EFTA00150555.pdf

From: "Bulletin Intelligence" < To:" < Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Tuesday, July 14, 2020 Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2020 10:27:54 +0000 Importanc Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. FBI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Federal Prosecutors Release Details Of Ghislaine Maxwell's Arrest. PROTESTS • Trump Criticizes "Anti-Cop Crusade" By Democrats. • DO) To Probe Portland Protest Shooting. • Carson: Destroying History First Step Towards "Destroying A Country." • USA Today Fact-Check Agrees Trump Campaign Using "Nazi Symbol." • White House: Native Americans "Very Angry" As DC NFL Team Retires Name. • OSC: Federal Employees Can Support Black Lives Matter On The Job. • Soros Organization Giving $220M To Black Groups In Pursuit Of "Whole-Scale Reform." • Progressive Groups Forming PAC To Support Police Defunding Advocates. • Number Of Minneapolis Police Stops, Searches Declines. • Seattle Protesters Sue City Over Alleged Excessive Force By Police. • LATimes Examines California City That Defunded Police Amid Bankruptcy. • Catholic Churches Burned, Vandalized Over Weekend. • Black Mothers Who Lost Children To Racial Violence Speak Out. • Black ESPN Employees Speak Out About Racism At Network. • "Mute White People" GIF Appears On Instagram. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Bahrain To Execute Two Shiite Protesters. • Taliban Attack On Afghan Spy Agency's Office Kills 11. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Stone Says Mueller Team Went After Him Because They Had "Nothing" On Russia Collusion. • Trump Does Not Rule Out Pardoning Flynn. • Weissmann To Publish Book On Mueller Investigation. • IARPA Pivots To Fight Coronavirus. • Evanina Says Trusted Workforce 2.0 Progressing Well. • France Spy Scandal Highlights China's Growing Intelligence Threat. • Federal Authorities Seize Internet Domain In Chinese Arms Trafficking Case. EFTA00150555 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Attorney Claims Indiana Hate Crime Allegation Is "Smear Campaign." • FBI Joins Probe Of Noose Found In Michigan Man's Car. • Another Defendant In Georgia "Operation Wu Block" Pleads Guilty. • Maine Man Charged With Shooting At Police Garage. • Washington State Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Premeditated Assault. • Fort Hood Soldier's Murder Prompts Veterans To Come Forward With Sexual Assault, Abuse Stories. • Idaho Man Arrested In Connection To Stabbing. • New Jersey Man Charged With Child Pornography Distribution. • FBI Searching For Missing Pennsylvania Child. • Oklahoma Man Charged With Murder On Creek National Land. • Pennsylvania Men Charged With Selling Stolen Merchandise. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Investigating Disappearance Of Pennsylvania Teenager. • Continuing Coverage: US Marshals Arrest New York Couple In Connection With Attack. • Two Plead Guilty To Nebraska Pharmacy Bomb Plot. • Illinois Men Charged With Drug Crimes. • FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. • FBI Supporting Investigating Into Shooting Death Of Kansas Child. • Florida Man Surrenders To FBI In Connection To 2015 Double Shooting. • New York Man Facing Federal Kidnapping Charges. • Guam Man Facing Drug Charges. • Federal Prosecutors Say New Jersey Man "Sextorted" California Girl. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Georgia Man Pleads Guilty To Disrupting PPE Shipments. • Grand Jury Indicts Madison Man For Alleged PPP Fraud. • Mother Of Los Angeles Councilman Is Implicated In Corruption Probe. • Loughlin, Giannulli Seek Reduced Bond In College Admissions Case. • FBI Continues Probe Of Independence, Missouri Government. • Second Retired California Police Officer Charged In Alleged eBay Harassment Scheme. • FBI Reportedly Probing Missouri Ambulance Purchase Linked To Lieutenant Governor. • San Francisco Physician Settles Medicare Fraud Allegations. • Probe Of Alleged Fraud Scheme At Maryland College Continues. • Former SCANA executive to plead guilty Tuesday in VC Summer case. • Interstate Medicare Kickback Scheme Linked To New Jersey Physician. • GA Addiction Centers In $122 Million Settlement Of Fraud Claims. • California Restaurateur Convicted Of Fraud Is Sued For Unpaid Rent. CYBER DIVISION • Britain To Bar Huawei From Its 5G Wireless Networks. • Cybersecurity Expert Says China Could Use TikTok For Espionage. • Cyberthreats Against US Courts Rising. • DOD Names New Top Uniformed Cyber Adviser. • Defense Bill May Rewrite How The US Does Cyber Defense. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Supreme Court Rules Federal Execution May Proceed. • NYTimes Report: White House Lawyer Lobbied To End Silencer Ban. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Canadian Diplomat Says Documents Too Sensitive To Give To Huawei Executive's Attorneys. EFTA00150556 • FBI Hunting For New Zealand Pornographer After $20 Million Judgment. OTHER FBI NEWS • Pandemic Leads To Early Release For Missouri Pharmacist Convicted Of Diluting Medication. • Texas Judge Hosts Human Trafficking Panel Ahead Of Operation Freedom Anniversary. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Retweets Criticism Of CDC, Claims "Very Good" Relationship With Fauci. • Mulvaney: "We Still Have A Testing Problem In This Country." • Verma Stresses Need To Follow Coronavirus Recommendations. • GOP Elected Officials Wary About Jacksonville Convention. • California Rolling Back Reopening As Cases Mount. • Oregon Faces Rural Outbreaks Of Coronavirus After Earlier Success. • NYTimes Analysis: In Pushing To Reopen Schools, DeVos Has Abandoned Advocacy For Local Control. • Judge To Hear Arguments On Student Visa Limitations Suit Tuesday. • Number Of Indian Students In US Has Declined During Trump Administration. • WPost Finds Misdiagnoses, "Lackluster Care" At College Health Centers. • Giuliani Appears To Contradict Trump's Reason For Not Releasing Tax Returns. • House Plans To Revisit Effort To Obtain Trump's Financial Records. • Despite Recent Victories, Manhattan DA Remains Politically Vulnerable. • Court Rules Trump Cannot Withhold Funds From California Sanctuary Cities. • Federal Budget Deficit Hit $864B In June. • Trump Reportedly Raised Possibility Of Selling Puerto Rico In Wake Of Hurricane Maria. • Politico Report: Meadows Already Planning His Exit From White House. • Goodspeed To Chair Council Of Economic Advisers. • Trump Appoints White House Tech Adviser As Pentagon's CTO. • Judge Rules Trump's Niece Can Talk About Family While Promoting Book. • Trump Gets Second 45-Day Extension On Financial Disclosure Forms. • Castro To Seek Chair Of House Foreign Affairs Committee. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • As Global Cases Hit 13M, WHO Warns Countries "Headed In The Wrong Direction." • US-Canada Travel Ban Expected To Be Extended Once Again. • Hong Kong Virologist Claims Chinese Government Censored Her Research. • WPost Analysis: Neighbors Dubai, Abu Dhabi Respond To Coronavirus Differently. • Iran's Nuclear Facilities Increasingly Under Attack. • China, Iran Negotiate Trade Deal That Envisions Massive Investments From Beijing. • NYTimes Report: Russia "Working To Hedge Its Bets With Taliban." • Taliban Attack Afghan Intelligence Compound. • Trump Congratulates Duda On Reelection Win. • US Rejects China's South China Sea Claims. • UN Expert Accuses White House Of "Onslaught" Against Media. • Seoul Mayor Who Killed Himself Accused Of Sexual Harassment By Former Secretary. • US Offers Support For Protesters In Bulgaria. • Disappearances In Mexico Now Top 73,000. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. EFTA00150557 LEADING THE NEWS Federal Prosecutors Release Details Of Ghislaine Maxwell's Arrest. ABC World News TonightVi (7/13, story 4, 1:30, Muir, 7.15M) reported "on Jeffrey Epstein's alleged co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. Authorities now revealing details over her arrest in New Hampshire. The FBI breaking through the door, and what they said she did when the FBI got there, and what they found wrapped in tinfoil." ABC (Pilgrim) added, "When FBI agents arrived at this 156-acre property in New Hampshire to arrest Ghislaine Maxwell, prosecutors say she tried to flee to another room in the house. Agents were ultimately forced to breach the door. Inside the home, agents found a cell phone wrapped in tinfoil on top of a desk, a seemingly misguided effort to evade detection from law enforcement. Prosecutors in a new court filing today asking a federal judge to keep Maxwell, the former girlfriend and alleged co- conspirator of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, behind bars." CNN (7/13, Scannell, 83.16M) reports, "Federal prosecutors urged a judge to reject a home confinement request by Ghislaine Maxwell, the confidant of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, saying she is skilled at hiding and had wrapped a cell phone in foil to attempt to evade detection by authorities. `There will be no trial for the victims if the defendant is afforded the opportunity to flee the jurisdiction, and there is every reason to think that is exactly what she will do if she is released,' prosecutors wrote in a court filing Monday." CNN adds, "Prosecutors with the US attorney's office in Manhattan have asked the judge to detain Maxwell, who was arrested on charges she helped recruit, groom and ultimately abuse minors, saying she is an extreme flight risk with three passports and multiple foreign bank accounts." The AP (7/14, Neumeister, Hayes) reports that Maxwell "will face a judge and at least one of her accusers by video at a hearing to determine whether she stays behind bars until trial on charges she recruited girls for the financier to sexually abuse a quarter century before he killed himself in a Manhattan jail. The hearing Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan federal court was expected to feature a not guilty plea by" Maxwell "along with arguments over whether she'll flee if she's released. Even if she was granted bail, she would almost certainly remain incarcerated while prosecutors would be given time to appeal and authorities would take time to arrange an electronic bracelet and verify her collateral and the finances of anyone required to pledge additional security." The New York Times (7/13, Weiser, Hong, 18.61M) reports, "When F.B.I. agents went to arrest...Maxwell on the morning of July 2 on a remote property in New Hampshire, they broke through her locked gate, approached the front door and announced themselves, telling her to open the door, federal prosecutors said in newly filed court papers on Monday. Through a window, the agents saw her ignore their order and flee to another room in the house, quickly shutting the door behind her, the prosecutors wrote." The Times adds, "The agents forcibly entered and took Ms. Maxwell into custody. Prosecutors said that during a search of the house, investigators found a cellphone wrapped in tin foil on top of a desk - which they interpreted as 'a seemingly misguided effort to evade detection' by law enforcement. `As these facts make plain, there should be no question that the defendant is skilled at living in hiding,' the prosecutors wrote." NBC News (7/13, Winter, Schapiro, 6.14M) reports, "Prosecutors revealed new details of what took place the day Maxwell was arrested and argued they underscore the risks of allowing her out of detention. They also pointed to her wealth, saying she controls a Swiss trust worth $4 million and has an account in England that has at times held over $2 million. `To the extent the defendant now refuses to account for her ownership of or access to vast wealth, it is not because it does not exist - it is because she is attempting to hide it,' prosecutors wrote." USA Today (7/13, Phillips, 10.31M) reports, "The government is doubling down in its bid to keep...Maxwell in jail while awaiting trial and expressed skepticism about the proposed bail package secured by foreign property, calling it `effectively meaningless." USA Today adds, EFTA00150558 "Maxwell's attorneys have proposed a $5 million bond, secured by properties in the U.S. and Great Britain," but "prosecutors on Monday said the package 'amounts to little more than an unsecured bond' because the property Maxwell is pledging as collateral is outside American jurisdiction and 'therefore is of no value." The Washington Post (7/13, Jacobs, 14.2M) reports that Maxwell "sought to evade FBI detection by using former British military personnel as personal security and wrapping her cellphone in tin foil in an apparent anti-tracing attempt, federal prosecutors alleged Monday." The Post adds, "When the FBI moved on Maxwell at her estate in New Hampshire about two weeks ago, agents had to break down the door and found Maxwell hiding in a room in the interior of the home, according to a new court filing from the government opposing her release on bail. Maxwell, the wealthy daughter of a deceased British media mogul, was so intent on not being located that she never left her house, sending the security staff out 'to make purchases for the property' using a credit card they were provided, a guard there allegedly told the FBI, according to Monday's court filing. The guards were hired by Maxwell's brother and worked in 'rotations,' prosecutors wrote." The Telegraph (UK). (7/13, 956K) reports, "Investigators also allege that Ms Maxwell has refused to declare her financial situation and they have been unable to determine whether she has had a job in more than 30 years. They rejected Ms Maxwell's $5 million bail proposal, claiming that offering a $3.75m home in London as collateral was meaningless as it could not be seized by US authorities. They also argue that the co-signatories - believed to be her twin sisters and other close relatives - have not been formally identified to them and it was not clear if they are living in the US." Fox News (7/13, Casiano, 27.59M) reports, "Maxwell, 58, faces six charges for conspiring with Epstein in a multi-state sex trafficking ring involving three unnamed minors between 1991 and 1997. A hearing is scheduled Tuesday where a judge will decide whether to release her from federal custody. Several of Epstein's victims have named Maxwell as his chief enabler when grooming young girls for sexual abuse. Prosecutors said they expect 'one or more victims' to testify at Tuesday's hearing." The New York Post (7/13, Golding, 4.57M) reports, "Some of Jeffrey Epstein's victims will urge a judge to keep...Maxwell locked up pending trial as an alleged accomplice in his infamous pedophilia scheme, according to court papers filed Monday. In addition, the 'strong evidence' against Maxwell could soon get 'even stronger' - with the help of additional witnesses who came forward following her arrest, prosecutors wrote." CNBC (7/13, Mangan, 3.62M) reports, "Prosecutors cited the millions of dollars that Maxwell has held in 'dozens' of overseas bank accounts, her citizenship in France, and the fact that she tried to hide from FBI agents who arrested her in a $1 million New Hampshire hideaway purchased under the name of a legal entity to hide the actual owner. 'There will be no trial for the victims if the defendant is afforded the opportunity to flee the jurisdiction, and there is every reason to think that is exactly what she will do if she is released,' prosecutors wrote in a filing in U.S. District Court in Manhattan in advance of Maxwell's detention hearing there on Tuesday." The Guardian OM (7/13, Bekiempis, 4.19M) reports, "Maxwell is a citizen of France, prosecutors pointed out, saying that the country 'does not extradite its citizens to the United States pursuant to French law'. Maxwell also has US and UK passports. The filing added that 'the defendant has not only the motive to flee, but the means to do so swiftly and effectively. The defendant appears to have access to extensive sources of wealth." The Washington Examiner (7/13, Brest, 448K) reports, "Epstein, 66, a registered sex offender and wealthy financier, was arrested last July on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges for allegedly abusing girls as young as 14. He was found dead in his Manhattan prison cell in August, which the New York City medical examiner determined to be a suicide." The Daily Beast (7/13, Melendez, 1.39M) reports, "On Friday, Maxwell's lawyer argued that the 58-year-old has not been hiding from authorities since the pedophile billionaire's EFTA00150559 jailhouse suicide in August — but from an 'unrelenting and intrusive media," but "prosecutors hit back on Monday, stating that the socialite does not deserve any 'special treatment' and that her actions over the last year prove she is an 'extraordinary' flight risk." The New York Daily News (7/13, Brown, 2.52M) also reports. PROTESTS Trump Criticizes "Anti-Cop Crusade" By Democrats. The Washington Times (7/13, Boyer, 492K) reports President Trump "stood up for hero police officers on Monday, criticizing an 'anti-cop crusade' by Democrats that he said is causing a crime wave in major cities." At a White House event, the President said, "Violent crime is spiraling in their cities. It's all far-left cities where they have no understanding of what has to be done. If that's what you want for a country, you probably have to vote for 'Sleepy' Joe Biden, because he doesn't know what's happening. But you're not going to have it with me." He noted a rise in shootings in cities such as Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Minneapolis. The New York Post (7/13, Nelson, 4.57M) reports Trump "tore into New York City leaders on Monday for painting 'Black Lives Matter' on 5th Avenue while shootings skyrocket in the city." Said the President, "In one recent week in New York City, this is hard to believe, shootings were up to 358%. And yet they spend all their time - they want to do Black Lives Matter signs outside of Trump Tower. They ought to spend their time doing something else because I'll tell you what, 358% increase in shootings in New York." Trump, the Chicago Sun-Times (7/13, Sweet, 875K) says, "continued his relentless attacks on Chicago on Monday," saying, "That's worse than Afghanistan. I hate to say it: That's worse than any war zone that we're in, by a lot. It makes them look like tame places by comparison. So we're not going to let it go on." The New York Times (7/13, Rogers, 18.61M) reports Trump "invok[ed] the kind of pro- police language that won him support with the law enforcement community in 2016 and ignor[edJ the calls for reform that have helped shape this election." Trump also took to Twitter Monday to write, "Never in history have Police been treated so badly as they are in Democrat run cities - and these cities are a mess. Police must take a stronger stand with the Radical Left politicians that are treating them so badly, and so disrespectfully!!!" Elsewhere Monday, Townhall (7/13, McCarthy, 177K) reports White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany "honored the lives of fallen police officers who were murdered in the line of duty over the weekend, during her briefing." McEnany touted the Administration's "solidarity with police and 'law and order,' and President Trump's opposition to the movement to 'defund the police." Trump Hopes To Gain Backing Of Police Unions. Fox News (7/13, Vaughn, 27.59M) reports on its website that President Trump "planned to make his pitch to the National Association of Police Organizations" at Monday's White House event "as to why the group should endorse him" over Biden. McEnany Criticizes Ocasio-Cortez For Comments Linking Poverty To Violent Crime. The Washington Examiner (7/13, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports McEnany "brushed aside an assertion" from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) last week "that poverty could be a leading cause in the recent uptick in violent crime in New York City." Speaking to reporters Monday, McEnany said, "You have Rep. Ocasio-Cortez saying, 'This is just because people are trying to get food for the families.' That is preposterous. The reality is 63% of Americans in this country fear that criticism of our police departments will lead to no public safety in their streets. And 69% of Black Americans, this is a real issue when you call or police cancer and talk about dismantling them." The New York Post (7/13, Fenton, Nelson, Campanile, 4.57M) reports Ocasio-Cortez "doubled down Monday on her claim," saying, "I do think that even when you talk about violent EFTA00150560 crime, I don't think that poverty and economic desperation are separate from that either." She added, "When people do not have opportunities, I can tell you from my personal experience and what I saw growing up. When families don't have money, a lot of times young people and teens that feel like they need to support their mom, sometimes they'll turn to selling drugs, which can then lead to an escalated level of trouble, to what police label as gang activity." A New York Post (7/13, 4.57M) editorial criticizes Ocasio-Cortez's reaction to the surge of violence as "dishonest, callous and naive." The Post argues that Ocasio-Cortez "imagines that we'll magically erase crime with an army of social workers and more money for schools, even though we spend more for education and welfare than almost anywhere in the nation." NYTimes Calls For NYPD To Adopt Reforms. The New York Times (7/13, 18.61M) editorializes that the "need to drastically remake" the New York Police Department "didn't begin with the pandemic or the Black Lives Matter protests. For decades, the department has fiercely resisted, slow-walked, co-opted or simply blown past serious attempts at reform or independent oversight." Now, it argues, "overhauling the Police Department may be the only way to stop the violence, and give New York the policing it deserves." Texas' Patrick Blames Black Lives Matter For Crime Wave. The Washington Times (7/13, Richardson, 492K) reports that a "furious" Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) on Monday "slammed Black Lives Matter in response to the recent surge of urban violence," saying that "they're not about Black Lives." Appearing on Fox News, Patrick said, "Every Black life matters. Black Lives Matter? They're not about Black lives. Where were they when Black cops were being killed? Where were they when Black teenagers and kids were being killed over the weekend in Chicago and other Democrat-run cities? They don't care." New York Town Rejects "Black Lives Matter" Mural. The New York Times (7/13, Nir, 18.61M) reports that village leaders in Catskill, New York have rejected plans to paint a "Black Lives Matter" mural on Main Street. Instead, they offered "several counterproposals...including one that would have allowed the painting, but in the Black area of town." DO) To Probe Portland Protest Shooting. The AP (7/13, Flaccus) reports from Portland, Oregon, "The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating after a protester was hospitalized in critical condition over the weekend after being hit in the head by a less-lethal round fired by a federal law enforcement officer, authorities said Monday." The AP adds, "The investigation into the shooting will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy J. Williams said." According to the AP, "Bystander videos show" Donavan LaBella, 26, "collapsing to the ground unconscious and bleeding profusely from the head after a federal officer outside the Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse fired a less-lethal round at him. He was standing with both arms in the air holding a large speaker across the street from the courthouse when he was hit." Carson: Destroying History First Step Towards "Destroying A Country." HUD Secretary Carson said on the Joe Pags ShowVi (7/13), "If you wanted to destroy a country and if you wanted to fundamentally change that country, one of the first things you would do is try to destroy their history because it is your history that gives you your identity and your identity is what gives you your beliefs. If you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for anything and that's basically what's going on right now. ... If we take down everything that's objectionable to us we won't have anything left because if you go through anybody's life, you won't find perfection." USA Today Fact-Check Agrees Trump Campaign Using "Nazi Symbol." The Washington Times (7/13, Ernst, 492K) reports "USA Today critics are livid over a new 'fact check' that President Trump's campaign is using 'a Nazi symbol' - and American eagle - on its EFTA00150561 merchandise." A piece titled "Fact Check: Trump Campaign Accused Of T-Shirt Design With Similarity To Nazi Eagle" received a "True" ruling over the weekend and "immediately sparked negative feedback on social media from incredulous readers." Federalist: Ocasio-Cortez Flashed "White Power" "OK" Sign During Event. The Federalist (7/13, Zempel, 126K) reports Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) "flashed a double white-power symbol during a Zoom conference about New York City's crime uptick." While answering one question, the congresswoman "quickly flashed the notorious white supremacy symbol — the once-innocuous 'OK' sign, wherein the thumb and pointer finger touch to form a circle and the last three fingers are extended - with both hands while gesturing. She even flashed it a second time at the end of the call." White House: Native Americans "Very Angry" As DC NFL Team Retires Name. The New York Post (7/13, Bowden, 4.57M) reports the White House on Monday "doubled down on criticism" of the Washington NFL team "for retiring their name and logo, citing a news report that found the majority of Native Americans were not offended by it." Speaking to reporters, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Trump criticize the decision by the NFL team because Native Americans would be made "very angry" by the decision. Earlier Monday, NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/13, story 7, 1:55, Holt, 5.82M) reported the team "announced its retiring the logo and name, now widely viewed as a racist slur against Native Americans." In a statement, the team said it's "working closely to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition-rich franchise." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/13, story 5, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.36M) reported that in a statement, the National Congress of American Indians said, "We commend the Washington NFL team for eliminating a brand that disrespected, demeaned, and stereotyped all native people." ABC World News TonightVi (7/13, story 5, 1:15, Muir, 7.15M) reported that while the team did not announce a new name Monday, "one potential name gaining traction among fans tonight: the Washington Redtails, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen." A Washington Post (7/13, 14.2M) editorial welcomes what it says was a long-overdue change. OSC: Federal Employees Can Support Black Lives Matter On The Job. The Washington Times (7/13, Dinan, 492K) reports the Office of Special Counsel says "Black Lives Matter is not inherently political so federal employees are free to express their support for the movement while on the job." The OSC "says employees can wear BLM pins, post supportive messages to their social media accounts during work time, or let fellow employees or members of the public know of their support." Soros Organization Giving $220M To Black Groups In Pursuit Of "Whole-Scale Reform." The New York Times (7/13, Herndon, 18.61M) reports the Open Society Foundations, "the philanthropic group founded by the business magnate George Soros," is set to "announce...that it is investing $220 million in efforts to achieve racial equality in America, a huge financial undertaking that will support several Black-led racial justice groups for years to come." Of the $220 million, the foundation will "invest $150 million in five-year grants for selected groups, including progressive and emerging organizations like the Black Voters Matter Fund and Repairers of the Breach," as well as "more established Black political organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative." Patrick Gaspard, the President of the Open Society Foundations, is quoted as saying, "it's time to double down. And we understood we can place a bet on these activists...who see this as a moment of not just incrementalism, but whole-scale reform." Progressive Groups Forming PAC To Support Police Defunding Advocates. EFTA00150562 The AP (7/13, Barrow) reports that "a coalition of progressive groups is forming a political action committee to back local candidates who want to redirect money away from traditional police departments into other social services." The WFP Justice Fund, which is led by the Working Families Party and the Movement for Black Lives' Electoral Justice Project, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and "plans immediately to begin accepting contributions and vetting candidates to support." Number Of Minneapolis Police Stops, Searches Declines. The Washington Free Beacon (7/13, Lehman, 78K) reports the "embattled Minneapolis Police Department has mostly ceased stopping and searching residents of the city, as resources are stretched thin by anti-cop protests and surging gun violence." Official data released by the MPD "show that cumulative stops fell 36 percent in the week after George Floyd's death." That trend "has persisted - over the week between July 6 and July 12, MPD officers made just 193 stops, down 77 percent from the same week in 2019." The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/13, Jany, 1.04M), meanwhile, reports residents of one block say it "has become even less of a priority for police and City Hall after the unrest that followed George Floyd's death in police custody, leading to calls to reimagine policing in the city." Seattle Protesters Sue City Over Alleged Excessive Force By Police. The AP (7/13) reports, "Twelve people, or their families, who were hurt or killed in Seattle protests over the past six weeks filed financial claims Monday against the city of Seattle, King County and Washington state, alleging police used excessive force or failed to secure the safety of peaceful protesters." The claimants say "they, or their loved ones, were hit by cars, shot, pepper sprayed, tear-gassed, put in chokeholds or knocked unconscious in protests against systemic racism and police brutality." LATimes Examines California City That Defunded Police Amid Bankruptcy. The Los Angeles Times (7/13, Chabria, 4.64M) examines the town of Stockton, California, which "was hit hard by foreclosures and bad municipal investments during the Great Recession" and was forced to declare bankruptcy, "slashing the Police Department's budget by $14 million and losing a quarter of its 440 officers - an involuntary defunding that dropped the number of sworn officers to some of the lowest levels per capita in the country." Catholic Churches Burned, Vandalized Over Weekend. The Fox News (7/13, Parke, 27.59M) website reports that a "slew of Catholic churches from Florida to California were burned and vandalized over the weekend as police continue to investigate whether or not they are connected to protests targeting symbols and statues." The Washington Examiner (7/13, Rowan, 448K) reports that "in two cases, authorities found two statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary mutilated outside Catholic parishes." The Los Angeles Times (7/13, Arellano, 4.64M), meanwhile, reports that "local, regional and national officials are investigating" the cause of a fire Saturday at California's 215-year-old San Gabriel Mission. Black Mothers Who Lost Children To Racial Violence Speak Out. ABC World News TonightVi (7/13, story 6, 2:25, Muir, 7.52M) reported, "Across the country tonight, growing pressure on lawmakers to move forward on police reform in the wake of George Floyd's death and the protests that followed." ABC (Roberts) added, "As legislatures from Charleston to Boston debate measures on police reform, seven women, seven mothers, raising their voices, joining the fight. Forever connected in grief, they are speaking out after losing their own children violently, many at the hands of police." Wanda Cooper-Jones, mother of Ahmaud Arbery, said, "There's nothing you can really tell a person that's going though this EFTA00150563 type of pain to make to make them feel better." Roberts: "These moms say that they're sharing their stories with the hope the rest of us won't be content to sit silently. They're hoping this moment will spark a real movement for change." Black ESPN Employees Speak Out About Racism At Network. The New York Times (7/13, Draper, 18.61M) reports that the "nationwide conversation over systemic racism and equality has prompted a series of discussions and forums at ESPN, where Black employees, many of them behind the cameras, have begun speaking out about the everyday racism and barriers they face at the sports media giant." In conference calls and meetings over the last month, "they have detailed to their bosses and colleagues what they see as behavior and long-entrenched practices that have led to embarrassing missteps and kept many career Black employees from rising through the ranks." "Mute White People" GIF Appears On Instagram. The Washington Examiner (7/13, Colton, 448K) reports a sticker uploaded to GIPHY by Refinery29 and now "appearing on Instagram reads, 'mute white people." The Examiner confirmed the sticker "on Instagram Monday, following a tweet from Townhall's Katie Pavlich." While Pavlich and the Examiner both refer to the GIF as a "button," it does not mute posts. COUNTER-TERRORISM Bahrain To Execute Two Shiite Protesters. The New York Times (7/13, Yee, 18.61M) reports two Bahraini men "who say they were tortured into making false confessions were sentenced to death for the fifth time on Monday in what international rights groups called another stain on Bahrain's record of imprisoning, torturing and executing government critics." The two men, both Shiites, were "first arrested and tried for a bombing that killed a police officer in 2014." The Washington Post (7/13, Dadouch, 14.2M) reports the nation's highest court "reinstated the death sentences after reviewing all the evidence again." Taliban Attack On Afghan Spy Agency's Office Kills 11. Voice of America (7/13, 48K) reports Officials in Afghanistan "say a Taliban suicide assault on a provincial headquarters of the Afghan spy agency has killed at least 11 people and injured 63 others." The insurgent raid in Aybak, the capital city of northern Samangan province, "comes amid a string of Taliban attacks in the last week that killed a number of Afghan forces, posing fresh challenges to US-led peacemaking efforts." Provincial governor Abdul Latif Ibrahimi" told VOA that civilians, including women, were among the victims of Monday's attack on the National Directorate of Security (NDS)." The Taliban "confirmed three of its fighters carried out the 'martyrdom' attack, saying they killed dozens of NDS personnel and injured many more." Officials in Samangan "said the attack began with a suicide bomber detonating an explosives- packed car at the main entrance, enabling other attackers to storm the NDS compound and engage Afghan forces in an hours-long gunfight." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Stone Says Mueller Team Went After Him Because They Had "Nothing" On Russia Collusion. Roger Stone said on Fox News' Hannity (7/13, 535K) that the person leading his prosecution on special counsel Robert Mueller's team "made it very clear to one of my lawyers after a hearing, she asked to see them privately, that if I would re-remember certain phone conversations I had with candidate Trump, if I would 'come clean,' if I would 'confess,' that they might be willing to, EFTA00150564 you know, recommend leniency to the judge, perhaps I wouldn't even serve any jail time. I didn't have to think about it very long. I said absolutely not. There was no circumstance under which I would bear false witness against the President." Stone added, "They wanted me to be the ham in their ham sandwich because they knew the Mueller report, particularly on Russia, was a dud. They had nothing." The Washington Times (7/13, Mordock, 492K) reports, "Stone claimed prosecutors offered him leniency and promised to keep him out of jail in the Russian collusion probe in exchange for information implicating Mr Trump. `They were hoping I would recharacterize my phone calls." Stone told Hannity. The Times adds, "Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen told federal investigators that he overheard a July 2016 phone call between Stone and then-candidate Trump in which Stone claimed to have spoken with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Stone claimed the website planned to release a batch of information, according to Cohen's testimony. Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign official, offered similar testimony during Stone's November 2019 trial." Politico (7/13, Choi, 4.29M) reports, "Speaking with Hannity, Stone repeated the sentiment, saying that he was up against a `stacked jury' and a `biased judge.' During his trial, Stone had several tete-a-tetes with" US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson. "At one point, he posted a picture of her with crosshairs on his Instagram account in February 2019. Stone later apologized for the post and tried to downplay the crosshairs as a Celtic symbol. Jackson and Stone's interactions in the courthouse would at times get heated, with both sides showing frustration with the other." Stone "called Andrew Weissmann, a top prosecutor on Mueller's team, `the most ethically bankrupt prosecutor I've ever come across,' accusing him of political bias in his investigation into the president. Stone also said prosecutor Jeannie Rhee, who is of Korean descent, 'has all the charm of a North Korean prison guard,' and laid into her for her donations to Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton." Judge Wants More Details On Trump's Commutation Of Stone's Sentence. The AP (7/13, Tucker) reports that on Monday, US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson "demanded more information about President Donald Trump's decision to commute the prison sentence of longtime ally Roger Stone." Jackson "ordered that the parties provide her by Tuesday with a copy of the executive order that commuted Stone's sentence," and "also asked for clarity about the scope of the clemency, including whether it covers just his prison sentence or also the two- year period of supervised release that was part of his sentence." Axios (7/13, Axios, 521K) reports that the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney released the clemency order the President signed for Stone. According to the order, "the commutation voids all elements of Stone's sentence, including a $20,000 fine and two years of supervised release." the Justice Department wrote in a statement to the court accompanying the order, "Roger J. Stone's felony convictions - for obstructing the United States Congress, making false statements, and tampering with a witness - still stand." McEnany Defends Stone Sentence Commutation, Highlights Clinton, Obama Pardons. The Washington Times (7/13, Boyer, 492K) reports that the White House on Monday defended Trump's commutation for Stone and "said former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama indulged in politically connected pardons and wholesale clemency." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Stone's clemency "was a very important moment for justice in this country," and that the President has used his pardon power "sparingly." McEnany "said Mr. Trump has issued 36 pardons and commutations in nearly four years, while Mr. Obama issued 1,927 in eight years." McEnany "also contrasted the clemency for Stone with some of Mr. Clinton's infamous 11th-hour pardons." Trump Does Not Rule Out Pardoning Flynn. CNBC (7/13, Breuninger, Mangan, 3.62M) reports on its website that in comments to reporters Monday, President Trump "did not rule out granting a pardon to his first national security advisor Michael Flynn." Trump said, "I don't have a decision to make" about a pardon for Flynn "until I find out what's going to happen" with Flynn's efforts to have his conviction dismissed. EFTA00150565 Trump said, "I think he's doing very well with respect to his case. ... I hope that he's going to be able to win it." Also providing similar coverage is the Washington Post (7/13, 14.2M). Weissmann To Publish Book On Mueller Investigation. The AP (7/13, Italie) reports that Andrew Weissmann, a former top prosecutor for special counsel Robert Mueller, "has a book coming out this fall about the two-year investigation into the alleged ties between Russia and the 2016 campaign of President Donald Trump." Random House announced Monday that "Where Law Ends: Inside the Mueller Investigation" will be published Sept. 29. Weissmann "is calling the book a meticulous account of the Mueller team's probe and its ongoing battles with the Trump administration." CBS News (7/13, 3.68M) reports Weissmann said in a statement, "I felt it was necessary to record this episode in our history, as seen and experienced by an insider. This is the story of our investigation into how our democracy was attacked by Russia and how those who condoned and ignored that assault undermined our ability to uncover the truth. My obligation as a prosecutor was to follow the facts where they led, using all available tools and undeterred by the onslaught of the president's unique powers to undermine our work. I am deeply proud of the work we did and of the unprecedented number of people we indicted and convicted — and in record speed. But the hard truth is that we made mistakes. We could have done more. 'Where Law Ends' documents the choices we made, good and bad, for all to see and judge and learn from." Citing the AP report, The Daily Caller (7/13, Nieto, 716K) provides similar coverage. Akerman: Trump's Efforts Have Amounted To A Cover-Up. In an op-ed for the New York Times (7/13, 18.61M), Nick Akerman, an assistant special prosecutor on the Watergate Special Prosecution Force, writes that nothing he saw as an assistant special prosecutor for the Watergate Special Prosecution Force "rises to what we are witnessing now with President Trump." Akerman calls the commutation of Stone's sentence "the latest of multiple, brazen efforts to make the fulfillment of the investigation by the special counsel Robert Mueller all but impossible." To Akerman Trump's efforts "have amounted to a cover-up - and they were often made possible by his ability to control the Justice Department and by the lack of independence of the Mueller investigation. It demands a renewed look at how we empower independent counsels." Sources Say Mueller Considered Speaking Up Earlier Against Trump And Barr's Attacks. CNN (7/13, Polantz, Herb, 83.16M) reports that, according to multiple sources familiar with the Mueller team, former special counsel Robert Mueller "chose to break his silence and defend his investigation this weekend after weeks of contemplating doing so, in part because an inflammatory and factually incorrect White House statement attacked his prosecution of President Donald Trump's ally Roger Stone." Mueller's Washington Post op-ed on Saturday...came after members of the special counsel's team had urged him to say something. The sources "said Mueller decided not to speak after the Flynn reversal, but the attacks by the White House justifying Stone's commutation on Friday finally pushed him to speak out and break away from his strict approach to stay above the political fray." IARPA Pivots To Fight Coronavirus. SIGNAL Magazine (7/13, Seffers) reports IARPA director Catherine Marsh "tells SIGNAL Magazine that two research programs at IARPA are now undergoing evaluation to see if they may provide solutions to help counter COVID-19." The Molecular Analyzer for Efficient Gas- phase Low-power INterrogation (MAEGLIN) program "has been developing sensors to detect harmful gaseous chemicals in the air." The program "is investigating how well its newly developed micro-gas chromatograph might work as a breath sensor to detect signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome, a life-threatening condition associated with COVID-19." In addition, the Functional Genomic and Computational Assessments of Threats (FUN GCAT) program "is showing some promise related to the fight against COVID-19." Marsh said, "We pivoted that research, and we went to clinical trials with that a few weeks ago. The early results EFTA00150566 are really positive. It seems that for standoff detection, there's a unique signature associated with COVID-19, and you can track the progress of the disease, for example whether it's waxing or waning, if you will." Evanina Says Trusted Workforce 2.0 Progressing Well. Clearance_lobs (7/13, 6K) reports Trusted Workforce 2.0 is the "major overhaul of the security clearance process that has worked to end the record backlog in pending security clearance investigations, and is hoping to ushering in a transformed, more relevant security clearance application process." The ODNI's National Counterintelligence and Security Center in 2018 "announced the Trusted Workforce 2.0 initiative." The efforts of Trusted Workforce 2.0 "have gone so well, NCSC is already looking into what may come next." NCSC Director William Evanina "has speculated that despite the current pandemic, now may be he perfect time to continue process improvements and implement new plans and priorities. We're looking at this as what else can we do while we have momentum going forward? Now might be the time to enhance 2.0 and say what would 2.5 and 3.0 look like?" France Spy Scandal Highlights China's Growing Intelligence Threat. The Washington Examiner (7/13, Rogan, 448K) reports two former officers of France's foreign intelligence service (CIA equivalent) last week "were sentenced to long prison terms for spying for China." Their treason convictions "illustrate China's growing success in human intelligence recruitment." Inside the General Directorate for External Security, these convictions "will be viewed as extremely painful." Both officers were "respected employees, with one formerly serving as DGSE's top officer, or station chief, in Beijing." That officer, named only as "Henri M.," was "apparently recalled from Beijing to Paris in 1998 after having an affair with the then- ambassador's Chinese interpreter." Both officers were arrested "at the same time in December 2017 after they had retired." Federal Authorities Seize Internet Domain In Chinese Arms Trafficking Case. The AP (7/13) reports federal authorities in Detroit "said Monday an Internet domain has been seized as part of an international arms trafficking investigation into gun silencers from China." Visitors to lafoauto.com "will find a seizure notice bearing law enforcement shields," according to Homeland Security Investigations. More than 350 suppressors "seized by law enforcement across the county were purchased from the website and smuggled into the US from China as automotive parts." Vance Callender, Homeland Security special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio, said, "This website, operated from China, blatantly disregarded our customs laws, smuggled illegal silencers into our country, and placed the American public at risk." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Attorney Claims Indiana Hate Crime Allegation Is "Smear Campaign." The AP (7/13, Smith) reports from Indianapolis, "An attorney for two people accused of being involved in a reported assault on a Black man at a southern Indiana lake said Monday his clients are victims of a 'smear campaign' and a 'rush to judgment." Vauhxx Booker, "a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, said five white men pinned him against a tree, shouted racial slurs and one of them threatened to 'get a noose' at Monroe Lake near Bloomington over Independence Day weekend," but David Hennessy, "a criminal defense attorney for Sean Purdy and Caroline McCord - two of the people accused of being involved - said Booker has been 'putting forth a false narrative' about what happened. 'Mr. Booker was the instigator and the agitator; Hennessy said at a press conference in downtown Indianapolis." EFTA00150567  The Indianapolis Star (7/13, O'Connor, 633K) reports that Hennessy said that "Booker punc