EFTA00150739.pdf

From• To: Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Wednesday, July 08, 2020 Date: Wed, 08 Jul 2020 10:27:00 +0000 Importanc Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. LoIBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Director Wray Warns Of Chinese Hacking, Espionage Threats Against American Companies. PROTESTS • US Charges Seven Protesters In Portland, Oregon. • Black Americans Report Hate Crimes, Violence In Wake Of Floyd Protests. • Crowley Says Trump's Mt. Rushmore Speech Was "Absolutely Necessary." • Bernhardt Touts President's American Hero Task Force. • Wolf: Administration Prepared To Help Governors Deal With Surge In Murders. • Grassley: Senate Would "Probably" Override Trump Veto Of Defense Bill. • Park Police Did Not Record Radio Transmissions During Lafayette Square Protest. • Trump Urges Missouri Governor Not To Rename St. Louis. • Columbus, Ohio Activists Seek To Rename City. • Johnson: Intent On Columbus Day Was Mischaracterized. • Minneapolis Neighborhood Seeking To Defund Police Sees Third Sexual Assault In Two Weeks. • Pressley, Tlaib Unveil Bill To Defund Police, Provide Reparations. • Omar: "Whole System" Of US Economy Must Be Gutted Due To "Oppression." • People Of Color Vow Not To Make Purchases On "Blackout Day." • Kenyans Protesting Police Brutality Met With Tear Gars. COUNTER-TERRORISM • FBI Informant Testifies To How He Helped Infiltrate "Boogaloo" Group. • Continuing Coverage: US Soldier Pleads Not Guilty To Planning Attack On His Unit. • Judge Awards $879M From Iran To Khobar Towers Bombing Victims, Families. • UN Human Rights Investigator Says US Killing Of Qassem Soleimani Violated International Law. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Pompeo Blasts Susan Rice Over Russia Bounty Criticism. • DO) Discovers More Material Related To Flynn Investigation. • Wyden Writes Third Letter To State Department Seeking Ukraine Documents. • Stone "Begged" Trump For "An Act Of Clemency." • New Book Reveals How Mueller Was Briefed About Russia Interference In US Election. EFTA00150739 • West Virginia Mother Pleads Guilty To Stealing US Defense Secrets. • Snowden Faces Possible Sanctions in Suit Over Tell-All Book. • Trump Administration Requests Energy Companies Report On Supply Chain Vulnerabilities. • House Bill Would Call On DNI To Investigate How Beijing Might Exploit COVID-19 Pandemic. • DDNI For Mission Integration Beth Sanner Keynote Speaker At INSA Symposium. • Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse Assigned To Advise DNI On Military Affairs. • NYTimes: Russia Bounties Should Not Be Linked To US Troop Withdrawal. • Bolton: Canada Should Not Release Huawei's Meng. • Uncrackable Code Is Puzzling The CIA. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • New York Regulators Fine Deutsche Bank For Epstein Ties. • Deadly Police Shooting Of Phoenix Man Sparks Protests. • FBI Probing Racist Incident In Indiana. • Continuing Coverage: Georgia Man Sentenced For Child Pornography. • New Mexico Man Charged In Connection To Navajo Nation Murder. • Pennsylvania White Supremacist Sentenced For Methamphetamine Trafficking. • FBI Searching For Wanted North Carolina Man. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Investigating Colorado Bank Robberies. • Rhode Island Man Charged With Drug Trafficking. • Illinois Man Charged In Connection To US Marshal Homicide. • FBI Supporting Search Efforts For Missing Massachusetts Man. • Oklahoma Residents Sentenced For Witness Tampering. • Texas Woman Charged With Sexually Exploiting Teen Family Member. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Former Los Angeles Councilman Pleads Guilty In Corruption Probe. • Virginia Man Indicted For Federal Wire Fraud. CYBER DIVISION • Federal Prosecutors Unseal 2018 Indictment Charging Kazakh Man In Hacks. • Pompeo: Administration May Ban Chinese Apps, Including TikTok. • Judge Criticizes Federal Prosecutors In Trial Of Alleged Russian Hacker. • Huawei Official Says US Pressure On Brazil Threatens Long Delays In 5G Rollout. • Microsoft Secretly Seized Domains Used In COVID-19-Themed Email Cyberattacks. • CISA Funding Bill Receives Large Boost In Spending Bill. • Massive Vulnerability Uncovered In Popular Networking Device. • Cyber Command Receiving New Version Of Its Training Platform This Fall. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • FBI Reportedly To Travel To Ireland In Probe Of Missing American Woman. LAWFUL ACCESS • Cybersecurity Groups Unite In Defending Encryption. OTHER FBI NEWS • House Democrats Propose Increased DO) Funding, More Money For Policing Overhauls. • DO): Probe Of FBI's Handling Of Nassar Case Is Ongoing. • FBI Warns Tennessee Residents About Scam Involving FBI Caller ID. • FBI Physical Fitness App Profiled. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS EFTA00150740 • Trump Says COVID Death Rate "Down Tenfold" As Confirmed US Cases Top 3M. • Federal Government To Pay $1.6B For Rush Vaccine Development. • Navarro Says Doctors Should Be Allowed To Use Hydroxychloroquine As "An Option." • Wilkie Says Cuomo Ignored VA Coronavirus Guidance. • Biden Says Medical Supplies Should Be Produced In US. • Four GOP Senators Have Said They Will Not Attend Jacksonville Convention. • Florida ICU Beds Filling Up. • Tucson Mayor Says Arizona May Have To Send Patients Out Of State. • Anti-Shutdown Group Gathering Signatures In Push To Limit Whitmer's Powers. • NBC Report Examines Safety Of Air Inside Airplanes. • Professional Sports Leagues Move Toward Reopening. • Administration Pushes For Schools To Reopen This Fall. • States Sue DeVos Over Pandemic Relief Money For Schools. • Colleges Faced With Decisions On Reopening Or Possible Loss Of Foreign Students. • Colleges Planning To Reopen, But Campuses Will Be Half-Empty. • Hanks "Disappointed" By Debate Over Wearing Masks. • WPost Chides Northam For Moving To Reopen Virginia Too Soon. • White House Does Not Want Next Emergency Spending Bill To Top $1T. • ICE May Separate Family Following Judge's Order To Free Migrant Children. • USAGM Employee Review Sparks Fears Of Staff Purge. • Book By Trump's Estranged Niece Slams President, Trump Family. • Trump On Pace To Issue More Than 55 Executive Orders This Year. • Roberts Was Hospitalized Last Month After Suffering Head Injury In A Fall. • Facebook Executives Fail To Convince Ad Boycott Leaders. • NYTimes Analysis: Ahead Of 2020 Election, "A Blizzard Of Litigation" Focused On Voting. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • US Officially Withdraws From WHO Over Coronavirus Response. • WHO Acknowledges Emerging Evidence Of COVID-19 Airborne Spread. • China Racing To Develop COVID-19 Vaccine With Late-Stage Trials Set To Start This Month. • Bolsonaro Tests Positive For Coronavirus. • Japanese Official Touts Use Of Tracing To Contain Coronavirus Without Lockdowns. • Australia Locks Down Melbourne Amid Second Wave Of Cases. • After Initial Success, Israel Sees Spike In Coronavirus Cases. • NYTimes Analysis: Sweden Failed To Limit Deaths Or Economic Damage. • NYTimes: Travel Restrictions On Americans Erode "Sense Of Passport Privilege." • Report: Mossad Foiled Iranian Attacks On Israeli Embassies In Europe. • UN Report Accuses Trump Of Violating International Law In Soleimani Killing. • Researcher Who Antagonized ISIS, Shiite Militias Assassinated In Baghdad. • McKenzie Confident Iraq Will Ask US Forces To Stay. • US Official In Seoul To Discuss North Korea. • Russia Accuses Space Official Of Passing Secrets To NATO. • Report: More Than 180 Bodies Found In Burkina Faso Town. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. EFTA00150741 LEADING THE NEWS Director Wray Warns Of Chinese Hacking, Espionage Threats Against American Companies. The Washington Post (7/7, Barrett, 14.2M) reports FBI Director Wray on Tuesday "stepped up his criticism of China's alleged efforts to steal U.S. technology and use subterfuge to pressure policymakers, warning that China is trying to penetrate American firms working on lifesaving research into the coronavirus." In remarks to the Hudson Institute, Wray said, "At this very moment, China is working to compromise American health care organizations, pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions conducting essential covid research." Wray, however, "did not further detail what he suspects Chinese operatives are doing." The Washington Times (7/7, Gertz, 492K) reports Wray also asserted that "the greatest long-term threat to our nation's information, intellectual property and to our economic vitality is the counterintelligence and economic espionage threat from China." Wray, the Fox News (7/7, Blitzer, 27.59M) website reports, said that "of the nearly 5,000 active FBI counterintelligence cases currently under way across the country, almost half are related to China." The Washington Examiner (7/7, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, "Wray, who has often spoken about the dangers posed by Beijing's foreign influence as the Trump administration has stepped up its rhetoric and its actions against the Chinese government, issued his strongest warnings yet about the threat to the U.S. posed by China's actions worldwide during an event hosted by the Hudson Institute on Tuesday. `It's the people of the United States who are the victims of what amounts to Chinese theft on a scale so massive that it represents one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history," The Hill (7/7, Miller, 2.98M) reports, "Wray cited massive Chinese hacking incidents over the past few years in describing the threat, including the 2017 breach of credit agency Equifax that exposed the personal information of around 145 million Americans, and the 2015 data breach of health company Anthem that impacted over 78 million people. He also pointed to concerns over Chinese telecommunications group Huawei having access to communications networks, and efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to steal research from U.S. academic institutions and companies." Wray "noted that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Attorney General William Barr will also address Chinese counterintelligence threats 'in the next few weeks' due to the significance of the ongoing national security concerns." Reuters (7/7, Landay) reports that Wray "urged China-born people in the United States to contact the FBI if Chinese officials try to force them to return to China under a program of coercion that he said is led by Chinese President Xi linping." Wray "issued the unusual appeal in an address to a think tank in which he reiterated U.S. charges that China is using espionage, cyber theft, blackmail and other means as part of a strategy to replace the United States as the world's dominant economic and technological power. He said Xi has `spearheaded' a program called Fox Hunt aimed at strong-arming people born in China living outside of the country who are regarded as threats to return home in order to silence criticism of Beijing's political and human rights policies." Reuters adds, "The families of those who refuse to return are threatened and some have been arrested in China 'for leverage,' he said. 'Hundreds of these Fox Hunt victims that they target live here in the United States, and many are American citizens or green card holders,' he continued. 'The Chinese government wants to force them to return to China and China's tactics to accomplish this are shocking." The Guardian (UK) (7/7, Borger, 4.19M) reports, "Fox Hunt was launched six years ago by President Xi Jinping, ostensibly to pursue corrupt officials and business executives who had fled abroad. Beijing has celebrated its claimed successes, publicising the return of hundreds of economic fugitives, and issuing wanted lists of those still at large. The Obama administration complained about the activities of undercover agents in 2015. Wray said the operation's principal aim now was to suppress dissent among the diaspora." Wray is quoted saying, "China EFTA00150742 describes Fox Hunt as some kind of international anti-corruption campaign. It is not. Instead, Fox Hunt is a sweeping bid by Xi to target Chinese nationals who he sees as threats and who live outside of China, across the world. We're talking about political rivals, dissidents and critics seeking to expose China's extensive human rights violations." The Washington Examiner (7/7, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, "Wray said, `Hundreds of these Fox Hunt victims that they target live right here in the United States, and many are American citizens or green card holders.' According to Wray, `The Chinese government wants to force them to return to China, and China's tactics to accomplish that are shocking.' As one example, Wray said that when the Chinese government could not locate a Fox Hunt target, it `sent an emissary to visit the target's family' in the U.S. `The message they said to pass along?' Wray asked rhetorically, `The target had two options: return to China promptly, or commit suicide." Wray "said that when a Fox Hunt target refuses to return to China, `their family members both here in the United States and in China have been threatened and coerced, and those back in China have even been arrested for leverage." CNN (7/7, Shortell, 83.16M) reports that Wray "described how the Chinese government has moved to pressure American officials to support its" COVID-19 "response while simultaneously working to steal research on the virus. 'The Chinese government is engaged in a broad, diverse campaign of theft and malign influence and it can execute that campaign with authoritarian efficiency,' Wray said. 'They're calculating, they're persistent, they're patient and they're not subject to the righteous constraints of an open democratic society or the rule of law." Wray "described how the FBI has observed 'cyber activity tracing back to China' aimed at US organizations that have made a significant announcement about research relating to the pandemic within hours of their announcements, mirroring other warnings from US intelligence officials in recent weeks." NBC News (7/7, 6.14M) reports, "Wray said Chinese spying and attempts to steal American technology are growing so fast that the FBI is opening a new China-related counterintelligence case roughly every 10 hours. `The greatest long-term threat to our nation's information and intellectual property and to our economic vitality is the counterintelligence and economic espionage threat from China,' Wray said, adding that China's actions are part of its effort to become the world's sole superpower by any means necessary." Wray "has long been outspoken in criticizing Chinese efforts to steal American secrets, but these were his most detailed remarks to date. He said China also seeks to affect American policy through `a highly sophisticated campaign involving bribery, blackmail, and covert deals' in an effort to affect government officials, journalists and academics." Axios (7/7, Allen-Ebrahimian, 521K) reports, "Wray described the multi-pronged efforts they have seen from China to take advantage of Americans and of U.S. innovation and technology, including the Equifax hack, theft of sensitive military technology, pressure to self- censor, and economic coercion applied to state and local-level U.S. elected officials. 'If you are an American adult, it is more likely than not that China has stolen your personal data. ... Our data isn't the only thing at stake here - so are our health, our livelihoods, and our security,' he said. `We've now reached the point where the FBI is opening a new China-related counterintelligence case approximately every ten hours." AFP (7/7) reports that Wray "said Tuesday that China is pushing its preferences in the US election as part of broad intelligence operations, whose economic impact he called unprecedented." Wray "did not say whether China backed either President Donald Trump or his presumptive Democratic rival Joe Biden, both of whom have harshly criticized Beijing. `China's malign foreign influence campaign targets our policies, our positions, 24/7, 365 days a year,' Wray said at the Hudson Institute. 'So it's not an election-specific threat; it's really more of an all-year, all-the-time threat. But certainly that has implications for elections and they certainly have preferences that go along with that.' Voice of America (7/7, 48K) reports, "Operation Fox Hunt is run by China's Ministry of Public Security. Since its launch, hundreds of Chinese `fugitives' have been brought back to EFTA00150743 China to stand trial, some of them voluntarily, and others after being arrested in foreign countries. The U.S. and China do not have an extradition treaty. Wray said that while the Chinese government could pursue wanted individuals through formal law enforcement channels, it instead uses covert operatives to threaten and cajole the victims into returning to China. 'These people are essentially engaged in rogue law enforcement, unsanctioned, uncoordinated with U.S. law enforcement here in the United States,' Wray said." Also reporting on Wray's speech are Bloomberg (7/7, 4.73M), NextGov (7/7, Konkel), and BBC World News (UK) (7/8, 3.28M). PROTESTS US Charges Seven Protesters In Portland, Oregon. The AP (7/7, Flaccus) reports from Portland, Oregon, "The U.S. Attorney in Oregon announced federal charges Tuesday against seven protesters who are accused in court papers of defacing a federal courthouse and assaulting federal officers during protests in Portland, Oregon against racial injustice and police brutality." The AP adds, "The protesters are charged with offenses ranging from disorderly conduct to destruction of federal property and assaulting a federal officer and were released pending trial after a brief court hearing Monday. The protester facing the most charges, 19-year-old Rowan Olsen, has pleaded not guilty. His federal public defender, Susan Russell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday." According to the AP, "Protesters in Portland have demonstrated for 40 consecutive nights following the death of George Floyd and are increasingly focusing their actions on federal properties in the city's downtown core, including the Hatfield Federal Courthouse." Fox News (7/7, McFall, 27.59M) reports, "All seven defendants were released pending a trial, though only four of them, including Rowan Olsen, 19, Andrew Steven Faulkner, 24, Christopher Fellini, 31 and Cody Porter, 28, are actually from the city of Portland. The other three defendants are Shant Singh Ahuja, 28, from Oceanside, Calif., Gretchen Margaret Blank, 29, from Seattle, Wash., and Taimaine Jame Teo, 24, from Eugene, Ore.," Olsen "has been accused of using his body to hold a glass door closed to the Hatfield Federal Courthouse, to prevent officers inside from being able to leave - eventually shattering the door. A mortar firework was shot through the broken door and detonated inside the courthouse near police officers." Black Americans Report Hate Crimes, Violence In Wake Of Floyd Protests. USA Today (7/7, Philimon, 10.31M) reports that a "range of disturbing incidents have happened since George Floyd's death and subsequent protests against racism and police brutality." In Illinois, for example, "a man was charged with a hate crime for allegedly riding his motorcycle into a protest and hitting two people," and "authorities say a KKK leader tried to run his car through a group of peaceful protesters in Virginia." The Washington Examiner (7/7, Smith, 448K), meanwhile, reports that "two white residents of Martinez, California, who painted over a Black Lives Matter mural, have been charged with a hate crime." The Wall Street Journal (7/7, Kusisto, Frosch, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Floyd's death has also prompted the reexamination of older cases by local prosecutors. Crowley Says Trump's Mt. Rushmore Speech Was "Absolutely Necessary." Assistant Treasury Secretary for Public Affairs Monica Crowley said on WOR-AMVI New York (7/7, 17K) that the President's Mt. Rushmore speech was "incredibly necessary given the current context we are in in this country with a lot of upheaval in a lot of different directions - economically, politically, culturally, et cetera. It was absolutely necessary for the President of the United States to give this kind of speech that was grounded in unity. It was grounded in EFTA00150744 American history and it was grounded in patriotism. It was absolutely brilliant. It was pitch perfect and it was exactly what this country needed at that moment and I think, frankly, it will set the tone going forward for the rest of the year." Rove: Trump Tweets On NASCAR, Pro Teams Mulling Name Changes Undermine His Campaign Message. Politico (7/7, Forgey, 4.29M) reports that Karl Rove on Tuesday "expressed new frustration with Donald Trump's erratic messaging, arguing a recent pair of incendiary tweets from the president represented yet another act of self-sabotage inflicted upon his reelection campaign." Rove, who is "advising" the Trump campaign, "criticized the president for following up his scripted weekend appearances with two controversial social media posts Monday. In those tweets, Trump blasted NASCAR's decision to ban the Confederate flag from its races and demanded an apology from the sport's top Black driver, Bubba Wallace. He also reprimanded the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians for announcing they would review potential name changes for their sports franchises after years of pressure from Native American groups." Appearing on Fox News, Rove said, "The question is, did what the President tweeted on Monday advance the cause that he laid out on Saturday? And I think the answer is an unambiguous no. It did not." The Washington Examiner (7/7, Brest, 448K) further quotes Rove as saying on Fox News, "The President has a limited number of days between now and the election. And when he tweets, it's a powerful message. And the question is, does that message continue to advance the narrative that he and those around him decided that he would lay out on [Friday) at Mount Rushmore? And the answer is no, it didn't." Rove further stated, "I saw the press secretary yesterday say to the White House press corps, 'Why aren't you asking about all of the violence that was in our American cities over the weekend?' That was a good question. But the answer is because the President didn't tweet about that. He tweeted about Bubba Wallace and the Confederate flag and NASCAR. And I don't see that those advance his cause at all." Pence, Cuccinelli Quizzed On NASCAR's Decision To Ban Confederate Flag. Vice President Pence was asked on Fox News' Special Report (7/7, 1.53M) if NASCAR made the right decision in banning the Confederate flag. Pence said, "Let me say, we respect the right of private organizations to make the decisions that they deem appropriate for their organization and for their fan base, but, you know, at the end of the day the President...believes in freedom of speech, will always stand up for that for every American. ... I think people, whether they be African American or any Americans, looks at the record of this Administration and knows that this is a President who is committed to being President for all of the American people and to seeing all American people live the American dream." Acting Deputy DHS Secretary Ken Cuccinelli was asked on CNNVI (7/7, 1.06M) if he denounces the Confederate flag, which was banned at NASCAR events. Cuccinelli replied, "The White House said they were taking a neutral position. The President was not taking a position on that, and that's what the White House reiterated. So, I support them in that. NASCAR has to make their own decisions, but the President came back and said, or the White House said, he was not pushing them one way or the other. It's not my place to do that. And I think you see a lot of state-level debates, including in my state, in Mississippi, and all over the country and that's where those debates belong. The federal government shouldn't be imposing outcomes in any direction on these otherwise local decisions." Cuccinelli was also interviewed on Fox Business' Lou Dobbs Tonight (7/7, 49K). USA Today Writer: NASCAR, Wallace's Fellow Racers Should Speak Out Against Trump's Tweet. Writing in "For The Win," an offshoot of USA Today (7/7, 10.31M) that features an exclusive focus on social news, Michelle Martinelli, criticizes Trump for suggesting in a tweet that Wallace should apologize "after a noose was found in June in the Talladega Superspeedway garage stall belonging to him. ... The disparaging tweet also contains multiple lies and illogical claims, including" Trump "calling the incident a 'HOAX,' despite the FBI and NASCAR saying otherwise." Martinelli says that Trump "targeted one of NASCAR's drivers and impugned his character, and NASCAR responded with a mediocre statement at best. NASCAR EFTA00150745 needs to - and should want to - take a stronger stance in favor of one of its drivers. And the same goes for Wallace's fellow competitors. ... Most have remained silent regarding Trump's disparaging tweet, and everyone needs to do better and speak up." Bernhardt Touts President's American Hero Task Force. Interior Secretary Bernhardt said on the Brian Kilmeade ShowVi (7/7), "The President last week established a task force for rebuilding and building monuments to America's heroes. The President recognizes that we owe our greatness to those who made past sacrifices and statues can serve as silent teachers preserving the memory of our American greatness and they can also can stir a spirit of responsibility and unity. ... This Garden of Heroes can really help us strive for a more perfect union. I think the President is really responding very forcefully after witnessing a campaign that really is intended to wipe out our history" and "he said, 'Enough." McEnany Scolds Reporters For Asking About Confederate Flag, Not Deadly Weekend Violence. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News' Hannity that during her press briefing on Monday, she "was asked more than 24 questions about the Confederate flag, not one about" the children who died violently over the Fourth of July weekend. McEnany added that "it just goes to show how out of touch people are here." Wolf: Administration Prepared To Help Governors Deal With Surge In Murders. Appearing on Fox News (7/7, 896K), Acting DHS Secretary Wolf was asked about the federal response to the surge in murders in cities across the US. Wolf said, "I think it's important to note, this really starts with the local police and local law enforcement, state law enforcement, and then the federal law enforcement is there as a third level - backup, if you well. What we have seen is we need to make sure that the state and the local officials are asking for that help." Wolf added, "The President has been very clear, we can provide civil law enforcement support if a governor requests it. The law is pretty clear. That request needs to be made by the governor to the administration. And the President has been pretty clear, we will stop in and we will support." Atlanta Mayor: National Guard Isn't Needed To Quell Ongoing Violence And Murder. The AP (7/7, Brumback, Nadler) reports that on Tuesday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms "said...that she doesn't agree with the Georgia governor's order to mobilize the National Guard in her city as a surge in violence became a political talking point." The AP notes that on Monday, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) "declared a state of emergency...and authorized the activation of up to 1,000 Guard troops after a weekend of gun violence in Atlanta left five people dead, including an 8-year-old girl." According to the AP, Bottoms "said Kemp issued his order without asking if the city needed extra help." NYPD Blames Bail Changes And Early Release For June's 130% Surge In Shootings. Reuters (7/7, Mitchell) reports that in New York City, "There were 205 shootings in June, up 130% from the same period a year before, and 39 murders, according to data released by the New York Police Department this week." Reuters says "leaders at the NYPD...blam(e) a wave of police reforms prompted in part by more than a month of protests against police violence." The NYPD's chief of department, Terence Monahan, "attributed the rise in part to bail reform and the compassionate release of some prisoners from Riker's Island, the city's main jail, and criticized a new law that makes it crime for police to use restraints that can hamper someone's breathing." Federalist Analysis: Violence Surges In Democrat-Run Cities Across Country. The Federalist (7/7, Gottschalk, 126K) reports that "since June, shootings and murders have surged across many of the country's major cities. Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Nashville, Chicago, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and New Orleans have all seen murders jump over 20 percent this year." The violence, it says, is "heavily concentrated in the last few months, ever since protests have led to nationwide pressure on politicians to 'defund' and 'reimagine' policing." EFTA00150746 Grassley: Senate Would "Probably" Override Trump Veto Of Defense Bill. The Hill (7/7, Carney, 2.98M) reports Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) "is warning that Congress would likely override President Trump if he vetoes a mammoth defense policy bill amid the fight over a plan to rename Army bases named after Confederate figures." Grassley, "during a call with Iowa reporters on Monday, said he hoped Trump wouldn't veto the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is set to pass the Senate later this month, over the base renaming." However, he said that "if it came to overriding a veto, we'd probably override the veto." Park Police Did Not Record Radio Transmissions During Lafayette Square Protest. The Washington Post (7/7, Jackman, 14.2M) reports that "audio of the forceful push led by U.S. Park Police to sweep protesters out of Lafayette Square on June 1, moments before President Trump's visit to St. John's Episcopal Church, was not recorded by the Park Police radio communications system, the agency said Tuesday." House Natural Resources Chairman Raul Grijalva, whose committee is investigating the June 1 incident, said Tuesday that "Trump administration officials ordered the attack on clergy, nonviolent protesters, and working members of the press. For the official audio record of that day to now turn up missing has every appearance of a coverup." Trump Urges Missouri Governor Not To Rename St. Louis. The New York Post (7/7, Nelson, 4.57M) reports President Trump said Tuesday that "he opposes a campaign to rename St. Louis." The President asked Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) at a White House event, "You won't be changing the name St. Louis, will you?" Parson replied, "No, we will not be doing that." Said Trump in response, "Thank you. Thank you. That's very important. Thank you very much." Columbus, Ohio Activists Seek To Rename City. The Washington Post (7/7, Hilton, 14.2M) reports that "some activists in Ohio's capital city of Columbus" are seeking to change the city's name. According to the Post, "efforts to change the city's name have persisted for decades," but the conversation "is finally progressing, with the politically conscious city enmeshed in protests for police restructuring and racial justice." Johnson: Intent On Columbus Day Was Mischaracterized. The Federalist (7/7, Justice, 126K) reports Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) "pulled back from his proposal" with Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) "last week to yank Columbus Day from the federal holiday calendar in exchange for Juneteenth following conservative outcry." Johnson told The Federalist on Tuesday, "I didn't want to end the celebration of Columbus Day. My entire intent was simply not give federal workers an 11th day off." Minneapolis Neighborhood Seeking To Defund Police Sees Third Sexual Assault In Two Weeks. The Washington Times (7/7, Varney, 492K) reports that a "majority-White Minneapolis neighborhood that has embraced the 'defund the police' movement has now witnessed three sexual assaults in two weeks as hundreds of homeless people have encamped in the neighborhood's sprawling park." WSJoumal Profiles Minneapolis Police Union Chief. Under the front-page headline "Clout Of Minneapolis Police Union Boss Reflects National Trend," the Wall Street Journal (7/7, Al, Belkin, Maher, Paul, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) profiles Robert Kroll, president of the Police Officers' Federation of Minneapolis. The Journal says that like other police union leaders around the country, Kroll has accumulated power and protection for the city's officers. EFTA00150747  Journalist: Nation Has Moved On From Minneapolis Protests. New Jersey journalist Michael Tracey writes in the Wall Street Journal (7/7, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) that the nation's attention has moved on from the riots in Minneapolis, but much of the city is now in ruins and small business owners are suffering as a result. Pressley, Tlaib Unveil Bill To Defund Police, Provide Reparations. The New York Post (7/7, Nelson, 4.57M) reports Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) on Tuesday "announced federal legislation to defund police and set up reparations for people who either are black or were harmed by cops." The two lawmakers announced the measure "on a Zoom call," but it "has not yet been introduced." Said Tlaib, "We can start to envision through this bill a new version for public safety - a new vision for public safety, one that protects and affirms Black lives." The AP (7/7, Stafford) reports, "Dubbed the BREATHE Act, the legislation is the culmination of a project led by the policy table of the Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 organizations." Omar: "Whole System" Of US Economy Must Be Gutted Due To "Oppression." The Washington Times (7/7, Ernst, 492K) reports Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) "says America is a giant 'system of oppression' needing an immediate 'dismantling' far beyond current calls for criminal justice reform." Omar told constituents Tuesday, "We can't stop at criminal justice reform or policing reform. We are not merely fighting to tear down the systems of oppression in the criminal justice system. We are fighting to tear down systems of oppression that exist in housing, in education, in health care, in employment, (and) in the air we breathe." People Of Color Vow Not To Make Purchases On "Blackout Day." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/7, story 11, 0:20, O'Donnell, 4.24M) reported on Tuesday, "many people of color are vowing not to buy anything, or if they have to spend money, do it only at Black-owned businesses. It's called #BlackoutDay2020. And it is part of a drive to pressure government and business to address institutional racism and injustice. Every year, Black Americans spend an estimated $1.3 trillion on consumer goods." Kenyans Protesting Police Brutality Met With Tear Gars. The AP (7/7, Odula) reports Kenyan police on Tuesday "fired tear gas and detained protesters demanding an end to police brutality." Roughly "100 people took part in demonstrations across" Nairobi. COUNTER-TERRORISM FBI Informant Testifies To How He Helped Infiltrate "Boogaloo" Group. The Las Vegas Review-Journal (7/7, German, 345K) reports, "An FBI informant told a county grand jury that he secretly wore a body camera and a microphone to record meetings with suspected members of the boogaloo movement as they plotted firebombings and scouted potential targets, transcripts obtained by the Review-Journal show." According to the Review- Journal, "The informant, identified by the pseudonym 'John Smith,' spent two hours on the witness stand June 16 detailing his undercover encounters with the right-wing extremist group as the alleged terror conspiracy unfolded." The Review-Journal adds, "It took the Clark County grand jury just three minutes later that day to deliberate and return an indictment against Andrew Lynam, 23; Stephen Parshall, 36; and William Loomis, 40. All three suspected boogaloo members were indicted on terrorism and explosives charges in an alleged scheme to cause violence at Black Lives Matter protests and firebomb a power substation and a U.S. ranger station near Lake Mead." EFTA00150748 Continuing Coverage: US Soldier Pleads Not Guilty To Planning Attack On His Unit. CNN (7/7, Moghe, Silverman, 83.16M) reports in continuing coverage about former Army private Ethan Melzer, who "pleaded not guilty to charges that he was planning a mass casualty attack on his own unit by sending sensitive information to an extremist group." Prosecutors say Melzer "was planning an attack on his unit by sending sensitive details about his unit's location, movements and security to an extremist group known as Order of the Nine Angels or O9A," whose members "have supported violent, Neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic and Satanic beliefs and have expressed admiration for Nazis including Adolf Hitler and Islamic Jihadists including Osama Bin Laden." He "was indicted in June on charges of conspiracy to murder US nationals, attempted murder of US nationals, conspiracy to murder US service members, attempted murder of US service members, provision and attempted provision of material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to murder and maim in a foreign country." Judge Awards $879M From Iran To Khobar Towers Bombing Victims, Families. The AP (7/7) reports US District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell last week "ruled,,,that the backers, planners and supporters of the [Khobar Towers) bombing - Iran and its terrorist arm - should pay out $819,120,000 to 14 airmen and 41 of their family members who suffered that day and have been suffering since." Adora Sauer, plaintiffs' lead attorney, said, "Justice has not forgotten these brave US Air Force veterans and their families. It is an honor and privilege to fight for justice and compensation for these families. The passage of over two decades since the Khobar Towers attack has not thwarted our efforts. We will continue to seek to hold the Government of Iran accountable for this terrorist attack as long as is necessary." The airmen in the lawsuit "were awarded between $3 million and $7 million each, based on records from past court decisions and disability ratings along with other legal damages." UN Human Rights Investigator Says US Killing Of Qassem Soleimani Violated International Law. Business Insider (7/7, Bostock, 3.67M) reports the UN's top rights investigator "said the US broke international law by assassinating Iranian general Qassem Soleimani." The UN has now "refuted President Trump's reasoning for the strike." But it is "unlikely to have any ramifications for Trump, as the US is not a member of the UN Human Rights Council, crashing out in 2018 after clashing over Israel, the Congo, and China." Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution, on Monday "submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Council in which she concluded that the strike was in violation of article 2(4) of the UN Charter." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Pompeo Blasts Susan Rice Over Russia Bounty Criticism. Secretary of State Pompeo was asked in an interview on Fox News' Ingraham Angle (7/6) Monday night about former National Security Adviser Susan Rice's criticism of the Trump Administration over the Russia bounty allegations. Pompeo said Rice "has a history of going on Sunday shows and lying." In 2012, "she went on five Sunday shows" when Americans "had perished on her Administration's watch in Benghazi, Libya," and "made up a story about a video and a protest when she knew full well this was a terror attack. She did so because it was politically convenient to say that." Pompeo added that "it was on the Obama watch, under the Susan Rice watch, under Vice President Biden's watch that Ukraine had one fifth of its real estate taken by Vladimir Putin with virtually no response" and that "Syria was handed over to the Russians as a result of a redline that Obama had drawn in the sand but then refused to enforce." EFTA00150749  CENTCOM Commander Not Convinced Russia Bounties Led To US Military Deaths. The AP (7/7, Baldor) reports that Gen. Frank McKenzie, the head of US Central Command "said Tuesday that the intelligence suggesting that Russia may have paid Taliban militants to kill American troops in Afghanistan was worrisome, but he is not convinced that any bounties resulted in U.S. military deaths." McKenzie "said in a telephone interview with a small group of reporters that the U.S. did not increase force protection measures in Afghanistan as a result of the information, although he asked his intelligence staff to dig into the matter more." While McKenzie said, "I didn't find that there was a causative link there," he "warned...that Russia has long been a threat in Afghanistan, where there have been many reports that it has backed Taliban fighters over the years with resources and weapons." The New York Post (7/7, Bowden, 4.57M) quotes McKenzie as saying, "I sent the intelligence guys back to continue to dig on it, and I believe they're continuing to dig right now, but I just didn't see enough there to tell me that the circuit was closed in that regard." Lawmakers "Poised To Do Little" About Russia Bounties. Politico (7/7, Desiderio, Bertrand, 4.29M) reports that lawmakers "appear poised to do little - if anything - about" Russia paying bounties to kill US troops. Following top secret briefings on the intelligence, lawmakers, who Politico says were "mostly Republicans" stressed "that there was no consensus on whether the GRU, Russia's military intelligence unit, orchestrated the bounties, despite news reports from The New York Times and others that have detailed the alleged scheme with increasing specificity." Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said, "I think there are contradictory pieces of intelligence on this." Duckworth: Trump Didn't Respond To Bounty Allegations Because He Is Incompetent Or Afraid. The Washington Examiner (7/7, Dibble, 448K) reports that in an op-ed for USA Today Tuesday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) "questioned President Trump's military leadership given his response to intelligence that Russia may have been placing bounties on the heads of U.S. troops." In the piece, Duckworth "claimed that Trump did not respond to the intelligence that Russia offered bounties for Taliban fighters to kill U.S. troops because he was either 'incompetent' and did not read his intelligence briefings or afraid to anger Russian leader Vladimir Putin." She wrote, "Neither option absolves him. Both reinforce the grave threat Trump poses to our nation's security. ... Even if one swallows the pill that Trump never knew, it still wouldn't explain his response now that he has been told. ... Trump should be outraged - and we, the American people, should be outraged that he's not." Biden: Trump, Carlson Questioning Duckworth's Patriotism Was "Disgusting," "Sickening." The Washington Examiner (7/7, Larsen, 448K) reports that Joe Biden called comments by Fox News host Tucker Carlson questioning Duckworth's patriotism, a clip of which President Trump tweeted on Tuesday "disgusting" and "sickening." After Duckworth introduced Biden during a virtual fundraiser, he said, "I can't tell you how I felt today when I heard the President of the United States, Donald Trump, questioning your patriotism. ... I found it virtually disgusting, sickening. ... I know you can handle yourself. I said, 'I'm glad I wasn't standing next to him.' You said you can handle yourself. You already have. You've done that. But I just think it's a reflection of the depravity of what's going on in the White House right now." Duckworth responded to Carlson's comments in a tweet Monday night. She wrote, "Does @TuckerCarlson want to walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America?" NYTimes: Russia Bounties Should Not Be Linked To US Troop Withdrawal. In an editorial, the New York Times (7/7, 18.61M) criticizes the Administration's response to the intelligence. However, the Times cites a bipartisan vote by the House Armed Services Committee "for an amendment to the defense bill to make any further withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan contingent on an assessment of whether any country has offered incentives for the Taliban to attack American and other coalition troops," and says it is EFTA00150750 "unfortunate to connect the issue of possible Russian payoffs with the withdrawal of U.S. troops." DO) Discovers More Material Related To Flynn Investigation. The Washington Examiner (7/7, Dunleavy, 448K) reports that the Justice Department announced Tuesday that it has discovered "further information related to the FBI's investigation of retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, including more notes taken by fired special agent Peter Strzok." Acting US Attorney in Washington, DC Michael Sherwin "said Tuesday that the documents handed over to Flynn's defense team included handwritten notes from Strzok taken at a meeting on Jan. 25, 2017; notes from former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Tashina Gauhar at the same meeting; an internal DOJ document dated Jan. 30, 2017; and handwritten notes from then-acting Attorney General Dana Boente which were dated March 30, 2017. The notes remain sealed by the court." Wyden Writes Third Letter To State Department Seeking Ukraine Documents. The Washington Examiner (7/7, Soellner, 448K) reports Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has written Secretary of State Pompeo a third letter "requesting documents about the Obama and Trump administration's overtures toward Ukraine." In a previous letter Wyden "claimed...that the State Department sent thousands of pages of documents to Republican chairmen for their investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter while ignoring similar requests from Democrats." In Tuesday's letter, Wyden "claimed that the State Department gave over 9,000 pages of documents to the Senate Finance Committee" at the request of Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), according to a report by BuzzFeed News. Wyden "said Mary Elizabeth Taylor denied his previous request before she resigned as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs in June." The Examiner adds that Wyden is also "seeking other documents related to the activities of President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and others tied to the Ukraine controversy that led to Trump's impeachment." Stone "Begged" Trump For "An Act Of Clemency." CNBC (7/7, Breuninger, Mangan, 3.62M) reports on its website that in a text message to Bloomberg reporters Tuesday, Roger Stone "begged President Donald Trump for either a pardon or a commutation of his 40-month criminal sentence." According to a Bloomberg story, Stone wrote, "I want the president to know that I have exhausted all my legal remedies and that only an act of clemency will provide justice in my case and save my life!" CNBC says the text "came a day after The New York Times reported that Trump is likely to pardon Stone, or otherwise prevent his friend and political ally from having to go to prison by commuting his sentence." New Book Reveals How Mueller Was Briefed About Russia Interference In US Election. The Washington Examiner (7/7, Chaitin, 448K) reports on CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin's new book, 'True Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Investigation of Donald Trump,' which provides details on how Robert Mueller was briefed about Russia. Former FBI director McCabe "told Mueller, a former FBI director himself, that the meeting would describe the FBI's inquiry, code- named Crossfire Hurricane, but noted there was too much to say in one go." McCabe said, "We will not get through the whole story in this one meeting. It's too long and complicated. We will tell you how we got here." McCabe "told Mueller, who was said to have known very little at this point about the investigation, about the summer theft of emails from the Democratic National Committee and their subsequent publication by WikiLeaks." West Virginia Mother Pleads Guilty To Stealing US Defense Secrets. McClatchy (7/7, 19K) reports a 47-year-old woman is "accused of taking her 6-year-old daughter and top secret government documents to Mexico to try to broker a deal with Russian EFTA00150751 officials." According to Justice Department officials, sh