EFTA01658735.pdf

From To Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, November 13, 2020 Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2020 11:31:54 +0000 Importan c Normal e: From: Bulletin Intelligence Sent: Friday, November 13, 2020 6:30:33 AM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) To: [email protected] Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, November 13, 2020 Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. ;r1 News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 6:30 AM EST TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Agencies, Cybersecurity Experts Say Election Was Most Secure In US History. PROTESTS • Attorneys Seek Bond Release For Accused In Arbery Case. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Utah Man Pleads Guilty To Impersonating ISIS Leader In Attack Plot. • FBI Analyst: Pittsburgh Is A "Hub" For White Supremacy. • Massachusetts Man On Trial For Allegedly Trying To Firebomb Jewish Elder Care Facility. • Accomplice Testifies Against Reputed Militia Leader In Minnesota Mosque Bombing Trial. • Georgia Man Charged In 9/11 Bomb Threat. • IS Claims Responsibility For Attack At Saudi WWI Ceremony. • Iran Arrests Arab Separatist Leader Suspected To Be Behind 2018 Attack. • Gunman Opens Fire On Saudi Embassy In The Netherlands. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • "Growing Number" Of GOP Senators Call For Biden To Receive PDB. • In Recording, Facebook CEO Defends Decision Not To Suspend Bannon. • Opinion: "Stolen Election" Rhetoric Could Unleash Wave Of Violence. • Wisconsin Official Says There Still Isn't Evidence Of Election Fraud. EFTA01658735 • Former Ohio State Researcher Pleads Guilty To Lying About Chinese Ties. • Cleveland Clinic Physician Charged With Taking Research To China. • Chinese Professor Accused Of Stealing Trade Secrets For Huawei To Plead Guilty. • House And Senate Poised To Extend Trump-Era Investigations. • CNN: Internal White House Debate Over Fate Of Haspel. • Independent Investigation Finds Bonanza Media Is A Russian Disinformation Project. • UC Global Spied On Assange For Ecuadorian Intelligence, Says Ex Manager. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • US Charges South Carolina Inmate With Trying To Hire Hitman To Kill Prosecutor. • Documents Show Alleged Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Ringleader Planned To Take Hostages At Capitol Building. • FBI Arrests California Man For Hate Crime Attack On Restaurant. • Alaska Man Arrested With Large Amounts Of Drugs. • Another Defendant Pleads Guilty In New Jersey Drug Trafficking Case. • US Charges Four In Missouri Murder-For-Hire Plot. • Pennsylvania Woman Gets 13 Months In Prison For Drug Trafficking. • Marijuana-Related Search Warrant Operation Conducted In Arizona. • FBI Arrests Woman In Connection To Bank Robberies In Utah, Arizona. • FBI Investigating Minnesota Robbery. • North Carolina Jury Convicts Foreign National Of Sexual Abuse. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Investigating Disappearance Of Missing Colorado Woman. • FBI Search Colorado Home In Connection To 2016 Disappearance. • New York Sex Offender Charged With Child Pornography Possession. • Iowa Man Sentenced For Child Pornography. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Attorney For Cincinnati Councilman Charged In Bribery Scheme To Hold Press Conference Today. • US Arrests Nine Californians On Money Laundering Charges. • US Charges California Man With Wire Fraud, Identity Theft. • Former Philadelphia Officials, Contractor's Employee Charged With Embezzlement. • Plea Hearing For Ex-Michigan Prosecutor Moved Again Due To Coronavirus. • New Hampshire Attorney Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering, Wire Fraud. CYBER DIVISION • Two DHS Officials Reportedly "Forced To Resign"; Krebs "Expects To Be Fired." • Commerce Department Will Delay Enforcement Of TikTok Shutdown Order. • Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Finds New Type Of Iranian Ransomware. • Finland Prepares Change To Code Law After Hacking Case. • NSA Grant To Help Two Indiana Campuses Expand Cybersecurity Programs. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department Assigns Officer To FBI Gun Violence Task Force. • WPost: Voters Usher In "New Phase Of Drug Policy." OTHER FBI NEWS • DO) Report: Acosta Engaged In No Misconduct When He Agreed To Epstein Plea Deal. • Ramsey Tapped As New Portland, Oregon SAC. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Media Analyses: Trump Silent On Pandemic, "Largely Out Of Sight," As Election Challenges Continue. • Agreement Reached With Pharmacies To Provide Free COVID Vaccinations. EFTA01658736 • Fauci Says Working With Administration Has Been "Stressful." • Fauci: Lockdown Can Be Avoided. • Birx Urges Tighter Restrictions, Guidance Adherence. • US COVID Infections Topped 150K Thursday; States See Surge In Hospitalizations. • California Cities Reimpose Restrictions As State Reaches Millionth COVID Case. • Upper Midwest, Plains States See COVID Cases Rising. • Chicago Mayor Issues Stay-At-Home Advisory. • NYC Schools Seen As Likely To Close Again Amid Resurgence Of COVID. • Health Officials Encouraging Extra COVID Precautions For Holidays. • Clinical Laboratories Warn COVID Testing May Be Delayed. • Lewandowski Tests Positive For COVID. • Ivanka Trump, Kushner Withdrew Children From School After White House Outbreak. • Alaska Congressman Tests Positive For COVID. • WSJournal: Delaware COVID Settlement Allows Churches To Be Treated Neutrally. • WSJournal: Biden's COVID Team Would Push For Lockdowns. • Administration Leaving Stimulus Talks To McConnell As Pelosi, Schumer Signal No Compromise. • Federal Judge Schedules Conference On Trump Defamation Suit. • At Least Four Dead As Eta Moves Through Southeast. • Appeals Court Upholds Harvard Affirmative Action Ruling. • Deputy AG Rosen Reportedly Blocked Charges Against Zinke. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Chinese Government Stopping Taiwan's Participation In WHO Meeting. • Prime Minister Says Japan Does Not Need To Declare COVID State Of Emergency. • Germany, France See Slowing Of COVID Cases, But Hospitals Remain Crowded. • South Africa Opens To Foreign Visitors. • US Allies In Iraq Said To Fear Targeting By Iran. • NYTimes Analysis: Syrian Refugees Resist Return Under Current Leadership. • NYTimes Analysis: Afghan Officials Do Not Expect Biden To Stop Trump's Troop Withdrawal. • Five Americans, Two Others Killed In Crash Of Peacekeeping Force Helicopter In Sinai. • Pompeo To Visit Golan Heights, West Bank Israeli Settlement. • Wolf Planning To Visit Several Latin American Countries In Early December. • Russian Military Operations Off Coast Of Alaska Impact Private US Ships. • Hong Kong Legislature Opens Without Pro-Democracy Lawmakers. • EU Plans Pro-LGBTQ Policies In Response To Hungary And Poland. • Researchers Conclude World "Already Past A Point Of No Return For Global Warming." • NYTimes Analysis: Nobel Peace Prize Repeatedly Awarded To Dubious Winners. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Agencies, Cybersecurity Experts Say Election Was Most Secure In US History. The AP (11/12, Tucker; Bajak) reports, "A coalition of federal and state officials said Thursday that they have no evidence that votes were compromised or altered in last week's presidential election." Their comments reject "unsubstantiated claims of widespread fraud advanced by President Donald Trump and many of his supporters." A statement distributed by a group led by EFTA01658737 CISA said, "While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too." The statement added, "When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections." It "echoed repeated assertions by election experts and state officials over the last week that the election unfolded smoothly without broad irregularities." USA Today (11/12, Johnson, 10.31M) reports that the group of agencies, which included the National Association of State Election Directors, "issued what appeared to be a definitive coda to the 2020 vote." The statement "offered a decidedly different message than that delivered last month" by DNI Ratcliffe, "who abruptly announced that that voter registration information had been obtained by Iran and Russia in an attempt to undermine confidence in the 2020 election." Ratcliffe also "said that Russia has obtained voter information just as the Kremlin had done in when it interfered in the 2016 election." The New York Times (11/12, Sanger, Stevens, Perlroth, 18.61M) reports that the statement came "directly from one of Mr. Trump's own cabinet agencies." It "also came as a previously unified Republican Party showed signs of cracking on the question of whether to keep backing the president." Senate Republicans have "insisted that Mr. Biden should at least be given access to the President's Daily Brief," their call amounting "to an acknowledgment that Mr. Biden will be declared the victor in the election." Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) said, "I think they do need to know some things, and national security would be one of them." The Washington Post (11/12, Itkowitz, 14.2M) reports that the statement from security agencies "comes on the heels of reporting earlier in the day by Reuters that Christopher Krebs, the head of the CISA, expected to be fired over his efforts to debunk misinformation about voting fraud." Krebs has "retweeted an election law expert who called out Trump for spreading misinformation." Center for Election Innovation & Research Executive Director David Becker wrote, "Please don't retweet wild and baseless claims about voting machines, even if they're made by the president. These fantasies have been debunked many times." Axios (11/12, Chen, 521K) reports that the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (GCC) Executive Committee wrote, "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised." The statement "acknowledged 'opportunities for misinformation' and urged voters to seek out election officials as 'trusted voices." Reuters (11/12) reports, "The groups, the Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council Executive Committee (GCC) and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Council (SCC), said the election was the most secure in U.S. history." CISA's "Rumor Control" website "debunks misinformation about the election," and CISA Director Krebs "has told associates he expects to be fired, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters." The Washington Times (11/12, Lovelace, 492K) reports that among the parties issuing the statement are "members such as CISA assistant director Bob Kolasky, U.S. Election Assistance Commission chair Benjamin Hovland, and National Association of Secretaries of State president Maggie Toulouse Oliver, among several others." , Also reporting are NBC News (11/12, 6.14M), the Daily Beast (11/12, 1.39M), the New York Times (1 and 2), Bloomberg (11/13, Sebenius, 4.73M), Axios (11/12, 521K), NPR (11/12, Wise, 3.12M), Federal Computer Week (11/12, 263K), and Newsweek (11/12, Grzeszczak, 1.53M). PROTEST Attorneys Seek Bond Release For Accused In Arbery Case. On ABC World News TonightVi (11/12, story 7, 1:30, Muir, 6.57M), Adrienne Banker reported, "Tonight, attorneys for two of the men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery seeking the EFTA01658738 release of the father and son on bond." Greg and Travis McMichael were "seen chasing Arbery before Travis fatally shot the 25-year-old after spotting him running in their Brunswick, Georgia neighborhood, in what they told police as an attempted citizen's arrest of a suspected burglar." Travis McMichael's friends testified "that he is remorseful," with attorneys "citing his service in the Coast Guard" and "saying this was no hate crime." Travis McMichael's attorney, Bob Rubin, said, "We have substantial evidence that on the day in question, Mr. Arbery was not a jogger. He was there for nefarious purposes." The attorneys "are asking the judge to reject the indictments' malice murder charge...saying it was written in such a way that it actually charges two crimes in one count." The hearing resumes on Friday morning. COUNTER-TERRORISM Utah Man Pleads Guilty To Impersonating ISIS Leader In Attack Plot. The Salt Lake WI) Tribune (11/12, Pierce, 224K) reports, "A Utah man arrested in August 2019 has pleaded guilty to trying to help the Islamic State terrorist organization carry out bomb attacks." Murat Suljovic, 23, of Salt Lake City, "pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. According to court documents, Suljovic admitted that in January 2019, while he was living in Utah, he corresponded with two people he believed were members of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and that he believed they were planning to carry out an attack. The two people were members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force." KUTV-TV Salt Lake City (11/12, Stauffer, 445K) reports, "Suljovic admitted to corresponding with an individual, identified as Person A in court documents, who he believed was a follower of ISIS, according to the plea agreement. The correspondence occurred in January 2019 while Suljovic was living in Utah. He reportedly admitted to believing Person A was interested in performing an attack for ISIS and that he would help another individual, referred to as Person B, who was also interested in performing an attack for ISIS, the plea agreement stated. Suljovic said during his correspondence with Person A, he pretended to be an ISIS leader online and that the two people believed he was an ISIS leader." The plea agreement "states Suljovic provided advice about potential targets for a terrorist attack and planning the attack. He also provided a bomb-making tutorial video to Person A that was meant to be shared with Person B for training and assisting with an attack." KTVX-TV Salt Lake City (11/12, Gardiner) reports, "Documents state Suljovic provided advice about potential targets for a terrorist attack on how to plan an attack. He also provided a bomb-making tutorial video to one individual who was then supposed to share it with another person to be trained in carrying out an attack. By providing the bomb-making tutorial video, Suljovic admitted he knowingly attempted to provide material support to ISIS, knowing that ISIS has engaged and does engage in terrorism. Suljovic was charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization in a Felony Information filed in May. As part of his plea deal, Suljovic agreed to forfeit computer and electronic equipment used to facilitate his criminal conduct or acquired from his conduct." FBI Analyst: Pittsburgh Is A "Hub" For White Supremacy. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (11/12, Ove, 616K) reports, "Pittsburgh is a focal point for white supremacy and extremists, an FBI analyst said Thursday at a symposium on domestic terrorism. `Our area has become a hub. It's important to understand that it is here; said John Pulcastro, a supervisory analyst at the Pittsburgh FBI. In fact, he said the movement is as strong here as any other place in the country he has studied in 20 years, including the Pacific Northwest, a hotbed for supremacists." The Post-Gazette adds, "Extremist groups are active here in holding events and recruiting. As an example, he said 100 members of a neo-Nazi group called the Patriot Front marched down the Boulevard of the Allies on the weekend. Their EFTA01658739 motto, 'Conquer or Die,' makes their ideology clear, he said. Another catch-phrase, 'Blood and Soil,' is aimed at making America a white country only, with refugees seen as invaders, Mr. Pulcastro said." Massachusetts Man On Trial For Allegedly Trying To Firebomb Jewish Elder Care Facility. The Springfield (MA) Republican (11/12, Barry, 395K) reports from Springfield, Massachusetts, "The plan was 'simple, speedy and dangerous,' a federal prosecutor said of John Rathbun's alleged attempt to set off a crudely made firebomb at a Jewish elder care complex." According to the Republican, "Police and fire officials on the morning of April 2 found a partially filled yellow gas container with a charred Christian church pamphlet in its spout. It was perched near a tree on Converse Street in Longmeadow, just outside the campus, when the Longmeadow Fire Department responded to a call for a 'suspicious package: A grand jury indicted Rathbun, 36, of East Longmeadow, on two charges connected to placing an explosive device to cause harm and destruction, plus lying to FBI agents. His trial began Thursday in U.S. District Court in Springfield." Accomplice Testifies Against Reputed Militia Leader In Minnesota Mosque Bombing Trial. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (11/12, Mannix, 1.04M) reports, "The three men drove through the night in a rented pickup truck with a bag full of automatic rifles in the back seat, and after 10 hours on the road Michael Hari revealed the objective of their trip. 'We're going to go to Minnesota and we're going to bomb a mosque,' Hari told them, according to Michael McWhorter's testimony in St. Paul's federal courthouse on Thursday morning. It was about 4 a.m. on Aug. 5, 2017, and the three men were an hour away from Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington." McWhorter, "one of the passengers in the truck, is a star witness for the prosecution in the domestic terrorism trial of Hari, which began Monday. McWhorter pleaded guilty in January 2019 to two federal charges related to the bombing of the mosque." Georgia Man Charged In 9/11 Bomb Threat. WTOC-TV Savannah, GA (11/12, Bauman, 22K) reports from Savannah, Georgia, "A Vidalia man is facing charges after investigators say he called in a bomb threat to a building at the Port of Savannah." Elliot Sherman, 32, "is charged with Explosive Materials-Willfully Making a Threat. The indictment reports that Sherman is accused of calling the California Cartage CFS 2 building on September 11. Sherman was assigned to the facility by his employer. 'Calling in a bomb threat, even as a hoax, wastes resources, disrupts commerce and terrifies potential threatened victims,' said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. 'That's why the FBI takes them seriously and the penalties are severe." WTGS-TV Savannah, GA (11/12, Papadimas) reports from Savannah, "U.S Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, Bobby Christine, said the charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison, substantial penalties and a supervised release period. 'Bomb threats, whether real or hoax, are dangerous and disruptive to work environments,' said U.S. Attorney Christine. 'This one was especially inexcusable as it was made on the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks." WTGS-TV adds, "According to the indictment, the DO) said Sherman is accused of calling a bomb threat to the California Cartage CFS 2 building on Sept. 11, 2020. Officials said Sherman is assigned to the building by his employer." IS Claims Responsibility For Attack At Saudi WWI Ceremony. The AP (11/12) reports, "The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Thursday for the explosion the previous day at a cemetery in Saudi Arabia." IS "primarily targeted French diplomats attending the ceremony in remembrance of the end of World War I." The attack in Jiddah "wounded three people, leaving them with light to minor injuries." The terrorist group EFTA01658740 "primarily targeted the French consul attending the ceremony because of his country's publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad." IS's news agency, Aamaq, "said other European countries at the ceremony were also considered targets because they are part of the international coalition fighting Islamic State militants." Iran Arrests Arab Separatist Leader Suspected To Be Behind 2018 Attack. Reuters (11/12) reports, "Iran's intelligence ministry has arrested an Iranian ethnic Arab separatist leader suspected of involvement" in a 2018 terrorist attack, according to state television. The Ahvaz National Resistance "claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 25 people, almost half of them members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards." Iranian state TV said, "Farajollah Chaab, the leader of the separatist group, has been arrested by Iran's intelligence ministry agents." The report added, "Chaab has planned several other major attacks in Tehran and Khuzestan province in recent years...he has recently been planning to launch a new terrorist operation that failed with the efforts of the intelligence ministry agents." Gunman Opens Fire On Saudi Embassy In The Netherlands. The New York Times (11/12, Erdbrink, 18.61M) reports that according to local police officials, at least one gunman opened fire at the Saudi Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands at 6 a.m. on Thursday. No injuries were sustained in the "rare attack...and it was not immediately clear whether the shooting was related to" the attack on a World War I commemoration attended by European officials in Saudi Arabia the day prior. The Times says that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte "has voiced strong support for France in the aftermath of the beheading of a teacher by an Islamist extremist," setting the two countries "apart from the United States and other Western democracies" and stoking "anger in Muslim countries." The Wall Street Journal (11/12, Abdulaziz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that Dutch police announced the arrest of a 40-year-old man from Zoetermeer in connection with the incident. Riyadh called the attack "cowardly," and has encouraged its citizens in the Netherlands to practice caution. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE "Growing Number" Of GOP Senators Call For Biden To Receive PDB. On ABC World News TonightVI (11/12, story 3, 2:55, Muir, 6.57M), Muir said a "growing number of Republican senators...say it's time to start giving [Bider') the intelligence briefings incoming presidents get to keep this country safe." ABC's Jonathan Karl: "There are signs tonight Republican support for the President's give-no-ground posture is crumbling. While most Republican senators have yet to acknowledge have yet to concede Joe Biden won the election, a growing number are now saying it's time for Biden to receive the classified intelligence briefings normally given to a president-elect." Sen. James Lankford (R-OK): "If that's not occurring by Friday, I will step in as well to be able to push and to say this needs to occur so that regardless of the outcome of the election, whichever way that it goes, people can be ready for that actual task." Karl: "All told, at least 10 Republican senators, including Trump loyalist Lindsey Graham, said it's time for Biden to get those intel briefings." Tracy reported on the CBS Evening NewsVi (11/12, story 5, 2:20, O'Donnell, 4.06M), "The President's firewall of Republican support is starting to crack. ... Several Republican senators, including Ted Cruz, now say Biden should have access to the presidential daily intelligence briefings, something the White House has not provided." Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): "For the sake of protecting the country, you want whoever is going to assume that office to be aware of the significant threats, because the first responsibility of any president is to keep the American people safe." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (11/12, story 4, 0:25, Holt, 4.9M), Jackson similarly said Trump's "red wall of Republican support is showing some cracks. More GOP lawmakers now say EFTA01658741 [Bider)] should get access to classified information, briefings being blocked right now by the Trump Administration." The AP (11/11, Riechmann) reports Trump is not allowing Biden access to the President's Daily Brief, the "ultra-secret daily brief of the nation's most sensitive intelligence," and "national security and intelligence experts hope Trump changes his mind, citing the need for an incoming president to be fully prepared to confront any national security issues on Day One." Politico (11/12, Levine, Desiderio, 4.29M) reports Lankford "noted that in 2000, then-President Bill Clinton allowed George W. Bush to begin receiving presidential-level intelligence briefings during the recount in Florida." According to Politico, Lankford "added that he plans to question the government agency responsible for jump-starting the transition process if a certification is not made by Friday." The New York Daily News (11/12, McAuliff, Sommerfeldt, 2.52M) reports Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) "echoed Lankford in saying that the president should break the logjam and allow Biden access to national security briefings since he might `win in the end." USA Today (11/12, King, 10.31M) reports "prominent and powerful Republicans are signaling that Joe Biden should be treated as the next president," with senators saying "they see no issue with Biden receiving the same daily intelligence briefings Trump is getting." Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) "said he had `no problem' letting Biden have access to the briefings," and several others, "including some of the president's most ardent allies" like Graham and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), "quickly followed suit." CNN (11/12, Raju, Barrett, 83.16M) reports Acting SSCI Chair Marco Rubio (R-FL) said, "You don't lose any of your rights in court by making available to a potential successor the information they would need if in fact it goes in that direction. In all those domestic issues, you might have a few weeks or months. But on national security, our adversaries don't wait for presidents to catch up." The New York Times (11/12, Sanger, Stevens, Perlroth, 18.61M) quotes Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) as saying, "I don't think they need to know everything. I think they do need to know some things, and national security would be one of them." The Hill (11/12, Carney, 2.98M) reports that Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said, "I think it is very much in our national interest to have the president-elect receiving information." The Washington Post (11/12, Sonmez, DeBonis, 14.2M) also reports that "an increasing number of Senate Republicans" say Biden "should be granted access to classified briefings during the presidential transition, an acknowledgment of the election results despite President Trump's insistence that he will win." Senate Majority Whip Thune told CNN. "I think that it probably makes sense to prepare for all contingencies. And as these election challenges play out in court, I don't have a problem with, and I think it's important from a national security standpoint, continuity." Asked on Fox News' Fox and Friends First (11/12, 483K) about whether the Administration is considering giving Biden access to the President's Daily Brief, McEnany said, "All laws are being followed with regard to an expected transition, though we expect to continue on as the Trump Administration. We will see how our litigation goes." CBS News (11/12, Quinn, 3.68M) reports that ODNI "said earlier this week it would not have contact with Mr. Biden's transition team until notified by the head of the GSA, who ascertains the likely successful candidate in the election. But the administrator of the GSA, Emily Murphy, has not yet determined Mr. Biden as the apparent next president, leaving in limbo millions of federal dollars to support the transition, government resources and Mr. Biden's access to high-level intelligence briefings." Still, Biden "has received lower-level intelligence briefings since formally becoming the Democratic nominee in August." However, ABC News (11/12, Bruggeman, 2.97M) reports that "experts said the intelligence community is not beholden to the GSA `ascertainment: David Priess, a former intelligence briefer and author of `The President's Book of Secrets: The Untold Story of Intelligence Briefings to America's Presidents,' said briefings could begin `independent of the GSA decision' at the direction of the Director of National intelligence or, of course, the president." Priess added, "The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 and its updates do not EFTA01658742 mention the President's Daily Brief (PDB) or intelligence briefings for the president-elect. The custom of allowing the president-elect to see the PDB is just that— a custom — and it's something the president can do, or refuse to do, at his discretion." Meanwhile, Politico (11/12, Bertrand, 4.29M) reports that "a group of more than 150 former national security officials who served under [Trump] and other Republican and Democratic administrations is warning that the government's delay in recognizing" Biden's victory "poses a `serious risk to national security." Also reporting on the PDB issue are Axios (11/12, Arias, 521K), the Wall Street Journal (11/12, Peterson, Wise, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), Bloomberg (11/12, Dennis, 4.73M), Reuters (11/12, Cornwell, Chiacu, Lewis), the Washington Times (11/12, Sherfinski, Meier, 492K), and NPR (11/12, Grisales, 3.12M), among others. Meanwhile, according to the New York Times (11/12, Sanger, Stevens, Perlroth, 18.61M), "Deprived of access to secure government communications by the Trump administration, Mr. Biden's team of more than 500 former officials and outside experts has embraced workarounds, talking over encrypted apps like Signal to shield their conversations from the Chinese, meeting in outdoor coffee shops with government officials they once worked alongside." The Times adds, "The conversations are circumspect, both because of rules on both sides limiting how much information Mr. Biden's team can seek and how much executive branch officials are allowed to say." In Recording, Facebook CEO Defends Decision Not To Suspend Bannon. Reuters (11/12, Paul) reports Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg "told an all-staff meeting on Thursday that former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon had not violated enough of the company's policies to justify his suspension when he urged beheading" Fauci and FBI Director Wray, "according to a recording heard by Reuters." Zuckerberg said, "We have specific rules around how many times you need to violate certain policies before we will deactivate your account completely. ... While the offenses here, I think, came close to crossing that line, they clearly did not cross the line." Facebook "removed the video but left up Bannon's page," while Twitter "banned Bannon last week over the same content." BuzzFeed News (11/12, Mac, Silverman) reports, "Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees on Thursday that the Democratic nominee `is going to be our next president." Zuckerberg added, "It's important that people have confidence that the election was fundamentally fair, and that goes for the tens of millions of people that voted for Trump." The CEO's comments "signify that he believes in the legitimacy of the result," and criticized "people claiming that a Biden victory would be overturned." Zuckerberg said "it's...quite unhelpful that people out there are raising expectations that there is going to be a different outcome than from what was projected." Opinion: "Stolen Election" Rhetoric Could Unleash Wave Of Violence. Albert Hunt, former executive editor of Bloomberg News, writes in an op-ed in The Hill (11/12, 2.98M) that white power expert Kathleen Belew "fears Donald Trump's refusal to accept the election results may be inciting violence." The claim "that the presidential election was `stolen' will likely become a rallying cry for the Trump base." Belew, a history professor at the University of Chicago, "dismisses the notion that this often is a `lone wolf' problem." She told Hunt, "These militant fringe groups are much more directly connected than is appreciated. ... They share a lot of ideas." FBI Director Wray "has said these white power groups are a greater danger than the left-wing anarchists oft cited by President Trump and Attorney General William Barr." Hunt concludes the claims of a "stolen election" not only undermine "confidence in our Democratic system, but...could also threaten to unleash a dangerous wave of violence." Wisconsin Official Says There Still Isn't Evidence Of Election Fraud. EFTA01658743 The Washington Post (11/12, Bauer, 14.2M) reports, "There remained no evidence of any wrongdoing, fraud or irregularity in Wisconsin's presidential election on Thursday," according to officials. Counties in the state are working "to wrap up the certification of their votes and their estimates of how much it would cost to recount them." Wisconsin's top elections official, Meagan Wolfe, said, "It's rare to see any sort of significant changes." She added, "There's always minor errors. ... We're certainly not seeing anything unusual." Discussing why the process may look different this year, Wolfe cited the "counting of provisional ballots that came in after Election Day." Former Ohio State Researcher Pleads Guilty To Lying About Chinese Ties. Ohio State University - The Lantern (11/12) reports, "A former Ohio State researcher and professor pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday for making false claims to federal authorities as part of an investigation into his ties to China." Song Guo Zheng "was charged in July for using more than $4.1 million in federal grants to funnel research back to China to help the country develop expertise in rheumatology and immunology. He was also charged with making false statements about being employed in China at the same time as he was employed at U.S. universities, including Ohio State, according to a press release from the U.S. Southern District of Ohio Attorney General's Office." Cleveland Clinic Physician Charged With Taking Research To China. WEWS-TV Cleveland (11/12) reports, "An FBI investigation into a former Cleveland Clinic doctor's ties to China includes a Chinese government program that allegedly recruits professionals with access to foreign technology and intellectual property. 'We're opening up a brand-new investigation every day; says Cleveland FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric Smith." Dr. Qing Wang "was arrested last May after the FBI filed a probable cause affidavit charging him with false claims and wire fraud related to $3 million in compensation from a Chinese university that the FBI alleges Wang failed to disclose while receiving $3.6 million in taxpayer-funded grants at the same time. A federal grand jury investigation into Wang remains on hold while the COVID-19 outbreak has delayed the case from being presented." Chinese Professor Accused Of Stealing Trade Secrets For Huawei To Plead Guilty. The Bloomberg (11/12, 4.73M) reports, "A Chinese professor accused of stealing trade secrets for Huawei Technologies Co. will plead guilty to a reduced charge and be allowed to return to China, lawyers told a US judge on Thursday." Bo Mao, "a computer science professor at Xiamen University in China and a visiting professor at the University of Texas, will admit to a single count of making a false statement. US prosecutors will dismiss more serious counts of conspiracy and trade-secrets theft, they said at a hearing Thursday in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. The case, initiated last year, was part of a series of moves against Huawei by the Trump administration, which has portrayed the Chinese telecoms giant as a national security threat. Mao was initially held without bail in a federal lock-up. The plea is a setback in the federal government's battle against what it alleges is trade-secret theft by Chinese technology companies." House And Senate Poised To Extend Trump-Era Investigations. Politico (11/12, Cheney, Desiderio, 4.29M) says President Trump "will be a private citizen in January. But Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are poised to carry on the investigations and legal battles that helped define his presidency." Politico says that in the House, Democrats are "still in court fighting to obtain Trump's financial records and testimony from his first White House counsel Don McGahn, a key figure in the obstruction of justice case against Trump." Meanwhile, in the Senate, Republicans are "plotting ways to expand and intensify their investigations targeting the former Obama administration" and Joe and Hunter Biden, "with Senate Republicans saying they will use the lame duck period to ramp up their probes." EFTA01658744  Opinion: Prosecutors May Accelerate Hunter Biden Probe During Lame Duck Period. Jonathan Turley, the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, writes in an op-ed in The Hill (11/12, 2.98M) that prosecutors involved in the Russia and Hunter Biden probes "may now face pressure to move faster in the final two months of the administration." Former Vice President Biden has "dismissed the probe as an 'investigation of the investigators." The Russia investigation "could result in new evidence," and could "shed light on how the initial Russia investigation started and was sustained." Investigations "could set the investigations into the amber of the lame duck as insurance against interference from the next administration." CNN: Internal White House Debate Over Fate Of Haspel. CNN (11/12, Cohen, Collins, Salama, 83.16M) reports that while some GOP lawmakers have "publicly defended" CIA Director Haspel, "outside of Capitol Hill, there are conflicting views about whether Trump should follow through with his threat to oust Haspel, and competing factions within the administration are lobbying the President accordingly." National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, among others, has urged the President not to dismiss Haspel, but "several people inside the White House are pushing for her removal." A person "familiar with the situation" says that some Trump advisers "believe Haspel has been 'insubordinate' to both the President and" DNI Ratcliffe, "arguing she routinely circumvents the chain of command to further her own agenda and that of the CIA." Independent Investigation Finds Bonanza Media Is A Russian Disinformation Project. A Bellingcat (UK) (11/12) investigation "has discovered evidence that Bonanza Media" is a "disinformation project working in coordination with Russia's military intelligence." Bellingcat has not yet "established conclusively whether" the GRU "was behind the initial launch and funding of the Bonanza Media project." However, the investigative platform "established that shortly after it was launched, senior members of the GRU entered into direct and regular communication with the project leader." The significance of the findings is the "potential role of Bonanza Media as a source of evidence in the ongoing criminal trial over the downing of flight MH17 in 2014." The outlets authenticated "emails from the mailboxes of two senior GRU officers obtained by a Russian hacktivist group." It also reviewed "phone call logs of these two GRU officers independently obtained by us from whistle-blowers with access to Russian telecoms data." UC Global Spied On Assange For Ecuadorian Intelligence, Says Ex Manager. Computer Weekly (11/12, Goodwin) reports that UC Global, "the company accused of spying on WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in the Embassy of Ecuador," acted "on the orders of Ecuador's intelligence services." Michel Wallemacq, the firm's former head of operations, gave "evidence to a Spanish court investigating claims the UC Global's founder David Morales ordered video and audio surveillance of meetings between Julian Assange and visitors, including lawyers, doctors and journalists." Two former UC Global staff members "have claimed in anonymous witness statements that the company's founder supplied surveillance footage and audio recordings to 'American friends', which were passed on to the CIA." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS US Charges South Carolina Inmate With Trying To Hire Hitman To Kill Prosecutor. The Columbia (SC) State (11/12, Monk, 390K) reports from Columbia, South Carolina, "A plot by an inmate at the Edgefield County federal prison to hire a hit man to kill a federal prosecutor has been foiled, a complaint made public Thursday charged." Richard Gilbert, 49, "an inmate who was incarcerated at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institute, a medium security facility, EFTA01658745 tried to hire a contract killer to do away with a federal prosecutor and the key witness in a Kentucky drug case in which Gilbert was convicted, the complaint said. Gilbert is charged with retaliating against an informant, murder for hire and money laundering, the complaint said. Unknown to Gilbert, the `hit man' he was talking with was an undercover FBI agent, the complaint said." The Greenwood (SC) Index-Journal (11/12, 35K) reports, "Gilbert, who is currently confined in Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution, was indicted on counts of murder for hire, retaliation against an informant and money laundering. Gilbert, 51, was arrested in 2017 after selling methamphetamine to two undercover officers in Kentucky. Last year, he was sentenced to 130 months in prison." The Index-Journal adds, "Last month, a confidential informant in the prison told authorities Gilbert planned to have the informant associated with his 2017 arrest killed. Afterward, the affidavit said, Gilbert was hoping to have someone kill an assistant U.S. attorney and perhaps a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent who worked his case. The informant's notes included names of the individuals. At the Federal Bureau of Investigation's direction, the informant arranged a number of phone conversations between Gilbert and an undercover agent that included discussion of how to kill the target and how Gilbert would compensate him. He even told the agent how to drive to the target's house while avoiding cameras." The Spartanburg (SC) Herald-Journal (11/12, Boyd, 134K) reports, "Following multiple recorded phone calls, Gilbert sent the undercover officer a $2,000 check from his prison canteen account as a down payment for the retaliatory murder-for-hire, investigators say. Masking the true purpose of this payment, Gilbert attempted to mislead prison officials by saying the payment was for an `investment firm; investigators say. Gilbert drew maps of where he believed the witness from Kentucky lived, and he provided directions on how to avoid detection by nearby surveillance cameras, investigators say. Gilbert planned to use the income from two rental properties in Kentucky to facilitate the attempted murder-for-hire and retaliation plot, according to investigators." Also reporting are WSPA-TV Greenville, SC (11/12, Coburn, 30K), WYFF-TV Greenville, SC (11/12, 398K), WOLO-TV Columbia, SC (11/12, Olson), and WHNS-TV Greenville, SC (11/12, Ablon, 157K). Documents Show Alleged Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Ringleader Planned To Take Hostages At Capitol Building. WXYZ-TV Detroit (11/12, 236K) reports, "According to newly released court documents, the alleged plot to kidnap and kill Governor Gretchen Whitmer included everyone watching it on TV, that it would take about a week and that no one was coming out alive." According to WXYZ-TV, "The plot was allegedly made by Adam Fox who state and federal officials have called the alleged ringleader. The documents spell out a Plan A that included recruiting 200 men, taking over the entire state Capitol building, taking hostages, executing `tyrants' and have it televised. A secondary plan was to lock the door and set the building on fire. Fourteen men have been charged by the state and the feds in related cases. These documents were filed in Jackson County Court last month where Pete Musico was in tears while a judge considered lowering bond from $1 million to $100,000." The Detroit News (11/12, Dickson, 825K) reports, "The eight-page brief, filed in October in a bid to block a bond reduction for defendant Pete Musico, 42, of Munith was obtained Thursday by The Detroit News. The document sheds light on two plots the Wolverine Watchmen allegedly formed in June, and how, according to authorities, the group's focus shifted from storming the Capitol building in Lansing to kidnapping the state's chief executive. Plan A was revealed only after alleged participant Adam Fox checked the backs and chests of Musico, Joe Morrison, Ty Garbin, Paul Bellar, Daniel Harris and Amanda Keller for wires. The plan: Storm the Capitol building in Lansing, `take hostages, execute tyrants and have it televised.' Then there was Plan B: Storm the Capitol while the Legislature was in session, lock every door, and burn down the building with everyone inside." The Detroit Free Press (11/12, 1.52M) also reports. EFTA01658746 FBI Arrests California Man For Hate Crime Attack On Restaurant. The Canyon (CA) News (11/12) reports from Beverly Hills, California, "William Stepanyan, 22, of Glendale was arrested on Thursday, November 12, for attacking a restaurant in Beverly Hills in what authorities described as a 'hate crime.' The incident transpired on November 4 at around 8:30 p.m." The FBI, "along with the Los Angeles County Probation Department, conducted an investigation into the case, which resulted in Stepanyan's arrest in Glendale, the Beverly Hills Police Department noted in a news release. A probation violation hold has been issued for Stepanyan, who is currently being held without bail at the Beverly Hills Police Department. Authorities classified Stepanyan as one of the 'primary suspects' responsible for the incident. On November 4, a group of between 6 and 8 suspects destroyed property and physically attacked the employees inside the Turkish Café Istanbul restaurant on South Beverly Drive. 'The victims stated that the suspects made derogatory comments during the incident,' according to police." Alaska Man Arrested With Large Amounts Of Drugs. Alaska Native News (11/12) reports, "On Wednesday, Alaska State Troopers announced that the Nome Office of the Western Alaska Alcohol and Narcotics Team, the Anchorage Airport Interdiction Task Force, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, made another arrest in their continuing investigation into drugs in the Nome area that seized approximately 54.2 grams (2 ounces) of methamphetamine and approximately 452.6 grams (1 Ibs) of marijuana bud." According to ANN, "The task force stopped 59-year-old Robert Cahoon, who was traveling to Nome from Anchorage and found the drugs in his possession. The value of the methamphetamine is estimated at $54,200 and the Marijuana at $11,350." Another Defendant Pleads Guilty In New Jersey Drug Trafficking Case. Tap Into New Jersey (11/12, Rodas) reports Jose Agron, who on Thursday pleaded guilty "to conspiring to distribute heroin," is the 15th defendant to admit to being part of a drug trafficking organization that was based in Camden, New Jersey. Tap Into News Jersey highlights that those 15 guilty pleas are the result of an FBI-led investigation. US Charges Four In Missouri Murder-For-Hire Plot. KSDK-TV St. Louis (11/12, Cole, 493K) reports from St. Louis, "A federal grand jury indicted four people in connection with the 2016 murder of Andre Montgomery." Montgomery "is the grandson of Sweetie Pie's owner Robbie Montgomery. Montgomery was killed by gunfire at 3964 Natural Bridge Avenue in the City of St. Louis on March 14, 2016 around 8 p.m. On Thursday, James Timothy Norman, Terica Taneisha Ellis, Waiel Rebhi Yaghnam and Travell Anthony Hill were indicted." Norman, Ellis and Hill "are charged with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and murder-for hire resulting in the death of Montgomery. Norman and Yaghnam are charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and Yaghnam is charged with five counts of aggravated identity theft all in connection with Montgomery's murder-for-hire." Pennsylvania Woman Gets 13 Months In Prison For Drug Trafficking. The Pocono (PA) Record (11/12, McDonald, 51K) reports a federal judge has sentenced Pennsylvania resident Jennifer Annette Bush to 13 months in prison "and a three-year term of supervised release for drug trafficking." The case against Bush "was investigated by the FBI," the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Marijuana-Related Search Warrant Operation Conducted In Arizona. The Navajo Times (AZ). (11/12, Becenti, 66K) reports the DEA and the FBI were involved with an investigation that led to a recent search warrant operation in Shiprock, Arizona. O