As Gordon moves inland the tropical storm is expected to bring more wind and rain to the southeast. In parts of Alabama six to nine inches of rain are still possible. In Atmore, Alabama, wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour have been reported. In nearby Escambia County, Florida emergency crews are reporting that a tree fell on a mobile home, killing a child. Further north, heavy rain, some gusty wind and a risk of isolated flooding remains. In Montgomery, Alabama forecasters are expecting less damage, with a few stout wind gusts and some of thunderstorms associated with Gordon.
Questioning begins today in the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Kavanaugh can expect to spend most of the day in the hot seat, sparring with Democratic senators over abortion, guns, executive power and other high-profile issues. Barring a surprise, Republicans appear on track to confirm Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, perhaps in time for the new term on Oct. 1 and little more than a month before congressional elections.
Social media leaders head to Capitol Hill
Leaders of Facebook and Twitter will testify on Capitol Hill today to try to ease the fears of lawmakers who worry that Russian propaganda and political censorship continue to plague social media sites. Facebook's Chief Operating Officer, Sheryl Sandberg, and Twitter's Chief Executive, Jack Dorsey, will start out with the intelligence committee where they'll testify about foreign governments that spread misinformation on social media. Later today, Dorsey will head to the House and testify before the Energy and Commerce Committee.
President Trump and members of his administration are disputing quotations and anecdotes attributed to them in a new book by journalist Bob Woodward in which the president is disparaged as an "idiot" and his White House as "Crazytown." In his book "Fear: Trump in the White House," Woodward also writes that senior aides to Trump snatched sensitive documents off his desk to keep him from making impulsive decisions. Trump tells The Daily Caller that didn't happen.
Primary shake-up in Massachusetts
Another longtime Democratic congressman has lost his seat in a primary upset to a candidate who appeals to those in the party seeking younger, more diverse voices for progressive policies. In Massachusetts, Boston-area congressman Michael Capuano lost the seat he's held for 20 years to a city councilor, Ayanna Pressley. Without a Republican opponent on the November ballot, Pressley is almost assured of becoming the state's first black congresswoman.
