The Hill’s 12:30 Report

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The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Clinton, Kaine release tax returns | Polls show Clinton up big in key battlegrounds | Trump says ISIS remarks were ‘sarcasm’ | CNN’s feisty chyron | Clinton launches campaign podcast

JUST RELEASED – OOH, LET’S TAKE A LOOK-SEE INTO YOUR PERSONAL LIVES: Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine released tax returns on Friday, as the campaign steps up its calls for Donald Trump to make his returns public. What’s in them: The Clintons in 2015 paid an effective federal income tax rate of 34.2 percent and donated almost 10 percent of their adjusted gross income to charity. Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, over the past 10 years have had effective federal income tax rates ranging from 13.4 percent to 24 percent. http://bit.ly/2aRLs0U

NBC’s Kailani Koenig: Tim Kaine and Anne Holton’s tax rates for the last 10 years. Photo: http://bit.ly/2aN43JP

Clintons’ total income in 2015: $10,745,378 http://bit.ly/2bnEUaf

The Washington Post’s Rebecca Sinderbrand: The Clintons’ income dropped by more than 50% last year… to $10.7 million (fewer speeches.) http://bit.ly/2bd4qme

Full tax returns, if you’re into that kinda thing –> http://hrc.io/2aRKCkX

Happy Friday! I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of what you missed this morning — and what’s on tap for the rest of the day. Send comments, story ideas and weekend plans to cmartel@digital-staging.thehill.com, @CateMartel and on Facebook.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: The 12:30 Report will be off next week so I can rest, catch up on sleep and up my game on sassy headlines. 😉 If you have any serious objections or need to know the national food days, hit me up and I’ll see what I can do.

NEWS OF THE MORNING – TEAM CLINTON’S POPPING CHAMPAGNE: Hillary Clinton has a substantial lead over Donald Trump in four key battleground states, according to just released NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls. http://bit.ly/2aHIEpQ

Colorado: Clinton leads by a whopping 14 points in the state, 46 to 32 percent.

Virginia: Clinton leads by 13 points in Virginia, 46 to 33 percent.

North Carolina: Clinton leads by 9 points in N.C.; 48 to 39 percent;

Florida: Clinton leads by 5 points in Florida, 44 to 39 percent.

UPDATE — JK, GUYS: For the second time in less than a month, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is writing off a statement many found offensive — this time, that President Obama was the “founder” of ISIS — as “sarcasm.” http://bit.ly/2aHqIf1 

Timeline: 

Wednesday: “ISIS is honoring President Obama,” Trump said during a rally in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “He’s the founder of ISIS. He founded ISIS.”

Thursday: Hugh Hewitt tried to help Trump clarify the remarks, saying, “I know what you meant. You meant that he created the vacuum. He lost the peace.” Trump didn’t take the bait and responded, “No, I meant that he’s the founder of ISIS. He was the most valuable player. I gave him the most valuable player award.” 

Friday: After much criticism, Trump tweeted, “Ratings challenged CNN reports so seriously that I call President Obama (and Clinton) ‘the founder’ of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON’T GET SARCASM?”

For the second straight day, the CNN chyron is challenging Trump’s statements, casting doubt on his claim that he was being sarcastic a day after he doubled down. Today’s chyron reads: “But yesterday: ‘No, I meant he is the founder of ISIS.'”http://bit.ly/2bcmcBH

IT’S MY PARTY AND I’LL CRY IF I WANT TO: Donald Trump issued a threat to stop fundraising for the Republican Party after a report emerged that party officials could focus resources on down-ballot candidates. “I mean, if it is true, that’s OK too because all I have to do is stop funding the Republican Party,” Trump said on Fox News. http://bit.ly/2aQhBak

{mosads}IF THE COACH IS EVEN ADMITTING HE’S NERVOUS…: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is warning Republicans that their chances of keeping control of the Senate are “very dicey,” acknowledging they face a difficult map in November. “I may or may not be calling the shots next year,” McConnell told a civic group in Louisville on Thursday. http://bit.ly/2aHwgX4

RELEASED THIS MORNING, BECAUSE PODCASTS ARE TRENDY: Democrat Hillary Clinton‘s presidential campaign has launched a podcast. The featured guest on the first episode is — ding, ding — HRC! Listen: http://bit.ly/2aRyrVf

THIS ISN’T OVER YET: Via The Wall Street Journal’s Damian Paletta, U.S. officials are discussing economic sanctions against Russia in response to cyberattacks on Democratic Party organizations. But note: Sanctions would require the White House to publicly accuse Russian hackers of the breach. http://on.wsj.com/2aQFlOD

A LITTLE TOO BUDDY/BUDDY, SAYS THE GOP: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch Friday after CNN reported the DOJ had rejected a push earlier this year by FBI field offices to open an investigation into the relationship between the State Department and the Clinton Foundation. Why: Cornyn argues that both the FBI’s recommendation not to charge Hillary Clinton over her private email server plus declining to open a probe into the foundation “favors Secretary Clinton.” http://bit.ly/2bnDpca

NOTABLE TWEETS:

CNN’s Noah Gray (Yep, with video)
“Go home! You are a traitor! I am an American Patriot!” Trump supporter screams at me and other journalists in pen http://bit.ly/2bluw3E

Bloomberg’s Jonathan Nicholson
So apparently the $200 Trump presidential campaign Gold Card Membership is marked down today to $49, at least per my Facebook feed. What a bargain! http://bit.ly/2bcMzf6

Politico’s M. Scott Mahaskey
Bonus fun fact Gary Johnson has a Costco card upfront in wallet http://bit.ly/2aYwc40

ON TAP:

Trump is the only candidate or running mate with public appearances scheduled today. 

2 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Erie, Pa.

6 p.m. EDT: Donald Trump holds a rally in Altoona, Pa.

12:30 p.m. EDT Saturday: Tim Kaine holds a Democratic Party organizing event at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H.

7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday: Donald Trump holds a rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. (??) Connecticut is a solidly Democratic state.

NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF…:

Today is National Julienne Fries Day! And as an important heads up, tomorrow is National Prosecco Day and National Filet Mignon Day! To celebrate, Morton’s Steakhouse is serving $1 filet mignon sandwiches today. Details: http://bit.ly/2aOFTnU

GET YOUR AMERICAN FLAGS READY: Tonight American swimmer Katie Ledecky is expected to dominate again in the 800-meter freestyle, and American swimmer Michael Phelps is competing in the 100-meter butterfly. Track and field also begins today! Here’s the full schedule of what to watch and where: http://cbsprt.co/2bn5aEe 

And to get your weekend off to a great start, here are puppies that were trained to be ball boys at the 2016 Brasil Open Tennis Tournament. What a brilliant concept: http://bit.ly/2bcLAeY

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