½ years in federal prison Tuesday for illegally trafficking two dozen firearms purchased at a gun show in Medina County last year, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Carlton H. Nunn, 36, pleaded guilty this year in U.S. District Court in Cleveland to one count of making false statements regarding the sale of firearms.

Nunn bought two dozen 9 mm pistols from four dealers at the Medina Gun Show on Sept. 10 and 11. He attended the gun show with two people who appeared to select the firearms and provided cash to buy the guns, according to court documents.

Nunn told at least one firearms dealer that he instructed a concealed carry class and the firearms were for use in his class. In reality, Nunn left the pistols in the trunk of the car of the two men who went to the gun show with him. Nunn had known one of the men for 30 years and was aware that he had been in prison.

One of the pistols Nunn bought was recovered at a crime scene in Canada. Nunn also admitted to making illegal firearms purchases at the Summit County Gun Show, according to court documents.

“This defendant put two dozen firearms out into our streets, and at least one has already been used in a crime,” acting U.S. Attorney David Sierleja said in a prepared statement.

Trevor Velinor, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agent in charge of the Columbus Field Division, said the agency “is committed to combating gun violence in our communities, including the individuals who provide firearms to people who are prohibited from having them.”

The case was before U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko.

Richfield police are investigating reports of a registered sex offender going door to door claiming he was a member of the village fire department and soliciting $25 donations in exchange for a reflective address marker.

The suspect, who claimed his name was Wood Thomas, handed out business cards saying he also was working for American Fire and Security, authorities said.

The man has been identified as Gary P. Thomas, 54, of Norton, who is facing charges of theft and impersonating an officer in Medina County.

He is accused of soliciting donations on behalf of the Sharon Township Fire Department earlier this year. He has pleaded not guilty in Wadsworth Municipal Court, and a trial is set for Aug. 7.

Thomas was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in 2008. He goes by the aliases Mark Anderson and Michael Girsica, according to a Summit County Sheriff’s Office website listing registered sex offenders in the county.

Anyone who had contact with the suspect or provided a donation in Richfield is asked to contact Detective Amy Ellis at 330-659-9500.

Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrickABJ .

LeBron James certainly knows basketball, but it seems he also knows a good pizza when he eats one and a tasty business opportunity when served up.

With Tuesday’s opening of a Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza in Mentor, there now are 200 locations for the upstart chain in which the Akron native is an investor.

Forbes magazine reports that industry followers have declared Blaze the fastest-growing such chain ever. The chain has grown from just two locations in California in a little over five years.

James signed on early as not only an investor but also part of a franchise group in the Miami and Chicago markets, as well as an official endorser of the chain.

The move came as James ended his endorsement deal with the granddaddy of fast-food chains, McDonald’s.

Blaze caters to the fast- casual diner with a concept where customers — a la Chipotle — build their own pizzas that are then cooked in a brick oven in under three minutes.

The chain has been making its way into the Akron area with a location already open in Canton and others planned for Cuyahoga Falls and Strongsville.

James talked about how he became involved with Blaze in an April episode of the Kneading Dough podcast with partner and St. Vincent-St. Mary classmate Maverick Carter where athletes talk frankly about their finances.

With James’ $14 million to $15 million endorsement deal with McDonald’s set to expire, the pair visited the pizza chain’s first store in California to try it out.

James said in the podcast he was in after the first bite and was intrigued to be in on the ground floor of the growing chain.

He loved the variety of toppings and how fast the pizza is cooked.

“I was like, if we can’t [make this work] — who doesn’t love pizza?” he said. “I don’t know a person in the world who doesn’t love pizza. I don’t care what kind of diet you are on. Everybody loves pizza.”

Craig Webb can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3547.

The man found shot on the front porch of a West Hill home early Saturday has been identified at Roger L. Smith, the Summit County Medical Examiner’s office said.

Smith, 33, had no fixed address a the time of his death, but had previously lived on Diagonal Road, officials said.

A gunshot wound to the abdomen killed Smith, who was found injured on a porch at 35 Oakdale Avenue, less than a block south of West Market Street. Smith was pronounced dead after being transported to an Akron hospital.

What Smith was doing on Oakdale or who shot him is unclear.

Police continue to investigate his homicide.

CINCINNATI: And Daddy makes three.

The father of the Cincinnati Zoo’s popular baby hippo Fiona has joined her and mother Bibi in their first time together as a trio.

Zoo officials say Fiona, Bibi and Henry were united in the Hippo Cove outdoor pool Tuesday morning before the zoo opened. They say the supervised visit of about an hour went well, with Bibi properly reacting protectively.

Fiona has been exploring the outdoor habitat with Bibi for several weeks, with some contact inside separately with Henry.

Fiona was born Jan. 24, weighing 29 pounds (13 kilograms). She overcame health scares and now weighs nearly 375 pounds (170 kilograms). Her parents weigh about 10 times that.

Video updates such as Fiona taking a bottle, splashing or running have drawn millions of online views.

GREEN: The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is investigating numerous vehicle break-ins and a motor vehicle theft in Green, all of which they believe are connected.

The crime wave happened after dark on both July 5 and July 6, Inspector William Holland said Tuesday.

Suspects entered unlocked vehicles and stole cash, credit cards, and purses, he said. In addition, investigators believe the same suspects stole a white, 2010 Lincoln Navigator that contained numerous firearms, Holland said. The license plate on the Navigator is CLGO01.

A home security system caught one of the suspects on camera before he drove away in the Navigator.

Holland asked anyone with information about the case to contact the Summit County Sheriff’s Office at 330-643-2131. Tips leading to a successful conviction may be eligible for a cash award through Summit County CrimeStoppers.

COLUMBUS: A police officer who subdued a restrained suspect in a way that appeared to show him kicking the suspect in the head has been fired.

The city’s public safety director announced the decision Monday in the case of officer Zachary Rosen. The ruling by Ned Pettus Jr. overrode a recommendation by Columbus police Chief Kim Jacobs that Rosen be suspended for 24 hours, amounting to three shifts.

A video taken April 8 shows a Columbus officer restraining a prone man and preparing to handcuff him when a second officer arrives and appears to kick him in the head.

Police have said the second officer, identified as Rosen, reported his action under standard police procedure for when force is used.

“The strike/stomp was an untrained technique and was found to be unreasonable,” police said in May following a report by a deputy chief.

Mayor Andy Ginther said he supports the decision.

“In the coming weeks, there will be much discussion about this decision,” Ginther, a Democrat, said Monday. “What I believe we can all agree on is that every person in every neighborhood deserves to be safe. That can only happen if the Division of Police and the community they serve work together.”

The union representing Columbus police demanded Rosen’s immediate reinstatement. Local Fraternal Order of Police president Jason Pappas said Rosen was fired in an unjust manner in a political decision by city administrators.

“This union will not tolerate our brothers and sisters being used as political pawns or scapegoats to the benefit of the administration,” Pappas said Monday.

Pappas earlier had criticized the findings against Rosen and had said no discipline was required. A sergeant, a lieutenant and a commander cleared Rosen before the deputy chief found fault with him, Pappas had said.

Rosen has 10 days to appeal the decision.

The arrest of suspect Demarko Anderson followed an investigation into reports of a man with a gun who had threatened to shoot up a house and everyone inside. Police said shots were fired during the confrontation and an officer was elbowed.

Anderson has pleaded not guilty to charges including improper handling of a firearm and aggravated menacing.

Anderson’s family referred to him as a victim of “the reckless acts of violence by Rosen” and said it was “pleased” Rosen had been fired. But it said it sought “more investigation into his prior acts” as a Columbus police officer.

Rosen also was involved in the fatal shooting of Henry Green last year. The families of Anderson and Green issued a joint statement after his firing.

“If the Columbus Division of Police cannot be counted on to properly investigate and discipline a reckless individual who was clearly unfit to be an officer, it calls into question their entire disciplinary history,” the families said. “What will Mayor Ginther do to ensure all officers are held accountable with regard to the excessive use of force against citizens, not just those caught on video?”

Rosen and another officer told investigators that they shot Green in June 2016 after he opened fire on them and that they feared for their lives. They said they shouted “police” before opening fire.

Police said Green had ignored commands to drop his gun. A grand jury declined to indict the officers in Green’s death.

Associated Press

TOLEDO, OHIO: A proposal before the city council in Toledo would make it a misdemeanor crime to obstruct access to health care facilities including the Ohio city’s only abortion clinic.

The Blade reports the proposal would create 20-foot buffer zones where people would be banned from using unwanted physical contact or threats of such action to block someone from entering or exiting.

Council President Steven Steel sponsored the measure. He says such physical contact already is unlawful but would elevate the crime based on location if the proposal passes.

The abortion clinic’s escort coordinator, Kristin Hady, says she supports the idea because protesters sometimes harass and intimidate patients and don’t respect the rules, creating safety concerns.

Anti-abortion advocates say the measure would limit free speech. Steel says that’s not true.

SHARONVILLE, OHIO: Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Adolphus Washington has been arrested in Ohio on a weapons charge.

The Cincinnati native and former Ohio State standout is accused of improperly carrying a concealed weapon outside a water park in Sharonville.

A police report says officers were breaking up a crowd at the water park Sunday night when Washington “reached for and displayed a gun while sitting inside his vehicle, just feet away from officers.”

Washington was processed at the Sharonville Police Department and released. It’s unclear if he has an attorney.

The Buffalo Bills released a statement Monday night saying they’re aware of the situation and have been in contact with Washington.

The Bills have been off on break since mid-June before players begin reporting for training camp, which opens July 27.

CLEVELAND: A medical examiner is seeking the public’s help to identify a woman whose remains were found in a bag last year in a vacant field in Cleveland.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a release Monday that the remains found Oct. 17 were those of a woman who had been shot in the head. Her death was ruled a homicide.

The release describes the woman as a white female in her 30s or 40s, about 5-feet-4-inches to 5-feet-6-inches tall. The release also says she was wearing medium-size gray boxer shorts or pajama bottoms and appeared to have been dead for weeks before the bag was found.

The medical examiner’s office asks anyone with a missing relative who fits the description to contact them immediately.

WASHINGTON: A meeting between President Donald Trump’s eldest son and a Russian lawyer during the presidential campaign occurred at the behest of a Moscow-based singer with family ties to Trump’s businesses, according to a participant in the talks. Donald Trump Jr. acknowledged Monday he made time for the meeting hoping to get information about Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The circumstances surrounding the meeting, and a report by the New York Times late Monday that Trump Jr. was told ahead of time that the source of the information was the Russian government, fueled new questions about the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Moscow, which are being scrutinized by federal and congressional investigators.

The Times reported that Trump Jr., who was a key campaign adviser to his father, was told the Russian government was behind the information on Clinton in an email from music publicist Rob Goldstone. The Times cited three unnamed people with knowledge of the email.

The report is the first public word that Trump Jr. took the meeting with the understanding that he would be presented with damaging information about his father’s political opponent and that the material could have emanated from the Kremlin.

Goldstone spoke to the Associated Press earlier Monday to confirm he had set up the meeting on behalf of his client, Emin Agalarov, but he did not disclose the contents of the email described by the Times. Goldstone did not immediately respond to attempts to contact him Monday night.

In a statement, Trump Jr.’s New York-based attorney Alan Futerfas called the Times report “much ado about nothing,” though he acknowledged his client had received an email from Goldstone to set up a meeting with the purpose of passing along damaging information on Clinton. His statement did not dispute the Times report on the email.

Futerfas said Trump Jr. was not told the specifics of the information and nothing came of the meeting. “The bottom line is that Don, Jr. did nothing wrong,” Futerfas said in the statement, noting that the younger Trump hasn’t been contacted by any congressional committees or special counsel Robert Mueller’s office.

The White House referred questions to the president’s son. Mark Corallo, a spokesman for President Donald Trump’s outside legal team, would not comment on the Times story, reiterating only that Trump “was not aware of and did not attend the meeting.”

Earlier Monday, Trump Jr. tried to brush off the significance of the meeting, tweeting sarcastically, “Obviously I’m the first person on a campaign to ever take a meeting to hear info about an opponent ... went nowhere but had to listen.”

Trump Jr. also said on Twitter he was willing to work with the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of the panels probing possible campaign collusion, “to pass on what I know.”

Lawmakers on the committee from both parties said they indeed wanted to talk with the president’s son. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the panel “needs to interview him and others who attended the meeting.” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., agreed, saying, “Based on his own admissions, this is an attempt at collusion.”

The sequence of events that led to the June 2016 meeting highlighted the tangled web of relationships that investigators now are sorting through.

The president’s son said the meeting was arranged by an acquaintance he knew through the 2013 Miss Universe pageant Trump held in Moscow.

Trump Jr. initially didn’t name the acquaintance, but Goldstone confirmed he set up the meeting on behalf of Agalarov. Goldstone said the Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, stated that she had information about purported illegal campaign contributions to the Democratic National Committee that she thought Trump Jr. might find helpful.

Goldstone said Trump Jr. agreed to squeeze the meeting into a tight schedule.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Monday the Kremlin doesn’t know Veselnitskaya and “cannot keep track” of every Russian lawyer who holds meetings in Russia or abroad. Although she has not been publicly linked with the Russian government itself, Veselnitskaya represented the son of a vice president of state-owned Russian Railways in a New York money-laundering case settled in May before a trial.

A staff member at Veselnitskaya’s firm said Monday she was unavailable for comment.

During his visit to Moscow, Trump appeared in a music video with Agalarov and several contestants in the pageant, which Trump owned then. Agalarov’s father, Aras, is a Russian developer who sought to partner with Trump on a hotel project in Moscow and tried to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin during the Miss Universe contest.

According to the Washington Post and other media accounts, the elder Agalarov paid Trump $14 million to $20 million to stage the pageant in Moscow. But Aras Agalarov was unable to persuade Putin to meet with Trump.

WASHINGTON: Republican divisions over health care multiplied Monday as President Donald Trump pressured GOP senators to act quickly, and Vice President Mike Pence suggested they might have to revert to a straightforward “Obamacare” repeal if they can’t agree on an alternative.

Consensus on a replacement seemed more remote than ever as senators returned to the Capitol from a Fourth of July recess. Some lawmakers spent the break facing critics of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s bill, or voicing criticism of their own. But Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Republican, told reporters that a revised bill would be unveiled this week, and “the goal continues to be to” vote next week.

McConnell abruptly postponed a vote last month, lacking GOP support for legislation he wrote largely in secret.

To succeed, the new legislation will have to address the concerns of conservatives like Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, who want a more full-blown repeal, and moderates like Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who want essentially the opposite, a more generous bill.

McConnell has little room for error as he tries to pass a bill with 50 GOP votes, and Pence as the tie-breaker, in a Senate split 52-48 between Republicans and Democrats. Some GOP senators are questioning McConnell’s partisan approach, and the majority leader himself acknowledged to a home-state audience in Kentucky last week that if he can’t get the job done with Republicans alone, he’ll have to turn to Democrats to shore up the market for individual insurance buyers.

Collins, referring to President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote, told reporters: “I believe that we should not repeat the mistake that President Obama made in passing major legislation with no support from the other party.”

The Republican Party has been campaigning against Obama’s law ever since, but having ridden the issue to control of the House, Senate and the White House, they’re finding it nearly impossible to coalesce around an alternative.

Underscoring the divisions within the GOP, and an occasional communications vacuum between the White House and the Senate, Pence appeared on conservative host Rush Limbaugh’s radio show to rule out working with Democrats.

“The president’s made it very clear. We believe if they can’t pass this carefully crafted repeal and replace bill, do those two things simultaneously, we ought to just repeal only,” and then turn to replacement legislation later on, Pence said, although Trump has at times dangled the prospect of working with Democrats.

Few Republicans on Capitol Hill believe a repeal bill could pass Congress without a replacement.

The vice president made his comments after Trump himself began his day with a tweet aimed at McConnell and his Republicans: “I cannot imagine that Congress would dare to leave Washington without a beautiful new HealthCare bill fully approved and ready to go!”

Congress is beginning a three-week sprint toward its traditional five-week August recess, which some lawmakers have suggested should be shortened or even canceled if they can’t get health care done first, though that’s unlikely to happen.

The House managed to pass health care legislation in May after plentiful struggles of its own to reach agreement.

Around 80 demonstrators opposed to the legislation were arrested around the Capitol complex Monday, according to U.S. Capitol Police.

With a filing deadline in less than a month, Akron City Council has agreed to put the mayor’s request for a 0.25 percent income tax increase on the ballot this November.

If passed, Mayor Dan Horrigan estimates that raising the income tax rate from 2.25 percent to 2.5 percent would bring in $16 million more annually for police, fire, roads and associated equipment or construction.

Council voted 12-0 Monday to let voters decide. Councilman Bob Hoch was absent.

Councilman Russ Neal raised the concern that the money would be collected “forever” but never spent on parks or economic development, at least not directly.

Budget director Diane Miller-Dawson and Ellen Lander Nischt, the mayor’s spokesperson, said business and residents expect “core services” like safety and road projects to be met.

Councilwoman Linda Omobien asked that every dime spent from the extra revenue be reported annually.

“Our goal is to be very transparent,” said Miller-Dawson, who added that the city posts its finances online through the Ohio Treasurer’s Open Checkbook program and will continue to do so.

Also before City Council on Monday was a plan to lease city-owned and chemically contaminated property to a local company in need of more parking, a federal application for $7.1 million to support low-income housing and the release of a 3½-month financial audit of the city’s contract with Oriana House.

Contract checks out

Lisa L. Skapura with the Summit County Internal Audit Department provided Horrigan a 10-page financial report on Oriana House. The upshot is that the Akron company, a not-for-profit that’s taken heat for paying its top administrators hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, could have charged the city $303 more than it did for the last half of 2016.

That’s peanuts for a company that annually charges Summit County $5.9 million and Akron $3.7 million. It operates 15 facilities in Summit County and 1,500 treatment beds in Akron, making it the go-to contractor for the local outsourcing of mental health and addiction services.

The city and county began auditing their contracts with the Akron company after public backlash in January following reports of clients overdosing and dying at the large-scale addiction treatment provider.

Skapura said Oriana House gave “full access” to its records and systems. In the end, though, the audit covered only finances and not what Councilwoman Veronica Sims called “the elephant in the room” — testimony from current and former clients who describe understaffed and inadequate services, contraband flowing freely into the organization’s sober houses and employees who start at $10.50 an hour to provide intensive, around-the-clock care to drug offenders in court-ordered, work-release programs.

James Hardy, Horrigan’s chief of staff, said the administration “shares council’s concerns.” The mayor “followed up,” he told Sims.

Hardy said the city relies on accreditation reports and audits performed by other agencies, like a security check by the county sheriff. “I want to share that the city does not have the resources or expertise to verify quality of services …,” Hardy said. “We are limited in what we can and can’t verify.”

Hardy said he would bring a request to City Council to extend the contract with Oriana House through December, when the county’s contract expires. Together, the local governments could leverage their collective buying power. Jason Dodson, chief of staff for County Executive Ilene Shapiro, said the Internal Audit Department, which is contracted by the city, is wrapping up a similar financial audit covering the county’s contract.

Contaminated land

City Council also heard about a proposal to lease 0.6 acres of industrial property at 346 Morgan Ave. for $50 a year.

The Akron Steel Treating Co., which is expanding its operations next door, will use the parking lot but not the building on the property, said Brent Hendren, who advises Horrigan on small business matters. The lease is so cheap because the land is contaminated with chemicals spilled by a previous owner.

The city purchased the foreclosed property at a public auction in 2013 with the intent to let the nearby business use it. Previously owned by Sav-Mor Supply Co., a product supplier for cleaners and launderers, the land has been monitored closely by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Akron Steel Treating has paid $35,000 in mostly legal expenses to help the city return the parcel to use, Hendren said.

The lease deal with 365 Morgan Avenue LLC., a company formed in 2013 with the same address as Akron Steel Treating Co., provides an option to buy the land for $59,280, minus anything the company spends to clean it up.

City Council could vote on the proposed lease at its meeting next week.

Federal housing funds

City Council also approved filing for $5.5 million in Community Development Block Grants, $1.1 million from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and $500,000 from the Emergency Solutions Grants Program.

Collectively, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money assists low- to moderate-income tenants, homeowners and the homeless. Funding for the block grants is half what it was 15 years ago.

The Trump administration has called for the program’s elimination. But Helen Tomic, manager of the city’s Comprehensive Planning Division, said congressional Republicans and Democrats support the program.

The money covers home demolition and rehab, emergency services for the homeless and indigent, and a broad range of community organizations from Habitat for Humanity and Akron Summit Community Action Inc. to the Akron Urban League and Weathervane Playhouse.

City Planner Jason Segedy said, if not cut or eliminated, funding awarded next year could be restricted to demolition or construction, not for nonprofits that are “kind of counting on us,” Tomic added.

Doug Livingston can be reached at 330-996-3792 or dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @ABJDoug .

The Summit County Triangle Building in Akron will be renamed and dedicated to the memory of late County Executive Russ Pry.

The county will dedicate the Russell M. Pry Building in a ceremony starting at 10 a.m. July 31. The building is at 1180 S. Main St. in the former Firestone complex.

Pry was instrumental in leasing the four-story building and moving 425 county employees who work for Job and Family Services and other departments there.

The move put services under one roof that had been spread out in other buildings. The consolidation was expected to save the county about $10 million over 20 years.

“The Triangle Building was something Russ was very proud of,” County Executive Ilene Shapiro said in a prepared statement. “It is a beautiful example of his focus on collaboration, government efficiency and economic development, and is a symbol of his tremendous accomplishments and dedication to Summit County and its residents. We are proud to honor our late friend and county executive in dedicating the building in his name.”

Pry died unexpectedly July 31, 2016, from complications related to colon cancer surgery in June. He was 58 and was in his ninth year as county executive. He had planned to return to work on Aug. 1 and serve out his term but was not going to seek re-election.

The Department of Job and Family Services on the first floor of the Triangle Building will open at noon following the dedication ceremony, refreshments and tours.

Prior to the noon opening, the public can visit the DJFS office inside the OhioMeansJobs Center, 1040 E. Tallmadge Ave., Akron.

RITTMAN: Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a body discovered in the woods Friday morning near the intersection of Gish Road and Eastern Road.

A worker checking an oil well at 530 Gish Road found the body of a middle-aged white man at 9:30 a.m.

There were no signs of violence. But Rittman Police Chief Ray Acuri said there was something a “little fishy” at the scene and the body could have been dumped there.

The Wayne County coroner and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are assisting with the investigation.

Acuri said authorities have a “strong feeling about who it is” but have not yet released the identity of the body.

Anyone with information about the body is asked to contact Rittman police at 330-925-8040.