we ll read from that new piece. so much different legal angles are percolating with the jan. 6 and other issues with the election. good morning. welcome to morning joe. it is friday, july 8th. with us, the host of way too early and politico s jonathan lemire. associate editor of the washington post, eugene robinson. and we begin with the breaking news. former japanese prime minister shinzo abe is dead after being shot twice this morning. officials is say abe was campaigning for a candidate ahead of japan s upcoming house of counselors elections, where he was shot from behind, once in the back and the other in the neck, with what appeared to be a homemade gun. this happened in the city of nara, about 20 miles southeast of osaka. the chaos from the shooting and the subsequent takedown of the man police say carried out the attack was all caught on camera. and we warn you, some of this video may be incredibly disturbing. [ speaking foreign language ] abe was immediately
Trump to stay in power for as long as he has. a lot of major world events to cover this morning. we ll be following all the new go developments out of japan following the assassination of former prime minister shinzo abe. also ahead, brittney griner faces an uncertain future after pleading guilty to drug charges in moscow. texas congresswoman sheila jackson lee is involved in the diplomatic efforts to bring the basketball star home. she joins us next. plus, it s been 18 months since the attack on the capitol, and prosecutors are closing in on a new milestone. you re watching morning joe. we ll be right back. a new milee