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From: FBI News Briefing cza To: "FBINewsBriefing" Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Daily News Briefing - July 24, 2023 Date: Mon, 24 Jul 2023 10:10:03 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser ptFederal Bureau of Investigation July 24, 2023 Seal Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Email Public Affairs to subscribe to the Daily News Briefing. Mobile version and archive available here. Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • Justice Department Tells Texas That Floating Barrier On Rio Grande Raises Humanitarian Concerns • Judge Sets A Trial Date For Next May In Trump's Classified Documents Case In Florida • Director Wray Defends FISA, Says Law Used to 'Detect and Thwart' Chinese Hacking COUNTERTERRORISM • Man Who Ambushed Fargo Officers Likely Had Bigger and Bloodier Attack in Mind, Attorney General Says • Iran's Terrorism Financing Flourishes Amid Sanction Easing COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • FBI Wrongly Searched For U.S. Senator And State Senator In Section 702 Spy Data, Court Says • China, Russia Grow Their Spy Networks in Mexico to Potentially Target the U.S. • U.S. Seeks To Crack Putin Power With High-Level Russian Spies • Ex-Canadian Mountie Charged Over Alleged China Interference CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Hunter Biden Dal Case Records Sought By Court Order Before Wednesday Plea Deal • House GOP Demands DOJ Officials Testify On Alleged Hunter Biden Coverup • Jurors At His Classified Documents Trial Will Come From Counties That Overwhelmingly Voted For Him In 2020 • Former Republican Aides Shepherd Whistle-Blowers Through Congress • As Inquiries Compound, Justice System Pours Resources Into Scrutinizing Trump • FBI Zeroes in on Cold-Case Murder Mystery on New York Oneida Reservation EFTA00160510  • Judge Finds Forensic Scientist Henry Lee Liable For Fabricating Evidence In A Murder Case • Weekend Shootings Leave at Least 6 Dead, 20 Others Wounded in Chicago • Gunman in Monterey Park Mass Shooting Sent 'Manifesto' to Law Enforcement, Sheriff Says • Cops Working to Tie Rex Heuermann to 4th Gilgo Beach Murder Victim and Six More Bodies • Brother-In-Law Charged in Texas Woman's 1986 Cold Case Stabbing Murder After Dna Links Him to Scene • Man Accused of Kidnapping, Killing His Ex-Girlfriend's 2-Year-Old Faces 20 State Charges • Idaho Murder Update: Bryan Kohberger May Release New Details About Alibi • A Nevada Woman Who Hired a Hitman Using Bitcoin to Kill Her Ex-husband Gets Five Years in Prison • Chicago Rapper G Herbo To Plead Guilty To Using Stolen Credit Cards On Luxury Vehicles, 'Designer Puppies,' Court Docs Say • Developer Who Paid $500,000 Bribe To Los Angeles Councilman Sentenced To Six Years In Federal Prison • Crypto Rapper `Razzlekhan; Husband Reach Plea Deal Over Bitfinex Hack Laundering • Patrol Dogs Are Terrorizing and Mauling Prisoners Inside the United States • Federal Investigation Into the Death of Roy McGrath May Be Unavailable to the Public for a Year • There Are Thousands of Unsolved Cases of Missing Black People. Carlee Russell's Unverified Report Is Rare, Advocates Say • FBI Agents Spent Two Days Hauling Items Out of an Office Complex Linked to Iconic Wine Retailer Sherry-Lehmann • Cop Called to Help Man in Crisis Instead Tased Him Seven Times in Two Minutes in New York, Feds Say • Racist Text Scandal at Northern California Police Department at Center of Court Hearing • North Carolina Man, 69, Charged After Allegedly Groping Teen During Flight • Leon Black Agreed to Pay $62.5 Million to Settle Epstein-Related Claims • Ex-Network Investigative Journalist Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges • A 'Help Me' Sign Leads to the Rescue of a Kidnapped Texas Girl in Southern California • Feds Fight Nxivm Sex Cult Leader Keith Raniere's Bid at New Trial on Claims FBI Planted Child Porn on His Computer • Robbers Posing as FBI Agents Steal $20,000, Luxury Goods in New York Home Invasion • Search on for Two Robbers Who Held up Banks In Illinois CYBER DIVISION • Microsoft Hack Widens After Emails of U.S. Ambassador to China Breached LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Mental Health Crisis Response Questioned Following Fatal Police Shooting in San Antonio INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Artifacts Meant for a White House Party Ended Up at Mar-A-Lago. Awkwardness Ensued. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Before Jan. 6, Mark Meadows Joked About Trump's Election Claims • Georgia Governor Contacted By Trump Special Counsel In 2020 Probe • Judge Rejects Jail For Oath Keepers' Jan. 6 'Operations Coordinator' • Most Voters Think DOJ Indictments Add Drama, But Will Hurt Trump: Poll EFTA00160511  • Trump to Face Racketeering Charge in Georgia for Attempting to Overturn 2020 Election Results • A Former Republican Legislative Candidate Has Been Charged for His Role in the U.S. Capitol Riot • The Military Ordered Big Steps to Stop Extremism. Two Years Later, It Shows No Results OTHER FBI NEWS • Booz Allen To Pay $377.4 Million To Settle U.S. Charges Over Past Billing Practices • New Report Points to Homicide Rate Declines in U.S. Cities After Pandemic-Era Spike • Epstein Victims Plan $600 Million Lawsuit Against the FBI for Failing to Investigate Millionaire • Public Confidence in the FBI Has Diminished by 15% In the Last Five Years, Poll Finds • Ramaswamy Unveils Plans to Eradicate FBI, Department of Education, Nuclear Regulatory Commission • Opinion: FBI Attacked Catholics and Now It Won't Even Let Us See What It Did INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Deadly Russian Strikes Hit Odesa Cathedral and Apartment Buildings • Scholarships Have Helped Displaced Afghan Students Find Homes On University Campuses Across The U.S. • Russia Defies Sanctions by Selling Oil Above Price Cap • Chinese Money Flees the Western World • Foreigners, Some Trained by The U.S., Are Fighting on Both Sides in Ukraine, Seeking Cash and Adventure • Israel's Identity Hangs in Balance Ahead of Key Vote on New Law • With Israel in Turmoil, Netanyahu Is Hospitalized for Pacemaker • Inconclusive Election Thrusts Spain Into Political Muddle • U.S., Allies Hold Record-Setting Military Exercise in Australia in Message Aimed at China • North Korea Launches Cruise Missiles Into Yellow Sea OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Continued Reporting: Trump Indictment • Continued Reporting: Biden Investigation • Missouri Supreme Court Orders The GOP Attorney General To Stand Down In Fight Over Abortion Costs • The Fight Over Alabama's Congressional Redistricting Now Shifts Back To Federal Court • Struggling DeSantis and Pence Attack Criminal Justice Law They Championed • Kansas Troopers 'Waged War on Motorists, Federal Judge Finds • Extreme Heat Shows the Need for Another Kind of Climate Investment • Biden Declares War on the Cult of Efficiency • Biden Admin Urges Supreme Court To Reinstate Major Gas Pipeline In West Virginia • Lawyers Say Helping Asylum Seekers in Border Custody Is Nearly Impossible • Oklahoma Governor's Feud With Native American Tribes Continues Over Revenue Agreements • New U.S. Pandemic Office Set to Launch • Female Admiral Picked as Next Navy Head • Drugmakers Are 'Throwing the Kitchen Sink' to Halt Medicare Price Negotiations • New Jersey Sues Federal Highway Officials in Bid to Stop New York City's Plan to Charge Big Tolls • In an 'Extraordinary' Move, Mississippi AG Tries To Overturn Officer's Manslaughter Conviction • Opinion: Cracking Down on Al Companies Could Rob America of Economic Growth • Opinion: Stop the Post Office From Spying on Us EFTA00160512 BIG PICTURE • New York Times • Wall Street Journal • Washington Post • Financial Times • ABC News • CBS News • NBC News • Fox News WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS Justice Department Tells Tens That Floating Barrier On Rio Grande Raises Humanitarian Concerns The Associated Press (07/21, Weber) reported that the Justice Department has told Texas that a floating barrier of wrecking ball-sized buoys the state put on the Rio Grande violates federal law and raises humanitarian concerns for migrants crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. According to the article, DOD's letter, which also informs the state that the Justice Department intends to sue if the barriers are not removed, read, "The floating barrier poses a risk to navigation, as well as public safety, in the Rio Grande River, and it presents humanitarian concerns." The article indicated that Abbott's office did not respond to a request for comment Friday, but on Twitter, the governor wrote that Texas was acting within its rights, tweeting "Texas has the sovereign authority to defend our border." The Los Angeles Times (07/21, Molina) reported that the Department of Justice intends to sue Texas over the placement of a floating buoy barrier in the Rio Grande that Gov. Greg Abbott deployed to impede migrants from crossing the river from Mexico into Texas, according to news outlets, including the Houston Chronicle (07/21, Wallace). The Justice Department, the article detailed, sent Abbott a letter on Thursday regarding the barrier, saying, "The State of Texas's actions violate federal law, raise humanitarian concerns, present serious risks to public safety and the environment, and may interfere with the federal government's ability to carry out its official duties." The article noted that Assistant Atty. Gen. Todd Kim and U.S. Atty. for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza wrote that the floating barrier violates the Rivers and Harbors Act that "prohibits the creation of any obstruction to the navigable capacity of waters of the United States." They, the article added, also noted that the barrier requires authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Washington Post (07/21, Miroff) featured DOJ's letter to Governor Abbott. The accompanying article stated that the Biden officials gave Texas until Monday afternoon to respond with a commitment to quickly remove the barriers. If they don't, the article continued, "the United States intends to file legal action," the letter states. The article highlighted that Matthew Nies, a spokesman for the Justice Department's Environmental and Natural Resources Division, confirmed in an email Friday that the department had notified Texas "of our intent to pursue legal action related to unlawful construction of a floating barrier in the Rio Grande River." The letter, addressed to Abbott and Angela Colmenero, the state's interim attorney general, the article detailed, said the floating barriers run afoul of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which prohibits the obstruction of U.S. waterways. The article added that an Eagle Pass business owner who offers kayaking and canoe trips along the river filed a separate lawsuit against Abbott this month over the floating barriers, which Texas officials say they want to expand. CNN (07/21, Alvarez, Prokupecz) reported that the Justice Department has sued on border-related matters before. Last year, the article elaborated, the Justice Department sued Arizona for placing shipping containers along the US southern border— a move taken by then-Republican Gov. Doug Ducey as an affront to Biden's immigration policies. Arizona, the article continued, eventually agreed to remove the containers. The article noted that the news comes as more than 80 Democratic US lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden Friday urging him to investigate Abbott's "dangerous and cruel actions" on the southern border after a Texas state trooper blew the whistle regarding alleged inhumane treatment of migrants and Mexico's top diplomat complained to Washington about Texas breaking two international treaties. NBC News (07/21, Kosnar, Mitsanas) highlighted that the letter represents the latest DOJ inquiry into Texas' migration policies. On Thursday, the article detailed, a DOJ EFTA00160513 spokesperson told NBC News that the department is probing allegations made by a Texas trooper in an email sent to his superiors, in which he described how he and his partner were ordered to push back migrants into the Rio Grande River and deny them water despite the searing heat. Politico (07/21, Ewing) reported that the letter did not address any migrant-related concerns at the Texas-Mexico border, but DOJ spokesperson Xochitl Hinojosa said Friday that "the department is aware of the troubling reports, and we are working with OHS and other relevant agencies to assess the situation:' The story was also reported on by CBS News (07/21, Montoya-Galvez), the Texas Tribune (07/21, Schneid), Forbes (07/21, Bohannon), the Dallas Morning News (07/21, Gilman, Torres), Axios (07/21, Medoza), The Hill (07/21, Bernal), a second The Hill (07/21, Suter) article, HuffPost (07/21, Nicholson), New York Post (07/22, Crane), Business Insider (07/22, Davis), and ABC News (07/21, Barr, Mallin). Additionally, USA Today (07/21, Jervis) published an article on how razor wire on the Texas border injures young migrant children. Broadcast coverage was posted by NBC News (07/21, Video) and ABC News (07/22, Video). Judge Sets A Mal Date For Next May in Trump's Classified Documents Case in Florida The Associated Press (07/21, Tucker) reported that a federal judge in Florida has scheduled a trial date for next May for former President Donald Trump in a case charging him with illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents. According to the article, the May 20, 2024, trial date, set Friday by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, is a compromise between a request from prosecutors to set the trial for this December and a bid by defense lawyers to put it off indefinitely until sometime after the 2024 presidential election. If the date holds, the article noted, it would follow close on the heels of a separate New York trial for Trump on dozens of state charges of falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush money payment to a porn actor. The article indicated that it also means the trial would not start until deep into the presidential nominating calendar and probably well after the Republican nominee is clear — though before that person is officially nominated at the Republican National Convention. CNN (07/21, Polantz, Sneed, Scannell) reported that a pretrial hearing in the case will be held on May 14. If that timeline holds, the article continued, then the trial would fall deep in the 2024 race for the White House, coming amid multiple GOP presidential primaries. The article suggested that it would be a rebuke to Trump and his legal team, who wanted to postpone the trial until after the general election takes place in November 2024. However, the article pointed out, Cannon's order also means that the case will unfold at a far slower speed than what Smith's team was proposing when it recommended a fast-paced timeline that would start the trial in mid- December of this year. The article explained that such a schedule would have a trial wrap-up before primary voting gets underway in the 2024 election, where Trump is the leading GOP candidate. The vast majority of state primaries, the article detailed, will be finished by mid-May, although Nebraska, Maryland, and West Virginia are set to hold their primary elections on May 14. The article specified that Oregon votes the following week and a handful of states, including New Jersey, are now scheduled to vote on June 4. During his first presidential run, the article added, Trump effectively clinched the nomination at the end of May 2016— before formally becoming the party's nominee in July at the GOP convention in Cleveland. The Wall Street Journal (07/21, Gurman) pointed out that if Trump were to be both the clear nominee—he is currently the clear front-runner—and convicted, the Republican presidential candidate heading into the party convention and the November vote would be a felon, potentially facing jail time if his anticipated appeals fail. If he is found not guilty, the article added, he would amplify his contention to voters that he has been unfairly targeted by the government in a bid to derail his election prospects. ABC News (07/21, Katersky) detailed that the trial will take place at the federal court in Ft. Pierce, Florida, and the next hearing in the case is tentatively scheduled for August 25. The Hill (07/21, Latour) highlighted that a spokesperson for Trump on Friday called the date "a major setback to the DOJ's crusade to deny President Trump a fair legal process" and said the "extensive schedule allows President Trump and his legal team to continue fighting this empty hoax!' CNN (07/21, Millman) also noted that John Lauro, the recent addition to former President Donald Trump's legal team, told Fox News on Friday there is no reason for the former president to appear before a federal grand jury investigating the 2020 election aftermath, adding that Trump "did absolutely nothing wrong." The story was also reported on by CBS News (07/21, Quinn, Legare), Politico (07/21, Gerstein, Cheney), a second Politico (07/21, Gerstein) article, BBC News (07/21, Halpert), Reuters (07/21, Heavey, Lynch, Thomsen), CNBC (07/21, Breuninger), Al Jazeera (07/21, Staff Writer), the New York Times (07/21, Draper), and The Hill (07/21, Bertsch). Director Wray Defends FISA, Says Law Used to 'Detect and Thwart' Chinese Hacking Fox News (07/23, Singman) reported that Director Wray, in letters sent to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, defended the importance of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), highlighting its role in thwarting foreign threats including Chinese hackers attempting to infiltrate U.S. critical infrastructure. Director Wray noted, "Section 702's critical importance to our national security EFTA00160514 has only grown with the evolution of technology and threats" and described the tool as "invaluable" for understanding the actions of foreign adversaries. Within the article Director Wray provided specific examples, such as its usage to monitor Chinese hackers who sought to establish "backdoors" into U.S. infrastructure, potentially causing significant damage and safety risks. He added that without Section 702, the FBI would be "blinded" to such malicious actions. Director Wray also cited Section 702's instrumental role in identifying Iran's cyberattack efforts and attempts to assassinate American officials, noting that it was "pivotal for the FBI to detect and thwart" these activities. Director Wray concluded by urging Congress to reauthorize Section 702, which is set to expire on Dec. 31, stressing that the FBI "needs Section 702 to keep countering the next five years of foreign threats." Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM Man Who Ambushed Fargo Officers Likely Had Bluer and Bloodier Attack in Mind, Attorney General Says The Associated Press (07/21, Dun, Hollingsworth) reported that Mohamad Barakat, an armed man who ambushed Fargo police officers, potentially had larger, more destructive plans targeting crowded events in North Dakota, according to authorities. According to the article, Internet search histories reveal terms like "kill fast," "explosive ammo," "incendiary rounds," and "mass shooting events," which suggest a wider plan of attack. The article noted that Barakat had been reported to the FBI's Guardian Threat Tracking System, a preliminary level of terrorist-related inquiry that collects information about potentially suspicious behavior, but it remains unclear what actions, if any, were taken following this report. Additional reporting from Associated Press (07/21, Lauer) added that North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said on Friday that he believes the violence could have been the beginning of a bigger attack, as the Downtown Fargo Street Fair and the Red River Valley Fair were underway. Wrigley noted that Barakat had four semi-automatic handguns and three semi-automatic rifles, but only one of them — the one he picked to go on his shooting rampage — had a binary trigger. The article explained that a binary trigger is a modification that allows a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released — in essence doubling the firing capacity, firearms experts and weapons manufacturers say. The Associated Press (07/21, Dura) also noted that a public memorial service is planned for Wednesday in Fargo for Jake Wallin, a Fargo police officer who was killed by Barakat on July 14. The New York Times (07/21, Mayorquin) and CNN (07/21, Boyette, Sottile) also reported on the story. Iran's Terrorism Financing Flourishes Amid Sanction Easing Washington Examiner (07/22, Noronha) reported that in 2019, Iran's support for terrorism faced a significant financial crunch. Fighters of Iran-backed groups in the Middle East saw drastic cuts in salaries and resources due to crippling sanctions imposed by the Trump administration. According to the article, the "maximum pressure campaign" targeted Iran's oil exports, putting severe strain on Iran's economy and limiting its ability to finance its proxy terrorist groups. However, by 2021, the circumstances dramatically changed for Iran's proxies. The suspension of most Iran sanctions by the Biden administration - a policy led by Rob Malley - allowed the regime's terrorist financing to bounce back. This shift aimed at facilitating Iran's return to the 201S nuclear deal, but it ironically resulted in increased support for Iran's terrorist activities. The article noted that the ongoing FBI investigation into Malley's alleged mishandling of classified information adds an intriguing dimension to this shift in policies. The article explained that this relaxation of sanctions had alarming consequences. It led not only to a failure in reviving the nuclear deal but also fueled a substantial surge in Iran's oil exports. The Iranian regime managed to substantially increase its foreign reserves from a paltry $4 billion in 2020 to an estimated $43 billion in 2023. The inflated revenues have been instrumental in rejuvenating Iran's terrorist groups, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reporting a 13% increase in salaries for its militia fighters in Syria. Senators have pointed out the exponential growth of Iran's "ghost fleet" of tankers, evading U.S. sanctions, from 60 vessels in 2021to 338 today. The majority of these tankers are engaged in ferrying illicit oil from Iran to China, and the proceeds directly contribute to strengthening Hezbollah and the IRGC. According to the article, the Biden administration's policy has inadvertently ended up enriching Iran's terror networks while falling short of its strategic objectives. Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE FBI Wrongly Searched For U.S. Senator And State Senator In Section 702 Spy Data, Court Says EFTA00160515 The Associated Press (07/21, Merchant) reported that FBI employees wrongly searched foreign surveillance data for the last names of a U.S. senator and a state senator. According to the article, the disclosure could further complicate the Biden administration's efforts to renew a major spy program that already faces bipartisan opposition in Congress. The article indicated that another FBI employee improperly queried the Social Security number of a state judge who alleged civil rights violations by a municipal chief of police, according to the opinion of the chief judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The article noted that news of the latest violations comes as the Biden administration faces a difficult battle in persuading Congress to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows spy agencies to collect swaths of emails and other communications. The story was also reported on by the National Review (07/21, Zymeri), Axios (07/21, Sabin), The Hill (07/21, Beitsch), CNN (07/21, Rabinowitz), New York Times (07/21, Savage), The Register (07/21, Hardcastle), Reuters (07/21, Satter), Lawfare (07/21, Hickey), Fox News (07/21, Singman, Gibson), Daily Caller (07/21, Hutchison), Newsmax (07/21, Staff Writer), Politico (07/21, Carney), ABC News (07/21, Mallin), Wall Street Journal (07/21, Volz), New York Post (07/21, Nava), and CBS News (07/21, Gazis). China, Russia Grow Their Spy Networks in Mexico to Potentially Target the U.S. The Epoch Times (07/21, Gomez) reported that China and Russia are reportedly increasing their number of intelligence agents in Mexico, possibly aiming to disrupt the United States. According to the article, U.S. officials, including House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Michael McCaul, have expressed concern over the implications of this expansion, particularly as it could potentially enable covert operations within the U.S. or exacerbate the existing drug trafficking problem. The article noted that Director Wray, in his recent testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, emphasized China's broad, comprehensive threat to Western democracies, warning of the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to infiltrate U.S. and foreign companies in China to ensure compliance with party rules, thereby gaining access to company secrets and information. U.S. Seeks To Crack Putin Power With High-Level Russian Spies The Hill (07/23, Kelly) reported that the U.S. and its allies, with the CIA and FBI at the forefront, are working to recruit high-level Russian officials to spy for the West amid apparent cracks in Russian President Vladimir Putin's power base. CIA Director William Burns called this a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" and said, "I think Putin is already a little bit uneasy as he looks over his shoulder." According to the article, Director Burns disclosed that a CIA video on Telegram guiding Russians on how to discreetly contact the spy agency had gained 2.5 million views in its first week. He affirmed the agency's interest in advanced science, military and cyber technology, financial information, sources of valuable data, and foreign policy secrets. Director Burns, in his remarks in Aspen, also called Putin "the ultimate apostle of payback" and noted that an atmosphere of paranoia is very detrimental to any organization. He reiterated that while the focus remains on gaining information on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the CIA is also interested in broader information on Russia. In response to potential recruits, an anonymous CIA official said, "We would say, please be patient. We thank you for your brave action and we will choose the safest time and manner to respond." Ex-Canadian Mountie Charged Over Alleged China Interference BBC News (07/21, Debusmann) reported that William Majcher, a retired federal police officer in Canada, has been charged with foreign interference on behalf of China following a two-year investigation conducted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). According to the article, Majcher allegedly used his contacts in Canada to aid China in intimidating an individual outside Canadian law's scope. According to Tasha Adams, an RCMP spokesperson, Majcher was gathering information about the unnamed individual because Chinese officials intended to target this person. The RCMP clarified that the alleged foreign interference was not related to Canadian politics or elections. The article noted that the case mirrors U.S. concerns over Chinese espionage, with the FBI reportedly opening a new China-related counter-intelligence case every 12 hours, resulting in more than 2,000 cases as of early this year. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Hunter Biden DOJ Case Records Sought By Court Order Before Wednesday Plea Deal The Washington Examiner (07/22, Oliver) reported that the Heritage Foundation is seeking emergency relief from an appellate court to obtain a narrow set of documents relating to U.S. Attorney David Weiss and "special counsel EFTA00160516 status" from the Department of Justice ahead of Hunter Biden's plea hearing next week. According to the article, the conservative group asked the court to enforce a Freedom of Information Act request from the DOJ for all communications that "reflect, memorialize, or explain any decision on a request for regulatory or statutory Special Counsel Status" by Weiss, the lead prosecutor in the case against President Joe Biden's son. House GOP Demands DOJ Officials Testify On Alleged Hunter Biden Coverup The New York Post (07/21, Nelson) reported that the chairmen of three House committees called on Attorney General Merrick Garland Friday to make the "voluntary" decision to allow 11Justice Department officials to testify about an alleged coverup in the investigation of first son Hunter Biden — setting a Monday deadline that signals potentially swift escalation next week. The article indicated that the letter, signed by Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY), and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) read, "Absent cooperation with this request, the Judiciary Committee will issue subpoenas to obtain the required testimony." According to the article, the Republican-led committees requested testimony from the DOJ officials — including Weiss, Los Angeles-based US Attorney Martin Estrada, and DC US Attorney Matthew Graves — in a June 29 letter to Garland. Also on the list, the article detailed is Delaware assistant US attorney Lesley Wolf, who allegedly steered IRS investigators away from analyzing Joe Biden's role in Hunter Biden's foreign dealings, despite communications seeming to implicate the president directly. The article added that the Republican-led panels also want to interview DOJ tax division attorneys Mark Daly, Jack Morgan, and Stuart Goldberg, Delaware US Attorney's Office Criminal Chief Shawn Weede and Delaware assistant US attorney Shannon Hanson — as well as special agent in charge of the FBI Baltimore Field Office Tom Sobocinski and his assistant special agent in charge Ryeshia Holley, whose office worked on the case. Jurors At His Classified Documents Thal Will Come From Counties That Overwhelmingly Voted For Him In 2020 Business Insider (07/21, Sheth) reported that former President Donald Trump hit the jackpot with his upcoming criminal trial over his handling of classified government documents. The article indicated that US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who Trump nominated, signed an order Friday announcing that the former commander-in-chief will be on trial beginning May 24, 2024, in Fort Pierce, which is good news for Trump because Fort Pierce, in St. Lucie County, is in an overwhelmingly red area of South Florida. According to the article, nearly 72% of voters in neighboring Okeechobee County voted for Trump in the 2020 election, and 66.8% of voters in Highland, 62% of voters in Martin, 60.4% of voters in Indian River, and 50.4% of voters in St. Lucie cast ballots for Trump. Former Republican Aides Shepherd Whistle-Blowers Through Congress The New York Times (07/23, Broadwater) reported when Gary Shapley, a longtime IRS investigator, wanted to air his accusations that the federal government had mishandled the tax investigation into President Biden's son Hunter, the information he had was so sensitive he couldn't even provide it to his own lawyer without potentially committing a felony. The article added that through his attorney, he approached Empower Oversight, a small group mostly composed of Republican lawyers with deep experience in Capitol Hill investigations — including years spent as aides to Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa — who coached him on what to do. Armed with intricate knowledge of Congress's byzantine procedures and various whistle-blower statutes, some written by Mr. Grassley decades ago, the men developed a strategy for how to get the information to Congress lawfully. The article noted that it was not the first time that Empower Oversight had played a key role in facilitating some of the many Republican investigations into Mr. Biden's family, his administration, and federal law enforcement. As the GOP presses forward with inquiries aimed at uncovering wrongdoing by the president, the group has become a critical part of the Republican investigative ecosystem, using its knowledge of Capitol Hill to shepherd through Congress witnesses who can put names, faces, and crucial details to the allegations being made. In addition to the IRS whistle-blowers, Empower Oversight also represents two FBI. agents who have harshly criticized the agency in appearances before the Republican-led select House committee on the weaponization of government. As Inquiries Compound, Justice System Pours Resources Into Scrutinizing Trump The New York Times (07/23, Thrush, Protess, Feuer, Goldman) reported that Jack Smith, the special counsel overseeing criminal investigations into former President Donald J. Trump, employs 40 to 60 career prosecutors, paralegals, and support staff, augmented by a rotating cast of FBI agents and technical specialists, according to people familiar with the situation. In his first four months on the job, starting in November, Mr. Smith's investigation incurred expenses of $9.2 million. That included $1.9 million to pay the U.S. Marshals Service to protect Mr. Smith, his family, and other investigators who have faced threats after the former president and his EFTA00160517 allies singled them out on social media. The article noted that the main driver of all these efforts and their concurrent expenses is Mr. Trump's own behavior — his unwillingness to accept the results of an election as every one of his predecessors have done, his refusal to heed his own lawyers' advice and a grand jury's order to return government documents and his lashing out at prosecutors in personal terms. The article added that Image at the peak of the Justice Department's efforts to hunt down and charge the Jan. 6 rioters, many U.S. attorney's offices and all 56 F.B.I. field offices had officials pursuing leads. As the department and prosecutors in New York and Georgia move forward, the scope of their work, in terms of quantifiable costs, is gradually becoming clear. These efforts, taken as a whole, do not appear to be siphoning resources that would otherwise be used to combat crime or undertake other investigations. But the agencies are paying what one official called a "Trump tax" — forcing leaders to expend disproportionate time and energy on the former president, and defending themselves against his unfounded claims that they are persecuting him at the expense of public safety. According to the article, the DO1, which includes the FBI and the U.S. Marshals, is a sprawling organization with an annual budget of around $40 billion, and it has more than enough staff to absorb the diversion of key prosecutors, including the chief of its counterintelligence division, Jay Bratt, to the special counsel's investigations, officials said. FBI Zeroes in on Cold-Case Murder Mystery on New York Oneida Reservation The New York Post (07/22, Kennedy) reported that it's been 42 years since 19-year-old Tammy Mahoney, a SUNY Morrisville student from Farmingdale, Long Island, was picked up while hitchhiking to a friend's house. Cops say she was taken to the nearby 32-acre Oneida Nation Territory in what people up here, including the Natives, still call "Indian country." The article added that now, her disappearance and presumed murder is one of the hottest cold cases in the country. The FBI held a news conference in May saying the case was still active and that several new witnesses have come forward. Recently, the State Police's Major Crimes and Cold Case units joined the investigation. The article mentioned that police said that they think they've known who killed her from the start. At least 13 people were present at a party in a trailer on the Oneida Nation Territory, a small reservation in Oneida which was then a ramshackle, mud-filled stretch of land filled with mobile homes. Investigators say it was "suggested" to them by these witnesses that Mahoney, who may have known some Oneida Nation members, was gang-raped and killed. The article stated that FBI agents reportedly made visits to residents of the Onondaga reservation, a bigger Native American territory 40 miles from the Oneida Nation Territory, as recently as last week in their latest efforts to persuade more witnesses to Mahoney's disappearance to come forward. The article quoted Sarah Ruane, of the FBI's Albany, who said, "This crime is a tricky one but we have a lot of confidence that it will be solved, we have a mix of old and new information and we think we can bring this case to the finish line. The goal is a successful prosecution of the perpetrators and finally being able to lay Tammy to rest." Judge Finds Forensic Scientist Henry Lee Liable For Fabricating Evidence In A Murder Case The Associated Press (07/21, Eaton-Robb) reported that a federal judge ruled Friday that famed forensic scientist Henry Lee was found liable for fabricating evidence in a murder case that sent two Connecticut men, Ralph "Ricky" Birch and Shawn Henning, to prison for decades for a crime they did not commit. The article explained that the ruling sends the case against the police and the town to trial. The article said the two men were convicted in the Dec. 1, 1985, slaying of Everett Carr, based in part on testimony about what Lee said were bloodstains on a towel found in the 65-year-old's home in New Milford, 55 miles southwest of Hartford. The article reported that in his ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden ruled that Lee presented no evidence to back up his testimony. Weekend Shootings Leave at Least 6 Dead, 20 Others Wounded in Chicago The Associated Press (07/23, Staff Writer) reported that six people have died and at least 20 others were wounded in weekend shootings across Chicago. A shooting early Saturday in the city's North Lawndale neighborhood killed one man and wounded four other men, police said. Three people, including two women, were shot Saturday night on Chicago's South Side when gunfire rang out from an alley at a group of people. The article added that since Friday, Chicago police responded to at least nine separate shooting scenes. Forty people were shot, four fatally, across Chicago over the July 14 weekend. NBC News (07/23, Ede-Osifo), Daily Mail (07/24, Gordon), Chicago Sun- Times (07/22, Staff Writer), Chicago Tribune (07/22, Smith), WLS (ABC-7) (07/22, Piekos), WBBM (CBS-2) (07/22, Bizzle), and CBS News (07/21, Video) also reported on the story. Gunman in Monterey Park Mass Shooting Sent 'Manifesto' to Law Enforcement, Sheriff Says CNN (07/21, Romine) reported that the gunman who opened fire during a Lunar New Year celebration near Los Angeles in January, killing 11 people and injuring others, sent writings to law enforcement, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. The article noted that when asked whether authorities had discovered a motive in the EFTA00160518 Monterey Park attack, Luna said the gunman, Huu Can Tran, had sent a "manifesto" to law enforcement that was still being examined. The article added that Tran, 72, opened fire the night of January 21 at a Lunar New Year celebration at a dance studio in Monterey Park — in a majority Asian community just east of Los Angeles. The assailant then went to a dance studio in nearby Alhambra where a man wrestled a gun from him, the sheriff has said. The suspect fled to Torrance, 30 miles away, and Tran was found dead in a white van the next day of a self- inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. The article mentioned that the FBI is still analyzing the document and trying to piece together how the shooting unfolded and why, Luna said. The Los Angeles Times (07/21, Lin) also reported on the story. Cops Working to Tie Rex Heuermann to 4th Gilgo Beach Murder Victim and Six More Bodies The New York Post (07/22, Moore) reported that investigators are close to pinning the murder of the fourth Gilgo Beach victim on suspected serial killer Rex Heuermann — and are widening their probe to connect him to the other six bodies dumped in the remote Long Island spot. The article added that the latest update on the case comes after Heuermann was charged last week with killing three petite sex workers — Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Megan Waterman, 22, and Amber Lynn Costello, 27 — whose remains were found in 2010. The women, along with Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, were known as the "Gilgo Four." Heuermann pleaded not guilty to three counts each of first- and second-degree murder. He is considered the prime suspect in Brainard-Barnes' death, officials have said. The article noted that as far as connecting his DNA to crimes nationally, the source said, Heuermann's DNA will be put through the FBI's database only if and when he is convicted. An additional New York Post (07/21, Brown) article, Fox News (07/21, Conklin), and Business Insider (07/23, Mark) also reported on the story. Brother-In-Law Charged in Texas Woman's 1986 Cold Case Stabbing Murder After Dna Links Him to Scene Fox News (07/22, Stimson) reported that an 85-year-old New Mexico man was arrested and charged this week for the 1986 Texas cold case murder of his then-sister-in-law after he confessed to the crime, police said. The article noted that Liborio Canales confessed to the murder after he was named as a suspect when detectives working the cold case found DNA collected at the crime scene showed the killer was a close relative of victim Barbara Fay Villareal's husband, the Garland Police Department said in a release. Villareal was "brutally" stabbed multiple times on Nov. 7, 1986, in Garland, Texas. Possible blood from the suspect was collected at the scene at the time and her husband was quickly ruled out as a suspect. Canales allegedly told detectives he killed Villareal because he was angry about a family dispute. The article quoted the Garland Police Department, which said, "The Garland Police Department is thankful for the assistance of the Dallas FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, the Lea County Sheriff's Office, and the Lovington New Mexico Police Department for help bringing closure on this cold case and closure for Barbara Fay's family,". Man Accused of Kidnapping, Killing His Ex-Girlfriend's 2-Year-Old Faces 20 State Charges The Associated Press (07/22, Staff Writer) reported that a man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and kidnapping and killing her 2-year-old daughter has been charged with murder by Michigan's attorney general. The article added that Attorney General Dana Nessel charged Rashad Trice, 26, on Friday with 20 counts, including one count each of first-degree premeditated murder and felony murder in Wynter Cole Smith's strangulation death. Both charges carry a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. The Lansing man faces 18 other state charges, including kidnapping, in connection with the crimes committed on July 2 and July 3, when he allegedly stabbed and sexually assaulted his ex-girlfriend in Lansing, stole her car, and drove away with Smith. The child was later found strangled to death with a cellphone cord. ABC News (07/21, Deliso) also reported on the story. Idaho Murder Update: Bryan Kohberger May Release New Details About Alibi Newsweek (07/21, Skinner) reported that Bryan Kohberger could reveal new details about his alibi on Monday. Kohberger, 28, is accused of breaking into a rental house near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, in the early hours of November 13 and fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20. The article added that at the time, Kohberger was a graduate student studying criminology at Washington State University. He was arrested at his parents' home in Pennsylvania in late December. Shortly after his arrest, a former attorney for Kohberger said his client was "eager to be exonerated. The article noted that Monday is the deadline for Kohberger's legal team to file an alibi. The first deadline for the alibi was in June, but Kohberger's public defender Anne Taylor requested the deadline be extended on account of not having enough time to review the evidence provided by the prosecution. The article mentioned that on Monday, Kohberger's legal team could file an alibi that would include Kohberger's whereabouts during the murders and any corroborating facts. However, he could not file a response at all, or his legal team could again request more time. EFTA00160519 A Nevada Woman Who Hired a Hitman Using Bitcoin to Kill Her Ex-husband Gets Five Years in Prison The Associated Press (07/21, Staff Writer) reported that a Nevada woman who admitted to hiring a hitman on the Internet for $5,000 in bitcoin to kill her ex-husband "and make it look like an accident" was sentenced to five years in prison. The article added that Kristy Lynn Felkins, 38, of Fallon, Nevada, pleaded guilty in March to a charge of murder-for-hire as part of a deal with federal prosecutors that avoided trial, court records show. A U.S. District Court judge in California also ordered on Thursday that Felkins be released under supervision for three years after she serves her prison sentence. The article noted that Felkins began communicating with someone in 2016 on a dark web hitman website that claimed to offer murder-for-hire services, according to her September 2020 indictment. Felkins wanted her ex-husband killed while he was traveling in Chico, California, the indictment said. Authorities described the website as a scam that simply took money from unsuspecting customers. Chicago Rapper G Herbo To Plead Guilty To Using Stolen Credit Cards On Luxury Vehicles, 'Designer Puppies,' Court Docs Say NBC News (07/21, Planas) reported that Chicago rapper G Herbo will plead guilty to charges related to using stolen credit card information to pay for private jets, luxury vehicles and "designer puppies." According to the article, G Herbo, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, 27, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The article indicated that he was one of six co-defendants in the case. Additionally, prosecutors on Wednesday filed paperwork in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts that shows the rapper agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. The article added that a conspiracy conviction carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, but the potential sentences could be reduced. The press release noted the FBI's Chicago Field Office assisted with the case. Developer Who Paid $500,000 Bribe To Los Angeles Councilman Sentenced To Six Years In Federal Prison The Associated Press reported that a real estate developer was sentenced Friday to six years in federal prison for paying $500,000 in bribes to a Los Angeles city councilman for help with a downtown project. According to the article, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement that Dae Yong Lee, also known as "David Lee," also was fined $750,000 and a company that he controlled was fined $1.5 million plus prosecution costs. The article indicated that prosecutors said that in 2017, Lee bribed Jose Huizar and the councilman's special assistant to help resolve a labor organization's appeal that was blocking approval of a planned development that was to include more than 200 residences and some 14,000 square feet (1,300 square meters) of commercial space. At the time, the article added, Huizar chaired the city's powerful Planning and Land Use Management Committee. The press release noted that "the FBI investigated this matter." Crypto Rapper 'Razzlekhan,' Husband Reach Plea Deal Over Bitfinex Hack Laundering Reuters (07/21, Cohen) reported that an American couple accused of laundering billions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency stolen from the 2016 hacking of virtual currency exchange Bitfinex have entered into a plea agreement, court records showed on Friday. The article added that Heather Morgan, who used the hip-hop alias "Razzlekhan" to push her music online, and her husband Ilya Lichtenstein were initially a