morning america" and have a great wednesday. making news in america this morning, the secret audiotape revealed. president trump and his former attorney michael cohen allegedly discussing a possible payout to a "playboy" playmate. >> what financing? >> we'll have to pay. >> this morning the one word on the tape in dispute. the trump legal team responding overnight. a so-called trade war bailout to farmers. president trump is now proposing $12 billion in emergency aid for farmers hurt by recent tariffs. this morning, the backlash among republicans. the new statement overnight about pop superstar demi lovato hospitalized after a suspected drug overdose. family is now saying. plus, $522 million up for grabs.

the big news overnight about the mega millions megajackpot. also, the woman who walked in to find this mountain lion sleeping on her couch in the living room. and our changing taste in cheese. there's a new top cheese in america and it's not american. a good wednesday morning, everyone. we begin with a secretly recorded conversation between president trump and his longtime lawyer, michael cohen. >> abc news obtained the audiotape recorded by cohen just two months before the election. and for the first time we're hearing their discussion about a possible payment to make sure allegations of an affair with a "playboy" model never come to light. >> abc's janai norman has the new details for us from washington. good morning, janai. >> reporter: guys, good morning. so this audio is 1 of 12 seized by federal prosecutors during raids on michael cohen's home, office and hotel room, and now it's sparked a back and forth between lawyers for president trump and cohen over which of

the men proposed paying cash for karen mcdougal's story. secret audio of donald trump and his former attorney and fixer michael cohen. >> so, i'm all over that and i spoke to alan about it. when it comes time for the financing. which will be -- >> listen, what financing? >> we'll have to pay. >> cash? >> no, no, no, no, i got -- no, no, no. >> check. >> reporter: the recording from 2016 captures a conversation in the weeks leading up to the presidential election. then candidate trump and cohen discussing plans to purchase the rights to former "playboy" model karen mcdougal's story from american media inc., the company that owns "the national enquirer" and purchased mcdougal's story about her alleged affair with donald trump but never ran it. >> the transcript makes it quite clear at the end that president trump says, quote, don't pay with cash. >> reporter: the president's legal team released the

transcript and his attorney rudy giuliani saying on fox news that trump wanted to pay via check to properly document the payment. but cohen's attorney lanny davis told cnn it was candidate trump who suggested the cash payment. >> the tape contradicts mr. giuliani and the word cash is heard by everyone. >> reporter: abc news has reviewed the recording but it's hard to understand the end of the tape as far as the form of proposed payment to ami owner david pecker. >> there's no indication of any crime being committed on this tape. the president did not know about this before this conversation, at least with regard to the transaction. >> reporter: giuliani admits the president discussed the payment with cohen but says that payment was never made. and that conversation recorded was the first he'd heard about the plan. >> listen to the tapes. this is not a man shocked about karen mcdougal. >> reporter: and investigators are looking into whether any of cohen's payments to women who say they had affairs with donald trump may have violated any campaign finance laws and there's growing speculation cohen may cooperate with investigators and questions

about what that could mean for president trump. diane and kendis. >> a little bit of two-minute tapes that people have been listening to a lot since last night, janai. thanks. president trump will talk trade with european officials today. a day after announcing a new emergency aid plan to help american farmers. some congressional republicans, though, are calling the plan a bailout for the president's trade war. it provides $12 billion to farmers hurt by the president's tariff disputes with china, europe and other countries. some farmers are also skeptical. >> this $12 billion, which was announced today by the u.s. department of agriculture, this is only short term. for me this is a great loss. not just because the prices dropped, but our future markets will be taken away from us. >> the farmers will be the biggest beneficiary. watch. we're opening up markets. you watch what's going to happen. just be a little patient. >> despite the president's reassurances, senator rand paul is among republicans slamming the idea saying the answer is not welfare for farmers.

the answer is to remove tariffs. nebraska senator ben sasse said the president's trade war is cutting the legs out from under farmers and the white house's plan is to spend $12 billion on gold crutches. a georgia lawmaker is resigning after shouting the "n" word on a cable show. fellow republicans had called for state representative jason spencer to step down following sunday's episode of sacha baron cohen's program entitled "who is america?" spencer was duped into thinking he was getting counterterrorism training. in addition to the racial slur, you see these scene. cohen convinced spencer to pull down his pants. spencer apologized and said the show took advantage of his fears. >> a federal judge in california said the trump administration is now on track to meet tomorrow's deadline for reuniting immigrant families. the government says of the roughly 1,600 families eligible

to be reunited more than 1,000 already have been and nearly all those remaining are expected to be reunited by the deadline. an undocumented immigrant from ecuador is back with his wife and daughters after spending nearly two months in custody facing deportation. pablo villavicencio was detained by i.c.e. while delivering pizza to an army facility in new york. release cited his lack of criminal history, his payment of taxes and his providing for his family as reasons why he should be allowed to seek legal status. now to the weather and july records are already being shattered in the east as the stubborn rain shows no signs of stopping in several states. and in the west, a raging wildfire is now forcing the partial closure of the national park. the relentless rain in maryland leaving scenes like this near baltimore where it's already been the wettest july on record. the rushing water even collapsing this bridge. >> we will come up out 15, 20 feet up to the barn. but it has never washed out the bridge like it has this morning.

>> reporter: this video showing floods along a creek in fairfax. the water ovrt. envear, a sinkle swallowing this car as heavy rain and winds pounded the area. the car seen bobbing in the water beneath the road, the driver pulled out to safety. but near colorado springs two firefighters were hurt when their fire truck drove directly into a sinkhole. >> never in my life have i seen anything like this. >> reporter: farther south in durango residents left shocked after this mudslide swept past their home. and in california it's the persistent heat and dry weather causing problems. parts of yosemite national park will be closed for at least four days starting today as this wildfire creeps closer to the park's border. and in the southwest today the temperature could top 120 degrees prompting concerns about the strain on the electric grid. we take a deeper dive right now at your wednesday forecast. good morning.

drenching storms will continue for d.c., new york, philadelphia, spotty showers for us in boston, the ohio valley region. the southeast, still widespread showers from miami to atlanta up towards charlotte with drenching storms along the carolina coast and another set of storms will kick through denver, lincoln as well as minneapolis with colder and warm air butting heads but dangerous heat still in texas and in the desert southwest intense heat continues there as well. i'm accuweather meteorologist paul williams. coming up, the big news overnight about the $522 million mega millions jackpot. and also ahead, the latest on pop star demi lovato's apparent overdose. and later, asleep on the job. the shocking number of hours per day that a government worker was

hmm. [cell phone beeps] hey! [police whistle blows] [horns honking] woman: hey! [bicycle bell rings] turn here. there. excuse me. uh. uh. [indistinct announcement on p.a. system]

so, same time next week? well, of course. announcer: put away a few bucks. feel like a million bucks. for free tips to help you save, go to ♪ feed the pig

we're back with the unbelievable devastation in greece. this morning dozens of people are dead and dozens more reported missing in the historic wildfires raging near athens, greece. one official calls it a biblical disaster. among at least the 74 people dead are some children. some died in their cars while trying to escape. the family of a man fatally shot in a florida parking lot is demanding changes to the state's controversial stand your ground law. they insist markeis mcglockton was murdered during an argument over a parking space last week. but the local sheriff is not arresting the shooter saying the act was justified because the man said he felt his life was in danger. mcglockton's father is outraged. >> any kind of law that allows one man to kill another man and the man that pulled the trigger ev g fnted needs to stop. something needs to be done.

>> the family's attorney calls the law a license to kill black people. some state lawmakers are now demanding the shooter be arrested. the family hopes state prosecutors will agree. the fbi has joined the search for a missing university of iowa student. investigating every angle including the possibility that she may have been abducted. mollie tibbetts was reported missing nearly a week ago. the 20-year-old was living with her boyfriend this summer. he says she was dog sitting while he worked a construction job more than 100 miles away. mollie's brother says he's holding out hope that she'll be found because he says she's always been a fighter. it's the end of the line for ivanka trump's fashion line. trump says she's shutting down her company to focus her work at the whitehouse.ch the b but stepped away from day-to-day operations after joining the administration. sales reportedly dropped 55% in the last year.

one big winner confirmed in the massive mega millions drawing, the lucky ticket worth an estimated $522 million was sold at this liquor store in san jose, california, the fifth largest jackpot in the game's history has been climbing since early may. the lump sum payment before taxes is worth about $308 million. >> not bad. coming up, see why the largest maker of e-cigarettes is now under investigation. but first the new video from that standoff at a trader joe's supermarket. the victim killed by an officer's bullet. was the right procedure followed? and later, the chaos and crash at the tour de france. you got it from your parents. and they got it from theirs. it's your skin, and it can protect you from millions of things. so we're here to help you protect your skin. walgreens pharmacists and beauty consultants are specially trained to know what works for the health of your unique skin.

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treatment proven to reduce pba episodes. nuedexta. kellogg's chocolate frosted flakes. various: mmm, chocolatey! mmm. mmm. mmm! various: yeahche!colatey! en i walked rough a snstthat's when i knew i had to quit. they' for real this time. that's why i'm using nicorette. only nicorette gum has patented dual-coated technology for great taste plus intense craving relief. every great why needs a great how. ♪ to the ones who never left me we've been down this road before i'm so sorry i'm not sober ♪ that's demi lovato singing her song "sober." the lyrics reveal her struggle with addiction and this morning we have new information about her condition after a suspected overdose.

a spokesman tells us lovato's family is with her and thanking her fans for the outpouring of support. >> we also learned overnight that just two days before she was rushed to the hospital lovato forgot the lyrics ironically enough to that song "sober."c's dane ya bahumore. >> reporter: the emergency of pop superstar demi lovato. >> ems 11. engine 97. already on the scene. unconscious. >> reporter: according to "people" magazine, lovato is stable after an apparent overdose. the star's battle with addiction is no secret. >> so, i had to come to a point where i realized that i had a serious problem and admitting it was the hardest part. >> reporter: she admittedly struggled with an eating disorder, self-mutilation and mental illness sharing with "good morning america's" robin roberts it all started after being bullied as a child. >> i've suffered from cross addictions over the past few

years. i was trying to control my eating disorder, trying to get help for it. >> reporter: last march lovato revealed she was celebrating six years of being substance-free. ♪ i'm sorry for the fans i lost who watched me fall again ♪ >> reporter: but recently lovato releasing a single titled "sober" indicating a possible relapse. news of tuesday's suspected overdose causing reaction from celebrities on social media with ellen tweeting, it breaks my heart that she's going through this. she is a light in this world. and brad paisley posting, praying for her right now. addiction is a terrifying disease. there is no one more honest or brave than this woman. lovato was scheduled to perform in atlantic city on thursday. but the concert organizer tells the local paper they are now looking for a replacement. danya bacchus, abc news, los angeles. >> and one more note out of los angeles. police have released the terrifying video from that

deadly standoff at a trader joe's supermarket. it shows officers pursuing a gunman now identified as gene atkins. he crashes into the pole outside the store you see there then runs out of the vehicle and you can hear the gunfire as officers opened fire. now, police returned fire accidentally hitting the store's manager who later died. some are questioning whether officers should have opened fire with so many people around. >> the flip side to that is what if that suspect who is shooting at the officers is now hitting the public. their lives are in danger as well and the only way you'll stop them in that situation is to fire your weapon and stop the suspect. >> well, that suspect surrendered after a three-hour standoff. he faces dozens of charges. one of the top makers of e-cigarettes is now under investigation for allegedly trying to get children hooked on their product. authorities in massachusetts are taking a closer look at juul lab's marketing techniques. attorney general mara healy says the company's products are

becoming more popular among middle and high school students and says fruit flavors and cartoon images are used to attract kids. juul denies targeting minors. a little bit of chaos on the course at the tour de france tournament. first watch as a rider on a mountain road loses control. wow. he flew over that rock wall. he did eventually get back on his bike. he even finished that stage of the race. not bad. but a knee injury has forced him to withdraw entirely. earlier the entire race came to a halt because of a protest by farmers. they blocked the route for 15 minutes and had to be removed with tear gas. back here at home a ball girl in philadelphia just couldn't help herself. one of the dodgers hit a fair ball down the third base line last night and watch as the ball girl perfectly fields it like it was foul. she then puts her arms in the air noticing her mistake. the umpire called it a ground rule double.

the phillies still won the game, though, but it took 16 innings. >> it would have been a nine-inning game if not for that foul. >> she did a good job fielding the ball too. they might want to recruit her. >> no doubt. up next in "the pulse," america has a new favorite cheese. also ahead, a woman finds a mountain lion sleeping in her living room. see how she got that big cat out of the house. and a worker at the dmv takes sleeping on the job to a whole new level. t 24 hours, you finished preparing him for college. in 24 hours, you'll send him off thinking you've done everything for his well-being. but meningitis b progresses quickly and can be fatal, sometimes within 24 hours. while meningitis b is uncommon, about 1 in 10 infected will die. like millions of others, your teen may not be vaccinated against meningitis b. meningitis b strikes quickly. be quick to talk to your teen's doctor about a meningitis b vaccine. you shouldn't be rushed into booking a hotel.

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quartz boldly states that italian cheese is the new american cheese. >> can't we just eat them both? >> yeah, it doesn't matter. we love them all. >> no need to discriminate. here's a story for anyone who's ever waited in line at the dmv. >> a state investigation sses apparently never dmv disciplined her. >> the investigation found she cost taxpayers about $40,000 in lost productivity and caused even longer lines, not even the overnight shift. we're learning more about an oregon woman who says she found a mountain lion taking a nap in her living room. >> the pictures were posted first online. earlier this month she says the big cat walked in through an open door after getting a drink from a pond outside and then took a six-hour nap. >> she says she finally woke it up by playing drums and used telepathy to guide it out of the house safely. she says cats can perceive energy and that's why it stayed so calm. >> if it was my house i wouldn't

need the house anyway. i would be like -- >> you can have it. >> i didn't even like that couch. it's all yours. finally, a bad dog trying to beat the texas heat. >> a woman posted this picture showing her 5-month-old border collie playing with a springer in her living room. >> she says baloo is the dog's name dragged the sprinkler through the doggie door. >> uh-oh. i guess he liked the feeling of air-conditioning inside. >> baloo is all of us. >> i'm not playing out there. it's hot outside. >> smart. >> more news after this. notice the underwear you're wearing? no. no, you are not... excuse me, do have anymore of those pistachio scones? because it's made from incredibly light material. and no panty lines, so no one else will notice either. and going unnoticed can sometimes be quite nice. guys, i need someone to work the weekend. - karen, see you saturday. - what... unnoticeably light everlight

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good morning north bay. let's get up and get going. >> his is "abc 7 mornings." >> good morning. it's wednesday july 25th. welcome. >> you're up, which means you didn't win the lottery. i'm just assuming. >> would you be able to go to sleep if you won? >> no. >> maybe you did win. >> well. >> hello to the lottery winner. we're your new best friends. feel free to contact us. >> don't forget us. >> yes. >> hi, mike. >> the little people. send us something. congratulations. oh, my goodness. that's going to be life changing for sure. the weather is going to change a lot depending on where you are. 60s at the coast, 100s inland. we're starting off the same this morning, a little less cloud cover and a little more fog as the clouds continue to hug the ground.

nv 52 degrees, 60s in the east bay valleys, ukiah, and 70s around clear lake and los gatos. the accuweather 12-hour planner so you can get your day set up coming up next. here's alexis. >> good morning mike. we're off to what was a pretty busy start actually but i got good news in here for westbound state route 37, a closure at mare island due to a gravel spill. sounds like vehicles were fishtailing through that. they had to shut down the roadway for about 45 minutes. sig alert canceled, all lanes reopened a few minutes ago. we are looking at the bay bridge toll plaza already seeing a stack up in the cash lanes. everybody else moving through with no issues. >> thank you. and now on to developing news, so mega millions ticket in san jose is now ridiculously rich. >> they won more than half a billion dollars in an instant. and here are the winning numbers. just in case. 1, 2, 4, 19, 29, and the mega

ball is 20. abc 7 news reporter matt keller live for us at ernie's liquor store in san jose. good morning, matt. >> good morning, reggie and jessica. welcome to the happiest place on earth or at least the happiest place in san jose. ernie's liquor. right behind this iron gate you can see there's a sign that says, lucky retailer. that is a big understatement. how big? $522 million big. the owner and his family were celebrating late into the night. this is inside their store on south white road. there are two winners, the person that picked the right numbers and the owner. kewal sachdev, who is going to get a million dollars from the california lottery. >> i'm so happy for the lottery lucky store to issue a ticket which is a winning ticket. >> reporter: out of the 44 states plus washington, d.c., and the u.s. ticket was

purchased right here in san jose. california lottery officials says the winner has a full year to claim the jackpot. reporting live in san jose, matt keller, abc 7 news. >> congratulations whoever that is. don't forget us. thank you. if you're plank to head to yosemite, think again. >> that's right. the main route into the park and parts of yosemite will be closed at noon today and it's because of this major wildfire still roaring. the map shows you the ferguson fire burning west of yosemite. you can see the stretch of highway 41 that is shut down right now. the highway along with the yosemite valley will be off limits until at least sunday. the fire is producing a haze of smoke making it dangerous to breathe and ob securing a lot of the views inside the park.