EFTA00150597.pdf

From: "Bulletin Intelligence" <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Wednesday, March 31, 2021 Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2021 10:34:00 +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: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Garland Instructs DO3 To Put More Effort Into Probing Hate Crimes. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Proud Boys Leader Charged In Capitol Insurrection Says He Worked With FBI Against Antifa. • Proud Boys Member Claims Music Party, Not Riot, Was Planned For Afternoon Of Capitol Siege. • Prosecutors Urge Judge To Not Release On Bail Texan Charged In Capitol Insurrection. • New York Man Arrested For Participating In Capitol Siege. • Alabama Man Arrested After Showing FBI Video He Took During Capitol Riot. • Capitol Rioters Released Prior To Trial. • NPR Review: Capitol Insurrection Cases Show Plans For Violence But Not Necessarily Storming The Capitol. • US Capitol Police Officers Suing Trump Over Riot. • Thirty-Three Texans Face Charges In Connection With Capitol Riot. • Former Federal Prosecutor: Sherwin Was Right To Discuss Capitol Siege In Interview. • WSJournal Warns Of Overreach In Some Capitol Riot Prosecutions. PROTESTS • Witness Testimony Continues In Chauvin Trial. • New Jersey Man Admits To Attempting To Burn Police Car After Floyd Protest. • Minnesota Man Arrested For Violating Drug-Related Gun Law. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Court Upholds Constitutionality Of FBI Terror Watch List. • SCOTUS Weighs Case Involving Consumers Falsely Labeled As Terrorists. • Continuing Coverage: Judge Orders Three Men To Stand Trial Over Plot To Kidnap Whitmer. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Sources Say Durham Investigating FBI's Launch Of Trump Campaign Probe. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • DO) Investing Rep. Gaetz Over Alleged Sexual Relationship With A Minor. EFTA00150597 • NYPD Seek Suspect In Assault On Asian American Woman. • Lawsuit: Epstein Trafficked Victim, Threatened To Feed Her To Alligators. • Texas Grand Jury Indicts Deputies For Manslaughter In Ambler's Death. • No Convictions In Trial Of White St. Louis Police Officers Accused Of Beating Black Officer. • Prosecutors Charge Two NYC Mortuary Workers With Stealing Credit Cards From Dead People. • Charleston Church Shooter To Appeal Death Sentence, Predicts White Supremacists Will Take Over US. • Prosecutors Charge MS-13 Gang Member In Attack On Transgender Woman. • New Hampshire Man Receives 23-Year Prison Sentence For Sexual Exploitation Of Minor. • Michigan Man Pleads Guilty To Hate Crime Over Attack On Black Teen. • FBI Says US Resident Charged In Fatal Smuggling Operation. • New Jersey Man Sentenced For Arranging To Meet Teen Girl. • Charges Filed Against Man Who Shot At Officers In Everglades National Park. • New Hampshire Man To Stay In Jail After Being Charged With Wire Fraud. • Boston Police Captain Charged With Fraud. • Michigan Man Charged With Hate Crime After Striking, Injuring Back Teen. • Texas Man Sentenced For Sex Trafficking. • Woman Accused Of Killing Husband's First Wife May Get Bond. • Seven Nabbed In Georgia Gang Crackdown. • UConn Grad Student Charged With Sexual Assault. • Bridgeport Ex-Police Chief Hopes To Avoid Jail After Cheating To Get His Job. • Florida Man To Serve 14 Years In Enticement Case. • California Man Arrested For "Patient Brokering". • Louisiana Sheriff's Employee Pleads Guilty To Taking Bribes. • Georgia Bank Robber Pleads Guilty. • Minnesota Man Sentenced For Child Pornography. • Six Charged In Michigan Revenge Slaying. • US Judge Sentences Honduran President's Brother To Life In Prison For Role In Drug Trafficking. • Tennessee Drug Investigation Leads To 37 Arrests. • Texas Man Pleads Guilty In Meth Case. • Cocaine Case Defendant Sentenced To More Than Decade In Prison. • Honduran President's Brother Gets Life Sentence Following US Drug Trial Conviction. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Honolulu Planning Department Employees Indicted For Bribery. CYBER DIVISION • Fake Apps Evading Apple's App Store Screening. • Cybersecurity Firm Reports Ransomware Attacks Growing Steadily In 2021. • Experts Say CISA Is Underfunded And Outmatched. • Sources Say SolarWinds Cyberhack Gained Access To Then-Acting DHS Chief's Emails. • Biden Administration Plans To Make Cybersecurity A Top Priority. • Suspected Russian Hackers Stole Thousands OF State Department Emails Last Year. • Officials Say DHS Studying Ways To Fix Cyber Blind Spots. • Lawmakers Seek Details Hackers Accessing Chad Wolf's Emails. • WPost: Congress Must Act To Prevent Ransomware Attacks. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Supreme Court Ruling Doesn't Create "New Loophole" For Police Shootings. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS EFTA00150598 • Mexican Law Requiring US Divulge Law-Enforcement Contacts Paralyzes US Anti-Drug Efforts In Mexico. • Accused Sinaloa Cartel Member Charged With Kidnapping. OTHER FBI NEWS • Watergate Scandal Undercover Operative G. Gordon Liddy Dies At 90. • Bobby Ferguson Argues He Should Be Freed Because Kilpatrick Was. • DOD Wary Of Policy Changes In Dealing With Extremists Within The Military. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Biden To Unveil First Part Of "Build Back Better" Plan In Pittsburgh Wednesday. • Biden's First Judicial Nominees Said To Include "Some Very Historic Picks." • Senators Urge Biden To Fill Top Pentagon Vacancies. • Former GOP Officials Back Clarke Nomination. • Health Experts Warn About Fourth COVID Wave. • Republicans Begin New Campaign Against Vaccine Passport Plans. • Data Show US Could Vaccinate All Adults By July 4. • Surveys Find Declining Vaccine Hesitancy Among Black Americans. • Pfizer Testing New Freeze-Dried Version Of Its COVID Vaccine. • Warren Calls For Greater Transparency, Oversight In Financial System After Archegos Meltdown. • Kentucky Lawmakers Pass Partial Ban On No-Knock Warrants. • Relief Extended To More Than 1M Borrowers Who Had Defaulted On Some Privately Held Student Loans. • Administration Allows Journalists Inside Border Detention Facility For Children. • Lawyers For DACA Recipients Ask Houston Judge To Delay Ruling. • Democrats Face Internal Divisions Over Scope Of Voting Rights Bill. • House Ethics Committee Rejects Gohmert's Appeal Of Fine. • New York Court Rules Zervos Lawsuit Against Trump May Proceed. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • US Questions WHO Report Into Origins Of Pandemic. • World Leaders Propose Treaty On Sharing Epidemic Data. • Blinken Rejects Pompeo's Focus On Certain Human Rights Abuses. • Kerry Will Reportedly Visit India And UAE On Climate Mission. • Brazilian Military Leaders Resign After Bolsonaro Replaces Defense Minister. • New Satellite Imagery Suggests North Korea Is Restarting Nuclear Proliferation. • NYTimes Analysis: Taliban Already Leveraging Apparent Victory Over US In Afghanistan. • China Passes Law Further Undermining Democracy In Hong Kong. • Karen Forces Seek International Help As Burma's Military Advances On Them. • NATO Jets Intercept Russian Planes Over Europe. • Fighting In Eastern Ukraine Has "Escalated Sharply." • Report: Biden Administration Believes Iran Seeks Negotiations To Resume Nuclear Deal. • UN Report Claims French Airstrike In Mali Killed Civilians. • IS Claims Responsibility For Attack On Mozambique Port Town. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. EFTA00150599 LEADING THE NEWS Garland Instructs DO) To Put More Effort Into Probing Hate Crimes. The AP (3/30, Balsamo) reports that on Tuesday, Attorney General Garland "ordered a review of how the Justice Department can best deploy its resources to combat hate crimes during a surge in incidents targeting Asian Americans." Garland "issued a department-wide memo announcing the 30-day review, citing the `recent rise in hate crimes and hate incidents, particularly the disturbing trend in reports of violence against members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community since the start of the pandemic.' ... For federal officials to combat the trend, federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials should place an emphasis on investigating and prosecuting hate crimes, while increasing community outreach, Garland said." Reuters (3/30, Lynch) reports that "in his first memo to employees since taking over" the department, "Garland said he wants to find ways to improve reporting of hate crimes, `prioritize criminal investigations and prosecutions,' and work with civil authorities to address cases of bias which may not rise to the statutory definition of a hate crime." Garland also emphasized "the improved collection of data critical to understanding the evolving nature and extent of hate crimes and hate incidents in all their forms." USA Today (3/30, Johnson, 12.7M) reports that "citing an `urgent' need to reset hate crime enforcement strategy," Garland also "vowed to 'seek justice for the victims of hate-fueled mass murders that we have seen too many times in the past several years." The Washington Post (3/30, Nakamura, 10.52M) reports that Garland's goals include "improving hate crime data collection, prioritizing investigations and prosecutions, and using civil authorities to target unlawful acts of bias that do not meet the federal definition of a hate crimes." He also "said in his memo that the review would seek to ensure that U.S. attorneys' offices have sufficient resources to prioritize hate-crime investigations." CNN (3/30, Carrega, 89.21M) reports on its website that "some areas Garland highlighted for improvement include: better tracking for reported hate crimes that might violate federal law, enhancing the available tools available to respond to hate crimes, assessing whether budgets need to be increased for linguists and other resources that engage with communities that face hate crimes." The Hill (3/30, Beitsch, 5.69M) reports that "the memo gets at a persistent problem for law enforcement: many local law enforcement agencies across the country report zero hate crimes in their precinct, leaving many advocates to argue officers are failing to report instances where bias played a motivating role in a crime." Courthouse News (3/30, Philo, 21K) reports, "Hate crimes in the U.S. surged in recent years. In November, the FBI released a report finding that incidents that qualify as hate crimes rose by 20% during the Trump administration." Additional coverage includes Fox News (3/30, Blitzer, 23.99M) and the Washington Times (3/30, Mordock, 626K). Biden Details Federal Response To Hate Crimes Targeting Asian-Americans. The New York Times (3/30, Kanno-Youngs, 20.6M) reports that the White House "detailed actions on Tuesday to address violence against Asian-Americans, including training for local governments on anti-Asian bias, increasing accessibility to hate crime data and establishing nearly $50 million in grants to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault who face language barriers. `We can't be silent in the face of rising violence against Asian Americans,' President Biden wrote in a tweet on Tuesday." The New York Daily News (3/30, Sommerfeldt, 2.51M) reports that the $50 million grant program "will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Services and center around providing `community based, culturally specific' resources, the White House said." HHS "will also establish a task force to devise policies ensuring the administration's COVID-19 response seeks to mitigate anti-Asian xenophobia and bias related to the pandemic, with a particular eye toward violence against women, the White House said." EFTA00150600  The Los Angeles Times (3/30, Megerian, 3.37M) reports under the initiative, "the Justice Department will track reports of anti-Asian hate crimes and expand its outreach to community organizations," while the FBI will "hold training sessions for state and local law enforcement" and "the National Science Foundation will spend $33 million to study bias and xenophobia." The President "also plans to revive the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which was founded by" former President Bill Clinton. Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) said, "We commend President Biden for his leadership to ensure that the safety and well-being of the AAPI community is prioritized." Axios (3/30, Chen, 1.26M) reports that the FBI also plans to "publish a new interactive hate crime page dedicated to anti-Asian hate crimes," while the DOJ has "updated its hate crimes website accessible in Chinese, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese." Politico (3/30, Wu, 6.73M) reports that the initiative will be reinstated with "an expanded mandate and an 'initial focus on anti-Asian bias and violence,' including gender-based violence," and the Administration "also vowed to appoint a permanent director of the initiative to coordinate policies across the government." Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) "applauded Biden in a statement for 'recognizing our community's pain and taking concrete actions to protect AAPI individuals from violence and root out anti-Asian bias while also supporting the victims of hate crimes." The New York Times (3/30, Kanno-Youngs, 20.6M) reports that in Biden's "first week in office, he condemned the xenophobia against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders and directed the Health and Human Services and Justice Departments to develop ways to combat racist actions. The details released by the White House on Tuesday were the next step in carrying out plans to address the problem." Additonal coverage includes The Hill (3/30, Samuels, 5.69M), the Los Angeles Times (3/30, Megerian, 3.37M), and the Washington (DC) Times (3/30, Sherfinski, 626K). CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Proud Boys Leader Charged In Capitol Insurrection Says He Worked With FBI Against Antifa. The AP (3/30, Kunzelman, Balsamo, Flaccus) reports J. Daniel Hull, an attorney for Proud Boys "thought leader" and organizer Joseph Biggs, wrote in a court filing that months before he was charged with storming the US Capitol FBI agents recruited him "to provide them with information about antifa networks." Two agents met with Biggs, who also answered questions during a series of phone calls afterwards. Hull added that Biggs "received 'cautionary' phone calls from FBI agents and routinely spoke with local and federal law enforcement officials in Portland, Oregon." The claims "buttress a widely held view among left-leaning ideological opponents of the Proud Boys that law enforcement has coddled them, condoned their violence and even protected them during their frequent street brawls with anti-fascists." CNN (3/30, Polantz, 89.21M) reports, "Previously, another leader in the Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, had been an FBI informant, and others in the group had been approached in a federal investigation in 2019 tied to Roger Stone." Politico (3/30, Cheney, 6.73M) reports, "Trump-era intelligence agencies have faced criticism - long denied by top officials like FBI Director Christopher Wray - that they were pressured to inflate the threat of antifa while downplaying the threat posed by right-wing extremists." Additional coverage includes Newsweek (3/30, Palmer, 2.67M). Proud Boys Member Claims Music Party, Not Riot, Was Planned For Afternoon Of Capitol Siege. Reuters (3/30) reports Attorneys for Ethan "Rufio" Nordean, a prominent figure in the Proud Boys, argue that he planned a "carefree music party" the afternoon of the Capitol insurrection, "contradict[ing] the notion that the group had a plan to 'topple the government' that day." EFTA00150601 Proud Boys member Michale Graves, former singer for the punk rock band The Misfits, may be called on to testify that he was asked to play songs at the party. The defense lawyers are seeking "to undermine the prosecution's bid to prove conspiracy charges against some members of the right-wing Proud Boys group." Prosecutors Urge Judge To Not Release On Bail Texan Charged In Capitol Insurrection. The Washington Post (3/30, Shepherd, 10.52M) reports prosecutors urged a judge not to release Garret Miller of Dallas, Texas prior to his trial on charges that he participated in the Capitol riots. Miller "allegedly admitted to bringing a gun into the Capitol during the deadly insurrection" and when he was arrested he was wearing "a T-shirt emblazoned with a photograph of former president Donald Trump and text declaring: 'I Was There, Washington D.C., January 6, 2021.'" New York Man Arrested For Participating In Capitol Siege. The AP (3/30) reports the FBI arrested William Tryon of Albany, New York, who "made an appearance in federal court in Albany on three misdemeanor charges" related to participating in the Capitol insurrection. He faces charges "of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds." WTEN-TV Albany, NY (3/30, 58K) reports Special Agent in charge Thomas Relford said in a statement, "Selkirk resident William Tryon was arrested by our office today for his role in the riot and assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. We will continue to coordinate with our colleagues at the FBI Washington Field Office and the United States Attorney's Office to bring to justice anyone who broke the law that day." Alabama Man Arrested After Showing FBI Video He Took During Capitol Riot. The AP (3/30) reports Russell Dean Alford of Hokes Bluff, Alabama "was arrested on charges of entering the U.S. Capitol during the riot by supporters of former President Donald Trump after showing FBI agents photos and video he took while inside the building." Alfordf was freed on $5,500 bond. Capitol Rioters Released Prior To Trial. The Washington Times (3/30, Mordock, 626K) reports that, "Signaling a softer approach to defendants jailed for relatively minor offenses stemming from the Jan. 6 attack," US District Judge Royce Lamberth order Capitol insurrectionists Eric Munchel and his mother, Lisa Eisenhart, be released from jail ahead of their trial. The pair "will have their locations monitored at all times and are banned from using the internet or contacting others involved in the riot." Last week, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit "criticized Judge Lamberth for labeling Mr. Munchel and Ms. Eisenhart as dangers to the community" and sent their case "back to Judge Lamberth saying he should release the duo." NPR Review: Capitol Insurrection Cases Show Plans For Violence But Not Necessarily Storming The Capitol. NPR (3/30, Lucas, 3.69M) reports an NPR review of court filings and statements from prosecutors found that "several smaller groups of people with ties to extremist organizations...coordinated ahead of time and traveled to Washington, D.C., ready for violence, but not with the explicitly stated goal of storming the Capitol." However, "former prosecutors caution that it is still early in the investigation." US Capitol Police Officers Suing Trump Over Riot. EFTA00150602 Bloomberg (3/30, Nayak, 3.57M) reports US Capitol Police Officers James Blassingame and Sidney Hemby, who were on duty during the January 6 riot, are suing former President Donald Trump, accusing him "of inciting the violent mob that injured scores of officers." The two "not only suffered physical injuries but Blassingame is also dealing with depression since the riot, according to the complaint." Business Insider (3/30, Frias, 2.74M) reports, "The officers are seeking unspecified monetary damages with the lawsuit, but documents say the 'amount in controversy exceeds $75,000, not counting interest and costs." Thirty-Three Texans Face Charges In Connection With Capitol Riot. The San Antonio Express-News (3/30, Pettaway, 685K) profiles the 33 Texans arrested in connection with the Capitol insurrection, each "facing a variety of charges." Former Federal Prosecutor: Sherwin Was Right To Discuss Capitol Siege In Interview. Former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori, in an op-ed for USA Today (3/30, 12.7M), argues that former Acting US Attorney for Washington, DC Michael Sherwin was right to discuss the Capitol insurrection in an interview on "60 Minutes." Everything "Sherwin said was already alleged in public documents or was otherwise unobjectionable." Additionally, "the public deserves to have some insight into how the government is handling a rare and consequential investigation." Such information "can be a vital mechanism for public accountability on the part of federal law enforcement, which is all too often unwilling to explain itself even in cases where the public interest is significant, sincere - and entirely justified." WS3ournal Warns Of Overreach In Some Capitol Riot Prosecutions. A Wall Street Journal (3/30, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) editorial says while the Justice Department wants to make a strong statement about the Capitol riot, there are indications of prosecutorial overreach in some of the criminal cases moving through the courts. The Journal says events like the riot must be deterred, but prosecutors cannot undermine the process that gives legitimacy to democracy. PROTESTS Witness Testimony Continues In Chauvin Trial. The AP (3/30, Karnowski, Forliti) reports that witnesses in the ongoing trial against former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd last May continued testimonies on Tuesday. Darnella Frazier, the 18-year-old "who shot the harrowing video of the arrest," testified that Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd's neck and that his fellow officer, Tou Thao, held onlookers back, even after one identified herself as a firefighter and sought to check Floyd's pulse. According to the AP, Chauvin's lawyer, Eric Nelson, "sought repeatedly to show that Chauvin and his fellow officers found themselves in an increasingly tense and distracting situation, with the growing crowd of onlookers becoming agitated and menacing over Floyd's treatment." The Minneapolis Star Tribune (3/30, Walsh, Xiong, Olson, 855K) reports that "Frazier agreed with Nelson that bystanders were getting louder and more angry, but she added that she didn't think anyone was ever threatening to Chauvin." The New York Daily News (3/30, Oliveira, 2.51M) reports that Frazier "also told the court that Floyd was already 'terrified' and begging for his life when she hit record on her phone," and "said it didn't seem like [Chauvin) cared about the danger Floyd was in." All three broadcast networks opened their Tuesday evening newscasts with updates on the trial. On ABC World News TonightVi (3/30, lead story, 5:30, Muir, 7.19M), Alex Perez reported that Nelson pressed two witnesses, Minneapolis firefighter Genevieve Hansen and mixed martial arts fighter Donald Williams, about their "words to Chauvin" at the scene, after video footage EFTA00150603 showed both witnesses shouting at the officers. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (3/30, lead story, 3:05, Holt, 5.62M), Gabe Gutierrez reported, "The defense has suggested this was a heavy crowd of bystanders, but the prosecution argues it was a small group of people going about their daily lives thrust into a traumatic situation." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (3/30, lead story, 3:55, O'Donnell, 4.25M), Jamie Yuccas reported that "tomorrow, the prosecution will likely start calling witnesses considered experts in their field to detail how Chauvin's hold contributed to Floyd's death." The New York Times (3/30, Martinez, Fazio, 20.6M) reports that Hansen "recalled pleading with the police to let her help Mr. Floyd, whom Mr. Chauvin had pinned to the ground with his knee, but being rebuffed by a police officer who was telling a crowd of bystanders to back away." The Washington Post (3/30, Al, Bailey, 10.52M) reports that "Hansen testified that she was mystified at why emergency workers didn't respond to the scene more quickly, pointing out there was a fire station three blocks away." The Wall Street Journal (3/30, Barrett, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that Nelson also repeatedly pointed to what the witnesses and video footage were not privy to at the scene, including conversations that may have taken place between officers, as well as how soon officers called an ambulance. Reuters (3/30, Allen) reports that "over the first two days of witness testimony, prosecutors have shown the jury video taken from multiple angles, including" Frazier's cellphone footage. Williams on Tuesday "told jurors he believed that Chauvin was using his knee in a 'blood choke' on Floyd, a wrestling move to knock an opponent unconscious, and a 'shimmy' move to tighten pressure on Floyd's neck." The New York Post (3/30, Rosenberg, Fitz- Gibbon, 7.45M) reports that Williams also testified that he called 911 "because I believed I witnessed a murder," and described Floyd as being in "tremendous pain" and "trying to gasp for air." USA Today (3/30, Hauck, Yancey-Bragg, McCoy, Abdollah, Ferkenhoff, 12.7M) reports that "six witnesses took the stand Tuesday...and several broke down in tears recounting their memory of the day George Floyd died." Other witnesses included Frazier's 9-year-old cousin and "two high school seniors who said they were headed to the store to get an auxiliary cord," one of whom "recorded three videos of the incident." Judge Peter Cahill on Tuesday "denied a station motion...to keep all audio and video of four key witnesses from being made public," but said witnesses would be referred to only by first name. The Hill (3/30, Castronuovo, 5.69M) reports that the 9-year-old witness "said [Chauvin] initially ignored requests by medics to remove his knee from George Floyd's neck in the moments leading up to Floyd's death." CNN (3/30, Levenson, Cooper, 89.21M) reports on its website that one of the seniors "said she saw Chauvin dig his knee into Floyd's neck. She said at one point Chauvin got out his mace and started shaking it as bystanders called on officers to get off Floyd." Fox News (3/30, Wallace, 23.99M) reports on its website that Frazier also "agreed she felt threatened by police at the scene, describing when an officer moved to take out Mace," and "said she believed Chauvin started kneeling on Floyd's neck harder when the crowd shouted at him to stop." Axios (3/30, Chen, 1.26M) provides additional coverage on the trial. New Jersey Man Admits To Attempting To Burn Police Car After Floyd Protest. Rutherford (NJ) Daily Voice (3/30, DeMarco) reports Justin Spry of Middlesex County, New Jersey, in a plea deal, admitted "that he stuffed a rag into the gas tank of a police cruiser and set it on fire during a riot in Trenton following what had been a peaceful protest last year over the death of George Floyd." Spry pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct, impede, or interfere with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Minnesota Man Arrested For Violating Drug-Related Gun Law. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (3/30, Mannix, 855K) reports federal agents arrested Minnesota resident Thomas Wilder Moseley on Tuesday for allegedly "violating a law against carrying a gun EFTA00150604 while being a drug addict." Moseley was previously arrested on "Oct. 15, 2020, while he and other protesters gathered inside the Hennepin County Courthouse during a pretrial hearing for the ex-officers accused of killing George Floyd". At that "time, Moseley was wanted by police for participating in a violent demonstration outside the Fifth Precinct station." The KSTP-TV Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN (3/30, 244K) website also covers this story. COUNTER-TERRORISM Court Upholds Constitutionality Of FBI Terror Watch List. The Washington Post (3/30, Weiner, 10.52M) reports a three-judge panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday "upheld the constitutionality of an FBI watch list of more than 1 million 'known or suspected terrorists,' saying it falls under the government's power to guard its borders." In an opinion issued Tuesday, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III wrote, "The government has had authority to regulate travel and control the border since the beginning of the nation." Courthouse News (3/30, Hawkins, 21K) reports Wilkinson said the delays Muslim- Americans face "aren't much different than standard delays that many travelers face." He also "said it would have been better for plaintiffs to file individual lawsuits based on their own experiences." SCOTUS Weighs Case Involving Consumers Falsely Labeled As Terrorists. The Wall Street Journal (3/30, Bravin, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports after arguments before the Supreme Court Tuesday, it appeared likely a class-action lawsuit filed by some 8,000 consumers who were falsely labeled potential terrorists on their credit reports would survive. Continuing Coverage: Judge Orders Three Men To Stand Trial Over Plot To Kidnap Whitmer. In continuing coverage, Fox News (3/30, Wallace, 23.99M), under the headline "Michigan judge drops terrorism charges for 3 men accused in alleged Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot," reports that Jackson County District Court Judge Michael J. Klaeren ordered Joseph Morrison, Pete Musico, and Paul Bellar stand trial in relation to the plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). Despite the three facing changes of "providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership and using a firearm during a felony," Fox News focuses on Judge Klaeren dropping terrorism charges against Morrison and Musico, as well as not adding them to the charges against Bellar. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Sources Say Durham Investigating FBI's Launch Of Trump Campaign Probe. CNN (3/30, Polantz, Perez, 89.21M) reports that, "after two years of searching for problems with the investigation into Trump's campaign advisers in 2016 and their ties to Russia, federal prosecutor John Durham hasn't found wrongdoing by Obama-era intelligence officials involved who were outside of the FBI." But Durham is "still at work, looking at early aspects of the FBI investigation into the campaign." His relatively opaque investigation "has now lasted longer than former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and prosecution of dozens of Russians and Trump advisers." Investigators with Durham's office "are now arranging witness interviews," according to people familiar with the probe. Grand jury subpoenas also "were being used to gather documents in recent months," the sources said. Durham's probe is "focused at least partly on actions by the FBI in its handling of a private intelligence dossier and the bureau's disclosures to the federal intelligence surveillance court," according to people briefed on the matter. EFTA00150605  Durham Reportedly Issuing Subpoenas AndInterviewing Witnesses In Trump- Russia Probe. The Washington Examiner (3/30, Dunleavy, 888K) reports John Durham's inquiry into the "origins and conduct of the Trump-Russia investigation is chugging along during the Biden Administration, with the special counsel arranging witness interviews and issuing subpoenas in recent months." A report from CNN published on Tuesday "cited unnamed sources who said that after delays last year, pinned on the coronavirus pandemic, Durham's investigators `are now arranging witness interviews' and grand jury subpoenas `also were being used to gather documents in recent months.' The new report "cited `people briefed on the matter' who said Durham's investigation was scrutinizing the FBI's `handling' of British ex-spy Christopher Steele's discredited antiTrump dossier as well as the FBI's `disclosures' to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, where the bureau received a warrant followed by three renewals in 2016 and 2017 targeting former Trump campaign adviser Carter page." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DO) Investing Rep. Gaetz Over Alleged Sexual Relationship With A Minor. The AP (3/30) reports Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), "a prominent conservative in Congress and a close ally of former President Donald Trump, said Tuesday he is being investigated by the Justice Department over a former relationship but denied any criminal wrongdoing." The New York Times (3/30, Benner, 20.6M) reports Gaetz is being investigated "over whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for her to travel with him, according to three people briefed on the matter." The sources said investigators "are examining whether Mr. Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws. ... A variety of federal statutes make it illegal to induce someone under 18 to travel over state lines to engage in sex in exchange for money or something of value." Three people briefed on the matter said that the examination of Gaetz "is part of a broader investigation into a political ally of his, a local official in Florida named Joel Greenberg, who was indicted last summer on an array of charges, including sex trafficking of a child and financially supporting people in exchange for sex." The Washington Post (3/30, Zapotosky, 10.52M) reports the investigation "began some time last year, when Trump was still in office, after a criminal case against a different Florida politician led investigators to allegations that the congressman had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl and paid for her travel, a person familiar with the matter said on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. As that probe was underway, the person said, Gaetz's family raised allegations that the congressman was being extorted, and the FBI is separately exploring those claims." Axios (3/30, Swan, 1.26M) reports Gaetz said in an interview, "The allegations against me are as searing as they are false. ... They are rooted in an extortion effort against my family for $25 million...in exchange for making this case go away" that he claimed was being run by a former DOJ employee. Gaetz said, "I believe that there are people at the Department of Justice who are trying to criminalize my sexual conduct, you know when I was a single guy." Newsweek (3/30, Villarreal, 2.67M) reports Gaetz said in a statement, "We have been cooperating with federal authorities in this matter and my father has even been wearing a wire at the FBI's direction to catch these criminals. The planted leak to the FBI tonight was intended to thwart that investigation." He added, "I demand the DOJ immediately release the tapes, made at their direction, which implicate their former colleague in crimes against me based on false allegations." Also reporting are Politico (3/30, Din, Dixon, 6.73M), USA Today (3/30, Santucci, 12.7M), The Hill (3/30, 5.69M), the Florida Times-Union (3/30, Little, 244K), the New York Post (3/30, Garger, 7.45M), the Daily Caller (3/30, Ross, 375K), CNBC (3/30, Breuninger, 7.34M), the Daily_ Beast (3/30, 933K), the Orlando (FL) Patch (3/30, 1.44M), ABC News (3/30, 2.44M), Fox News (3/30, Creitz, 23.99M), and the New York Post (3/30, Garger, 7.45M). EFTA00150606 NYPD Seek Suspect In Assault On Asian American Woman. The AP (3/30, Sisak, Matthews) reports that "a vicious attack on an Asian American woman as she walked to church near New York City's Times Square is drawing widespread condemnation and raising alarms about the failure of bystanders to intervene amid a rash of anti-Asian violence across the U.S." The New York Police Department's Hate Crime Task Force on Monday released surveillance footage showing "a lone assailant...kicking the 65-year-old woman in the stomach, knocking her to the ground and stomping on her face, all as police say he shouted anti-Asian slurs and told her, `you don't belong here.' The task force has "asked anyone with information" regarding the suspect to contact the department. The Wall Street Journal (3/30, Chapman, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Tuesday condemned the attack and directed the New York State Police's Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation. On ABC World News Tonight Vi (3/30, story 4, 1:50, Muir, 7.19M), Eva Pilgrim reported that authorities are labeling the "unprovoked attack" as a "hate crime assault." Pilgrim goes on to report that "hate crimes against Asian Americans are up nearly 150% in major cities across the country, up by at least 833% in New York City." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (3/30, story 3, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.25M), Nancy Chen reported that more than 3,700 hate incidents have been "reported since the start of the pandemic, leading to protesters rallying across the country, demanding change." USA Today (3/30, Miller, 12.7M) reports that the woman "was hospitalized with serious injuries after the" attack, but was in stable condition, according to police. USA Today goes on to report that staff in a nearby apartment building were seen on the video witnessing the attack, but "did not intervene, though a union representative said they called for help." The Brodsky Organization, which manages the building, in a statement later "said it suspended the staff members...pending an investigation." The New York Times (3/30, Hong, Kim, Watkins, Southall, 20.6M) reports that a police official identified the victim as Vilma Kari, a 65-year-old woman who immigrated to the US from the Philippines decades ago. NBC Nightly NewsVi (3/30, story 6, 2:15, Holt, 5.62M) and the New York Post (3/30, Mongelli, Woods, 7.45M) provided additional coverage on the attack. The Washington Post (3/30, Elfrink, 10.52M) reports that "the case was one of two attacks on Asian Americans in New York caught on video and publicized on Monday, on the same day that city leaders gathered in Brooklyn to urge quick action to halt a rising tide of racist violence and threats." Video of the other incident on a subway car "shows an Asian man wearing a backpack being shoved by another passenger, who then starts punching him in the face repeatedly. Eventually, the passenger locks the man in a chokehold, tightly gripping his neck until he passes out on the floor of the train." Lawsuit: Epstein Trafficked Victim, Threatened To Feed Her To Alligators. The Miami Herald (3/30, Brown, 647K) reports a lawsuit by a South Florida real estate broker who alleges Jeffrey Epstein trafficked her to other men "involves allegations far more sinister than" others suits against his estate and associates. She alleges that Epstein and his purported madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, "repeatedly raped her in front of her 8-year-old son...that they trafficked her to have sex with a number of other men, including an unnamed local judge; and that Epstein forced her to undergo vaginal surgery so that he could market her as a virgin." The plaintiff also said that Epstein and Maxwell threatened to feed her to alligators if she revealed what they'd done. The lawsuit also said the pair "threatened and intimidated" the plaintiff "by emphasizing Epstein's influence over the FBI, the U.S. Office of Homeland Security's Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Florida state and local law enforcement." The Daily Beast (3/30, Briquelet, 933K) reports, "The allegations contained in Doe's lawsuit are starkly different from previous complaints filed by victims of the wealthy sex- EFTA00150607 offender, and appear to be the first time allegations of mutilation have emerged relating to Epstein's sex ring." Additional coverage includes the Daily Caller (3/30, Olohan, 375K). New Grooming Allegations Against Ghislaine Maxwell Expand Time Frame To Period Prince Andrew Knew Epstein. Newsweek (3/30, Royston, 2.67M) reports new grooming allegations against Ghislaine Maxwell expand "the time frame to include the period when the pedophile was friends with Prince Andrew." The new victim's allegations span from 2001 to 2004, well after 1999, when Prince Andrew said he met Jeffrey Epstein for the first time. Prince Andrew "has been asked to give evidence to the FBI's Epstein investigation but his legal team have been keen to stress the D.O.J. treated him as a witness not a target." lould Testify At Ghislaine Maxwell Trial. The Sun (UK) (3/30, 561K) reports attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell "are seeking to subpoena picture of" Prince Andrew "with his arm around Jeffrey Epstein's teen sex slay 'A court filing "also discussed the possibility of her testifying in Maxwell's summer tria Texas Grand Jury Indicts Deputies For Manslaughter In Ambler's Death. The Washington Post (3/30, Hernandez, 10.52M) reports that a Texas grand jury on Tuesday indicted former Williamson County deputies James Johnson and Zachary Camden on manslaughter charges "related to the 2019 death of Javier Ambler, a Black man whose death in law enforcement custody was captured by a television film crew." While attempting to arrest Ambler, deputies shocked him "with a stun gun four times...while he complained of suffering from heart problems," and "stopped moving after deputies secured his hands. He was pronounced dead at a hospital an hour later." The Austin (TX) American Statesman (3/30, Plohetski, Subscription Publication, 261K) reports that "the indictments mark the latest and most significant turn in the investigation into Ambler's death, which gained national attention and raised questions about the influence of reality TV on American policing." Ambler's family and lawyers "believe that a partnership between 'Live PD' and the Williamson County sheriff's office encouraged deputies to forsake sound policing practices to play to the cameras." No Convictions In Trial Of White St. Louis Police Officers Accused Of Beating Black Officer. The AP (3/30) reports, "Three white St. Louis police officers accused of beating a Black undercover colleague so severely during a protest....that he had to undergo multiple surgeries" were not found guilty, which "reignited criticisms that an all-white jury was picked to decide the case." Officer Steven Korte was acquitted of charges of deprivation of rights under color of law and of lying to the FBI. Former officer Christopher Myers was acquitted of a deprivation of rights count, "but the jury could not reach a verdict on a charge of destruction of evidence against Myers for allegedly smashing Hall's cellphone. The jury also deadlocked on the deprivation of rights charge against former officer Dustin Boone." Fox News (3/30, Wallace, 23.99M) reports, "The St. Louis police chief announced Tuesday that the department would launch a new internal investigation" of the beating. Prosecutors Charge Two NYC Mortuary Workers With Stealing Credit Cards From Dead People. According to the New York Post (3/30, Rosenberg, 7.45M), "Two former mortuary technicians for the city's Chief Medical Examiner were busted by the feds Tuesday for allegedly stealing dead people's credit and debit cards - and using them to take trips to Florida and indulge in McDonald's." The Post adds Willie Garcon, 50, of Brooklyn, and Charles McFadgen, 66, of the Bronx, "are charged with access device fraud, for which they face up to 10 years in prison." Mark Lesko, acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said, "The defendants brazenly pilfered the belongings of the deceased, stole their property and enriched themselves EFTA00150608 by making unauthorized purchases worth several thousand dollars." The Post mentions the arrests "were the result of a joint investigation between the FBI, the NYPD and the city's Department of Investigation." Additional coverage includes the AP (3/30, Mustian). Charleston Church Shooter To Appeal Death Sentence, Predicts White Supremacists Will Take Over US. The AP (3/30, Kinnard) reports attorneys for Dylann Roof, "the man sentenced to federal death row for the racist slayings of nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation are set to formally argue that his conviction and death sentence should be overturned." The AP says federal court records reveal oral arguments have been scheduled "for May 25 before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals." The AP adds Roof has "told his attorneys that he would seek appeals to drag his case out as long as he possibly could because he expected white supremacists to take over the United States, and subsequently pardon him for the massacre and declare him governor of South Carolina." Prosecutors Charge MS-13 Gang Member In Attack On Transgender Woman. The Los Angeles Times (3/30, Queally, 3.37M) reports prosecutors this week charged Gabriel Oreliana, 19, a member of MS-13, "with assaulting a transgender woman Thursday in MacArthur Park, the latest in a string of attacks allegedly committed by the gang against members of the LGBTQ community in the area." New Hampshire Man Receives 23-Year Prison Sentence For Sexual Exploitation Of Minor. The AP (3/31) reports Robert Corleto, 43, of Hudson, New Hampshire on Friday was "sentenced to 23 years in federal prison on a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor." In a statement, Joseph Bonavolonta, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston division, said, "This case illustrates how easy it is for a child to be victimized in the safety of their own home, and the need to talk to them about the steps they should take to safeguard their safety." Michigan Man Pleads Guilty To Hate Crime Over Attack On Black Teen. The Detroit News (3/30, Hicks, 1.16M) reports Lee Mouat, 43, "pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal hate crime for attacking an African American teen last summer, the U.S. Department of Justice said." Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI's Detroit Division said, "Mouat's hateful and violent conduct, motivated by racial intolerance, was intended to physically harm the victim as well as create fear within the African-American community." FBI Says US Resident Charged In Fatal Smuggling Operation. USA Today (3/30, Aspegren, 12.7M) reports the FBI has announced legal permanent resident Jose Cruz Noguez, of Mexicali, Mexico was arrested Monday and "charged in connection to the smuggling operation that led to 13 deaths after a semitruck slammed into an SUV packed with 25 people - many of them Mexican and Guatemalan nationals - earlier this month." According to USA Today, "Cruz has been charged with conspiracy to bring migrants to the U.S. causing serious bodily injury and bringing them in without presentation for financial gain, according to officials." New Jersey Man Sentenced For Arranging To Meet Teen Girl. NJ News (3/30, Goldman, 1.47M) reports Recep Sandikci of North Plainfield, NJ was sentenced to 71 months in prison for traveling from New Jersey to Menands, NY to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex in 2019, according to a statement issued Monday. The girl's mother found their correspondence and it turned it over to police, so Sandikci was arrested by FBI agents when he arrived for their meeting. EFTA00150609 Charges Filed Against Man Who Shot At Officers In Everglades National Park. The AP (3/30, Anderson) reports Drew Curtis Sikes of Palmetto Bay, FL has been charged with "attempting to kill a U.S. officer and with a weapons crime" after firing at officers in Everglades National Park with an AK-47 rifle Sunday. An FBI affidavit said the officers were responding to an altercation between Sikes and his wife. The Miami Herald (3/30, 647K) also reported. New Hampshire Man To Stay In Jail After Being Charged With Wire Fraud. The AP (3/30) reports Ian Freeman of Keene, NH, "a leader of a libertarian group and self- described minister," has pleaded not guilty to charges of "conspiracy..., wire fraud, money laundering, operating a continuing financial crimes enterprise, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business" in connection with "an unlicensed virtual currency exchange business." US Magistrate Judge Andrea Johnstone ruled Monday that Freeman will remain in jail as "he's a flight risk and a danger to the community" and "has substantial financial resources." FBI agents found $178,000 in a safe in his home. Boston Police Captain Charged With Fraud. The AP (3/30) reports Richard Evans of Hanover, MA has been arrested on charges including conspiracy to commit theft in connection with collecting "more than $12,000 in an overtime p