EFTA01658024.pdf

From: To: Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, August 03, 2020 Date: Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:30:53 +0000 Importanc Normal e: From: Bulletin Intelligence Sent: Monday, August 3, 2020 6:30:11 AM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) To: [email protected] Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, August 03, 2020 Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. ; -2tin News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, AUGUST 3, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • First Circuit Overturns Tsarnaev's Death Sentence. PROTESTS • Portland Protests Calmer After Federal Agents Stand Down. • DHS Official Whose Office Compiled Intelligence Regarding Journalists Gets Reassigned. • DC Police Prevent Pro-Life Organizations From Painting "Black Preborn Lives Matter" On Street, Arrest Two Activists. • Jayapal Says Barr Perjured Himself During Testimony On Protests. • Arkansas Governor Confident In Investigation Into Morris Death. • Nevada Legislature Votes To Ban Police From Using Chokeholds. COUNTER-TERRORISM • UK Goes To Supreme Court To Fight Return Of IS Bride. • Afghan Troops Kill Senior Islamic State Militant. • NYTimes Al: Case Of One Extremist Group Shows How Far-Right Infiltration Has Spread Throughout German Society. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Judge Denies Bail For California Researcher Over China Ties. • Woman Pleads Guilty To Plotting To Steal Trade Secrets From Ohio Hospital. EFTA01658024 • WPost Examines Trump Campaign's Efforts To "Court QAnon." • Op-Ed: The US And China Need To Find Ways To Manage The New Cold War. • Op-Ed: Communist China Puts Our Technology And Safety At Risk Every Day. • Johnson Says Agencies Are Not Cooperating With Investigation Of Russia Probe. • Op-Ed: Confidentiality Was Never Part Of The Steel Dossier. • Op-Ed: Barr May Try To Spin His "Investigation" Before The Election. • NYTimes Analysis: Trump's Approach To Moscow Appears To Have Undergone "Little Or No Evolution" Since 2016. • Detentions Of 33 Suspected Russian Mercenaries In Belarus Pits Minsk Against Moscow Just Before Election. • CIA Declassifies Details Of 1970s Stealth Drone. • Retrial Of Accused CIA Leaker Josh Schulte Delayed At Request Of Defense Lawyers. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Maxwell Wins Court Ruling To Prevent Release Of 2016 Testimony As Reports Highlight Ties To Trump, Clinton. • Pair Of Prisoners Apprehended After Escaping From Oklahoma Jail. • FBI Probing Fatal Shooting In Washington Casino Parking Garage. • Arizona Man Arrested After Fleeing Shooting Scene. • Six Former Houston Officers Charged After Deadly Drug Raid. • FBI Searching For Man Who Vandalized Chicago Church. • US Charges Arizona Man For Distributing Child Pornography. • Marine Corps Suspends Search For Missing Personnel Off Southern California. • FBI Investigation Results In Charges Against Hawaii Man Who Allegedly Sent Threatening Emails. • Indiana Girl Dies After Being Caught In Shootout. • Omaha Bank Robber Sentenced Ten Years. • Hawaii Man Sentenced For Possession Of Child Porn. • FBI Believes Toledo Councilwoman Sought To Extort Local Business Owner. • Three ND Tribal Officials Charged In Bribery Scheme. • Honolulu Managing Director Subject Of FBI Investigation. • FBI Increases Reward Amount For Information Leading To Arrest And Conviction In Las Cruces Church Bombings. • Massachusetts Man Faces Federal Charges After FBI Says He Stole "Smart" Light Bulbs From Home Depot. • New York Man Pleads Guilty To Sexually Exploiting Child. • Police Arrest Pontiac Man In Homicide Of Susie Zhao. • Task Force Arrests Grand Island Man On Drug Charges. • Maryland Man Sentenced To 18 Months In Federal Prison For False Use Of A Passport. • FBI: San Antonio Man Arrested, Charged With Distribution Of Child Pornography. • Suspect Accused Of Fatally Beating Another Man In Tulsa Has Been Arrested. • Woman Suspected Of Murder Of Former Springfield Couple Found In New Mexico. • FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive From Tacoma Tracked Down In Mexico. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • FBI Raids Legislative Office Of Former Ohio House Speaker. • FBI Visits Office Of Kentucky Official Who Gave Wife Bonuses. • FBI Searches Offices Of Philadelphia Firm In Fraud Probe. • New Jersey Woman Pleads Guilty To Prescription Fraud Ring. • Kentucky Man Sentenced For Running Ponzi Scheme. • US Charges Florida Doctor In Fraud Probe. EFTA01658025 • Defendant Admits Role In Insurance Fraud Scheme. CYBER DIVISION • Florida Teenager Facing Felony Charges Over Hack Of Celebrity Twitter Accounts. • Pompeo: Trump To Take Broad Action On Chinese Software. • Canadian Attorney General Says Requirements Have Been Met To Extradite Huawei CFO To US. • House Votes To Allot $500M Toward Election Security. • Russia Pledges Reciprocal Steps After EU Sanctions For Alleged Cyberattacks. • China Denies US Accusations Of Hacking To Steal Coronavirus Vaccine Data. • Ransomware Attacks Against Local Voting Systems Feared As Elections Approach. • Data Breach At A Genealogy Site Has Privacy Experts Worried. • CISA Hosts Table-Top Training Exercise To Aid In Protecting Elections. • Travel Giant CWT Pays $4.5M Ransom To Cyber Criminals. • Several Solarium Commission Recommendations Successfully Included In House Defense Authorization Bill. • Google Announces Steps To Counter Spread Of Hacked Materials Before Election. • King Says "Two-Pronged Approach" Needed To Deter Cyber-Based Espionage Operations. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • FBI Warns Of Faulty COVID-19 Tests In Texas. • FBI Course Informs Attendees About Rights. • WSJournal Analysis: Homicides Up 24% This Year. • Chicago Police: Homicides, Shootings In City Have Spiked This Year. • NYTimes Analysis: First Step Act Leaves Some Prisoners With Little Recourse When Resentencing Applications Are Denied. • Democrats To Press For "Structural Court Reforms." INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Deutsche Bank Opens Probe Into Personal Banker for Trump, Kushner. LAWFUL ACCESS • House Members Propose Encryption Bill Backed By Barr. OTHER FBI NEWS • Justice Department Announces Dates For Two Executions. • Ohio Officials Push For Relocation Of FBI HQ. • FBI Eyes Cloud Migration For Unclassified Data. • Conservatives Press For Federal Investigation Into Murder Of Milwaukee Trump Supporter. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Meadows Says There Is "A Long Ways To Go" On Unemployment Benefit Negotiations. • Birx Says Nation Has Entered A "New Phase" Of Pandemic. • Giroir: There Is No Evidence Hydroxychloroquine Is Effective Against Coronavirus. • Researchers Fear Political Intervention In Vaccine Development. • Despite Early Success Flattening Curve, San Francisco Seeing Surge In Cases. • Trump Challenges Fauci Over Cause Of Increase In US Coronavirus Cases. • FDA Expands Warning About Potentially Toxic Hand Sanitizers. • Rep. Grijalva Tests Positive For Covid-19. • More Players On St. Louis Cardinals Test Positive For Coronavirus. • Administration Reportedly Lacks Vaccine Distribution Plan. • House Panel Claims Administration Wasted $500 Million On Ventilators. • Survey: Americans Hesitant To Return To Daily Routines Among Increases In Coronavirus Cases. EFTA01658026 • Numerous Municipalities Hardly Enforcing Mask Ordinances. • CDC: 260 Children, Staff At Georgia Sleep-Away Camp Infected With Coronavirus. • Supreme Court Signals Disinterest In Ruling On Virus-Related Election Matters. • Politico Analysis: Push To Reopen Schools Is Latest Example Of Trump Reversing Course. • Some Colleges Offer Tuition Discounts After Deciding Not To Being Students Back. • Trump Installs Tata As Official "Performing The Duties" Of Pentagon Undersecretary. • Trump Met Yoo At White House Last Week. • NYTimes Analysis Questions What Purpose McEnany Serves Beyond "Berating" Media. • Undocumented Workers, Families Running Out Of Options To Survive In US. • CREW Claims Miller Violated Hatch Act By Criticizing Biden. • "Large Club" Of Administration Alums Wrote Books Critical Of President. • House Committee Subpoenas Pompeo Over Biden-Ukraine Investigation. • Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Throwing Out Lawsuit Filed Against Trump By Stormy Daniels. • Legislators Call For FTC Investigation Into Practice Employed By Mobile Advertising Sector. • Acting ICE Director To Retire. • Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner Earned At Least $36 Million In Outside Income Last Year. • Trump Releases 2019 Financial Disclosure Report. • Knight First Amendment Institute Files New Lawsuit Against Trump For Blocking Twitter Critics. • OCE: Rep. Bishop Allegedly Misused Campaign, Official Funds. • WPost Al: Supreme Court Has Yet To Return To Normal Summer Silence. • One Marine Dead, Eight Service Members Missing After Training Accident Near San Diego. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Trump: "Fake News" Media Not Covering "Big China Virus" Outbreaks In Other Countries. • Nations Around The World See Increases In Coronavirus Cases. • Australia Imposes Curfew In Melbourne To Stem Rising Cases. • Cases Continue To Rise In Europe Driven By Young People Flooding Into Bars, Beaches. • Russia Plans To Launch Nationwide Vaccination Campaign In October. • Kosovo Prime Minister Self-Quarantines After Testing Positive. • Indian Home Minister Hospitalized After Testing Positive. • Militants Attack Afghan Prison As Ceasefire Expires. • Netanyahu Rejects Protesters' Call For His Resignation. • Mexico Arrests Santa Rosa De Lima Cartel Chief. • Richardson: Two Of Six Citgo Executives Detained In Venezuela Have Been Moved To House Arrest. • Japan's Ruling Party Proposes Granting Military Pre-Emptive Strike Capabilities. • Relatives Forming Collectives To Find Remains Of Missing In Mexico. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS First Circuit Overturns Tsarnaev's Death Sentence. The New York Times (7/31, Barry, 18.61M) reports the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Friday "overturned the death sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was convicted of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, and ordered a new penalty-phase trial." The decision "concluded that the presiding judge in the 2015 trial, George A. O'Toole Jr., 'did not meet the standard' of fairness, because he did not sufficiently scrutinize sitting jurors for bias." In arguments during EFTA01658027 December, attorneys for Tsarnaev "had pointed to 22 Twitter posts and retweets by the jury's forewoman - one referring to Mr. Tsarnaev as `that piece of garbage' - that had not been voluntarily disclosed as part of jury screening." The Washington Post (7/31, Sacchetti, 14.2M) reports the case is going to return "to the lower court for additional hearings, but the court's overturning of the death sentences does not mean Tsarnaev will have an opportunity to get out of prison." The court said, "Dzhokhar will remain confined to prison for the rest of his life, with the only question remaining being whether the government will end his life by executing him." The Post adds, "Tsarnaev's federal defenders said in a statement Friday that they were `grateful for the Court's straightforward and fair decision." The AP (7/31, Richer) reports, "A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a new penalty-phase trial on whether the 27-year-old Tsarnaev should be executed for the attack that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others. `But make no mistake: Dzhokhar will spend his remaining days locked up in prison, with the only matter remaining being whether he will die by execution,' Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson wrote in the ruling, more than six months after arguments were heard in the case." Prosecutors "could ask the full appeals court to hear the case or go straight to the U.S. Supreme Court." USA Today (7/31, Garrison, 10.31M) reports, "Prior to his sentencing, attorneys for Tsarnaev, 19 at the time of the bombings, agreed their client was responsible for the deaths but contended he was less culpable than his accomplice, older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was killed by authorities following a four-day manhunt. A fourth victim, an MIT police officer, was shot and killed by the Tsarnaev brothers during the manhunt. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's defense attorneys argued during a December appeal hearing he did not receive a fair trial in Boston before he was sentenced to death, pointing to relentless media coverage in the city where the bombing occurred and city-wide trauma that `filtered' into the jury pool. They said two jurors lied by concealing prejudiced remarks made on social media about the case before the trial." Reuters (7/31, Raymond) reports that Judge Thompson "said the trial judge `fell short' in conducting the jury selection process and screening jurors for potential bias following pretrial publicity surrounding the high-profile case. Thompson said the pervasive news coverage of the bombings and their aftermath featured `bone-chilling' photos and videos of Tsarnaev, now 27, and his brother carrying backpacks at the marathon and of those injured and killed near its finish line. Thompson said the judge deemed jurors eligible who had `already formed an opinion that Dzhokhar was guilty - and he did so in large part because they answered "yes" to the question whether they could decide this high-profile case based on the evidence." The Hill (7/31, Moreno, 2.98M) reports, "Tsarnaev's lawyers have argued that his sentencing trial should not be held in Boston, where jurors have been exposed to heavy local and national media coverage of the attack and its aftermath." The AP (8/1, Mustian, Ring) reports, "'Boston Strong' remains a `vibrant' rallying cry more than seven years after the marathon bombing killed three people and injured more than 260 others, a federal appeals court noted as it threw out the death sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev," but "even as the ruling opened old wounds, it raised familiar questions about whether Tsarnaev can receive a fair hearing in the city where the bombs exploded — a community that may now be asked to relive unspeakable trauma." The AP adds, "The Justice Department is expected to appeal. Legal observers predict prosecutors will turn straight to the U.S. Supreme Court without asking for a hearing before the full 1st Circuit. The U.S. government recently resumed federal executions following a 17-year pause and, under President Donald Trump, has pursued capital punishment in an increasing number of cases." The Hill (8/2, Klar, 2.98M), the Springfield (MA). Republican (8/2, Croteau, 395K), and the Boston Globe (8/1, Crimaldi, 972K) also report. The Wall Street Journal (7/31, Kamp, Randazzo, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) as well as brief CBS Evening NewsVi (7/31, story 12, 0:19, O'Donnell, 3.97M) and NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/31, story 11, 0:20, Holt, 5.44M) broadcasts provided similar coverage. EFTA01658028  Trump Demands Death Penalty For Tsarnaev. The New York Post (8/2, Sheehy, 4.57M) reports that in a tweet Sunday afternoon, President Trump "demanded the death penalty for Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - whose execution was taken off the table by an appellate court last week." Trump wrote, "Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The court agreed that this "was one of the worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities". Yet the appellate court tossed out the death sentence. So many lives lost and ruined. The Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty in a do-over of that chapter of the original trial. Our Country cannot let the appellate decision stand. Also, it is ridiculous that this process is taking so long!" Reuters (8/2, Schroeder) reports, "In a tweet, Trump said the federal government must challenge a Friday appeals court decision overturning the death penalty for the 2013 attack. `Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,' tweeted Trump. `The Federal Government must again seek the Death Penalty in a do- over of that chapter of the original trial." PROTESTS Portland Protests Calmer After Federal Agents Stand Down. The Washington Post (8/2, Taylor, Rosenberg, 14.2M) reports that after "66 straight nights," the protests in downtown Portland "may be reaching a turning point: The weekend brought none of the large-scale tear gas and firework-fueled clashes that marked the previous two months of unrest, a potential sign of calming tensions after the Trump administration pulled back federal law enforcement officers." However, it is "not clear what direction the protests in the city, which show no sign of stopping, will take next." In a similar report headlined "With No Federal Agents On Streets, Portland Protests Turn Largely Peaceful," the Wall Street Journal (8/2, Caldwell, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says that since Thursday, the first night without a visible federal law enforcement presence, protests have been mostly peaceful. The New York Times (8/2, Baker, 18.61M) too reports that on Saturday night, "the crowd saw a third consecutive night of calm since the start of a plan to withdraw federal agents who had brought a militarized crackdown to the city." The AP (7/31, Flaccus) reports that in Portland, there has been a "dramatic change in tone outside a federal courthouse that's become ground zero in clashes between demonstrators and federal agents...after the U.S. government began drawing down its forces under a deal between Democratic Gov. Kate Brown and the Trump administration." According to the AP, "As agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement pulled back, troopers with the Oregon State Police were supposed to take over." The AP says "there were no signs of any law enforcement presence outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse, however, where a protest lasted into early Friday." The Washington Post (7/31, Taylor, 14.2M) also reports that "as the Black Lives Matter- inspired vigil wound down early Friday morning, there was virtually no sign of the Oregon State Police officers who had taken over protection of the federal buildings at the center of the protests." According to the Post, "Instead of being forcibly removed from downtown's Lownsdale Square and the adjacent Chapman Square...the crowd thinned out on its own, with many protesters heading home of their own accord." The Post says that "by a little after 1 a.m., only a relatively small crew remained, far down from the enormous crowd that had gathered four hours earlier to listen to speakers and chant anti-law enforcement slogans." Reuters (7/31, Bloom) reports that Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell "tweeted his thanks to protesters who stopped attempts to light fires and throw projectiles on the 63rd night of demonstrations, when there were no arrests." While Reuters adds that acting Homeland Security Secretary Wolf indicated Friday morning that DHS agents "remained on standby and National Guard troops could be sent in should state police be overrun," the Wall Street Journal EFTA01658029 (7/31, Caldwell, Calfas, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says that officials in Portland expect the protests this weekend will be less violent given the drawdown of federal forces. Trump: DHS Will Remain In Portland Until Police "Complete Cleanup Of Anarchists And Agitators." President Trump on Friday tweeted, "Homeland Security is not leaving Portland until local police complete cleanup of Anarchists and Agitators!" Wolf: Joint Federal-Local Policing Has "Worked Fairly Well"In Portland. Appearing on Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/31, 831K), Wolf said the developments in Portland "worked fairly well. What we saw is we saw a robust contingent of Oregon State Police come into the area yesterday afternoon together with Portland Police Bureau. They cleaned out the parks across the street from the courthouse and what we saw overnight is almost little to no criminal activity. And that really is how it should be. It reinforces the principle if you work with federal state and local law enforcement work together we can protect our communities. We can secure our communities. We can secure federal properties and protect law enforcement officers. This is what we have been asking for or over 60 days and I'm glad Oregon and Portland has finally accepted up to the challenge." Cuccinelli Highlights Barr's House Testimony Regarding Portland Protests. Speaking on Chicago's Morning Answer (7/31), Acting Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli discussed Attorney General Barr's recent House testimony regarding the presence of federal agents in Portland. Cuccinelli also discussed the DHS' role in protecting federal property, including the federal courthouse. US Marshals Discuss Portland Protests, Role In Protecting Federal Courthouse. Appearing on NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/31, story 13, 1:58, Holt, 5.44M), US Marshals Service Director Donald Washington and US Marshall Russel Burger discussed the protests in Portland and their role in protecting the federal courthouse. Washington said, "People should be yelling, shouting from the courthouse steps their grievances, not trying to burn it to the ground." When asked by NBC's Erin McLaughlin, "Who are these people that are doing this?," Burger responded, "We have legitimate protesters that are out there expressing their First Amendment right, and we support that. But then you've got this other group, they want nothing more than to create chaos and injure people. And it's not a big group." Judge Allows Release Of 18-Year-Old Accused Of Attempted Arson At Portland Courthouse. The Oregonian (7/31, Bernstein, 1M) reports Gabriel Agard-Berryhill, 18, "made his first appearance in federal court Friday on an attempted arson allegation, accused of lighting and throwing a large firework Tuesday over the fence that struck and set on fire protective wood covering the entrance to the Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse." The Oregonian adds US Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo "allowed Agard-Berryhill to be released," but he "must not come within a five-block radius of the courthouse at any time of the day or night while his case is pending." Judge May Order Federal Agents To Wear Numbered Jerseys. Politico (7/31, Gerstein, 4.29M) reports US District Court Judge Michael Simon on Friday suggested the uniforms of federal agents "responding to long-running protests and unrest in that city be emblazoned with easily visible numbers so officers can be easily identified if they commit abuses." Politico says Simon's comments came "in connection with a lawsuit he's overseeing that accuses city police and federal law enforcement officers of unjustified use of force against journalists and legal observers monitoring the protests, which have centered in recent weeks on the main federal courthouse in Portland." Poll: 53% Support Deployment To Protect Federal Property, 475 Opposed. The Hill (7/31, Schulte, 2.98M) reports a Hill-HarrisX poll of 948 "registered voters" (7/26-7/27) found 53% "said they support sending federal agents to major cities in order to protect federal property despite the mayors of those cities not making a request for such action," while 47% "opposed the Trump administration's move." However, The Hill adds the survey "fell heavily along party lines with 76 percent of Republican respondents saying they agreed with the use of federal troops to protect federal property while 77 percent of Democrats said they disagree with EFTA01658030 the move. Fifty-five percent of independent voters said they disagree with the move. The survey found 55 percent of white voters agree with federal agents and officers being deployed into major cities to protect federal property. Twenty-one percent of Black voters said they oppose the move along with 33 percent of Hispanic voters." DHS Official Whose Office Compiled Intelligence Regarding Journalists Gets Reassigned. The New York Times (8/1, Kanno-Youngs, Goldman, 18.61M) reports Department of Homeland Security Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Brian Murphy was reassigned "after his office compiled reports about protesters and journalists covering the Trump administration's response to unrest in Portland, Ore., last month." Murphy was moved "to a new position in [DHS) after his office disseminated to the law enforcement community 'open-source intelligence reports' containing Twitter posts of journalists, noting they had published leaked unclassified documents, according to an administration official familiar with the matter." The Times adds, "It was not clear what Mr. Murphy's new position would be." The Washington Post (8/1, Harris, Miroff, 14.2M) reports the decision to remove Murphy from his job was made on Friday by Acting DHS Secretary Wolf. DHS "has been under mounting scrutiny from lawmakers and civil liberties groups over its use of federal law enforcement officers to quell protests in Portland and in light of President Trump's threat to deploy federal personnel to other cities that he asserts are being overrun by violent criminals." DHS Stops Collecting Intel On Reporters Covering Portland Response. The New York Times (7/31, Kanno-Youngs, Tracy, 18.61M) reports DHS spokesman Alexei Woltornist "said on Friday that [Wolf] had shut down an intelligence examination of the work of reporters covering the government's response to protests in Portland, Ore., beginning an investigation into what he suggested was an infringement on First Amendment rights." Woltornist said, "The acting secretary is committed to ensuring that all D.H.S. personnel uphold the principles of professionalism, impartiality and respect for civil rights and civil liberties, particularly as it relates to the exercise of First Amendment rights." Woltornist added Wolf ordered DHS to "immediately discontinue collecting information involving members of the press" once he learned of its actions. Meanwhile, Reuters (7/31, Hosenball) reports all seven Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee on Friday "wrote to the Department of Homeland Security requesting details on its agents conducting intelligence monitoring of ongoing anti-racism protests in Portland." Cuccinelli Relaxed Oversight Of DHS Intel Office. Politico (8/2, Swan, 4.29M) reports that "several months ago, the leadership of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis asked" Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli to limit "a department watchdog from regularly reviewing the intelligence products it produces and distributes." Cuccinelli "signed off on the move, according to two sources familiar with the situation, which constrained the role of the department's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in approving the intelligence office's work." Since the change, however, "I&A's work has drawn withering criticism. The Washington Post reported last week that the office distributed an intelligence report documenting communications between protesters over the Telegram messaging app. The Post also reported that I&A compiled intelligence reports on journalists covering DHS's response to protests in Portland, Oregon against racism and police brutality." A DHS spokesperson declined to comment. DC Police Prevent Pro-Life Organizations From Painting "Black Preborn Lives Matter" On Street, Arrest Two Activists. The Washington Times (8/1, Richardson, 492K) reports, "Police stopped pro-life groups Saturday from painting 'Black Preborn Lives Matter' on the street in front of a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood clinic and subsequently arrested two for writing the message in chalk on a EFTA01658031 sidewalk, even though the activists said they had the District government's permission for the street painting." Leaders from Students for Life of America indicated that they told law enforcement "and city officials during the permit process that they would be painting the message on the 1200 block of 4th Street NE, citing the precedent of the protesters who painted 'Defund the Police' in June on 16th Street NW." In an email, Students for Life spokesperson Kristi Hamrick said, "We were told verbally that we would not be prevented from painting and what kind of paint to buy." Jayapal Says Barr Perjured Himself During Testimony On Protests. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said on MSNBC's Politics NationVi (8/2, 932K) that Attorney General Barr "is not the President's personal attorney. He is supposed to be the attorney for all Americans and he is not acting that way. So, when there are protesters who are protesting the President, like the movement for Black Lives [Matter] protesters, then...a whole series of officers that come and push them out of the way just so that the President can get a photo-op. ... But when you have right-wing extremists...then somehow the Attorney General is nowhere to be found. And I believe he actually perjured himself because he said he wasn't even aware of those protests and that is impossible that as Attorney General he wouldn't be aware of those protests." Trump Retweets Video Of Fox News Hosts Criticizing House Democrats' Treatment Of Barr. President Trump retweeted a post from a Twitter user called The Dirty Truth who tweeted video of a segment from Fox News' Watters World during which host Jesse Watters said House Democrats' treatment of Barr during his testimony last week was "despicable," and Fox News host Mark Levin said, "I have never seen a senior official of any administration ever treated like that." Arkansas Governor Confident In Investigation Into Morris Death. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R), on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (8/2, 954K), commented on a newly released video showing the death of Lionel Morris, who died in police custody. Hutchinson said, "I'm confident that the review by the Arkansas state police was thorough and the prosecuting attorney's office, any death like that in custody is a tragedy, but, in this case, one thing you didn't mention that he was very high on methamphetamine that was in his system and that was a large part of the reason that he died in custody because of that, as well as other contributing factors. I have confidence in the review that was done, in addition one thing that we are doing as a result of the George Floyd protests and the tragedy that was there, we do have an ongoing task force to review the advancement of law enforcement and what controls, changes need to be made there." Nevada Legislature Votes To Ban Police From Using Chokeholds. The Washington Examiner (8/2, Dibble, 448K) reports the Nevada state legislature over the weekend passed "a series of police reforms, including a ban on the use of chokeholds by officers." The state Senate and assembly "each passed separate policing reforms on Saturday" including restricting the use of chokeholds "unless the officer's life is in danger." COUNTER-TERRORISM UK Goes To Supreme Court To Fight Return Of IS Bride. The AP (7/31, Kirka) reported the British government is going "to the UK's Supreme Court to challenge the return of a woman who ran away from home as a teenager in London to join the Islamic State group." A lower appeals court "ruled earlier this month that Shamima Begum had the right to come back to her home country to mount a legal challenge aimed at restoring her British citizenship, which was revoked on national security grounds." The three-judge Court of EFTA01658032 Appeal panel "ruled that 'the only way in which she can have a fair and effective appeal is to be permitted to come into the UK." Britain's Home Office "challenged the decision, arguing that Begum doesn't have the right to repatriate." A lawyer for the Home Office, James Eadie, "said there were 'significant national security concerns' surrounding her return." Afghan Troops Kill Senior Islamic State Militant. The AP (8/2) reports Afghanistan's intelligence service "said the country's special forces killed a high-ranking official with the local Islamic State group affiliate in an operation in eastern Afghanistan." A statement late Saturday by the National Directorate of Security "said the slain militant was Assadullah Orakzai, an intelligence leader for the IS affiliate in Afghanistan." The statement "said he was killed near Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province." Orakzai was suspected of "being involved in several deadly attacks against both military and civilian targets in Afghanistan." NYTimes Al: Case Of One Extremist Group Shows How Far-Right Infiltration Has Spread Throughout German Society. In a roughly 3,200-word front-page article, the New York Times (8/1, Al, Bennhold, 18.61M) examines the creation of the German group Nordkreuz, or Northern Cross, and how its members began making plans to "round up political enemies and those defending migrants and refugees, put them on trucks and drive them to a secret location," and then kill them. The Times says, "The Nordkreuz case, which only recently came to trial after being uncovered more than three years ago, shows that the problem of far-right infiltration" in Germany "is neither new nor confined to...the KSK, or even the military. Far-right extremism penetrated multiple layers of German society in the years when the authorities underestimated the threat or were reluctant to countenance it fully, officials and lawmakers acknowledge. Now they are struggling to uproot it." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Judge Denies Bail For California Researcher Over China Ties. The AP (8/2) reports from Sacramento, California, "A federal judge in California denied a bail request for a university researcher accused of lying about her ties to China's military and Communist Party to gain access to the United States." US Magistrate Judge Deborah Barnes "said Friday that 37-year-old Juan Tang 'would have every reason to leave' the country if released on bail. The former Chinese researcher at the University of California Davis has been held without bail at the Sacramento County Main Jail since July 23." Tang "was arrested by FBI agents when she left the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to visit a doctor, authorities said. Tang was considered a fugitive who sought refuge for a month inside the consulate after being questioned June 20." The Sacramento (CA) Bee (7/31, 567K) reported Barnes said, "I just don't see sufficient conditions to overcome flight risk." Law360 (7/31, Subscription Publication, 8K) reported Barnes "found it 'highly suspicious' that the defendant's daughter returned to China without the court's knowledge." Stanford University visiting scholar Chen Song is "one of a handful of scientists who the US has recently charged with visa fraud, claiming they concealed their active Chinese military duty status in their US visa applications in an orchestrated program by the Chinese government." Bloomberg (7/31, Rosenblatt, 4.73M) reported Lexi Negin, the public defender representing Tang, "said in an email that she's disappointed by the decision." Negin said,"We will continue to work to try and find a suitable release package for Dr. Tang so that she can defend her case." Woman Pleads Guilty To Plotting To Steal Trade Secrets From Ohio Hospital. EFTA01658033 WXIX-TV Cincinnati (8/1, Fisher, Goffinet, 42K) reports, "The FBI division in Cincinnati is helping Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus with an investigation involving a woman who pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to steal scientific trade secrets from the hospital for her company in China and wire fraud, court documents states." According to WXIX-TV, "Court documents say, Li Chen, 46, from Dublin, Ohio, admitted to stealing scientific trade secrets related to exosomes and exosome isolation from Nationwide Children's Hospital's Research Institute. 'Li Chen was a trusted researcher at Nationwide Children's Hospital, conducting cutting-edge U.S. government-funded research,' stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge, Chris Hoffman. 'With her guilty plea, she admits that she abused this trust to establish a company in China for her own financial gain." WPost Examines Trump Campaign's Efforts To "Court QAnon." The Washington Post (8/2, Al, Stanley-Becker, 14.2M) has a front-page feature on "how the Trump campaign came to court QAnon," writing that the President "and his campaign have courted and legitimized" adherents to "the viral online movement, which took root on Internet message boards in the fall of 2017 with posts from a self-proclaimed government insider identified as 'Q' [that] has triggered violent acts and occasional criminal cases. ... The Trump campaign's director of press communications, for example, went on a QAnon program and urged listeners to 'sign up and attend a Trump Victory Leadership Initiative training," and QAnon "iconography has appeared in official campaign advertisements targeting battleground states." White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications Dan Scavino "has gone from endorsing praise from QAnon accounts to posting their memes himself." Op-Ed: The US And China Need To Find Ways To Manage The New Cold War. In a commentary in the Wall Street Journal (7/31, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), David Shambaugh, the Gaston Sigur Professor of Asian Studies, Political Science and International Affairs and director of the China Policy Program at George Washington University, wrote that ties between the US and China are deteriorating quickly and that the two countries are essentially now engaged in a new Cold War. He contends the situation has been deteriorating for some time, but the recent Consulate closures in each country demonstrates the clear decline and the two countries need to find ways to deal with the new bilateral dynamic and deter the situation from getting even more serious. Op-Ed: Communist China Puts Our Technology And Safety At Risk Every Day. In an op-ed in CQ Roll Call (7/31, 154K), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Rep. John Joyce (R- PA) wrote, "Communist China puts our technology and safety at risk every day. It's been a long time coming, but more and more Americans are waking up to the threat of Chinese influence in our technology. This is a reality we must face as a nation and one we need to get a handle on before it's too late." They contended, "The China Task Force is focused on equipping our scientists to win the race to 5G and remove Chinese telecom infrastructure from the US. To achieve lasting progress, America must continue and expand its prohibition of dangerous technologies originating from China, like Huawei and ZTE." They concluded, "In the 21st century, the US simply cannot afford to fall behind China's technology momentum. ...We must once again lead in innovation and ensure security for our telecommunications." Johnson Says Agencies Are Not Cooperating With Investigation Of Russia Probe. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures (8/2) about his investigation into the Russia probe. Johnson said, "We're trying to assemble a puzzle. I think we basically know what the picture is but we're trying to get all the pieces of the puzzle. Democrats have a huge advantage over us in our investigation. Some of them know exactly what they did. ... One of our problems is obtaining documents from these agencies. ... I can't tell you my frustration how difficult it is getting information out of agencies that are supposedly EFTA01658034 controlled by this Administration but simply aren't. ... I'm actually hoping the White House gets engaged and gets into the agencies and makes sure that the American people finally get to understand and see the full picture of the corruption of the transition process that occurred." Op-Ed: Confidentiality Was Never Part Of The Steel Dossier. In an op-ed in The Hill (8/1, 2.98M), former FBI agent James Casy wrote, "Critics who claim that Attorney General Barr has recklessly declassified...FBI electronic communication, putting Danchenko and other sources - and future source operations - in peril are wrong. Steele was a `non-US Person,' and not an FBI source when he was de facto working for...the Hillary Clinton campaign to develop opposition research. Steele subcontracted this work to Danchenko...who, by his own admission during the FBI interview, provided what he categorized as `bar talk over beers' back to Steele. The fact that this kind of information in an FBI communication was classified as `secret' in the first place is unexplainable." Casey concluded, "The information that Danchenko provided was the last nail in the coffin of the Steele dossier, and it created a serious dilemma for the FBI. ... How this all ends will be determined largely by US Attorney Durham's investigation." Op-Ed: Barr May Try To Spin His "Investigation" Before The Election. In an op-ed in the Washington Post (8/1, 14.2M), Joshua Geltzer And Ryan Goodman wrote, "One of William Barr's weaknesses is a godsend for the rule of law: The attorney general is not completely effective at lying. ... Barr's behavior in his prior career in government and in his current office reveals voluminous and specific examples in which he misled the public and Congress. ... And there's every reason to suspect Barr will soon try again to mislead - this time regarding...an investigation by his handpicked US attorney, John Durham - in an effort to skew the 2020 elections." They contended, "The problem is that there are two types of lies that Barr is willing to employ. One can be detected quickly. The other often takes time to uncover." They concluded, "It's essential that Congress, the media and the public refuse to accept what Barr says at face value. Wait till we see what Durham's investigation actually concludes." NYTimes Analysis: Trump's Approach To Moscow Appears To Have Undergone "Little Or No Evolution" Since 2016. In an analysis, the New York Times (7/31, Sanger, 18.61M) says President Trump's "approach to Moscow...has been consistent. With three months until Election Day, he is repeating a variant of lines that he uttered during his first campaign." For example, "it would be `wonderful' if `instead of fighting each other, we got along.' That he and Mr. Putin are working together to reduce the threat of nuclear war, even though both nations have spent the past four years developing nuclear weapons and scuttling treaties that limited their stockpiles. In recent days, he has begun deflecting questions about Russia's cyberactivities by repeating another line from 2016: that everyone turns a blind eye to China." The article says, "What is striking about all these comments is that they indicate little or no evolution in Mr. Trump's approach." Op-Ed: Trump Is Committed To Defending The US, And Russia Knows It. In an op-ed in the Washington Post (8/2, 14.2M), Robert O'Brien, the national security adviser to President Trump, writes, "Like Reagan, President Trump strives for good relations with all nations, including Russia. But no nation, including Russia, should doubt the president's commitment to defending the US and our allies. President Trump has demonstrated to Russia that he means what he says about putting `America First.' If recently reported allegations of Russian malign activity toward Americans in Afghanistan prove true, Russia knows from experience that it will pay a price - even if that price never becomes public." He concludes, "No president since Reagan has shown such resolve to Moscow. Like Reagan, President Trump seeks another path with Russia - one in which Russia refrains from aggression abroad and becomes a friendly partner to the United States and Europe. In such a world, sanctions on Russia would be unnecessary, and trade between our countries would flourish." EFTA01658035  WPost Analysis: Dissonance Between Trump, National Security Team Shows Lack Of Strategic Approach To Russia. In an analysis, the Washington Post (8/1, Deyoung, 14.2M) said, "The public dissonance between President Trump and his top national security team over Russia reached new heights in the past week," in some ways overshadowing what several experts describe as the Administration's lack of strategic approach to dealing with Moscow. For example, a former senior Administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that to the extent President Trump "'undermines US policy,' it is not necessarily because of his lauding of Putin, but 'because there is no coherent policy." The official added, "There is no devolution to fill out the details of the kind of deals he wants to make." Detentions Of 33 Suspected Russian Mercenaries In Belarus Pits Minsk Against Moscow Just Before Election. The Washington Post (8/1, Khurshudyan, 14.2M) reported the detentions of "33 suspected Russian mercenaries near Minsk" earlier this week "have expanded an unusual run of tension between Belarus and Russia, once tight allies that have drifted apart as Belarus's president, Alexander Lukashenko, tests policies independent of Moscow's backing. The rare friction with Russia is now part of the backdrop for an Aug. 9 election that is expected to extend Lukashenko's 26-year authoritarian grip on power." However, "Lukashenko also appears to be using the showdown with Moscow to bolster his populist credentials and to try to discredit opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, a newcomer who has led a surprisingly strong campaign. Belarus claims - without making any evidence public - that the alleged mercenaries are part of Russia's shadowy Wagner Group paramilitary outfit and were sent to Minsk to destabilize the country ahead of presidential elections." CIA Declassifies Details Of 1970s Stealth Drone. Forbes (7/31, Hambling, 9.71M) reported The CIA's Project Aquiline was "a drone with a ten- foot wingspan which would carry out spy missions deep into the Soviet Union." The CIA has "declassified a new stash of documents about the project from the early 1970s, revealing among other things, plans to fit nuclear propulsion and have it operating out of the celebrated Area 51." Project Aquiline never "became operational, for reasons which we will explore." But, as the CIA "notes in a preface to the new release, 'the concept proved invaluable as a forerunner to today's multi-capability UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles]." The project originated "in the 1960s." After the shooting down "of Gary Powers U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union, manned flights were becoming politically too risky." Satellites could peer "over the Iron Curtain, but only provided grainy long-range photographs." What was needed was "a small, unmanned aircraft for strategic reconnaissance from close-up." Retrial Of Accused CIA Leaker Josh Schulte Delayed At Request Of Defense Lawyers. The Washington Times (7/31, Blake, 492K) reported a federal court judge "pushed back proceedings Friday in the government's longstanding criminal case against Joshua Adam Schulte, a former CIA engineer suspected of leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks." Senior US District Court Judge Paul A. Crotty "agreed to postpone a status conference in the Schulte case previously scheduled for August 3 in light of defense layers recently asking for an adjournment." The conference has been "rescheduled for Oct. 17, per the judge's order, indicating Schulte's yearslong legal saga is unlikely to come to a conclusion anytime soon." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Maxwell Wins Court Ruling To Prevent Release Of 2016 Testimony As Reports Highlight Ties To Trump, Clinton. EFTA01658036 According to Bloomberg (7/31, Hurtado, 4.73M), "Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite fighting sex-trafficking charges in the U.S., persuaded a federal appeals court in Manhattan to temporarily halt the release of sworn testimony she gave in April 2016 in a civil case." Bloomberg says the court on Friday "granted Maxwell's request to block the unsealing of documents that include her deposition testimony in that lawsuit," but "said it would consider the fight over the unsealing on an expedited basis and scheduled a hearing for Sept. 22." In article titled, "Before President Trump Wished Ghislaine Maxwell `Well,' They Had Mingled For Years In The Same Gilded Circles," the Washington Post (7/31, Helderman, Fisher, 14.2M) reports that "for at least 15 years" after meeting in 1989, President Trump and Maxwell "continued to mingle in the same gilde