EFTA00135867.pdf

From: Bulletin Intelligence Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL[ - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, April 19, 2021 To: Sent: April 19, 2021 6:27 AM (UTC-04:00) Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintellicience.com. x TO : THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE : MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 6 : 30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Police Say Indianapolis Gunman Legally Bought Guns Used In Shooting. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS EFTA00135867 • Capitol Siege Probe Sees Progress, Roadblocks After 100 Days. • Indiana "Oath Keepers" Leader Pleads Guilty In Capitol Siege Probe. • Prosecutors Say Men Arrested For Attempted Theft Of Gun From DC Officer During Capitol Riot. • FBI Arrests Michigan Man In Capitol Siege Probe. • Prosecutors Say Nazi Sympathizer Who Stormed Capitol Poses Threat To Jews. • Capitol Rioter Who Allegedly Ransacked Pelosi's Office Is Released From Jail. • Pennsylvania Man Faces Federal Charges Over Capitol Riot. • Judge Threatens To Hold Woman Charged In Capitol Riot In Contempt For Wearing Mesh Mask. • Ohio Is High On List Of Capitol Siege Indictments. • Olen: CA Teacher Who Marched On Jan. 6 Should Not Lose Job. • Politico Analysis: Congressional Security Spending Has "Surged" Since Capitol Riot. • Pittman Reflects On Toll That Jan. 6 Riot Has Taken On Capitol Police. • Independent Investigation Of Capitol Riot Facing Difficult Odds. PROTESTS • Demonstrators Nationwide Protest Against Police Brutality. • Protesters Demonstrate In Chicago Following Release Of Body Cam Video From Police Shooting Of 13-Year-Old. • More Than 130 Individuals Arrested As Demonstrations Over Wright Killing Continue. • Brooklyn Center, MN Officials Criticizing Police Response To Protesters. • Minneapolis National Guard Members Injured In Drive-By Shooting. • Alleged Police, FBI Infiltration Of Portland Protests Raises Concerns. • Group: Albuquerque Police Department Asked DEA For Protest-Related Help. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Senators Call On Biden To Close Guantanamo. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • DO) Investigating If "Russiagate" Inquirer Kash Patel Leaked Classified Information. • Russia Retaliates After Imposition Of New US Sanctions. • Cotton: Intelligence On Russia Bounties "Selectively Leaked" To Aid Biden Campaign. • DNI Highlights Top US Challenges In Annual Threat Assessment. • Finnish Startup ICEYE Collaborating With In-Q-Tel. • Nunes Warns Intel Chiefs Against Targeting Americans. • CIA Intelligence Network In Afghanistan Likely Will Be Dismantled With Withdrawal. • State's Disinformation-Fighting Arm Tapping AI For Support. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Police Identify Austin Gunman As Former Sheriff's Detective Accused Of Child Sexual Assault. • Wisconsin Police Arrest Suspect For Shooting At Kenosha Bar • Florida Nurse Charged For Threatening To Kill Harris. • Maxwell Has To Stand Trial After Judge Turns Down Dismissal Request. • Family Of Tamir Rice Asks Garland To Reopen Probe Into Rice's Killing. • Medical Expert: Police Actions Did Not Cause Prude's Death. • Fairfax County, Virginia Prosecutors Move To Dismiss Hundreds Of Convictions Stemming From Work Or Testimony Of Ex-Officer. • WPost Analysis Discusses Fatal Shooting In Maryland By Off-Duty Officer. • Wisconsin Man Drops Extradition Appeal In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Case. • Connecticut Man Faces Federal Arson Charges After Allegedly Tossing Molotov Cocktail At Officers. • Federal Prosecutors Confirm 2016 Decision Not To Pursue Jeffrey Epstein. • Teacher's Killing Reveals Drug Cartels' Growing Footprint In North Carolina. • NYPD Arrests Man With Assault Weapon In Times Square Subway Station. EFTA00135868 • Two Farmworkers In Fresno, CA Killed In Shooting. • Anti-Prostitution Operation In Columbus Nets 93. • FBI Investigates Money Missing From New Jersey Prosecutor's Office. • San Francisco Daycare Worker Arrested For Child Pornography. • NYPD Officer Charged With Trying To Hire Hitman. • Texas Man Arrested For Kidnapping 13-Year-Old Girl. • White Supremacists Charged With Animal Cruelty In Sacrifice Of Ram. • FBI Seeking Information From Public In Minnesota Bank Robbery. • West Virginia Men Charged As Accessories To Bank Robbery. • Two Arrested In Murders Of South Carolina Transgender Women. • Reward Offered In 2017 Killings In North Carolina. • Washington Doctor Charged With Trying To Kidnap Ex-Wife. • California Man Charged With Kidnapping Wife. • FBI Arrests 22 In Connection With Texas Drug Investigation. • Officials: Twenty From Texas Indicted On Drug Trafficking And Firearms Charges. • Former Mayor Heading To Trial In Marijuana-Related Case. • Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Gets 45-Year Prison Sentence. • Drug Suspect Arrested In Pennsylvania. • Massachusetts Drug Suspect Arraigned. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Law Enforcement Warns Of Growing Vaccine Card Scams. • Federal Grand Jury Probing Dark Money In US Steel Industry. • Former Temple Business Dean Lied To Inflate Rank, Attract Students, Federal Prosecutors Say. • FBI Probing Pension Fund's $14M In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Projects. • DO) Sues Roger Stone Over Alleged Tax Evasion. • Man Sentenced In Robocall Scheme That Victimized Elderly. • Scammer Takes Pennsylvania Widow For Entire Savings. • Administration Faces Challenges In Combatting Money Laundering. CYBER DIVISION • The Untold Story Of The SolarWinds Hack. • Biden Administration Is Improving Cyber Defenses Against Russia And China. • Hacking Alert Measure May Be Possible. • US Investigating Breach At Code Testing Company. • FBI Exchange Remediation Action May Set A Precedent. • New Jersey Combating Hackers That Threaten Water Systems. • MSU's Holt Discusses Pakistani Counterfeiter Who May Have Aided Russian Trolls. • Medtronic Partners With Sternum On Device Cybersecurity. • Carmakers Confront Challenges In Staying A Step Ahead Of Hackers. • Ron Wyden Proposing New Data Privacy Legislation. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Garland Moves To Allow DO) To Impose Changes On Police Departments. • LAPD Posted More Than Twofold Increase In Amount Of Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans In 2020. • Bass Optimistic About Passage Of National Police Reform Legislation. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Lopez Obrador To Propose Migration Agreement This Week. LAWFUL ACCESS EFTA00135869 • WPost: Encryption Debate Is Not "Between Two Bad Choices." OTHER FBI NEWS • NYTimes Profile: Monaco Will "Quickly Be Tested" As Deputy Attorney General. • Montana Freeman Dies In Prison. • Massachusetts Drug Dealer's Car Rammed During Chase. • Varsity Blues Conspirator Released. • Oregon Man Charged With Selling Guns, Fake Drugs On Snapchat. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Blinken And Sullivan Defend Planned US Withdrawal From Afghanistan. • Fauci Says He Anticipates "Some Form" Of 3843 Vaccine Resumption By Friday. • CDC Says Half Of US Adults Have Had At Least First Vaccine Shot. • Whitmer Discusses COVID Surge In Michigan. • DeSantis Explains Order Prohibiting Vaccine Passports. • Colorado Warns Of New COVID Wave. • Independent Pharmacies Struggling To Acquire Vaccine Doses In New York. • WPost: COVID Booster Shots Will Ensure US Resilience Going Forward. • WPost Details "Inordinately Complex" Task Of Crafting Infrastructure Legislation. • Administration Officials Defend Biden's Stance On Admitting Refugees. • Bush Urges Congress To Set Aside "Harsh Rhetoric" On Immigration. • Administration Preparing New Campaign To Transform Coal Counties. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Officials Say Chileans Overestimated Effectiveness Of Chinese Vaccine After First Dose. • Macron: France Will Lift Restrictions For Vaccinated Travelers Starting In May. • COVID Deaths, New Cases Declining In Britain. • Ontario To Expand Use Of AstraZeneca Vaccine This Week. • Brazil's Daily COVID Death Toll Is World's Highest. • India Records 200K New COVID Cases For Ninth Straight Day. • Iran's Daily COVID Death Toll Climbed Past 400 Sunday. • Turkey Reports Record Daily COVID Death Toll. • Israel Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate. • More Than 60% Of Bhutan's Population Has Received First Vaccine Dose. • WPost: Peruvian Election Undermined By COVID And Corruption. • Islamist Group Takes Six Pakistani Security Personnel Hostage. • Hiatt: World Must Stand Up For Chinese Uyghurs. • Sullivan Warns Russia Of "Consequences" If Navalny Dies In Prison. • Report: Israeli Intelligence Predicts US Will Reactivate JCPOA. • Thomas-Greenfield Says More Needs To Be Done With Tigray. • US Warns Citizens To Leave Chad. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Police Say Indianapolis Gunman Legally Bought Guns Used In Shooting. The AP (4/18, Smith) reports police have revealed Brandon Scott Hole, 19, the former employee EFTA00135870 "who shot and killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis," had "legally bought the two rifles used in the attack despite red flag laws designed to prevent such purchases." The AP adds the police "did not say where Hole bought what they described as 'assault rifles,' citing the ongoing investigation, but said he was seen using both rifles during the shooting "Reuters (4/18) reports the purchases "were made a few months after Hole was briefly placed under psychiatric detention in March and a shotgun was seized from his home when his mother contacted law enforcement to report he might try to commit 'suicide by cop,' according to the FBI." The Washington Post (4/17, Kornfield, Bella, 10.52M) reported the gunman "who fatally shot eight people at a FedEx plant Thursday used two legally purchased assault rifles, police said Saturday, raising new questions as many call for tighter restrictions on powerful firearms and more safeguards on who can own them." The Post adds police "said the shooter, a former employee at the facility, bought rifles legally last July and September - months after his mother said she feared her son would attempt 'suicide by cop.' That led authorities to question Brandon Hole, temporarily detain him for mental health reasons and seize his shotgun. The gun was not returned, officials say." The New York Times (4/18, Robertson, Watkins, Martinez, 20.6M) reports Hole's case "appeared, at first, to be exactly the kind of situation" that "so-called red flag laws, which allow the authorities to temporarily take away guns from people declared by a judge to be too unstable to have them," are "designed to address," but "while many details are still unclear, Mr. Hole's case is a sobering example of how even states with widely supported safeguards can fail to prevent dangerous people from obtaining firearms." According to the Times, "experts say [the laws] are often used only as short-term solutions." However, asked on ABC World News Tonight (4/18, story 2, 2:20, Davis, 4.85M) whether the system failed, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor said, "Only from the standpoint, if he would have been found in violation of that law, maybe he wouldn't have been able to purchase these weapons legally. But I don't know enough about it that I can say that anyone dropped the ball, per se." In addition, Nikki Battiste reported on the CBS Evening News (4/18, story 2, 1:55, Duncan, 1.24M) that the deputy chief of the IMPD "says authorities had not deemed Hole's subject to Indiana red flag law." Battiste continued, "The deputy chief told us Branden Hole agreed to let police keep the shotgun they took from him in March 2020. The prosecutor's office told us it is reviewing its records from that incident." CNN (4/18, Holcombe, Kaur, Levenson, 89.21M) reports on its website that the shooting "shows how easy it can be to buy and use deadly weapons of war in the United States." CNN adds the attack "marks at least the 45th mass shooting - defined as four or more casualties, exduding the shooter - since the Atlanta-area spa shootings March 16." Indianapolis Police Identify Shooter As 19-Year-Old Former FedEx Employee. The Indianapolis Star (4/16, Evans, 662K) reported Indianapolis police on Friday identified "the man who shot and killed eight people Thursday at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis and then killed himself' as Brandon Scott Hole, 19, but "it remains unclear why Hole...shot and killed the eight workers at the facility near Indianapolis International Airport." However, the Star adds that Hole "was a former FedEx employee. He last worked for the company in 2020, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Craig McCartt said." On ABC World News Tonight (4/16, lead story, 3:39, Muir, 6.23M), Victor Oquendo reported the shooting occurred at "FedEx's second largest hub in the world, roughly 100 workers present at the time." Oquendo added, "Authorities say he drove to the facility, got out and started shooting randomly, making his way into the building. The massacre taking just one to two minutes. Police say he killed himself before officers arrived." Meanwhile, Oquendo continued on ABC World News Tonight (4/16, story 2, 0:25, Muir, 6.23M) that the FBI, which is "assisting local police in the case, saying that the suspect's mom reported he might try to commit suicide by cop. He was held by police. They removed a shotgun from his house and say that gun was not returned to him." Likewise, Catie Beck reported on NBC Nightly News (4/16, lead story, 2:34, Holt, 4.83M) that Hole "was known to local police and FBI EFTA00135871 for a mental health condition." The Washington Pact (4/16, Molloy, Bella, Berman, Witte, 10.52M) reports that as Hole's shotgun was "seized and not returned, it was unclear how he had obtained the rifle used Thursday night." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Mendell, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Coroners Identify Four Sikhs Among The Victims Of Indianapolis Shooting. The AE (4/16, Smith, Callahan) reported coroners "released the names of the victims late Friday, a little less than 24 hours after the latest mass shooting to rock the U.S." and "four of them were members of Indianapolis' Sikh community." According to the AP, "The attack was another blow to the Asian American community a month after six people of Asian descent were killed in a mass shooting in the Atlanta area and amid ongoing attacks against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic " Reuters (4/16, Kalia, Caspani, Hosenball) reported law enforcement officials "said they had not immediately determined whether racial or ethnic hatred was behind the killings. But a Sikh civil rights advocacy group called for an investigation of any possible hate bias involved in the crime." The New York Times (4/16, Mervosh, Bahr, Chokshi, Chiarito, 20.6M) said the victims "were identified by the police as Matthew R. Alexander, 32; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jaswinder Kaur, 64; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Karli Smith, 19; and John Weisert, 74. Some family members of victims who were Sikh provided different spellings and ages: Jasvinder Kaur, 50; Amarjit Sekhon, 49; and Jaswinder Singh, 70." Four Victims Remain Hospitalized As Sikhs Call For Thorough Investigation Into Shooter's Motives. On NBC Nightly News' (4/18, story 2, 2:15, Snow, 6.41M), Kathy Park reported four of the victims "are still hospitalized. Everyone is in stable condition and are expected to survive." USA Today (4/18, Herron, Bacon, 12.7M) reports those who lost their lives "were identified as Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jasvinder Kaur, 50; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Karli Smith, 19; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Matthew R. Alexander, 32; [and] John Weisert, 74." The Detroit Free Press (4/18, Terranella, Warikoo, 2.16M) reports that as police are seeking to understand Hole's motives, "four of the eight shooting victims belonged to the Sikh community," a loss that the Washington Pact (4/18, Kornfield, 10.52M) says "cuts deep in this tightknit community, connected by faith and a common heritage tied to the Punjabi region of India." Aasees Kaur, a representative of the Sikh Coalition, "said the deadly assault in Indianapolis underscores the bigotry that Sikhs have faced and the need for more-robust efforts to track hate crimes, which are underreported and difficult to prosecute." According to the Post, while authorities "have not yet offered a motive for the shooting, Kaur said it feels like her community was targeted." The Walt Street Journal (4/18, Naughton, O'Brien, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Operations At FedEx Facility Temporarily Suspended As Investigation Continues. On NBC Nightly News (4/17, story 3, 2:27, Diaz-Balart, 3.44M), Kathy Park reported the gunman's motive is "still under review." Park added that "most of the crime-scene tape that surrounded the facility where the shooting took place has since been removed," though "operations at the site have been temporarily suspended." In a more than 2,500-word article, the Washington Pact (4/17, Al, 10.52M) said that the facility "is a sprawling, nondescript warehouse with multiple shifts of workers - a popular workplace for recent high school graduates starting their adult lives, but also a gathering place for older Indian immigrants searching for community in addition to a paycheck." The Post profiles the victims who died in the mass shooting. Families Of FedEx Employees Unable To Reach Their Loved Ones Due To Company's Cell Phone Policy. On the fRS Fvening News (4/16, lead story, 3:42, O'Donnell, 3.77M), Nikki Battiste reported FedEx "doesn't allow cell phones inside during work, so some frantic family members have been unable to reach those here during the attack." Battiste added the cell phones of "some employees...are still in their cars." Likewise, the New York Times (4/16, Al, Bahr, Robertson, 20.6M) said the "chaos within the facility, and in the homes of the employees, was intensified by the fact that many employees did not have cellphones with them." The Times adds that a FedEx spokesman "confirmed on Friday that cellphone access is limited within the warehouse, where packages are sorted for shipping, to minimize distractions. Such policies are common in the industry. But for family members, not hearing from their loved ones was EFTA00135872 agonizing." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Gryta, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Gunman's Family Apologizes For His Actions. On ABC World News Tonight (4/17, story 2, 2:17, Johnson, 3.89M), Will Carr reported the gunman's family on Saturday "released a statement. They say they're devastated and they tried to get him help. They're also offering their apologies to the victims and their families." The Indianapolis Star (4/17, Rudaysky, 662K) reports the family "fervently apologized and notes that the family had tried to get...Hole, 19, help." However, Nikki Battiste reported on the CBS Weekend News (4/17, story 2, 2:04, Diaz, 1.74M) that a relative "said Hole simply did not get the help he needed." Biden Condemns "Epidemic" Of Gun Violence As A "National Embarrassment" In Wake Of Indianapolis Mass Shooting Bloomberg (4/16, Fabian, Jacobs, 3.57M) reported that "a day after a gunman opened fire at a FedEx Corp. facility near Indianapolis International Airport, killing eight people and wounding several others before apparently taking his own life," President Biden on Friday "called the spate of mass shootings in the U.S. a 'national embarrassment," while Politico (4/16, Leonard, 6.73M) reported that he "called gun violence an 'epidemic' in the U.S. and renewed calls on Congress to bring gun reform legislation to his desk in the wake of yet another mass shooting, this one at a shipping center in Indianapolis." Biden also tweeted, "Vice President Harris and I have been briefed on the mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. God bless the eight individuals we lost and their loved ones, and we pray for the wounded for their recovery. We can, and must, do more to reduce gun violence and save lives." On the CBS Evening News (4/16, story 2, 1:49, O'Donnell, 3.77M), Weijia Jiang reported the President "hosted a foreign leader in person for the first time at the White House, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. But it was a domestic challenge that set him off - gun violence." Biden: "Who in God's name needs a weapon that can old 100 rounds, or 40 rounds, or 20 rounds? It's just wrong. And I'm not going to give up until it's done." Jiang added that the President "grew defensive when asked why he is prioritizing infrastructure legislation over police reform and gun control." Biden: "I've never not prioritized this. No one has worked harder to deal with the violence used by individuals using weapons than I have. I'm the only one ever to have passed an assault weapons ban." Jiang continued, "That was 27 years ago, the last time Congress passed significant gun reform. Today marked the third time the Biden White House has lowered flags to honor victims of gun violence." USA Today (4/16, Garrison, 12.7M) reported the US over the past month has "mourned eight killed March 16 at three spas in the Atlanta and 10 people killed less than a week later inside a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. The White House also lowered flags after a driver April 2 rammed his car into two officers and a barricade near the U.S. Capitol, killing Capitol Police Officer William 'Billy' Evans." Meanwhile, The Hill (4/16, Samuels, 5.69M) reported Vice President Harris on Friday "called for an end to gun violence in the wake of yet another mass shooting after eight people were killed at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis." Reuters (4/16, Bose, Psaledakis) reported the Vice President "said there is 'no question this violence must end." However, although The Hill (4/16, Chalfant, 5.69M) reported White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the White House is "horrified by the shooting overnight at a FedEx facility," the New York Times (4/16, Thrush, 20.6M) said she "rejected calls to appoint a gun czar to more forcefully confront the crisis." and "argu[ed] that the main impediment for addressing the crisis rests with congressional Republicans, not a lack of will in the West Wing." Psaki said, "Advocates should pressure Republicans in the Senate...all of you should pressure Republicans in the Senate and ask them why they are opposing universal background checks." In addition, Reuters (4/16) reported Psaki called on Congress to "act to end immunity for gun manufacturers and deal with assault weapons." The AP (4/16) said the shooting "follows a lull in mass killings during the pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in more than a decade, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University" that "tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter," but the New York Times (4/16, EFTA00135873 Hauser, 20.6M) reported Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett (D) in January "confronted another shooting with multiple victims, which the city's police chief said was the worst mass casualty shooting in more than a decade in Indianapolis. A youth was later arrested in the killing of five people who were found in a home in Indianapolis." In addition, the New York Timec (4/16, Taylor, 20.6M) reported Indianapolis "saw an increase in criminal homicides in 2020, a year already racked with death caused by the pandemic." The Times adds Indianapolis reported 215 criminal homicides, "the most recorded in a single year, according to an analysis of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department data by The Indianapolis Star. There were also another 30 noncriminal homicides, usually episodes where the authorities considered a killing justified, such as in self-defense. The city's previous record was 159 criminal homicide cases in 2018, according to The Associated Press. The police investigated 154 criminal homicides in 2019." The Washington Mgt (4/16, 10.52M) in an editorial provides a list of the victims of mass shootings in the US dating back to 1999, and argues that if the US "confronted the epidemic of gun violence with resolve and common sense, lives could - and would - be saved. No single law will prevent all gun deaths, but there are common-sense measures that would help." As Indianapolis Mourns, White House Faces More Pressure To Act On Gun Violence. The Indianapolis Star (4/17, Herron, 662K) reported Indianapolis "is still reeling from the shock of a mass shooting at a FedEx facility that left eight people dead and several others wounded." The Star added Mayor Joe Hogsett (D) on Saturday joined Rep. Andre Carson (D-IL) "and other officials as well as co-workers, family and friends of those whose lives were lost at a candlelight vigil at Krannert Park on the Westside." According to the Star, those present "offer sympathy and prayers," and "some issued calls for stronger gun laws in the wake of the tragedy at the FedEx Plainfield Ground Operations Center." The Wall Street Journal (4/17, Naughton, O'Brien, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. On NBC Nightly News (4/17, story 4, 0:43, Diaz-Balart, 3.44M), Kelly O'Donnell reported that President Biden on Friday "called these repeated tragedies 'a national embarrassment' that must end." On ABC World News Tonight (4/17, story 3, 2:00, Johnson, 3.89M), White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks described Biden as "sounding increasingly frustrated," yet also "defensive when asked if he should be prioritizing passing new gun laws." Biden: "I've never not prioritized this. No one has worked harder to deal with violence used by individuals using weapons than I have." Parks added that while "on the campaign trail, Biden promised to take the issue head on," but so far there has been "no big push for gun control. And with 29 mass shootings so far this month, the White House now saying it's on congressional Republicans to come to the bargaining table." Parks said that the President "has taken some initial steps, including targeting so-called ghost guns that can be assembled at home," but "advocates say he could do more right now on his own, including cracking down on gun dealers who have violations, limiting some private sales, and perhaps appointing a director to coordinate the federal response to gun violence." A Washington Post (4/17, Olorunnipa, Sotomayor, 10.52M) analysis describes the White House as under "growing pressure to act," even as "the routine has become so predictable that some gun-control activists see the familiarity of tragedy as their biggest obstacle to achieving the change they've been seeking for the past decade." The Post adds the recent mass shootings have "encouraged activists to make a concerted push for fresh legislation restricting access to guns. But with no dear consensus on how to achieve an elusive goal - and with the White House reluctant to spend limited political capital on a prospect with long odds - there's a palpable fear among gun- control groups that their best chance in years to change the nation's gun laws could once again end in failure." CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Capitol Siege Probe Sees Progress, Roadblocks After 100 Days. CNN (4/16, Cohen, Schneider, 89.21M) reported, "One hundred days after the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, the unprecedented progress and unexpected roadblocks of the EFTA00135874 investigation are becoming clear." According to CNN, "Prosecutors have moved full speed ahead with hundreds of cases against rioters but haven't made use of the much-discussed sedition laws," and have "rounded up dozens of extremists and militia members yet failed to convince judges that most are too dangerous to release pre-trial." The investigation "is still in its early stages. Prosecutions in the backlogged court system could stretch on for years, even if most rioters ultimately plead guilty." Indiana "Oath Keepers" Leader Pleads Guilty In Capitol Siege Probe. The Indianapolis Star (4/16, Magdaleno, 662K) reports, "A heavy metal guitarist from Columbus, Indiana who was armed with bear mace and wore a tactical vest as he joined a mob storming the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6 has pleaded guilty in federal court." Jon Schaffer, 52, "admitted in Washington DC District Court to obstructing an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a weapon when he tried to forcibly stop Congress' certification of the U.S. presidential election results. 'These actions are disgraceful and unacceptable,' FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate said in a prepared statement from the United States Department of Justice." The Star adds, "In his plea agreement submitted to Judge Amit P. Mehta on Friday Schaffer admitted to being one of the founders of the Oath Keepers, a national organization that describes itself as 'a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders' at its website." CNN (4/16, Cohen, 89.21M) reports that Schaffer "pleaded guilty Friday to two crimes related to the US Capitol insurrection, making him the first rioter to do so." Schaffer "pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and entering a building with a dangerous weapon. He admitted to carrying bear spray into the Capitol complex during the formal certification of the Electoral College votes." CNN adds, "One hundred days after the January 6 attack, Schaffer is now the first pro-Trump rioter to plead guilty and admit his crimes. In his plea deal, Schaffer is described as a 'founding lifetime member' of the Oath Keepers, though his lawyers previously claimed in court that he didn't know much about the paramilitary group." USA Today (4/16, Mansfield, Johnson, 12.7M) reports, "The cooperation agreement is a key turning point for prosecutors who have been pursuing a broad conspiracy case against groups of rioters, including the paramilitary Oath Keepers group and the far-right Proud Boys organization." USA Today adds, "In court documents in March, prosecutors said the ongoing conspiracy inquiry involves 'a large number of participants.' Prosecutors also have indicated that they have significant information on Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes actions during the attack." On Thursday, FBI Director Wray "described the investigation as perhaps the largest inquiry since the 9/11 attacks." The AE (4/16, Balsamo, Durkin Richer) reports that Schaffer "has agreed to cooperate with investigators in hopes of getting a lighter sentence, and the Justice Department will consider putting Schaffer in the federal witness security program, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said. This signals that federal prosecutors see him as a valuable cooperator as they continue to investigate militia groups and other extremists involved in the insurrection on Jan. 6." The Washington Post (4/16, Hsu, Barrett, 10.52M) reports, "The plea marks a new stage in the historic investigation, as prosecutors seek to work up the chain of defendants to gather evidence and better understand the full scope of any planning and organizing of the violence — particularly among groups like the far-right Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. Dozens of members from both groups appeared to act in concert to storm the building, prosecutors have alleged. Peter Skinner, a former federal prosecutor, called it a 'huge' development, saying such cooperation deals are 'what the government needs to investigate and possibly prosecute the leaders of the organization." The New York limes (4/16, Al, Feuer, 20.6M) reports Schaffer's cooperation "could prove instrumental in helping prosecutors pursue a separate and much broader conspiracy case against 12 other members of the Oath Keepers who stand accused of some of the most serious charges in the sprawling investigation into the storming of the Capitol." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Viswanatha, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provided similar coverage as did brief CBS Evening News (4/16, story 5, 0:22, O'Donnell, 3.77M) and NBC Nightly News. (4/16, story 5, 0:43, Holt, 4.83M) segments. EFTA00135875 Prosecutors Say Men Arrested For Attempted Theft Of Gun From DC Officer During Capitol Riot. The Washingtnn Pact (4/16, Weiner, 10.52M) reports prosecutors "said Friday they have arrested a man who attempted to grab a service weapon from a D.C. police officer during the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January." According to the Post, "Kyle J. Young, 37, of Redfield, Iowa, was arrested Wednesday along with Albuquerque C. Head, 41, of Kingsport, Tenn. Both are accused of assaulting Michael Fanone, a D.C. officer who was dragged down the steps of the Capitol, attacked with an electroshock weapon and beaten unconscious by the mob." The Post adds that also indicted was "Thomas Sibick, 35, of Buffalo, who was already charged with beating Fanone and stealing the officer's badge and radio. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, was made public Friday. Daniel Rodriguez, 38, of Fontana, Calif., is accused in a separate indictment of using an electroshock weapon on Fanone." FBI Arrests Michigan Man In Capitol Siege Probe. MLive (MI) (4/16, Barrett, 828K) reports, "Facebook messages released to the FBI show a Hancock man charged with four federal crimes for allegedly entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and enjoyed a celebratory beer afterward." Jeremy Sorvisto "was arrested on April 7 as part of an investigation into Karl Dresch, another man from the Upper Penninsula who was charged for breaching the Capitol. FBI agents identified Sorvisto while seeking to find others who may have traveled to Washington, D.C. with Dresch." Sorvisto "was charged with entering a restricted building, disruptive conduct, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and demonstrating in a Capitol building. Each is a misdemeanor crime punishable by six months in prison." Prosecutors Say Nazi Sympathizer Who Stormed Capitol Poses Threat To Jews. CNN (4/16, Cohen, 89.21M) reports, "The Justice Department said Friday that a Nazi sympathizer who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 poses a threat to Jewish residents in his native New Jersey and therefore shouldn't be released from jail." CNN adds, "The alleged Capitol rioter, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, was a well-known Nazi sympathizer at the Navy base where he worked in New Jersey. A federal judge ordered him detained last month while he awaits trial, but he has filed new motions with the court seeking his release. Opposing those requests, federal prosecutors told the judge that Hale-Cusanelli poses a danger to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood, which is near the Navy base where he worked before his arrest. 'Defendant poses a more localized threat to the community, particularly the Hassidic community in Lakewood, New Jersey,' federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing." Capitol Rioter Who Allegedly Ransacked Pelosi's Office Is Released From Jail. The Daily Beast (4/18, Nadeau, 933K) reports, "Despite the fact that Capitol insurrectionist William Robert Norwood III allegedly stole body armor, lied to the FBI, and 'led a pack of rioters through the inner sanctum of Speaker Pelosi's office space' where he lifted a paper coaster, he has been released pending his trial, according to Department of Justice documents seen by The Daily Beast. He is charged with two felonies: obstruction of an official proceeding and theft of government property." The Daily Beast adds that Norwood "petitioned the court last week to be released to home detention which was granted Saturday, according to Department of Justice documents which lay out the extent of Norwood's involvement in the Jan. 6 riots," and "as a result of Norwood's lack of criminal history, the D.C. court determined that he is not a threat so society." Pennsylvania Man Faces Federal Charges Over Capitol Riot. The Erie (PA) Times-News (4/19, 35K) reports Jeremy J. Vorous of Venango, PA "has been indicted in federal court in Washington, D.C." on "five counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding." The FBI charged Vorous with the same counts in a criminal complaint in March. Judge Threatens To Hold Woman Charged In Capitol Riot In Contempt For Wearing Mesh Mask. EFTA00135876 The Washington Post (4/16, Hsu, 10.52M) reports US District Judge Royce Lamberth on Friday "ordered a Pennsylvania woman charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to show why she should not be jailed pending trial or held in contempt of court for allegedly flouting a requirement that she wear a mask when leaving her home while on bond." According to the Post, "Rachel Marie Powell, a mother of eight who lives in Mercer County, Pa., just east of the state line and Youngstown, Ohio, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts including felony destruction of federal property and obstruction of a congressional proceeding after allegedly carrying an ice ax and large wooden pole into the Capitol." The Post says the FBI had "previously alleged that Powell, wearing a pink hat and carrying a bullhorn, helped shatter a window with a battering ram and appeared to direct others at the scene." Ohio Is High On List Of Capitol Siege Indictments. The Cincinnati Enquirer (4/16, Knight, 223K) reports, "Ohio ranks sixth in the country when it comes to federal indictments in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice." The Enquirer adds that "20 Ohioans have been arrested on federal charges related to the infiltration, about 5.3% of the total. Among those arrested, four are associated with an extremist group called the Oath Keepers, whose members "believe that the federal government has been co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights," according to court documents. At least five photographed or filmed themselves during or after the breach. One is charged with assaulting a police officer." Olen: CA Teacher Who Marched On Jan. 6 Should Not Lose Job. In her Washington Post (4/16, 10.52M) column, Helaine Olen argues that while fourth-grade teacher Kristine Hostetter "joined her husband in marching on the Capitol on Jan. 6," she should not lose her job "as much as I disagree with just about every political opinion Kristine Hostetter is known to hold. That many think otherwise speaks to the tenor of our times, when people across the political spectrum are increasingly intolerant of the beliefs of those who differ with them." Olen says the district "found no proof that Hostetter had entered the Capitol on Jan. 6," so "she was returned to her classroom," but "many petition-signers want Hostetter fired not because of anything she was proven to have done but because 'canceling' her would assuage some of their hostility toward Trump, right-leaning extremism and fury over racist incidents in the school district." Waldman: Trump's Presidency "Began And Ended With Two Of The Most Profound Attacks On American Democracy." In his Washington Post (4/16, 10.52M) column, Paul Waldman asserts that as the US continues to "grapple with the fallout of the Trump era, a disturbing fact is becoming more and more clear, one whose effects are still being felt: Donald Trump's presidency began and ended with two of the most profound attacks on American democracy in our history." According to Waldman, "There's a straight line running from the 2016 Russia scandal through the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. And in both cases, almost the entire GOP decided to defend, justify and use those attacks for whatever advantage it could gain. Indeed, that through line runs from both of those right into the GOP campaign of voter suppression and cultural panic now underway." Politico Analysis: Congressional Security Spending Has "Surged" Since Capitol Riot. Politico (4/16, Ferris, Payne, 6.73M) reports "more than one third of the 17 GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach of convict" former President Donald Trump "used campaign funds to install security systems or hire private details within weeks of their votes - for an eye-popping total of nearly $200,000 over the first three months of this year, according to an analysis of filings with the Federal Election Commission this week." Politico adds Congressional spending on private security "has surged among members of both parties since the deadly riot on Jan. 6, amid an alarming spike in death threats against lawmakers and their families." According to Politico, the spending "spotlights a challenge many lawmakers are eager to tackle this month: how to update the strict rules that govern personal security costs for members of Congress." EFTA00135877 Pittman Reflects On Toll That Jan. 6 Riot Has Taken On Capitol Police. In an interview with NBC Nightly Newc (4/16, story 6, 3:47, Holt, 4.83M), Lester Holt interviewed acting US Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman discussed "the enormous toll the attack has taken on her department and respond[ed] to criticism over the agency's preparedness." Asked about the criticism of the Capitol Police's response, Pittman said it has "created an overwhelming opportunity for this agency to improve and get better." He added Pittman "says she accepts the IG's assessments but argues they were aware of the intelligence." He also reported Pittman "acknowledges her department is about 200 officers below the authorized strength and remains reliant on the National Guard as it works to recruit new officers." Independent Investigation Of Capitol Riot Facing Difficult Odds. The Washington Post (4/18, Demirjian, 10.52M) reports "an independent investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection is facing long odds, as bipartisan resolve to hold the perpetrators and instigators accountable erodes, and Republicans face sustained pressure to disavow that it was supporters of former president Donald Trump who attacked the U.S. Capitol." House Speaker Pelosi announced last week that she had drafted a new proposal for an outside commission to examine the causes of the riot, but, "in a sign of how delicate the political climate has become, she has yet to share her recommendations with Republican leaders, who shot down her initial approach." The Post says "rank-and-file Republicans have been forced to walk a political tightrope, as a majority still believe the election was stolen from Trump," who "still wields outsize influence in the GOP, which is presently the minority party in Washington but is within striking distance of making a comeback in 2022 - if leaders can hold their ranks together." Vox (4/18, 1.88M) reports Pelosi sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to House Democrats Friday in which she "renewed her call for a congressional commission to investigate" the riot. Pelosi wrote, "Compromise has been necessary; now, we must agree on the scope, composition and resources necessary to seek and find the truth. ... It is my hope that we can reach agreement very soon. At the same time, committees in the House and Senate have been holding and planning hearings, which will be a resource to the commission." Some Charged In Capitol Riot Claim They Were There As Journalists. The AP (4/18, Kunzelman, Billeaud) reports supporters of former President Donald Trump "thoroughly document[ed] their actions and words in videos and social media posts" during the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Some of them now "are claiming they were only there to record history as journalists, not to join a deadly insurrection." At least eight people charged in the riot "have identified themselves as a journalist or a documentary filmmaker, including three people arrested this month, according to an Associated Press review of court records in nearly 400 federal cases." According to the AP, "experts say" it is "unlikely that any of the self-proclaimed journalists can mount a viable defense on the First Amendment's free speech grounds. ... They face long odds if video captured them acting more like rioters than impartial observers." PROTESTS Demonstrators Nationwide Protest Against Police Brutality. The Hill (4/17, Castronuovo, 5.69M) reports, "Hundreds of protesters marched throughout Washington, D.C., on Friday evening, with some engaging in clashes with police, calling for an end to police brutality following a series of fatal shootings and as the end of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial nears." Protestors at first assembled "for a rally at Black Lives Matter Plaza in downtown D.C. before walking through the streets and chanting the names of individuals killed by police, including 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop last week, and 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was shot and killed after a police officer allegedly saw the boy holding a gun." The San Francisco Chronide (4/17, Rubenstein, 2.44M) reports, "Hundreds of people marched through downtown Oakland on Friday night to demonstrate against" the shootings of Wright and Toledo, "with some breaking away from the main group to smash windows, set fires and EFTA00135878 spraypaint red anarchy symbols, according to police statements and video footage." Meanwhile, the .AE (4/16, Cline, Flaccus) reports police in Portland, Oregon "said Saturday they arrested four people after declaring a riot Friday night when protesters smashed windows, burglarized businesses and set multiple fires during demonstrations that started after police fatally shot a man while responding to reports of a person with a gun." The vandalism "also was part of vigils and demonstrations already planned for the night in the name of people killed in police shootings nationwide." Bloomberg Analysis: Groundwork For Chauvin Appeal "Has Been Laid." A Bloomberg (4/17, Lopez, Earls, 3.57M) analysis says, "The groundwork for appealing a possible conviction of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, has been laid even before jurors weigh the charges." Ex-public defender Christa Groshek said, "The defense has really been positioning Chauvin's case for an appeal from day one," with Groshek also saying, "I think there are a tremendous amount of options they will have on appeal." Bloomberg adds that closing arguments are slated to commence Monday, and jurors will subsequently "deliberate Chauvin's fate." He "is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, all of which have different standards of proof." NYTimes Analysis: Dozens Of Police Killings Have Occurred Since Testimony In Chauvin Trial Began. A New York Times (4/17, Al, Eligon, Hubler, 20.6M) analysis says that since testimony in Chauvin's trial commenced on March 29, no less than 64 individuals "have died at the hands of law enforcement nationwide, with Black and Latino people representing more than half of the dead. As of Saturday, the average was more than three killings a day." AP Analysis: Black Americans "Facing A Collective Sense Of Grief And Trauma." An AP (4/17, Stafford) analysis says, "Many Black Americans are facing a collective sense of grief and trauma that has grown more profound with the loss of each life at the hands of police in America. Some see themselves and their children reflected in the victims of police violence, heightening the grief they feel." The AP adds that the racial trauma affecting Black Americans is "built upon centuries of oppressive systems and racist practices that are deeply embedded within the fabric of the nation." Capehart: Black Americans "Live Under Siege." Washington Post (4/17, 10.52M) columnist Jonathan Capehart writes, "There is no one way to be Black in America, but there is one way we live while Black in America. No matter our gender, age or socioeconomic status, we are viewed as threats. As a result, we live under siege." Protesters Demonstrate In Chicago Following Release Of Body Cam Video From Police Shooting Of 13-Year-Old. The Chicago (4/16, Keilman, 2.03M) reports hundreds of people "gathered in Logan Square Park on Friday evening to demand justice for 13-year-old Adam Toledo and all victims of police violence, according to organizers." The Tribune describes rally, which "was the first major demonstration against the Chicago Police Department since the city released the troubling video of Toledo's killing Thursday," as "peaceful but passionate." On ABC World News Tonight (4/16, story 3, 2:49, Muir, 6.23M), Alex Perez reported that in the video, "you can see Offic