Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 20, 2020

From: To: Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 20, 2020 Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2020 10:26:43 +0000 c Importan e: Normal Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, JULY 20, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Son Of Federal Judge Killed, Husband Shot At New Jersey Home. PROTESTS • DOJ Filing Federal Charges Against Protesters Over Arson, Destruction Of Property. • Fatal Shooting By Los Angeles Police Officer Gained Greater Attention Following Floyd Killing. • Authorities Identify Man Who Allegedly Set Fire To Supreme Court Police Vehicle. • FBI Arrests Suspect In Philadelphia Looting. • Trump Bemoans Ongoing Violence In "Democrat-Run Cities," Cites Threat To Religion. • Violent Protests Continue In Portland As Mayor Calls On Federal Agents To Leave. • Seattle Rioters Damage, Loot Stores. • Demonstrators Attempting To Topple Columbus Statue In Chicago Clash With Law Enforcement. • Statue In New York State Dedicated To Union Volunteers Torn Down. • CVS Terminates Contract With Security Firm After Guard Presses Forearm Into Shoplifting Suspect's Neck. • NYTimes Al Analysis Examines Past Of Officer Who Put Knee On Floyd's Neck. • Prosecutor: Pennsylvania Officer Was Justified In Pressing Knee Into Intoxicated Man's Head. • Police Union Cites Trump's Support In Wake Of Floyd Protests For Endorsement. • Trump Defends Use Of Confederate Flag. • Missouri Governor Suggests Pardon Of McCloskeys If Charges Filed. • Long-Time Activists See Opportunity For Police Reform. • White UConn Student Government Leaders Resign To Leave Spots To Minority Students. • Report: Ancestors Of New York Times Family Included Slave Owners. • Minneapolis City Council Designates Racism As A Public Health Emergency. • Former New Mexico Police Officer Faces Second-Degree Murder Charge Over Killing That Involved Use Of Chokehold. • Columbus Police Searching For Black Lives Matter Activists Who Attacked Man With Cerebral Palsy. • Arlington County Commencing Review Of Police Practices. • WPost Al: Figure Behind Social Media Hoaxes Fuels Partisan Division. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Minnesota's Boogaloo Movement Examined. EFTA00150210 • Coronavirus Thwarts Hopes Of Families Of 9/11 Victims That Trial Of Men Accused Of Planning Attacks Would Commence Early Next Year. • Trump Pledges Another $2 Million To 9/11 Memorial. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Roger Stone Accused Of Using Racial Slur During Radio Interview. • Graham Releases Declassified Documents From Origins Of Russia Probe. • Meadows Expects Criminal Indictments From Durham Investigation. • Krebs: DHS Is Not Seeing "Coordinated" Foreign Election Interference Like In 2016. • Nadler: House Judiciary To Consider Bills To Restrict Trump's Pardon Power. • The Intelligence Community's New Plan For Commercial Imagery. • New Report Shows Federal Background Check Cases "Stable" At 200K. • Rubio Seeks Declassification Of UFO Secrets. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Men Charged In Arbery Slaying Plead Not Guilty. • Attorneys Say Breonna Taylor Was Alive For Several Minutes After Being Shot. • Celebrities Urge Justice Department To Probe 2010 Slaying Of Student. • Pelosi Seeks FBI Probe Of Fatal Vallejo, California Police Shooting. • Men Charged In Assault On Black Man In Indiana. • Personal Assistant Arrested In Investor's Killing. • Two FBI Agents Wounded Serving Warrant On Arizona Bank Robbery Suspect. • FBI Probing Deadly Police Shooting In Houston, Texas. • Seven More Arrested In Connection With Georgia Drug Investigation. • Virginia Man Charged Over Online Threats Against Tulsa Mayor. • FBI Investigating New York Gang Murders. • Two Charged With Possessing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 20,000. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Continuing To Investigate Body Found In Massachusetts,. • FBI Assisting Homicide Investigation In California. • FBI Charges Pennsylvania Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. • Continuing Coverage: Indiana Woman Accused Of Abusing Animals. • New York Man Faces Child Pornography Charges. • Tennessee Man Sentenced In Connection To Child Abuse Sting. • New York Man Facing Felony Ammunition Charge Following FBI Investigation. • Georgia Woman Facing Charges In Connection To Bomb Threat. • South Carolina Murder Suspects Captured In Illinois. • Hawaii Man Sentenced Over Child Enticement. • Continuing Coverage: Connecticut Man Arrested In Massachusetts In Connection To Murder. • FBI Investigating Texas Bank Robbery. • Louisiana Man Arrested In Connection To Double Homicide, Kidnapping Of Minor. • Indiana Man Charged With Bank Robbery. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Supporting Investigation Into Death Of Child In Washington, DC. • Hawaii Businessman Indicted In Connection To Kidnapping, Murder. • FBI Agrees To Review California Police Shooting. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Raids Accused Art Forger. • Man Gets 61-Month Prison Sentence In Drug Case. • Eight Virginia Drug Case Defendants Plead Guilty. • Drug Case Defendant Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS EFTA00150211 • Pritzker: Illinois House Speaker Has To Step Down If Corruption Allegations Are True. • Michigan Prosecutors Charge Detroit Councilman With Accepting Payments For Votes. • Pandemic Delays Varsity Blues, Fall River Trials To 2021. • Former Los Angeles Charter Schools Director To Plead Guilty To Embezzlement. • US Claims California Investment Business Was $14.5 Million Ponzi Scheme. • US Charges Detroit Woman In $2 Million Unemployment Insurance Scheme. • US Charges Arkansas Woman In $2 Million PPP Loan Fraud. • Idaho Man To Face Jury Trial In Wire Fraud Case. CYBER DIVISION • Twitter Says Hackers Manipulated Several Employees. • Cyber Experts Claim Banning TikTok Not Best Approach To Protect Americans' Data From China. • Op-Ed: Establishing A National Cyber Director Would Be A Mistake. • US Government Extradites Cyprus Hacker For Crimes Committed Working With California Companies. • CISA Gives Agencies A Day To Remedy Windows DNS Server Vulnerability. • French Telecom Firm Orange Confirms Ransomware Attack. • Researchers Say "Backdoor" Access Found In Chinese Internet Devices. • British Officials Reportedly Told Huawei Ban Was Partly Due To Pressure From US. • Katko Seeks To Boost CISA's Cyber Workforce With NDAA Amendments. • UK Blames Russia For Cyber Attacks Targeting Corona Vaccine Development. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Justice Department Executes Third Person In Four Days. • West Tennessee US Attorney Appoints Officer To Monitor Elections. • More Than 1,000 Inmates At Texas Federal Prison Reportedly Have COVID-19. • Lightfoot, McEnany Spar Over Chicago Violence. • Supreme Court Sides With DeSantis In Challenge To Amendment Restoring Felons' Voting Rights. • Activist Criticizes Operation That Will Send Federal Law Enforcement Workers To Missouri. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Harry Dunn's Mother Makes Plea To UK Officials To Make Harry "Top Priority" During Pompeo Visit. OTHER FBI NEWS • Wray Hires Ex-Law Partner To Be FBI's General Counsel. • Federal Judge Dismisses Troubled Sanctions Case. • FBI Renews Lease On Tampa, Florida Office Building. • Man Convicted Of Notorious Pennsylvania Kidnapping Seeks Release Amid Pandemic. • FBI Memo Describes 1980s Smuggling Activities At Arkansas Airport. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Trump Touts Handling Of Coronavirus, Calls Fauci "A Bit Of An Alarmist." • Trump Says He Is "Not Allowed" To Have Rallies In Democrat-Run States. • COVID-19 Cases Rising Across The Country. • Garcetti Says City Reopened Too Quickly, Warns He May Impose New Stay-At-Home Order. • Shalala Slams Trump, DeSantis, Says Florida Must Close Down Again. • DeWine Warns Ohio "Could Become Florida." • Mississippi Governor Says State Is Seeing "Significant Increased Hospitalization." • Arkansas Governor Says He Will Impose Additional Restrictions If Necessary. • Colorado Governor Defends Decision To Impose Mask Mandate. • Rio Grande Valley Residents Especially Vulnerable To Effects Of Pandemic. • HHS Warns Of Shortage Of Glass Vials To Distribute Vaccine. EFTA00150212 • NFL Players Express Safety Concerns Ahead Of Training Camp. • Major League Baseball Season Set To Open Thursday. • Fewer Children Getting Routine Vaccinations Due To Pandemic. • Gottlieb: HHS-CDC Disagreement Shows Nations Unpreparedness For Pandemic. • In Spanish-Language Editorial, WPost Urges Vigilance Against Virus. • Senate Panel To Vote On Shelton's Nomination To Federal Reserve. • Trump Says Stimulus Bill Must Have Payroll Tax Cut, Liability Protection For Employers. • Some Government Contractors Also Received PPP Loans. • Whistleblower Complaint Reveals Ongoing Inquiry Over Pompeo's "Questionable Activities." • Axios Analysis: White House Weighs Using DACA Ruling To Act "Without Legal Authority." • Trump Reportedly To Order Census Not Count Those In The US Illegally. • Federal Judge Says new DACA Applications Must Be Accepted. • Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Blocking Restrictions On Asylum Protections. • Reuters Analysis: ICE's Continued Detainee Transfers Responsible For At Least One Super-Spreading Event. • John Lewis Dies At 80. • C.T. Vivian, Aide To Martin Luther King Jr., Dies At 95. • Justice Ginsburg Being Treated For Liver Cancer But Will Remain On Supreme Court. • USS Gerald R. Ford Plagued With Mechanical Problems. • Ross Hospitalized For "Non-Coronavirus Related Issues." • Supreme Court Clears Lower Courts To Hear Arguments On Trump's Tax Records. • Bolton Asks Judge To Dismiss DOJ Lawsuit Seeking Profits From His Memoir. • Congressman Facing Voter Fraud Charges Leaves Committee Assignments. • White House Using Loophole To Install Trump Loyalists In Pentagon. • CREW Accuses Ivanka Trump Of Violating Ethics Rules With Goya Promotion. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Global Death Toll Tops 600,000. • Japan Concerned As Marines Test Positive For Virus. • China Using Uighur Labor To Produce Face Masks. • UN Agency: US-Sought Tanker "Hijacked" Off UAE Now In Iran. • Diehl: Netanyahu's Secret War Against Iran Backed By Trump. • India Offers Visas To Afghan Hindus, Sikhs Facing Attacks. • WTimes Analysis: US In "Great Power Competition" With Russia, China. • German States Appeal To Congress Not To Withdraw US Troops. • UK Increase Criticism Of China Over Treatment Of Uighurs, Hong Kong. • Netanyahu's Corruption Trial To Begin In January. • UAE Launches Its First Mission To Mars. • Protesters Call For Resignation Of Bulgaria's Borisov. • Maksad: Arab World Needs US Support. • WSJournal Criticizes Media Coverage Of State Department Rights Report. • State Department Declares El-Beblawi Immune From Torture Lawsuit Filed By US Citizen Once Imprisoned In Egypt. • Satellite Images Showing Water Pouring Into Nile Dam Reservoir Exacerbates Dispute Between Ethiopia, Egypt. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE EFTA00150213 • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Son Of Federal Judge Killed, Husband Shot At New Jersey Home. The Washington Post (7/19, Elfrink, Barrett, 14.2M) reports, "A gunman disguised as a FedEx driver shot and killed the son of a federal judge and wounded her husband at their New Jersey home on Sunday, law enforcement sources confirmed to The Washington Post." US District Judge Esther Salas "was not injured in the shooting, which the FBI, U.S. Marshals and local authorities are now investigating." According to the Post, "The gunman showed up to Salas's home in North Brunswick, N.J., wearing an outfit described to police as a FedEx uniform, law enforcement sources said. Both Mark Anderl, 63, a defense attorney and former Essex County assistant prosecutor, and Daniel Anderl, 20, were shot by the attacker. Salas's son died, the Associated Press reported, and her husband was rushed to the hospital for surgery. His condition wasn't clear." CNN (7/19, Perez, Vera, Morales, 83.16M) reports, "Initial reports from law enforcement said the child opened the door with the parent right behind. The door opened to a hail of gunfire and the gunman fled, a law enforcement source told CNN. `We are looking for one subject,' the FBI said in a statement. `We are working closely with our state and local partners and will provide additional updates when available.' CNN adds, "Law enforcement has not been aware of any threats against the judge, the source told CNN. Right now investigators don't know the motive." NJ News (7/19, Shea, 1.72M) reports, "North Brunswick Mayor Francis 'Mac' Womack said the judge's husband was in critical condition and underwent surgery and is now in stable condition. He said the couple's son had died." Judge Salas, "who is based in Newark, was the first Hispanic female to be appointed to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey. Salas, 51, has handled cases involving members of the Grape Street Crips, in connection with a long-running drug-trafficking network that was taken down by the FBI in 2015. She was also the judge who sent Real Housewives stars Joe and Teresa Giudice to prison." The AP (7/20, Dale) reports that in 2017, Judge Salas "barred federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty against an alleged gang leader charged in several Newark slayings, ruling the man's intellectual disability made him ineligible for capital punishment. Salas later sentenced the man to 45 years in prison. More recently, Salas has presided over an ongoing lawsuit brought by Deutsche Bank investors who claim the company made false and misleading statements about its anti-money laundering policies and failed to monitor `high-risk' customers including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein." ABC News (7/19, Margolin, Katersky, 2.97M) reports, "The investigation is being led by the FBI, which declined to comment. The New Jersey State Police, the North Brunswick Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office are also involved in the investigation. The U.S. Marshals have been called to provide the judge with a security detail, according to a law enforcement official." ABC News adds, "Judge Salas has received threats in the past, the sources said." PROTEST DO) Filing Federal Charges Against Protesters Over Arson, Destruction Of Property. The Washington Times (7/19, Dinan, 492K) reports that "arson cases are mounting daily as Justice Department prosecutors, under the urging of President Trump and Attorney General William P. Barr, scour the last seven weeks' protests, looking for cases to make into federal crimes." On Wednesday alone, federal prosecutors "announced charges against six men in New York, all accused of igniting fires aimed at government property in Rochester and Buffalo," and EFTA00150214 "prosecutors in Seattle announced arson charges against a man they say set a fire outside a city police precinct there." Fatal Shooting By Los Angeles Police Officer Gained Greater Attention Following Floyd Killing. The Los Angeles Times (7/17, Campa, 4.64M) says Los Angeles police officer Toni McBride, who was shown in online videos "blasting away at targets, with prize-winning speed and accuracy, on a gun range in the Simi Valley foothills," on April 22 "faced off with a man holding a razor box cutter" on "a scruffy street south of downtown." McBride "fired six shots from her Glock 17, hitting Daniel Hernandez with every round and killing the 38-year-old carpet installer and father of a teenage daughter." The shooting gained greater attention "a month later, after the killing of George Floyd provoked a national furor over police behavior. Now Hernandez's death has become a cause celebre, protested by Black Lives Matter and questioned by a candidate for district attorney." Authorities Identify Man Who Allegedly Set Fire To Supreme Court Police Vehicle. The Washington Post (7/17, Hermann, 14.2M) reports, "Authorities on Friday identified the man who police allege set fire to a police vehicle outside the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week and was critically injured in the blaze." Cody Tamer "has been charged with federal destruction of property and using fire to destroy property, among other counts, according to D.C. police." The Post adds that "the incident occurred about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Maryland Avenue NE." FBI Arrests Suspect In Philadelphia Looting. The Inquirer (PA) (7/17, Roebuck, 347K) reports, "As widespread looting hit West Philadelphia's 52nd Street corridor on May 31, surveillance footage showed a man in a blonde wig and surgical mask guiding a stolen forklift as it hauled away a vault from a local Wells Fargo branch.. Seven weeks after that brazen theft, the FBI has arrested two men they say were among the culprits, following an investigation bolstered by images of that day posted to social media." According to the Inquirer, "Prosecutors, in court filings this week, named the wig- wearing bandit as Raphael Shaw, 20, and accused him of making off with $104,000. They alleged a second man, Xavier Nolley-Hall, was with him that day and had entered the looted bank intending to steal money. Both are among a growing number of defendants who federal prosecutors have charged in connection with incidents during the unrest that gripped Philadelphia after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis." Trump Bemoans Ongoing Violence In "Democrat-Run Cities," Cites Threat To Religion. President Trump took to Twitter yesterday to write, "The Radical Left Democrats, who totally control Biden, will destroy our Country as we know it. Unimaginably bad things would happen to America. Look at Portland, where the pols are just fine with 50 days of anarchy. We sent in help. Look at New York, Chicago, Philadelphia. NO!" In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), Trump also discussed the ongoing protests around the country, saying, "I explain it very simply, by saying the Democrat-run cities, they are liberally-run, they are stupidly run." The Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) indicates Trump also said that under Democrats, "Religion will be gone," pointing out "he pointed to Democratic politicians keeping churches closed during the coronavirus pandemic, not even allowing churches to meet outside, while social distancing." Trump: "Many, Many Whites"Also Killed In Police Shootings. In his Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M) interview, Trump was also asked about the use of police force. Trump said, "Of course I (understand black people's anger]," but "many whites are killed also. Many, many whites are killed. But this is going on for decades. This is going on for a long time, long before I got here." EFTA00150215 Meadows Says Executive Order To Stem Violence Will Be Rolled Out This Week. Chief of Staff Meadows, on Fox News Sunday Morning FuturesVI (7/19, 1.59M), said, "This week what we're looking at is not only looking at what a lot of people have called 'the executive order on statues'...but it's really about keeping our communities safe, and the President's committed to do that. Some of the unrest that we saw even in the last month or so but particularly last night and the week leading up to it in Portland, it's just not acceptable when you look at communities not being safe and not upholding the rule of law, so Attorney General Barr is weighing in on that with Secretary Wolf and you'll see something rolled out this week as we start to go in and make sure that the communities whether it's Chicago, or Portland, or Milwaukee, or some place across the heartland of the country, we need to make sure that our communities are safe." Violent Protests Continue In Portland As Mayor Calls On Federal Agents To Leave. NBC Nightly NewsVI (7/19, story 3, 2:25, Snow, 4.36M) reported there was "more violence last night in parts of Portland, Oregon. Protesters lit a police union building on fire and the city's mayor says federal agents who have been deployed there, many without identification, are not helping the situation." NBC (McLaughlin) added, "Overnight, running street battles between protesters and local police. ... Unmarked federal agents with no insignia other than police sprayed tear gas and beat back protesters." Oregon is "suing the federal government," and the state's attorney general "is seeking a temporary restraining order to stop what she argues are unlawful arrests by federal agents." ABC World News TonightVi (7/19, story 3, 1:55, Llamas, 5.06M) reported, "The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection among the federal agencies with militarized units on the streets, detaining people. The message from the city's leaders: Get out." Mayor Ted Wheeler: "Your presence here isn't wanted. It's not needed. And the people engaging in these activities aren't even willing to identify who they are, and they're not wearing insignia on their uniforms." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/19, story 4, 1:45, Garrett, 1.32M) reported Wheeler "blames the increase in violence on the tactics of federal officers, many of them ICE agents. The nightly demonstrations began 53 days ago," but "after a more than a month of active protests, President Trump sent in federal agents to protect buildings and personnel." Wheeler said on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (7/19, 1.12M), "We have dozens, if not hundreds, of federal troops descending upon our city. What they're doing is they are sharply escalating the situation. Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism. And it's not helping the situation at all. They're not wanted here. We haven't asked them here. In fact, we want them to leave." Politico (7/19, Cohen, 4.29M) Axios (7/19, Ayesh, 521K), the Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) and Breitbart (7/19, Key, 673K) among other news outlets, report Wheeler's comments. USA Today (7/18, Pineda, Shannon, 10.31M) reports that in addition to state officials, "local U.S. Justice Department authorities have questioned the tactics as well." U.S. Attorney Billy Williams in Portland said Friday he had asked the DHS inspector general "to investigate reports that agents arrested people without probable cause." The Washington Post (7/19, Lang, Sacchetti, 14.2M), however, reports Acting Deputy DHS Secretary Cuccinelli on Sunday "vowed the agency will maintain a heavy presence in Portland — and send reinforcements to other U.S. cities, if violence surged." Said Cuccinelli, "You can expect that if violence continues in other parts of the country, the president has made no secret of the fact that he expects us where we can cooperate or have jurisdiction to step forward and expand our policing efforts there to bring down the level of violence." The Washington Times (7/19, Swoyer, 492K) reports President Trump "defended having federal agents in Portland to combat protesters, saying local government officials have allowed the situation to move out of control." He tweeted, "We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. EFTA00150216 Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators. They are missing in action. We must protect Federal property, AND OUR PEOPLE. These were not merely protesters, these are the real deal!" In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), Trump discussed the protests in Portland, saying, "If you look at what's going on in Portland, those are anarchists and we've taken a very tough stance. If we didn't take a stand in Portland - you know, we arrested many of these leaders. If we didn't take that stand, right now you would have a problem - they were going to lose Portland." USA Today (7/19, Reyes, 10.31M) reports "protesters broke into the Portland Police Association at around 10:45 p.m. Saturday," police said, and "ignited a fire inside." The fire "was put out a short time later." The Oregonian (7/18, Tebor, 1M) reports "Portland police declared the event a riot around 10:50 p.m. and told demonstrators to leave the area or be subject to arrest." Townhall (7/19, Baumann, 177K) reports the "so-called protests were labeled a riot late Saturday night." The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dibble, 448K), among other news outlets, also reports on Saturday's protests. The New York Times (7/19, Olmos, Rojas, Baker, 18.61M) reports the protests in Portland "have featured a wide array of demonstrators, many now galvanized by federal officers exemplifying the militarized enforcement that protesters have long denounced." Gatherings over the weekend "grew to upward of 1,000 people — the largest crowds in weeks." Pelosi Criticizes "Violent Tactics" Used By Federal Agents. Axios (7/18, 521K) reports House Speaker Pelosi "condemned in a joint statement with Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D- OR) on Saturday what they called the Trump Administration's `violent tactics used' against protesters in Portland." Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) said on MSNBC's Politics NationVi (7/18, 862K), "It's really a scene out of some other world where you have a dictatorship, an authoritarian government, not a democratic republic. Trump is sending unmarked authorities after protesters, throwing them into unmarked vans, sweeping them off the street and using munitions in a way that hasn't been coordinated with our police or with our governor or mayor that is just absolutely inflaming the situation. ... This is all designed to have no accountability. It is absolutely unacceptable in America and we have to end it." Axios (7/19, Ayesh, 521K) reports the "chairs of the House Oversight, Judiciary and Homeland Security committees on Sunday called on the inspectors general of the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to open an investigation into the Trump administration's use of federal agents against protesters in Portland." Rural Oregon Counties Seek To loin Idaho. The Washington Times (7/19, Al, Richardson, 492K) reports that "rural Oregonians are ready to bolt for Idaho after nearly two months of daily protests and rioting in Portland." Move Oregon's Border for a Greater Idaho, "a group that seeks to take eastern and rural counties out of Oregon and put them into Idaho," announced over the weekend that "volunteers have collected enough signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot in Wallowa County, Oregon." Oregon Democrats Object To Federal Officers' Tactics In Effort To Quell Portland Riots. The AP (7/17, Selsky, Flaccus) reports that in Portland, Oregon, "federal agents in green camouflage uniforms have been taking into custody people...not close to federal property that they were sent to protect, in what the ACLU on Friday said `should concern everyone in the United States." According to the AP, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown asserted that President Trump, "who deployed Department of Homeland Security officers to Portland, is looking for a confrontation in the hopes of winning political points elsewhere." The AP says that on Thursday night, "federal officers deployed tear gas and fired non-lethal rounds into a crowd of protesters, hours after" acting DHS Secretary Wolf "visited the city and called the demonstrators..: violent anarchists." On the CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 9, 0:29, O'Donnell, 4.11M), Norah O'Donnell reported Wolf "says state and local officials are to blame for not putting an end to anti-police EFTA00150217 protests, which have continued in Portland for nearly 50 straight nights." Speaking on Fox News' America's Newsroom (7/17, 896K), Wolf said, "Our responsibility [is] to protect that courthouse and other federal facilities there in downtown Portland. And we continue to see violent activity, violent anarchists night after night, targeting those facilities." On Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/17, 831K), acting Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli said DHS has been "very openly trying to keep the law enforced." Cuccinelli added, "This has been more than 40 days in a row in Portland. We were not there in significant force until the last few weeks as things continued to escalate. And what we have seen around the country is where responsible policing is advanced, violence recedes. And Portland hasn't gotten that memo. Nor have a lot of other cities. And the President is determined to do what we can within our jurisdiction to help restore peace to these beleaguered cities." The New York Times (7/17, Al, Olmos, Baker, 18.61M) reports in a front-page article that "on Thursday night and into Friday morning - the 50th straight day of demonstrations - a line of federal officers in gas masks walked down Portland's Third Avenue," and "filled downtown corridors with tear gas, which a federal judge has barred the Portland police from using except in the case of a safety risk." According to the Times, the federal officers "also shot less-lethal munitions, which left people limping in pain." CNBC (7/17, Mangan, 3.62M) quotes Brown as saying, "This political theater from President Trump has nothing to do with public safety. ... The President is failing to lead this nation. Now he is deploying federal officers to patrol the streets of Portland in a blatant abuse of power by the federal government." CNBC also reports Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) "pinned a video of one of the arrests in question to the top of his official Twitter account, and wrote, `Authoritarian governments, not democratic republics, send unmarked authorities after protesters." Merkley added, "These Trump/Barr tactics designed to eliminate any accountability are absolutely unacceptable in America, and must end." The Washington Post (7/17, Shepherd, 14.2M) reports Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) tweeted, "A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump's secret police. Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media." In addition, The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports Merkley and Wyden as well as Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) on Friday "called on the internal watchdogs of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate federal law enforcement's presence and practices in Portland amid rising protests in the city." Also, The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports the American Civil Liberties Union on Friday "filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Marshals Service after they deployed agents to quell demonstrations in Portland, Ore." Meanwhile, the Washington Post (7/17, Al, Gillespie, Barrett, Shepherd, Berman, 14.2M) reports on its front page that on Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) "referred to the federal agents as Trump's `personal army' and said they should leave the city." He asserted, "This is part of a coordinated strategy of Trump's White House to use federal troops to bolster his sagging polling data, and it is an absolute abuse of federal law enforcement officials." Wheeler added, "As we were starting to see things de-escalate, their actions last Saturday night and every night since have actually ratcheted up the tension on our streets." The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Gottfried, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. DHS Memo: Federal Agents Confronting Backlash For Approach To Portland Unrest Lacked Proper Training. The New York Times (7/18, Olmos, Baker, Kanno-Youngs, 18.61M) reports, "The federal agents facing a growing backlash for their militarized approach to weeks of unrest in Portland were not specifically trained in riot control or mass demonstrations, an internal Department of Homeland Security memo warned this week." A copy of the memo EFTA00150218 which the Times acquired indicates it "was prepared by the agency for Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security, as he arrived in Portland to view the scene in person." Oregon AG Announces Lawsuit Against Federal Agencies In Response To Street Conflicts Between Demonstrators, Federal Agents. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/18, story 8, 2:20, Diaz-Balart, 3.83M), correspondent Erin McLaughlin reported there's "a new court battle over the presence of...unmarked federal agents" in Portland. Oregon's attorney general on Friday "announced a lawsuit against several federal government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, alleging federal agents are 'unlawfully detaining protesters.' ... The filing a response to...street battles between protesters and federal agents with combat gear with no insignia other than police." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/18, story 6, 1:39, Llamas, 4.36M), correspondent Andrew Dymburt reported, "A CBP spokesperson tells ABC News that agents have been deployed to support local law enforcement. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice says they'll investigate any recent reports of detainments." On the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/18, story 5, 1:29, Garrett, 2.41M), correspondent Michael George reported that federal personnel deployed in Portland "have been firing tear gas and flash bangs on citizens who have taken to the streets. Agents who work for the Department of Homeland Security and the US Marshals Service, as well as Customs and Border Protection, have been sent to guard a federal courthouse and other government buildings." Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) said, "Having federal officers here is like pouring gasoline on a fire." Seattle Rioters Damage, Loot Stores. The Fox News (7/19, Betz, 27.59M) website reports that "at least two people were arrested in Seattle and a police officer is in the hospital Sunday after a march through downtown devolved into property damage and looting, police say." Demonstrators Attempting To Topple Columbus Statue In Chicago Clash With Law Enforcement. The AP (7/18) reports demonstrators attempting to bring down a statue of Christopher Columbus in Chicago's Grant Park "clashed with police who used batons to beat people and made at least a dozen arrests after they say protesters targeted them with fireworks, rocks and other items." The brawl on Friday occurred "after at least 1,000 people tried to swarm the statue in a failed attempt to topple it following a rally in support of Black and Indigenous people." The AP adds, "Police said 18 officers were injured and at least 12 people were arrested during the clash. Four protesters were also hurt during the confrontation, which led local elected officials and activists to condemn the officers' tactics." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/18, story 7, 0:30, Diaz-Balart, 3.83M) reported the mayor of Chicago put out a statement on Saturday condemning demonstrators "who attack police, while also saying reports of excessive force by officers was unacceptable." The CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/18, story 4, 0:17, Garrett, 2.41M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. Statue In New York State Dedicated To Union Volunteers Torn Down. The New York Times (7/18, Fortin, Pietsch, 18.61M) reports police in Saratoga Spring, NY on Thursday "found a cast iron and zinc statue torn down from its stone pedestal in Congress Park and scattered in pieces on the grass." While many statues that have been brought down in the United States "in recent weeks amid widespread protests against racism and police brutality" were "monuments to Confederate soldiers," the one that was in Congress Park "was dedicated to volunteers who fought for the Union during the Civil War." David Snyder, executive assistant to Saratoga Springs' mayor, said, "We're very confused," adding, "Was this in any way tied to a Black Lives Matter protest in which they thought it was a Confederate statue that needed to EFTA00150219 come down? Was it a reactionary or pro-Confederate group that wanted a Union statue to come down? Or was it random?" CVS Terminates Contract With Security Firm After Guard Presses Forearm Into Shoplifting Suspect's Neck. The Washington Post (7/18, Hermann, 14.2M) reports CVS Pharmacy "said it has terminated its contract with a private security company after an armed guard was seen on video detaining a shoplifting suspect outside a downtown Washington store and appeared to press his forearm onto the man's neck." The Post adds, "The 50-year-old man, who appeared to be unarmed, tried to speak several times as the guard pressed down and yelled, 'Stop resisting.' In a statement, CVS said, "We're deeply disturbed by the video taken outside of our store," adding, "This type of force appears wholly unnecessary, regardless of what happened inside. The actions of the security guard, who is not a CVS employee, violated our security policies and practices which are designed to ensure the safety of customers and employees." NYTimes Al Analysis Examines Past Of Officer Who Put Knee On Floyd's Neck. A front-page New York Times (7/18, Al, Barker, Kovaleski, 18.61M) analysis says co-workers as well as citizens described Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who put his knee on George Floyd's neck, as someone who "did his job as if he were playing a role - a tough Dirty Harry on the lookout for bad guys." Noah McGurran-Hanson, who had an encounter with Chauvin during 2013, said of Chauvin, "He was overly aggressive and not understanding that we were just kids," adding, "He was treating us like we had been tried and convicted." The Time goes on to say that "dozens of interviews with acquaintances depict a police officer who seemed to operate at an emotional distance from those around him. Mr. Chauvin was a quiet and rigid workaholic with poor people skills and a tendency to overreact - with intoxicated people, especially - when a less aggressive stance might have led to a better outcome, interviews show." Prosecutor: Pennsylvania Officer Was Justified In Pressing Knee Into Intoxicated Man's Head. The AP (7/17, Rubinkam) reports, "A Pennsylvania police officer was justified when he pressed his knee into an intoxicated man's head while restraining him outside a hospital, a prosecutor said Friday after reviewing an incident that was caught on video and generated allegations of police brutality." The officer in question as well as another officer utilized "reasonable force to restrain the man, who was agitated, acting erratically and posing a danger to himself and others, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said." In a news release, Martin said, "I have concluded that there is absolutely no evidence to support filing criminal charges against either of the Allentown police officers involved in this incident." In another statement, Police Chief Glenn Granitz Jr. said the officers are not going to be subject to disciplinary action. Police Union Cites Trump's Support In Wake Of Floyd Protests For Endorsement. The Washington Times (7/19, Mordock, 492K) reports the National Association of Police Organizations endorsed President Trump's reelection last week, citing his "steadfast and very public support" for law enforcement. In a brief letter to Trump, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Times, NAPO President Michael McHale "said the president's support was critical in the wake of the attacks on law enforcement following the death of George Floyd." The Times says the decision to endorse Trump "delivered a blow" to presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who "prides himself on being a 'union man' and longtime ally of police." Townhall's Baumann: Biden Has Said He Wants To Defund Police. Beth Baumann writes for Townhall (7/19, 177K) that "for whatever reason, the mainstream media is making the argument that Biden is not in favor of defunding the police." Still "as President Trump said EFTA00150220 on Saturday, Joe Biden may not have said 'defund the police,' but he used the very phrases and verbiage the Democrats are using surrounding this issue." WPost Criticizes Union For Expelling Pro-Reform Member. The Washington Post (7/19, 14.2M) editorializes that "the movement for greater accountability in policing poses a dilemma for organized labor. ... Yet police unions can use their clout to win protection from complaints of officer brutality and other misconduct." The Post says it can "offer no advice as to how union leaders should address this conundrum, but it is clear what they should not do: expel unionists who take a principled position in favor of police reform." The Post criticizes Local 1994, which represents Montgomery County's public employees, ousting member Gabriel Acevero, who is "outspoken against police abuses." Trump Defends Use Of Confederate Flag. In a prerecorded interview on Fox News SundayVi (7/19, 1.12M), President Trump discussed recent efforts to remove Confederate symbols. Trump said, "It depends on who you're talking about, when you're talking about. When people proudly had the Confederate flag they're not talking about racism. They love their flag, it represents the South. They like the South, people right now like the South. I say it's freedom of many things but its freedom of speech." Reuters (7/19, Chiacu, Lynch) reports "Trump has in the past appeared sympathetic to the flag and symbols of the Confederacy of 1861-65 American Civil War," and "in 2017, he decried the removal of monuments to the Confederacy, laying blame on 'both sides' in Charlottesville, Virginia, after protests against the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general." Axios (7/19, Allassan, 521K) says Trump has also "attacked organizations like NASCAR that have banned the Confederate flag, claiming it's an infringement on freedom of speech," and has "threatened to veto a defense bill that would rename military installations named for Confederate leaders, despite bipartisan support in Congress." Trump Quips About Renaming Military Bases After Al Sharpton. In his Fox News Sunday-Vi (7/19, 1.12M) interview, Trump was asked about the push to rename military bases. Trump said, "I don't care what the military says. I'm supposed to make the decision. Fort Bragg is a big deal. We won two world wars, nobody even knows the general. We won two world wars. Go to the community where Fort Bragg is in a great state, I love that state. Go to the community, say how do you like the idea of renaming Fort Bragg? And then what are we going to name it?" The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dibble, 448K) reports Trump added, "We're going to name it after the Rev. Al Sharpton? What are you gonna name it, Chris [Wallace], tell me what you're gonna name it?" The New York Post (7/19, Moore, 4.57M) indicates that, in the interview, the President also "threatened to veto a defense spending bill if it includes a provision to remove the names of Confederate leaders from US military bases." Said Trump, "I might. Yeah, I might." Media Analyses: Esper Attempts To Circumvent Trump With Memo Barring Confederate Flags On Military Facilities. Defense Secretary Esper issued a memo on Friday stating that the US flag is "principal flag we are authorized and encouraged to display," while excluding the Confederate flag from a list of flags that are also authorized for display. Typical of the tone of the coverage, the New York Times (7/17, Cooper, 18.61M) says Esper's "carefully worded memo" did not include the word "Confederate," yet it "essentially banned displays of the Confederate flag on military installations around the world," a move that Defense Department officials "said they hoped would avoid igniting another defense of the flag from President Trump." Bloomberg (7/17, Tiron, 4.73M) also describes the memo as an attempt "to sidestep a direct clash with" Trump, who "has vowed to veto the annual defense policy bill if it contains provisions requiring new names for military bases named for Confederate generals." The Washington Post (7/17, Lamothe, 14.2M) similarly reports Esper's memo "did not explicitly mention Confederate banners but stated that the 'flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols." The Post adds a defense official "said the White House EFTA00150221 is aware of the new policy. But it was not immediately clear whether President Trump, who has pushed to preserve Confederate symbols, supports the change." A CNBC (7/17, Macias, 3.62M) article also highlights that Trump "said last month that his administration would 'not even consider' the removal of Confederate symbols," while the AP (7/17, Baldor) reports the President "flatly rejected any notion of changing base names and has defended the flying of the Confederate flag, saying it's a freedom of speech issue." According to the Washington Times (7/17, Meier, 492K), Esper's memo "follows weeks of nationwide anti-racism protests after the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a White Minneapolis police officer, and calls for the Confederate flag to be banned from military properties and bases that honor Confederate leaders to be renamed." The Times adds the effort "saw early support from several branches of the military after the Navy, Marine Corps and several arms of the military abroad announced a ban on the display of the Confederate flag last month." Meanwhile, The Hill (7/17, Kheel, 2.98M) reports Esper tweeted, "Today I issued a memorandum to the force on the display of flags at @DeptofDefense facilities. With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation." Politico (7/17, Seligman, 4.29M) reports Esper's memo "simply lists the types of flags that are allowed to be displayed, including the American flag; the flags of the U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia; military flags and those of allies." According to Politico, "Exceptions to the ban include museum exhibits, license plates, grave sites, and works of art 'where the nature of the display or depiction cannot reasonably be viewed as endorsement of the flag by the Department of Defense." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/17, story 5, 1:43, Holt, 5.54M), Courtney Kube said Esper's move is one "many had been advocating for years." Kube added Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) "says there's a problem with white supremacists in the military. Although, it involves just a tiny percentage of the country's 2.1 million service members." Kube also reported NBC News "has reviewed for five criminal cases involving far-right extremism among active duty ranks in the last four years. Including two linked to the violent Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen. And a 'Military Times' poll shows more than half of minority troops say they have personally witnessed examples of white nationalism or racism within the ranks." The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Youssef, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) as well as brief ABC World News TonightVi (7/17, story 8, 0:29, Llamas, 6.68M) and CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 12, 0:19, O'Donnell, 4.11M) broadcasts provided similar coverage. Richmond Judge Who Impeded Removal Of Confederate Monuments Recuses Himself From Pair Of Lawsuits. The Washington Post (7/17, Schneider, 14.2M) reports Richmond Circuit Court Judge Bradley Cavedo, "who has repeatedly blocked efforts to remove Confederate statues in the former capital of the Confederacy," on Friday filed an order recusing himself from "a case filed by an anonymous person against Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, acknowledging that Cavedo's personal residence near the Monument Avenue statues could create an appearance of impropriety." The Post adds that Cavedo "cited similar reasoning on Thursday to recuse himself from a separate case filed against Gov. Ralph Northam (D) over Northam's efforts to take down the statue of Robert E. Lee on the city's Monument Avenue." Missouri Governor Suggests Pardon Of McCloskeys If Charges Filed. The Washington Examiner (7/19, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) on Friday "said he's ready and willing to issue a pardon of a St. Louis couple if they are charged by local prosecutors after brandishing their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters in their neighborhood last month." During an interview with a local radio station, Parson said, "I don't think they're going to spend any time in jail," noting a pardon would be "exactly what would happen" if District Attorney Kim Gardner were to indict the couple. Long-Time Activists See Opportunity For Police Reform. EFTA00150222 USA Today (7/18, Hughes, 10.31M) reports that "across the country, street protests and confrontations that erupted following the May 25 death of George Floyd...have prompted a broad and lasting discussion about the state of policing in America - and how communities could or should change it." Longtime activists "see this moment as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dramatically reshape police departments" and change "how drug addiction, evictions and community relations are handled." White UConn Student Government Leaders Resign To Leave Spots To Minority Students. Breitbart (7/19, 673K) reports the president and vice president of the UConn student government resigned this month "on the basis of their skin color." According to a report by the College Fix, two leaders of the UConn student government resigned "so that their positions could be filled by minority students." Report: Ancestors Of New York Times Family Included Slave Owners. Breitbart (7/19, Pollak, 673K) reports Michael Goodwin of the New York Post "published an extensive investigative article on Sunday claiming that ancestral members of the family that owns the New York Times likely included slaveowners." Goodwin also claimed "the extended family also included members who fought for the Confederacy; contributed to Confederate memorials after the Civil War; and perhaps even engaged in the slave trade." Minneapolis City Council Designates Racism As A Public Health Emergency. The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports the Minneapolis City Council on Friday "approved a resolution...declaring racism a public emergency nearly two months after the high-profile killing of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody." The Hill adds the resolution "says that 'racism in all its forms causes persistent discrimination and disparate outcomes in many areas of life, including housing, education, health, employment, public safety and criminal justice; exacerbated further by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis' and commits city leaders to recognize the 'severe impact of racism on the wellbeing of residents and the city overall.'" Majority-White Minneapolis Neighborhood That Embraced Defunding Law Enforcement Records Jump In Shootings, Sexual Assaults. The Washington Times (7/17, Chasmar, 492K) reports, "A man is recovering after being shot while sitting inside a vehicle in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis." The Times adds, "It's the latest in a spate of violence in the majority-White neighborhood that has embraced the 'defund the police' movement, allowing hundreds of homeless people to set up camp in the neighborhood's eponymous park while vowing not to speak with law enforcement." On Tuesday, "another man was shot and wounded" at the park, while no less than "three sexual assaults have been reported in the area since the homeless encampment went up in mid-June." Former New Mexico Police Officer Faces Second-Degree Murder Charge Over Killing That Involved Use Of Chokehold. The AP (7/16, Contreras) reports, "A former police officer in New Mexico was charged Thursday with second-degree murder after authorities said he killed a Latino detainee he had placed in a chokehold." New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas "said he filed the charges against former Las Cruces police officer Christopher Smelser in the death of Antonio Valenzuela." Smelser, who's white, had at first been charged with manslaughter. Columbus Police Searching For Black Lives Matter Activists Who Attacked Man With Cerebral Palsy. The Washington Times (7/17, Ernst, 492K) reports Columbus police officers are looking "for Black Lives Matter activists who attacked a man with cerebral palsy during recent riots." CPD "released video July 8 showing a large crowd at the intersection of High Street and Broad Street EFTA00150223 surround Eldon Hawkins' vehicle." The Times adds, "The victim, confused by the chaos, had his windows smashed, personal items stolen and 'BLM' graffiti sprayed on the car's hood." In an interview with a CBS affiliate, Hawkins said, "It scared the life out of me. I thought they were going to kill me." Arlington County Commencing Review Of Police Practices. The Washington Post (7/17, Jouvenal, 14.2M) reports Arlington County "is launching a wide- ranging review of the policies and practices of its police department, prompted by local concerns and the national conversation unfolding over police reform in the wake of George Floyd's killing." City officials on Friday announced the review, indicating that "it would be led by two experts in policing and a panel of 15 people drawn from the police department, social justice groups, the NAACP, the public defender's office and elsewhere." WPost Al: Figure Behind Social Media Hoaxes Fuels Partisan Division. In a front-page article, the Washington Post (7/17, Al, Boburg, 14.2M) reports on its findings of an investigation into 38-year-old food-delivery driver and Di Adam Rahuba, who the Post "found...is also the anonymous figure behind a number of social media hoaxes - the most recent played out in Gettysburg on Independence Day - that have riled far-right extremists in recent years and repeatedly duped partisan media outlets." Rahuba's "false claims circulated widely on social media and on Internet message boards," and "were often amplified by right- wing commentators and covered as real news by media outlets such as Breitbart News and The Gateway Pundit." The Post's "examination of Rahuba's activities provides a rare inside look at the work of a homegrown troll who uses social media to stoke partisan division." COUNTER-TERRORISM Minnesota's Boogaloo Movement Examined. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/18, Montemayor, 1.04M) reports, "Michael Robert Solomon had been training for this - the moment, he said, 'when the [expletive) hits the fan." The Star Tribune adds, "As protests grew chaotic in the days after George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody, Solomon, a 30-year-old New Brighton man, joined a cadre of others clad in military garb and carrying assault rifles. They deployed around small businesses and in neighborhoods around the city and braced for an onslaught." Solomon "was there on behalf of the 'Boogaloo Bois,' a loose-knit anti-government extremist movement that advocates armed revolution. Its adherents merge the in-person paramilitary activities of far-right militias with widespread mobilization on social media platforms such as Facebook." Coronavirus Thwarts Hopes Of Families Of 9/11 Victims That Trial Of Men Accused Of Planning Attacks Would Commence Early Next Year. The New York Times (7/18, Rosenberg, 18.61M) reports the coronavirus breakout has thwarted hopes held by families of 9/11 victims that "the death penalty trial of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other men accused of planning the attacks" would start early next year, with the Times adding that "there is a real possibility that the trial will not even have begun on the 20th anniversary of the attacks 14 months from now." Terry Strada, whose husband was killed in the attacks, said, "The calamity of Covid is definitely disrupting our personal lives and our hopes for this trial to come to fruition." Strada also said, "We were very hopeful back then. It's hard to have something taken away from you that you were really counting on. And that is a shame, just a crying shame." Trump Pledges Another $2 Million To 9/11 Memorial. EFTA00150224 President Trump on Friday tweeted, "I am proud to announce $2 million for the @SeptllMemorial in NYC! This special site ensures that the memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as those lost in the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, will never be forgotten!" COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Roger Stone Accused Of Using Racial Slur During Radio Interview. The AP (7/19, Calvan) reports that Roger Stone "used the racial slur 'Negro' on air while verbally sparring with a Los Angeles-based Black radio host." The exchange, which can be heard here (starting at 12:30) "occurred on Saturday's Mo'Kelly Show, whose host - Morris O'Kelly - grilled Stone on his conviction for lying to Congress, tampering with witnesses and obstructing the House investigation into whether Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election." The AP adds, "O'Kelly asserted that Stone's commutation was because of his friendship with Trump, Stone's voice goes faint but can be heard" saying he was "arguing with this Negro." While "the first part of Stone's statement was not entirely audible," the "radio program transcribed the complete sentences as, 'I can't believe I'm arguing with this Negro." The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dibble, 448K) says O'Kelly "questioned Stone and asked if he used the racist slur." Stone "denied using the slur" and "claimed that O'Kelly was 'out of [his] mind." The Washington Post (7/19, Weiner, Roig-Franzia, 14.2M) reports that in a statement emails to the Post, Stone "suggested it was O'Kelly's 'studio engineer' who used the word. He also argued that 'Negro' is not offensive." Stone said, "The transmission as I recorded it is both garbled and replete with cross talk. ... Mr. O'Kelly needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because at no time did I call him a negro. That said, Mr. O'Kelly needs to spend a little more time studying black history and institutions. The word negro - even though I did not use it - is far from a slur." The New York Times (7/19, Ortiz, Fazio, 18.61M) reports that O'Kelly said in an interview that Stone's use of the word was "clear, it was discernible, and it was unmistakable." O'Kelly said, "It's the diet version of the N-word, but as an African-American man, it's something I deal with pretty frequently. ... If there's a takeaway from the conversation, it is that Roger Stone gave an unvarnished look into what is in the heart of many Americans today." Graham Releases Declassified Documents From Origins Of Russia Probe. Politico (7/17, Desiderio, Cheney, 4.29M) reported Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham "released declassified documents Friday suggesting that senior FBI officials were initially skeptical of the emerging narrative early in Donald Trump's presidency that his campaign was in contact with Russian intelligence officers." Politico adds the Senate Judiciary Committee "published the documents as part of a GOP-led review of the origins of the Russia investigation that has ensnared the president and his associates for years. Trump himself has encouraged the Senate's probe, while Democrats have panned it as a politically motivated effort to boost the president." Politico says that the documents "suggest that even as press reports began to describe connections between Americans in Trump's orbit and figures in Russia's shadowy intelligence services, the FBI had gathered little, if any, evidence that such ties existed." The Washington Times (7/17, Swoyer, 492K) reported Graham "said the documents conflict with the allegations laid out in FISA warrants against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page." The Washington Examiner (7/17, Dunleavy, 448K) reported Graham said. "Most importantly, after this interview of the subsource and the subsequent memo detailing the contents of the interview, it was a miscarriage of justice for the FBI and the Department of Justice to continue to seek a FISA warrant against Carter Page in April and June of 2017." The EFTA00150225 New York Post (7/18, Linge, 4.57M) reported Graham "tweeted Friday that the revelations put Strzok and FBI bosses 'in deep legal jeopardy in my view." CNN (7/17, Herb, 83.16M) reported Attorney General Barr "declassified two additional documents on Friday at the request of Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham." One document is "57 pages of FBI notes from a three-day January 2017 interview with a primary sub-source of Christopher Steele." The other document is "an annotation of a 2017 New York Times article from former FBI agent Peter Strzok taking issue with some allegations in the story." Also providing similar coverage of the story are The Hill (7/17, Carney, 2.98M), Daily Caller (7/17, 716K), and the Wall Street Journal (7/19, Cullison, Subscription Publication, 7.57M). The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorialized the release of documents by the Justice Department of the Obama Administration's Trump-Russia investigation is painting a picture, and the more that becomes known, the worse the FBI looks. The Journal concludes it is becoming clearer that the collusion narrative and infamous Steele dossier were political tricks that then became abuses of power. Document Shows FBI Disproved NYTimes Story On Trump-Russia. The Washington Times (7/18, Scarborough, 492K) reported that a newly disclosed document shows that "one of the most glaringly bogus Trump-Russia stories by the New York Times in 2017 was picked apart inside the FBI at the time as containing over a dozen major inaccuracies." The document "contains the Times story that reported there were extensive contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence," as well as "a typewritten critique in the margins by FBI Agent Peter Strzok, who totally rejected the Times' claim." Strzok wrote, "Again, we are unaware of ANY Trump advisors engaging in conversations with Russian intelligence officials." The New York Times (7/17, Savage, Goldman, 18.61M) reported documents released on Friday "showed a top FBI agent recognized by February 2017 that a now notorious dossier of claims about purported Trump-Russia ties had credibility problems, but the Justice Department continued to rely on it as part of its basis to renew permission to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser." They also included "an FBI agent's notes disputing aspects of a New York Times article the next month." But Mr. Strzok "appeared to be aware of aspects of it." Fox News (7/17, Singman, 27.59M) reported the second document, according to the committee, also "indicates that 'the FBI may have been using foreign intelligence gathering techniques to impermissibly unmask and analyze existing and future intelligence collection regarding US persons associated with the Trump campaign." Also providing similar coverage on the story is National Review (7/17, Evans, 731K). Strzok Fires Back At Graham. The Washington Examiner (7/18, Chaitin, 448K) reported Peter Strzok "castigated Lindsey Graham after the senator unveiled declassified documents that he said showed the 'corrupt nature' of the Russia investigation." The former FBI agent "denounced by President Trump and his allies shot back at Graham...in response to... [his) comments about a document showing Strzok harshly criticized a February 2017 New York Times report tying the Trump campaign to Russian intelligence officials." Strzok's lawyer Aitan Goelman said in a statement obtained by the Washington Examiner, "Sen. Graham's statement represents another attempt by President Trump's congressional lackeys to use Pete's work product to paint the Russia investigation as a political witch hunt." NY Times Stands By Reporting On Trump-Russia Connections Despite FBI Memos. The Daily Caller (7/18, 716K) reported the New York Times is "standing by a February 2017 report alleging that Trump associates were in communication with Russian intelligence officers, even after the release of an internal FBI memo that identified numerous inaccuracies in the story." New York Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy "told her own paper for its report on the newly released documents, 'We stand by our reporting." In a separate article, the Daily Caller (7/17, Ross, 716K) reported the Senate Judiciary Committee released a newly declassified FBI document Friday "showing that a New York Times report about contacts between Trump associates and Russian intelligence was riddled with EFTA00150226 errors." Peter Strzok, who served as FBI deputy chief of counterintelligence, "spotted 14 errors in the Times story, published on Feb. 14, 2017." Strzok also "critiqued Christopher Steele, saying that the dossier author was unable to judge the reliability of his network of sources." Strzok Complained About Being "Out Of Loop" On Counter-Intelligence Briefing. The Washington Times (7/17, Scarborough, 492K) reported that, according to newly released emails obtained by Judicial Watch, FBI Agent Peter Strzok and his FBI Crossfire Hurricane unit "were focused on the White House during President Trump's inauguration celebration, so much so that the 'angry' agent complained he was kept out of the loop on a bureau counter- intelligence briefing there." Strzok "erupted the day after Mr. Trump became president." Strzok "said in an email to his boss, counter-intelligence chief Bill Priestap, he could have folded the FBI briefing into his strategy for investigating Trump associates. I heard from (redacted) about the WH CI briefing routed from (redacted). I am angry that Jen [colleague Jennifer Boone] did not at least cc: me, as my branch has pending investigative matters there, this brief may play into our investigative strategy, and I would like the ability to have visibility and provide thoughts/counsel to you in advance of the briefing." Graham Previews What's Next After Revealing Declassified Documents. The Washington Examiner (7/17, Chaitin, 448K) reported Graham "told the Wall Street Journal that he wants 'to go from the bottom of the pyramid to the top and find out just how many people were informed' about the source interview." He added, "Those who knew about this exculpatory information, or should have known, and yet who continued - they are in legal jeopardy." Grenell Says Classified Records Show Warnings About Veracity Of Steele Dossier And Russian Collusion Were Ignored. The Washington Examiner (7/17, Dunleavy, 448K) reported former DNI Richard Grenell "said there are documents showing early 'red flags' casting doubt on the idea of collusion between President Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia as well as on the veracity of British ex-spy Christopher Steele's dossier." Grenell "told Greg Kelly of Newsmax TV this week that the evidence of those early 'red flags,' including about Steele's dossier possibly being compromised by Russian disinformation, could and should be released in the near future." He said, "There are a variety of reports that highlight some of these individuals that have not come out yet, and we're getting closer. I started the process when I was at the ODNI. We started to unwind some of these reports, but there are several that still need to come out." Meadows Expects Criminal Indictments From Durham Investigation. The Washington Examiner (7/19, Dunleavy, 448K) reports White House Chief of Staff Meadows "said that he expects criminal indictments to result from US Attorney John Durham's wide- ranging inquiry into the origins and conduct of the Trump-Russia investigation." Meadows told Fox News Sunday Morning Futures, "I think the American people expect indictments - I know I expect indictments based on the evidence I've seen. [Senate Judiciary Chairman] Lindsey Graham did a good job in getting that out. We know that they not only knew that there wasn't a case, but they continued to investigate and spy, and yes, I use the word 'spy,' on Trump campaign officials and actually even doing things when this president was sworn in and after that and doing it in an inappropriate manner. You're going to see a couple other documents come out in the coming days that will suggest that not only was the campaign spied on, but the FBI did not act appropriately as they were investigating. It's all starting to unravel, and I tell you, it's time that people go to jail and people are indicted." Krebs: DHS Is Not Seeing "Coordinated" Foreign Election Interference Like In 2016. The Hill (7/17, Miller, 2.98M) reports Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Christopher Krebs "said Friday that he has not seen a foreign effort to influence U.S. elections so far this year." Speaking at a virtual Brookings Institution event, Krebs said, "Compared to where things were in 2016, we are not seeing that level of coordinated, determined cyber activity from adversaries." He added, "We absolutely have better EFTA00150227 visibility across the networks, and we are just not seeing that same level of activity that we saw in 2016." Nadler: House Judiciary To Consider Bills To Restrict Trump's Pardon Power. The Hill (7/17, Seipel, 2.98M) reports House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler "announced Friday that the panel will mark up two bills next week intended to rein in President Trump's pardon powers, a move that comes a week after Trump commuted the sentence of his longtime ally Roger Stone." The Hill says the first measure to be addressed on Thursday "would force the Justice Department to share with Congress files from pardons tied to investigations of the president, according to Nadler's announcement. The second measure, the No President is Above the Law Act, would pause the statute of limitations for a president's crimes committed during or before their presidency." McCarthy, Stefanik Endorse Trump's Pardon Of Stone. The Washington Times (7/17, Blake, 492K) reports that while Stone this week "claimed" that House Minority Leader McCarthy and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) had "unsuccessfully pushed Mr. Trump not to intervene in the case before he eventually did by commuting his friend's sentence," McCarthy "said Friday he supports Mr. Trump's commutation of Stone's sentence, according to a CNN reporter who relayed his reaction on Twitter afterward," while Stefanik said, "I have not advocated for any pardoning issues with the president. I believe, constitutionally, any issues of pardoning are the president's decision to make and I support the president's choice." The Hill (7/17, Brufke, 2.98M) quotes McCarthy as saying, "I don't think it would be right to pardon him." He added, "I think commuting him was correct." McCarthy continued, "I think the president did the right thing and he has the right to do it. And if you watch, the president has used his power much less than other presidents in the past, considerably less than what the Democratic presidents used." The Intelligence Community's New Plan For Commercial Imagery. C4ISR & Networks (7/17, Strout) reported the NRO is looking to change, "moving beyond the status quo by issuing a new set of contracts toward the end of this year that will reshape the IC's relationship with commercial imagery." Peter Muend, the head of NRO's commercial imagery efforts, "told C4ISRNET that the agency is 'obviously very committed to utilizing commercial imagery to the maximum extent practical in support of defense, national security and all the other mission areas that we serve. I think the best philosophy that underpins that is one that says 'We really are looking to buy everywhere we can and only build what we have to —what's really not available on the commercial market." Muend "doesn't want any of these companies to exist solely to support government requirements." There should be "a real commercial market for these capabilities, which will help drive down costs for the government." New Report Shows Federal Background Check Cases "Stable" At 200K. MeriTalk (7/17, Smith) reported that, according to a quarterly report on the Security Clearance, Suitability/Fitness, and Credentialing Reform Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) goal action plan, "the coronavirus pandemic hasn't slowed the government's progress on managing the Federal background check inventory, which has returned to a stable state of roughly 200,000 cases." The backlog for background checks "was approximately 725,000 at its peak in April 2018." Policy changes from "the ODNI and OPM 'as the Executive Agents for personnel vetting, internal process improvements made by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency' were cited as catalysts for stabilizing the backlog of background checks for the first time since August 2014." The update reported, "The actions taken to reduce the backlog also substantially improved the timelines for completion of investigations. The average time to complete a Top Secret investigation is currently down to 79 days from a high of 411 days, meeting timeliness goals for the first time since June 2014." EFTA00150228 Rubio Seeks Declassification Of UFO Secrets. The Washington Examiner (7/17, Dunleavy, 448K) reported the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee "is leading the charge to declassify and make public what the IC knows about `unidentified aerial phenomena." Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is "pushing legislation that would require the ODNI...to work with the Pentagon and other relevant agencies to produce a detailed report outlining what the US government knows about UFOs, including their origin, frequency, and potential threat to US national security." Rubio said in a Thursday interview with Jim DeFede of CBS4 News in Miami, "Look, here's the interesting thing for me about all this and the reason why I think it's an important topic, OK? We have things flying over our military bases and places where we're conducting military exercises, and we don't know what it is, and it isn't ours. So, that's a legitimate question to ask." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS Men Charged In Arbery Slaying Plead Not Guilty. The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Siddiqui, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports the three men charged in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was jogging in Georgia when he was fatally shot, entered into not guilty pleas on Friday. Gregory McMichael, his son Travis, and William Bryan Jr. entered the pleas less than a month after being indicted on nine counts. On ABC World News TonightVi (7/17, story 7, 1:22, Llamas, 6.68M), correspondent Pierre Thomas said that at a bond hearing for Bryan, Arbery's mother "sa(id] she's still living in pain and fear." Bryan's bail was denied, and Thomas added that the McMichaels "did not argue for bond." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 8, 0:19, O'Donnell, 4.11M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. Attorneys Say Breonna Taylor Was Alive For Several Minutes After Being Shot. The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/17, story 7, 1:34, O'Donnell, 4.11M) reported on "disturbing new details from the night Louisville police shot and killed Breonna Taylor in her apartment." Correspondent Jeff Pegues reported that CBS News "has confirmed that, after being shot five times, Breonna Taylor was alive but struggling to breathe. In a revised lawsuit filed on behalf of Taylor's family, attorneys allege that Taylor was left to die. They say that she was not killed immediately, that she lived for another five to six minutes before succumbing to her injuries on the floor of her home." Celebrities Urge Justice Department To Probe 2010 Slaying Of Student. Under the headline "Jay-Z, Other Celebs Ask Feds To Probe Student's 2010 Killing," the AP (7/17, Richer) reports various celebrities are urging the Department of Justice "to investigate the death of 20-year-old Danroy 'DJ' Henry Jr., a Black football player at Pace University killed by a white police officer in New York nearly a decade ago." The AP adds, "In a letter sent this week to Attorney General William Barr, the entertainers say Henry, who was from Easton, Massachusetts, `lost his life for no good reason and with absolutely no good explanation." The celebrities, among whom were Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Pharrell Williams, also wrote, "The DOJ must truthfully determine whether a pattern and/or practice of discrimination played a role in the case of DJ Henry - and if it did - deliver the justice that restores this young man's name and reputation, while giving hope to other young black men who are just like him and desperate for change." Pelosi Seeks FBI Probe Of Fatal Vallejo, California Police Shooting. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (7/17, Gartrell, 456K) reports, "In a striking statement that referred to the incident as a `brutal police killing' and a murder, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday publicly called for the FBI to investigate the June fatal shooting of Sean Monterrosa by a EFTA00150229 Vallejo police officer." According to the Mercury News, "Pelosi's statement, released online Friday afternoon, comes as both the Solano District Attorney and California Attorney General's offices are putting forth their best legal arguments to avoid taking on the Monterrosa case." Monterrosa "was fatally shot in June by an officer who fired a rifle five times through the windshield of his own unmarked police pickup truck. Police say the officer - who was responding to reports of looting at the Walgreens on Redwood Street - mistook a hammer in Monterrosa's sweater pocket for a gun." The Hill (7/17, Axelrod, 2.98M) reports, "Pelosi joined local officials in calling for a broader probe into the shooting, in which an officer fired his weapon through the windshield of a police vehicle at Monterrosa, 22, near a Walgreens where a theft had occurred during protests. Pelosi and others had specifically voiced concerns over allegations of destruction of evidence with regard to the killing. `The police killing of Sean Monterrosa was a horrible act of brutality that continues to shake our Bay Area community,' Pelosi said in a statement. `Recent reports that key evidence in the investigation was destroyed are deeply disturbing and highlight the urgency and necessity of an outside, independent federal investigation. I join Sean's family, Vallejo city officials and community members in calling for an FBI investigation into Sean's murder, including into the destruction of essential evidence in this homicide case. We must insist on justice and accountability to honor Sean's life and the lives of all killed by police brutality in America." The San Francisco Chronicle (7/18, Hernandez, 2.67M) reports, "California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced late Friday that the state Department of Justice will investigate the Vallejo Police Department's disposal of key evidence in the police killing of Sean Monterrosa - the windshield of the unmarked police vehicle an officer shot through. `The allegations concerning destruction of evidence under the watch of the Vallejo Police Department are significant,' Becerra said in a statement." Officials "said the probe is separate from the Department of Justice's review of the Vallejo Police Department's policies and practices. Previously, Becerra had declined to investigate the Monterrosa shooting." Men Charged In Assault On Black Man In Indiana. The AP (7/17, Smith) reports, "Two men were charged Friday in an assault on a Black man during which he says someone threatened to 'get a noose' after claiming that he and his friends were trespassing when they gathered at a southern Indiana lake over the July Fourth weekend." Sean Purdy was charged "with felony criminal confinement, battery resulting in moderate bodily injury and intimidation," while Jerry Cox II "was charged with felony criminal confinement and battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, as well as two misdemeanors." Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Erika Oliphant said warrants have been put out for their arrests. ABC News (7/17, 2.97M) reports, "Indiana prosecutors on Friday charged two white men who were filmed allegedly assaulting a Black man during a July 4 incident." Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox "are facing battery, confinement and intimidation charges for their alleged roles in an attack on Vauhxx Rush Booker at Lake Monroe, according to the Monroe County Prosecutor's office. Booker, 36, an activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, and other witnesses filmed the encounter in which Purdy, Cox and other men were seen pinning Booker to a tree and pulling his arm. Booker said he heard the men say they were going to get a noose and that they shouted racial slurs. Local police and the FBI are investigating." USA Today (7/17, Depompei, 10.31M) reports, "Prosecuting Attorney Erika Oliphant said in the release that all criminal charges related to the incident have been filed, indicating Vauhxx Booker, the alleged victim, will not face charges." Purdy "is charged with criminal confinement, battery resulting in injury and intimidation, all felonies. The intimidation charge is related to the allegation that Purdy said 'get a noose' in a threat of lynching against Booker, who is Black." Cox "is charged with aiding or causing criminal confinement, felony battery resulting in injury, intimidation and two misdemeanor counts of battery." EFTA00150230 NBC News (7/18, Acevedo, 6.14M) reports, "Purdy's attorney, Mark Kamish, told NBC News in a statement on Saturday that their legal team was 'obviously disappointed' with Oliphant's 'unfortunate decision to charge Sean Purdy while choosing not to file criminal charges against his trespassing assailant."Indiana law allows citizens to make arrests of people punching other people on private property, and to use reasonable force in doing so. Indiana also has a broad self-defense statute,' Kamish said in the statement Saturday. 'We would welcome a jury trial next week so the stigma of false and wrongful accusations can be exposed." The Hill (7/17, Deese, 2.98M) reports, "Purdy's defense attorney, David Hennessy, gave no immediate comment on the charges. Previously, Hennessy said Booker presented 'a false narrative' about the attack, alleging Booker was an 'instigator and the agitator.' Booker and his attorney Katherine Liell said they were 'relieved' by the charges, which they called the first step 'towards justice and change." The New York Times (7/17, Levenson, Diaz, 18.61M) reports, "Video of the episode drew broad condemnation, and the F.B.I. said it was investigating the confrontation, which Katharine C. Liell, Mr. Booker's lawyer, said was clearly a racially motivated hate crime. Ms. Liell said that Mr. Purdy had been wearing a hat with a Confederate flag on it, which upset Mr. Booker." The Times adds, "Mr. Booker said he learned on Friday that he had tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Ms. Liell said the men had spat and yelled in Mr. Booker's face when they confronted him on July 4." Personal Assistant Arrested In Investor's Killing. The Washington Post (7/17, Bogage, 14.2M) reports "the 21-year-old personal assistant of Fahim Saleh was arrested Friday in the grisly slaying of the tech investor." Tyrese Devon Haspil "is accused of attacking Saleh, 33, at his luxury apartment in Manhattan on Monday. New York police say Haspil dismembered the body a day later with an electric saw and put the remains in trash bags." He "faces second-degree murder and other charges and was expected to be arraigned later Friday." The New York Times (7/17, Rashbaum, Feuer, Gold, 18.61M) reports that during a news conference on Friday, chief of detectives Rodney Harrison said, "Mr. Haspil was Mr. Saleh's executive assistant and handled his finances and personal matters," adding, "It is also believed that he owed the victim a significant amount of money." The Times says, "According to three officials briefed on the matter, Mr. Saleh had discovered that Mr. Haspil had stolen roughly $90,000 from him. Though Mr. Saleh, who friends said was a generous man, fired Mr. Haspil, he did not report the theft, the officials said." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/17, story 10, 1:23, Llamas, 6.68M), correspondent Adrienne Bankert reported, "Detectives reveal[ed) they recovered text messages between the two where Saleh accused Haspil of stealing." Saleh's family said, "There are no words for actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil." The Wall Street Journal (7/17, Chapman, Berger, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. Two FBI Agents Wounded Serving Warrant On Arizona Bank Robbery Suspect. The AP (7/17) reports from Mesa, Arizona, "Two FBI agents were shot and wounded Friday at an apartment complex in a Phoenix suburb while executing an arrest warrant for a serial bank robbery suspect who was found dead, the FBI said." According to the AP, "One injured agent was treated at the scene in Mesa for minor injuries and the other was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that weren't life-threatening, the FBI said. The FBI identified the suspect as 49-year-old Abraham Rivera." The Arizona Republic (7/17, Wilder, 869K) reports, "Two FBI agents were shot and wounded and a suspect was found dead when a federal search and arrest warrant was served EFTA00150231 Friday morning in Mesa, authorities said. The subject of the warrant, a suspected serial bank robber who was not identified by the FBI, was found dead at the location, according to FBI spokesperson Jill McCabe." According to the Republic, "One of the agents was taken to a hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening, and the other was treated at the location for minor injuries." Fox News (7/18, Stimson, 27.59M) reports, "The agents were shot as they approached the suspect's door around 6 a.m. `Come out with your hands up!' one of the agents could be heard yelling to the suspect on cell phone video of the incident, FOX 10 reported. `This is the FBI. We have a warrant. 'The FBI guy was down,' witness Michael Scott told FOX 10. 'He took off his jacket. He was all right. I think it went through his vest. He was bleeding." Fox News adds, "The suspect was identified as Abraham Rivera, 49, who was accused in at least four bank robberies at three banks in the state since last year." KSAZ-TV Phoenix (7/18, 33K) also reports. FBI Probing Deadly Police Shooting In Houston, Texas. The Houston Chronicle (7/17, Jordan, 730K) reports, "The FBI is on the scene of a deadly officer-involved shooting Friday morning in southeast Houston." According to the Chronicle, "The bureau's involvement, and what led to the gunfire, is not immediately clear. The shooting happened in the 5700 lock of Hirondel around 9:55 a.m. A Houston Fire Department spokesperson said the person who was shot was pronounced dead on scene. A spokesperson for the FBI's Houston field office was not immediately available." Houston Police Department spokesperson Kese Smith "said a non-HPD law enforcement agency was involved in the shooting, although he would not confirm which agency was involved. He said it initially appears no Houston police officers were involved in the gunfire." KPRC-TV Houston (7/17, Taylor, 447K) reports, "The shooting was reported at 9:45 a.m. at a home in the 5700 block of Hirondel while FBI agents were running a child pornography warrant. Houston police officers were at the scene assisting agents while they served the warrant. Houston police said a man, approximately 25 years old, came out the front door of the home and brandished a weapon. Police said he did not follow commands and was fatally shot by at least two FBI agents. Police said the man was pronounced dead at the scene." The FBI said in a statement, "The FBI is responding to an agent-involved shooting that occurred in the 5700 block of Hirondel St. during the execution of a federal arrest warrant for an individual who was wanted for child pornography charges. The suspect is deceased." KAGS-TV Bryan, TX (7/17, Homer, Delony) reports, "The unidentified man, 24, died at the scene. `We're in a tough time right now and I want the public to know that we're doing everything that we can do to make sure that we decrease the number of shootings in our community,' HPD Exec. Assistant Chief Troy Finner said. 'A lot of times the suspect dictates what happens out here and that's all I'm going to say. Finn said HPD will lead the investigation into the shooting, alongside the FBI. `The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident will be investigated by the FBI's Inspection Division; the FBI said in a statement. `The review process is thorough and objective, and is conducted as expeditiously as possible under the circumstances." Seven More Arrested In Connection With Georgia Drug Investigation. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (7/17, Abusaid, 895K) reported, "Seven more people have been arrested in" connection with an investigation that "centered on heroin and methamphetamine sales" in Georgia. The new arrests come after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation "announced...that it partnered with the FBI and local law enforcement" organizations to arrest 48 other individuals in connection with the same investigation. Virginia Man Charged Over Online Threats Against Tulsa Mayor. EFTA00150232 The Washington Examiner (7/19, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports federal authorities announced Friday that Adam Maxwell Donn of Norfolk, Virginia "has been charged with making online threats to the mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in an attempt to pressure him against allowing President Trump's June 20 rally in the city." From June 11 to June 22, Mayor G.T. Bynum and his family "received 44 emails and 14 phone calls," which federal prosecutors say "were meant to harass, annoy, threaten and intimate Bynum and his family." US Attorney Trent Shores said in a statement, "Mr. Donn allegedly sent a series of harassing emails and voicemails in an effort to intimidate the mayor into canceling the presidential rally that occurred here in June. ... Mr. Donn will now face the real world consequences for his alleged criminal actions." FBI Investigating New York Gang Murders. The Buffalo (NY) News (7/18, 391K) reported behind a paywall that the FBI is investigating a July 1 murder connected to gang activity in the Buffalo area. Two Charged With Possessing Enough Fentanyl To Kill 20,000. The AP (7/17) reported that Brandon Dashiell and Ronald Dashiell, Jr., both residents of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, "have been charged with possessing enough fentanyl to kill more than 20,000 people." Pasquotank County Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II "said the FBI is helping with the investigation" of this case. Continuing Coverage: FBI Continuing To Investigate Body Found In Massachusetts,. The New Hampshire Union Leader (7/18, 109K) reported that the FBI "continues to investigate" the disappearance of Zakhia Charabati, whose body was "found July 9 buried" in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Charabati's family "issued a statement Friday asking anyone with information about Charabati's death to contact police." The North Andover (MA) Eagle Tribune (7/17, 78K) reported Lawrence police Chief Roy Vasque "refused to divulge details of the investigation except to say that 'the Lawrence Police Department has been involved in an extensive investigation with a number of agencies including the FBI." Boston (7/17, 586K) also reported. FBI Assisting Homicide Investigation In California. The San Francisco Chronicle (7/18, 2.67M) reported that the FBI "is assisting in the investigation, offering local authorities an evidence response team and other resources," into the death of Donald Stanifer, whose body "was found in Huckleberry Regional Preserve." Authorities "have not established how [Stanifer's) car got to the location where it was found, nor have they found any witnesses who spoke with or saw Stanifer after he had been reported missing." FBI Charges Pennsylvania Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. The AP (7/17) reported that the FBI has "charged [Raphael Shaw] with helping guide a bank vault containing $104,000 in cash onto a stolen forklift in the mayhem that followed protests over racial injustice on May 31." A Philadelphia police officer "identified the suspect seen on video based on distinctive arm tattoos, even though he was wearing a long wig." Continuing Coverage: Indiana Woman Accused Of Abusing Animals. WTHR-TV Indianapolis (7/17, 465K) reported Krystal Cherika Scott "was arrested Tuesday at her Kokomo home on federal animal cruelty charges, specifically two counts of making and distributing animal crush videos." The article says Scott "admitted to torturing and killing animals, telling agents, her 'good side loves cats and dogs but her bad side tells her to commit acts of animal cruelty:" EFTA00150233 New York Man Faces Child Pornography Charges. The Elmira (M) Star-Gazette (7/17, 47K) reported registered New York sex offender Brian Thomas "was arrested Thursday and it's alleged that on March 29 he distributed child porn to an undercover FBI Task Force officer." He "is a Level 3 offender, and has been given the designation of 'Predicate Sex Offender." WHCU-AM Ithaca, NY (7/18, 751) reported he "is facing as much as 40 years behind bars and a 250 thousand dollar fine." Tennessee Man Sentenced In Connection To Child Abuse Sting. WZTV-TV Nashville, TN (7/18, Mojica, 150K) reported Thomas Monti, who "was caught after using the name of 'Master Thorn' online and contacting what turned out to be an undercover FBI agent," has "been sentenced to 16 years in prison." FBI agents "stopped him at a restaurant in the [Henrico, Virginia] area, finding handcuffs, plastic ties, chains, metal skewers, ball gags, sex toys, and candy in his car." New York Man Facing Felony Ammunition Charge Following FBI Investigation. The Poughkeepsie (NY) Journal (7/17, 116K) reported Nicolaus Wynberg "is facing a federal felony ammunition charge following an FBI counterterrorism investigation linked to an assault rifle and explosive device he allegedly built." The criminal complaint says an unidentified witness "told officials that Wynberg said the U.S. 'was overpopulated and that Wynberg wanted to use violence to reduce the population:" Georgia Woman Facing Charges In Connection To Bomb Threat. The Albany (GA) Herald (7/19) reports that the Lee County Sheriff's Office "has added to the charges filed against Cherrie James of Shellman, who was arrested over the weekend for allegedly calling in bomb threats to Albany businesses around the Albany Mall on July 9." Chief LSO Deputy Lewis Harris "said in a news release that James, 40, had phoned separate bomb threats to Finnicum Motor Co. businesses on U.S. Highway 82 at 10:54 a.m. on the ninth and three minutes later made a similar call to the Finnicum dealership on U.S. Highway 19." South Carolina Murder Suspects Captured In Illinois. WQRF-TV Rockford, IL (7/17) reported that Illinois police officers "arrested Jorden Johnson...& Latisha Evans...overnight Friday on E. 4th Street." Federal authorities "said Evans and Johnson had ties" to an area of South Carolina, where local police found a burnt car. The FBI supported the investigation. Hawaii Man Sentenced Over Child Enticement. The Maui (HI) News (7/18, 36K) reported Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway "sentenced Nolan Nishida, 37, in federal court Thursday to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for attempting to entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity." He "engaged in a series of online chats with an undercover agent posing as a 14-year- old girl on Oct. 11, 2017," and he "arranged to meet the girl in person for sex." The FBI investigated the case. Continuing Coverage: Connecticut Man Arrested In Massachusetts In Connection To Murder. Bridgeport (CT) Patch (7/17, 1.03M) reported Jefton Brown, who "fled [Connecticut) and was arrested for murder in Falmouth, Massachusetts," was "taken into custody and will be extradited back to Connecticut for future court appearances." Bridgeport Police "received assistance from the FBI that helped establish probable cause to charge Brown." FBI Investigating Texas Bank Robbery. EFTA00150234 ABC News (7/18, 2.97M) reported that Texas police "are on the hunt for an alleged robber who held up a bank with a note that says he did not receive a stimulus check or funds from the government to save his business." The suspect robbed the Woodforest National Bank on July 8. The FBI is supporting the investigation. Louisiana Man Arrested In Connection To Double Homicide, Kidnapping Of Minor. The Lake Charles (LA) American Press (7/17, Sleezer, 113K) reported that the manhunt for Neil P. Broussard "ended Thursday morning with his surrender in Beauregard Parish" after a Dollar General store employee identified him and called the police. Broussard "has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and second-degree kidnapping." The AP (7/17) reported he "was convicted in 2005 and 2011 of molesting juveniles, is awaiting trial on sex charges in Texas, and is wanted on charges of first-degree rape and molestation of a juvenile in Calcasieu Parish." Indiana Man Charged With Bank Robbery. The Goshen (IN) News (7/17) reported Allen Hanuscak "is charged with bank robbery in federal court" in connection to the July 13 robbery of the Old National Bank branch in Elkhart. He was quickly arrested by local police after they identified him near the bank. Continuing Coverage: FBI Supporting Investigation Into Death Of Child In Washington, DC. WTTG-TV Washington (7/17, 72K) reported that federal authorities "have increased the reward in the murder case of (Davon McNeal) who was shot and killed on the Fourth of July at a community 'peace' cookout in the District." The U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force "is adding and additional $10,000 to the reward being offered by D.C. Police, the ATF and the FBI." Hawaii Businessman Indicted In Connection To Kidnapping, Murder. The Honolulu Civil Beat (HI) (7/19) reports Hawaii businessman Michael Miske Jr, whose businesses "include nightclub ownership, termite extermination companies and real estate holdings," is accused of running an organized crime gang called "Miske Enterprise," which has "committed murders, trafficked in drugs and engaged in numerous acts of violent mayhem." He "is alleged to have murdered a man he believed was responsible for the death of his son." KIN-TV Honolulu (7/17, 12K) reported Miske and six other suspects "faced a judge today via tele-conference and pleaded not guilty," but FBI prosecutors "want all of them held without bail but for Miske alone, they filed a 32-page motion arguing he presents a grave danger to the community." The filed charges "against Miske include murder, murder for hire, kidnapping and drug trafficking." Honolulu WI) Star-Advertiser (7/17, 691K) reported behind a paywall. FBI Agrees To Review California Police Shooting. The AP (7/18) reported that the