EFTA00149162.pdf

From• To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, November 20, 2020 Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2020 11:27:15 +0000 Importan c Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. FBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 6:30 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • US Charges Third Cincinnati Councilman With Corruption. PROTESTS • NYTimes Analysis: Majority Of Cases Against Protesters Dismissed In Court. • Federal Lawsuit Against Chicago Police Alleges "Brutal Attacks On Protesters." • WPost Analysis: Rittenhouse, Rosenbaum's Encounter "Divided The Nation." COUNTER-TERRORISM • Syrian IS Suspect Arrested By Greek Police After Migrant Camp Fight. • Watchdog: EU Relying On Treasury Department Program To Track Terror Financing. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Cybersecurity Community Worried About Political Pressure From White House On CISA. • Voting Machine Company, State Officials Threatened, Harassed In Aftermath Of Election. • Facebook: 180 Million Posts Debunked Ahead Of Election Day. • Media: Delayed Transition Creating "Gap" Between Biden, Harris Classified Briefings. • Six Finalists Announced For US Space Command Headquarters. • Canadian Border Agent Says Huawei CFO Could Have Fled Country. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Men Accused In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Allegedly Planned Executions. • Louisville, Kentucky Sergeants Testify Explorer Records Could Have Been Accessed By Newspaper. • US Charges 14 In Bust Of Wisconsin Drug Trafficking Ring. • FBI Arrests Man Accused Of Colliding Drone With LAPD Helicopter. • Three Former Philadelphia Revenue Employees Charged After FBI Sting. • New York Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor. • FBI Coordinating With Kentucky Police On Four-Year Old Murder Case. • Ten Charged With Belonging To Cleveland Street Gang Implicated In Crimes. • Serial Killer Blamed For Two Murders In Miami In 1970s. • Kansas Man Indicted On Federal Fraud Charges. • Trial Date For Suspects In 2017 Suisun City Murder Rescheduled. EFTA00149162 • New York Man Arrested For Enticement Of A Minor Awaiting Further Legal Action. • FBI: Reported Jet Pack Sightings In Los Angeles Unlikely To Involve Actual Jet Pack. • Continuing Coverage: Man Accused Of Bank Robbery In Several States Arrested. • Woman Wanted In Pittsburgh FBI Probe Taken Into Custody. • Three Drug Conspirators Get Prison Time. • Washington Man Charged Following FBI Child Exploitation Task Force Investigation. • FBI, LAPD Investigation Results In 14 Arrests In Street Gang Case. • Pain Clinic's Doctor, Manager Facing Drug Charges. • Two Arrested After FBI Raid In Montana. • FBI, Local Police Execute Drug Trafficking Search Warrants In Centralia, Illinois. • New York Man Sentenced To 150 Months For Dealing Drugs. • Two Arrested After Missing California Man's Body Found. • Leader Of International Burglary Ring Pleads Guilty To Racketeering Charges. • FBI Searching For "Berenstain Bandits" Crew After 14 Robberies Across Southern California. • Pennsylvania Man Charged With Robbing Two New Jersey Banks. • Boy Scouts Face More Than 95,000 Abuse Claims In Bankruptcy Case. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Illinois House Speaker Madigan Responds To Bribery Charges Against Associates. • Luxury Cars Seized In $16M Texas Coronavirus Fraud Case. • Missouri Man Pleads Guilty In Landfill Fraud Probe. • In Response To DO) Suit, Realtors Group Agrees To Make Cost Of Broker Commissions More Transparent. • Facebook Facing State And Federal Antitrust Charges Over Acquisitions. • New York Fraud Investigations Said To Include Trump Tax Write-Offs. CYBER DIVISION • Grand Jury Indicts California Man For Cyberstalking Airbnb Guest. • GAO: Cyber Command's Vision For Developing Capabilities Lacks Clarity. • Arizona Judicial Branch's Website Hit By Ransomware Attack. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • US Executes Man Convicted Of 1994 Kidnapping-Murder. • Prince George's County, Maryland Will Use DNA Registries To Solve Cold Cases With New DO) Grant. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Mexico Says Corruption Cases Involving Its Officials Will No Longer Be Tried In US. LAWFUL ACCESS • Google To Test End-To-End Encryption In Android Messages. OTHER FBI NEWS • Wray, Haspel May Be Next To Lose Jobs In Administration. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Reaches Out To Michigan Legislators As State Prepares To Certify Biden Win. • CDC Urges Americans Not To Travel Over Thanksgiving. • Pence Hosts COVID News Briefing. • Fauci Concerned Misinformation Will Hobble Vaccination Effort. • Carson Says He Is Taking Oleander Extract As COVID Treatment. • Trump Administration Facing Multiple Challenges Over Vaccine Distribution. • Labs Warn Of COVID Test Delays. EFTA00149163 • Newsom Announces Overnight Curfew In California. • Ohio Legislature Passes Bill To Limit DeWine's Emergency Powers. • New York City Parents Protest School Closures. • Smithsonian Shuts Down All Facilities Indefinitely. • Tyson Foods Suspends Iowa Plant Managers Over Alleged COVID Wagers. • Older Americans Increasingly Challenged By Isolation Orders. • Missed Census Deadline Could Impair Trump Effort To Block Migrants From Count. • CBP Reports Record Arrests In October. • Democrats Demand Release For Female Detainees In ICE Custody. • Schumer Says McConnell Has Agreed To Resume COVID Relief Talks. • Top Congressional Aides Meet To Discuss Averting Government Shutdown. • Mnuchin Will Not Extend Emergency Lending Programs. • EPA Administrator's Travel Plans Draw Scrutiny. • Meadows Suggests Deal Over Military Policy Bill. • Democrats, Republicans Seek Infrastructure Deal In Next Congress. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • WHO: Situation In Europe Improving Due To Reimposition Of Lockdowns. • WHO Says Evidence Lacking To Recommend Remdesivir For COVID Treatment. • Japan's Suga Raises Alarm On Country's Third Wave. • Jordan Becoming COVID Hot Spot After Early Success. • WSJournal: WTO Proposal To Remove Vaccine Patent Protections Would Be Theft. • Top Iranian Military Official: Any US Strike Could Spark "Full-Fledged War." • McKenzie: Refugee Camps Are Breeding Ground For ISIS. • WSJournal Analysis: Afghanistan Prepares For Insurgents After US Troop Removal. • Report Finds Australian Soldiers Unlawfully Killed 39 Afghans. • Pompeo Visits West Bank Settlement, Denounces BDS Movement. • Johnson Announces Biggest Increase In UK Military Spending Since Cold War. • French Journalists Say Government Is Cracking Down On Press Freedoms. • Critics Say Maduro Is Targeting Disillusioned Allies. • Leader Of Human Rights Group Arrested In Egypt. • Arrests Of Two Presidential Candidates Spark Violent Demonstrations In Uganda. • Official Says Ethiopian Airstrike Hit Tigray University. • AP Analysis: Biden DOJ Unlikely To Ease Up On Chinese Targets. • WPost: Biden Can Help Zelensky Reignite His Anti-Corruption Agenda. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS US Charges Third Cincinnati Councilman With Corruption. The AP (11/19, Sewell) reports from Cincinnati, "A Cincinnati city councilman who has been planning to run for mayor has been indicted on federal corruption charges." The AP adds, "An indictment Thursday shows that Democrat P.G. Sittenfeld faces six federal counts related to bribery and extortion. It states that Sittenfeld solicited $40,000 in payments to his political action committee to 'deliver the votes' in the city council for a proposed downtown real estate development." US Attorney David DeVillers "discussed the case at a news conference late EFTA00149164 Thursday morning. He said FBI agents had arrested Sittenfeld earlier. `Mr. Sittenfeld was no longer working for the citizens of Cincinnati, but working for Project 1; DeVillers said, referencing the proposed real estate project. FBI agents disguised as developers gave Sittenfeld the $40,000 bribe, which DeVillers said remained in the PAC fund." The Cincinnati Enquirer (11/19, Knight, 223K) reports, "The Cincinnati office of the FBI has had more impact on local politics in the last year than voters. On Thursday, a third member of the nine-person Cincinnati City Council was arrested and indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges. Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, brother of novelist Curtis Sittenfeld, was arrested Thursday in a case involving fake developers and a former Cincinnati Bengal who helped blow the whistle on the scandals. U.S. Attorney David DeVillers, who is leading the charge, has said there is a `culture of corruption' in the city leaving political insiders asking who might be next. Chris Hoffman, the FBI special agent-in-charge in Cincinnati, said his public corruption taskforce remains in place. `We're standing watch,' Hoffman said Thursday." The Cleveland Plain Dealer (11/19, Tobias, 895K) reports, "Sittenfeld is the third Cincinnati council member to be arrested on corruption charges this year. Earlier this month, federal officials arrested Republican City Councilman Jeff Pastor, alleging he accepted tens of thousands of dollars of bribes from FBI agents posing as local developers. The investigation had an overlap with a separate investigation into the Ohio Statehouse." The Cincinnati Enquirer (11/19, Horn, 223K) reports, "FBI agents arrested Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld Thursday morning on federal charges accusing him of accepting bribes in exchange for favorable votes on development deals, a source with knowledge of the arrest told The Enquirer." DeVillers "said last week that the investigations have revealed ta culture of corruption' that's tolerated in city government. He said the investigation that resulted in the charges against Pastor and Dennard is ongoing and is part of a broader campaign to uproot public corruption in Cincinnati and other Ohio communities. `We are concerned about this almost acceptance that this is how it's done,' DeVillers said last week. `We're going to prosecute those cases. Our goal is to make people nervous and stop them from doing this." WVXU-FM Cincinnati (11/19, Sharber, 4K) reports, "On the steps of City Hall on Thursday, Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley says it's not hard to argue that there's a `culture of corruption' following the arrest of a third City Council member. `It's hard not to focus on the harms, the real harms that are done by these types of scandals,' Cranley said. `The people that are hurt are you, the taxpayer and the citizen.' Sittenfeld "is charged with two counts each of honest services wire fraud, bribery and attempted extortion by a government official. He allegedly solicited bribes from a developer and accepted checks from undercover FBI agents from 2018 to 2019. He's pleading not guilty to the charges. Fellow Council Member Jeff Pastor allegedly took $55,000 in bribes over the course of about a year in exchange for `official action' related to projects in the city. A federal grand jury last week charged him with honest services wire fraud, bribery, attempted extortion by a government official and money laundering. In February, former Council Member Tamaya Dennard was also arrested and charged with wire fraud, bribery and attempted extortion. Between August and December of 2019, she offered to exchange her votes for money. She plead guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud." Among news outlets also reporting are the Cincinnati Business Courier (11/19, Subscription Publication, 840K), Cincinnati CityBeat (11/19, 59K), WDTN-TV Dayton, OH (11/19, Rosi, 15K), WXIX-TV Cincinnati (11/19, Riva, Baker, 42K), WVXU-FM Cincinnati (11/19, Almendarez, Rinehart, 4K), and WKRC-TV Cincinnati (11/19, 161K). PROTESTS NYTimes Analysis: Majority Of Cases Against Protesters Dismissed In Court. The New York Times (11/19, Al, MacFarquhar, 18.61M) reports that "more than five months" after protests over the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, "a vast majority of cases against protesters are being dismissed" in the courtroom and "only cases involving more EFTA00149165 substantial charges like property destruction or other violence remain." Prosecutors "called the scale of both the mass arrests and mass dismissals...unrivaled, at least since the civil rights protests of the early 1960s," testing "the limitations of the court system." Many cases have been dropped as prosecutors "concluded that the protesters were exercising their basic civil rights," cases which "rarely succeed in court." Federal Lawsuit Against Chicago Police Alleges "Brutal Attacks On Protesters." USA Today (11/19, Hauck, 10.31M) reports that Chicago "police officers used 'brutal, violent and unconstitutional tactics' to quell protests over the killings of Black Americans last summer, with victims claiming they were beaten with batons and sprayed with chemicals, a federal lawsuit filed Thursday alleges." Civil rights attorneys "filed the 203-page suit on behalf of 60" plaintiffs, claiming "violations of protesters' First, Fourth and fourteenth Amendment rights and more." The 17-count suit "names Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown, along with 20 officers." Chicago's law department spokesperson Kathleen Fieweger said, "It is important to remember that these are allegations at this stage and not proof." WPost Analysis: Rittenhouse, Rosenbaum's Encounter "Divided The Nation." The Washington Post (11/19, Lee, O'Harrow, Samuels, 14.2M) reports that an "examination of video and police records, along with other documents, sheds new light on the mindsets" of 17- year-old Kyle Rittenhouse and 36-year-old Joseph Rosenbaum during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The Post says Rittenhouse, "a gun enthusiast," thought "of himself as a medic." In his first public comments "since his arrest," Rittenhouse "said he did not regret that he had a gun that night," despite being too young to own a rifle. Rittenhouse said, "I feel I had to protect myself. I would have died that night if I didn't." Rittenhouse Says He Used Stimulus Money To Buy Gun. The Hill (11/19, Coleman, 2.98M) reports, "Accused Kenosha, Wis., shooter Kyle Rittenhouse told The Washington Post that he used stimulus money from the government to buy his gun in an interview published Thursday." Rittenhouse, "who at 17 was too young to buy a rifle, had an adult friend purchase the AR-15 for him using stimulus money he got through an Illinois unemployment program when he was furloughed due to the pandemic. 'I got my twelve hundred dollars from the coronavirus Illinois unemployment 'cause I was on furlough from YMCA,' he said. 'And I got my first unemployment check, so I was like, "Oh, I'll use this to buy it." A family friend Dominick Black bought the gun for Rittenhouse in the spring of 2020, the Post reported, citing Rittenhouse and statements Black gave police." COUNTER-TERRORISM Syrian IS Suspect Arrested By Greek Police After Migrant Camp Fight. Reuters (11/19) reports that Greek police arrested an IS suspect "on Thursday after a brawl at a migrant camp where he has been staying with his wife and children and said he was believed to have been involved in a number of killings." The Syrian man, "who arrived in Greece in March 2018, was detained after an argument on Wednesday between two groups at the camp, a police official said." He is "accused of being a member of a terrorist group and participating in homicides." The man is "expected to appear before a prosecutor later in the day, according to a police statement." Greece "promised on Wednesday to build new reception centres for asylum seekers and cut the maximum stay in camps on its now-overcrowded islands." Watchdog: EU Relying On Treasury Department Program To Track Terror Financing. The Wall Street Journal (11/19, Tau, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that the Treasury Department's Terrorist Finance Tracking Program (TFTP) has become widely used by European EFTA00149166 countries to monitor global financial transactions in an effort to track terror financing. According to the US Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, about 40% of the database searches on TFTP were done on behalf of EU member countries or Europol. The independent watchdog's chairman, Adam Klein, said, "though funded and operated by the United States, provides a steady stream of valuable intelligence to EU member states. ... That should be welcome news to every American." Klein added, "The EU has effectively deputized the U.S. Treasury to perform counterterrorism searches of European data." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Cybersecurity Community Worried About Political Pressure From White House On CISA. The Washington Post (11/19, Marks, 14.2M) reports, "Current and former cybersecurity officials fear it will be far more difficult to withstand political pressure from the Trump White House following a purge of its senior leadership." After the firing of former CISA Director Chris Krebs "and other top leaders...it could be far easier for the White House to force the agency to stop fact-checking phony claims about the election or to combat disinformation about other key issues such as coronavirus vaccine distribution." Former DHS cybersecurity operations head Suzanne Spaulding said, "It's going to be a challenge to overcome the chilling effect from having had a leader of the organization fired for telling the truth." It is rumored "Brandon Wales, a longtime Department of Homeland Security official with extensive experience who is well respected at CISA," will take Krebs' place. Spaulding said, "If Brandon Wales is allowed to stay in place as acting director, I think CISA is in good hands." Sources: Energy Official Eyeing CISA Job After Former Director's Ouster. CyberScoop (11/19, Lyngaas) reports, "Sean Plankey, currently a senior official at the Department of Energy, has in recent days contacted current and former officials at DHS to discuss working" at CISA following the removal of the former director, according to unnamed sources. The Energy official "indicated in one conversation that his move to CISA was 'imminent,' one source said." His security clearance, "however, hangs in the balance," and its status "came up in the last year, prompting a review of his status as a clearance holder." It is "unclear if those issues have been resolved, and if Plankey still holds a clearance." Without a clearance, Plankey could not receive "the classified information that CISA officials draw on to help protect government agencies and the private sector from hacking." Opinion: Krebs Lost Job For "Standing His Ground." Opinion columnist David Ignatius writes in the Washington Post (11/19, 14.2M) that former CISA Director Chris Krebs "got fired for standing his ground," and his "story is a case study in how responsible officials who work for Trump can resist being manipulated." As CISA director, "his job was to coordinate security for the 2020 elections," and while the "main threat seemed to be from abroad," it "turned out that the real danger was at home." Krebs told Ignatius in August, "Election Day may look different than you've seen in the past, and with more Americans voting absentee, it will take longer to tabulate and report complete results." In addition to offering fact-checking on the CISA's website, Krebs' agency showed with evidence "the 2020 election 'was the most secure in American history:" Voting Machine Company, State Officials Threatened, Harassed In Aftermath Of Election. ABC News (11/19, Rubin, Bruggeman, Mosk, 2.97M) reports that Dominion Voting Machines' "employees have been the subject of threats and online harassment" following "two weeks of false fraud claims from President Donald Trump." Trump "has tweeted or retweeted more than a dozen false claims about Dominion Voting Systems used across the country to his 89 million followers, calling the company 'horrible, inaccurate and anything but secure,' despite no EFTA00149167 credible evidence to suggest its platforms were compromised in any way." The President has "resorted to promulgating progressively more outlandish claims online as part of an effort to delegitimize the outcome of the election." The Hill (11/19, Bowden, 2.98M) reports, "Election agencies or law enforcement organizations in five states, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, have witnessed threats or `acute security risks' to officials" connected to the election. In Pennsylvania, the FBI "arrested two Virginia men on firearms charges after receiving threats to `straighten things out,' the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported." Other states have also "been the site of protests against election officials in recent days following the results of the presidential election." Election Assistance Commission Benjamin Hovland said, "I've heard from election officials that they're concerned about the safety of their staff." Election Reform Program Director Lawrence Norden said, "There's no question in my mind that this is unprecedented in the personal attacks on election officials." Facebook: 180 Million Posts Debunked Ahead Of Election Day. The Washington Post (11/19, Lerman, Kelly, 14.2M) reports, "Facebook on Thursday said it slapped warnings on more than 180 million pieces of content that were debunked by fact- checkers during the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election." The social media giant "also removed more than 265,000 pieces of content" in the US "for voter interference" between March 1 and November 3. It "did not reveal how effective its labels are, except to say that when a label obscures a post, 95 percent of people do not click to see what is behind the warning screen." Facebook's AI system "are getting significantly better at rooting out posts with hate speech, even as the content continues to proliferate on its social media sites," according to the company. Its technology "now identifies 95 percent of hate speech posts that the company eventually removes before a user reports them. Nearly three years ago, the AI proactively found about 24 percent of the violating posts." Media: Delayed Transition Creating "Gap" Between Biden, Harris Classified Briefings. Politico (11/19, Bertrand, 4.29M) reports, "President Donald Trump's refusal to concede to President-elect Joe Biden has resulted in an unusual national security predicament." As Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) cannot discuss the classified information she "is privy to" with former Vice President Biden, there is an "awkward gap between what Biden and Harris know about the biggest national security threats facing the country." Harris, as "a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee," has "access to regular classified briefings and documents up to the top-secret level, and can request intelligence briefings on specific topics," according to former CIA officer David Priess. Biden "will not be allowed access to classified information or any members of the intelligence community until the General Services Administration officially `ascertains' him as the president-elect." According to an unnamed transition official, "Harris's work on the Intelligence Committee `is entirely separate from her role as the Vice President- Elect. There is no co-mingling of those roles and responsibilities whatsoever." CNN (11/19, Cohen, Wright, Herb, 83.16M) reports, "there's a world of difference between what Biden can learn from outside experts and the depth of knowledge he would gain from even a limited classified briefing - which he has not received since becoming President-elect," according to experts and advisers. DNI "could give a higher-level briefing to the President- elect" if ascertainment had occurred, and during that briefing, "DNI could go into greater detail about specific threats and underlying intelligence to support the analysis." Additionally, "Biden is not currently receiving the President's Daily Brief." Former Associate White House Counsel Jamil N. Jaffer "told CNN that Trump and [DNI] Ratcliffe could still limit Biden's access to certain classified material if they choose to do so." Jaffer said "the President can decide to provide what ever he wants, and it is certainly likely that DNI Ratcliffe, notwithstanding any prior commitments made, will abide by the President's wishes." EFTA00149168  The Hill (11/19, Deese, 2.98M) reports, "Former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg called on the federal government to grant President-elect Joe Biden access to intelligence briefings." Buttigieg said on MSNBC, "This just seems to be an exercise in trying to somehow protect the outgoing president's ego and that's not worth undermining national security." Buttigieg "said it was a 'huge concern' that Biden was not receiving classified intelligence briefings roughly two months out from Inauguration Day, noting there are likely some intelligence briefings Biden `needs some advanced planning on' before entering office." Six Finalists Announced For US Space Command Headquarters. Stars And Stripes (11/19, Dickstein, 30K) reports, "The Pentagon has narrowed its choices on the permanent headquarters location for U.S. Space Command to six finalists, Air Force officials announced Thursday." The six finalists are "Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Patrick Air Force Base in Florida, Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado, Port San Antonio in Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Alabama, according to the Air Force." The Pentagon is expected to make a final decision "in early 2021, said Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the service charged with making the final basing decision for SPACECOM." Stefanek said, "This assessment will be based on factors related to mission, infrastructure capacity, community support, and costs to the Department of Defense." It could take the Air Force "some six years to build the facilities necessary to house U.S. Space Command, once a location is chosen." Fox News (11/19, Rogers, 27.59M) reports, "Self-nominated communities from across twenty-four states were evaluated as potential locations for hosting the headquarters," said an Air Force statement. Until the announcement is made, "Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs will remain the Command's provisional headquarters." The Air Force has "said that it wants the headquarters location to rate 50 or higher on the AARP livability index and be in the top 150 metro areas." Space Force "made its first launch earlier this year when it sent a military satellite into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida." The Albuquerque (NM) Journal (11/19, Robinson-Avila, 196K) reports that with Orion Group "planning to establish a major manufacturing center near the Albuquerque International Sunport, the possibility of also landing the Space Command headquarters could solidify the city and state's emerging national standing as a space industry powerhouse, said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller." The Omaha (M) World-Herald (11/19, Liewer, 641K) reports, "Offutt already is in the midst of the largest makeover in its history," with a new StratCom headquarters having opened, recovery and reconstruction work that has to take place on part of the base, and, additionally, "next spring the Air Force is beginning a 2-year, $176 million reconstruction of Offutt's single runway." The AP (11/19, Farrington) reports from Florida that "Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County" is one of the finalists, and the "presence of NASA, private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, universities that focus on engineering, the military presence in central Florida and the Cape Canaveral launch pads will make Florida competitive," according to Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL). The Colorado Springs (CO) Gazette (11/19, Roeder, 223K) reports, "The biggest categories are military needs, which includes the command's proximity to space units, having a solid civilian space work force, and quality of life for troops" - and Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC defense program chief Reggie Ash "said Colorado Springs has all those boxes checked." The Denver Post (11/19, Tabachnik, 720K) also provides coverage about Colorado Springs' selection as one of the six finalists. The San Antonio Express-News (11/19, Christenson, Jefferson, 762K) reports, "San Antonio had floated several possible sites" — including "Port San Antonio, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, and the former Brooks AFB, now a commercial development" — but "the Air Force narrowed them down to Port San Antonio, the former Kelly AFB." EFTA00149169  The Huntsville (AL) Times (11/19, Roop, Gattis, 861K) reports that Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal "is the only site on the new list that is not an Air Force base," though local officials have touted how the site "handled earlier growth through Army base closing and realignment efforts (BRAG)." Canadian Border Agent Says Huawei CFO Could Have Fled Country. Reuters (11/19, Berman) reports that Canada Border Services Agency Superintendent Sowmith Katragadda "told a court on Thursday" that Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou "was a flight risk and had the resources to escape the country without reporting to authorities." Katragadda said Meng "has the resources to depart Canada and not report for an examination," adding she "is a senior executive for one of the biggest companies in the world. And Canada is a very big country with a lot of small airports." Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday "said he had no regrets about Meng's arrest regardless of foreign policy implications, pointing to the `longstanding extradition treaty with our closest ally' and adding that Canada's laws can't only be followed 'when it's convenient or when it's easy.'" CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Men Accused In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Allegedly Planned Executions. WLS-TV Chicago (11/19, 391K) reports that according to new filings, the 14 men charged in "the alleged militia plot against" Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) drew up a Plan B "that involved a takeover of the Michigan capitol building by 200 combatants who would state a week-long series of televised executions of public officials." The documents also show a Plan C that involved "burning down the state house, leaving no survivors." WLS-TV says that "in southern Wisconsin Wednesday afternoon the 14th man charged in the plot, Brian Higgins, was closer to extradition to Michigan," though "several of the defendants have had bond reductions and are now free." McClatchy (11/19, Stunson, 19K) reports, "A militia group with plans to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also considered executing hostages on television before their plot was foiled, according to new court documents. The new information was revealed by the Michigan Attorney General's Office, which was arguing against a bond reduction of one of the militia men, Pete Musico. Fourteen men have been charged in the case, which the attorney general's office is prosecuting, according to the Detroit Free Press." McClatchy adds, "Some of the accused extremists, known as the Wolverine Watchmen, had two plans during a 2nd Amendment rally they attended at Michigan's Capitol building in June, documents uploaded by WWMT revealed. The first plan involved them recruiting 200 men and storming the Capitol building while Congress was in session. 'They were to take hostages, execute tyrants and have it televised,' court documents show. 'It would take about one week and (said) that no one is coming out alive.' The Detroit Free Press (11/19, Guillen, Moran, 1.52M) reports, "A Wisconsin man accused of helping with the alleged surveillance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's vacation home was denied bail on Thursday while his lawyer prepares to fight his extradition to Michigan." Brian Higgins, 52, "will remain in custody in Columbia County, Wisc., until an extradition hearing scheduled for Dec. 15. The hearing will focus on extradition paperwork Whitmer signed. Higgins' lawyer, Christopher Van Wagner, said Wednesday that Whitmer should not have signed the document because she has a conflict of interest as the potential victim in the alleged kidnap plot." The Free Press adds, "A Columbia County prosecutor argued Thursday that Higgins should not be released before the extradition hearing because Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers - after receiving Whitmer's paperwork - has now signed a warrant for his delivery to Michigan, changing his status in the eyes of the law." EFTA00149170  The Portage (WI) Daily Register (11/19, 28K) reports, "Judge Todd Hepler ultimately decided that Higgins will be held without bail until further proceedings. Van Wagner has indicated that he will pursue habeas corpus proceedings, or a request that the court determine whether someone's detention is unlawful. Van Wagner has until Dec. 2 to file motions and documents. The state has until Dec. 11 to respond. Van Wagner has until Dec. 14 to respond to the state. A motion hearing is then scheduled for Dec. 15." Also reporting on their websites are WKOW-TV Madison, WI (11/19, Cestkowski, 5K), WMTV-TV Madison, WI (11/19, Tornabene, 56K), and WDIV-TV Detroit (11/19, Hermes, 460K). Louisville, Kentucky Sergeants Testify Explorer Records Could Have Been Accessed By Newspaper. The Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal (11/19, Wolfson, 368K) reports, "A retired Louisville Metro Police sergeant and another still on the force testified Thursday the investigative file on the scandal-plagued Explorer Scout program was available when The Courier Journal requested it last year - despite LMPD and the Jefferson County attorney's office saying it had been moved to the FBI. 'It was all there,' Sgt. Kristen Downs of the Public Integrity Unit testified in a deposition." Downs "swore under oath she delivered copies of the file in 2017 to then-Chief Steve Conrad and to the office of County Attorney Mike O'Connell. She and retired Sgt. Robert Banta testified as well they believe the records still exist on the city's back-up computer server." US Charges 14 In Bust Of Wisconsin Drug Trafficking Ring. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (11/19, Hughes, 632K) reports, "Federal prosecutors Thursday 14 people in connection with a Racine drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin, fentanyl and crack cocaine." According to the Journal Sentinel, "Ten of the 14 individuals were arrested by law enforcement Wednesday and face between five and 40 years in prison if convicted, according to a statement released Thursday from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Officers seized seven guns, 200 grams of heroin, 100 grams of crack cocaine, more than 50 grams of fentanyl and various quantities of suboxone strips, oxycodone pills and PCP, and $8,000 in cash in the Wednesday operation, the statement said. The organization also had Chicago connections." The Racine (WI) Journal Times (11/19, 114K) reports, "FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Hughes said, 'Shared resources and intelligence among law enforcement partners led to the successful takedown of an organized drug trafficking operation, and the arrests of multiple subjects. The FBI's Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Gang Task Force in Racine will continue to work with our partners to keep our communities free of drugs and violence." WITI-TV Milwaukee (11/19, Jewell, 159K) reports, "Officials noted just two milligrams of fentanyl is a lethal dose - and used a picture of a penny to illustrate just how little two milligrams is. 'Such small amounts of fentanyl can be mixed with substances and then sold on the street as heroin. But it's incredibly lethal,' said Matt Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. 'Users don't know what's in a mix and it's taking lives." WISN-TV Milwaukee (11/19, 265K) also reports. FBI Arrests Man Accused Of Colliding Drone With LAPD Helicopter. The Los Angeles Times (11/19, Winton, 4.64M) reports Andrew Rene Hernandez, 22, accused of "recklessly operating a drone and crashing it into a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter earlier this year" was arrested by the FBI on Thursday. Hernandez was "charged with unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft after an investigation by the FBI, the LAPD and the Federal Aviation Administration." The incident took place on September 18 after Los Angeles police officers "responding to a predawn burglary call at a Hollywood pharmacy requested air support." The AP (11/19) reports, "FBI special agents arrested...Hernandez...on a complaint charging him with one count of unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft, a statement said. EFTA00149171 The complaint states that police officers responding to a burglary call at a Hollywood pharmacy on Sept. 18 requested air support. The police helicopter was approaching the pharmacy when the pilot saw the drone and unsuccessfully attempted to evade it. The helicopter's nose, antenna and bottom cowlings were damaged. The complaint states that if the drone had struck the main rotor it could have brought down the helicopter." Officers "found parts of the drone on the ground and a vehicle that had been damaged as it fell from the sky," and "the drone's camera and memory card led to identification of Hernandez as the operator, the U.S. attorney's office said." The Los Angeles Daily News (11/19, Escobar, 232K) reports, "Hernandez admitted to flying the drone - controlled by a device attached to his smartphone - to 'see what was going on,' according to the department. There is no indication that Hernandez, who lives nearby, was involved in the pharmacy burglary, according to Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office. Authorities are concerned about illegal drone activity, he said." KTLA-TV Los Angeles (11/19, Wenzke, 766K) also reports on its website. Three Former Philadelphia Revenue Employees Charged After FBI Sting. The Inquirer (PA) (11/19, Steele, 347K) reports, "Three former employees of Philadelphia's Department of Revenue were charged Thursday by federal prosecutors with soliciting and accepting bribes." The employees "were caught in an FBI sting operation, according to charges outlined by federal prosecutors." They all "accepted bribes in exchange for erasing fees owed by taxpayers, U.S. Attorney William McSwain and Philadelphia Inspector General Alexander DeSantis said in their announcement." FBI Philadelphia Division Special Agent in Charge Michael 3. Driscoll said, "When municipal employees decide to take bribes, they're openly putting their own interests above those of the city they serve. ... The defendants' alleged actions benefited themselves and those who paid them off, at the expense of Philadelphia's revenues and its residents." Also reporting is WHYY-TV Philadelphia (11/19, Scott, 24K). New York Man Charged With Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor. The Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record (11/19, Randall, 147K) reports that a New York man "has been charged with sexual exploitation of an 8-year-old girl and transporting child pornography," and the FBI "believes there are more victims." FBI Agent Pao Mei Fisher said the tutor "'mailed, transported and shipped' the child pornography maintained on his iPhone from his home in Westchester County to Fairfield County in Connecticut, according to the sworn statement." The man "has worked at several locations over the years," and has "done private tutoring for more than 30 years in the Bronx, Westchester County and in Connecticut, according to the FBI." FBI Coordinating With Kentucky Police On Four-Year Old Murder Case. WHAS-TV Louisville, KY (11/19, McAlister, Weiter, 99K) reports on the ongoing investigation into a Kentucky man who was killed in 2016. Since that time, Kentucky State Police "lead the investigation into Tommy Ballard's death with recent help from the FBI." State Police "receives new tips on the case every week, but so far no lead has lead to Ballard's killer." Law enforcement originally "called it a hunting accident." However, "Kentucky State Police said they were investigating Tommy Ballard's death as a murder, but in the three and a half years since he was shot and killed, police have shared no updates." An FBI task force "added Tommy Ballard's case to its website as well as" a few others. Ten Charged With Belonging To Cleveland Street Gang Implicated In Crimes. The Cleveland Plain Dealer (11/19, Shaffer, 895K) reports that in Ohio, ten "are charged with belonging to a street gang that dealt drugs in the city's southeast side, authorities announced Thursday." They are "members of the Percy Homies gang face charges including drug trafficking, criminal gang activity and weapons violations, according to a joint news release EFTA00149172 from Cleveland police, the Cleveland FBI and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley's Office." Prosecutors on Thursday "filed a motion to unseal the secret indictment that a grand jury handed up on Tuesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court." Local police, SWAT, and FBI task force members "arrested six of the men and executed search warrants in which officers seized seven guns, drugs and an unspecified amount of cash." Serial Killer Blamed For Two Murders In Miami In 1970s. The AP (11/19, Lush) reports that serial killer Samuel Little has been blamed for two murders in Miami in the 1970s. Little, who has "been behind bars since 2012," will not "be charged in the two Miami murders." Little "told investigators he was responsible for about 90 killings nationwide between 1970 and 2005," and the FBI "said its crime analysts believe all of his confessions are credible." The FBI has also provided numerous drawings of his victims. Kansas Man Indicted On Federal Fraud Charges. The Hays (KS) Post (11/19) reports, "A Kansas man who ran an autopsies-for-hire business was indicted Wednesday on federal fraud charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister." Authorities seek "to recover more than $1 million in fees paid by the defendant's clients." The man is accused of falsely leading clients "to believe they would receive an autopsy report prepared by a pathologist." However, "in most of the cases, no pathologist was involved in the work on the autopsies." He "offered private autopsy services through his business, National Autopsy Services, based in Topeka." The FBI is looking for victims of the scheme. Trial Date For Suspects In 2017 Suisun City Murder Rescheduled. The East Bay_(CA) Times (11/19, Bammer, 63K) reports, "The setting of a jury trial date has been rescheduled again for two people connected to" a 2017 murder in Suisun City. The two suspects "were scheduled to appear Monday in Department 15 for a readiness conference and to hear the trial date, but Judge Robert Bowers reset the proceedings for 9 a.m. Jan. 20 in the Justice Building in Vallejo." The reschedulings come after a defense attorney "asked Judge John B. Ellis during a late-January proceeding in the Hall of Justice in Fairfield to consider a motion to dismiss all - or parts of - a June 2019 Solano County grand jury indictment of her client." The two "face first-degree murder charges in connection to the death" of the daughter-in-law of one. New York Man Arrested For Enticement Of A Minor Awaiting Further Legal Action. The Greater Binghamton (NY) Press & Sun-Bulletin (11/19, Borrelli, 85K) reports that a New York man "was arrested and charged Oct. 30 with felony counts of enticement of a minor and traveling to engage in illicit sexual contact, which could mean at least 10 years in federal prison if he's convicted." The US Attorney's Office investigation "leading to the federal charges involved a search of the victim's cell phone and contact from Lettieri's Facebook account and phone number." The man "made an initial appearance in federal court and on Nov. 13, he was detained to await further legal action." FBI is "still investigating allegations involving" the man. FBI: Reported Jet Pack Sightings In Los Angeles Unlikely To Involve Actual Jet Pack. KCAL-TV Los Angeles (11/19) reports from Los Angeles, "A series of reported jet pack sightings near LAX are unlikely to involve an actual person with a jet pack, federal investigators said Thursday." KCAL-TV adds, "Speaking to reporters Thursday, Kristi Johnson, FBI assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles Field Office, said they've gotten reports about multiple sightings in recent weeks." Johnson "said there are currently multiple theories as to what the objects could be, but no conclusions yet. One theory is that it's a balloon possibly resembling 'a jet pack or person', or it could be a 'a drone designed to look like a jet pack or person'. Lastly and most unlikely, Johnson said, it could be an 'actual person with a jet pack: The FAA and FBI are investigating to protect the airspace, Johnson added." EFTA00149173 Continuing Coverage: Man Accused Of Bank Robbery In Several States Arrested. The Pine Barrens (ha) Tribune (11/19, Melegari) reports that a man "who is alleged to have committed at least six bank robberies in New Jersey...is suspected in over a dozen others robberies in Connecticut and Pennsylvania." He is also "believed to have been involved in a previous bank robbery in Glenview, Illinois, is alleged to have robbed a Citizens Bank last week." On November 12, "the FBI Newark Field Office advised area media that it added" the man to its website "for his alleged involvement in a series of bank robberies." The agency also "created a fugitive wanted poster calling for his apprehension." Woman Wanted In Pittsburgh FBI Probe Taken Into Custody. KDKA-TV Pittsburgh (11/19, 144K) reports, "FBI Pittsburgh says a woman wanted in connection with an `ongoing investigation' is in custody." KDKA-TV adds, "Earlier on Thursday, they asked anyone who knows where Kristin Steffan is to call police or FBI Pittsburgh at 412-432-4000. FBI Pittsburgh did not release any information about the investigation and said no other details are available at this time. Later in the day, they said Steffan had been taken into custody." Three Drug Conspirators Get Prison Time. The McAllen (TX) Monitor (11/19, Zazueta-Castro, 98K) reports a federal judge has "handed down punishments in a case involving a group of men who allegedly conspired to transport drugs to the Midwest." Carlos Gonzalez and Reynaldo Lerma both were sentenced to 70 months in prison, while Erasmo Gonzalez Jr. received a 30-month sentence. Each of those defendants pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge after they were arrested by FBI agents in Texas. Two others who were arrested at that time, Fernando Lerma and Derrick Raul Lerma, have yet to be sentenced after they "each pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge." Washington Man Charged Following FBI Child Exploitation Task Force Investigation. The Spokane (WA) pokesman-Review (11/19, Epperly, 183K) reports that a Washington man "was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree promoting prostitution." He was "sentenced to 120 months on Nov. 10 after an investigation" by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force "found evidence he participated in human trafficking." In January, the man "transported a teen to an undercover human trafficking operation conducted by the task force, according to court documents." In August 2018, he "was charged with one count of second-degree promoting prostitution," and also "has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple convictions for theft, assault, and violating no-contact and protection orders." Also reporting are KREM-TV Spokane, WA (11/19, Riordan, 88K), and KXLY-TV Spokane, WA (11/19, 7K). FBI, LAPD Investigation Results In 14 Arrests In Street Gang Case. The Los Angeles Watts Times (11/19) reports, "An investigation led by the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department" has "resulted in the arrest of 14 defendants linked to a street gang on federal charges alleging the distribution of narcotics, some of which were sold to customers out of two South Los Angeles storefronts." Operation Hoover Dam "resulted in three indictments being returned over the past few weeks by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles." They "allege that the defendants — all reputed members or associates of the gang, or alleged drug dealers who operated in gang territory - sold methamphetamine, crack cocaine, cocaine and phencyclidine." Ten defendants have been charged, "including two purported senior gang members who operated stores where narcotics allegedly were peddled." Pain Clinic's Doctor, Manager Facing Drug Charges. In website coverage,