EFTA00160901.pdf

From: FBI News Briefin : 1 To: "FBINewsBriefing" ce. Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL) - FBI Daily News Briefing - November 29, 2021 Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2021 11:20:08 +0000 Importance: Normal View in Browser Federal Bureau of Investigation November 29, 2021 Seal Federal Bureau of Investigation Daily News Briefing (In coordination with the Office of Public Affairs) Mobile version and searchable archives available at https://fbi.barbaricumanalytics.com Table of Contents IN THE NEWS • Attorney General Instructs U.S. Attorneys to Prioritize Unruly Airplane Passenger Prosecution • More Omicron Cases Pop Up As World Rushes to Learn More • New York Declares State of Emergency to Combat Omicron Variant • Supreme Court Set to Take Up All-Or-Nothing Abortion Fight CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS • Oath Keeper Charged in U.S. Capitol Riot • Schiff Says Mark Meadows Contempt Decision Imminent • Stop the Steal' Rally Organizer Will Comply With Congressional Subpoena • Bannon Wants Contempt Case Documents to be Publicly Released • FBI Solicits Thanksgiving Dinner Tips for Capitol Riot Suspects • Un-Remorseful Texas Real Estate Agent Prepping for Jail With YouTube Videos • Indiana Man Gets Probation for Entering Capitol on Jan. 6 • Multiple Jan. 6 Defendants Request Permission To Travel Over Thanksgiving • Jan. 6 Rally-Goers Describe Intimidating Visits From the FBI • Analysis: Four Months Into The Jan. 6 Probe, Here's Where Things Stand • Jan. 6 Organizers Used Burner Phones to Communicate With White House • 'Sedition Hunters' Seek to Identify Participants on Jan. 6 Capitol Attack • Prosecutors Slam 6th Try for Release From Riot Defendant Who Said The People Who Stormed the Capitol Were Like 'Disney World Crowds' • North Hills Man Charged with Taking Part in Capitol Riot • Trump Gives Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik the Nod to Testify Before Jan. 6 Committee • Jan. 6 Panel Faces Double-Edged Sword with Alex Jones, Roger Stone • Opinion: The One Obvious Statute the DOJ Could Use to Prosecute Trump for Jan. 6 EFTA00160901  • Potential Biden Supreme Court Pick Joins Fray Over Trump Jan. 6 Subpoena • NJ Mom Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Spared Prison • What is the 1st Amendment Praetorian, the Obscure Far-Right Group Subpoenaed by the January 6 Committee? • Two New York Men Arrested in Capitol Riot COUNTERTERRORISM • Lawyers For Accused 9/11 Plotters Say Government Withheld Public Information • Opinion: Unite the Right Verdict Sends an Urgent Message COUNTERINTELLIGENCE • FBI Declares 'Havana Syndrome' a 'Top Priority • Digital Technology Poses New Obstacle for U.S. Spies • He Leaked U.S. Missile Secrets. It Turned Into 'a Dark Comedy of Errors.' CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Prosecutor Acknowledged Suspect's 'Inappropriately Low' Bail Before Waukesha Parade Tragedy • FBI Investigates Possible Lead on Jimmy Hoffa Case • Lawyer, Police Kept Knowledge of Laundrie Family's Missing Gun From Public • FBI Arrests Suspect Accused of Making Bomb Threats to Schools and Hospitals in Oregon • Zoom-Bomb' Attackers Not Associated with Gonzaga University • Joliet Financial Advisor Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges • Former Sorority Executive Stole $228,000 From Organization • Police Say Man Suspected in Denver Slaying Arrested in LA • Federal Officials Are Finally Acting on the Crisis of Missing Indigenous People in America • Indiana Mom Kidnaps Woman in Search for Witness in Her Son's Criminal Trial, Feds Say • Ohio Man Accused of Kidnapping 5-Year-Old Wanted to 'Run Away With Her • Massachusetts Man Found Hiding Under Porch Facing More Than 20 Charges, Including Kidnapping • Ex-Youth Football Coach Gets 45 Years For Recording His Sexual Abuse of Three Minors • FBI Investigating Child Rape Allegations That Went Ignored for a Decade • Former Missouri Middle School Teacher Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Illicit Sex With Her Student • Cortland County Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Child Exploitation • More Than 80 Stolen Cars Recovered by Connecticut Task Force • FBI Agents Investigating Recent Car Thefts and Larcenies in Missouri • Driver Wanted by FBI for Armed Bank Robbery Flees to Ohio, Escaping Police • $25,000 in Luxury Purses Stolen in Latest 'Grab and Go' Theft in California CYBER DIVISION • FBI Warns Industries of Cyberattacks Over the Holidays • Opinion: Iranian Hackers Indictment Shows Vulnerability of Online Voter Registration LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Police Association Asks Public to 'Stop Filming and Start Helping' When Officers Are Attacked EFTA00160902  • FBI Investigating May Police Shooting Death of Louisiana Infant • Statewide Violence Demands Coordinated Police Response in MD, Says Former FBI Agent • With Federal Oversight in Short Supply, State AGs Step into Probe Troubled Police INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • CCP Internal Police Leader Elected to Interpol Executive Committee Despite International Outcry OTHER FBI NEWS • Roger Stone Says FBI is Acting Like Biden's 'Personal Gestapo' • Could These Epstein Insiders Bring Down Ghislaine Maxwell? • Despite Biden Vow, Afghanistan Evacuees Admitted to U.S. Underwent Almost No Vetting • Arbery, Rittenhouse Cases Spotlight Self-Defense, and Vigilantism • Judge Vacates Death Sentences of Man Who Was to be Executed for a Crime He Says He Didn't Commit • Opinion: Military, Justice, FBI — Half the Country Has Lost Faith in Pillars of U.S. Civilization • Cuomo's Early Book Dealings Outrage Officials Tasked With Pandemic Response • Longtime Erie FBI Agent Targets Relationship Building in New Role as Supervisory Senior Agent • Commentary: Did the FBI Order Malcolm X's Murder? New Revelations Raise an Old Question INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Taiwan Sends Jets After 27 Chinese Planes Enter Buffer Zone • Taiwan, Europe Must Defend Democracy Together, President Says • As China Speeds Up Nuclear Arms Race, the U.S. Wants to Talk • China Carried Out 'Combat Readiness Patrol' as U.S. Lawmakers Visited Taipei • Baltic Lawmakers Meet Taiwan's Tsai, Stepping Up Cooperation • Asian Leaders at Economic Summit Vow to Help Afghanistan • Ukraine Leader Alleges Russia-Backed Coup Planned Next Week • UK, Israel to Work Together to Stop Iran Gaining Nuclear Weapons OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Biden's Nearly $2 Trillion Social Spending and Climate Bill Is a Boon for Unions • Local News Outlets Could Reap $1.7 Billion in Build Back Better Aid • Biden's Economic Plans Collide With Inflation Reality • Biden to Nominate Shalanda Young as Budget Director • Biden to Nominate Shalanda Young as Budget Director • Biden Leads Democratic Push to Block New Abortion Restrictions After Shifting Stance in Campaign • Interior Dept. Report on Drilling Is Mostly Silent on Climate Change • Former Defense Chief Mark Esper Sues Pentagon Over Book Redactions BIG PICTURE • Wall Street Journal • New York Times • Washington Post • Financial Times EFTA00160903  . ABC News • CBS News . NBC News . Fox News WASHINGTON SCHEDULE IN THE NEWS Attorney General Instructs U.S. Attorneys to Prioritize Unruly Airplane Passenger Prosecution The Associated Press (11/24, Balsamo) reported that Attorney General Merrick Garland has directed U.S. attorneys across the country to swiftly prioritize the prosecution of federal crimes that happen on commercial flights as federal officials face a historic number of investigations into passenger behavior. Garland's memo, issued Wednesday, emphasizes that the Justice Department is committed to aggressively prosecuting violent passengers who assault crew members or endanger the safety of other passengers. The article noted that federal law prohibits interfering with a flight crew, including assaulting, intimidating, or threatening crew members. According to CNN (11/24, Perez), Garland's memo cites dozens of cases referred by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the FBI for investigations of violent air travel incidents. The referrals are the result of an information-sharing system in place between the agencies. Reuters (11/24, Shepardson) noted that U.S. airlines have reported a record number of disruptive and sometimes violent incidents this year, and the FAA has pledged a "zero-tolerance" approach. Through Nov. 23, there have been 5,338 reports of unruly passenger incidents, including 3,856 related to pandemic face-covering regulations. ABC News (11/26, Barr), NBC News (11/24, Williams), CNBC (11/24, Constantino), The Epoch Times (11/26, Hung), the New York Post (11/25, Patteson), the Washington Examiner (11/24, Severi), the Independent (11/24, Woodward), and Newsweek (11/24, McDade) also reported on the story. More Omicron Cases Pop Up As World Rushes to Learn More The Associated Press (11/28, Corder, Moulson, Collins) and the New York Times (11/28, Breeden, Moses, Chutel) reported that multiple nations are reimposing restrictions as detected cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant increased over the weekend. Non-African countries that have detected the variant among their populations now include Australia, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Israel, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Coverage quoted Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who appeared on several Sunday morning talk shows saying that while the variant has yet to be detected in the United States, "maintaining vigilance and safeguarding public health through inoculations, masking indoors and distancing, remains critical." Coverage also quoted Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who said that it is "inevitable" that the variant will reach the United States, and that its impending arrival is another reason to get vaccinated or get a booster. On a related note, the Washington Post (11/28, Abutaleb, Nirappil, Roubein, Pannett) reported that the Biden administration is focusing on booster shots as a "key weapon" in the effort to protect Americans from the Omicron variant. Coverage from the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal (11/28, Lieber) noted that there is still little known about the severity of illness caused by the variant and the rate of hospitalization and that in a week "researchers could have a better indication of how well vaccines protect against the new variant." Additionally, the Wall Street Journal (11/28, Cutter, Kang) reported on the private sector's response to the news of the Omicron variant, noting that companies' heads are approaching the news with "concern and confusion," and that many companies "cautioned that they would hold off in making changes to operations until more is known?' Many outlets worldwide reported on the emergence of the Omicron variant, including CBS News (11/28, Quinn), Forbes (11/28, Drake), The Hill (11/28, Oshin), Politico (11/28, Bice), Fox News (11/28, Blitzer), CNBC (11/28, Bursztynsky), Business Insider (11/28, Staff Writer), HuffPast (11/28, Golgowsky), United Press International (11/28, Uria), New York Post (11/28, Salo), Axios (11/28, Reyes) and Newsweek (11/28, Zhao). New York Declares State of Emergency to Combat Omicron Variant The Associated Press (11/26, Staff Writer) and the Wall Street Journal (11/27, Randazzo) reported that New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Friday in advance of a potential surge in COVID-19 cases in the state due to the emergence of the Omicron variant in Africa, Europe, and Australia. Coverage noted that the EFTA00160904 emergency declaration intends to boost hospital capacity, address staffing shortages and limit non-essential surgeries. The New York Times (11/28, Delkic, Heyward) reported on the responses and measures being taken to prepare for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant by governors across the country. The story was also reported on by the Washington Post (11/27, Jeong), Fox News (11/26, Sabes), Bloomberg (11/27, Banjo), The Hill (11/27, Lonas), Newsweek (11/27, Villarreal), Epoch Times (11/26, Ly), Axios (11/27, Doherty), The Guardian (11/27, Helmore), The Independent (11/27, Dodds) and HuffPost (11/27, Papenfuss). Supreme Court Set to Take Up All-Or-Nothing Abortion Fight The Associated Press (11/28, Sherman) reported that on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a potential landmark case concerning reproductive rights. According to the article, the case comes from Mississippi, where a 2018 law "would ban abortions after 1S weeks of pregnancy, well before viability. The Supreme Court has never allowed states to ban abortion before the point at roughly 24 weeks when a fetus can survive outside the womb." The article also noted that the outcome of the case could reaffirm the constitutional right to an abortion, as was decided in Roe v. Wade, overrule Roe v. Wade, or uphold the Mississippi law without explicitly overruling Roe v. Wade. The Wall Street Journal (11/28, Lucey) reported that President Biden is leading Democratic efforts to block new restrictions on abortion and that his administration is currently challenging a Texas law that effectively bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. The article noted that the controversial nature of the issue has not eluded Biden, a Catholic, as several Catholic bishops have criticized the president for supporting a woman's right to choose. The story was also covered by Politico (11/28, Rice), CNN (11/28, Biskupic), NBC News (11/28, Atkins), Insider (11/28, Dawson), and Newsweek (11/28, Landen). Back to Top CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Oath Keeper Charged in U.S. Capitol Riot CNN (11/24, Lybrand, Rabinowitz) reported that James Beeks, a Florida man, and an actor playing Judas in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" has joined the list of Oath Keepers charged for participating in the US Capitol riot on January 6. According to the article, Reeks approached the group of Oath Keepers as they walked to the Capitol and said he was a member. Prosecutors later discovered that Reeks had paid dues to the Oath Keepers organization two weeks before the attack. The article noted that, unlike other Oath Keepers who came to the Capitol clad in body armor, Reeks was photographed wearing a Michael Jackson BAD world tour jacket. Reeks regularly performs as a Michael Jackson impersonator, FBI agents noted in court documents. His YouTube page describes him as "one of the Top Michael Jackson Tribute artists in the US." The Washington Post (11/24, Bella), NBC News (11/24, Fieldstadt), Business Insider (11/24, Rostock), and The Hill (11/24, Rai) also reported on the story. Schiff Says Mark Meadows Contempt Decision Imminent The Guardian (11/28, Pengelly) reported that the House select committee investigating the Capitol attack is likely to decide this week whether to charge Mark Meadows, Donald Trump's final White House chief of staff, with criminal contempt of Congress, a key panel member said. "I think we will probably make a decision this week on our course of conduct with that particular witness and maybe others," Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and chair of the House intelligence committee, told CNN's State of the Union. The article also noted that Schiff said he was concerned about the Department of Justice, for a perceived lack of interest in investigating Trump's actions, including asking officials in Georgia to "find" votes which would overturn his defeat by Joe Biden. "I am concerned that there does not appear to be an investigation unless it's being done very quietly by the justice department of ... the former president on the phone with the Georgia secretary of state, asking him to find, really demanding he finds 11,780 votes that don't exist, the precise number he would need to overturn Joe Riden's victory in that state. I think if you or I were on that call and reported we'd be under investigation or indictment by now for a criminal effort to defraud the people in Georgia and the people in the country." Reuters (11/28, Gallagher) and CNN (11/28, Video) also reported on the story. Stop the Steal' Rally Organizer Will Comply With Congressional Subpoena Business Insider (11/28, Dzhanova) reported that Ali Alexander, the organizer behind the "Stop the Steal" rally in Washington, DC, said he will comply with a congressional subpoena over his role in the Capitol riot on January 6. "The only reason I'm going is that I don't want to go to jail," he said. "So under the threat of imprisonment and spending tens and tens and tens of thousands of dollars on lawyers, I will be privately deposed before this EFTA00160905 committee in December." The article noted that so far, at least 702 people have been charged in relation to the riot. The Daily Beast (11/27, Petrizzo) also reported on the story Bannon Wants Contempt Case Documents to be Publicly Released The Independent (11/26, Woodward) reported that Donald Trump's former White House adviser Steve Bannon wants documents from his contempt-of-Congress case to be made public, as his lawyers filed a motion to oppose a protective order that prohibits both sides of the case from publicly releasing such evidence. According to the article, Bannon surrendered himself to the FBI three days after a District of Columbia grand jury indicted him on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress after he defied a subpoena commanding him to give evidence before a select House of Representatives committee investigating the 6 January attack on the US Capitol. He has pleaded not guilty. "The Government offered no reason why it wanted to limit Bannon's attorneys in their use of the documents to prepare a defense," according to a statement from Bannon's team provided to the Washington Post (11/25, Alemany). CBS News (11/26, Watson) and The Hill (11/26, Mastrangelo) also reported on the story. FBI Solicits Thanksgiving Dinner Tips for Capitol Riot Suspects The Washington Examiner (11/25, Chaitin) reported that the FBI is asking for extra help this Thanksgiving in tracking down people who were involved in the Capitol riot. According to the article, the bureau's Chicago field office sent a tweet Thursday requesting members of the public consider reporting fellow holiday dinner goers if they look like someone who may have been involved in the unlawful entry and violence that took place in the nation's capital on Jan. 6. The article noted that the FBI tweeted links to a database of videos and photos of individuals who federal investigators are still trying to identify more than 10 months later. Un-Remorseful Texas Real Estate Agent Prepping for Jail With YouTube Videos The Independent (11/25, Graziosi) reported that Jenna Ryan is preparing for her prison stay by watching YouTube videos about prison life. She said she plans to do "a lot of yoga" while incarcerated, as she "has already written a book." The article noted that unfortunately for Ryan, her book, a self-help read, was dropped by her publisher. According to the article, Ryan not only posted a video on social media saying "We're gonna go down and storm the Capitol," but she later posted another, longer video in which she shows her face to the camera and says her full name while advertising her company, and the fact that she is going to break federal law by participating in an attempted insurrection. "We are going to f***ing go in here. Life or death, it doesn't matter. Here we go." she said, according to court documents. "Y'all know who to hire for your Realtor, Jenna Ryan for your Realtor." Indiana Man Gets Probation for Entering Capitol on Jan. 6 The Associated Press (11/25, Staff Writer) reported that Jonathan Sanders has been sentenced to three years' probation for his part in the Jan. 6 riot during which the crowd stormed the U.S. Capitol. The Indianapolis Star (11/24, Nelson) reported that video footage showed Sanders in the Capitol that day. According to the article, the FBI investigation in Sanders' activities began after it received a tip that Sanders was in a Vincennes bakery bragging about being within 70 feet of protester Ashli Babbitt when Capitol police fatally shot her. The article noted that the 61-year-old Sanders told investigators he drove to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 5 with two friends to attend the "Stop the Steal" rally to support President Donald Trump, who lost re-election the previous November. He said he followed a crowd into the Capitol and "also heard that a lady was shot" Multiple Jan. 6 Defendants Request Permission To Travel Over Thanksgiving Newsweek (11/24, Palmer) reported that in the days leading up to the November 25 celebrations, several suspects accused of taking part in the January 6 attack who are not being held in custody have made formal court requests to make Thanksgiving travel plans without violating their pretrial release conditions. The article noted that despite the seriousness of some of the charges against the defendants, courts tend to allow predetermined requests for short travel for suspects ahead of their trials. "Courts tend not to restrict travel any more than they have to before a case has been closed," NBC4's Scott MacFarlane said, citing a conversation with a former federal prosecutor. Jan. 6 Rally-Goers Describe Intimidating Visits From the FBI The Epoch Times (11/24, Brelje) reported that while many have been arrested for participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 rally in support of President Donald Trump, many others have been questioned by the FBI about their presence there that day. Those who have been questioned say a visit from the FBI is intimidating and made them think twice about speaking their mind politically in the future. "The investigation into the events at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 is ongoing, led by our Washington Field Office. FBI Philadelphia, like field offices across the country, has provided EFTA00160906 and will continue to provide any assistance requested by Washington Field Office in this matter," said FBI spokeswoman Carrie Adamowski. Analysis: Four Months Into The Jan. 6 Probe, Here's Where Things Stand The Washington Post (11/24, Alemany, Meyer) reported that the select committee of nine lawmakers and its team of investigators hasn't been satisfied with the FBI's response: the committee "has been pressing the FBI to turn over additional documents related to the bureau's handling of Jan. 6, frustrated that it has not yet received more material, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to do so publicly." The article noted that another area of focus for the panel is "the FBI's reluctance to formally investigate outspoken Trump supporters after classifying many online discussions about Jan. 6 violence as First Amendment-protected speech." Jan. 6 Organizers Used Burner Phones to Communicate With White House The Hill (11/24, Choi) reported that organizers of the "Stop the Steal" rally that preceded the deadly Capitol attack on Jan. 6 allegedly communicated with members of former President Trump's family and administration. According to the article, multiple sources told Rolling Stone that Kylie Kremer, an organizer for the rally that took place at D.C.'s Ellipse park, had an aide buy three burner phones a few days before Jan. 6. The article noted that the phones were used to communicate with high-ranking members of Trump's inner circle, including his son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law and former campaign official Lara Trump, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Trump surrogate Katrina Pierson. 'Sedition Hunters' Seek to Identify Participants on Jan. 6 Capitol Attack WMAQ (NBC-5) (11/24, Rogers) reported that a loose network of self-styled internet detectives, "sedition hunters", have continued to scour the internet in their free time and of their own accord, trying to put names with the digital videos and images from the uprising. According to the article, the FBI, which maintains its site of suspects in the attack on the Capitol, said the agency welcomes the sedition hunters' assistance. "The FBI encourages the public to continue to send tips," the FBI said in a statement. "The FBI continues to work diligently to identify and arrest those who participated in the violence at the U.S. Capitol." Prosecutors Slam 6th Try for Release From Riot Defendant Who Said The People Who Stormed the Capitol Were Like 'Disney World Crowds' Business Insider (11/26, Niemeyer) reported that prosecutors slammed a Capitol riot defendant's sixth request for pre-trial release in which he said he entered the Rotunda "peacefully" to take photos and that the crowd around him "looked like Disney World crowds." According to the article, Judge Amit Mehta denied Kenneth Harrelson's latest try at release, saying his request was "rife with outlandish arguments." In a previous plea for release that Mehta denied, Harrelson cited COVID-19 conspiracy theories as a reason that he should be released from custody before his trial. The article noted that prosecutors shut down Harrelson's "ludicrous claim" that crowds entered the Capitol peacefully, citing a video he took inside the building showing "his co-conspirators (and possibly Harrelson himself)" chanting "Treason!" as they forced their way inside. North Hills Man Charged with Taking Part in Capitol Riot The OC Register (11/24, Emery) reported that Edward Badalian and Daniel Rodriguez, who was previously accused of using an electroshock weapon against an officer during the Capitol insurrection, are facing a variety of federal charges, including conspiracy, obstruction, entering a restricted building and theft and destruction of government property, according to a superseding indictment filed in federal court on Nov. 17. According to the article, Badalian and Rodriguez reportedly created a group chat on the Telegram app, called "Patriots 45 MAGA Gang," that prosecutors allege was used as a platform to "advocate violence against certain groups and individuals" who "supported" the results of the 2020 presidential election. The article noted that Badalian, Rodriguez, and a third defendant, whose name is currently redacted in court documents, encouraged others to attend the Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally that proceeded the riot and collected "weapons and tactical gear" that included "a taser, pepper spray, a baseball bat, gas masks and walkie talkies." The article also noted that the men allegedly entered the Capitol through a window other rioters had broken. According to the indictment, the three opened bags in lawmakers' offices, rifled through papers on desks, and took emergency escape hoods. After leaving the building, Rodriguez allegedly posted in the "Patriots 45" chat "OMG I did so much (expletives) and got away," adding "Tazzzzzed the (expletive) out of the blue." Trump Gives Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik the Nod to Testify Before Jan. 6 Committee EFTA00160907 The New York Daily News (11/24, Goldiner) reported that former President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he's given the former NYPD commissioner Bernie Kerik the green light to comply with a subpoena for testimony issued by the congressional select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to the article, Kerik may use the demand for information as a publicity stunt. The article noted that the twice impeached president said the recently pardoned Trump loyalist is eager to answer the committee's questions about their campaign to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Jan. 6 Committee Makes False Accusation Against Giuliani Investigator The Washington Examiner (11/24, King) reported that the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot reportedly made a false accusation against a witness, Bernard Kerik, who worked for former President Donald Trump's attorney Rudy Giuliani to investigate the 2020 election. According to the article, the committee accused Kerik in a subpoena of attending a meeting in Washington, D.C., to discuss possible ways of overturning the 2020 presidential election. However, tollbooth records contradict this claim and show that he was in New York City at the time of the alleged meeting. Jan. 6 Panel Faces Double-Edged Sword with Alex Jones, Roger Stone The Hill (11/26, Beitsch) reported that the House committee investigating the attack on the Capitol faces both risk and reward by turning to two Trump allies with a history of lying as it seeks to map out the planning and financing of the Jan. 6 rallies. According to the article, the select panel on Monday subpoenaed known conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Jones as well as Roger Stone, a longtime confidant of former President Trump, whom he pardoned a conviction on five counts of lying to Congress during the Mueller investigation. "They've clearly demonstrated a willingness if not a propensity to lie. Roger Stone was convicted of lying to Congress, and of course, Alex Jones is a Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist and 9/11 denier. So there is concern about their willingness, to tell the truth, and there is also a strong risk that, as such public and ardent supporters of Donald Trump, there could be two more people that flout the subpoena powers of Congress, leaving the committee to decide whether to pursue a criminal referral for contempt of Congress," said Barbara McQuade, who served as a U.S. attorney during the Obama administration. Opinion: The One Obvious Statute the DOJ Could Use to Prosecute Trump for Jan. 6 Slate (11/24, Purcell Jr.) reported that numerous investigations and reports have produced substantial evidence of probable cause that Trump and his operatives violated at least one criminal statute, 18 U.S.C. Section 241. That statute makes it a federal crime for "two or more persons" to conspire to prevent anyone from exercising or enjoying any right or privilege secured by the Constitution or laws of the U.S., and it makes such crime punishable by fine, or imprisonment up to ten years. The article opined that the broad language of Section 241 clearly encompasses the actions of those involved in Trump's coup attempt, and the Court's precedents support that conclusion. Evidence currently available shows that the conspirators agreed to a common scheme to overthrow the results of the 2020 presidential election, took innumerable acts designed to accomplish that goal, and intended thereby to effectively deprive millions of voters in half a dozen states, and the rest of the 81 million Americans who voted for Joe Biden, of their right to vote and have their votes properly counted. The article also opined that a Dal investigation is the only governmental option capable of surely and effectively countering the delay tactics being used against the Jan. 6 committee. Potential Biden Supreme Court Pick Joins Fray Over Trump Jan. 6 Subpoena The Hill (11/28, Kruzel) reported that Ketanji Jackson, seen by Democrats as a top contender for a future Supreme Court vacancy, is one of three judges assigned the weighty task of reviewing former President Trump's bid to block a congressional subpoena for records related to the Jan. 6 attack. "Judge Jackson's role in the executive privilege fight will no doubt play a prominent spot in a nomination hearing if, as anticipated, she is ultimately selected as the next nominee for the Supreme Court by President Biden," said Bradley Moss, a national security law expert, and partner in the Law Office of Mark S. Zaid. NJ Mom Charged In Jan. 6 Capitol Riot Spared Prison Patch (11/24, Gaskins) reported that Rasha Abual-Ragheb, an Essex County mother who proudly posed for photos on Jan. 6 during the Capitol Riot and declared that "the civil war was coming" in the days after, has avoided prison time. Abual-Ragheb will spend two months in home detention followed by 36 months of probation. According to the article, the judge, who admitted her social media posts were troubling, reasoned that the single mother of two "showed up in a tutu" on Jan. 6, and not military gear like so many others. The article noted that on Jan. 7th, a EFTA00160908 witness reported to the FBI Philadelphia Division that Rasha Abual-Ragheb's Facebook page was seen showing Abual-Ragheb at the protest in Washington, DC. What is the 1st Amendment Praetorian, the Obscure Far-Right Group Subpoenaed by the January 6 Committee? CNN (11/24, Cohen) reported that an obscure far-right paramilitary group is in the spotlight this week after getting subpoenaed by the House select committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. According to the article, the committee subpoenaed the 1st Amendment Praetorian, a group founded in 2020 that recruits military veterans and former police officers to provide security at right-wing events. Lawmakers also subpoenaed the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, extremist organizations with dozens of members who are facing criminal charges in connection with January 6. The panel said these subpoenas could shed light on how pro-Trump groups planned for violence that day. The article noted that the group provided security at pro-Trump rallies in November and December 2020 that were followed by violence and arrests on the streets of DC. They were also present at a rally on January 5 that featured incendiary speeches from far-right provocateurs like Alexander and Roger Stone, and conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones. Two New York Men Arrested in Capitol Riot The Highlands Current (11/26, Rowe) reported that Gregory Purdy Jr. and Matthew Purdy were arrested on Nov. 10 and charged with federal crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. According to the article, the brothers surrendered to the FBI in New Windsor. According to the article, Purdy Jr. and Matthew Purdy entered the Capitol through a door that had been kicked in and remained inside for about 15 minutes. The article noted that according to the FBI, "the crowd then appeared to push forward against the officers and Purdy-Schwartz can be seen making contact with an officer. Purdy Jr. made contact with an officer, as well." Back to Top COUNTERTERRORISM Lawyers For Accused 9/11Plotters Say Government Withheld Public Information The Intercept (11/28, Williams) reported that defense lawyers for the men accused of planning and carrying out the September 11attacks, including one representing accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, told a war court in Guantanamo Bay this month that the sanitized summaries of CIA cables provided to defense attorneys for the five alleged attackers do not contain critical details such as dates and which torture techniques were used. The article noted that meanwhile, journalists for The Intercept and other publications, as well as the American Civil Liberties Union, have received fuller access to the cables by requesting them directly from the CIA under the Freedom of Information Act. "We have a distinct difference between what's available to the defendants in this capital case in discovery on the one hand and to the general public under FOIA in another," David Nevin, an attorney for Mohammed, told the court. "And apparently there are situations in which security-cleared lawyers defending people in this capital case on trial for their life are entitled to less information than is available to the general public." Opinion: Unite the Right Verdict Sends an Urgent Message CNN (11/24, Ghitis) opined that for those growing increasingly worried about the prospect of more deadly political violence in the United States, Tuesday's verdict by a Charlottesville jury, which held extreme far-right leaders and groups that organized and participated in the violent 2017 rally liable for more than $26 million in damages, came as very welcome news. According to the article, the threats posed by extremist rhetoric and violence have not vanished, but in an environment like the one we're living in, the Charlottesville victory was important. "Coming just before Thanksgiving, it gives one more reason to celebrate, however cautiously, during these perilous times." Back to Top COUNTERINTELLIGENCE FBI Declares 'Havana Syndrome' a 'Top Priority Reuters (11/24, Hosenball) reported that the FBI said on Wednesday that dealing with the issue of "anomalous health incidents", widely known as Havana Syndrome, is a top priority and that it will keep investigating the cause EFTA00160909 and how to protect staff. About 200 U.S. diplomats, officials, and family members overseas are believed to have been struck by the mysterious ailment - with symptoms including migraines, nausea, memory lapses, and dizziness. It was first reported among U.S. officials in the Cuban capital in 2016. "The issue of anomalous health incidents is a top priority for the FBI, as the protection, health, and well-being of our employees and colleagues across the federal government is paramount," the agency said in a statement. NBC News (11/24, Dilanian) added that the statement amounted to the FBI's first formal acknowledgment that some of its current or former employees could have symptoms of Havana Syndrome, which got its name after a group of diplomats and CIA officers reported symptoms in 2016 at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba. Fox News (11/26, Aitken), The Guardian (11/25, Staff Writer), and the New York Post (11/24, Crane) also reported on the story. Additionally, NBC News (11/24, Video) reported on the story via video. CIA Chief Warns Russians of Consequences if They Caused 'Havana Syndrome' The Washington Post (11/24, Hudson) reported that CIA Director William J. Burns delivered a confidential warning to Russia's top intelligence services that they will face "consequences" if they are behind the string of mysterious health incidents known as "Havana Syndrome" afflicting U.S. diplomats and spies around the world, according to U.S. officials familiar with the exchange. According to the article, Bums raised the issue with the leadership of Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, and the country's Foreign Intelligence Service, the SVR. He told them that causing U.S. personnel and their family members to suffer severe brain damage and other debilitating ailments would go beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior for a "professional intelligence service," said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss highly sensitive conversations. NBC News (11/24, Dilanian, Mitchell) also reported on the story. Digital Technology Poses New Obstacle for U.S. Spies The Wall Street Journal (11/27, Strobel) reported that a trained CIA case officer could once cross borders with a wallet full of aliases or confidently travel through foreign cities undetected to meet agents. Now, he or she faces digital obstacles that are the hallmarks of modern life: omnipresent surveillance cameras and biometric border controls, not to mention smartphones, watches, and automobiles that constantly ping out their location. Then there is "digital dust," the personal record almost everyone leaves across the Internet. According to the article, combined with advances in artificial intelligence that allow rapid sifting of this data, the technologies are fast becoming powerful tools for foreign adversaries to root out spies, according to current and former U.S. and Western intelligence officials. "It's really bad," a former top U.S. counterintelligence official said of the impact on U.S. espionage operations. "It really challenges the fundamental assumptions and approach of how you do business." The article noted that "ubiquitous technical surveillance," as it is known, is now a pervasive concern at the CIA, forcing it to devise new, often more resource-intensive ways of recruiting agents and stealing secrets, the officials said. He Leaked U.S. Missile Secrets. It Turned Into 'a Dark Comedy of Errors. The Daily Beast (11/24, Rohrlich) reported that a former Raytheon missile defense engineer who recently pleaded guilty to leaking U.S. military secrets claims he did so only because his desperate attempts to correct a potentially deadly software error he accidentally made went completely unheeded by authorities. "My approach and code were not adequately reviewed," James Schweitzer said in his first public comments since his arrest. "I was told to ignore the anomaly that I introduced." According to the article, Schweitzer was arrested and charged in December 2020 with malicious mischief and destruction of government property for sharing "national defense information" regarding U.S. missile sensors. Prosecutors said Schweitzer knew some of what he exposed "could result in American casualties abroad or in the United States," which Schweitzer freely admits, insisting that's why he was so eager to sound the alarm. The article noted that Schweitzer claims he reported the alleged software bug to the DoD hotline, the Army, the FBI, and every single member of Congress to no avail. Back to Top CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Prosecutor Acknowledged Suspect's 'Inappropriately Low' Bail Before Waukesha Parade Tragedy CNN (11/26, Nickeas) reported that Darrell Brooks now faces murder charges after he killed six people and wounded more than 60 others by driving through the Waukesha Christmas Parade on Sunday. Brooks was out on bail for two separate allegations of violence, including one where he is accused of using a car to run over a woman EFTA00160910 less than three weeks earlier. Milwaukee prosecutor John Chisholm released a statement Monday morning, saying his office made a mistake in seeking bail of $1,000 in the most recent case involving violent allegations against Brooks. Brooks posted bail about a week after he was charged and was released from custody. According to the article, Chrisholm stated, "The State's bail recommendation, in this case, was inappropriately low in light of the nature of the recent charges and the pending charges against Mr. Brooks, ...The bail recommendation, in this case, is not consistent with the approach of the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office toward matters involving violent crime, nor was it consistent with the risk assessment of the defendant before setting bail." Julie Rendelman, the former prosecutor of homicides who is now a defense attorney, mentioned prosecutors often have a cheat sheet they use to determine their bail requests, and it was unlikely that any bail request guide would suggest $1,000 was appropriate to request considering the allegations of both violence and not showing up for court. Rendleman also said, "This case seems different because he has a lengthy history, has indications that he's not going to come back to court, and the case being brought against him, the allegations are extremely violent." According to the article, During a congressional hearing in late June, Senator Lindsey Graham suggested reforms eliminating cash bail could partially be to blame for the summer violence increase. Graham asked FBI Director Christopher Wray if he believed "one of the reasons crime is on the rise is that certain jurisdictions have basically eliminated bail?" The article also noted that prosecutors have wide discretion in arguing for high or low bail amounts for defendants facing trial, though it's usually up to a judge to decide. Prosecutors also make those choices locally, prosecutors in one county might not prosecute a low-level drug offense while prosecutors two counties away seek years of jail time for the same allegation. White House Stands By Push to End Cash Bail in Wake of Waukesha Parade Attack Fox News (11/24, Singman) reported that the White House is standing by its push to end cash bail, saying the decision to hold defendants should be based on the threat they pose to society, not their ability to pay bail. The article mentioned that the topic of cash bail policies has come into the spotlight this week after Darrell Brooks plowed through a crowd of innocent people attending a Christmas parade in Wisconsin, killing six people, and injuring others. According to the article, Brooks had an extensive criminal history dating back to 1999, including multiple felonies. A convicted sex offender, Brooks posted bail twice in Wisconsin this year, despite having an active warrant for jumping bail on a sex crime charge in Nevada. Earlier this month, Milwaukee prosecutors requested just $1,000 bail for Brooks after he was arrested and charged for punching his girlfriend in the face and then running her over with his car in a gas station parking lot. Prosecutors now admit that bail was too low. The article also noted that the calls to end cash bail come as FBI data shows an unprecedented rise in violent crime, with numbers of murders in the U.S. rising by nearly 30% in 2020, representing the largest single-year increase recorded since the FBI began tracking the statistic. FBI Investigates Possible Lead on Jimmy Hoffa Case Fox News (11/2S, Lee) reported that the FBI confirmed last week they are looking at a spot near a landfill in New Jersey that could be the burial site of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. According to the article, the burial site was reported by Fox Nation and hired a ground-penetrating-radar company, Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, in March 2020 to conduct an underground survey of the location, with a technician describing large pieces of round metal that could be a SS-gallon drum Hoffa was said to have been buried in. FBI obtained a search warrant to examine the site. CNN (11/26, Video) also reported on this article. Lawyer, Police Kept Knowledge of Laundrie Family's Missing Gun From Public CNN (11/26, Romine, Andone) reported that Brian Laundrie's parents discovered a handgun was missing when they voluntarily surrendered their firearms to law enforcement the same day they informed authorities that their son was missing. Laundrie was the subject of a manhunt following the disappearance of his fiancée Gabby Petito, who died by suicide from a gunshot wound to the head and his remains were found in a Florida nature reserve last month. Laundrie's attorney, Steven Bertolino, mentioned that Chris and Roberta Laundrie were surrendering their guns to law enforcement on September 17, the same day they reported their son missing when they discovered one handgun was not in its case. The FBI and North Port police were present at the time of the discovery. Bertolino did not feel it was best for this information to go public because he said, "Imagine, with the frenzied atmosphere at the time, if the public thought Brian had a gun. I cannot speak to why (law enforcement) did not reveal the info but we spoke about it at the time and I believe they felt as I did." According to the article, the circumstances that led to Petito's death remain a mystery. The FBI described her fiancé as a "person of interest" in her murder, but he did not face charges in her death. A federal grand jury had indicted him for allegedly using two accounts that belonged to EFTA00160911 someone else in the days after Petito died. The Epoch Times (11/28, Phillips) and The Independent (11/25, Naughtie) reported on this article. Gabby Petito's Family Attorney Hints at Charges for 'Additional Individuals' in Connection With Her Slaying Newsweek (11/26, Cole) reported that the lawyer representing the family of Gabby Petito, Richard Stafford, has referred to the possibility that "other individuals" may be charged in connection with her death in Wyoming. Petito's partner, Brian Laundrie, was a person of interest in the death of Petito and the discovery of his body on October 19 in the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park near his parents' home in Florida followed a month- long search by law enforcement. Laundrie died by suicide from a gunshot wound to the head and his remains were found in a Florida nature reserve last month. According to the article, there had been speculation over whether any charges would be brought against Laundrie's parents, Christopher and Roberta Laundrie. The article also mentioned that Laundrie returned to his parent's home in the van the couple had been traveling in 10 days before she was reported missi