Spiegel Stuff: The Hill’s 12:30 Report: George Floyd’s brother testifies on Capitol Hill | Asks for justice | Describes pain of losing his brother | Police reform is on the table for Republicans | George Floyd, Derek Chauvin had a history, says co-worker | Trump bets on economy | Approval plunges 10 points | White House fencing transforms into colorful art mural

HAPPENING THIS MORNING

George Floyd’s brother testifies:

A day after George Floyd was buried after dying in police custody, his brother Philonise Floyd is testifying before the House Judiciary Committee. https://bit.ly/2BO2gXD

Video of Philonise Floyd arriving on Capitol Hill: https://bit.ly/2UwfoqT

LIVESTREAM OF THE HEARING:

https://bit.ly/2ASx0GK

FROM THE HEARING:

From Philonise’s opening statement:

Philonise on his brother: "He was mild-mannered; he didn’t fight back. He listened to all the officers. The men who took his life, who suffocated him for eight minutes and 46 seconds. He still called them ‘sir’ as he begged for his life." https://bit.ly/2MMaTV0

Philonise on the pain he’s been feeling: "I can’t tell you the kind of pain you feel when you watch something like that. When you watch your big brother, who you’ve looked up to your whole life, die. Die begging for your mom." https://bit.ly/3f2Xyno

On his brother’s worth: “He didn’t deserve to die over 20 dollars. I am asking you, is that what a black man’s life is worth? Twenty dollars? This is 2020. Enough is enough.” https://bit.ly/30sMxHZ

It’s Wednesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

Did someone forward this to you? Want your own copy? Sign up here to receive The Hill's 12:30 Report in your inbox daily: http://bit.ly/2kjMNnn

NEWS THIS MORNING

George Floyd and the officer charged in his death had a past:

Via CBS News’s Jeff Pegues, George Floyd and the former police officer who has been charged in Floyd’s death, Derek Chauvin, had previously worked together. https://cbsn.ws/2BTvV1P

From a former co-worker: Co-worker David Pinney said the two men worked at the same nightclub and "they bumped heads."

When asked how: "It has a lot to do with Derek being extremely aggressive within the club with some of the patrons, which was an issue."

The full account from the former co-worker: https://cbsn.ws/2BTvV1P

IN THE WHITE HOUSE

The conspiracy theory is a team effort:

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany defended President Trump sharing an unfounded conspiracy theory about the 75-year-old Buffalo, N.Y., protester who was shoved by a police officer. https://bit.ly/2MLa6DF

McEnany said on “Fox & Friends”: "The president was raising questions based on a report that he saw. They're questions that need to be asked. ... This individual had some very questionable tweets, some profanity-laden tweets, about police officers. Of course, no one condones any sort of violence. We need the appropriate amount of force used in any interaction, but there are a lot of questions in that case."

BACK STORY:

Yesterday, President Trump questioned the incident of an elderly protester injured by police officers in Buffalo. "I watched, he fell harder than was pushed," the president tweeted. "Was aiming scanner. Could be a set up?" Trump’s full tweet: https://bit.ly/2ziNMhN

HOW TRUMP’S TWEETS GIVE REPUBLICANS A NEW HEADACHE:

https://bit.ly/30r0uGk

IN CONGRESS

Police reform is on the table:

Via The Hill’s Alexander Bolton, Senate Republicans are open to police reform legislation, raising the chances of passing a bill through both chambers of Congress and sending it to President Trump’s desk. https://bit.ly/2Am6xkP

Why this is important: “Just a week ago, it seemed likely that a legislative package would pass the House but run into a dam in the Senate, where Republicans seemed more focused on retaining their majority and bolstering an economy tanked by the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the dark political clouds hovering over the White House and the Senate’s GOP majority coupled with a dramatic swing in polling showing a majority of Americans believe African Americans are the victims of excessive force by police have changed the political winds.”

What to expect: https://bit.ly/2Am6xkP

TRUMP MAY ANNOUNCE ACTIONS ON POLICE REFORM:

Via Fox News’s Gregg Re and John Roberts, “President Trump will soon have a list of police reform proposals that can be accomplished through a combination of executive and legislative action — and that effort could have some crossover with Democratic proposals, multiple sources told Fox News on Tuesday.” What we know: https://fxn.ws/2AbPUs9

This is a ‘lil awkward to watch:

Watch: https://bit.ly/3hgbi00

LATEST WITH THE CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 1,980,965

Deaths in the U.S.: 112,052

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y

For context: This time last week, 1,834,243 Americans had tested positive for the coronavirus and 106,274 had died. https://bit.ly/2UvlPus

ANTHONY FAUCI IS CONCERNED ABOUT CORONAVIRUS SPREAD IN THE PROTESTS:

https://bit.ly/30t7y57

HOW THE CORONAVIRUS COMPARES WITH DEADLY EVENTS IN THE PAST 100 YEARS:

https://nyti.ms/30FpycX

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

How ‘bout that economy? Eh? EH?:

Via The Hill’s Reid Wilson, “President Trump is testing James Carville's old maxim that voters care most about the economy and their pocketbooks in the midst of twin crises that have put the president well behind his Democratic rival less than five months before Election Day.”

Keep in mind: “While voters still say they believe Trump would handle the economy better than former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, voters pick Biden to handle virtually every other major issue that concerns them — from race relations to the coronavirus pandemic to health care, gun control and climate change.”

How this could play out: https://bit.ly/37jkNXN

NEW POLL — TRUMP’S APPROVAL PLUNGES 10 POINTS IN A MONTH:

President Trump’s job approval dropped from 49 percent to 39 percent in a month, according to a new Gallup poll. https://bit.ly/3hgDxeL

The full Gallup survey: https://bit.ly/2Yq3Vu6

NOTABLE TWEETS:

Getting traction — this will make you smile:

Watch: https://bit.ly/2BToaJg

A Twitter thread about chairs!:

My favorite: “Courtney Watson can’t remember where she bought this beauty, a foldable leopard-print camping chair.” https://bit.ly/2AQqEYi

More from the line: https://bit.ly/2MH8pHx

ON TAP:

The Senate is in. The House is out. President Trump and Vice President Pence are in Washington, D.C.

12:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump receives an intelligence briefing.

1 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence holds a phone call with state, local and tribal leaders.

June 25: The House will reconvene — earlier than planned — to work on police reform legislation. Details: https://bit.ly/3cOwjvg

WHAT TO WATCH:

10 a.m. EDT: The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on racial profiling and police brutality. Livestream: https://cs.pn/3cMkuG1

2 p.m. EDT: White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany is holding a press briefing. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2AXTCp2

2:30 p.m. EDT: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell holds a news conference. Livestream: https://cs.pn/3fehYdh

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:

Today is National Iced Tea Day.

A lighter story in the protests — the fencing is completely covered in art:

Via Artnet News, amid the Black Lives Matter protests in the past two weeks, the White House put up fencing around the perimeter to protect the grounds. That fencing is now completely covered in colorful art and messages. Photos: https://bit.ly/2ASkYNs

And to brighten your Wednesday afternoon, here are two “ducks” hanging out: https://bit.ly/2XPNfxi