Bulletin Intelligence

From: Bulletin Intelligence Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL[ - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, April 19, 2021 To: Sent: April 19, 2021 6:27 AM (UTC-04:00) Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintellicience.com. x TO : THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE : MONDAY, APRIL 19, 2021 6 : 30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Police Say Indianapolis Gunman Legally Bought Guns Used In Shooting. CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS EFTA00135867 • Capitol Siege Probe Sees Progress, Roadblocks After 100 Days. • Indiana "Oath Keepers" Leader Pleads Guilty In Capitol Siege Probe. • Prosecutors Say Men Arrested For Attempted Theft Of Gun From DC Officer During Capitol Riot. • FBI Arrests Michigan Man In Capitol Siege Probe. • Prosecutors Say Nazi Sympathizer Who Stormed Capitol Poses Threat To Jews. • Capitol Rioter Who Allegedly Ransacked Pelosi's Office Is Released From Jail. • Pennsylvania Man Faces Federal Charges Over Capitol Riot. • Judge Threatens To Hold Woman Charged In Capitol Riot In Contempt For Wearing Mesh Mask. • Ohio Is High On List Of Capitol Siege Indictments. • Olen: CA Teacher Who Marched On Jan. 6 Should Not Lose Job. • Politico Analysis: Congressional Security Spending Has "Surged" Since Capitol Riot. • Pittman Reflects On Toll That Jan. 6 Riot Has Taken On Capitol Police. • Independent Investigation Of Capitol Riot Facing Difficult Odds. PROTESTS • Demonstrators Nationwide Protest Against Police Brutality. • Protesters Demonstrate In Chicago Following Release Of Body Cam Video From Police Shooting Of 13-Year-Old. • More Than 130 Individuals Arrested As Demonstrations Over Wright Killing Continue. • Brooklyn Center, MN Officials Criticizing Police Response To Protesters. • Minneapolis National Guard Members Injured In Drive-By Shooting. • Alleged Police, FBI Infiltration Of Portland Protests Raises Concerns. • Group: Albuquerque Police Department Asked DEA For Protest-Related Help. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Senators Call On Biden To Close Guantanamo. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • DO) Investigating If "Russiagate" Inquirer Kash Patel Leaked Classified Information. • Russia Retaliates After Imposition Of New US Sanctions. • Cotton: Intelligence On Russia Bounties "Selectively Leaked" To Aid Biden Campaign. • DNI Highlights Top US Challenges In Annual Threat Assessment. • Finnish Startup ICEYE Collaborating With In-Q-Tel. • Nunes Warns Intel Chiefs Against Targeting Americans. • CIA Intelligence Network In Afghanistan Likely Will Be Dismantled With Withdrawal. • State's Disinformation-Fighting Arm Tapping AI For Support. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Police Identify Austin Gunman As Former Sheriff's Detective Accused Of Child Sexual Assault. • Wisconsin Police Arrest Suspect For Shooting At Kenosha Bar • Florida Nurse Charged For Threatening To Kill Harris. • Maxwell Has To Stand Trial After Judge Turns Down Dismissal Request. • Family Of Tamir Rice Asks Garland To Reopen Probe Into Rice's Killing. • Medical Expert: Police Actions Did Not Cause Prude's Death. • Fairfax County, Virginia Prosecutors Move To Dismiss Hundreds Of Convictions Stemming From Work Or Testimony Of Ex-Officer. • WPost Analysis Discusses Fatal Shooting In Maryland By Off-Duty Officer. • Wisconsin Man Drops Extradition Appeal In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Case. • Connecticut Man Faces Federal Arson Charges After Allegedly Tossing Molotov Cocktail At Officers. • Federal Prosecutors Confirm 2016 Decision Not To Pursue Jeffrey Epstein. • Teacher's Killing Reveals Drug Cartels' Growing Footprint In North Carolina. • NYPD Arrests Man With Assault Weapon In Times Square Subway Station. EFTA00135868 • Two Farmworkers In Fresno, CA Killed In Shooting. • Anti-Prostitution Operation In Columbus Nets 93. • FBI Investigates Money Missing From New Jersey Prosecutor's Office. • San Francisco Daycare Worker Arrested For Child Pornography. • NYPD Officer Charged With Trying To Hire Hitman. • Texas Man Arrested For Kidnapping 13-Year-Old Girl. • White Supremacists Charged With Animal Cruelty In Sacrifice Of Ram. • FBI Seeking Information From Public In Minnesota Bank Robbery. • West Virginia Men Charged As Accessories To Bank Robbery. • Two Arrested In Murders Of South Carolina Transgender Women. • Reward Offered In 2017 Killings In North Carolina. • Washington Doctor Charged With Trying To Kidnap Ex-Wife. • California Man Charged With Kidnapping Wife. • FBI Arrests 22 In Connection With Texas Drug Investigation. • Officials: Twenty From Texas Indicted On Drug Trafficking And Firearms Charges. • Former Mayor Heading To Trial In Marijuana-Related Case. • Leader Of Drug Trafficking Organization Gets 45-Year Prison Sentence. • Drug Suspect Arrested In Pennsylvania. • Massachusetts Drug Suspect Arraigned. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Law Enforcement Warns Of Growing Vaccine Card Scams. • Federal Grand Jury Probing Dark Money In US Steel Industry. • Former Temple Business Dean Lied To Inflate Rank, Attract Students, Federal Prosecutors Say. • FBI Probing Pension Fund's $14M In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Projects. • DO) Sues Roger Stone Over Alleged Tax Evasion. • Man Sentenced In Robocall Scheme That Victimized Elderly. • Scammer Takes Pennsylvania Widow For Entire Savings. • Administration Faces Challenges In Combatting Money Laundering. CYBER DIVISION • The Untold Story Of The SolarWinds Hack. • Biden Administration Is Improving Cyber Defenses Against Russia And China. • Hacking Alert Measure May Be Possible. • US Investigating Breach At Code Testing Company. • FBI Exchange Remediation Action May Set A Precedent. • New Jersey Combating Hackers That Threaten Water Systems. • MSU's Holt Discusses Pakistani Counterfeiter Who May Have Aided Russian Trolls. • Medtronic Partners With Sternum On Device Cybersecurity. • Carmakers Confront Challenges In Staying A Step Ahead Of Hackers. • Ron Wyden Proposing New Data Privacy Legislation. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Garland Moves To Allow DO) To Impose Changes On Police Departments. • LAPD Posted More Than Twofold Increase In Amount Of Hate Crimes Against Asian Americans In 2020. • Bass Optimistic About Passage Of National Police Reform Legislation. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Lopez Obrador To Propose Migration Agreement This Week. LAWFUL ACCESS EFTA00135869 • WPost: Encryption Debate Is Not "Between Two Bad Choices." OTHER FBI NEWS • NYTimes Profile: Monaco Will "Quickly Be Tested" As Deputy Attorney General. • Montana Freeman Dies In Prison. • Massachusetts Drug Dealer's Car Rammed During Chase. • Varsity Blues Conspirator Released. • Oregon Man Charged With Selling Guns, Fake Drugs On Snapchat. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Blinken And Sullivan Defend Planned US Withdrawal From Afghanistan. • Fauci Says He Anticipates "Some Form" Of 3843 Vaccine Resumption By Friday. • CDC Says Half Of US Adults Have Had At Least First Vaccine Shot. • Whitmer Discusses COVID Surge In Michigan. • DeSantis Explains Order Prohibiting Vaccine Passports. • Colorado Warns Of New COVID Wave. • Independent Pharmacies Struggling To Acquire Vaccine Doses In New York. • WPost: COVID Booster Shots Will Ensure US Resilience Going Forward. • WPost Details "Inordinately Complex" Task Of Crafting Infrastructure Legislation. • Administration Officials Defend Biden's Stance On Admitting Refugees. • Bush Urges Congress To Set Aside "Harsh Rhetoric" On Immigration. • Administration Preparing New Campaign To Transform Coal Counties. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Officials Say Chileans Overestimated Effectiveness Of Chinese Vaccine After First Dose. • Macron: France Will Lift Restrictions For Vaccinated Travelers Starting In May. • COVID Deaths, New Cases Declining In Britain. • Ontario To Expand Use Of AstraZeneca Vaccine This Week. • Brazil's Daily COVID Death Toll Is World's Highest. • India Records 200K New COVID Cases For Ninth Straight Day. • Iran's Daily COVID Death Toll Climbed Past 400 Sunday. • Turkey Reports Record Daily COVID Death Toll. • Israel Lifts Outdoor Mask Mandate. • More Than 60% Of Bhutan's Population Has Received First Vaccine Dose. • WPost: Peruvian Election Undermined By COVID And Corruption. • Islamist Group Takes Six Pakistani Security Personnel Hostage. • Hiatt: World Must Stand Up For Chinese Uyghurs. • Sullivan Warns Russia Of "Consequences" If Navalny Dies In Prison. • Report: Israeli Intelligence Predicts US Will Reactivate JCPOA. • Thomas-Greenfield Says More Needs To Be Done With Tigray. • US Warns Citizens To Leave Chad. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Police Say Indianapolis Gunman Legally Bought Guns Used In Shooting. The AP (4/18, Smith) reports police have revealed Brandon Scott Hole, 19, the former employee EFTA00135870 "who shot and killed eight people at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis," had "legally bought the two rifles used in the attack despite red flag laws designed to prevent such purchases." The AP adds the police "did not say where Hole bought what they described as 'assault rifles,' citing the ongoing investigation, but said he was seen using both rifles during the shooting "Reuters (4/18) reports the purchases "were made a few months after Hole was briefly placed under psychiatric detention in March and a shotgun was seized from his home when his mother contacted law enforcement to report he might try to commit 'suicide by cop,' according to the FBI." The Washington Post (4/17, Kornfield, Bella, 10.52M) reported the gunman "who fatally shot eight people at a FedEx plant Thursday used two legally purchased assault rifles, police said Saturday, raising new questions as many call for tighter restrictions on powerful firearms and more safeguards on who can own them." The Post adds police "said the shooter, a former employee at the facility, bought rifles legally last July and September - months after his mother said she feared her son would attempt 'suicide by cop.' That led authorities to question Brandon Hole, temporarily detain him for mental health reasons and seize his shotgun. The gun was not returned, officials say." The New York Times (4/18, Robertson, Watkins, Martinez, 20.6M) reports Hole's case "appeared, at first, to be exactly the kind of situation" that "so-called red flag laws, which allow the authorities to temporarily take away guns from people declared by a judge to be too unstable to have them," are "designed to address," but "while many details are still unclear, Mr. Hole's case is a sobering example of how even states with widely supported safeguards can fail to prevent dangerous people from obtaining firearms." According to the Times, "experts say [the laws] are often used only as short-term solutions." However, asked on ABC World News Tonight (4/18, story 2, 2:20, Davis, 4.85M) whether the system failed, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor said, "Only from the standpoint, if he would have been found in violation of that law, maybe he wouldn't have been able to purchase these weapons legally. But I don't know enough about it that I can say that anyone dropped the ball, per se." In addition, Nikki Battiste reported on the CBS Evening News (4/18, story 2, 1:55, Duncan, 1.24M) that the deputy chief of the IMPD "says authorities had not deemed Hole's subject to Indiana red flag law." Battiste continued, "The deputy chief told us Branden Hole agreed to let police keep the shotgun they took from him in March 2020. The prosecutor's office told us it is reviewing its records from that incident." CNN (4/18, Holcombe, Kaur, Levenson, 89.21M) reports on its website that the shooting "shows how easy it can be to buy and use deadly weapons of war in the United States." CNN adds the attack "marks at least the 45th mass shooting - defined as four or more casualties, exduding the shooter - since the Atlanta-area spa shootings March 16." Indianapolis Police Identify Shooter As 19-Year-Old Former FedEx Employee. The Indianapolis Star (4/16, Evans, 662K) reported Indianapolis police on Friday identified "the man who shot and killed eight people Thursday at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis and then killed himself' as Brandon Scott Hole, 19, but "it remains unclear why Hole...shot and killed the eight workers at the facility near Indianapolis International Airport." However, the Star adds that Hole "was a former FedEx employee. He last worked for the company in 2020, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Craig McCartt said." On ABC World News Tonight (4/16, lead story, 3:39, Muir, 6.23M), Victor Oquendo reported the shooting occurred at "FedEx's second largest hub in the world, roughly 100 workers present at the time." Oquendo added, "Authorities say he drove to the facility, got out and started shooting randomly, making his way into the building. The massacre taking just one to two minutes. Police say he killed himself before officers arrived." Meanwhile, Oquendo continued on ABC World News Tonight (4/16, story 2, 0:25, Muir, 6.23M) that the FBI, which is "assisting local police in the case, saying that the suspect's mom reported he might try to commit suicide by cop. He was held by police. They removed a shotgun from his house and say that gun was not returned to him." Likewise, Catie Beck reported on NBC Nightly News (4/16, lead story, 2:34, Holt, 4.83M) that Hole "was known to local police and FBI EFTA00135871 for a mental health condition." The Washington Pact (4/16, Molloy, Bella, Berman, Witte, 10.52M) reports that as Hole's shotgun was "seized and not returned, it was unclear how he had obtained the rifle used Thursday night." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Mendell, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Coroners Identify Four Sikhs Among The Victims Of Indianapolis Shooting. The AE (4/16, Smith, Callahan) reported coroners "released the names of the victims late Friday, a little less than 24 hours after the latest mass shooting to rock the U.S." and "four of them were members of Indianapolis' Sikh community." According to the AP, "The attack was another blow to the Asian American community a month after six people of Asian descent were killed in a mass shooting in the Atlanta area and amid ongoing attacks against Asian Americans during the coronavirus pandemic " Reuters (4/16, Kalia, Caspani, Hosenball) reported law enforcement officials "said they had not immediately determined whether racial or ethnic hatred was behind the killings. But a Sikh civil rights advocacy group called for an investigation of any possible hate bias involved in the crime." The New York Times (4/16, Mervosh, Bahr, Chokshi, Chiarito, 20.6M) said the victims "were identified by the police as Matthew R. Alexander, 32; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jaswinder Kaur, 64; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Karli Smith, 19; and John Weisert, 74. Some family members of victims who were Sikh provided different spellings and ages: Jasvinder Kaur, 50; Amarjit Sekhon, 49; and Jaswinder Singh, 70." Four Victims Remain Hospitalized As Sikhs Call For Thorough Investigation Into Shooter's Motives. On NBC Nightly News' (4/18, story 2, 2:15, Snow, 6.41M), Kathy Park reported four of the victims "are still hospitalized. Everyone is in stable condition and are expected to survive." USA Today (4/18, Herron, Bacon, 12.7M) reports those who lost their lives "were identified as Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jasvinder Kaur, 50; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Karli Smith, 19; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Matthew R. Alexander, 32; [and] John Weisert, 74." The Detroit Free Press (4/18, Terranella, Warikoo, 2.16M) reports that as police are seeking to understand Hole's motives, "four of the eight shooting victims belonged to the Sikh community," a loss that the Washington Pact (4/18, Kornfield, 10.52M) says "cuts deep in this tightknit community, connected by faith and a common heritage tied to the Punjabi region of India." Aasees Kaur, a representative of the Sikh Coalition, "said the deadly assault in Indianapolis underscores the bigotry that Sikhs have faced and the need for more-robust efforts to track hate crimes, which are underreported and difficult to prosecute." According to the Post, while authorities "have not yet offered a motive for the shooting, Kaur said it feels like her community was targeted." The Walt Street Journal (4/18, Naughton, O'Brien, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Operations At FedEx Facility Temporarily Suspended As Investigation Continues. On NBC Nightly News (4/17, story 3, 2:27, Diaz-Balart, 3.44M), Kathy Park reported the gunman's motive is "still under review." Park added that "most of the crime-scene tape that surrounded the facility where the shooting took place has since been removed," though "operations at the site have been temporarily suspended." In a more than 2,500-word article, the Washington Pact (4/17, Al, 10.52M) said that the facility "is a sprawling, nondescript warehouse with multiple shifts of workers - a popular workplace for recent high school graduates starting their adult lives, but also a gathering place for older Indian immigrants searching for community in addition to a paycheck." The Post profiles the victims who died in the mass shooting. Families Of FedEx Employees Unable To Reach Their Loved Ones Due To Company's Cell Phone Policy. On the fRS Fvening News (4/16, lead story, 3:42, O'Donnell, 3.77M), Nikki Battiste reported FedEx "doesn't allow cell phones inside during work, so some frantic family members have been unable to reach those here during the attack." Battiste added the cell phones of "some employees...are still in their cars." Likewise, the New York Times (4/16, Al, Bahr, Robertson, 20.6M) said the "chaos within the facility, and in the homes of the employees, was intensified by the fact that many employees did not have cellphones with them." The Times adds that a FedEx spokesman "confirmed on Friday that cellphone access is limited within the warehouse, where packages are sorted for shipping, to minimize distractions. Such policies are common in the industry. But for family members, not hearing from their loved ones was EFTA00135872 agonizing." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Gryta, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. Gunman's Family Apologizes For His Actions. On ABC World News Tonight (4/17, story 2, 2:17, Johnson, 3.89M), Will Carr reported the gunman's family on Saturday "released a statement. They say they're devastated and they tried to get him help. They're also offering their apologies to the victims and their families." The Indianapolis Star (4/17, Rudaysky, 662K) reports the family "fervently apologized and notes that the family had tried to get...Hole, 19, help." However, Nikki Battiste reported on the CBS Weekend News (4/17, story 2, 2:04, Diaz, 1.74M) that a relative "said Hole simply did not get the help he needed." Biden Condemns "Epidemic" Of Gun Violence As A "National Embarrassment" In Wake Of Indianapolis Mass Shooting Bloomberg (4/16, Fabian, Jacobs, 3.57M) reported that "a day after a gunman opened fire at a FedEx Corp. facility near Indianapolis International Airport, killing eight people and wounding several others before apparently taking his own life," President Biden on Friday "called the spate of mass shootings in the U.S. a 'national embarrassment," while Politico (4/16, Leonard, 6.73M) reported that he "called gun violence an 'epidemic' in the U.S. and renewed calls on Congress to bring gun reform legislation to his desk in the wake of yet another mass shooting, this one at a shipping center in Indianapolis." Biden also tweeted, "Vice President Harris and I have been briefed on the mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis. God bless the eight individuals we lost and their loved ones, and we pray for the wounded for their recovery. We can, and must, do more to reduce gun violence and save lives." On the CBS Evening News (4/16, story 2, 1:49, O'Donnell, 3.77M), Weijia Jiang reported the President "hosted a foreign leader in person for the first time at the White House, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. But it was a domestic challenge that set him off - gun violence." Biden: "Who in God's name needs a weapon that can old 100 rounds, or 40 rounds, or 20 rounds? It's just wrong. And I'm not going to give up until it's done." Jiang added that the President "grew defensive when asked why he is prioritizing infrastructure legislation over police reform and gun control." Biden: "I've never not prioritized this. No one has worked harder to deal with the violence used by individuals using weapons than I have. I'm the only one ever to have passed an assault weapons ban." Jiang continued, "That was 27 years ago, the last time Congress passed significant gun reform. Today marked the third time the Biden White House has lowered flags to honor victims of gun violence." USA Today (4/16, Garrison, 12.7M) reported the US over the past month has "mourned eight killed March 16 at three spas in the Atlanta and 10 people killed less than a week later inside a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado. The White House also lowered flags after a driver April 2 rammed his car into two officers and a barricade near the U.S. Capitol, killing Capitol Police Officer William 'Billy' Evans." Meanwhile, The Hill (4/16, Samuels, 5.69M) reported Vice President Harris on Friday "called for an end to gun violence in the wake of yet another mass shooting after eight people were killed at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis." Reuters (4/16, Bose, Psaledakis) reported the Vice President "said there is 'no question this violence must end." However, although The Hill (4/16, Chalfant, 5.69M) reported White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the White House is "horrified by the shooting overnight at a FedEx facility," the New York Times (4/16, Thrush, 20.6M) said she "rejected calls to appoint a gun czar to more forcefully confront the crisis." and "argu[ed] that the main impediment for addressing the crisis rests with congressional Republicans, not a lack of will in the West Wing." Psaki said, "Advocates should pressure Republicans in the Senate...all of you should pressure Republicans in the Senate and ask them why they are opposing universal background checks." In addition, Reuters (4/16) reported Psaki called on Congress to "act to end immunity for gun manufacturers and deal with assault weapons." The AP (4/16) said the shooting "follows a lull in mass killings during the pandemic in 2020, which had the smallest number of such attacks in more than a decade, according to a database compiled by The Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University" that "tracks mass killings defined as four or more dead, not including the shooter," but the New York Times (4/16, EFTA00135873 Hauser, 20.6M) reported Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett (D) in January "confronted another shooting with multiple victims, which the city's police chief said was the worst mass casualty shooting in more than a decade in Indianapolis. A youth was later arrested in the killing of five people who were found in a home in Indianapolis." In addition, the New York Timec (4/16, Taylor, 20.6M) reported Indianapolis "saw an increase in criminal homicides in 2020, a year already racked with death caused by the pandemic." The Times adds Indianapolis reported 215 criminal homicides, "the most recorded in a single year, according to an analysis of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department data by The Indianapolis Star. There were also another 30 noncriminal homicides, usually episodes where the authorities considered a killing justified, such as in self-defense. The city's previous record was 159 criminal homicide cases in 2018, according to The Associated Press. The police investigated 154 criminal homicides in 2019." The Washington Mgt (4/16, 10.52M) in an editorial provides a list of the victims of mass shootings in the US dating back to 1999, and argues that if the US "confronted the epidemic of gun violence with resolve and common sense, lives could - and would - be saved. No single law will prevent all gun deaths, but there are common-sense measures that would help." As Indianapolis Mourns, White House Faces More Pressure To Act On Gun Violence. The Indianapolis Star (4/17, Herron, 662K) reported Indianapolis "is still reeling from the shock of a mass shooting at a FedEx facility that left eight people dead and several others wounded." The Star added Mayor Joe Hogsett (D) on Saturday joined Rep. Andre Carson (D-IL) "and other officials as well as co-workers, family and friends of those whose lives were lost at a candlelight vigil at Krannert Park on the Westside." According to the Star, those present "offer sympathy and prayers," and "some issued calls for stronger gun laws in the wake of the tragedy at the FedEx Plainfield Ground Operations Center." The Wall Street Journal (4/17, Naughton, O'Brien, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provides similar coverage. On NBC Nightly News (4/17, story 4, 0:43, Diaz-Balart, 3.44M), Kelly O'Donnell reported that President Biden on Friday "called these repeated tragedies 'a national embarrassment' that must end." On ABC World News Tonight (4/17, story 3, 2:00, Johnson, 3.89M), White House correspondent MaryAlice Parks described Biden as "sounding increasingly frustrated," yet also "defensive when asked if he should be prioritizing passing new gun laws." Biden: "I've never not prioritized this. No one has worked harder to deal with violence used by individuals using weapons than I have." Parks added that while "on the campaign trail, Biden promised to take the issue head on," but so far there has been "no big push for gun control. And with 29 mass shootings so far this month, the White House now saying it's on congressional Republicans to come to the bargaining table." Parks said that the President "has taken some initial steps, including targeting so-called ghost guns that can be assembled at home," but "advocates say he could do more right now on his own, including cracking down on gun dealers who have violations, limiting some private sales, and perhaps appointing a director to coordinate the federal response to gun violence." A Washington Post (4/17, Olorunnipa, Sotomayor, 10.52M) analysis describes the White House as under "growing pressure to act," even as "the routine has become so predictable that some gun-control activists see the familiarity of tragedy as their biggest obstacle to achieving the change they've been seeking for the past decade." The Post adds the recent mass shootings have "encouraged activists to make a concerted push for fresh legislation restricting access to guns. But with no dear consensus on how to achieve an elusive goal - and with the White House reluctant to spend limited political capital on a prospect with long odds - there's a palpable fear among gun- control groups that their best chance in years to change the nation's gun laws could once again end in failure." CAPITOL VIOLENCE NEWS Capitol Siege Probe Sees Progress, Roadblocks After 100 Days. CNN (4/16, Cohen, Schneider, 89.21M) reported, "One hundred days after the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, the unprecedented progress and unexpected roadblocks of the EFTA00135874 investigation are becoming clear." According to CNN, "Prosecutors have moved full speed ahead with hundreds of cases against rioters but haven't made use of the much-discussed sedition laws," and have "rounded up dozens of extremists and militia members yet failed to convince judges that most are too dangerous to release pre-trial." The investigation "is still in its early stages. Prosecutions in the backlogged court system could stretch on for years, even if most rioters ultimately plead guilty." Indiana "Oath Keepers" Leader Pleads Guilty In Capitol Siege Probe. The Indianapolis Star (4/16, Magdaleno, 662K) reports, "A heavy metal guitarist from Columbus, Indiana who was armed with bear mace and wore a tactical vest as he joined a mob storming the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6 has pleaded guilty in federal court." Jon Schaffer, 52, "admitted in Washington DC District Court to obstructing an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a weapon when he tried to forcibly stop Congress' certification of the U.S. presidential election results. 'These actions are disgraceful and unacceptable,' FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate said in a prepared statement from the United States Department of Justice." The Star adds, "In his plea agreement submitted to Judge Amit P. Mehta on Friday Schaffer admitted to being one of the founders of the Oath Keepers, a national organization that describes itself as 'a non-partisan association of current and formerly serving military, police, and first responders' at its website." CNN (4/16, Cohen, 89.21M) reports that Schaffer "pleaded guilty Friday to two crimes related to the US Capitol insurrection, making him the first rioter to do so." Schaffer "pleaded guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and entering a building with a dangerous weapon. He admitted to carrying bear spray into the Capitol complex during the formal certification of the Electoral College votes." CNN adds, "One hundred days after the January 6 attack, Schaffer is now the first pro-Trump rioter to plead guilty and admit his crimes. In his plea deal, Schaffer is described as a 'founding lifetime member' of the Oath Keepers, though his lawyers previously claimed in court that he didn't know much about the paramilitary group." USA Today (4/16, Mansfield, Johnson, 12.7M) reports, "The cooperation agreement is a key turning point for prosecutors who have been pursuing a broad conspiracy case against groups of rioters, including the paramilitary Oath Keepers group and the far-right Proud Boys organization." USA Today adds, "In court documents in March, prosecutors said the ongoing conspiracy inquiry involves 'a large number of participants.' Prosecutors also have indicated that they have significant information on Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes actions during the attack." On Thursday, FBI Director Wray "described the investigation as perhaps the largest inquiry since the 9/11 attacks." The AE (4/16, Balsamo, Durkin Richer) reports that Schaffer "has agreed to cooperate with investigators in hopes of getting a lighter sentence, and the Justice Department will consider putting Schaffer in the federal witness security program, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said. This signals that federal prosecutors see him as a valuable cooperator as they continue to investigate militia groups and other extremists involved in the insurrection on Jan. 6." The Washington Post (4/16, Hsu, Barrett, 10.52M) reports, "The plea marks a new stage in the historic investigation, as prosecutors seek to work up the chain of defendants to gather evidence and better understand the full scope of any planning and organizing of the violence — particularly among groups like the far-right Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys. Dozens of members from both groups appeared to act in concert to storm the building, prosecutors have alleged. Peter Skinner, a former federal prosecutor, called it a 'huge' development, saying such cooperation deals are 'what the government needs to investigate and possibly prosecute the leaders of the organization." The New York limes (4/16, Al, Feuer, 20.6M) reports Schaffer's cooperation "could prove instrumental in helping prosecutors pursue a separate and much broader conspiracy case against 12 other members of the Oath Keepers who stand accused of some of the most serious charges in the sprawling investigation into the storming of the Capitol." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Viswanatha, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) provided similar coverage as did brief CBS Evening News (4/16, story 5, 0:22, O'Donnell, 3.77M) and NBC Nightly News. (4/16, story 5, 0:43, Holt, 4.83M) segments. EFTA00135875 Prosecutors Say Men Arrested For Attempted Theft Of Gun From DC Officer During Capitol Riot. The Washingtnn Pact (4/16, Weiner, 10.52M) reports prosecutors "said Friday they have arrested a man who attempted to grab a service weapon from a D.C. police officer during the attack on the U.S. Capitol in January." According to the Post, "Kyle J. Young, 37, of Redfield, Iowa, was arrested Wednesday along with Albuquerque C. Head, 41, of Kingsport, Tenn. Both are accused of assaulting Michael Fanone, a D.C. officer who was dragged down the steps of the Capitol, attacked with an electroshock weapon and beaten unconscious by the mob." The Post adds that also indicted was "Thomas Sibick, 35, of Buffalo, who was already charged with beating Fanone and stealing the officer's badge and radio. The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, was made public Friday. Daniel Rodriguez, 38, of Fontana, Calif., is accused in a separate indictment of using an electroshock weapon on Fanone." FBI Arrests Michigan Man In Capitol Siege Probe. MLive (MI) (4/16, Barrett, 828K) reports, "Facebook messages released to the FBI show a Hancock man charged with four federal crimes for allegedly entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 and enjoyed a celebratory beer afterward." Jeremy Sorvisto "was arrested on April 7 as part of an investigation into Karl Dresch, another man from the Upper Penninsula who was charged for breaching the Capitol. FBI agents identified Sorvisto while seeking to find others who may have traveled to Washington, D.C. with Dresch." Sorvisto "was charged with entering a restricted building, disruptive conduct, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and demonstrating in a Capitol building. Each is a misdemeanor crime punishable by six months in prison." Prosecutors Say Nazi Sympathizer Who Stormed Capitol Poses Threat To Jews. CNN (4/16, Cohen, 89.21M) reports, "The Justice Department said Friday that a Nazi sympathizer who stormed the US Capitol on January 6 poses a threat to Jewish residents in his native New Jersey and therefore shouldn't be released from jail." CNN adds, "The alleged Capitol rioter, Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, was a well-known Nazi sympathizer at the Navy base where he worked in New Jersey. A federal judge ordered him detained last month while he awaits trial, but he has filed new motions with the court seeking his release. Opposing those requests, federal prosecutors told the judge that Hale-Cusanelli poses a danger to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood, which is near the Navy base where he worked before his arrest. 'Defendant poses a more localized threat to the community, particularly the Hassidic community in Lakewood, New Jersey,' federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing." Capitol Rioter Who Allegedly Ransacked Pelosi's Office Is Released From Jail. The Daily Beast (4/18, Nadeau, 933K) reports, "Despite the fact that Capitol insurrectionist William Robert Norwood III allegedly stole body armor, lied to the FBI, and 'led a pack of rioters through the inner sanctum of Speaker Pelosi's office space' where he lifted a paper coaster, he has been released pending his trial, according to Department of Justice documents seen by The Daily Beast. He is charged with two felonies: obstruction of an official proceeding and theft of government property." The Daily Beast adds that Norwood "petitioned the court last week to be released to home detention which was granted Saturday, according to Department of Justice documents which lay out the extent of Norwood's involvement in the Jan. 6 riots," and "as a result of Norwood's lack of criminal history, the D.C. court determined that he is not a threat so society." Pennsylvania Man Faces Federal Charges Over Capitol Riot. The Erie (PA) Times-News (4/19, 35K) reports Jeremy J. Vorous of Venango, PA "has been indicted in federal court in Washington, D.C." on "five counts, including obstruction of an official proceeding." The FBI charged Vorous with the same counts in a criminal complaint in March. Judge Threatens To Hold Woman Charged In Capitol Riot In Contempt For Wearing Mesh Mask. EFTA00135876 The Washington Post (4/16, Hsu, 10.52M) reports US District Judge Royce Lamberth on Friday "ordered a Pennsylvania woman charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot to show why she should not be jailed pending trial or held in contempt of court for allegedly flouting a requirement that she wear a mask when leaving her home while on bond." According to the Post, "Rachel Marie Powell, a mother of eight who lives in Mercer County, Pa., just east of the state line and Youngstown, Ohio, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts including felony destruction of federal property and obstruction of a congressional proceeding after allegedly carrying an ice ax and large wooden pole into the Capitol." The Post says the FBI had "previously alleged that Powell, wearing a pink hat and carrying a bullhorn, helped shatter a window with a battering ram and appeared to direct others at the scene." Ohio Is High On List Of Capitol Siege Indictments. The Cincinnati Enquirer (4/16, Knight, 223K) reports, "Ohio ranks sixth in the country when it comes to federal indictments in the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice." The Enquirer adds that "20 Ohioans have been arrested on federal charges related to the infiltration, about 5.3% of the total. Among those arrested, four are associated with an extremist group called the Oath Keepers, whose members "believe that the federal government has been co-opted by a shadowy conspiracy that is trying to strip American citizens of their rights," according to court documents. At least five photographed or filmed themselves during or after the breach. One is charged with assaulting a police officer." Olen: CA Teacher Who Marched On Jan. 6 Should Not Lose Job. In her Washington Post (4/16, 10.52M) column, Helaine Olen argues that while fourth-grade teacher Kristine Hostetter "joined her husband in marching on the Capitol on Jan. 6," she should not lose her job "as much as I disagree with just about every political opinion Kristine Hostetter is known to hold. That many think otherwise speaks to the tenor of our times, when people across the political spectrum are increasingly intolerant of the beliefs of those who differ with them." Olen says the district "found no proof that Hostetter had entered the Capitol on Jan. 6," so "she was returned to her classroom," but "many petition-signers want Hostetter fired not because of anything she was proven to have done but because 'canceling' her would assuage some of their hostility toward Trump, right-leaning extremism and fury over racist incidents in the school district." Waldman: Trump's Presidency "Began And Ended With Two Of The Most Profound Attacks On American Democracy." In his Washington Post (4/16, 10.52M) column, Paul Waldman asserts that as the US continues to "grapple with the fallout of the Trump era, a disturbing fact is becoming more and more clear, one whose effects are still being felt: Donald Trump's presidency began and ended with two of the most profound attacks on American democracy in our history." According to Waldman, "There's a straight line running from the 2016 Russia scandal through the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6. And in both cases, almost the entire GOP decided to defend, justify and use those attacks for whatever advantage it could gain. Indeed, that through line runs from both of those right into the GOP campaign of voter suppression and cultural panic now underway." Politico Analysis: Congressional Security Spending Has "Surged" Since Capitol Riot. Politico (4/16, Ferris, Payne, 6.73M) reports "more than one third of the 17 GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach of convict" former President Donald Trump "used campaign funds to install security systems or hire private details within weeks of their votes - for an eye-popping total of nearly $200,000 over the first three months of this year, according to an analysis of filings with the Federal Election Commission this week." Politico adds Congressional spending on private security "has surged among members of both parties since the deadly riot on Jan. 6, amid an alarming spike in death threats against lawmakers and their families." According to Politico, the spending "spotlights a challenge many lawmakers are eager to tackle this month: how to update the strict rules that govern personal security costs for members of Congress." EFTA00135877 Pittman Reflects On Toll That Jan. 6 Riot Has Taken On Capitol Police. In an interview with NBC Nightly Newc (4/16, story 6, 3:47, Holt, 4.83M), Lester Holt interviewed acting US Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman discussed "the enormous toll the attack has taken on her department and respond[ed] to criticism over the agency's preparedness." Asked about the criticism of the Capitol Police's response, Pittman said it has "created an overwhelming opportunity for this agency to improve and get better." He added Pittman "says she accepts the IG's assessments but argues they were aware of the intelligence." He also reported Pittman "acknowledges her department is about 200 officers below the authorized strength and remains reliant on the National Guard as it works to recruit new officers." Independent Investigation Of Capitol Riot Facing Difficult Odds. The Washington Post (4/18, Demirjian, 10.52M) reports "an independent investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection is facing long odds, as bipartisan resolve to hold the perpetrators and instigators accountable erodes, and Republicans face sustained pressure to disavow that it was supporters of former president Donald Trump who attacked the U.S. Capitol." House Speaker Pelosi announced last week that she had drafted a new proposal for an outside commission to examine the causes of the riot, but, "in a sign of how delicate the political climate has become, she has yet to share her recommendations with Republican leaders, who shot down her initial approach." The Post says "rank-and-file Republicans have been forced to walk a political tightrope, as a majority still believe the election was stolen from Trump," who "still wields outsize influence in the GOP, which is presently the minority party in Washington but is within striking distance of making a comeback in 2022 - if leaders can hold their ranks together." Vox (4/18, 1.88M) reports Pelosi sent a "Dear Colleague" letter to House Democrats Friday in which she "renewed her call for a congressional commission to investigate" the riot. Pelosi wrote, "Compromise has been necessary; now, we must agree on the scope, composition and resources necessary to seek and find the truth. ... It is my hope that we can reach agreement very soon. At the same time, committees in the House and Senate have been holding and planning hearings, which will be a resource to the commission." Some Charged In Capitol Riot Claim They Were There As Journalists. The AP (4/18, Kunzelman, Billeaud) reports supporters of former President Donald Trump "thoroughly document[ed] their actions and words in videos and social media posts" during the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capitol. Some of them now "are claiming they were only there to record history as journalists, not to join a deadly insurrection." At least eight people charged in the riot "have identified themselves as a journalist or a documentary filmmaker, including three people arrested this month, according to an Associated Press review of court records in nearly 400 federal cases." According to the AP, "experts say" it is "unlikely that any of the self-proclaimed journalists can mount a viable defense on the First Amendment's free speech grounds. ... They face long odds if video captured them acting more like rioters than impartial observers." PROTESTS Demonstrators Nationwide Protest Against Police Brutality. The Hill (4/17, Castronuovo, 5.69M) reports, "Hundreds of protesters marched throughout Washington, D.C., on Friday evening, with some engaging in clashes with police, calling for an end to police brutality following a series of fatal shootings and as the end of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial nears." Protestors at first assembled "for a rally at Black Lives Matter Plaza in downtown D.C. before walking through the streets and chanting the names of individuals killed by police, including 20-year-old Daunte Wright, who was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop last week, and 13-year-old Adam Toledo, who was shot and killed after a police officer allegedly saw the boy holding a gun." The San Francisco Chronide (4/17, Rubenstein, 2.44M) reports, "Hundreds of people marched through downtown Oakland on Friday night to demonstrate against" the shootings of Wright and Toledo, "with some breaking away from the main group to smash windows, set fires and EFTA00135878 spraypaint red anarchy symbols, according to police statements and video footage." Meanwhile, the .AE (4/16, Cline, Flaccus) reports police in Portland, Oregon "said Saturday they arrested four people after declaring a riot Friday night when protesters smashed windows, burglarized businesses and set multiple fires during demonstrations that started after police fatally shot a man while responding to reports of a person with a gun." The vandalism "also was part of vigils and demonstrations already planned for the night in the name of people killed in police shootings nationwide." Bloomberg Analysis: Groundwork For Chauvin Appeal "Has Been Laid." A Bloomberg (4/17, Lopez, Earls, 3.57M) analysis says, "The groundwork for appealing a possible conviction of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, has been laid even before jurors weigh the charges." Ex-public defender Christa Groshek said, "The defense has really been positioning Chauvin's case for an appeal from day one," with Groshek also saying, "I think there are a tremendous amount of options they will have on appeal." Bloomberg adds that closing arguments are slated to commence Monday, and jurors will subsequently "deliberate Chauvin's fate." He "is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, all of which have different standards of proof." NYTimes Analysis: Dozens Of Police Killings Have Occurred Since Testimony In Chauvin Trial Began. A New York Times (4/17, Al, Eligon, Hubler, 20.6M) analysis says that since testimony in Chauvin's trial commenced on March 29, no less than 64 individuals "have died at the hands of law enforcement nationwide, with Black and Latino people representing more than half of the dead. As of Saturday, the average was more than three killings a day." AP Analysis: Black Americans "Facing A Collective Sense Of Grief And Trauma." An AP (4/17, Stafford) analysis says, "Many Black Americans are facing a collective sense of grief and trauma that has grown more profound with the loss of each life at the hands of police in America. Some see themselves and their children reflected in the victims of police violence, heightening the grief they feel." The AP adds that the racial trauma affecting Black Americans is "built upon centuries of oppressive systems and racist practices that are deeply embedded within the fabric of the nation." Capehart: Black Americans "Live Under Siege." Washington Post (4/17, 10.52M) columnist Jonathan Capehart writes, "There is no one way to be Black in America, but there is one way we live while Black in America. No matter our gender, age or socioeconomic status, we are viewed as threats. As a result, we live under siege." Protesters Demonstrate In Chicago Following Release Of Body Cam Video From Police Shooting Of 13-Year-Old. The Chicago (4/16, Keilman, 2.03M) reports hundreds of people "gathered in Logan Square Park on Friday evening to demand justice for 13-year-old Adam Toledo and all victims of police violence, according to organizers." The Tribune describes rally, which "was the first major demonstration against the Chicago Police Department since the city released the troubling video of Toledo's killing Thursday," as "peaceful but passionate." On ABC World News Tonight (4/16, story 3, 2:49, Muir, 6.23M), Alex Perez reported that in the video, "you can see Officer Eric Stillman chasing the two suspects, pushing one to the ground, running after the other. The officer yelling to see the suspect's hands. Toledo's right hand momentarily out of view as the boy pivots, turns around and raises both hands. Officer Stillman fires a single shot. Toledo's hands appear to be empty when he was struck. A freeze-frame image shows Toledo holding what appears to be a gun in that right hand. Authorities say it was less than one second from when the weapon seems to disappear, and when the boy is shot in the chest. This nearby security camera capturing the heart-racing moments before the shooting. The 13-year-old allegedly tossing the handgun behind this wooden fence, where it was recovered by police. The firearm seen on the officer's bodycam. Stillman, immediately after the shooting, calling for an ambulance and beginning CPR. Appearing to be emotional, later sitting on the ground, another officer consoling him. Stillman, seen here in a video for a toy giveaway, joined the force in 2015. He has three complaints and four use of force reports on his record, but has never been disciplined. The police union lawyer representing Stillman defending his actions, saying he was, EFTA00135879 quote, `left with no other option.' But the Toledo family attorney says the video speaks for itself." On NBC Nightly News (4/16, story 3, 1:35, Holt, 4.83M), Rehema Ellis reported, "No charges have been filed against the officer, who's been placed on administrative duty." In an analysis, the Washington Post (4/16, Bump, 10.52M) says that "of the 19 other children under the age of 16 shot and killed by police in the past six years, most were the police officers' intended targets." While Toledo "wasn't armed, eight of the 22 children under the age of 16 who were fatally shot by police since 2015 were armed with guns when they were shot, according to Post data. Another four were holding other kinds of weapons, like knives. Three were holding toy guns, like 13-year-old Tyre King, fatally shot in Columbus, Ohio, in 2016. One was driving a car, and the others, including the three youngest, weren't armed at all." The Post adds, "The number of young people shot to death by police since 2015 is relatively small, so we should be cautious in drawing too many conclusions from the pool. It is worth noting, however, that these kids are mostly non-White. (Adam was Hispanic.)" Death Of Toledo "Renews The Anguish" Among Chicagoans "Still Pained" By 2014 Killing Of McDonald. The New York Times (4/17, Bosman, 20.6M) reports, "Chicagoans reacted with horror and grief to body-camera video released on Thursday that showed the killing of Adam Toledo," 13, on March 29. The footage shows Toledo being pursued "down an alley by a police officer, who orders him to stop and show his hands. An analysis of the video, slowing down events that took place in the space of a second, shows the teenager then appearing to toss a handgun nearby and raise his hands in the air, just before the officer shoots him in the chest." The Times adds, "For Chicagoans who are still pained by the shooting death of Laquan McDonald by the police in 2014, Adam's death renews the anguish, particularly in heavily Black and Latino neighborhoods where residents have long said they are unfairly targeted by the police." On ABC World News Tonight' (4/17, story 6, 1:55, Johnson, 3.89M), correspondent lanai Norman reported Toledo's family is mourning Toledo, "telling ABC News he was a kind and funny kid who loved to laugh, sharing never-before-seen pictures of" him. Norman added that officer Eric Stillman, who fired the fatal shot, "joined the force in 2014. He's had three complaints of misconduct but no disciplinary action and no use of force reports indicating he fired his weapon before this shooting. And the officer's attorney says he faced a life-threatening situation and left with no other option before opening fire." Hundreds Call For Accountability Over Toledo Killing. On NBC Nightly Newt' (4/17, story 5, 1:17, Diaz-Balart, 3.44M), correspondent Ron Allen reported that in Chicago, hundreds called for accountability after viewing the body-camera footage of Toledo being shot. Toledo family attorney Adeena Weiss Ortiz said, "He said show me your hands. The child did and there was nothing in his hands when he got shot." According to Allen, "Stillman's attorney says the boy was with an older gang member just after a drive-by shooting and the officer fired, fearing the boy was armed." In a brief broadcast on the demonstrations in Chicago, the CBS Weekend News (4/17, story 4, 0:12, Diaz, 1.74M) reported they "were mostly peaceful, but there were some dashes with police." WSJournal Analysis: Toledo Shooting Highlighted Problem Of How Chicago Children Are Being Fatally Shot. A Wall Street Journal (4/16, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) analysis said the shooting of Toledo highlighted Chicago's problem of how its children are being fatally shot. Chicago Mayor Says She Will Not Resign Over Toledo Shooting. The Chicago Tribune (4/18, Pratt, Byrne, 2.03M) reports Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) on Sunday "blasted unsubstantiated social media chatter as 'homophobic, racist and misogynistic rumors' and indicated she is not resigning." The Chicago Sun-Times (4/18, Sdiuba, 970K) reports the claim that Lightfoot "planned to step down Sunday was apparently fueled by a now-deleted tweet sent by Ja'Mal Green, an activist and former mayoral candidate who continues to call for her resignation," though Fox News (4/18, Fordham, 23.99M) reports on its website that Green "seemed slightly apologetic for spreading rumors that Lightfoot intended to resign." CNN (4/18, Bradner, 89.21M) reports on its website that "following last week's release of video of the police killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, the mayor faces a new round of questions about how Chicago Police Department policies and oversight will change - and why she hasn't yet delivered on her promise." EFTA00135880 More Than 130 Individuals Arrested As Demonstrations Over Wright Killing Continue. On NB' Nightly Newc (4/17, story 6, 1:00, Allen, 3.44M), correspondent Ron Allen reported that in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, demonstrations against Daunte Wright's killing commenced "with no curfew in effect for the first time. But authorities say the peaceful gathering changed." Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said, "We started to see individuals dressed with helmets, with respirators, and gas masks. We were notified that a part of the fence had been breathed." According to Allen, "Dozens of officers arresting more than 130 people. The most in six-straight nights of clashes with worried-nearby residents caught in the middle." The CBS Weekend News (4/17, story 3, 0:21, Diaz, 1.74M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. NYTimes Analysis: Air Fresheners In Car Rearview Mirrors "May Be Treated As Illegal In A Majority Of States." A New York Times (4/17, Baker, Bogel-Burroughs, 20.6M) analysis says, "the air fresheners that dangle from rearview mirrors" in cars "may be treated as illegal in a majority of states, which have laws prohibiting objects near the windshield that can obstruct motorists' views. They are part of a suite of low-level offenses, such as tinted windows or broken taillights, that civil rights advocates complain have become common pretexts for traffic stops that too often selectively target people of color." The encounter that resulted in Wright's killing "began when officers initiated a traffic stop and raised the issue of a hanging air freshener, according to Mr. Wright's mother." Pete Orput, "the Washington County attorney, said officers had noticed an expired registration tab on Mr. Wright's license plate and decided to pull his car over. One of the officers later noted the air freshener hanging from the mirror, which was a violation of the law, Mr. Orput said." Brooklyn Center, MN Officials Criticizing Police Response To Protesters. The AP (4/16, Richmond, Ibrahim) reports Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Mayor Mike Elliott and other "elected leaders in the Minneapolis suburb where a police officer fatally shot Daunte Wright want officers to scale back their tactics amid nightly protests, leaving some law enforcement called in to assist asking whether the city still wants their help." The Post adds officers on Friday night "fired irritants into a crowd of several hundred after part of an outer fence was opened. Demonstrators dissipated shortly after 10 p.m. when officers quickly advanced. Flash bangs and sponge grenades were fired into the crowd, and several protesters who neared a group of officers were pepper sprayed. Some demonstrators scrambled through yards and over backyard fences to evade a perimeter authorities set up for a block around the police department." Meanwhile, the Washington Post (4/16, Craig, Foster-Frau, 10.52M) in a more than 2,300- word artide says the "unrest" in Brooklyn Center "offers [a] warning to other U.S. suburbs, experts say." The Post reports "demographers and sociologists" highlight "the growing ethnic and economic diversity that continues to sweep into America's suburbs, making those communities the new front line in the nation's culture clashes over racism and policing." The Post adds that as "immigrants and people of color move deeper into the suburbs, increasingly shattering historical stereotypes of White, picket-fence communities, they are redefining politics and contributing to a rise in non-White officeholders. But even as the political leadership of suburban governments becomes more diverse, scholars say the police forces and other local government institutions often lag, creating new flash points for tension among residents." Minneapolis National Guard Members Injured In Drive-By Shooting. A 2,700-word Washington Post (4/18, Craig, Bailey, 10.52M) article says the response by Brooklyn Center police to the protests over the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright "has elevated tensions in neighboring Minneapolis, a city already on edge as it braces for a verdict in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer accused of killing George Floyd." The Post says two members of the Minnesota National Guard "were injured when someone fired on a security team made up of troops and the Minneapolis Police Department in a drive-by shooting early Sunday," but not seriously injured, "according to the Guard's leader, Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke," though he "said the incident 'highlights the volatility and tension in our communities right now." The EFTA00135881 Minifeafrolls_StarTrilaunt (4/18, Hyatt, 855K) similarly reports on the injured national guard members. Meagan Fitzgerald said on NBC Nightly News (4/18, story 3, 2:20, Snow, 6.41M) that Minneapolis is "on high alert, windows boarded up. National Guard members on nearly every block, preparing for unrest as the case...comes to a close." Elwyn Lopez reported on ABC World News Tonight (4/18, lead story, 3:20, Davis, 4.85M) that the Twin Cities are "bracing for a verdict," with "thousands of National Guardsmen coming in to assist local authorities. And schools in Minneapolis moving to remote learning for part of this week." Lopez added that the jury "will be sequestered after closing arguments on Monday. The judge telling them how much to consider to pack for that, he said if I were you, I would plan for long, and hope for short." Skyler Henry reported on the CBS Weekend News (4/18, lead story, 3:15, Duncan, 1.24M) that they jury will have "no smartphones, no computers, and in some cases according to some legal experts that we've spoken to, that means no TV as well." Henry added that "in terms of recent cases that have involved Minneapolis police and fatal shootings, juries have deliberated in as quickly as two days and have taken as long as a week, and of course, the jury has enough time to come up with what they feel is appropriate for each of the charges against Derek Chauvin." Alleged Police, FBI Infiltration Of Portland Protests Raises Concerns. KGW-TV Portland, OR (4/16, Iboshi, 345K) reports from Portland, Oregon, "An unnamed informant. Plainclothes FBI agents. Tactics typically used in drug cases or serious crimes are being used by police monitoring protests in Portland, according to court records." KGW-TV adds, "Activists and civil rights attorneys fear this police surveillance may violate the right to free speech - a risk they worry outweighs any potential benefit. 'I think it has a potential chilling impact on First Amendment speech,' said J. Ashlee Albies, a civil rights attorney in Portland." Albies "worries the tactic may deter law abiding citizens from participating in demonstrations and undermine trust between law enforcement and the community." On April 13, Portland police "declared a riot after demonstrators threw fireworks and set a fire at the Portland Police Association building. Officers arrested one person, 19-year-old Alma Raven-Guido. Court records later revealed that an unnamed informant within the crowd helped identify Raven-Guido, who faces charges of arson, criminal mischief and riot." Group: Albuquerque Police Department Asked DEA For Protest-Related Help. The Albuquerque (NM) Journal (4/16, Kaplan, 188K) reported, "Last summer, as the movement against racial injustice swept the country, officials in the Albuquerque Police Department asked the Drug Enforcement Administration for the assistance of special agents to do undercover operations and surveillance at protests, according to" the nonprofit, government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics. In response to questions on Friday, "both the mayor's office and Chief of Police Harold Medina vehemently denied knowing about the request for assistance from the DEA." The Journal highlighted that federal agents were deployed to Albuquerque last year as part of Operation Legend. COUNTER-TERRORISM Senators Call On Biden To Close Guantanamo. NPR (4/16, Pfeiffer, 3.69M) reported that, "in a letter to the White House, 24 senators said the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 'has damaged America's reputation, fueled anti-Muslim bigotry, and weakened the US' ability to counter terrorism and fight for human rights and the rule of law around the world." Two dozen US senators are "urging President Biden to shut it down quickly and find new homes for the 40 men remaining there." Many of the detainees have been "confined at Guantanamo for nearly two decades without being tried or charged, and some have been cleared for release but are still being held." Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin and 23 of his Democratic-voting colleagues "outlined immediate steps they believe the Administration should take to close the secretive, deteriorating island detention facility." EFTA00135882 Fox News (4/16, 23.99M) reported Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said, "The Democrats' obsession with bringing terrorists into Americans' backyards is bizarre, misguided, and dangerous." Cornyn "said Republicans would fight Guantanamo's closing tooth and nail,' just as they did under Obama." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin "said in his Senate confirmation he supported shuttering the prison's doors as well." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE DO) Investigating If "Russiagate" Inquirer Kash Patel Leaked Classified Information. The Washington Fxaminer (4/16, Chaitin, 888K) reported the Justice Department is "investigating whether Kash Patel, a former high-ranking Trump Administration official who was instrumental in revealing secrets behind the `Russiagate' controversy, improperly disclosed classified information." The alleged inquiry was "revealed in a column Friday by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, who cited 'two knowledgeable sources who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the probe." The sources "said the investigation began this year with a complaint submitted by an intelligence agency, which was not identified." The column "said the sources would not provide further details, and Patel could not be reached for comment." Russia Retaliates After Imposition Of New US Sanctions. Reuters (4/16, Osborn, Balmforth) reports Russia on Friday "asked 10 U.S. diplomats to leave the country in retaliation for Washington's expulsion of the same number of Russian diplomats over alleged malign activity and suggested the U.S. ambassador return home for consultations." Reuters describes the action as "part of a broader retaliatory package...approved by President Vladimir Putin" in response "to an array of U.S. government sanctions imposed on Moscow a day earlier, including curbs to its sovereign debt market." In addition, the AP (4/16, Isachenkov) reports Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the addition of "eight U.S. officials to its sanctions list," and Russia will "move to restrict and stop the activities of U.S. nongovernment organizations from interfering in Russia's politics." The Washington Post (4/16, Dixon, 10.52M) reports that AG Garland, FBI Director Wray, DHS Secretary Mayorkas and DNI Haines were among those sanctioned by the Kremlin. However, the New York Times (4/16, Kramer, 20.6M) says, "The response, mostly mirroring the diplomatic rebuke by the United States from the day before, suggested the Russian government did not intend an escalation that could worsen already dismal relations between the countries." The Times adds that with the Russian response "largely limited to the expulsions and travel bans, it appears the Kremlin does not intend to raise the diplomatic stakes and may remain open to the invitation to a summit meeting, possibly in a European country sometime over the summer, that Mr. Biden extended to...Putin this week." The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Simmons, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) and a brief ABC World News Tonight (4/16, story 8, 0:30, Muir, 6.23M) segment provided similar coverage. The Guardian (UK) (4/16, Roth, 5.53M) reports that Russian diplomats "have lashed out at the UK for joining the US in condemning Russia's international cyber-espionage efforts, induding elections interference and the SolarWinds hack." The New York Times (4/17, Higgins, Goeij, 20.6M) reports that Polan "also expelled Russia diplomats in recent days, ordering three to leave on Thursday in what Warsaw said was a gesture of 'solidarity' with the United States." The Wall Street Journal. (4/16, Simmons, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) also reports on the Russian reaction, as does The Hill (4/16, 5.69M) and Fox News (4/16, McFall, 23.99M), among others. Analysts View New US Sanctions On Russia As "Mostly Symbolic." Citing economists, CNBC (4/16, Smith, 7.34M) reports on its website that "new U.S. sanctions on Russia are 'mostly symbolic' and will have minimal impact on markets and the macroeconomic outlook." Likewise, Axios (4/15, Basu, Swan, 1.26M), in a post titled, "Biden's Russian Sanctions Likely To Achieve Little," says, "Despite bold talk from top administration officials, there's little reason to think the Russia sanctions...will do anything to alter...Putin's behavior or calculus." Axios points EFTA00135883 out that Biden "did not announce sanctions targeting Nord Stream 2, a nearly complete Russian- German pipeline that will bypass Ukraine and deliver Russian gas straight to the European Union." Axios adds, "The reality is nobody expected him to sanction an ally - Germany - which is the type of action that might actually stop the pipeline from being completed." A Wall Street Journal (4/16, Donati, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) article titled "Biden Faces New Pressure to Act On Russia's Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline" provides similar coverage. Russia Sanctions May Impact Space Cooperation. pOLITIrn Spare (4/16) reported Russia's reaction to recent US sanctions might "impact the relationship between the two nations' civil space programs." Jeffrey Edmonds, a former director for Russia on the National Security Council said, "It is not beyond the imagination that at some point Russia could sever all space cooperation with the United States as a show of its discontent with US policy. I see it as low probability at this point but definitely something worth keeping an eye on. If Russia wants to respond strongly to US actions, it may choose to do so in areas where it sees itself in more peer- to-peer terms, space being one of those." There's precedent, however, "for the close partnership in space operating independently of terrestrial pressures." More Commentary. Philip Elliott writes for TIME (4/16, 18.1M) writes that while Russia (and the USSR before it) has long interfered in US elections, in 2016, Russia's "working so openly that year to help ensure Donald's Trump's win was something different." He cites this as the activity really driving the sanctions, adding that where "Biden's aggressive move will act as a deterrent and stop more than 70 years of Russian meddling in U.S. affairs seems doubtful." Cotton: Intelligence On Russia Bounties "Selectively Leaked" To Aid Biden Campaign. Fox News (4/16, 23.99M) reported Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) "told 'The Faulkner Focus' Friday that intelligence about Russia placing bounties on US soldiers in Afghanistan was 'selectively leaked' to the media last year to help the Biden campaign." A senior Biden Administration official "said Thursday that the IC only had 'low to moderate' confidence in the story." Cotton said, "Joe Biden owes President Trump an apology. Joe Biden used that line of attack multiple times in the campaign to include in the presidential debate. I remember when it first surfaced last summer, I was open-minded to it, it sounds like something that Vladimir Putin and the Russians would do. But I sit on the Intelligence Committee. I reviewed it carefully, and again, I could not see where these reports in the media were coming from." DNI Highlights Top US Challenges In Annual Threat Assessment. Air Force Magazine (4/17) reported DNI Avril Haines "said in the ICs annual assessment of top threats facing the US that China aims to displace the US as the world's preeminent superpower; Russia is 'pushing back' against the US, sometimes with force; Iran is a 'regional menace' and North Korea is a 'disruptive player,' and will be for years to come." The 31-page unclassified threat assessment "calls China the 'pacing threat' for the US - militarily, politically, and economically -- noting that the other three nations remain active, potent adversaries, particularly in cyber warfare." The DNI "said the Chinese use coercive foreign loans and 'vaccine diplomacy,' along with expansive territorial claims, to compete vigorously with the US for world influence." Finnish Startup ICEYE Collaborating With In-Q-Tel. Breaking Defense (4/16, Hitchens) reported Finnish startup ICEYE is "partnering with the IC's venture capital arm In-Q-Tel as US government demand for SAR satellite data skyrockets." Eric Jensen, president of ICEYE US said, "We are now on contract with multiple customers, both on the defense and Intel side and on the civil side. We've had humbling reception, I would say, amongst all those sectors. There is very clearly an unmet demand for complimentary commercial SAR here in the States." Simon Davidson, managing partner, In-Q-Tel, and EVP, IQT Emerge, said in a press release yesterday announcing the partnership, "ICEYE's world-class SAR satellites and their market-leading global coverage allows for capture despite time of day and weather conditions. We are pleased and excited to bring this technology to our government partners." ICEYE also announced that it "has built a US manufacturing plant in Irvine, Calif. to boost its satellite-making capacity to meet the rapid growth in its business base." EFTA00135884 Nunes Warns Intel Chiefs Against Targeting Americans. The Washington Times (4/16, Scarborough, 626K) reports Republicans are "putting the Biden intelligence chiefs on notice that their agencies are moving dangerously close to spying on Americans in the US." They raised "concerns on Thursday at a HPSCI hearing featuring President Biden's five top intelligence officials, including DNI Haines and FBI Director Wray." Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), the panel's top Republican, said, "The Democrats see political benefits in characterizing wide swaths of American citizens particularly Republicans and conservatives as politically suspect, politically violent and deserving of government surveillance. However, I will remind those assembled here today that our intelligence community exists solely to counteract foreign threats." He added, "As for the leaders of the intelligence community, I hope you plan on spending a reasonable amount of time in upcoming years on activities other than investigating conservatives and spying on Republican presidential campaigns." CIA Intelligence Network In Afghanistan Likely Will Be Dismantled With Withdrawal. CNN (4/18, Cohen, Williams, Starr, 89.21M) reports President Joe Biden's planned withdrawal from Afghanistan includes "an intense unraveling of the extensive intelligence and covert action network that the US has built there over the two decades since 9/11 as part of the global war on terror." The current plan includes the "removal of the hundreds of special operations forces not publidy acknowledged by the US government but known to be there," according to two defense officials and a senior US official with direct knowledge of the situation. Most, if not all, CIA operators "working in Afghanistan are almost certain to leave as well," current and former officials told CNN. Without the support of a conventional military presence, "on-the-ground intelligence gathering becomes significantly more difficult - and more dangerous." Neither the "removal of special operations forces nor the likely removal of intelligence operators has been previously reported." State's Disinformation-Fighting Arm Tapping AI For Support. NextGov (4/16) reported emerging technologies - and partnerships promoting their use - "have proven instrumental for the State Department's Global Engagement Center, a hub that steers federal efforts to counter state-sponsored propaganda and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining the US." The GEC's Acting Coordinator Daniel Kimmage said Thursday, "Artificial intelligence and the tools that it offers are really helping us to understand what's happening in the environment, and to identify coordinated activity. There's obviously a much broader range of activity across the State Department, but for us it's a powerful way to better understand what's happening in the environment, and identify coordinated activity." At an event hosted by Foreign Policy, Kimmage "offered a glimpse into how technology is impacting and enabling GEC's work, particularly as online disinformation campaigns led by US adversaries grow in sophistication." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Police Identify Austin Gunman As Former Sheriff's Detective Accused Of Child Sexual Assault. The Washington MO (4/18, Shammas, Thebault, 10.52M) reports the FBI and US Marshals Service are assisting in the manhunt "for a former law enforcement officer who allegedly opened fire at an apartment complex in Austin on Sunday, killing three people before fleeing." The Post adds that Austin police "identified the suspect as Stephen Nicholas Broderick, 41, a former detective at the Travis County Sheriff's Office who is considered armed and dangerous," but the Austin (TX) American Statesman (4/18, Martinez-Cabrera, Plohetski, Autullo, Odam, Subscription Publication, 261K) reports interim Austin Police Chief Joe Chacon "said police are no longer classifying the incident as an active shooter situation," as "preliminary information is that Broderick knew the victims and that the shooting was targeted to them." Fox News (4/18, Fordham, 23.99M) reports online that police "said that the three lifeless bodies were all adults, including two Hispanic females, and one Black male." EFTA00135885 While c.NN (4/18, Silverman, Elassar, 89.21M) reports on its website that his motive "is currently unknown," the AE (4/18, Vertuno) says Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza "said in a statement that Broderick had been arrested for sexual assault of a child last June and was released on $50,000 bond." The AP adds Garza "said that the district attorney's office on Sunday filed a motion to revoke that bond and is actively supporting law enforcement as they pursue Broderick." The Dallas Morning News (4/18, Keomoungkhoun, 772K) says a spokesperson for the Travis County sheriff's office "told the American-Statesman that Broderick was a property crimes detective and resigned after the arrest." The New York Post (4/18, Fitz-Gibbon, 7.45M) and the New York Daily News (4/18, Feldman, 2.51M), as well as the ABC World News Tonight (4/18, story 9, 0:15, Davis, 4.85M) and NBC Nightly News (4/18, lead story, 1:35, Snow, 6.41M) segments, provided similar coverage. The Houston Chronicle (4/18, Blackman, 982K) reports the shooting "rattled the capital city and a nation already on edge, coming amid a string of mass shootings across the country." Likewise, USA Today (4/18, Martinez-Cabrera, Bacon, 12.7M) reports "the rampage was the latest of several shooting attacks across the nation," but President Biden's calls "for tighter gun restrictions to combat the carnage have drawn little support in Texas." According to USA Today, "The shooting comes two days after the Texas House of Representatives approved and sent to the state Senate a bill that would allow anyone at least 21 years old to carry a handgun without a permit." Wisconsin Police Arrest Suspect For Shooting At Kenosha Bar The Kenosha (WI) News (4/18, Smith, 91K) reports the Kenosha Sheriff's Department on Sunday arrested a suspect "for a shooting that left three men dead and three injured in a shooting early Sunday morning at the Somers House Tavern near Kenosha," and announced they "will be referring at least one charge of first-degree intentional homicide to the Kenosha County district attorney with additional charges pending further information." The News adds Sheriff's Sgt. David Wright "said no additional information would be released on the suspect Sunday afternoon. But according to Kenosha County Jail records, a 24-year-old homeless man was booked into the jail at 5:19 p.m. Sunday on a charge of first-degree homicide. Court records indicated that the man previously had a Racine address." The Washington Post (4/18, Beachum, 10.52M) reports the sheriff's department on Sunday morning had "described the suspect as a Black male over 6 feet tall wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt," but "didn't confirm if the person of interest with pending charges was the suspect described in their previous statements." The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (4/18, Carson, 844K) reports that according to Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth, the suspected shooter "was a patron who 'wasn't cooperating with the management' at the tavern," and while the man left the bar, he "returned a short time later, about 12:45 a.m., and began shooting." Beth added the shooter "'knew who the victims were' and targeted them." The AP (4/18) reports Beth "said he believed at least one handgun was used." Axios (4/18, Rummler, 1.26M) and the Fox News (4/18, Stimson, 23.99M) website provide similar coverage. Meanwhile, the New York Times (4/18, Ramzy, Kwai, 20.6M) describes the shooting as "the latest instance of gun violence in a nation where such bloodshed has grown wearyingly commonplace." USA Today (4/18, Carson, Bacon, 12.7M) reports mass shootings "have claimed four or more American lives every week for the past six weeks, leaving dozens dead and several more people wounded." USA Today adds that Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) "called it a 'senseless tragedy' and said he and his wife are 'thinking of the families and loved ones affected and the entire Kenosha community as they grieve and grapple with yet another tragic incident of gun violence." CNN (4/18, Spells, Yan, 89.21M) reports on its website that the US "has suffered at least 47 mass shootings since March 16, when eight people were killed at three Atlanta-area spas." Florida Nurse Charged For Threatening To Kill Harris. The Miami Herald (4/16, Weaver, 647K) reports that "a longtime nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital has been charged in Miami federal court with making threats to kill Vice President Kamala EFTA00135886 Harris, which she recorded in a series of videos she sent to her husband in prison." According to the Herald, "Federal authorities say the threats from Niviane Petit Phelps, a 39-year-old mother of three who lives in Miami Gardens, were serious enough that she practiced at a gun range and applied for a concealed weapons permit." The Herald says Phelps, "who is Black...threatened to kill Harris in the videos because she believes the vice president 'isn't actually Black,' according to the complaint by a Secret Service agent, who spoke with her before her arrest this month." Maxwell Has To Stand Trial After Judge Turns Down Dismissal Request. flImmherg (4/16, Hurtado, 3.57M) reports Ghislaine Maxwell "must stand trial on sex-trafficking charges after a U.S. judge rejected her dismissal request, paving the way for a trial that could begin as soon as July." Maxwell "is accused of recruiting girls for sex for former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein in a scheme that ran from 1994 to 2004." Family Of Tamir Rice Asks Garland To Reopen Probe Into Rice's Killing. The New York Times (4/16, Benner, 20.6M) reports, "The family of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who was shot and killed in 2014 by the Cleveland police, has asked Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to reopen the Justice Department's investigation into the shooting, which was closed in December after the department said it could not charge the officers." In a letter to Garland from Friday, attorneys representing Rice's mother said, "The election of President Biden, your appointment, and your commitment to the rule of law, racial justice, and police reform give Tamir's family hope that the chance for accountability is not lost forever." The attorneys added, "We write on their behalf to request that you reopen this investigation and convene a grand jury to consider charges against the police officers who killed Tamir." Medical Expert: Police Actions Did Not Cause Prude's Death. The AP (4/16, Sisak) reports, "Prosecutors overseeing a grand jury investigation into the death of Daniel Prude last year in Rochester, New York, undercut the case for criminal charges with testimony from a medical expert who said three police officers who held Prude to the ground until he stopped breathing didn't do anything wrong." Dr. Gary Vilke "told the grand jury that Prude, a 41-year-old Black man, died of a heart attack caused by the medical phenomenon known as excited delirium." Transcripts disclosed to the public on Friday indicate that Vilke "said the officers' actions, which included placing a mesh hood over Prude's head, had no impact on his breathing." Charges Still Possible For Officers Who Restrained Prude. The AE (4/17) reports, "Newly released grand jury transcripts shed more light on why police officers who restrained Daniel Prude avoided criminal charges in his death, but the city of Rochester and the officers could still be held accountable." Disciplinary charges remain a possibility for "the officers, lawyers for Prude's estate have filed a civil lawsuit and a federal civil rights action also is possible." Fairfax County, Virginia Prosecutors Move To Dismiss Hundreds Of Convictions Stemming From Work Or Testimony Of Ex-Officer. The Washington Post (4/16, Jackman, 10.52M) reports, "Fairfax County prosecutors are moving to throw out more than 400 criminal convictions based on the testimony or work of a former patrol officer who is accused of stealing drugs from the police property room, planting drugs on innocent people and stopping motorists without legal basis, court filings show." The Post adds that a Fairfax judge on Friday indicated "he was inclined to vacate felony drug and gun convictions against a former D.C. firefighter and order him released from prison next week after serving nearly two years because of the actions of former officer Jonathan A. Freitag." The AE (4/17) and Mist (4/16, Austermuhle, 18K) also covered this story. Online coverage was run by WRC-TV Washington (4/16, Wilder, 301K), WTTG-TV Washington (4/16, Fox, 168K), WUSA-TV Washington (4/16, Leshan, 502K), and WTOP-FM Washington (4/16, 164K). WPost Analysis Discusses Fatal Shooting In Maryland By Off-Duty Officer. A Washington Post (4/16, Morse, 10.52M) analysis discusses the fatal shooting of Dominique EFTA00135887 Williams and James Johnson by an off-duty Pentagon police officer, which occurred while Williams and Johnson, along with their friend Michael Thomas, attempted to flee in Thomas' Lexus after the officer confronted them while they were breaking into cars in Takoma Park, Maryland. According to the Post, "The unfolding terror and chaos, as described by Thomas in recent interviews, remains a largely untold part of a story of the encounter involving off-duty officer David Hall Dixon, who was charged with two counts of murder in the shooting that left Johnson and Williams dead." Wisconsin Man Drops Extradition Appeal In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Case. The portage (WI) Daily Register (4/16, 49K) reports, "A Wisconsin Dells area man accused of plotting terrorism against the governor of Michigan has dropped an appeal against extradition." The Daily Register adds, "On Friday, documents were filed in court behalf of Brian Higgins, 52, notifying the court that he will drop his challenge to a request to extradite him from Wisconsin to Michigan to face a charge of providing material support to a terrorist act. The FBI alleges several men were involved in a right-wing militia plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and try her for treason of their own accord in light of the governor's restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic." Higgins "was specifically accused of providing use of night-vision goggles and using a dash cam to surveil the governor's vacation home, and Wisconsin and Michigan officials requested that he be transferred to Michigan last October." Connecticut Man Faces Federal Arson Charges After Allegedly Tossing Molotov Cocktail At Officers. WNBC-TV New York (4/18, Dienst, Miller, 289K) reports, "A traffic stop in Brooklyn turned violent Saturday morning when a driver pulled over for running a red light hurled a Molotov cocktail at police, the New York Police Department said," and "that man will now face federal arson charges that could potentially land him in prison for as long as 40 years." WNBC-TV adds, "Law enforcement sources identified Lionel Virgile as the driver accused of evading police twice and throwing potentially harmful substances at several officers in East Flatbush. He's was being held in federal custody on Sunday and is scheduled to make a virtual appearance in federal court on Monday. The 44-year-old Bridgeport, Connecticut, man was driving through the borough when he blew through a red light, catching the attention of police officers." WABC-AM New York (4/18, 18K) reports, "The NYPD says moments later, in the vicinity of 5505 Snyder Avenue, after officers requested additional units, the 2000 Lincoln Town Car was stopped by again by officers. 77WABC has learned from police the when Virgile was pulled over again, he stepped out of his car with a bottle, filled with liquid and flames on top, and then threw the object at the marked police vehide. It then bounced off the windshield and shattered onto the ground. Virgile then allegedly went back into his vehide and continued westbound on Snyder Avenue, before he then collided with a parked, unoccupied SUV according to police just about a block away. Authorities say at that point, officers approached the vehicle and took Virgile into custody without incident." Federal Prosecutors Confirm 2016 Decision Not To Pursue Jeffrey Epstein. The New York Daily News (4/16, Brown, 2.51M) reports, "Manhattan federal prosecutors confirmed in court papers made public Friday that they chose not to pursue Jeffrey Epstein in 2016, with one former assistant U.S. attorney saying she 'felt horrible' after learning of Epstein's abuse of the criminal justice system in Florida. The disclosure...came in a 212-page filing responding to Ghislaine Maxwell's legal challenges to an indictment charging her with grooming underage Epstein victims in the mid-1990s and lying under oath." The Daily News "exclusively revealed last year that lawyers for Epstein accusers met with then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Kramer in 2016 and urged her to open an investigation of the notorious sex offender. Sources told The News that they also urged her to investigate Maxwell. But prosecutors wrote in the new filing that Epstein was the main subject of the Feb. 29, 2016, sit-down in a conference room at SDNY headquarters in lower Manhattan." Teacher's Killing Reveals Drug Cartels' Growing Footprint In North Carolina. EFTA00135888 The Charlotte (NC) Observer (4/16, Alexander, Gordon, 443K) reports, "When a Union County school teacher and a member of a brutal Mexican drug cartel were shot to death last week, it sounded like a scene from the television series 'Breaking Bad," but "current and former law enforcement officials say it illuminated a broader problem: North Carolina has become a land of opportunity for major drug traffickers." The Observer adds, "Charlotte lawyer Chris Swecker, who spent much of his previous FBI career focused on drug cartels, says North Carolina has everything the Mexican cartels need to carry out their work. 'We have the markets. We have the population centers. We have the interstate network. We have the trucking infrastructure,' said Swecker, who previously served as North Carolina's lead FBI agent and later as an assistant director for the bureau's criminal investigations unit. 'It's a perfect distribution center,' Swecker said." NYPD Arrests Man With Assault Weapon In Times Square Subway Station. The Wall Street Journal (4/16, Subscription Publication, 8.41M) reports the New York Police Department on Friday announced officers had arrested an 18-year-old Ohio man with what appeared to be an AK-47 in the Times Square subway station. The Journal adds that while the gun was unloaded, the man had at least one magazine with ammunition. Two Farmworkers In Fresno, CA Killed In Shooting. The Los Angeles Times (4/16, Pinho, 3.37M) reports one man died "and two others were seriously injured after a shooting at a Fresno vineyard Friday morning, authorities said." According to a spokesman for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, "at least five men were pruning grapes at a vineyard roughly 50 miles southwest of the city, near South Butte and West Chandler avenues, when the shooting started about 7:30 a.m." The motive remains "unclear." Anti-Prostitution Operation In Columbus Nets 93. WHIO-TV Dayton, OH (4/18, 100K) reports on its website 20 "law enforcement agencies partnered to take down a human trafficking ring in the Columbus area arresting 93 people in the process." The operation took place April 14 and 15, and identified 53 victims of human trafficking. The FBI was among participating agencies. WCMH-TV Columbus, OH (4/16, Bowers, 352K) reports on its website that 225 people responded to online ads posted by law enforcement. FBI Investigates Money Missing From New Jersey Prosecutor's Office. The Hudson County (NJ) Jersey Journal (4/16, D'Auria, 1.55M) reports the FBI "is assisting in the investigation into roughly $20,000 that went missing from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office." The FBI "agreed to assist after the New Jersey Attorney General's Office declined last week to conduct the investigation," according to a spokesperson, who added, "We believed it was important to have a layer of independence in the investigation." San Francisco Daycare Worker Arrested For Child Pornography. SFGate (CA) (4/16, Bote, 1.9M) reports Jace Wong was arrested April 12 and charged with possession of child pornography. Wong "allegedly posted at least four videos and two images of partially nude young girls in a chatroom" and told an FBI agent on the chat that he filmed the videos himself at the daycare center he works at. NYPD Officer Charged With Trying To Hire Hitman. The Washington (4/18, Knowles, 10.52M) reports NYPD officer Valerie Cincinelli pleaded guilty Friday to trying to hire her boyfriend to kill her husband. After the boyfriend informed the FBI, they faked the husband's death and Cincinelli "deleted phone data," leading to charge of obstruction of justice. The AP (4/16) reports Cincinelli also wanted to pay to have her boyfriend's 14-year-old daughter killed. Cincinelli "allegedly destroyed two cellphones and the records they contained to block the investigation" in 2019. EFTA00135889 The j nog Island (NY) Herald (4/16, Smollins, 213K) reports the FBI "staged [Cincinelli's ex- husband] Carvalho's death and...photos of a faux crime scene." It also recorded a call Cincinelli made to her boyfriend "to discuss their alibis and [she] told him to delete his text messages." Texas Man Arrested For Kidnapping 13-Year-Old Girl. The Tyler (TX) Morning Telegraph (4/18, Wellerman, 4K) reports Daniel Skipworth of Tyler, TX was arrested Saturday and charged with "kidnapping, trafficking of a child - engaging in sexual conduct, aggravated sexual assault of a child and resisting arrest." The FBI received a tip that day that Skipworth had a kidnapping victim at his address. A 13-year-old girl from Alabama was discovered there. White Supremacists Charged With Animal Cruelty In Sacrifice Of Ram. The Atlanta journal-Constitution (4/16, Darnell, 1.46M) reports "five more men have been charged" with aggravated animal cruelty for beheading a ram in a "ritual sacrifice" at a training camp for white supremacists in Georgia. The case came to light after "an undercover FBI agent infiltrated the group last year." FBI Seeking Information From Public In Minnesota Bank Robbery. Bring Me The News (MN) (4/16, Desmond, 369K) reports "the FBI says reward money 'may be available" for information leading to the arrest of two people who robbed a bank in Brooklyn Park, MN Sunday. The FBI has released surveillance photos of the robbers. No other information was released. West Virginia Men Charged As Accessories To Bank Robbery. WVNews (4/16) reports David Alan Gill of Gypsy, WV and Blaine Allen Ash of Salem, WV were charged as accessories after the fact to a bank robbery last November, as well "conspiracy to commit money laundering involving the $69,100 in cash allegedly stolen from the bank." FBI Special Agent Angela Bronson testified that they helped a bank robber who "reportedly wanted the proceeds to hire a hitman to threaten and assault a family court judge and his ex-wife." Two Arrested In Murders Of South Carolina Transgender Women. The Rock Hill (SC) Herald (4/16, Bose, 75K) reports Dontarius Long and Joel Brewer were arrested and charged with the murders of two Black transgender women, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said Friday. One of the women was found on April 4 and the other April 11, both in hotel rooms. The FBI was among the investigating agencies. WCNC-TV Charlotte, NC (4/15, Harper, 168K) reports on its website that Brewer "is charged with two counts of murder, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon." Long "is charged with murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon." NBC News (4/16, Yurcaba, 4.91M) reports police are "working with the FBI to determine whether the killings could be considered hate crimes." Reward Offered In 2017 Killings In North Carolina. WSPA-TV Greenville, SC (4/16, Liu, 90K) reports on its website that "the FBI is now offering a reward of up to $40,000 for information" in the cases of three women killed in the same neighborhood of Lumberton, NC in the summer of 2017. Washington Doctor Charged With Trying To Kidnap Ex-Wife. The Spokane (WA) Spokesman-Review (4/16, 187K) reports Dr. Ronald Craig Ilg of Otis Orchards, WA "is charged with attempted kidnapping" after "the crew of an unnamed international news organization investigating the so-called 'dark web" informed his potential victim, who is his former wife, that she was a target. The woman called the FBI. EFTA00135890 The Daily Beast (4/18, Connor, 933K) reports Ilg was in Mexico on vacation on the date of the planned attack on his ex-wife. The FBI arrested him at the airport on his return. California Man Charged With Kidnapping Wife. The Orange County (CA) Register (4/16, Licas, 594K) reports Eddy Reyes of Covina, CA was arrested April 15 "after authorities alleged in a federal complaint that he kidnapped" his wife, who disappeared in 2016. Neighbors "said on Thursday that they saw FBI agents with bolt cutters, a circular saw and jackhammer and could hear them being used as investigators searched the home and garage." FBI Arrests 22 In Connection With Texas Drug Investigation. The San Antonio Express-News (4/16, Pettaway, 685K) reported, "The FBI arrested 22" Texas residents in connection with an investigation of "drug trafficking in the San Antonio area." Officials: Twenty From Texas Indicted On Drug Trafficking And Firearms Charges. The Temple (TX) Daily Telegram (4/16, Garcia, 48K) reported that 20 Texas residents have been "indicted on federal drug trafficking and firearms charges that stem from five separate, but related grand jury indictments." The Daily Telegram added, "The indictments were announced by" several officials, including "FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs...and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux." The Bryan College Station (TX) Eagle (4/16, 88K) also covered this story. Former Mayor Heading To Trial In Marijuana-Related Case. The AP (4/18, Durkin Richer) reports Jasiel Correia, a former mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, "heads to trial this month on charges that he stole more than $230,000 from investors in a smartphone app he created to pay for things like a