EFTA00150007.pdf

From: To: Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2020 10:31:06 +0000 Importan c Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. 'FBI News Briefing • TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • FBI Arrests Ohio House Speaker In Corruption Probe. PROTESTS • ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Most Oppose Defunding Police, Removing Statues. • White House Calls Prosecution Of McCloskeys "Extreme Abuse Of Power." • Trump: "The Game Is Over For Me" If Players Kneel During National Anthem. • Minneapolis Police See Surge Of Departures In Wake Of Floyd Protests. • Portland Protests Continue As Trump Considers Sending Federal Officers To Chicago. • Police Officers Attacked As Seattle Protests Continue. • Teens Charged With Terrorism Following Oklahoma City Protests. • Senate Blocks Push To Limit Military Gear For Police. • Atlantic Updates Essay On Police Shooting Written By Activist. • Liberal Virginia Prosecutors, Democratic Legislators Show United Front On Police Overhaul. • Trader Joe's Pledges To Change Packaging After Accusations Of Racism. • Poll: Most Voters Agree Black, Hispanic Americans Face Discrimination. • Facebook Creates Teams To Study Racial Bias On Its Platforms. • Planned Parenthood In New York Disavows Margaret Sanger Over Eugenics. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Tsarnaev Awaits Appeals Court Ruling On Execution. • House Passes Three-Year Extension Of Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program. • Former NCTC Chief Travers Says Cutbacks Raise Risk Of New Terrorist Attacks. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • DO) Prepared For More Mueller Declassifications. • Graham Says Yates, Comey, McCabe Will Be Called To Testify Before Election. • Op-Ed: Mainstream Media Fails To Provide Complete Story On Russia Probe. • Steele Text Messages Introduced At Dossier Defamation Trial In UK. • Senators Seek Answers On Expired FISA Programs. • Biden Says Intelligence Community Is Providing Him Information On Election Interference. EFTA00150007 • DNI Offers August Worldwide Threats Briefing To SSCI. • NSA Chief Says US Will Hit Back At Foreign Meddlers In 2020 Election. • Report: UK Government Did Not Take Russia's Election Interference Seriously. • Senate Report Accuses China Of "Digital Authoritarianism." • Army Official Says Classified Intelligence Telework Environment Coming Soon. • QinetiQ Signs Deal With Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. • Army's New Directorate Eyes Multidomain Integration. • Op-Ed: The US Needs To Respond To EU's Schrems II Decision. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • FBI Probing Links Between Attacks On New Jersey Federal Judge, California Attorney. • Federal Judge Mulls Releasing Ghislaine Maxwell's Testimony About Her Sex Life. • Body Exhumed In Kansas Cold Case As FBI Probes Possible Hate Crime. • FBI Seeks Public Tips, Offers Reward In Effort To Solve 2016 Florida Mass Shooting. • FBI Investigating Attack On Mississippi Police Deputy. • FBI Investigating Ohio Bank Robbery. • Atomwaffen Division Member Pleads Guilty To Making Interstate Threats. • Missouri Man Charged With Child Pornography Possession. • Georgia Man Sentenced Over Child Pornography Production. • Former Maryland Police Officer Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography Possession. • FBI Investigating Idaho Shooting. • Report: FBI Investigating California Voter Fraud In Illinois. • New York Man Sentenced Over Sexual Abuse Of Minors. • Colorado Man Receives New Charges Over Hate Crime. • Former Virginia Gang Member Sentenced For Murder. • FBI Among Agencies Involved In Search For Missing Iowa Girl. • DEA, FBI Involved With Cannabis-Related Operation In Maine. • First Person Arrested As Result Of DO) Operation Facing Drug Charge. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Nevada COVID-19 Fraud Task Force Probing Unemployment Claims. • Illinois Republicans Seek Special Legislative Session To Act On Corruption Probe. • Massachusetts Transit Authority To Pay $300,000 To Settle Fraud Allegations. • FBI Raids Michigan Office In Vitamin C Probe. • Cohen Suit Says He Was Returned To Prison To Stop Book About Trump. CYBER DIVISION • US Indicts Hackers Working With China To Steal COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments. • WPost Urges Twitter To Improve Security; Warns Officials Against Relying On Social Media. • TikTok Says It Plans To Add 10,000 Jobs In US. • McCarthy Introduces Legislation To Sanction Foreign Hackers Targeting COVID-19 Research. • White House Threatens To Veto NDAA Over Intelligence Sharing Proposals. • Ignatius: US Has Stronger Hand In Its Tech Battle With China. • House-Approved Defense Bill Would Ban TikTok From Government Devices. • Op-Ed: Russian Cyberthreat Extends To Coronavirus Vaccine Research. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • DO) Planning To Expand Anti-Crime Operation To More Cities. • Carroll: Site Connects Local Leaders With Funding, Information To Fight Drug Addiction. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS EFTA00150008 • US Offers $5M Reward For Information Leading To The Arrest Of Venezuela Chief Justice. OTHER FBI NEWS • Delaware Beer Distributor Says He Wore A Wire In FBI Probe Of Biden's Fundraising. • Federal Prosecutors Oppose Early Release For Missouri Businessman. • FBI Intel Analyst Admitted To Viewing Child Pornography. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Advocates Use Of Masks, Warns Pandemic Will "Get Worse Before It Gets Better." • Fauci Says Reopening And Public Health Measures Should Not Be In Opposition. • Azar Envisions "Hundreds Of Millions" Of Vaccines By Early Next Year. • Adams To Take More Prominent Role In Administration's Pandemic Response. • CDC Data Show Coronavirus Infections Higher Than Reported In Some Areas Of US. • WPost Analysis Compares New Mexico, Arizona Approaches To Reopening. • Pence Says He "Wouldn't Hesitate" To Send His Children Back To School. • Florida Teachers Union Sues To Stop Schools From Reopening. • Florida Nursing Homes Report Big Increases In COVID-19 Cases. • More Infants Being Infected With COVID-19. • Air Conditioning May Increase Risk Of COVID-19. • WSJournal: Democrats' Demands On Remdesivir Show Their Plan To Control Pricing, Manufacturing. • WPost Argues For More Testing. • NYTimes Report: Trump Asked US Ambassador To Get Britain To Hold British Open At His Resort. • White House Threatens To Veto Defense Bill Over Confederate Names, Afghan Policy. • Trump Directs That Undocumented Not Be Counted In Congressional Reapportionment. • White House Considering Executive Orders To Lower Drug Prices. • Meteorologists Say Climbing Ocean Temperatures Could Result In Powerful Storms In Coming Weeks. • Lincoln Project Founders Have Ties To Russia, Tax Problems. • Trump, McEnany Denounce Problems With Mail-In Voting. • After Yoho-AOC Exchange, Hoyer Says Yoho Should Be Sanctioned For Calling Her A Name. • Freedom Caucus Members Criticize Cheney At House Republican Conference Meeting. • Twitter Removes Thousands Of Accounts With QAnon Messages. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • WHO Official Tweets Report From Conspiracy Theory Website. • Swedish Doctors, Scientists Say Sweden's Approach To COVID-19 Has Not Worked. • US Service Member Dies In Syria. • German Arts Advocate Kidnapped In Baghdad. • Pompeo: US Wants To Build Coalition To Counter China's "Disgraceful" Menace. • Esper Says Pentagon Considering "Adjustments" To US Military Presence In South Korea. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS FBI Arrests Ohio House Speaker In Corruption Probe. The New York Times (7/21, Rio, 18.61M) reports, "Federal agents on Tuesday arrested one of the most powerful officials in Ohio state government, the Republican House speaker, along with a former state Republican Party chairman and three other people in what law enforcement EFTA00150009 officials described as a $60 million scheme to bail out a foundering energy company." According to the Times, "In a criminal complaint, the F.B.I. described a wide-ranging conspiracy in which the energy company helped finance the election of the House speaker, Larry Householder, in 2018. It then allegedly bankrolled an effort led by Mr. Householder to pass a $1.3 billion bill subsidizing two troubled nuclear power plants and a campaign to defeat a 2019 referendum to repeal that bill. Along the way, the company also put $500,000 into Mr. Householder's personal accounts, including more than $100,000 to pay for costs related to a home he owned in Florida, according to the complaint." Politico (7/21, Wolff, 4.29M) reports, "Householder used some of the money to help elect 21 candidates for the Ohio House in the 2018 elections, David DeVillers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, said at a press conference. Those candidates subsequently backed Householder's successful bid to become Speaker of the House last year. All but one of those lawmakers voted for House Bill 6, which provided the $1.3 billion to prevent the shutdown of FirstEnergy Solutions' two nuclear power plants and a coal plant. But even with that support, Householder and the others indicted had to spend millions on advertising to ensure passage of the bill." CNN International (7/21, Cole, Ure, LeBlanc) reports, "A criminal complaint filed on Thursday and unsealed on Tuesday specifically alleges that Householder and four others orchestrated an operation to accept over $60 million dollars from `Company A' in return for a public bailout for the company worth more than $1 billion." CNN adds, "The charges against Householder were laid out in an extensive complaint that detailed a broad criminal operation involving wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes and money laundering. Householder - along with four associates- took in millions of dollars from FirstEnergy Corp. in exchange for help in passing House Bill 6, a billion-dollar bailout that saved two nuclear power plants operated by the company." Reuters (7/21, O'Brien, Gardner) reports, "While DeVillers did not identify the company involved, Akron-based FirstEnergy operates the state's two nuclear plants. The company, he said, gave $60 million to Generation Now, a political nonprofit operated by the five men, funds used for lobbying that secured passage of a controversial $1.5 billion bill that bailed out the plants, he said. 'These allegations were bribery pure and simple; DeVillers said. FirstEnergy said in a release it had received subpoenas in connection with the investigation, was reviewing details and intends to fully cooperate with the probe." Fox News (7/21, O'Reilly, 27.59M) reports, "Along with Householder, former Ohio GOP chairman Matt Borges, lobbyist Neil Clark, lobbyist and Ohio Civil Rights Commission member Juan Cespedes and political consultant Jeff Longstreth were also arrested in connection to the investigation." WCBE-FM Columbus, OH (7/21, Holm, 1K) reports, "Just hours after Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder was arrested by federal officials in a $60 million dollar bribery case, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is calling on his fellow Republican to resign. 'I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing in the criminal complaint issued today by the U.S. Attorney's °Office. Every American has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Because of the nature of these charges, it will be impossible for Speaker Householder to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives; therefore, I am calling on Speaker Householder to resign immediately." Among other news outlets reporting on the charges are the Cleveland Plain Dealer (7/21, 895K), the Cincinnati Enquirer (7/21, 223K), the Columbus (OH) Dispatch (7/21, Rouan, 367K), the Springfield (C) -I News Sun (7/21, Spicker, 76K), The Hill (7/21, Neidig, 2.98M), NBC News (7/21, 6.14M), the Akron (OH) Beacon Journal (7/21, Livingston, Garrett, 198K), USA Today (7/21, Balmert, Coolidge, Horn, Balmert, 10.31M), the Daily Beast (7/21, Melendez, 1.39M), ABC News (7/21, 2.97M), the Cincinnati Enquirer (7/21, Balmert, 223K), the Wall Street Journal (7/21, Wernau, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), and Bloomberg (7/21, 4.73M). EFTA00150010 PROTESTS ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Most Oppose Defunding Police, Removing Statues. The Washington Post (7/21, Guskin, Clement, Balz, 14.2M) reports an ABC News/Washington Post poll of 1,006 US adults released Tuesday conducted July 12-15 shows "a majority of Americans support the Black Lives Matter movement and a record 69 percent say black people and other minorities are not treated as equal to white people in the criminal justice system." The poll also shows "the public generally opposes calls to shift some police funding to social services or remove statues of Confederate generals or presidents who enslaved people." The Washington Times (7/21, Sherfinski, 492K) reports poll data shows 55% opposed "reducing funding for police departments and spending that money on social services instead," while 40% support such efforts; and 52% opposed "removing statues honoring Confederate generals from public places" while 43% support that. The poll also shows 50% oppose "renaming military bases named after Confederate generals" while 42% favor the change. In other results, "69% of Americans said Black people and other minorities are denied equal treatment in the criminal justice system and that 63% of Americans support the Black Lives Matter movement." The Washington Examiner (7/21, Doyle, 448K) says the poll shows "most people in the United States" are "siding with President Trump on an issue over which he has been repeatedly slapped down." White House Calls Prosecution Of McCloskeys "Extreme Abuse Of Power." The Washington Times (7/21, Boyer, 492K) reports the White House said Tuesday that President Trump believes the prosecution of a St. Louis couple "for defending their home with firearms against a group of protesters" is an "extreme abuse of power." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "They were completely within their rights," adding that the President observed that there have been "many cases brought to [the local prosecutor's] attention of violent rioters that she's failed to charge, but instead she's charging the individuals who were defending themselves from violent protesters." A Wall Street Journal (7/21, Board, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorial rejects the charges against the McCloskeys as politically motivated. Trump: "The Game Is Over For Me" If Players Kneel During National Anthem. President Trump on Tuesday tweeted, "Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!" Minneapolis Police See Surge Of Departures In Wake Of Floyd Protests. The New York Times (7/21, Eligon, 18.61M) reports that nearly two months after "four of its officers were charged with killing George Floyd, the Minneapolis Police Department is reeling, with police officers leaving the job in large numbers, crime surging and politicians planning a top-to-bottom overhaul of the force." According to veteran officers, "morale within the department is lower than they have ever experienced," and "some officers are scaling back their policing efforts, concerned that any contentious interactions on the street could land them in trouble." Others, meanwhile, "are calling it quits altogether." Minnesota Lawmakers Pass Police Accountability Measures. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/20, Bierschbach, 1.04M) reports the Minnesota state legislature passed "a sweeping package of police accountability measures early Tuesday morning following two months of touch-and-go negotiations after the killing of George Floyd." Calling the bill "one of the most substantial changes to the state's criminal justice system in years," the Star Tribune notes it "includes a statewide ban on chokeholds and neck restraints...and a prohibition on warrior-style training for officers." It also "enhances data collection around deadly force encounters, requires EFTA00150011 officers to intervene and creates a new state unit to investigate such cases." The Wall Street Journal (7/21, Barrett, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) has not said whether he will sign the bill. Minneapolis Residents Propose Citywide Vote To End Police Department. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/20, Navratil, 1.04M) reports that a "public hearing Tuesday night was dominated by demands to allow Minneapolis residents to vote on a proposal that could end the city's Police Department." Dozens of residents "urged the city's Charter Commission to allow them to vote in November on a divisive proposal that would dramatically reshape public safety in the city." Charred Body Found Inside Minneapolis Pawn Shop Burned During Protests. The Washington Times (7/21, Ernst, 492K) reports that the "charred remains of a Minneapolis man have been found inside a pawn shop razed during the May riots." A "recent tip" to the Minneapolis Police Department, ATF and the state fire marshal's division "led authorities to the grim discovery Monday inside Max It Pawn, which was destroyed in an arson fire May 28." Portland Protests Continue As Trump Considers Sending Federal Officers To Chicago. The AP (7/21, Long, Fox, Colvin), in a piece titled "Trump's Show Of Federal Force Sparking Alarm In Cities," reports that President Trump's "plan to deploy federal agents to Chicago and perhaps other Democratic-run cities where violence is spiking represents Trump's latest effort to use an agency that was created after the Sept. 11 attacks to thwart terrorists to instead supplement local law enforcement in ways that bolster his reelection chances." Trump has "already deployed Homeland Security agents to Portland," and under Trump's "latest plan, yet to be publicly announced, about 150 Homeland Security Investigations agents would go to Chicago." According to the Wall Street Journal (7/21, Gurman, Ailworth, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), sources familiar with the plans said more than 100 federal agents will be deployed to Chicago to focus on illegal gun sales, aiding federal gun prosecutions and arrests. USA Today (7/21, Hauck, 10.31M) reports Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday the Administration "would not be deploying unnamed federal officers to the city, as seen in Portland in recent days." Said the Mayor, "What I understand at this point, and I caveat that, is that the Trump administration is not going to foolishly deploy unnamed agents to the streets of Chicago. We have information that allows us to say, at least at this point, that we don't see a Portland- style deployment coming to Chicago." Instead, she said the Administration is instead sending agents from the FBI, DEA and ATF. The Chicago Tribune (7/21, Pratt, Gorner, Munks, 2.65M), among other news outlets, also reports Lightfoot's comments. All three networks, meanwhile, reported Tuesday night on the ongoing protests in Portland and the deployment of federal agents to the city. ABC World News TonightVI (7/21, story 4, 1:40, Muir, 7.14M) reported there were "new clashes" with "protesters facing off against federal agents there, despite the objections of the mayor and the governor." ABC (Whitworth) added, "In a 'NightlineVi ' interview, the acting DHS Deputy Secretary saying tonight those agents in Portland are within their rights to protect the courthouse." Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli: "This is a long established federal practice. It's well within the authority of the federal government." Cuccinelli said on Mornings on the Mall (7/21) (interview begins at 2:08:04) that Portland has "had 54 straight says of violence which is just extraordinary, longer than any place in the country. ... And part of that violence has been directed at federal facilities and federal officers. The law gives DHS the responsibility of protecting those facilities like the Hatfield Courthouse. ... This is not a new mission for us and the idea that we would suspend that mission...is really quite silly." Cuccinelli said on Fox News' Your World, "We certainly are well within the boundaries of the law and the Constitution." Cuccinelli was also interviewed on the Rush Limbaugh ShowVi (7/21, 165K), the Lars Larson ShowVi (7/21), EFTA00150012  The Washington Post (7/21, Miroff, Zapotosky, 14.2M) reports "legal analysts say that while the department has broad authority to enforce federal laws, officers' actions — especially in Portland, Ore. — seemed to be pushing the boundaries and pulling DHS into a domestic policing role." DHS officials, however, "defended their tactics in Portland again Tuesday, saying the department has an obligation to protect government buildings in the city that have been targeted" by protesters. The New York Times (7/21, Al, Baker, 18.61M) reports Acting DHS Secretary Wolf "said at a news conference on Tuesday that he had tried to collaborate with Mayor Wheeler and Gov. Kate Brown, asking them this month whether they were overwhelmed and wanted resources, including personnel." Wolf "said that when he asked what they needed to 'bring the violence to a close and still allow the peaceful protesters to protest each and every night,' they told him to stay out of the city." The Washington Times (7/21, Richardson, 492K), among other news outlets, also reports Wolf's comments. Wolf, on The Hugh Hewitt ShowVi (7/21) Tuesday, said DHS is "taking a proactive approach in Portland where we are in the midst of making sure that we have federal properties, including the courthouse there, safe and secure overnight. What we have seen in Portland is that the Mayor has abdicated his responsibility there in letting these violent crowds form night after night, targeting that courthouse and our law enforcement officers. So, that is of concern to us and we will continue to protect that building." On Fox News The Story (7/21), Wolf said, "We have clear authority. We outlined that on several occasions. The Federal Protective Service, part of the Department of Homeland Security protects almost 9,000 federal facilities across the country. They do that in Portland. Portland is the only city that we have this radical violence night after night. We are on our 52nd night of violence against that courthouse against other federal facilities and other law enforcement officers. I would say we don't have this issue and rails because we have local officials and local law enforcement working with us to protect our facilities." Wolf was also interviewed on The Brian Kilmeade Show (Radio) (7/21). NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/21, story 6, 2:10, Holt, 6.23M) reported, "The Trump Administration says it sent federal agents to Portland, Oregon, to defend federal buildings against violent attacks. But the mayor there says that escalated the conflict. Now, mayors from six major cities are sending this letter to the Attorney General, blasting that deployment." In the letter, the CBS Evening NewsVi (7/21, story 6, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.49M) reported, "mayors from six cities...demand[ed] the President take immediate action to withdraw" federal agents. Elsewhere on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Esper "raised concerns about the officers' military- style fatigues." Esper, Politico (7/21, Seligman, 4.29M) reports, "has raised concerns within the administration about federal agents patrolling the streets of U.S. cities in camouflage uniforms similar to those worn by troops in war zones, his spokesperson said Tuesday." In a report headlined "Facing Federal Agents, Portland Protests Find New Momentum," the AP (7/21, Flaccus) reports that "crowds in Portland had recently numbered fewer than 100 people but swelled to more than 1,000 over the weekend — and they're once again attracting a broader base in a city that's increasingly outraged" of the deployment of federal agents. The Washington Post (7/21, Shepherd, 14.2M) reports that "experts and local activists say Trump's claims are the latest in a sustained efforts by conservative commentators and politicians to marry the myth of Antifa terrorists to a city where discontent has grown for years over increasingly harsh police responses at protests." The Washington Times (7/21, Sherfinski, 492K) reports that Trump's deployment of federal agents to Portland, "and possibly elsewhere is seeing pushback not only from Democrats but also from conservatives and libertarians who say the federal government can't indiscriminately throw its weight around and trample on constitutional rights." Elizabeth Vaughn, however, writes for The Federalist (7/21, 126K) that "President Trump has every right to send in 'the feds' when federal laws are being broken, especially when city and state officials fail to act." EFTA00150013  Former FBI director James Comey writes in the Washington Post (7/21, 14.2M) that while "it is not clear that federal officers in Portland are acting unlawfully," what "is clear is that they are acting stupidly, a mistake they may be about to repeat in other places, with lasting consequences for federal law enforcement." For DHS, Comey says, "it will now be a long road back to trust and partnerships." Comey argues that, "yet again, the craving of our president for reelection seems to override everything." Oregon State Lawmakers, Groups File Suit Against Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. The Oregonian (7/21, Bernstein, 1M) reports that "two Oregon state lawmakers, the Western States Center Inc., a Portland church and a Portland attorney have joined to sue four federal law enforcement agencies that are providing tactical officers to defend the downtown federal courthouse." State Reps. Janelle S. Bynum (D-Clackamas) and Karin A. Power (D-Milwaukee), "along with Portland lawyer and legal observer Sara D. Eddie, the First Unitarian Church of Portland and Western States Center, which tracks extremist groups and provides support to social movements, filed suit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customers and Border Protection, Federal Protective Service and U.S. Marshals Service." The suit contends the federal agents "have encroached on state powers and violated the First Unitarian Church of Portland's right to protest and practice social activism" that are "protected under the First Amendment's free exercise of religion clause, according to attorney Clifford S. Davidson." De Blasio Threatens Legal Action If Trump Sends Federal Officers. The AP (7/21) reports New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday that President Trump's "threat to send federal law enforcers to patrol the city is likely not serious but if he did follow through, New York City would take legal action." Said de Blasio, "I have to start by saying this president blusters and bluffs and says he's going to do things and they never materialize on a regular basis." He added that if Trump did send federal officers to New York City, "it would only create more problems. It would backfire, it wouldn't make us safer, and we would immediately take action in court to stop it." Trump Campaign Ads Warn Of Anarchy In Democratic-Led Cities. The New York Times (7/21, Al, Haberman, Corasaniti, Karni, 18.61M) reports that as President Trump deploys federal agents to Portland and "threatens to dispatch more to other cities, his re- election campaign is spending millions of dollars on several ominous television ads that promote fear and dovetail with his political message of 'law and order.'" The Trump campaign is "driving home that message with a new ad that tries to tie its dark portrayal of Democratic-led cities" to Joe Biden "with exaggerated images intended to persuade viewers that lawless anarchy would prevail if Mr. Biden won the presidency." To date, the campaign has spent "almost $20 million over the last 20 days" on the ads. Fourteen Shot Outside Chicago Funeral Home. The Chicago Sun-Times (7/21, Main, Behm, Charles, Camarillo, 875K) reports that 14 people were shot Tuesday night outside a funeral home in Chicago's South Side — "the largest number of victims in a single Chicago shooting in recent memory." The shooting happened "about 6:30 p.m. as people left a funeral." The Chicago Tribune (7/22, Nickeas, Fry, Greene, Gorner, 2.65M) reports police said the "funeral attendees exchanged gunfire with those" inside a passing vehicle. Police Officers Attacked As Seattle Protests Continue. The Washington Examiner (7/21, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports that a "dozen police officers were injured in Seattle when they were attacked by violent demonstrators while monitoring a separate peaceful demonstration against police brutality and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement." Police, "clad in riot gear, used pepper spray to clear the area and 'stop the assault on officers,' the department said in a news release." Two protesters were arrested. Mother Of Seattle Protester Killed By Police Sues City. Breitbart (7/21, Caplan, 673K) reports Donnitta Sinclair, "mother of 19-year-old Lorenzo Anderson — who was shot dead in Seattle's now-dismantled Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) zone — has hit the EFTA00150014 Democrat-controlled city with a wrongful death claim, according to local reports." The Seattle Times says the suit alleges "city officials created a dangerous environment by allowing protesters to occupy six city blocks and that police and fire officials failed to protect or medically assist her son." Teens Charged With Terrorism Following Oklahoma City Protests. The Fox News (7/21, Wallace, 27.59M) website reports that "two teenagers are the latest to face terrorism charges after allegedly helping to break in the windows of an Oklahoma City bail bonds business in late May during the civil unrest that swept the nation in the wake of the death of George Floyd." On Monday, "several dozen protesters conducted a sit-in at the office of Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater," demanding that he drop the terrorism charges and resign. Senate Blocks Push To Limit Military Gear For Police. The New York Times (7/21, Edmondson, 18.61M) reports the Senate on Tuesday "rejected a bipartisan bid to bar the Pentagon from transferring a wide range of military-grade weaponry to local police departments, effectively killing the last remaining initiative before Congress this year to address the excessive use of force in law enforcement." The measure, which lawmakers "sought to attach to the must-pass annual defense bill, was a last-ditch attempt to begin to demilitarize law enforcement after a nationwide uproar to address racial discrimination and distrust between the police and the communities they serve." To the Times, the "51 to 44" vote, "which failed to reach the required 60-vote threshold to pass, underscored how fraught and often fruitless attempts to rein in the program have become." Atlantic Updates Essay On Police Shooting Written By Activist. The Federalist (7/21, Bedford, 126K) reports that an Atlantic essay titled "How I Became a Police Abolitionist" by social justice activist and lawyer Derecka Purnell, first published July 6, "tells of her childhood in a polluted neighborhood surrounded by violence and beset by fear, using one particularly disturbing memory of a police officer shooting their cousin...in the arm." An investigation by The Federalist "encompassing newspaper archives, police department records, questions to The Atlantic, the police union, and the office of the mayor, however, called the story — including facts about the neighborhood, the timeline of the incident, and if the incident described even happened at all — into question." On Monday afternoon, The Atlantic "updated" the article to read that Purnell's cousin was shot by "a uniformed security guard." Liberal Virginia Prosecutors, Democratic Legislators Show United Front On Police Overhaul. The Washington Post (7/20, Jouvenal, Schneider, 14.2M) reports that a "group of Virginia's liberal prosecutors appeared alongside state Senate Democrats on Monday to provide a unified front in support of a slate of measures to overhaul policing and criminal justice ahead of a special session of the legislature in August." The prosecutors were joined by "nearly a dozen commonwealth's attorneys representing some of Virginia's largest jurisdictions are endorsing the push for change." To the Post, their news conference "demonstrated Democrats' hopes for implementing substantial measures after winning both houses of the legislature last year and expanding the cohort of liberals in prosecutors' offices across the state." Trader Joe's Pledges To Change Packaging After Accusations Of Racism. The Los Angeles Times (7/21, Lai, 4.64M) reports that Trader Joe's "has come under attack for its branding of ethnic foods" with "the names Trader Ming's, Arabian Joe's, Trader Jose's, Trader Giotto's and Trader Joe San." An online petition accused the store of "racist" labeling. In response, a spokeswoman for Trader Joe's "said the company is changing the packaging and expects to complete the process `very soon." The Times also reports that "inside the Trader EFTA00150015 Joe's in Temecula, shoppers crowded the aisles on Monday," and "were either unconcerned or hadn't paid attention to the controversy caused by the product labeling." Intern Jonah Gottschalk writes at the Federalist (7/21, Gottschalk, 126K) that the "phony outrage at Trader Joe's proves how outlets like the New York Times use `public pressure' to make companies and politicians do what they want." Gottschalk explains that a petition at change.org had been up for weeks with few signers, but the New York Times put it on its front page on Sunday, and "the story was then swiftly written up by numerous outlets," then "Trader Joe's panicked," and "apologized and claimed it will remove the light-hearted attempt at inclusiveness." Gottschalk writes, "The incident serves as an excellent case study for a new form of journalistic malpractice." Poll: Most Voters Agree Black, Hispanic Americans Face Discrimination. The Wall Street Journal (7/21, Siddiqui, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that a growing number of voters believe Black and Hispanic Americans are discriminated against, and a majority of 56% believe American society is racist. New PSA Targets Rising Anti-Asian Harassment. The New York Times (7/21, Hsu, 18.61M) reports that "with more than 2,000 incidents and little action from the federal government, efforts to curtail pandemic-related racism have fallen to P.S.A.s and social media campaigns." The new public service announcement by the nonprofit Advertising Council that debuted Tuesday "makes a point that federal leaders have largely overlooked: Asian-Americans are facing a surge of harassment linked to fears about the coronavirus pandemic." Facebook Creates Teams To Study Racial Bias On Its Platforms. The Wall Street Journal (7/21, Seetharaman, Horwitz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Facebook is creating new teams dedicated to studying potential racial bias on its platforms. Planned Parenthood In New York Disavows Margaret Sanger Over Eugenics. The New York Times (7/21, Stewart, 18.61M) reports Planned Parenthood of Greater New York "will remove the name of Margaret Sanger, a founder of the national organization, from its Manhattan health clinic" because of her "harmful connections to the eugenics movement," the group said Tuesday. Sanger, a nurse who opened the first birth control clinic in the US, supported eugenics, "a discredited belief in improving the human race through selective breeding." The Washington Times (7/21, Blake, 492K) reports the group explained the move "is both a necessary and overdue step to reckon with our legacy and acknowledge Planned Parenthood's contributions to historical reproductive harm within communities of color." COUNTER-TERRORISM Tsarnaev Awaits Appeals Court Ruling On Execution. The MetroWest (MA) Daily News (7/21, Miller, 71K) reports, "Since the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way last month for federal executions, three federal prisoners have been put to death for the crimes they were convicted of committing," but "despite that, there is still no time frame for convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to face the death penalty, even though he was sentenced to death in 2015 after being found guilty of 30 counts connected to the fatal April 2013 bombing." According to the Daily News, "Tsarnaev's lawyers in December 2019, argued in front of the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, that the death penalty ruling should be thrown out. They argue that Tsarnaev did not receive a fair trial. They argued the trial should have been moved out of Boston, rather than it being held in the midst of where the bombing occurred. The three-judge panel has yet to issue a ruling in the appeal." House Passes Three-Year Extension Of Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Program. EFTA00150016 Politico (7/21, Tamborrino, 4.29M) reports in the Morning Energy column that the House passed "a three-year extension, S. 4148 (116), of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program on Monday by unanimous consent." The current authorization of the program, "which aims to protect more than 3,300 facilities around the country from terrorist attacks, is slated to lapse on Thursday." Former NCTC Chief Travers Says Cutbacks Raise Risk Of New Terrorist Attacks. NPR (7/21, Myre, 3.12M) reports former counterterrorism chief Russell Tavers "says the country is risking the gains made against terrorist threats by cutting back resources with little or no public debate." In an interview with NPR, Travers also "expressed frustration at the poor state of relations between the intelligence community and the Trump Administration." Russ Travers, who served as acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly, co-host of 'All Things Considered,' in his first broadcast interview since leaving his government post, "If people believe that conditions have so changed and the threat is so diminished that we can go back to the way things were [before the 9/11 attacks], so be it. I just personally don't believe that's the right answer. And I don't like the quality of the discussion that has gotten us to this point." Travers "said he's never seen such bad relations between intelligence professionals and a presidential administration." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE DO) Prepared For More Mueller Declassifications. The Washington Examiner (7/21, Dunleavy, 448K) reports that the DOJ "has determined more of" Robert Mueller's report "can be declassified." DO) Civil Division attorneys "filed a four-page submission to a Washington, D.C., federal court on Tuesday, providing sealed responses to the judge's questions about the redactions in Mueller's 448-page report and noting willingness to reveal more after a judge's ruling." Graham Says Yates, Comey, McCabe Will Be Called To Testify Before Election. The Washington Times (7/21, Swoyer, 492K) reports Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham "said Tuesday that Obama administration officials will be called to testify before the November election." Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates has agreed "voluntarily to come in August." She will testify on Aug. 5. Graham told the Times, "I think she will have some interesting testimony and [former FBI Director James) Comey and [former Deputy FBI Director Andrew] McCabe. We are looking at September to call them." Graham also "noted that it's possible former special counsel Robert Mueller's testimony could come later." Op-Ed: Mainstream Media Fails To Provide Complete Story On Russia Probe. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (7/21, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), Holman Jenkins, Jr. asks why the FBI relied on information it knew to be baseless in the Russia probe. He reviews recently declassified reports from the FBI, including the memo by former FBI official Peter Strzok. He criticizes mainstream media for not being more aggressive in uncovering the false information, including its failure to identify the classified annex in IG Horowtiz's report describing Comey's actions in linked to the hidden Russian intelligence. Steele Text Messages Introduced At Dossier Defamation Trial In UK. The Daily Caller (7/21, 716K) reports a defamation trial against Christopher Steele "began in London on Monday, with revelations of the ex-spy's efforts to disseminate his infamous dossier through the late Sen. John McCain and a longtime ally of the Clintons." A lawyer for a Russian businessman suing Steele "read his text messages with Strobe Talbott, the former president of Brookings Institution, and with David Kramer, a former State Department official who worked EFTA00150017 with McCain." In another text, Steele "told Sir Andrew Wood, a former British diplomat, that McCain was 'compromised' because he was provided a copy of the dossier." Text messages "read out during the first day of a defamation trial against Christopher Steele in London on Monday revealed new details about how the former British spy strategized with associates on how to disseminate the infamous anti-Trump dossier." Senators Seek Answers On Expired FISA Programs. The Hill (7/21, Rodrigo, 2.98M) reports Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Lee (R-UT) on Thursday "pressed the Trump Administration on whether and how mass surveillance programs authorized by FISA have been halted since the act's expiration." The letter to Attorney General Barr and DNI Ratcliffe "raises concerns that the Administration may be continuing to conduct surveillance operations by relying on Executive Order 12333." Sens. Leahy and Lee wrote, "Congress and the American people have a right to know if this or any other administration is spying on people in the US outside of express congressional approval, with no or diminished guardrails. The rights of all Americans depend on their government exercising its power responsibly, adhering to the rule of law, and upholding its duty to act transparently. Any surveillance conducted in the absence of statutory authorities and congressional oversight would be extraordinarily concerning and illegal." Biden Says Intelligence Community Is Providing Him Information On Election Interference. CBS News (7/21, 3.68M) 2020 campaign reporter Bo Erickson reports that presidential candidate Joe Biden is receiving information about election interference from the intelligence community. Joe Biden "says Russia, Iran, and China may be trying to meddle in the upcoming US presidential election." He's been "briefed on the subject by the intelligence community." Democrats Concerned Russia Targeting Biden. CNN (7/21, Herb, Raju, Cohen, 83.16M) reports that a request by Democratic leaders for "the FBI to brief lawmakers on foreign election interference included concerns about a Russian-linked 'disinformation' campaign to target former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, according to a source familiar with the matter." A classified addendum attached to the letter to Director Wray "included concerns about a potential Russian campaign targeting Biden, the source said," and the material referenced "was included in warnings that the FBI has been offering for months now about election interference, another source said." Meanwhile, Politico (7/21, Matishak, 4.29M) reports that top Senate Republicans are "rejecting" Biden's "amped-up public warnings about Russian interference in this year's presidential election, saying foreign adversaries' efforts to meddle in U.S. democracy are nothing new after the Kremlin's hacking operation four years ago." DNI Offers August Worldwide Threats Briefing To SSCI. CBS News (7/21, Gazis, 3.68M) reports that DNI Ratcliffe "has proposed appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee for a partially open hearing on worldwide threats in early August. But he suggested that the majority of the hearing, including a traditional question and answer session, take place behind closed doors." Fox News (7/21, Singman, 27.59M) reports that Ratcliffe said in a letter to the SSCI leadership that "after 'consultation with other Intelligence Community element heads and with consideration for the collective concern about the exchange of information that is inherently classified,' he would appear before the committee in both an open and closed setting - with intelligence community heads like CIA Director Gina Haspel, FBI Director Christopher Wray, NSA Director Paul Nakasone and NGA Director Robert Sharp." Ratcliffe added that "a closed session with a thorough exchange of classified questions and answers between the panel and Committee members could be conducted to ensure members receive the threat information they need." EFTA00150018  The Wall Street Journal (7/21, Strobel, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that a spokesman for SSCI Acting Chair Marco Rubio said he and Vice Chair Mark Warner had discussed the issue on Tuesday. The spokesman said, "They will continue to work with DNI Ratcliffe and are hopeful that the committee will hold a hearing on this important topic soon." CNN (7/21, Cohen, Leblanc, 83.16M) reports that the House and Senate intelligence committees "have been pushing for the top US intelligence officials to appear for a public hearing on the annual World Wide Threats Assessment for months but have been unable to reach an agreement with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on scheduling, in part, because of the recent turnover at the director position." Meanwhile, the Washington Examiner (7/21, Dunleavy, 448K) reports that the terms laid out by Ratcliffe "will likely rankle Democrats not only because of the format but also since the House Intelligence Committee, led by Rep. Adam Schiff, has yet to receive such an opportunity." NSA Chief Says US Will Hit Back At Foreign Meddlers In 2020 Election. The New York Post (7/21, Jacobs, 4.57M) reports one of the top US spy chiefs "has vowed that the US would retaliate when foreign nations attempted to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, amid rising concerns about Russian hacking." Gen. Paul Nakasone, NSA director and US Cyber Command head, pledged, "We're going to act when we see adversaries attempting to interfere in our elections." The remarks come "amid accusations from the US, UK and Canada of Russian-backed hackers trying to steal coronavirus vaccine research from pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions." Nakasone "said that the 2018 US midterm elections had left the NSA's capabilities 'battle-tested' to protect against foreign interference in the 2020 presidential election." He added, "We are going to know our adversaries better than they know themselves." Report: UK Government Did Not Take Russia's Election Interference Seriously. The Washington Post (7/21, Booth, Adam, 14.2M) reports the British Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee released a report finding that the UK government "failed to conduct serious assessments of Russian attempts to interfere with British elections, including the 2016 Brexit referendum." The report also found that the UK "welcomed the [Russian] oligarchs and their money with open arms, providing them with a means of recycling illicit finance through the London 'laundromat', and connections at the highest levels with access to UK companies and political figures." The report said, "This situation is in stark contrast to the US handling of allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, where an intelligence community assessment was produced within two months of the vote, with an unclassified summary being made public." The Post adds that the "report did not provide any striking evidence of Russian interference," but rather "found that the British government did not really seem to take the issue seriously." The New York Times (7/21, Landler, Castle, 18.61M) says the report, which is "in many ways harder on British officials than the Russians, did not answer the question of whether Russia swayed one of the most consequential votes in modern British history: the 2016 referendum on leaving the EU. But it was unforgiving about who is protecting British democracy." The authors said, "No one is."