EFTA00150210.pdf

From: To: Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 20, 2020 Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2020 10:26:43 +0000 Importanc Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Son Of Federal Judge Killed, Husband Shot At New Jersey Home. PROTESTS • DOJ Filing Federal Charges Against Protesters Over Arson, Destruction Of Property. • Fatal Shooting By Los Angeles Police Officer Gained Greater Attention Following Floyd Killing. • Authorities Identify Man Who Allegedly Set Fire To Supreme Court Police Vehicle. • FBI Arrests Suspect In Philadelphia Looting. • Trump Bemoans Ongoing Violence In "Democrat-Run Cities," Cites Threat To Religion. • Violent Protests Continue In Portland As Mayor Calls On Federal Agents To Leave. • Seattle Rioters Damage, Loot Stores. • Demonstrators Attempting To Topple Columbus Statue In Chicago Clash With Law Enforcement. • Statue In New York State Dedicated To Union Volunteers Torn Down. • CVS Terminates Contract With Security Firm After Guard Presses Forearm Into Shoplifting Suspect's Neck. • NYTimes Al Analysis Examines Past Of Officer Who Put Knee On Floyd's Neck. • Prosecutor: Pennsylvania Officer Was Justified In Pressing Knee Into Intoxicated Man's Head. • Police Union Cites Trump's Support In Wake Of Floyd Protests For Endorsement. • Trump Defends Use Of Confederate Flag. • Missouri Governor Suggests Pardon Of McCloskeys If Charges Filed. • Long-Time Activists See Opportunity For Police Reform. • White UConn Student Government Leaders Resign To Leave Spots To Minority Students. • Report: Ancestors Of New York Times Family Included Slave Owners. • Minneapolis City Council Designates Racism As A Public Health Emergency. • Former New Mexico Police Officer Faces Second-Degree Murder Charge Over Killing That Involved Use Of Chokehold. • Columbus Police Searching For Black Lives Matter Activists Who Attacked Man With Cerebral Palsy. • Arlington County Commencing Review Of Police Practices. • WPost Al: Figure Behind Social Media Hoaxes Fuels Partisan Division. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Minnesota's Boogaloo Movement Examined. EFTA00150210 • Coronavirus Thwarts Hopes Of Families Of 9/11 Victims That Trial Of Men Accused Of Planning Attacks Would Commence Early Next Year. • Trump Pledges Another $2 Million To 9/11 Memorial. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Roger Stone Accused Of Using Racial Slur During Radio Interview. • Graham Releases Declassified Documents From Origins Of Russia Probe. • Meadows Expects Criminal Indictments From Durham Investigation. • Krebs: DHS Is Not Seeing "Coordinated" Foreign Election Interference Like In 2016. • Nadler: House Judiciary To Consider Bills To Restrict Trump's Pardon Power. • The Intelligence Community's New Plan For Commercial Imagery. • New Report Shows Federal Background Check Cases "Stable" At 200K. • Rubio Seeks Declassification Of UFO Secrets. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Men Charged In Arbery Slaying Plead Not Guilty. • Attorneys Say Breonna Taylor Was Alive For Several Minutes After Being Shot. • Celebrities Urge Justice Department To Probe 2010 Slaying Of Student. • Pelosi Seeks FBI Probe Of Fatal Vallejo, California Police Shooting. • Men Charged In Assault On Black Man In Indiana. • Personal Assistant Arrested In Investor's Killing. • Two FBI Agents Wounded Serving Warrant On Arizona Bank Robbery Suspect. • FBI Probing Deadly Police Shooting In Houston, Texas. • Seven More Arrested In Connection With Georgia Drug Investigation. • Virginia Man Charged Over Online Threats Against Tulsa Mayor. • FBI Investigating New York Gang Murders. • Two Charged With Possessing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 20,000. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Continuing To Investigate Body Found In Massachusetts,. • FBI Assisting Homicide Investigation In California. • FBI Charges Pennsylvania Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. • Continuing Coverage: Indiana Woman Accused Of Abusing Animals. • New York Man Faces Child Pornography Charges. • Tennessee Man Sentenced In Connection To Child Abuse Sting. • New York Man Facing Felony Ammunition Charge Following FBI Investigation. • Georgia Woman Facing Charges In Connection To Bomb Threat. • South Carolina Murder Suspects Captured In Illinois. • Hawaii Man Sentenced Over Child Enticement. • Continuing Coverage: Connecticut Man Arrested In Massachusetts In Connection To Murder. • FBI Investigating Texas Bank Robbery. • Louisiana Man Arrested In Connection To Double Homicide, Kidnapping Of Minor. • Indiana Man Charged With Bank Robbery. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Supporting Investigation Into Death Of Child In Washington, DC. • Hawaii Businessman Indicted In Connection To Kidnapping, Murder. • FBI Agrees To Review California Police Shooting. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Raids Accused Art Forger. • Man Gets 61-Month Prison Sentence In Drug Case. • Eight Virginia Drug Case Defendants Plead Guilty. • Drug Case Defendant Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS EFTA00150211 • Pritzker: Illinois House Speaker Has To Step Down If Corruption Allegations Are True. • Michigan Prosecutors Charge Detroit Councilman With Accepting Payments For Votes. • Pandemic Delays Varsity Blues, Fall River Trials To 2021. • Former Los Angeles Charter Schools Director To Plead Guilty To Embezzlement. • US Claims California Investment Business Was $14.5 Million Ponzi Scheme. • US Charges Detroit Woman In $2 Million Unemployment Insurance Scheme. • US Charges Arkansas Woman In $2 Million PPP Loan Fraud. • Idaho Man To Face Jury Trial In Wire Fraud Case. CYBER DIVISION • Twitter Says Hackers Manipulated Several Employees. • Cyber Experts Claim Banning TikTok Not Best Approach To Protect Americans' Data From China. • Op-Ed: Establishing A National Cyber Director Would Be A Mistake. • US Government Extradites Cyprus Hacker For Crimes Committed Working With California Companies. • CISA Gives Agencies A Day To Remedy Windows DNS Server Vulnerability. • French Telecom Firm Orange Confirms Ransomware Attack. • Researchers Say "Backdoor" Access Found In Chinese Internet Devices. • British Officials Reportedly Told Huawei Ban Was Partly Due To Pressure From US. • Katko Seeks To Boost CISA's Cyber Workforce With NDAA Amendments. • UK Blames Russia For Cyber Attacks Targeting Corona Vaccine Development. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Justice Department Executes Third Person In Four Days. • West Tennessee US Attorney Appoints Officer To Monitor Elections. • More Than 1,000 Inmates At Texas Federal Prison Reportedly Have COVID-19. • Lightfoot, McEnany Spar Over Chicago Violence. • Supreme Court Sides With DeSantis In Challenge To Amendment Restoring Felons' Voting Rights. • Activist Criticizes Operation That Will Send Federal Law Enforcement Workers To Missouri. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Harry Dunn's Mother Makes Plea To UK Officials To Make Harry "Top Priority" During Pompeo Visit. OTHER FBI NEWS • Wray Hires Ex-Law Partner To Be FBI's General Counsel. • Federal Judge Dismisses Troubled Sanctions Case. • FBI Renews Lease On Tampa, Florida Office Building. • Man Convicted Of Notorious Pennsylvania Kidnapping Seeks Release Amid Pandemic. • FBI Memo Describes 1980s Smuggling Activities At Arkansas Airport. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Touts Handling Of Coronavirus, Calls Fauci "A Bit Of An Alarmist." • Trump Says He Is "Not Allowed" To Have Rallies In Democrat-Run States. • COVID-19 Cases Rising Across The Country. • Garcetti Says City Reopened Too Quickly, Warns He May Impose New Stay-At-Home Order. • Shalala Slams Trump, DeSantis, Says Florida Must Close Down Again. • DeWine Warns Ohio "Could Become Florida." • Mississippi Governor Says State Is Seeing "Significant Increased Hospitalization." • Arkansas Governor Says He Will Impose Additional Restrictions If Necessary. • Colorado Governor Defends Decision To Impose Mask Mandate. • Rio Grande Valley Residents Especially Vulnerable To Effects Of Pandemic. • HHS Warns Of Shortage Of Glass Vials To Distribute Vaccine. EFTA00150212 • NFL Players Express Safety Concerns Ahead Of Training Camp. • Major League Baseball Season Set To Open Thursday. • Fewer Children Getting Routine Vaccinations Due To Pandemic. • Gottlieb: HHS-CDC Disagreement Shows Nations Unpreparedness For Pandemic. • In Spanish-Language Editorial, WPost Urges Vigilance Against Virus. • Senate Panel To Vote On Shelton's Nomination To Federal Reserve. • Trump Says Stimulus Bill Must Have Payroll Tax Cut, Liability Protection For Employers. • Some Government Contractors Also Received PPP Loans. • Whistleblower Complaint Reveals Ongoing Inquiry Over Pompeo's "Questionable Activities." • Axios Analysis: White House Weighs Using DACA Ruling To Act "Without Legal Authority." • Trump Reportedly To Order Census Not Count Those In The US Illegally. • Federal Judge Says new DACA Applications Must Be Accepted. • Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Blocking Restrictions On Asylum Protections. • Reuters Analysis: ICE's Continued Detainee Transfers Responsible For At Least One Super-Spreading Event. • John Lewis Dies At 80. • C.T. Vivian, Aide To Martin Luther King Jr., Dies At 95. • Justice Ginsburg Being Treated For Liver Cancer But Will Remain On Supreme Court. • USS Gerald R. Ford Plagued With Mechanical Problems. • Ross Hospitalized For "Non-Coronavirus Related Issues." • Supreme Court Clears Lower Courts To Hear Arguments On Trump's Tax Records. • Bolton Asks Judge To Dismiss DOJ Lawsuit Seeking Profits From His Memoir. • Congressman Facing Voter Fraud Charges Leaves Committee Assignments. • White House Using Loophole To Install Trump Loyalists In Pentagon. • CREW Accuses Ivanka Trump Of Violating Ethics Rules With Goya Promotion. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Global Death Toll Tops 600,000. • Japan Concerned As Marines Test Positive For Virus. • China Using Uighur Labor To Produce Face Masks. • UN Agency: US-Sought Tanker "Hijacked" Off UAE Now In Iran. • Diehl: Netanyahu's Secret War Against Iran Backed By Trump. • India Offers Visas To Afghan Hindus, Sikhs Facing Attacks. • WTimes Analysis: US In "Great Power Competition" With Russia, China. • German States Appeal To Congress Not To Withdraw US Troops. • UK Increase Criticism Of China Over Treatment Of Uighurs, Hong Kong. • Netanyahu's Corruption Trial To Begin In January. • UAE Launches Its First Mission To Mars. • Protesters Call For Resignation Of Bulgaria's Borisov. • Maksad: Arab World Needs US Support. • WSJournal Criticizes Media Coverage Of State Department Rights Report. • State Department Declares El-Beblawi Immune From Torture Lawsuit Filed By US Citizen Once Imprisoned In Egypt. • Satellite Images Showing Water Pouring Into Nile Dam Reservoir Exacerbates Dispute Between Ethiopia, Egypt. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE EFTA00150213 • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Son Of Federal Judge Killed, Husband Shot At New Jersey Home. The Washington Post (7/19, Elfrink, Barrett, 14.2M) reports, "A gunman disguised as a FedEx driver shot and killed the son of a federal judge and wounded her husband at their New Jersey home on Sunday, law enforcement sources confirmed to The Washington Post." US District Judge Esther Salas "was not injured in the shooting, which the FBI, U.S. Marshals and local authorities are now investigating." According to the Post, "The gunman showed up to Salas's home in North Brunswick, N.J., wearing an outfit described to police as a FedEx uniform, law enforcement sources said. Both Mark Anderl, 63, a defense attorney and former Essex County assistant prosecutor, and Daniel Anderl, 20, were shot by the attacker. Salas's son died, the Associated Press reported, and her husband was rushed to the hospital for surgery. His condition wasn't clear." CNN (7/19, Perez, Vera, Morales, 83.16M) reports, "Initial reports from law enforcement said the child opened the door with the parent right behind. The door opened to a hail of gunfire and the gunman fled, a law enforcement source told CNN. `We are looking for one subject,' the FBI said in a statement. `We are working closely with our state and local partners and will provide additional updates when available.' CNN adds, "Law enforcement has not been aware of any threats against the judge, the source told CNN. Right now investigators don't know the motive." NJ News (7/19, Shea, 1.72M) reports, "North Brunswick Mayor Francis 'Mac' Womack said the judge's husband was in critical condition and underwent surgery and is now in stable condition. He said the couple's son had died." Judge Salas, "who is based in Newark, was the first Hispanic female to be appointed to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey. Salas, 51, has handled cases involving members of the Grape Street Crips, in connection with a long-running drug-trafficking network that was taken down by the FBI in 2015. She was also the judge who sent Real Housewives stars Joe and Teresa Giudice to prison." The AP (7/20, Dale) reports that in 2017, Judge Salas "barred federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty against an alleged gang leader charged in several Newark slayings, ruling the man's intellectual disability made him ineligible for capital punishment. Salas later sentenced the man to 45 years in prison. More recently, Salas has presided over an ongoing lawsuit brought by Deutsche Bank investors who claim the company made false and misleading statements about its anti-money laundering policies and failed to monitor `high-risk' customers including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein." ABC News (7/19, Margolin, Katersky, 2.97M) reports, "The investigation is being led by the FBI, which declined to comment. The New Jersey State Police, the North Brunswick Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office are also involved in the investigation. The U.S. Marshals have been called to provide the judge with a security detail, according to a law enforcement official." ABC News adds, "Judge Salas has received threats in the past, the sources said." PROTEST DO) Filing Federal Charges Against Protesters Over Arson, Destruction Of Property. The Washington Times (7/19, Dinan, 492K) reports that "arson cases are mounting daily as Justice Department prosecutors, under the urging of President Trump and Attorney General William P. Barr, scour the last seven weeks' protests, looking for cases to make into federal crimes." On Wednesday alone, federal prosecutors "announced charges against six men in New York, all accused of igniting fires aimed at government property in Rochester and Buffalo," and EFTA00150214 "prosecutors in Seattle announced arson charges against a man they say set a fire outside a city police precinct there." Fatal Shooting By Los Angeles Police Officer Gained Greater Attention Following Floyd Killing. The Los Angeles Times (7/17, Campa, 4.64M) says Los Angeles police officer Toni McBride, who was shown in online videos "blasting away at targets, with prize-winning speed and accuracy, on a gun range in the Simi Valley foothills," on April 22 "faced off with a man holding a razor box cutter" on "a scruffy street south of downtown." McBride "fired six shots from her Glock 17, hitting Daniel Hernandez with every round and killing the 38-year-old carpet installer and father of a teenage daughter." The shooting gained greater attention "a month later, after the killing of George Floyd provoked a national furor over police behavior. Now Hernandez's death has become a cause celebre, protested by Black Lives Matter and questioned by a candidate for district attorney." Authorities Identify Man Who Allegedly Set Fire To Supreme Court Police Vehicle. The Washington Post (7/17, Hermann, 14.2M) reports, "Authorities on Friday identified the man who police allege set fire to a police vehicle outside the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week and was critically injured in the blaze." Cody Tamer "has been charged with federal destruction of property and using fire to destroy property, among other counts, according to D.C. police." The Post adds that "the incident occurred about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Maryland Avenue NE." FBI Arrests Suspect In Philadelphia Looting. The Inquirer (PA) (7/17, Roebuck, 347K) reports, "As widespread looting hit West Philadelphia's 52nd Street corridor on May 31, surveillance footage showed a man in a blonde wig and surgical mask guiding a stolen forklift as it hauled away a vault from a local Wells Fargo branch.. Seven weeks after that brazen theft, the FBI has arrested two men they say were among the culprits, following an investigation bolstered by images of that day posted to social media." According to the Inquirer, "Prosecutors, in court filings this week, named the wig- wearing bandit as Raphael Shaw, 20, and accused him of making off with $104,000. They alleged a second man, Xavier Nolley-Hall, was with him that day and had entered the looted bank intending to steal money. Both are among a growing number of defendants who federal prosecutors have charged in connection with incidents during the unrest that gripped Philadelphia after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis." Trump Bemoans Ongoing Violence In "Democrat-Run Cities," Cites Threat To Religion. President Trump took to Twitter yesterday to write, "The Radical Left Democrats, who totally control Biden, will destroy our Country as we know it. Unimaginably bad things would happen to America. Look at Portland, where the pols are just fine with 50 days of anarchy. We sent in help. Look at New York, Chicago, Philadelphia. NO!" In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), Trump also discussed the ongoing protests around the country, saying, "I explain it very simply, by saying the Democrat-run cities, they are liberally-run, they are stupidly run." The Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) indicates Trump also said that under Democrats, "Religion will be gone," pointing out "he pointed to Democratic politicians keeping churches closed during the coronavirus pandemic, not even allowing churches to meet outside, while social distancing." Trump: "Many, Many Whites"Also Killed In Police Shootings. In his Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M) interview, Trump was also asked about the use of police force. Trump said, "Of course I (understand black people's anger]," but "many whites are killed also. Many, many whites are killed. But this is going on for decades. This is going on for a long time, long before I got here." EFTA00150215  Meadows Says Executive Order To Stem Violence Will Be Rolled Out This Week. Chief of Staff Meadows, on Fox News Sunday Morning FuturesVI (7/19, 1.59M), said, "This week what we're looking at is not only looking at what a lot of people have called 'the executive order on statues'...but it's really about keeping our communities safe, and the President's committed to do that. Some of the unrest that we saw even in the last month or so but particularly last night and the week leading up to it in Portland, it's just not acceptable when you look at communities not being safe and not upholding the rule of law, so Attorney General Barr is weighing in on that with Secretary Wolf and you'll see something rolled out this week as we start to go in and make sure that the communities whether it's Chicago, or Portland, or Milwaukee, or some place across the heartland of the country, we need to make sure that our communities are safe." Violent Protests Continue In Portland As Mayor Calls On Federal Agents To Leave. NBC Nightly NewsVI (7/19, story 3, 2:25, Snow, 4.36M) reported there was "more violence last night in parts of Portland, Oregon. Protesters lit a police union building on fire and the city's mayor says federal agents who have been deployed there, many without identification, are not helping the situation." NBC (McLaughlin) added, "Overnight, running street battles between protesters and local police. ... Unmarked federal agents with no insignia other than police sprayed tear gas and beat back protesters." Oregon is "suing the federal government," and the state's attorney general "is seeking a temporary restraining order to stop what she argues are unlawful arrests by federal agents." ABC World News TonightVi (7/19, story 3, 1:55, Llamas, 5.06M) reported, "The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection among the federal agencies with militarized units on the streets, detaining people. The message from the city's leaders: Get out." Mayor Ted Wheeler: "Your presence here isn't wanted. It's not needed. And the people engaging in these activities aren't even willing to identify who they are, and they're not wearing insignia on their uniforms." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/19, story 4, 1:45, Garrett, 1.32M) reported Wheeler "blames the increase in violence on the tactics of federal officers, many of them ICE agents. The nightly demonstrations began 53 days ago," but "after a more than a month of active protests, President Trump sent in federal agents to protect buildings and personnel." Wheeler said on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (7/19, 1.12M), "We have dozens, if not hundreds, of federal troops descending upon our city. What they're doing is they are sharply escalating the situation. Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. And it's not helping the situation at all. They're not wanted here. We haven't asked them here. In fact, we want them to leave." Politico (7/19, Cohen, 4.29M) Axios (7/19, Ayesh, 521K), the Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) and Breitbart (7/19, Key, 673K) among other news outlets, report Wheeler's comments. USA Today (7/18, Pineda, Shannon, 10.31M) reports that in addition to state officials, "local U.S. Justice Department authorities have questioned the tactics as well." U.S. Attorney Billy Williams in Portland said Friday he had asked the DHS inspector general "to investigate reports that agents arrested people without probable cause." The Washington Post (7/19, Lang, Sacchetti, 14.2M), however, reports Acting Deputy DHS Secretary Cuccinelli on Sunday "vowed the agency will maintain a heavy presence in Portland — and send reinforcements to other U.S. cities, if violence surged." Said Cuccinelli, "You can expect that if violence continues in other parts of the country, the president has made no secret of the fact that he expects us where we can cooperate or have jurisdiction to step forward and expand our policing efforts there to bring down the level of violence." The Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) reports President Trump "defended having federal agents in Portland to combat protesters, saying local government officials have allowed the situation to move out of control." He tweeted, "We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. EFTA00150216 Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE. These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!" In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), Trump discussed the protests in Portland, saying, "If you look at what's going on in Portland, those are anarchists and we've taken a very tough stance. If we didn't take a stand in Portland - you know, we arrested many of these leaders. If we didn't take that stand, right now you would have a problem - they were going to lose Portland." USA Today (7/19, Reyes, 10.31M) reports "protesters broke into the Portland Police Association at around 10:45 p.m. Saturday," police said, and "ignited a fire inside." The fire "was put out a short time later." The Oregonian (7/18, Tebor, 1M) reports "Portland police declared the event a riot around 10:50 p.m. and told demonstrators to leave the area or be subject to arrest." Townhall (7/19, Baumann, 177K) reports the "so-called protests were labeled a riot late Saturday night." The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dibble, 448K), among other news outlets, also reports on Saturday's protests. The New York Times (7/19, Olmos, Rojas, Baker, 18.61M) reports the protests in Portland "have featured a wide array of demonstrators, many now galvanized by federal officers exemplifying the militarized enforcement that protesters have long denounced." Gatherings over the weekend "grew to upward of 1,000 people — the largest crowds in weeks." Pelosi Criticizes "Violent Tactics" Used By Federal Agents. Axios (7/18, 521K) reports House Speaker Pelosi "condemned in a joint statement with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D- OR) on Saturday what they called the Trump Administration's `violent tactics used' against protesters in Portland." Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said on MSNBC's Politics NationVi (7/18, 862K), "It's really a scene out of some other world where you have a dictatorship, an authoritarian government, not a democratic republic. Trump is sending unmarked authorities after protesters, throwing them into unmarked vans, sweeping them off the street and using munitions in a way that hasn't been coordinated with our police or with our governor or mayor that is just absolutely inflaming the situation. ... This is all designed to have no accountability. It is absolutely unacceptable in America and we have to end it." Axios (7/19, Ayesh, 521K) reports the "chairs of the House Oversight, Judiciary and Homeland Security committees on Sunday called on the inspectors general of the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to open an investigation into the Trump administration's use of federal agents against protesters in Portland." Rural Oregon Counties Seek To loin Idaho. The Washington Times (7/19, Al, Richardson, 492K) reports that "rural Oregonians are ready to bolt for Idaho after nearly two months of daily protests and rioting in Portland." Move Oregon's Border for a Greater Idaho, "a group that seeks to take eastern and rural counties out of Oregon and put them into Idaho," announced over the weekend that "volunteers have collected enough signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot in Wallowa County, Oregon." Oregon Democrats Object To Federal Officers' Tactics In Effort To Quell Portland Riots. The AP (7/17, Selsky, Flaccus) reports that in Portland, Oregon, "federal agents in green camouflage uniforms have been taking into custody people...not close to federal property that they were sent to protect, in what the ACLU on Friday said `should concern everyone in the United States." According to the AP, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown asserted that President Trump, "who deployed Department of Homeland Security officers to Portland, is looking for a confrontation in the hopes of winning political points elsewhere." The AP says that on Thursday night, "federal officers deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters, hours after" acting DHS Secretary Wolf "visited the city and called the demonstrators..:violent anarchists." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 9, 0:29, O'Donnell, 4.11M), Norah O'Donnell reported Wolf "says state and local officials are to blame for not putting an end to anti-police EFTA00150217 protests, which have continued in Portland for nearly 50 straight nights." Speaking on Fox News' America's Newsroom (7/17, 896K), Wolf said, "Our responsibility [is] to protect that courthouse and other federal facilities there in downtown Portland. And we continue to see violent activity, violent anarchists night after night, targeting those facilities." On Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/17, 831K), acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli said DHS has been "very openly trying to keep the law enforced." Cuccinelli added, "This has been more than 40 days in a row in Portland. We were not there in significant force until the last few weeks as things continued to escalate. And what we have seen around the country is where responsible policing is advanced, violence recedes. And Portland hasn't gotten that memo. Nor have a lot of other cities. And the President is determined to do what we can within our jurisdiction to help restore peace to these beleaguered cities." The New York Times (7/17, Al, Olmos, Baker, 18.61M) reports in a front-page article that "on Thursday night and into Friday morning - the 50th straight day of demonstrations - a line of federal officers in gas masks walked down Portland's Third Avenue," and "filled downtown corridors with tear gas, which a federal judge has barred the Portland police from using except in the case of a safety risk." According to the Times, the federal officers "also shot less-lethal munitions, which left people limping in pain." CNBC (7/17, Mangan, 3.62M) quotes Brown as saying, "This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety. ... The President is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government." CNBC also reports Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) "pinned a video of one of the arrests in question to the top of his official Twitter account, and wrote, `Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters." Merkley added, "These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end." The Washington Post (7/17, Shepherd, 14.2M) reports Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) tweeted, "A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump's secret police. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media." In addition, The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports Merkley and Wyden as well as Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) on Friday "called on the internal watchdogs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate federal law enforcement's presence and practices in Portland amid rising protests in the city." Also, The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports the American Civil Liberties Union on Friday "filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Marshals Service after they deployed agents to quell demonstrations in Portland, Ore." Meanwhile, the Washington Post (7/17, Al, Gillespie, Barrett, Shepherd, Berman, 14.2M) reports on its front page that on Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) "referred to the federal agents as Trump's `personal army' and said they should leave the city." He asserted, "This is part of a coordinated strategy of Trump's White House to use federal troops to bolster his sagging polling data, and it is an absolute abuse of federal law enforcement officials." Wheeler added, "As we were starting to see things de-escalate, their actions last Saturday night and every night since have actually ratcheted up the tension on our streets." The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Gottfried, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. DHS Memo: Federal Agents Confronting Backlash For Approach To Portland Unrest Lacked Proper Training. The New York Times (7/18, Olmos, Baker, Kanno-Youngs, 18.61M) reports, "The federal agents facing a growing backlash for their militarized approach to weeks of unrest in Portland were not specifically trained in riot control or mass demonstrations, an internal Department of Homeland Security memo warned this week." A copy of the memo EFTA00150218 which the Times acquired indicates it "was prepared by the agency for Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, as he arrived in Portland to view the scene in person." Oregon AG Announces Lawsuit Against Federal Agencies In Response To Street Conflicts Between Demonstrators, Federal Agents. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/18, story 8, 2:20, Diaz-Balart, 3.83M), correspondent Erin McLaughlin reported there's "a new court battle over the presence of...unmarked federal agents" in Portland. Oregon's attorney general on Friday "announced a lawsuit against several federal government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, alleging federal agents are 'unlawfully detaining protesters.' ... The filing a response to...street battles between protesters and federal agents with combat gear with no insignia other than police." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/18, story 6, 1:39, Llamas, 4.36M), correspondent Andrew Dymburt reported, "A CBP spokesperson tells ABC News that agents have been deployed to support local law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice says they'll investigate any recent reports of detainments." On the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/18, story 5, 1:29, Garrett, 2.41M), correspondent Michael George reported that federal personnel deployed in Portland "have been firing tear gas and flash bangs on citizens who have taken to the streets. Agents who work for the Department of Homeland Security and the US Marshals Service, as well as Customs and Border Protection, have been sent to guard a federal courthouse and other government buildings." Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said, "Having federal officers here is like pouring gasoline on a fire." Seattle Rioters Damage, Loot Stores. The Fox News (7/19, Betz, 27.59M) website reports that "at least two people were arrested in Seattle and a police officer is in the hospital Sunday after a march through downtown devolved into property damage and looting, police say." Demonstrators Attempting To Topple Columbus Statue In Chicago Clash With Law Enforcement. The AP (7/18) reports demonstrators attempting to bring down a statue of Christopher Columbus in Chicago's Grant Park "clashed with police who used batons to beat people and made at least a dozen arrests after they say protesters targeted them with fireworks, rocks and other items." The brawl on Friday occurred "after at least 1,000 people tried to swarm the statue in a failed attempt to topple it following a rally in support of Black and Indigenous people." The AP adds, "Police said 18 officers were injured and at least 12 people were arrested during the clash. Four protesters were also hurt during the confrontation, which led local elected officials and activists to condemn the officers' tactics." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/18, story 7, 0:30, Diaz-Balart, 3.83M) reported the mayor of Chicago put out a statement on Saturday condemning demonstrators "who attack police, while also saying reports of excessive force by officers was unacceptable." The CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/18, story 4, 0:17, Garrett, 2.41M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. Statue In New York State Dedicated To Union Volunteers Torn Down. The New York Times (7/18, Fortin, Pietsch, 18.61M) reports police in Saratoga Spring, NY on Thursday "found a cast iron and zinc statue torn down from its stone pedestal in Congress Park and scattered in pieces on the grass." While many statues that have been brought down in the United States "in recent weeks amid widespread protests against racism and police brutality" were "monuments to Confederate soldiers," the one that was in Congress Park "was dedicated to volunteers who fought for the Union during the Civil War." David Snyder, executive assistant to Saratoga Springs' mayor, said, "We're very confused," adding, "Was this in any way tied to a Black Lives Matter protest in which they thought it was a Confederate statue that needed to EFTA00150219 come down? Was it a reactionary or pro-Confederate group that wanted a Union statue to come down? Or was it random?" CVS Terminates Contract With Security Firm After Guard Presses Forearm Into Shoplifting Suspect's Neck. The Washington Post (7/18, Hermann, 14.2M) reports CVS Pharmacy "said it has terminated its contract with a private security company after an armed guard was seen on video detaining a shoplifting suspect outside a downtown Washington store and appeared to press his forearm onto the man's neck." The Post adds, "The 50-year-old man, who appeared to be unarmed, tried to speak several times as the guard pressed down and yelled, 'Stop resisting.' In a statement, CVS said, "We're deeply disturbed by the video taken outside of our store," adding, "This type of force appears wholly unnecessary, regardless of what happened inside. The actions of the security guard, who is not a CVS employee, violated our security policies and practices which are designed to ensure the safety of customers and employees." NYTimes Al Analysis Examines Past Of Officer Who Put Knee On Floyd's Neck. A front-page New York Times (7/18, Al, Barker, Kovaleski, 18.61M) analysis says co-workers as well as citizens described Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who put his knee on George Floyd's neck, as someone who "did his job as if he were playing a role - a tough Dirty Harry on the lookout for bad guys." Noah McGurran-Hanson, who had an encounter with Chauvin during 2013, said of Chauvin, "He was overly aggressive and not understanding that we were just kids," adding, "He was treating us like we had been tried and convicted." The Time goes on to say that "dozens of interviews with acquaintances depict a police officer who seemed to operate at an emotional distance from those around him. Mr. Chauvin was a quiet and rigid workaholic with poor people skills and a tendency to overreact - with intoxicated people, especially - when a less aggressive stance might have led to a better outcome, interviews show." Prosecutor: Pennsylvania Officer Was Justified In Pressing Knee Into Intoxicated Man's Head. The AP (7/17, Rubinkam) reports, "A Pennsylvania police officer was justified when he pressed his knee into an intoxicated man's head while restraining him outside a hospital, a prosecutor said Friday after reviewing an incident that was caught on video and generated allegations of police brutality." The officer in question as well as another officer utilized "reasonable force to restrain the man, who was agitated, acting erratically and posing a danger to himself and others, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said." In a news release, Martin said, "I have concluded that there is absolutely no evidence to support filing criminal charges against either of the Allentown police officers involved in this incident." In another statement, Police Chief Glenn Granitz Jr. said the officers are not going to be subject to disciplinary action. Police Union Cites Trump's Support In Wake Of Floyd Protests For Endorsement. The Washington Times (7/19, Mordock, 492K) reports the National Association of Police Organizations endorsed President Trump's reelection last week, citing his "steadfast and very public support" for law enforcement. In a brief letter to Trump, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times, NAPO President Michael McHale "said the president's support was critical in the wake of the attacks on law enforcement following the death of George Floyd." The Times says the decision to endorse Trump "delivered a blow" to presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who "prides himself on being a 'union man' and longtime ally of police." Townhall's Baumann: Biden Has Said He Wants To Defund Police. Beth Baumann writes for Townhall (7/19, 177K) that "for whatever reason, the mainstream media is making the argument that Biden is not in favor of defunding the police." Still "as President Trump said EFTA00150220 on Saturday, Joe Biden may not have said 'defund the police,' but he used the very phrases and verbiage the Democrats are using surrounding this issue." WPost Criticizes Union For Expelling Pro-Reform Member. The Washington Post (7/19, 14.2M) editorializes that "the movement for greater accountability in policing poses a dilemma for organized labor. ... Yet police unions can use their clout to win protection from complaints of officer brutality and other misconduct." The Post says it can "offer no advice as to how union leaders should address this conundrum, but it is clear what they should not do: expel unionists who take a principled position in favor of police reform." The Post criticizes Local 1994, which represents Montgomery County's public employees, ousting member Gabriel Acevero, who is "outspoken against police abuses." Trump Defends Use Of Confederate Flag. In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), President Trump discussed recent efforts to remove Confederate symbols. Trump said, "It depends on who you're talking about, when you're talking about. When people proudly had the Confederate flag they're not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South. They like the South, people right now like the South. I say it's freedom of many things but its freedom of speech." Reuters (7/19, Chiacu, Lynch) reports "Trump has in the past appeared sympathetic to the flag and symbols of the Confederacy of 1861-65 American Civil War," and "in 2017, he decried the removal of monuments to the Confederacy, laying blame on 'both sides' in Charlottesville, Virginia, after protests against the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general." Axios (7/19, Allassan, 521K) says Trump has also "attacked organizations like NASCAR that have banned the Confederate flag, claiming it's an infringement on freedom of speech," and has "threatened to veto a defense bill that would rename military installations named for Confederate leaders, despite bipartisan support in Congress." Trump Quips About Renaming Military Bases After Al Sharpton. In his Fox News Sunday-Vi (7/19, 1.12M) interview, Trump was asked about the push to rename military bases. Trump said, "I don't care what the military says. I'm supposed to make the decision. Fort Bragg is a big deal. We won two world wars, nobody even knows the general. We won two world wars. Go to the community where Fort Bragg is in a great state, I love that state. Go to the community, say how do you like the idea of renaming Fort Bragg? And then what are we going to name it?" The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dibble, 448K) reports Trump added, "We're going to name it after the Rev. Al Sharpton? What are you gonna name it, Chris [Wallace], tell me what you're gonna name it?" The New York Post (7/19, Moore, 4.57M) indicates that, in the interview, the President also "threatened to veto a defense spending bill if it includes a provision to remove the names of Confederate leaders from US military bases." Said Trump, "I might. Yeah, I might." Media Analyses: Esper Attempts To Circumvent Trump With Memo Barring Confederate Flags On Military Facilities. Defense Secretary Esper issued a memo on Friday stating that the US flag is "principal flag we are authorized and encouraged to display," while excluding the Confederate flag from a list of flags that are also authorized for display. Typical of the tone of the coverage, the New York Times (7/17, Cooper, 18.61M) says Esper's "carefully worded memo" did not include the word "Confederate," yet it "essentially banned displays of the Confederate flag on military installations around the world," a move that Defense Department officials "said they hoped would avoid igniting another defense of the flag from President Trump." Bloomberg (7/17, Tiron, 4.73M) also describes the memo as an attempt "to sidestep a direct clash with" Trump, who "has vowed to veto the annual defense policy bill if it contains provisions requiring new names for military bases named for Confederate generals." The Washington Post (7/17, Lamothe, 14.2M) similarly reports Esper's memo "did not explicitly mention Confederate banners but stated that the 'flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols." The Post adds a defense official "said the White House EFTA00150221 is aware of the new policy. But it was not immediately clear whether President Trump, who has pushed to preserve Confederate symbols, supports the change." A CNBC (7/17, Macias, 3.62M) article also highlights that Trump "said last month that his administration would 'not even consider' the removal of Confederate symbols," while the AP (7/17, Baldor) reports the President "flatly rejected any notion of changing base names and has defended the flying of the Confederate flag, saying it's a freedom of speech issue." According to the Washington Times (7/17, Meier, 492K), Esper's memo "follows weeks of nationwide anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a White Minneapolis police officer, and calls for the Confederate flag to be banned from military properties and bases that honor Confederate leaders to be renamed." The Times adds the effort "saw early support from several branches of the military after the Navy, Marine Corps and several arms of the military abroad announced a ban on the display of the Confederate flag last month." Meanwhile, The Hill (7/17, Kheel, 2.98M) reports Esper tweeted, "Today I issued a memorandum to the force on the display of flags at @DeptofDefense facilities. With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation." Politico (7/17, Seligman, 4.29M) reports Esper's memo "simply lists the types of flags that are allowed to be displayed, including the American flag; the flags of the U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia; military flags and those of allies." According to Politico, "Exceptions to the ban include museum exhibits, license plates, grave sites, and works of art 'where the nature of the display or depiction cannot reasonably be viewed as endorsement of the flag by the Department of Defense." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/17, story 5, 1:43, Holt, 5.54M), Courtney Kube said Esper's move is one "many had been advocating for years." Kube added Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) "says there's a problem with white supremacists in the military. Although, it involves just a tiny percentage of the country's 2.1 million service members." Kube also reported NBC News "has reviewed for five criminal cases involving far-right extremism among active duty ranks in the last four years. Including two linked to the violent Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen. And a 'Military Times' poll shows more than half of minority troops say they have personally witnessed examples of white nationalism or racism within the ranks." The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Youssef, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) as well as brief ABC World News TonightVi (7/17, story 8, 0:29, Llamas, 6.68M) and CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 12, 0:19, O'Donnell, 4.11M) broadcasts provided similar coverage. Richmond Judge Who Impeded Removal Of Confederate Monuments Recuses Himself From Pair Of Lawsuits. The Washington Post (7/17, Schneider, 14.2M) reports Richmond Circuit Court Judge Bradley Cavedo, "who has repeatedly blocked efforts to remove Confederate statues in the former capital of the Confederacy," on Friday filed an order recusing himself from "a case filed by an anonymous person against Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, acknowledging that Cavedo's personal residence near the Monument Avenue statues could create an appearance of impropriety." The Post adds that Cavedo "cited similar reasoning on Thursday to recuse himself from a separate case filed against Gov. Ralph Northam (D) over Northam's efforts to take down the statue of Robert E. Lee on the city's Monument Avenue." Missouri Governor Suggests Pardon Of McCloskeys If Charges Filed. The Washington Examiner (7/19, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) on Friday "said he's ready and willing to issue a pardon of a St. Louis couple if they are charged by local prosecutors after brandishing their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in their neighborhood last month." During an interview with a local radio station, Parson said, "I don't think they're going to spend any time in jail," noting a pardon would be "exactly what would happen" if District Attorney Kim Gardner were to indict the couple. Long-Time Activists See Opportunity For Police Reform. EFTA00150222 USA Today (7/18, Hughes, 10.31M) reports that "across the country, s