Donald Trump,Mike Pence

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump talks with press, Monday, Sept. 5, 2016, aboard his campaign plane, while flying over Ohio, as vice presidential candidate Gov. Mike Pence, left, looks on.

(Evan Vucci, Associated Press)

Trump denies allegations: Donald Trump is denying any connection between a political contribution benefiting the Florida attorney general and her office's decision to drop an investigation into Trump University, reports USA Today. "She's a fine person beyond reproach," Trump said of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, a prominent Trump supporter in an important battleground state. He added that he "never spoke to her" about any investigation.

The Washington Post reported that Trump paid a $2,500 penalty to the IRS because his charitable foundation violated tax laws with a $25,000 donation to a campaign group connected to Bondi. The contribution was made in 2013, when Bondi "was considering whether to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University. She decided not to pursue the case," The Post writes. Both Trump and Bondi have denied any wrongdoing.

Pence's tax returns: Gov. Mike Pence said Saturday that he will release his tax returns this week, reports NBC News. "Donald Trump and I are both going to release our tax returns," the vice presidential candidate said on "Meet the Press." "I'll release mine in the next week." Pence echoed the notion that Trump will release his tax returns after the conclusion of an IRS audit.

Trump continues to hit Clinton on emails: Trump on Friday dismissed Clinton's claim that she did not know what classification markings on her emails signified during her time as secretary of state, saying that she was either intentionally lying or "she's not an intelligent person," reports Politico. The FBI's report on the interview with Clinton shows that she seemed to have a limited understanding that emails marked with the letter "C" contained sensitive information.

"With respect to these FBI notes, where she didn't know what the letter C was, now that's a lie," Trump told Philadelphia's WCAU. "Unless she's not an intelligent person. That's a total lie," going on to mock her for failing the Washington, D.C. bar exam in 1973, a jab he made on Twitter days before.

Kaine, Pelosi defend Clinton: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said on CBS "This Morning" that "too much is being made" of Clinton's email scandal, reports CBS News. "And I say that as the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee for years."

Kaine also defended his running mate's use of a private email server Sunday on ABC's "This Week," reports Politico. "There were emails that contained classified information that had been improperly marked," he said, recalling FBI Director James Comey's testimony before Congress. "So when she received the email, the material that was classified, which is supposed to be flagged and identified as classified, in many instances was improperly labeled."

Hill Force One: Clinton made the maiden voyage in her general election plane Monday from Westchester, New York to Cleveland, reports Politico. In the Boeing 737 emblazoned with the campaign's "H" logo on its wing tips, Clinton greeted a group of about 40 journalists traveling with her. "I was just waiting for this moment," Clinton said. "I wanted to welcome you onto the plane. I think it's pretty cool, don't you?" When the hesitant press corps paused before responding, the Democratic nominee said, "You're supposed to say yes."

Johnson's unlikely endorsement: Although Virginia's second largest newspaper has endorsed the Republican presidential nominee for the last 36 years, the Richmond Times-Dispatch endorsed Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson Saturday. The editorial board began considering Johnson "several weeks ago, as scandal continued to engulf the Democratic nominee while the Republican candidate's statements and behavior daily piled distress upon puzzlement." They decided to officially Johnson and his running mate, former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld, after seeing their "great confidence and enthusiasm" in a meeting with Johnson last week.

Sanders criticizes debate threshold: Sen. Bernie Sanders said Sunday that the requirement for presidential candidates to average at least 15 percent in national polls to earn a spot on the general debate stage is "probably too high," reports NBC News. "Probably should be lower than that," the Vermont independent said.

Neither Johnson nor the Green Party's Jill Stein are serious contenders to break the 15 percent barrier. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Johnson at about 8.2 percent and Stein at about 3.3 percent in a four-way race.

And he praised Clinton on the campaign trail: Sanders explained why he endorsed Clinton Monday at a Labor Day breakfast sponsored by the AFL-CIO, reports The Washington Post. "We're not talking about personalities," he said in Manchester, New Hampshire. "We are talking about which candidate will better represent the needs of the American people." Sanders also attacked Trump, calling the GOP nominee "a pathological liar."

Trump speaks to African-Americans in Detroit: Trump spoke about unity Saturday when addressing a largely African-American audience at a church in Detroit, reports CNN. After being greeted by protesters outside the Great Faith Ministries church, Trump sat in a pew in the front of the congregation. "For centuries, the African-American church has been the conscience of this country. So true," he said, reading from prepared remarks. "The African-American faith community has been one of God's greatest gifts to America and its people." When he concluded his speech, the church's pastor draped a prayer shawl over Trump's shoulders and handed him a Jewish Heritage Study Bible.

Flaking out on Trump: Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona is still not ready to vote for Trump, saying Sunday that Clinton might turn his home state blue in November for the first time in twenty years, reports Politico. "I would not vote for Hillary Clinton, and, as of now, I would still not vote for Donald Trump," the Republican said on CNN's "State of the Union." When asked if he thought Arizona could go to a Democrat since Clinton's husband won the state in 1996, Flake said, "Arizona should still be a red state. But Donald Trump, with the rhetoric that he's under and the characterizations of, you know, many of the state's population, have put the state in play. And unfortunately, you know, that leads to Democrats spending a lot of money here, unfortunately for Republicans."