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President Trump has the black bear vote ... at least that's what someone wants you to think after a Trump 2020 sticker was slapped on a wild animal's tracking collar.

Help Asheville Bears, an animal rights group based in North Carolina, says it's offering $5,000 to find the folks responsible for putting a Trump 2020 sticker on this bear's collar.

HAB calls the person responsible for the political statement is "cruel and heartless" ... and the group says this is the second black bear they know of with the Trump reelection campaign sticker.

The black bear was photographed by Asheville resident Sheila Chapman, and she says the animal was hanging out on her front porch when she snapped the pic. The sticker itself doesn't seem to be harming the animal, but it might have a hard time getting into the Democratic Convention.

Sheila thinks the bear is being tagged and tracked by The North Carolina Urban/Suburban Bear Study -- she claims she's seen bears with collars before in her neighborhood -- and says the sticker angered her and made her sad.

HAB seems to believe the person who effectively made the bear a walking Trump billboard might be someone involved in the study. Let's face it, ya don't see a lot of civilians walking up to wild bears ... with or without political agendas.

HAB is calling for a full investigation, and the bear study program told CNN its researchers don't condone people approaching bears for any reason.

Seems face masks aren't the only things getting political nowadays.

One lucky, and very rich, Elvis Presley fan has the memorabilia world all shook up -- after snapping up one of The King's rare guitars for a record-setting 7-FIGURE price!!!

That's right ... Elvis' 1942 Martin D-18 guitar -- which he owned from 1954 to 1956 -- sold at auction for a whopping $1,320,000. It's a WORLD RECORD for the most expensive Elvis Presley memorabilia ever sold ... via the folks over at Gotta Have Rock and Roll.

As we first reported ... the guitar's got tons of history. Elvis bought it at O.K. Houck's Piano Store in Memphis, trading in his Martin 000-18 model. He then went on to decorate the body of the guitar with adhesive metal letters spelling out "ELVIS." Today, the guitar's missing the "S."

While he owned the guitar, Elvis recorded a slew of his early classics, including "That's Alright (Mama)," "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and "Good Rockin' Tonight." The new owner is remaining anonymous ... for now.

Some other cool items that sold at the auction include Michael Jordan's game-worn modified Jordan 1 sneakers from the 1985-86 season. The pair sold for $474,696, also a record.

Eddie Van Halen's 2000 custom racing Ferrari sold for $156,250 and The Beatles' 1966 Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens concert poster sold for $68,750. That's also a world record ... for non-U.S. concert posters.

Congressman Jim Clyburn feels more strongly than ever ... Donald Trump is fashioning his presidency after the likes of Adolf Hitler, and if Americans aren't careful, history can repeat itself.

The veteran Democratic Congressman from South Carolina warned Americans that Trump's latest play -- suggesting the November election should be postponed because of phantom voter fraud -- is further evidence Trump has no intention of leaving The White House, even if he loses.

Clyburn told CNN, "I feel very strongly that Trump is Mussolini, Putin and Hitler... I don’t think he plans to leave the White House. He doesn’t plan to have fair and unfettered elections. I believe that he plans to install himself in some kind of emergency way to hold onto the office"

Clyburn said a few months back ... there have been many warning signs Trump fashions himself as a dictator. The Congressman noted that Trump said earlier this year he was the nation's chief law enforcement officer -- that's not the case, but it's evidence of a dictator trying to consolidate power.

More than 100 years too late, the Bronx Zoo is apologizing for its horrific treatment of Ota Benga, a Central African man, who was actually on display in the zoo's monkey house ... with an orangutan.

The Wildlife Conservation Society -- the organization that runs the zoo -- is formally apologizing for the 1906 imprisonment and caged display of Benga for one week.

The WCS says ... "We deeply regret that many people and generations have been hurt by these actions or by our failure previously to publicly condemn and denounce them."

The apology was clearly prompted by the social activism since George Floyd's murder, and the WCS added ... "We recognize that overt and systemic racism persists, and our institution must play a greater role to confront it."

Benga was a member of the Mbuti people of the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo, and for several days during the week of Sept. 8, 1906, he was held in inhumane conditions, forced to live with an ape ... and was only allowed short periods of time outside.

Benga started to resist and threaten zoo attendants, and was only released after a delegation of local black churches demanded it. When he was finally freed, Reverend James Gordon took him in at his Brooklyn orphanage ... but Benga died by suicide 10 years later.

Breonna Taylor posthumously made history by landing on the cover of Oprah's Magazine ... the first time EVER in the magazine's 20-year history O herself was not front and center.

Oprah stepped aside for one of her final print editions ... dedicating the September cover with Breonna's image, declaring, "If you turn a blind eye to racism, you become an accomplice to it." These words are emblazoned on the cover ... "HER LIFE MATTERS."

O dropped the news on Insta ... where she gave a touching tribute to Breonna ... "She was just like me. She was just like you. And like everyone who dies unexpectedly, she had plans. Plans for a future filled with responsibility and work and friends and laughter."

Take this with a big grain of salt, BUT ... we may have a legit UFO sighting on our hands here, people. Give it a gander and decide for yourself.

This footage was taken Sunday out in Long Beach, CA -- about 25 minutes south of central L.A. -- and it appears to show a UFO-like object in the air bolt across the sky at lightning-quick speed and disappear out of frame -- all while of-this-world fighter jets fly above.

The person who shot this insists it is not altered or edited at all -- if you buy that, then you gotta ask what the hell it is that zips across the camera's frame if only for a moment. Watch it as many times as you need to -- we even slowed it down/paused it for a close-up view.

If you look (and listen) carefully, you can see a black dot -- perhaps in a saucer shape, although it's hard to tell by how high it is -- flash across the screen and disappear.

At first glance, one could argue this looks like anything but a flying saucer -- could be a raisin, a fly or nothing at all. OR ... it could very well be aliens checking in on us (again?).

As for the jets you can hear in the background as well, we're told they were out there in LB flying around for no apparent reason for about 10 minutes or so. Unclear if their presence had anything to do with this alleged UFO sighting, but hey ... they could be related.

There's been other purported sightings in that area too of late -- about a couple weeks ago, someone posted another video of a strange object flying in the sky around sunset. They claim this was shot from about 2 miles away and at a height of 1,000 feet, more or less.

The YouTube user also says the thing disappeared on him when he stopped filming, but you don't see any of that on camera. Could just be a kite on a super long string -- or ... ALIENS!!

One last thing to consider ... the New York Times did a story this past week about Pentagon bigwigs working in their UFO Unit (yes, they have one of those). One of the subcontractors who used to work for the feds told the paper he recently briefed a Defense Dept. agency about "off-world vehicles not made on this earth" that they'd retrieved over the years.

Derek Chauvin -- the ex-Minneapolis cop charged with murdering George Floyd -- now has more legal trouble on his hands over his taxes ... and so does his estranged wife.

Chauvin and his estranged spouse, Kellie, were each hit Wednesday with 9 felony counts related to their alleged failure to pay state taxes in Minnesota -- including counts for aiding and abetting the filing of false or fraudulent returns and additional counts for failing to file returns at all.

According to court docs, officials in Washington County, Minnesota claim the couple's tax issues date back to 2014 and they're accused of not filing at all for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018. They each face the same 9 counts.

Specifically, investigators claim the couple was significantly under-reporting their combined income. For instance, prosecutors say Derek was raking in tens of thousands of dollars on top of his police officer salary at MPD between side security gigs -- one of which prosecutors estimate totaled upwards of $95k between 2014-2019 -- as well as other odd jobs.

Prosecutors also claim Kellie was raking in tens of thousands herself from realtor work and her photography business. None of the money was reported, according to the charging docs. There's also alleged malfeasance over different homes they've purchased in Minnesota and Florida -- not to mention a new BMW that they allegedly registered in Florida, but had serviced more than 10 times in Minnesota.

And, get this ... prosecutors also allege that Derek and Kellie talked about these tax problems on the phone while he was in custody back in June. They claim Derek told Kellie people were looking into their records, and allege Kellie responded she was meeting with someone about "(2016) to now."

They go on to claim Chauvin told Kellie to use the same person "we have used to handle for many years." That person appears to have been Derek's own father, as prosecutors say Kellie responded, "Yeah well we don't want to get your dad involved because he will just be mad at me I mean us for not doing them for years..."

Long story short, we're talking a lot of money and alleged wrongdoing here -- and if convicted on each of the felony counts ... they could face up to five years in prison.

Of course, these legal woes are on top of the second-degree murder and manslaughter charges Chauvin faces in connection to George's killing earlier in May. He remains behind bars with his bail set at $1.25 million. He hasn't entered a plea yet in the case.

SpaceX's latest mission's off to a good start, thanks to the same rocket booster that launched NASA astronauts on their journey to the International Space Station in May ... and here's the incredible footage.

The Falcon 9 launched the ANASIS-II Mission rocket on Monday around 5:30 PM ET from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, this time to set a communications satellite into orbit.

Videographer Ryan Chylinski utilized a slo-mo camera and zoom lens to capture the stunning moment ... and the telescope-tracking vid shows the rocket in great detail.

As we reported ... Falcon 9 launched 2 American astronauts -- Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken -- into orbit on May 30, then returned to the ground on a remote droneship.

This may be the scariest video of the month ... a super curious bear spotted a few women, approached them, sniffed them, got on its hind legs and seemingly hugged them, and they lived to tell about it!!!

It went down Saturday in Mexico at the Chipinque Ecological Park. You see the bear at one point putting its paw on one of the women, almost nuzzling her.

As most people know, bears often attack when people panic or run, and how can you not when a bear is all over you?!!?

Well, these folks are amazing. They remain clam -- and pretty much still -- as 2 men in the background try to scare the bear away by talking loudly.

The bear eventually has had enough and leaves, and boy ... you can only imaging the heart rate of those women.

So here's what authorities say about black bears that get too close ... "Stay calm, never stand between a baby and its mother, do not go near or feed them, take shelter and watch it, avoid photographing it or taking selfies."

Yeah, selfies would be a real bad move.

Tamar Braxton may have attempted to take her own life.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a 911 call was placed at around 10 PM Thursday. The caller said someone at the Ritz Carlton hotel in downtown L.A. attempted suicide.

When EMTs arrived we're told they found Tamar unconscious inside her room. Her boyfriend, David Adefeso, told cops she may have overdosed on pills and alcohol.

Our sources say the boyfriend also told police Tamar had been upset earlier in the day and had threatened suicide. Our law enforcement sources say Tamar did not leave a note.

Tamar was rushed to the hospital. We do not know her condition.

Tamar and David do a YouTube show called, "Coupled & Quarantined," and the latest episode was supposed to run Thursday night, but earlier in the day they said it was being postponed. They did not say why.

They also have an upcoming show on WE tv called, "Tamar Braxton: Get Ya Life." The first trailer for the show was released Thursday, and in it, Tamar is seen arguing with producers about being portrayed as the "angry black woman."

Tamar, whose latest album was "Bluebird of Happiness" back in 2017, may be even better known for her reality series, "Braxton Family Values."

She also won the U.S. version of "Celebrity Big Brother" last year.

The search for Naya Rivera continues as authorities are now using a mechanical robot to locate her body.

Ventura County Sheriff's deputies employed the ROV -- remotely operated vehicle -- after spotting a dark shape in the water, which they thought might be a body. After lowering the ROV, deputies discovered the object was a tree branch.

It's apparent how difficult the search is from the images ... divers can only see inches in front of them. Making matters even more difficult ... they don't know where Naya was when she disappeared.

The recovery effort was called off Friday night but will resume at first light Saturday.

As we reported, Naya and her 4-year-old son were swimming in Lake Piru Wednesday when she disappeared. Her son climbed back in the boat and told authorities he was swimming with his mom but she never got back on the boat.

In addition to the ROV, authorities are using side-scan sonar, dogs and divers to locate Naya's body.

The Ventura County Sheriff released security camera footage Thursday from the boat launch where Naya and her son rented a pontoon boat on the lake.

As we reported, more than 20,000 people have now signed a petition demanding that the dangers of Lake Piru -- with all the debris in the water -- be made clear to anyone who wants to boat or swim in the lake. Naya would be the 9th drowning victim at the Lake since the mid-'90s.

Naya Rivera's presumed death has angered locals who know the hidden perils of Lake Piru, and now they're demanding more protection for swimmers whose lives are at risk.

More than TWELVE THOUSAND PEOPLE and counting have signed a petition ... demanding more effective warnings for swimmers who are clueless that the waters below are perilous.

The locals have reason for concern ... Naya would mark the 9th drowning death at Lake Piru since 1994.

As we reported ... when Naya jumped in the water, the visibility was 5 to 9 inches. Piru is not a natural lake, and its bottom is covered by trees and other debris, in which a swimmer can easily get entangled. The lake also has strong currents, making swimming difficult.

The petition reads, " ... people have been asking for years for the city to put up warning signs for swimmers. Locals of Ventura County don’t go to Lake Piru for this reason! Tourists have no idea what they’re getting into. Lake Piru needs signs. We’re tired of waiting. We need justice for all those who got lost at Lake Piru. Put up the signs."

There are some marked swimming areas for those who jump in from the shore, but people on boats don't seem to get the proper warnings. It's perilous because just about anyone on a boat in the middle of a hot summer day is going to want to jump in the water to cool off.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... they don't know where Naya and her 4-year-old son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, were when they both jumped in the water. Josey got back in the boat and fell asleep. When authorities arrived, he told them Naya never returned.

Lake Piru does not have many lifeguards, and swimmers "are engaging in a hazardous recreational activity and do so at their own risk" ... according to its policy. Locals want to make it less risky ... thus the petition.

A statue of Melania Trump near her hometown in Slovenia was torched over the weekend ... and the charred aftermath has now been removed.

The life-size wooden statue near Sevnica was set on fire on July 4, as the First Family celebrated Independence Day in the U.S. ... according to the American artist who commissioned the statue, Brad Downey.

Downey, who's based in Berlin, told reporters the statue was severely damaged and blackened by the flames ... so he had it taken down.

The artist says he wants to know why people did this, and police say they are investigating.

The Melania sculpture -- which features her in a blue coat similar to what she wore during President Trump's 2017 inauguration -- was carved with a chainsaw by local artist Ales "Maxi" Zupevc and unveiled last year.

It had been widely roasted, verbally that is, for not looking anything like the First Lady ... but Downey maintained it was "absolutely beautiful."

Melania's statue being set ablaze is surprising, though. As you'll recall ... her hometown was excited about her new status in America back in January 2017, and Sevnica's tourism industry boomed because of it.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is offering a road map to those looking for meaningful change when it comes to real police and education reform ... and it starts with local elections.

We got the Congresswoman on Capitol Hill, and she was clear -- there is only so much that can be done at the federal level. She says people should be laser focused on 2 elections -- the election for their mayor, and for their city councilperson.

AOC's message ... vote local. She says, "Look at what your city council and mayor are saying. They're the ones that hold the key to the castle when it comes to police reform." She's right ... and she offers a prime example going down in her own backyard.

Ocasio-Cortez points to NYC's fiscal budget ... which includes Mayor Bill De Blasio proposing to shift $1 billion from the NYPD's $6 billion budget and earmark it for Summer Youth programs as well as family and social services. A huge chunk will also be diverted to the New York Housing Authority and Parks youth recreation centers.

AOC says there were rumors the City's education budget could face up to $3 billion in cuts ... the number's actually closer to $400 million. Still ... she says it begs the question -- why's it controversial to defund the police but NOT when education gets defunded?

Hugh Downs -- a broadcasting legend with 60 years experience on "Today," "20/20" and 'The Tonight Show' -- has died.

Hugh died Wednesday at his home in Scottsdale, AZ ... according to his family, who released a statement Friday, saying his passing is not related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Hugh was one of TV's most familiar faces during his incredibly long and successful run as a broadcaster ... he co-anchored NBC's "Today" show from 1962 to 1971 and is most remembered for his 21 years as Barbara Walters' co-host on ABC's "20/20."

Downs was also known for his signature sign-off during his time at "20/20" ... ending the nightly program with this gem, "We're in touch, so you be in touch."

Hugh was on the tube for so long, at one point he held the record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera with a whopping 15,188 ... a long-standing record eventually topped by Regis Philbin.

While Hugh officially retired from "20/20" way back in 1999, he lent his smooth voice to a number of TV specials and documentary films during the 2000s.

Hugh was born in Akron, Ohio and he got his broadcasting start on radio in Detroit and Chicago before moving to TV in 1949 as an announcer on a classic children's puppet show called, "Kukla, Fran and Ollie."

Downs also served as the announcer for one of the earliest versions of NBC's "Tonight Show," working alongside Jack Paar in the late 1950s and early '60s.

He even launched one of the most popular daytime shows in the 1960s, "Concentration," a memory-matching game he hosted for over a decade.

Downs worked for PBS too, for much of the 1990s he was the host of the network's "Live From Lincoln Center" broadcasts.

Hugh was 99.

RIP

L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson says it's time to have the right people responding to situations where force is not needed -- and his plan could be a model for the future of policing in America.

Wesson came on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to discuss a new city-wide measure he and his fellow council members voted on and passed this week, which aims to pull cops off on non-violent calls for service, and instead ... send specially-trained, and unarmed, community members.

The Council's intent is clear ... reduce the possibility of police using excessive force, and have social workers and mental health pros on the scene to deescalate and help citizens in need.

For example, the incident that went down in Tampa this past weekend -- where officers responded to a call for a mother in mental distress. Cops ended up ripping away her children in a heartbreaking scene.

Wesson wants to put a stop to unnecessary roughness like that, by deploying specialists who can calm situations and talk down subjects.

The measure will require defunding the police -- or more accurately, reallocating the city's budget. The City Councilman thinks the change would free up LAPD to better police violent cases. Win-win.