Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 13, 2020

From: To Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 13, 2020 Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:27:51 +0000 c Importan e: Normal Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. ; I BI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Trump Commutes Stone's Sentence. PROTESTS • Trump Hails Barr On Launch Of Operation Legend. • Trump Says Defund The Police Movement Is A "Fad." • More Than 150 Minneapolis Officers Filing Disability Claims Following Floyd Protests. • Trump: "Automatic" 10 Years In Prison For Those Attempting To Topple Monuments. • Trump: States Must Request Federal Intervention In Response To Protests. • FEMA Denies Minnesota Request For Aid To Rebuild After Protests. • NYTimes Profiles Smith, Administration's "De Facto Spokesman On Criminal Justice." • Waters: Trump, Supporters Believe It Is Their Right To Ensure Blacks Don't Have Power. • House Democrats Seek To Freeze Capitol Police Budget. • NYTimes: Camden Could Serve Example To Other Police Departments. • Fifteen Shot In New York City In 15-Hour Time Period. • Two Shot Dead Sunday In Washington, DC. • Law-Enforcement Executes Search Warrant On Couple Who Brandished Firearms As Protesters Went By. • Judge Approves Petition To Recall Seattle Mayor. • Pennsylvania Police Received More Than $6M Of Military Surplus Since 2018. • Economics Journals Faulted For Neglecting Studies On Race. • Target, MN Blocked Ads From News Mentioning Protests. • DC Football Team Expected To Announce Name Change On Monday. • USC Closes John Wayne Exhibit. • Low Turnout At Kenyan Protest Against Police Brutality. • Utah Governor Proclaims State Of Emergency After Protests Over Police Shooting. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Pennsylvania Man Arrested With 30 Improvised Bombs, Detonators. • Ohio Man Changes Plea In Explosives Case. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE EFTA00150682 • Appeals Court Stays Decision Ordering Judge To Dismiss Michael Flynn Case. • Trump Demands Extradition Of Steele Over Russia Dossier • Jordan Hopes For Durham Investigation Results This Summer. • Op-Ed: Samantha Power's Unmasking Efforts Must Be Exposed. • Source Says Japan May Still Build Aegis Ashore Despite Reports Of Cancellation. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • FBI Continues To Probe Death Of Fort Hood Soldier • Maxwell's Lawyers Request She Be Released. • Arrest Made In Search For Missing Pennsylvania Teen. • FBI Probing Alleged Racially-Charged Indiana Beating As Possible Hate Crime. • Phoenix Police Identify Two Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting. • Two Plead Guilty To Plotting To Blow Up Competing Pharmacy In Nebraska. • Mississippi Nurse Sentenced In Compounding Pharmacy Scheme. • Eleventh Circuit Affirms Most Of Alabama Doctors' "Pill Mill" Convictions. • US Charges Four Georgia Men With Gun, Drug Violations. • Drug Probe Leads To 48 Arrests In Georgia. • Charges Filed Against Five Alleged Members Of Cocaine Trafficking Organization. • Human Remains Found In California. • FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. • Five Connecticut Men Charged In Connection To 2018 Murder. • West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Child Sex Trafficking. • Former North Carolina Sheriff's Deputy Charged With Obstruction. • Washington, DC Police Arrest Two Men Over Killing Of 11-Year-Old On Fourth Of July, Two Suspects Remain At Large. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Arson Suspect In California. • FBI Investigating Racist Letter Sent To North Carolina Family. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Missing Colorado Woman. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Identifies Remains Recovered In Massachusetts. • Continuing Coverage: New York Police Searching For Couple Connected To Racist Attack. • FBI Arrests New Mexico Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. • Philadelphia Men Charged With Mugging. • Continuing Coverage: Bail Denied For Illinois Man Charged With Murder • Ohio Teenager Sentenced To Probation Over Social Media Posts. • Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty To Arms Smuggling. • West Virginia Men Sentenced Over Drug Trafficking. • Washington State Woman Charged With Murder Of 5-year-Old. • Connecticut State Police Announce Recovery Of Stolen Police Rifle. • Alabama Resident Arrested On Drug Charges. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Cohen Adviser Disputes Account Of Why He Was Sent Back To Prison. • US Charges Florida Man With Bilking Medicare, SBA Loan Program For Coronavirus Victims. • Federal Prosecutors Subpoena San Francisco Public Utilities Commission In Widening Corruption Probe. • Campaign Finance Cover Clouds Toledo, Ohio Bribery Accusations. • California Couple To Plead Guilty On College Admissions Scandal-Related Charges. • Alabama Mayor, Spouse Indicted On Federal Conspiracy Charges. • Louisiana Councilman, Attorney Plead Not Guilty To Fraud. • North Carolina Man Sentenced For Running Ponzi Scheme. EFTA00150683 • Millions In PPP Aid Given To Traffic Camera Companies Linked To Corruption Scandals. • Georgia Heathcare Executive Pleads Guilty To Sabotaging Shipments. • Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty To Fraud Conspiracy. • US Charges Former Louisiana Bank CEO With Fraud. CYBER DIVISION • In Interview, Trump Confirms He Authorized Covert Cyberattack On Russia In 2018. • Russian Hacker Accused Of Targeting American Companies Found Guilty In Federal Court. • Amazon Says Email Telling Employees To Remove TikTok App Was Sent In Error. • Administration Expected To Take Action Against TikTok. • The UK Preparing Decision On Huawei's Role In 5G Network, Reviewing Potential Implications. • DHS' CISA Updates Goals To Shore Up Critical Network Vulnerabilities. • Hacking Attacks On Hospitals For Patient Data Increase During Coronavirus Pandemic. • Cyber Command Measures Success By The Outcomes. • US Secret Service Forms Cyber Fraud Task Force. • North Korea's Hackers Stole $2B Through Cyber Bank Heists. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • First Federal Execution In 17 Years Set To Take Place Monday. • Dispute Between DC, Congress Could Arise Over Looming Vote To Decriminalize Some Hallucinogenic Substances. • Two Texas Police Officers Killed During Domestic Violence Call. • McEnany Lauds Administration's Counternarcotics Operations Following Trump's Visit To US Southern Command. • California Could Release Up To 8,000 Inmates Ahead Of Schedule To Combat COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Judge Denies Bail To Men Accused Of Helping Ghosn Flee Japan. OTHER FBI NEWS • Judge Swears In DuCharme As US Attorney As Donoghue Takes Post In Deputy AG's Office. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Multiple States Report Record Single-Day COVID Case Counts. • Trump Says Case Count Rising "Because We Do So Much Testing." • Trump Expects Coronavirus Vaccine "Before The End Of The Year." • Trump Says He Is "Flexible" About GOP Convention. • Adams Urges Americans To Wear Facemasks. • Networks Highlight "Emerging Divide" Between White House And Fauci. • LATimes Examines California's "Failed" COVID Testing Effort. • Michigan Sheriff Will Not Enforce Whitmer Facemask Order. • Pittsburgh Region Sees Coronavirus Case Surge After Early Hope. • WPost Criticizes Hogan's Safety Plans For November Election. • Trump Says 450 Miles Of Border Wall Will Be Built By Year's End. • Trump Says Privately Built Border Wall Was Done To Make Him "Look Bad." • Politico Analysis: Trump's "QAnon-Baiting" Has Gone Into Overdrive. • Axios Report: Meadows Has Set Traps To Identify Suspected Leakers. • WSJournal Analysis: In Current Term, Roberts Showed He Is An Institutionalist. • At Least 21 Injured In Explosion On US Naval Ship. • Pompeo Says He Will Not Testify Unless Senate Democrats Drop Resistance To State Dept. Nominees. • White House Picks Tully To Fill Russia Post On NSC, Sources Say. EFTA00150684 • Former White House Aide Tied To Bannon Gets USAID Post. • Cox Reportedly Stepping Down As White House Liaison. • IG Says Shelby Improperly Awarded $5M VA Contract To Friends. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • WHO Says Global Coronavirus Cases Exceeds 228,000. • WHO Reports Record Daily Rise In Number Of Coronavirus Cases Globally. • Public Health Experts Fear "Vaccine Nationalism" Threatens Global Effort. • Mexico Set To Surpass Italy's Coronavirus Death Toll. • Top Bollywood Star Tests Positive As Cases Climb In India. • Iran Blames Chain Of Errors For Ukrainian Plane Downing. • Trump Again Says Russia Bounty Story Is A "Democrat Hoax." • As Leaders Talk Peace, Taliban Commanders Continue To Fight. • Trump Signals Openness To Another Summit With Kim. • Chinese Professor Jailed For Xi Criticism Released From Detention. • Polish Election Too Close To Call. • Sudan Moves To Ease Islamist Policies. • Pope "Deeply Pained" By Turkey's Move On Hagia Sophia. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Trump Commutes Stone's Sentence. To deeply unfavorable coverage, President Trump late Friday night commuted the sentence of Roger Stone. Typical of the tone of the reporting, a front-page New York Times (7/10, Baker, Haberman, Lafraniere, 18.61M) article says that the President "commuted the sentence of his longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes on Friday, using the power of his office to spare a former campaign adviser days before Mr. Stone was to report to a federal prison to serve a 40-month term." The Times adds that the White House in a statement "punctuated by the sort of inflammatory language and angry grievances characteristic of the president's Twitter feed...denounced the 'overzealous prosecutors' who convicted Mr. Stone on 'process-based charges' stemming from the 'witch hunts' and 'Russia hoax' investigation," but "did not assert that Mr. Stone was innocent of the false statements and obstruction counts." The Times also describes the commutation as "the latest action by the Trump administration upending the justice system to help the president's convicted friends." Similarly, the Washington Post (7/10, Al, Hsu, Weiner, Olorunnipa, 14.2M) reports on its front page that Trump used "the extensive powers of the presidency to protect a felon and political ally while also lashing out against a years-long probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election." The Post adds that even though Trump's "most stalwart supporters" celebrated his move to commute the sentence, Republican lawmakers had a "muted response," and Stone's "history as a self-described 'dirty trickster' indicated that the president's decision to interfere with the nation's justice system could be fraught with political risk." The Post also contrasts Trump's embrace of "law and order" with using the "unique presidential authority to undermine the unanimous finding by a jury that Stone broke the law multiple times by lying to Congress and obstructing justice." According to the AP (7/10, Colvin, Tucker), Stone's commutation "marks another extraordinary intervention by Trump in the nation's justice system and underscores anew his EFTA00150685 willingness to flout the norms and standards that have governed presidential conduct for decades. As Trump stares down a coronavirus pandemic that has worsened his chances for reelection, he has been more willing than ever to test the limits of his power." Echoing this sentiment, Reuters (7/10, Lynch, Holland, Beech) says the action "marked the Republican president's most assertive intervention to protect an associate in a criminal case and his latest use of executive clemency to benefit an ally." Reuters adds Democrats "condemned Trump's action as an assault on the rule of law." House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said, "With this commutation, Trump makes clear that there are two systems of justice in America: one for his criminal friends, and one for everyone else." Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, "The United States was founded on the rule of law. It seems our president has nothing but contempt for it." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 9, 1:59, Muir, 6.62M), Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas said that prosecutors "proved [Stone] obstructed a congressional probe into possible connections between Russia, Wikileaks, and the 2016 Trump campaign." Thomas also reported prosecutors "recommended that Stone be sentenced to seven to nine years in prison," but after Trump "cried foul," Attorney General Barr "overrul[ed] his own team, saying the sentencing recommendation was too harsh." Thomas added Stone "was ultimately sentenced to three years and four months behind bars," which Barr described as "an appropriate prosecution and I thought the sentence was fair." On ABC's Good Morning America Vi (7/10, 3.18M), Jon Karl described Trump as "at odds" with Barr over a commutation. However, Margaret Brennan reported on the CBS Evening NewsVI (7/10, story 6, 0:35, Brennan, 3.95M) that Trump "has always said his long-time friend Roger Stone was framed on charges linked to the Russia investigation," and The Hill (7/10, Samuels, Chalfant, 2.98M) says Trump "has regularly railed against the prosecutors involved in the case, singled out the Obama-appointed federal judge overseeing the trial for criticism and complained that the conservative provocateur was the victim of a `ridiculous' process." In addition, Politico (7/10, Forgey, 4.29M) reports Trump had "pledged last month that the provocative Republican consultant would serve no time behind bars." The Washington Times (7/10, Boyer, 492K) reports White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump presidency." McEnany added, "There was never any collusion between the Trump campaign, or the Trump administration, with Russia." She asserted, "These charges were the product of recklessness borne of frustration and malice." The President on Saturday issued a series of tweets defending his commutation of the 40- month prison sentence of Roger Stone, expressing his support for former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and calling for the prosecution of Russia dossier author Christopher Steele. However, coverage of the President's remarks were overshadowed by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's op-ed in the Washington Post asserting that Stone "remains a convicted felon, and rightly so," as well as criticism from lawmakers on both side of the aisle. Trump tweeted, "Roger Stone was targeted by an illegal Witch Hunt that never should have taken place. It is the other side that are criminals, including Biden and Obama, who spied on my campaign - AND GOT CAUGHT!" Several hours later, he promoted the opening monologue of Fox News' "Watters' World" and subsequently pinned the segment on his Twitter feed. He also tweeted. "2016? HERE WE GO AGAIN!" In addition, the President tweeted, "New documents just released reveal General Flynn was telling the truth, and the FBI knew it! @OANN." He also tweeted, "This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail. A sick lier who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!" The President retweeted John Solomon, founder of Just the News, who said, "Credibility shredded? British court identifies at least five inaccurate or unproven allegations in just one of the many memos that made up Christopher Steele's anti- Trump dossier I Just The News." EFTA00150686 He added, "John, among others, should have gotten a Pulitzer for exposing Russia, Russia, Russia as Fake News. He was right. The journalists' who got them were all WRONG. Take back the Pulitzers, which have become a JOKE!" The President also tweeted, "Bring back Steele!!!" The President retweeted Fox News political analyst Gregg Jarrett, who said, "British High Court Rules Steele Pay Damages For Violating Data Privacy Law' In Dossier." The Hill (7/11, Byrnes, 2.98M) says Trump "defended his decision to commute the prison sentence for his longtime associate and political confidant Roger Stone, claiming Stone was the victim of a `Witch Hunt." Mueller: Stone "Remains A Convicted Felon, And Rightly So." Bloomberg (7/11, Haubert, Krasny, 4.73M) reports that former Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a "rare public comments" on Saturday "defended the investigation into Russian election interference and said Roger Stone `remains a convicted felon, and rightly so.' Bloomberg also reports Mueller in the Washington Post (7/11, Mueller, 14.2M) op-ed "wrote that the work of the special counsel's office - including its report, indictments and convictions - should speak for itself." To the AP (7/11, Tucker), Mueller "sharply defended his investigation into ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign," in what was "Mueller's first public statement on his investigation since his congressional appearance last July." The AP adds that the op-ed "represented his firmest defense of the two-year probe whose results have come under attack and even been partially undone by the Trump administration, including the president's extraordinary move Friday evening to grant clemency to Stone just days before he was due to report to prison." Similarly, USA Today (7/11, Johnson, 10.31M) reports Mueller "defend[ed] the prosecution of Roger Stone and the larger investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election, saying that the flamboyant political operative was `prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes.' He added, "Stone became a central figure in our investigation for two key reasons: He communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks' release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers." Mueller continued that his investigation "identified numerous links between the Russian government and Trump campaign personnel - Stone among them," even though "we did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government in its activities." However, he said the investigation "did establish that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome," and also "established that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts." According to Politico (7/11, Muller, 4.29M), the op-ed "was uncharacteristic for the former special counsel, who rarely spoke about the investigation publicly and whose office was known in Washington to be leak-proof. Saturday marked the first time Mueller made public statements about the Russia investigation since his congressional testimony in July 2019." Tom Llamas reported on ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 10, 2:47, Llamas, 4.69M) that Trump "is being sharply criticized for commuting the sentence of his long-time adviser Roger Stone. Among those speaking out: Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who prosecuted the case." ABC's Rachel Scott: "In his first public statement in nearly a year, Robert Mueller insisted] Roger Stone was no victim," writing in the Washington Post over the weekend, "Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so." Scott: "The President commut[ed] the 40-month sentence of his long- time ally and adviser, against the advice of some aides fearing the move would be seen as an abuse of power." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 4, 0:31, Snow, 4.22M) briefly quoted from the Mueller op-ed, and on the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/12, story 4, 0:38, Yuccas, 2.32M), Nikole Killion said Trump is "facing fallout over his decision to commute the sentence." Graham Will Call Mueller To Testify Before Senate Judiciary Committee. USA Today (7/12, Phillips, 10.31M) reports Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham "said Sunday he will grant a request from Democrats to call Robert Mueller to testify before his committee, EFTA00150687 after the former Russia special counsel penned an op-ed pushing back" against Trump's decision to commute the sentence. The New York Times (7/12, Edmondson, 18.61M) says Graham's announcement is "part of an election-year bid by Senate Republicans to discredit the inquiry, came after Mr. Mueller broke a nearly yearlong silence" with the Post op-ed. Graham tweeted, "Apparently Mr. Mueller is willing - and also capable - of defending the Mueller investigation through an oped in the Washington Post. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have previously requested Mr. Mueller appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about his investigation. That request will be granted." The Washington Post (7/12, Sonmez, 14.2M) reports Graham spokeswoman Taylor Reidy "said a formal invitation to Mueller is in the works but did not provide details on the timing of any potential testimony. There are only about three dozen legislative days remaining for the Senate before the November election." The Justice Department "declined to comment on Graham's statement," and a spokesperson for Judiciary ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) "did not immediately respond to a request for comment." The Washington Examiner (7/12, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, "Graham has listed 53 prominent figures connected to the Russia investigation who now may face subpoenas, though the list does not include former President Barack Obama despite Trump's urging." The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) also covers Graham's announcement. Grenell Among "Right-Wing Figures" Expressing Doubt Mueller Wrote Op-Ed. The Washington Examiner (7/12, Chaitin, 448K) reports, "Republicans and other right-wing figures amplified the claim that former special counsel Robert Mueller did not write an opinion piece Saturday defending his Russia investigation." Ex-Acting DNI Richard Grenell "reacted to a user late Saturday who said, 'Mueller didn't write this op-ed.' He replied, `Everyone who saw him testify knows this is true." Others expressing doubt include Lee Smith, "a conservative investigative journalist who wrote The Plot Against the President." Barr, Meadows Reportedly Urged Trump Not To Grant Stone Clemency. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/11, Lead, 2:52, Diaz Balart, 3.95M), Kelly O'Donnell reported that although the President wore a mask "for the first time publicly, visiting service members at a military hospital," the mask was "no cover for the controversial lifeline the President gave his friend, political adviser and convicted felon Roger Stone." O'Donnell added that some White House officials "are outraged though not surprised by the decision. Concerned in part about how it plays politically. Senior officials tell NBC News the Justice Department played no role and that Attorney General William Barr personally counseled the President against clemency for Stone." The Hill (7/11, Moreno, 2.98M) reports sources also told NBC that White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows "recommended against the move over concerns of political blowback." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 3, 2:59, Llamas, 4.18M), Rachel Scott said Barr this week "told our Pierre Thomas [that] Stone's 40-month sentence was fair." Barr: "He was prosecuted while I was attorney general. I think the prosecution was righteous." Pelosi: Commuting Of Sentence Was "Staggering Corruption." On CNN's State Of The UnionVi (7/12, 1.11M), House Speaker Pelosi said of the President's action, "It's staggering corruption, but I think it's important for people to also know that it's a threat to our national security. The whole impeachment process was about our national security. The Supreme Court was to find out about the Russian connection. And we will continue to pursue that." Pelosi To Propose Legislation To Limit Presidential Pardon Power. Bloomberg (7/11, Wasson, 4.73M) reports Pelosi on Saturday "said that in the wake of President Donald Trump's commutation of Roger Stone's criminal sentence, she plans to support a bill limiting the ability of presidents to take such actions." In a statement, Pelosi said Trump's commutation of "Stone, who could directly implicate him in criminal misconduct, is an act of staggering corruption." She added, "Congress will take action to prevent this type of brazen wrongdoing. Legislation is needed to ensure that no president can pardon or commute the sentence of an individual who is engaged in a cover-up campaign to shield that President from criminal prosecution." EFTA00150688 However, The Hill (7/11, Johnson, 2.98M) states that such legislation "has no chance of passing while the Republicans control the Senate. It's also not entirely clear if Congress has the constitutional authority to limit the president's pardon power. Under the Constitution, the president is able to execute a pardon except in cases of impeachment." Politico (7/10, Gerstein, Cheney, Swan, 4.29M) reports House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler and House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney "said they intended to immediately seek a briefing from the White House counsel about the circumstances of Stone's commutation." Fox News (7/10, Givas, 27.59M) reports Bill Russo, a spokesman for Joe Biden, said Trump "has once again abused his power, releasing this commutation on a Friday night, hoping to yet again avoid scrutiny as he lays waste to the norms and the values that make our country a shining beacon to the rest of the world." Schiff: "Anyone Who Cares About The Rule Of Law" Is "Nauseated." House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, on ABC's This WeekA (7/12, 2.54M), said, "I think anyone who cares about the rule of law in this country is nauseated by the fact that the President has commuted the sentence of someone who willfully lied to Congress, obstructed the investigation. It shouldn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican. This should be offensive to you if you care about the rule of law." The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) and Politico (7/12, Oprysko, 4.29M) cover Schiff's remarks. Romney, Toomey Join Democrats In Denouncing Stone Clemency, Graham And Rep. Jordan Back President's Move. On the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/11, Story 3, 1:19, Yuccas, 2.21M), Nikole Killion reported Democrats from Joe Biden to House Speaker Pelosi "accused the President of abuse of power. So did some Republicans." Bloomberg (7/11, Wasson, 4.73M) reports Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Pat Toomey (R- PA) "became the first major Republican elected officials to criticize...Trump's decision to commute" Stone's sentence. Romney tweeted, "Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president." According to Bloomberg, Romney's tweet "quickly trended on the social media site, and shortly after 4 p.m. had been `liked' over 422,000 times and retweeted over 127,000 times." Bloomberg adds Toomey "took a more measured approach, calling it the commutation a `mistake' in an emailed statement, and arguing that the decision should have been left to the court system." The Hill (7/11, Moreno, 2.98M) reports Toomey said the President "clearly has the legal and constitutional authority to grant clemency for federal crimes," but added "this authority should be used judiciously and very rarely by any president." Toomey also asserted, "While I understand the frustration with the badly flawed Russia-collusion investigation, in my view, commuting Roger Stone's sentence is a mistake." He continued that Stone was "duly convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing a congressional investigation conducted by a Republican-led committee." However, The Hill (7/11, Byrnes, 2.98M) reports Republicans "largely refrained from criticizing the commutation, instead pointing blame at the prosecutors who brought the charges against Stone in their investigation into Russian election interference." Similarly, Politico (7/11, Desiderio, 4.29M) reports Republican lawmakers were "mostly silent about the commutation, which came just after a federal appeals court panel rejected Stone's last-ditch bid to delay the start of his 40-month prison sentence set to begin next week." Politico adds Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) "was supportive of the sentence commutation in part because `this was a non-violent, first-time offense' for Stone." Meanwhile, the Washington Times (7/11, Blake, 492K) says some Republicans "openly cheered." The Times reports Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) also "expressed support for commuting Stone's sentence." Hogan Criticizes Trump's Decision. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), on NBC's Meet The PressVi (7/12, 1.58M), said, "No question that's the appearance [of a double standard] and it's a problem. Roger Stone is convicted of seven felonies and the President does have the right by law to take the action he took. That doesn't mean he should have, and we've got a guy who EFTA00150689 is convicted of seven felonies a couple of months before the election. For the President to take this action it will certainly hurt politically." Media Analyses Criticize Trump For Commuting Stone Sentence. In a more than 2,100-word front-page analysis, the Washington Post (7/11, Al, Reinhard, Helderman, Hsu, Dawsey, 14.2M) says the President's commutation of Stone's sentence "over the objections of some aides and without the involvement of his administration's pardon office" has "allowed an old friend to jump to the front of the slowest and longest line of federal inmates seeking mercy in decades" and is "is emblematic of the very few people to receive clemency from Trump, with most being political allies who appealed directly to the White House instead of following Justice Department protocol." However, the Post adds Stone also "stands out as the first whose conviction grew from an investigation that also examined the president's conduct." In an analysis, Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) senior political reporter Aaron Blake says that while Trump "has attempted to make law and order his calling card in the 2020 election," he "just commuted the sentence of a political ally, Roger Stone, who was recently convicted of seven crimes, including ones aimed at shielding the president himself." According to Blake, "The first thing that jumps out at you about Trump's pardons and commutations is the inordinate number of them which have gone to people with either personal or political ties to Trump (or both): Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D'Souza, Conrad Black, Bernard Kerik, Rod Blagojevich, Michael Milken, Paul Pogue, David Safavian, Eddie DeBartolo Jr. and now Stone. It's hardly unheard-of for a president to pardon allies - see Marc Rich et al. - but Trump has taken it to another level." New York Times (7/11, Al, 18.61M) Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker asserts In a front-page analysis that Trump "has said he learned lessons from President Richard M. Nixon's fall from grace, but in using the power of his office to keep his friend and adviser Roger J. Stone Jr. out of prison he has now crossed a line that even Mr. Nixon in the depths of Watergate dared not cross." According to Baker, "Trump indulged his own sense of grievance over precedent to reward an ally who kept silent." Meanwhile, New York Times (7/11, 18.61M) investigative reporter Sharon Lafraniere and Washington investigative correspondent Mark Mazzetti also contend that Trump's action "was extraordinary because federal prosecutors had suspected that Mr. Stone could shed light on whether Mr. Trump had lied to them under oath or illegally obstructed justice. Even Mr. Stone suggested a possible quid pro quo, telling a journalist hours before the announcement that he hoped for clemency because Mr. Trump knew he had resisted intense pressure from prosecutors to cooperate." Stone Says He Wouldn't "Live Long" In Prison. Meanwhile, Stone told the Wall Street Journal (7/10, Al, Tau, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), "I know Donald Trump is a believer in fairness." Stone continued, "I could tell from his tweets and his public comments. He said he was following the case closely and he clearly knew I did not get a fair trial. The fundamental problem is if I'm sent to a prison with Covid-19, I won't live long enough to see my appeal." USA Today (7/10, Fritze, Johnson, Phillips, 10.31M) reports Grant Smith, an attorney for Stone, "said his client was 'incredibly honored' that Trump used 'his awesome and unique power under the Constitution of the United States for this act of mercy." Breitbart (7/10, 673K) reports John Cardillo, a political commentator and former NYPD officer, "shared a photo of himself posing with Stone, tweeting: 'Roger is feeling and looking better than he has in months, and wants you all to know how much he appreciates all the love and support." Appeals Court Denied Stone's Request To Delay Prison Sentence. Bloomberg (7/10, Larson, 4.73M) reports the US Court of Appeals in Washington on Friday "denied an emergency request from Republican operative Roger Stone for a delay to the start of his 40- month prison term for lying to Congress during the Russia probe, saying he hadn't proved that he was in particular danger of catching the coronavirus behind bars." The ruling had meant that if Trump had not commuted the sentence when he did, Stone would have had "to surrender to a federal correctional facility in rural Georgia next week." The Hill (7/10, Neidig, 2.98M) reports EFTA00150690 the ruling "came just an hour before President Trump stepped in to commute his longtime ally's sentence." Stone Presses On With Appeal Of Conviction. Bloomberg (7/11, Larson, 4.73M) says that the commutation "spares the Republican operative from spending more than three years at a federal lockup in rural Georgia, but his legal journey is far from over," as Stone's conviction "is still intact." According to Bloomberg, a pardon "would have required Stone to abandon the appeal he filed in April after U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington denied his request for a new trial." Bloomberg reports Stone "has said he's eager to clear his name and overturn a conviction he says is the result of a politically biased judge and jury - claims frequently echoed by Trump." On Saturday, Stone told Bloomberg, "A pardon includes acceptance of guilt and ends the appeals process. The commutation allows me to go forward with the appeals." WSJoumal: Barr Was Right About Prosecution; Flynn Deserves Pardon. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (7/12, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says Attorney General Barr was right in calling Stone's prosecution "righteous" and "appropriate," and expresses hope that the outcry over the President's action will not prevent him from pardoning ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who the Journal says deserves it. More Commentary. In an editorial, the Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) denounces Trump's move to commute Stone's sentence. The Post adds while Trump "may have had the power to help his longtime friend," it "does not make it any less a perversion of justice - indeed, it is one of the most nauseating instances of corrupt government favoritism the United States has ever seen." The Post concludes the US "is supposed to be a place in which laws apply equally to all. And while it never has - and never will - live up to that ideal in full, no modern president before Mr. Trump has so clearly renounced it." In a Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) op-ed, NBC News analyst Howard Fineman asserted, "No one can make up Roger Stone. No one should want to. He has a certain roguish appeal to chroniclers of American politics, high and low. There is in his story a faint pathos: a youth suffused with some understandable resentments; an encyclopedic knowledge of what used to be the Republican Party; a sense that he could have done positive things with the talents he had — or as New Stone might say, with the talents God gave him. But mostly he made his way and name for decades by not just defeating, but destroying and humiliating, other people for money - all in the name of dismantling a supposedly corrupt Establishment of better educated and, by and large, more decent and principled people than he could claim to be." In his Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Max Boot declares that with this commutation of "Stone's well-deserved prison sentence and so many other vile acts," Trump "has disgraced the nation's highest office as no previous occupant has come close to doing." According to Boot, "What makes Trump the worst president ever is not simply that he is colossally incompetent. It is that he is also thoroughly corrupt. It is hard to think of a single major decision he has made for the good of the country, rather than for his own advantage. Trump has so egregiously abused the power of the presidency that he makes Warren Harding and Richard Nixon look like choirboys." In her Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Ruth Marcus concurs, "It is hard to imagine a more corrupt use of the clemency power than...Trump's commutation of the sentence of convicted felon Roger Stone." According to Marcus, "Stone epitomizes the danger the Framers had in mind when they debated the pardon power." She concludes, "Systematically self-serving. That is the essence of the Trump presidency. Even this far into it, we have to summon the outrage to say so." In his Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Colbert I. King asserts that Stone "is the first of Trump's three felonious friends to escape a full measure of justice," and he again predicts Trump will "hit a trifecta with his felon allies." King contends that since Stone and "convicted felon" Paul Manafort "have been spared from life behind bars, it's all but certain that convicted felon Michael Flynn will go footloose and fancy-free." He concludes, "None of this EFTA00150691 should come as a surprise. What does the rule of law and the system of justice mean to Donald Trump, who thinks his presidency is uncheckable? Trump must be taught otherwise on Election Day." PROTESTS Trump Hails Barr On Launch Of Operation Legend. President Trump on Saturday tweeted, "Congratulations to A.G. Barr. Law & Order!" He retweeted John Solomon, founder of Just the News, who said, "Breaking: AG Barr launches Operation Legend, federal crackdown on violent crime in U.S. cities I Just The News." Law-Enforcement In Major Cities Dealing With Rise In Crime Amid Calls To Cut Police Funding. The Wall Street Journal (7/11, Wernau, Barrett, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports police officials in a number of major US cities are dealing with a marked increase in violent crime in the midst of a debate surrounding the police's role, increasing fiscal difficulties, and demands to cut police-department budgets. DC Has Four Fatal Shootings In Span Of Hours. The Washington Post (7/11, Hermann, 14.2M) reports there were four deadly shootings in a span of hours in Washington, DC in Friday in what was among "the worst spasms of violence in a year already experiencing an increasing number of homicides." Police say the killings appear to be unrelated, and the Post adds the shootings increased the amount of individuals "slain in the District this year" to 98, "a 21 percent increase from the same period in 2019, a year that saw a decade-high number of homicides." With regard to Friday's shootings, DC Police Chief Peter Newsham on Saturday said, "We had a very violent night." Meanwhile, the Washington Post (7/10, Duggan, Hermann, 14.2M) reports, "An 11-year- old boy shot during a Fourth of July 'stop the violence' cookout in Southeast Washington was killed by a stray bullet when members of a street gang unleashed a fusillade of gunfire at perceived enemies in the neighborhood where the barbecue was held, according to a police affidavit made public Friday." Davon McNeal "was hit by a bullet that entered the front of his head and exited through the back, police said." The Post adds that according to the affidavit, "the suspects, two of whom have been arrested, apparently were chasing people they thought were members of a rival crew on foot, and shooting at them, when Davon was wounded in front of the Frederick Douglass Community Center, in the Cedar Gardens area of Anacostia." The Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) editorializes on the subject of children being shot in Washington, DC, urging "some real action in combating the gun violence that has long persisted in the city's poorest neighborhoods. As of July 10, there have been 94 homicides in the District in 2020, an 18 percent increase compared to the same time last year." The Post says "there clearly are no easy answers" but calls for "the city to start treating this problem like the public emergency it is." Police Officers Fatally Shot In Texas Border City. The AP (7/11) reports two police officers on Saturday were fatally shot in the South Texas border city of McAllen "after reportedly responding to a disturbance call, authorities said." The officers were shot on McAllen's south side and taken "to an area hospital, said Lt. Christopher Olivarez, spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety." The AP adds, "A suspect in the shooting was also shot, though that person's condition was not immediately available." To the [McAllen] Monitor, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said, "We have lost two brave public servants who sought only to keep peace in our City." In Defiance Of Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Coroner Releases Report On Fatal Police Shooting. ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 4, 1:50, Llamas, 4.18M) reported on "a deadly police shooting facing scrutiny in Los Angeles county." According to correspondent Zohreen Shah, "protesters demanding answers about the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado at the hands of a Los Angeles sheriff's deputy. Overnight the Los Angeles EFTA00150692 coroner defying the sheriff's department, releasing a report matching the Guardado family's independent autopsy, confirming that he was fatally shot in the back five times." Regarding the report, the coroner said that "the public demands and has a right to see." However, the sheriff's department said the disclosure of autopsy could jeopardize the probe. Virginia Sheriffs' Deputy Falsely Claimed To Have Been Assaulted. Under the headline "Virginia Sheriff's Deputy Fabricated Assault, Officials Say," the Washington Post (7/11, Weil, 14.2M) reports, "A deputy sheriff in Fauquier County falsely claimed he had been attacked Friday on a road near Warrenton, according to the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office." A pedestrian discovered the deputy "face down at the intersection of Old Waterloo Road and Wilson Road, according to the sheriff's office. He said he had been assaulted shortly after 7 p.m. by occupants of a passing vehicle." Officials on Saturday said a probe concluded that the allegation was false. The deputy, Jake Preston Dooley, "was charged with falsely summoning law enforcement and obstruction of justice, according to the sheriff's office." Prince George's County Police: Deadly Chase May Not Have Been Authorized. The Washington Post (7/11, Boorstein, 14.2M) reports Prince George's County police on Saturday announced that a preliminary probe indicated that a fatal car chase in which police were involved might not have been authorized. The Post adds, "Officials are investigating the Thursday chase and crash, which killed a mother and son, said Officer Antonia Washington, a police spokeswoman. Police announced Friday that five officers involved in the chase have been suspended." Washington told the Post, "At this point we can say, preliminarily, that the pursuit itself was unauthorized. But we are still collecting information." Protesters Assemble In Detroit After Police Fatally Shoot Man Who Video Shows Shot First. The Washington Post (7/10, Ruble, Guarino, 14.2M) reports a shooting in Detroit on Friday incited protests, "with hundreds of demonstrators gathering in an area near where police officers fatally shot a 20-year-old man during a daylight arrest on a neighborhood sidewalk." According to the Post, "Protest signs and megaphones dotted the group of people who came from other parts of the city, as residents faced off against officers, at times allegedly throwing rocks and bottles at police. Officers in riot gear arrived around 5 p.m., and bystanders said they fired tear gas canisters into the crowd to disperse the demonstrators." Detroit Police Chief James Craig indicated that no less than 8 arrests were made. Demonstrators called for information regarding "the shooting, and police responded almost immediately, releasing video clips from dashboard cameras." The Post adds, "Police identified the man as Hakim Littleton, whom the videos show firing a pistol at police at close range before officers return fire." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/11, Story 6, 1:31, Diaz Balart, 3.95M), correspondent Kathy Park reported in the "dash and body cam footage," police gang squad members are shown "arresting Darnl Sylvester, wanted on a federal drug warrant. While he complies authorities say Littleton standing nearby appears to pull out a weapon." Trump Says Defund The Police Movement Is A "Fad." Politico (7/10, Oprysko, 4.29M) reports that "during an unrelated event at U.S. Southern Command in Florida" on Friday, President Trump "asserted that calls to defund the police would eventually die off, writing off the movement for wide scale police reform as a 'fad." The President said, "We will never, ever defund our police. OK? That I can tell you. We are not defunding police." He continued, "What's going on here, admiral, when you hear 'defund the police,' you are probably saying it's a foreign language, right?" Trump added, "So, just a terrible thing, but I assume this is going to be a fad. We'll call it a fad." Trump Threatens Federal Government Will Intervene If Law And Order Not Restored. The President on Friday tweeted, "Get it done or the Federal Government will come in and get it done for you!" He retweeted "Newsmax insider" Cory Mills, who said, "We must bring back law and order and stop the senseless murders in some of America's largest cities." Trump Campaign Ad Implies Biden Presidency Will Result In More Violence. The AP (7/10, Fram) reports a new 30-second ad from the President's reelection campaign portrays EFTA00150693 "apocalyptic images of blazing buildings and window-smashing protesters" before ending "with 'You won't be safe in Joe Biden's America' emblazoned across a flickering hellscape. It blames a push by progressive activists to defund the police as 'violent crime has exploded." To the AP, the President and other Republicans are "trying to play offense, ominously," as they "insinuate that the rare looting and violence that marred largely peaceful social justice protests are spreading and foretell a wave of mayhem that they claim Democrats would abet with anti-police policies." The AP adds Democrats "call the GOP drive an obvious diversion from issues they say voters care most about: the coronavirus pandemic that Trump has failed to control, the economic shutdown, recession-level unemployment, racial justice and health care." Meanwhile, Washington Post (7/10, Bump, 14.2M) correspondent Philip Bump says that while Trump's ad warns of a violent Biden presidency, "all of those stark images...were captured around the country in late May. Meaning that while they're used to argue that America won't be safe under Biden, they actually depict instability under Trump." Bump concludes, "Trump's position is that crime in the United States is rising, which is a function of Joe Biden's allies and which, under Joe Biden, could rise to the levels seen under Trump - and that Trump could fix this very easily if he were asked to, or if he wanted to, which he might soon. Or more succinctly: it's not his fault but it could get worse and through his omnipotence he could fix it, but he hasn't." NYTimes Analysis: Trump's Vows To Fight Crime Are Unpopular With Some Suburbanites. Under the headline, "Trump Is Selling White Grievance. The Suburbs Aren't Buying It," the New York Times (7/10, Glueck, 18.61M) says, "From North Carolina to Pennsylvania to Arizona, interviews this week with more than two dozen suburban voters in critical swing states revealed abhorrence for Mr. Trump's growing efforts to fuel white resentment with inflammatory rhetoric on race and cultural heritage." According to the Times, "The discomfort was palpable even among voters who also dislike the recent toppling of Confederate statues or who say they agree with some of Mr. Trump's policies." the Times adds, "As the president increasingly stakes his candidacy on a message of 'law and order'...there are signs that he is especially alienating voters in bedroom communities who approach the debate over racial justice with a far more nuanced perspective than the president does." More Than 150 Minneapolis Officers Filing Disability Claims Following Floyd Protests. The AP (7/10, Forliti) reports, "More than 150 Minneapolis police officers are filing work-related disability claims after the death of George Floyd and ensuing unrest, with about three-quarters citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departures, according to an attorney representing the officers." The claims "come as the city is seeing an increase in violent crime and while city leaders push a proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new agency that they say would have a more holistic approach." Though Floyd's death and the subsequent unrest "are not the direct cause of many of the disability requests, attorney Ron Meuser said, those events and what Meuser called a lack of support from city leadership were a breaking point for many who had been struggling with PTSD from years on the job." Trump: "Automatic" 10 Years In Prison For Those Attempting To Topple Monuments. The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) reports President Trump on Sunday "said agitators shouldn't even think about trying to topple several of Washington, D.C.'s highest- profile monuments and statues." On Twitter, the President said, "No, Radical Left anarchists, agitators, looters or protesters will not be knocking down or harming the Washington Monument, the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, or just about any other Federal Monument or Statue. If they even try, an automatic 10 years in prison. Sorry!" Native Americans Push To Remove Statues Honoring Spanish Conquistadors. Axios (7/12, Ayesh, 521K) reports Native Americans are "pushing for the removal of statues memorializing conquistadors, particularly in the Southwest, as the country continues to reckon with systemic racism in the aftermath of George Floyd's death." Some Latino communities, EFTA00150694 however, argue against removing the statues, "claiming that doing so erases history and expunges Hispanic culture." Trump: States Must Request Federal Intervention In Response To Protests. President Trump, asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 934) if there is a point at which the violence in major cities will trigger a federal response, said, "We have to be called and we have to be asked, as you know. For a state, we can't just go in. ... If we got called from Chicago or New York, or a couple of other of these places that are doing so badly, we'd be glad to help. But they have to call and they have to request to help. We are ready, willing, and able to go. We want to do it. In Seattle, we were ready to go in. They heard that and they cleaned up the mess before we got there. We were going in the following morning. If you look at Portland, we're helping them in Portland. But it has to be a request. Otherwise, it's very difficult for us to do it." FEMA Denies Minnesota Request For Aid To Rebuild After Protests. The AP (7/12) reports the federal government has denied a request from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) for funds to "rebuild and repair fire damage from the unrest that followed George Floyd's death." The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Walz's spokesman Teddy Tschann "confirmed that the request for federal aid was denied", saying the Governor is "disappointed." Walz asked President Trump on July 2 to declare a "major disaster" in a request to FEMA "because of extensive damage to public infrastructure" during protests following Floyd's death. Minneapolis Police Mull Cutbacks To Community Programs. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/9, Jany, 1.04M) reports, "Stung by budget constraints and growing calls for reimagining public safety since the killing of George Floyd, Minneapolis police officials are considering sharp cutbacks to popular community-oriented programs like the Police Athletics League and procedural justice to avoid making cuts elsewhere." The budget pressures come "as the City Council pushes to shrink or radically restructure the MPD." NYTimes Profiles Smith, Administration's "De Facto Spokesman On Criminal Justice." The New York Times (7/12, Rogers, 18.61M) profiles Ja'Ron Smith, "the highest-ranking Black official in the Trump White House, a deputy assistant to a president who has threatened protesters calling for police reform and racial justice" after the death of George Floyd. Smith has "emerged as a de facto spokesman on criminal justice and one of the authors of an executive order on policing for a White House where there are no Black advisers in the president's inner circle." Waters: Trump, Supporters Believe It Is Their Right To Ensure Blacks Don't Have Power. Breitbart (7/12, Key, 673K) reports on MSNBC's AM Joy, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) said both President Trump and his supporters believe they have a right to "ensure that blacks and people of color and others do not rise to any level of influence and power." Asked about criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement, Waters said, "I think you said it earlier today when you talked about this need for Trump and those who support him to want to, you know, have absolute power and to believe that it is their right and their responsibility to ensure that Blacks and people of color and others do not rise to any level of influence and power, significant that would cause them not to be in total charge of the country." House Democrats Seek To Freeze Capitol Police Budget. The Washington Times (7/12, Dinan, 492K) reports House Democrats are "moving ahead with a budget that freezes but doesn't trim any funding for the U.S. Capitol Police." Instead, Democrats are "demanding new training and more accountability, ordering the department to EFTA00150695 study whether it's policing too far beyond the Capitol, to release better arrest statistics, and to do a better job communicating with the public." NYTimes: Camden Could Serve Example To Other Police Departments. The New York Times (7/12, Goldstein, Armstrong, 18.61M) reports that "as officials across the United States face demands to transform policing, many have turned to" Camden, New Jersey, which "did what some activists are calling for elsewhere: dismantled its police force and built a new one that stresses a less confrontational approach toward residents who are mostly Black and Latino." The Times calls the Camden Police Department's efforts "have made it one of the most compelling turnaround stories in U.S. law enforcement." Fifteen Shot In New York City In 15-Hour Time Period. The Washington Examiner (7/12, Colton, 448K) reports "New York City Police Department sources revealed there were 15 shootings in a 15-hour span in New York City over the weekend." The New York Post "spoke to several NYPD sources on Sunday who reported the spate of shootings," which "come as the city reports an overall spike in violent crimes." Ocasio-Cortez Suggests Crime Surge Due To Unemployment. The Fox News (7/12, Halon, 27.59M) website reports Rep. Alexandria 0casio-Cortez (D-NY) "suggested over the weekend that the crime surge in New York City is likely because struggling residents are forced to shoplift in order to 'feed their child." In a virtual town hall meeting she hosted, 0casio- Cortez said, "The fact that people are at a level of economic desperation that we have not seen since the Great Recession? Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren't paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent and so they go out, and they need to feed their child and they don't have money." "Black Lives Matter" Mural Outside Trump Tower Site Of Weekend Protests. The New York Post (7/12, Brown, 4.57M) reports the new "Black Lives Matter" mural painted in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan "has become a flashpoint for protesters clashing over the statement." On Saturday, there were "ugly confrontations as dozens of 'All Lives Matter' counter-protesters descended on Fifth Avenue, photos and video show." Two Shot Dead Sunday In Washington, DC. The Washington Post (7/12, Boorstein, 14.2M) reports that two people were killed in shootings in the District of Columbia early Sunday, "adding to an already violent month in the city, police said." According to the Post, "around 100 people have been killed in the District this year, more than 20 percent higher than for the same period of 2019, which set a decade high." Law-Enforcement Executes Search Warrant On Couple Who Brandished Firearms As Protesters Went By. The AP (7/11) reports, "Authorities executed a search warrant at the St. Louis mansion of a white couple whose armed defense of their home during a recent racial injustice protest drew widespread attention, their attorney confirmed Saturday." Mark and Patricia McCloskey "were caught on video brandishing guns as demonstrators walked past their Renaissance palazzo- style home on June 28 while headed to protest outside of the mayor's home nearby." The McCloskey's attorney, Joel Schwartz, indicated that "a search warrant was served Friday evening and that the gun Mark McCloskey was holding in the video was seized." Moreover, Schwartz "told The Associated Press that arrangements have been made to turn over to authorities on Saturday the gun that Patricia McCloskey had been holding, adding that her gun was inoperable at the time of the protest and still is." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 5, 1:32, Llamas, 4.18M), correspondent Janai Norman reported Mark McCloskey said to "a local TV station [that] the couple grabbed their guns before protestors allegedly threatened them." Norman added that "no one was hurt in the confrontation and that couple has not been charged with any crimes." EFTA00150696 Judge Approves Petition To Recall Seattle Mayor. The Washington Times (7/12, Press, 492K) reports a King County Superior Court judge has approved a petition for an election to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D). The petitioners' recall effort "accuses the mayor of lendanger[ing] the peace and safety of the community' by allowing police to 'leak false information about fabricated crimes and threats to the media' and issuing a citywide curfew without sufficient notice to the public." Pennsylvania Police Received More Than $6M Of Military Surplus Since 2018. USA Today (7/12, Ullery, 10.31M) reports that a federal program has provided "more than $6 million worth of military surplus to Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies in the past two years alone." The federal military surplus "1033 program administered by the Defense Logistics Agency has let municipal, county and state agencies collect a bevy of gear for the price of shipping or other fees." Economics Journals Faulted For Neglecting Studies On Race. The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Omeokwe, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports some economists are criticizing their field's academic journals for failing to conduct studies on race and discrimination. Sowell: "Systemic Racism" Has "No Meaning." Breitbart (7/12, Pollak, 673K) reports that "conservative African American economist Thomas Sowell says that the term 'systemic racism,' which is central to the Black Lives Matter movement, has 'no meaning." Sowell told Fox News on Sunday, "It really has no meaning that can be specified and tested in the way that one tests hypotheses." Target, MTV Blocked Ads From News Mentioning Protests. The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Haggin, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Target Corp. and MTV have asked online news publishers not to run its ads in stories related to the Black Lives Matter movement. Target and other advertisers have compiled similar "blocklists" including words such as "Breonna Taylor," "George Floyd," and "protests." DC Football Team Expected To Announce Name Change On Monday. WJLA-TV Washington (7/12, ABC7, 123K) reports on its website that the Washington NFL team "could have a new name in the next 24 hours." Senior NFL reporter for Yahoo! Charles Robinson, "reportedly told ESPN Radio's Dallas-Fort Worth station that 'Washington is about to have a new name in the next 24 to 48 hours' on Saturday." The Washington Times (7/12, Paras, 492K) reports the team is expected to announcement the retirement of their name on Monday, and USA Today (7/12, Jones, 10.31M) says the team will also reveal a new name. The new name remains unknown, "but Warriors, Red Wolves and Redtails have ranked among the post popular choices among fans on social media." USC Closes John Wayne Exhibit. ABC World News TonightVI (7/12, story 15, 0:22, Llamas, 4.69M) reported, "USC's film school is closing an exhibit honoring Hollywood legend John Wayne. The decision comes as racist and homophobic remarks made by the late actor face growing scrutiny, including a resurfaced interview where he said, quote, 'I believe in white supremacy." Low Turnout At Kenyan Protest Against Police Brutality. The Washington Post (7/12, Ombuor, Bearak, 14.2M) reports that a "global movement is pointing a spotlight at police brutality, which is rampant in Kenya, and so grass-roots human rights activists here thought they might get the one thing their protests usually lack: a big EFTA00150697 turnout." The plan "was for hundreds to march in downtown Nairobi, demanding police accountability as well as basic services, such as electricity and water, for the city's vast slums." However, there "was no mass protest, just scattered groups." Utah Governor Proclaims State Of Emergency After Protests Over Police Shooting. The New York Times (7/10, Hauser, 18.61M) reports Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) "declared a state of emergency Thursday in response to protests in Salt Lake City that erupted after the authorities said the fatal police shooting of a 22-year-old man in May was justified." Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill "announced on Thursday that there would be no criminal charges against the two Salt Lake City Police Department officers who shot the man, Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, on May 23." Demonstrators "who had gathered for weeks in front of the district attorney's office" then "marched on 500 5, a major street in the downtown area." According to the Times, "The police said that the protests disrupted traffic and broke windows, and that officers were sprayed with pepper spray." The Washington Post (7/10, Elfrink, 14.2M) reports the confrontation following the release of Gill's report "left one officer injured and two demonstrators under arrest." While police haven't disclosed details regarding those arrests, "a video posted to Facebook by Justice for Bernardo, a group behind the protests, shows protest leader Sofia Alcala being handcuffed." The Post adds, "Asked what she was being charged with, police said 'destruction of property." COUNTER-TERRORISM Pennsylvania Man Arrested With 30 Improvised Bombs, Detonators. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (7/10, Guza, 380K) reports, "A man arrested Thursday night in Mt. Lebanon in connection with online threats had more than 30 improvised bombs in his Mercedes along with homemade detonators and chemicals used to make explosives, investigators said in a criminal complaint." Kurt James Cofano, 32, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, "faces felony charges related to weapons of mass destruction and explosive devices along with lesser drug charges." The Tribune-Review adds, "Mt. Lebanon police Officer Thomas Rutowski wrote in the criminal complaint against Cofano that his department had been asked to be on the lookout for Cofano and his white Mercedes-Benz by Whitehall police, who were searching for Cofano in connection with a mental health warrant." Cofano "had posted videos to social media that showed him making and detonating improvised explosives, according to Whitehall police." Ohio Man Changes Plea In Explosives Case. The Mansfield (OH) News Journal (7/10, 47K) reports, "Fireworks or bombs? That was the central question in the case of Benjamin Brubach. He appeared by video Friday morning in Richland County Common Pleas Court for a change-of-plea hearing." Brubach, 44, was scheduled to face trial today after he was "previously indicted on charges of illegally manufacturing or possessing explosives and violation of firework manufacturer prohibitions." According to the News Journal, "Law enforcement recovered 215 explosive devices and bomb- making materials from his residence...on March 11. After the two sides agreed Brubach was trying to make fireworks, he pleaded guilty to violation of firework manufacturer prohibitions, a third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The more serious charge, a second-degree felony, was dismissed." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Appeals Court Stays Decision Ordering Judge To Dismiss Michael Flynn Case. EFTA00150698 The Washington Examiner (7/10, Chaitin, 448K) reported an appeals court "stayed a decision ordering a judge to accept the Justice Department's motion to dismiss its criminal case against retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn." The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit "issued an order on Friday that gives the former Trump national security adviser and the Justice Department 10 days to respond to Judge Emmet Sullivan's Thursday petition for a rehearing by the full appeals court." The filing further "stated that the three-judge panel's June 24 decision ordering Sullivan to grant the Justice Department's motion to drop the criminal charges against Flynn has been stayed `pending disposition of the petition for rehearing en banc." Law360 (7/10, Subscription Publication, 8K) reported the move came "a day after US District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who has delayed dismissing Flynn's case, asked the court for an en banc review to examine the June 24 split decision." CNN International (7/10, Polantz) reported the appeals court "says it will hear from Flynn's attorneys and from the Justice Department before July 20." The order "said Friday the case won't be dismissed until at least then." It's also become "a political lightning rod, with President Trump and Flynn both saying he's been treated unfairly by the judge and the prosecutors who cut his plea deal." Also providing similar coverage on the story is CBS News (7/10, 3.68M). Flynn: New Documents Show Misconduct On Part Of Prosecutors. Politico (7/10, Gerstein, Cheney, 4.29M) reported defense attorneys for Flynn "released more documents Friday that they say show their client is the victim of prosecutorial misconduct and that the government suppressed clear evidence of his innocence." The records were "turned over to Flynn's lawyers on Tuesday as part of a top-to-bottom review of the case that Attorney General William Barr ordered, leading to his controversial move in May to dismiss the false-statement prosecution brought by special counsel Robert Mueller in 2017." The defense filing Friday with US District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan "portrays the handwritten notes and a typed chronology as smoking-gun evidence that Flynn was framed and that prosecutors failed to share information vital to his defense." Fox News (7/10, Ruiz, 27.59M) reported Flynn's lawyers "said that top Justice Department officials and the special counsel's office knew about the documents for three years before they were able to obtain them, following US Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Jeffrey Jensen's review of the case." The Washington Times (7/10, Mordock, 492K) reported the documents also "revealed that the FBI was investigating Flynn...as early as the summer of 2016, but `had not seen things to point to [an] initial issue." Also unearthed in the documents "was that FBI leadership nixed having agents playing select audio cuts from recordings of Flynn's phone calls with the then- Russian ambassador during his January 2017 interview with FBI agents." National Review (7/10, Hoonhout, 731K) reported the document "explains that while the Bureau 'prompted Flynn with language used during the call,' Flynn was not shown his actual words because of a decision 'made by FBI leadership not to confront Flynn with the actual tech cuts." Bloomberg (7/10, Larson, Yaffe-Bellany, 4.73M) reported Bloomberg paraphrases Flynn's attorney, Sidney Powell, as having said in a filing with the US Court of Appeals in Washington on Friday that the Justice Department "this week handed over 14 new pages of documents that show misconduct by prosecutors who suppressed evidence that would have helped him." The filing reads, "These documents establish that on January 25, 2017 - the day after the agents ambushed him at the White House - the agents and DOJ officials knew General Flynn's statements were not material to any investigation, that he was open and forthcoming' with the agents, that he had no intent to deceive them, and that he believed he was fully truthful with them." The Washington Examiner (7/10, Dunleavy, 448K) reported the internal memo from "indicates that the FBI concluded Flynn was not acting as an agent of Russia and noted that agents believed he did not think he was lying to them during an interview about his calls with Russia's ambassador." Flynn's lawyers "told the court that they believed the new information was further exculpatory evidence demonstrating Flynn's innocence." EFTA00150699 In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (7/10, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) urged President Trump to intervene and pardon Flynn. The Journal argues the prosecution of Flynn exposed the bad faith of the Justice Department and FBI, but is now being made worse as federal Judge Emmet Sullivan is appealing an order to drop the charges against Flynn. Also providing similar coverage of the story are Stars And Stripes (7/11, 30K) and the Daily Caller (7/10, 716K). Op-Ed: Flynn's Case Deserves To Be Reviewed By Full Appeals Court. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times (7/10, 4.64M), editorial writer Michael McGough wrote, "The overarching issue in this legal melodrama isn't whether there is a good reason to dismiss the Flynn case — though there are powerful arguments against dismissal." Rather, the key question is "whether Flynn got special treatment because he's a friend of President Trump. ... I don't mean to minimize the importance of the legal arguments in this tangled affair. In their petition for a rehearing, Sullivan's lawyers make specific points grounded in precedent about why a three-judge panel was wrong to issue an order known as a writ of mandamus to force Sullivan to dismiss the Flynn case." He concludes, "The insanely intricate legal issues in this unusual case more than justify a review by the full appeals court. But so does the perception that Flynn received special treatment." Trump Demands Extradition Of Steele Over Russia Dossier. The Independent (UK) (7/11, 1.36M) reported President Trump has demanded "the extradition of Christopher Steele, the British former MI6 officer who compiled the infamous dossier on the president's ties with Russia." On Saturday, the president tweeted, "This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail. A sick lier [sic] who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!" Trump shared a "news report from Wednesday regarding a British court ruling that the former British spy had violated a data privacy law by failing to check information on the President's Russia connections." A few minutes later, Trump wrote, "Bring back Steele!!!", and "retweeted a link to a book on the Russia investigation by Fox News legal and political analyst Gregg Jarrett." Jordan Hopes For Durham Investigation Results This Summer. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), on Fox News' Sunday Morning FuturesVi (7/12, 1.6M), discussed US Attorney John Durham's investigation into the origins of the Russia probe. Jordan said, "We know what [Attorney General] Barr has told us now...he expects something this summer...so let's hope it happens...before the election. ... Let's hope that someone is going to be held accountable for the major wrongdoing that took place when they targeted the President's campaign." Donald Trump Jr. Says American People "Deserve" Durham Probe Results Before Election. Fox News (7/10, Singman, 27.59M) reported Donald Trump Jr. on Friday "said the American people 'deserve' to know US Attorney John Durham's findings in his investigation into the origins of the Russia probe before they hit the voting booths, saying it would be a 'disgrace, a disservice to the country, and a blight on the office' should he wait to release his results or initiate any potential prosecutions until after the 2020 presidential election." Trump Jr. "responded to a question from Fox News about its exclusive report this week, which revealed that the investigation, which was slated to wrap up at the end of the summer, could extend into the fall." He said, "The problem is, it is political. The Obama administration, Joe Biden's involvement himself - they unmasked people, such as myself. They have been able to hold this issue over Donald Trump's head for three and a half years." Op-Ed: Samantha Power's Unmasking Efforts Must Be Exposed. In a commentary in the Daily Caller (7/11, 716K),Chris Farrell, director of investigations and research at Judicial Watch, wrote, "This week Judicial Watch filed a FOIA lawsuit against the State Department seeking information on former UN Ambassador Samantha Power's potential EFTA00150700 abuse of her authority to unmask the identities of US citizens." He contends, "The full extent of the unprecedented abuse of intelligence information in 2016-2017 has yet to be revealed. US Attorney John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's Russian collusion 'witch hunt' may also reveal more detail on how unmasking was used to lay the groundwork for the coup cabal to pursue its grudge against the Trump team. ... It was an abuse of foreign intelligence powers for a domestic political purpose. There is no legitimate reason to deny this information to the public." He concludes, "The State Department's stonewalling must end, and the full truth about the worst political scandal in the history of the Republic must be told." Source Says Japan May Still Build Aegis Ashore Despite Reports Of Cancellation. Reuters (7/10, Kelly) reported a source told Reuters Japan may still "build Aegis Ashore missile defense systems to defend against attacks by North Korea and other regional rivals, including China," despite recent reports the program had been ended. Japan's defense minister, Taro Kono, last month "cancelled plans to build two Aegis Ashore sites, citing cost and concerns that falling booster stages from the interceptor missiles could drop on local residents." However, the source "said Japan has not cancelled the $1 billion contract for the defense system's radars, built by Lockheed Martin, and is mulling a technical assessment from the US government that makes recommendations on using other sites that would eliminate the safety issues." The source "said options include installing missile launchers on sea platforms or in remote coastal locations to eliminate the risk from falling boosters." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS FBI Continues To Probe Death Of Fort Hood Soldier. NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 6, 1:58, Snow, 4.22M) reported, "President Trump says he'll be briefed tomorrow on the case of murdered Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen. Her death sparked renewed calls for a closer look at how the military handles claims of abuse and harassment." NBC (Park) added, "A convoy of cars in San Antonio traveled 13 miles in honor of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen. Her disappearance gaining national attention, with protesters demanding justice. And tow the Army Secretary is ordering an independent review of the command climate and culture at Fort Hood, adding, 'We are saddened and deeply troubled by the loss of one of our own.' Guillen was last seen on base April 22nd, setting off a search with local law enforcement, fellow soldiers, and military police. Investigators found the 20 years old's remains at Lake June, not far from Fort Hood. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Army Specialist Aaron Robinson, a suspect in her killing, died by suicide when confronted by police. Cecily Aguilar, a civilian, is accused of helping Robinson dispose of Guillen's body." Army Times (7/10, Myers, 346K) reports, "As FBI and Army Criminal Investigation Command authorities continue to investigate the circumstances concerning the April 22 disappearance and subsequent killing of a young, female soldier, big Army is taking a broader look at the community where it happened." The Times adds, "Fort Hood, Texas, will be the subject of an independent command climate review, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters Friday, to be headed up by Army Under Secretary James McPherson. 'The purpose of this independent review is to examine whether the command climate and culture at Fort Hood and the military community surrounding Fort Hood respects Army values - including respect, inclusiveness and workplaces free from sexual harassment and a commitment to diversity,' McPherson said." Investigators: Guillen Could Have Faced Harassment. The Washington Post (7/10, Horton, 14.2M) reports, "Army investigators said Friday that Army Spec. Vanessa Guillen, the soldier who was missing for more than two months before her remains were discovered in late June, could have faced some harassment some time before she was killed." Her "family say she EFTA00150701 confided in them that she faced sexual harassment before her disappearance on April 22 from Fort Hood in Texas, an allegation the Army said it has not substantiated." However, during a call with reporters, investigators said Guillen faced "potentially some harassment, not of a sexual nature." The potential harassment wasn't from individuals "of interest in the investigation, they said, or Spec. Aaron Robinson, the soldier they say killed Guinan before fatally shooting himself on July 1 in a confrontation with police." ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 11, 0:21, Muir, 6.62M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. Killing Of Army Specialist Galvanizes More Women To #MeToo Cause. The New York Times (7/11, Steinhauer, 18.61M) reports, "As the #MeToo movement gained ground, propelled by stories of women in Hollywood, the news media, restaurants and other industries, women in the military have remained in the shadows." However, the killing of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen "has attracted the attention of the nation - veterans, active-duty service members and civilians alike." Military women as well as people "who advocate for them say the horrific nature of the crime, perpetrated against the backdrop of a racial equality movement sweeping the country, has galvanized many women to the cause." The Times adds, "The persistence of Specialist Guillen's family also has kept front and center a case that might otherwise have left them in grief-stricken retreat." Maxwell's Lawyers Request She Be Released. The New York Times (7/10, Hong, Weiser, 18.61M) reports, "Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein, sought to distance her from the disgraced financier on Thursday, saying in a new court filing that the two had no contact for more than a decade before his death in August 2019." Her attorneys wrote, "Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein." On Thursday, they "asked a federal judge in Manhattan to release her from jail on $5 million bond, arguing that she did not pose a flight risk and had not been hiding from the authorities." The Times adds, "In proposing to release her into home confinement, her lawyers offered to secure the bond with six co-signers, including two of her sisters, and with property in the United Kingdom worth more than $3.75 million." The Washington Post (7/10, Jacobs, 14.2M) reports Maxwell's arraignment is slated to happen on Tuesday in Manhattan. According to the Post, "She is expected to appear via video from the Brooklyn detention center where she's being held." Judge Alison Nathan "is expected to hear arguments over her bail request" ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 10, 1:58, Muir, 6.62M) reported Maxwell is "now being monitored closely. Her sheets reportedly taken away and she's been given paper clothing to wear to prevent any possibility of her harming herself." According to correspondent Eva Pilgrim, Maxwell "'vigorously denies' charges she helped Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse three teenage girls in the mid 90s, and will 'fight any allegations' against her. But some of Epstein's alleged victims want her behind bars." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/10, story 11, 0:25, Brennan, 3.95M) and NBC Nightly News Vi (7/10, story 11, 0:23, Holt, 5.52M) provided similar coverage in brief broadcasts. Arrest Made In Search For Missing Pennsylvania Teen. ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 14, 0:23, Llamas, 4.69M) reported on "the arrest made in the search for a missing Amish teen. Police in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania have arrested and charged 34-year-old Justo Smoker for the suspected kidnapping of Linda Stoltzfoos. The 18-year-old was last seen leaving church three weeks ago, and is still missing. Smoker's car spotted near a wooded area where clothing believed to be the victim's was found. The FBI has joined the case." The AP (7/11) reports from Lancaster, "A man is charged with kidnapping an Amish woman who disappeared in Pennsylvania several weeks ago and remains missing - but EFTA00150702 investigators believe she 'was harmed following her abduction,' prosecutors said Saturday." Smoker "was arrested Friday and charged with a felony kidnapping count and misdemeanor false imprisonment in the case of Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, who has been missing since June 21, the Lancaster County district attorney's office said. Stoltzfoos was last seen walking home from church in the Bird-in-Hand area." Prosecutors "say surveillance video obtained by East Lampeter Township police and enhanced by FBI forensic technicians 'depicts the abduction' of Stoltzfoos on Beechdale Road, which would have been part of her route. That video shows a red sedan involved in the abduction, and the defendant owns the same kind of car, prosecutors said." The York (PA) Daily Record (7/11, Moore, 120K) reports, "Police said they charged Smoker Friday with felony kidnapping and misdemeanor false imprisonment. He was arraigned Saturday and District Judge Joshua Keller made him ineligible for bail." Stoltzfoos "was last seen around 12:30 p.m., on Sunday June 21, after leaving a church service at a home in Bird- in-Hand, in Lancaster County. Local police and FBI continue to search for the 18-year-old. Community volunteers have been helping in the searches." North Central PA (7/12, Crossley) reports, "Police said they honed in on Smoker after multiple witnesses reported seeing an Amish female in the passenger seat of a red/orange vehicle in the Gap area on the afternoon of Stoltfzoos' disappearance. According to police, witness descriptions of the male driver are consistent with Smoker and descriptions of the suspect vehicle matched Smoker's red Kio Rio sedan. FBI forensic technicians enhanced surveillance video that allegedly depicts the abduction of ... on Beechdale Road." The LNP Media (PA) (7/11, Lohr, 81K) reports, "The arrest happened on the same day the FBI issued a reward for information on Stoltzfoos' whereabouts." NBC News (7/12, 6.14M) reports, "Lieutenant Matt Hess talked to Dateline just days after Linda went missing and said that she was last seen around 12:30 p.m. that Sunday at a farm on Stumptown Road. When Linda didn't make it to her youth group later that evening, her parents became concerned and contacted the police. 'There is no reason for us to believe that she wanted to just leave,' Lt. Hess said at the time. He described Linda as a kind and quiet girl. 'She did not indicate to anyone that she wanted to leave or take a trip. From what we understand, just running off without telling anyone would be very out of character for Linda." FBI Probing Alleged Racially-Charged Indiana Beating As Possible Hate Crime. WXIN-TV Indianapolis (7/10, McQuaid, 434K) reports from Bloomington, Indiana, "Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, and his attorneys held a press conference Friday to provide an update on an incident that he says was a racially-charged beating." According to WXIN-TV, "No arrests have been made thus far in connection with the incident, which happened over the Fourth of July weekend. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential hate crime. 'It's been a week since Vauhxx Booker was pinned against a tree and threatened to be hung from a noose and lynched, yet there are still are no arrests. There is a systematic delay in justice for Black people across our nation; his attorneys said in a release. 'Enough is enough. We are calling for a Grand Jury to speed up this process and end the shameful postponements. Black Lives Matter!" People (7/10, Truedell, 50.07M) reports, "Chris Bavender, a spokesman for the FBI's Indianapolis office, confirms to PEOPLE the agency is investigating the incident. She declined to provide further information." Phoenix Police Identify Two Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting. NBC News (7/10, 6.14M) reports, "Phoenix police on Friday identified the two officers who fatally shot a man seated in a parked car, a killing that has sparked protests across the city." NBC News adds, "Officers Noel Trevino, 29, and Gregory Wilson, 31, are both on administrative leave following the deadly Fourth of July confrontation with 28-year-old James 'Jay' Garcia, Phoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said in a statement to NBC News." According to NBC EFTA00150703 News, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams "has asked the FBI to conduct an independent civil rights investigation into the shooting. 'That's why I called in the FBI to assist us and run a parallel investigation in the Garcia case,' Williams told KPNX." Two Plead Guilty To Plotting To Blow Up Competing Pharmacy In Nebraska. The Omaha (NE) World-Herald (7/11, Nitcher, 641K) reports, "A Nebraska man and a Maryland man who planned to firebomb a small-town Nebraska pharmacy to benefit their black market drug dealing have pleaded guilty to federal charges." Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, and William Burgamy IV, 32, of Maryland "both appeared Friday in federal court in Virginia," and "each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use explosives, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Burgamy also pleaded guilty to a firearms charge. The men will be sentenced Nov. 20." Prosecutors "said Burgamy ran a website called NeverPressedRX that sold oxycodone and other drugs over the darknet, a part of the Internet accessible only through encryption," and that "Wilson, a pharmacist, supplied the drugs. The two men, officials said, conspired to blow up Cody's U-Save Pharmacy" in Auburn, Nebraska. The AP (7/10, Barakat) reports, "Burgamy, 32, of Hanover, Maryland, ran a website called NeverPressedRX that sold oxycodone and other drugs over the darknet, a part of the Internet only accessible through encryption, prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Alexandria said. His supplier was a real pharmacist, Hyrum Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, who ran Hyrum's Family Value Pharmacy. According to court papers, the two conspired to blow up a competing pharmacy in Wilson's town, Cody's U-Save Pharmacy. The two reasoned that Wilson's pharmacy would pick up more business and allow him to illegally funnel even more drugs to the darknet operation without attracting the suspicion of federal regulators." Mississippi Nurse Sentenced In Compounding Pharmacy Scheme. The Laurel (MS) Leader Call (7/10, 22K) reports, "Fallon Deneem Page, 37, of Hattiesburg was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for mail fraud in connection with a widespread compounding pharmacy scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent Michelle Sutphin of the FBI in Mississippi, and Special Agent Cyndy Bruce of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's Southeast Field Office. In addition to the prison sentence by Senior U.S. District Judge Keitih Starrett, Page was also ordered to pay $9,500 in fines and fees." Eleventh Circuit Affirms Most Of Alabama Doctors' "Pill Mill" Convictions. Law360 (7/10, Subscription Publication, 8K) reports that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals "on Friday affirmed the convictions of two Alabama doctors found guilty of running a massive 'pill mill' operation but ordered resentencing after finding insufficient evidence to support conviction on one charge alleging an illegal kickback conspiracy." The three-judge panel "rejected most of what it described as a 'broad-sweeping appeal' from Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch. The pair, who are currently serving prison sentences of 21 and 20 years, respectively, challenged their convictions, several evidentiary rulings during their joint 2017 jury trial and the district court's jury instructions." US Charges Four Georgia Men With Gun, Drug Violations. The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (7/10, Papp, 167K) reports, "Four Augusta-area men were among ten defendants indicted in federal court on drug and gun charges." According to the Chronicle, "The indictments are part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Guardian, an initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Most of the indictments targeted previously convicted felons, several of whom were on state parole or probation at the time of their indictment, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia." EFTA00150704 Drug Probe Leads To 48 Arrests In Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (7/10, 895K) reported that the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement organizations in Georgia conducted a drug investigation that "led to 48 arrests and the seizure of more than $700,000 worth of heroin and methamphetamine." Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman "said seizing such a large quantity of drugs and arresting suspected dealers would help curb crime in communities across the state." The Gainesville (GA) Times (7/10, Watson, 81K) reported, "The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office and the FBI Major Offenders Task Force worked together" during the investigation. The Georgia Sun (7/10) published a similar article. Online coverage of this story was run by WSB-TV Atlanta (7/11, Fernandes, 105K), WAGA- TV Atlanta (7/12, 49K), and WXIA-TV Atlanta (7/10, Raymond, 258K). Charges Filed Against Five Alleged Members Of Cocaine Trafficking Organization. The Chicago Sun-Times (7/10, Struett, 875K) reported that the DEA and the FBI were involved with a drug investigation that led to charges being filed against five alleged members of a cocaine trafficking operation. The Sun-Times added, "Chicago police and the FBI began investigating" the cocaine trafficking organization's alleged leader, Joshua Moore, "in December 2018." Human Remains Found In California. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (7/9, 456K) reported that the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department is investigating the disappearance of Sierra LaMar, who "disappeared eight years ago and is presumed dead" and whose remains were thought to have been discovered last week in San Jose. Sheriff's spokesperson Sgt. Michael Low said Friday in a statement, "Based on the preliminary investigation, we have no information to connect these findings to Sierra LaMar." He continued, "The investigation is ongoing and we are working closely with the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office to determine all of the facts." FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. WGN-TV Chicago (7/12, 576K) reports that the FBI "is looking for a man after a Glen Ellyn bank was robbed Saturday morning." WMAQ-TV Chicago (7/11, 252K) reported that suspect "is approximately 50 years old, 5- foot 6-inches tall to 5-foot 8-inches tall and weighs approximately 150 to 160 lbs." Five Connecticut Men Charged In Connection To 2018 Murder. The Stamford (CT) Advocate (7/11, 170K) reported Henry Floy, Shakale Brantley, Antoine Sistrunk, Ta'Ron Pharr and Jaylen Wilson, who are members of the Original North End gang, "have been charged in connection with is the Aug. 13, 2018, fatal shooting of 25-year-old Len Allen Smith while he was in a parked car on Union Avenue." The criminal complaint says that they "attempted to destroy the Jeep and other evidence used in the murder in order to hinder the investigation and prosecution of the murder." The FBI supported the investigation. West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Child Sex Trafficking. The Beckley (WV) Register-Herald (7/11, 59K) reported Darnell Ramsey, who "admitted that he was communicating via Snapchat with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old minor" that he had previously had met, "pleaded guilty on Friday to attempted sex trafficking of a minor." The plea agreement says that he "offered to pay the 14-year-old $200 to engage in two sexual acts," and he "traveled to a location in Greenbrier County," where he was arrested, on April 3. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force led the investigation. Former North Carolina Sheriff's Deputy Charged With Obstruction. EFTA00150705 WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (7/10, 338K) reported former Granville County Sheriff's Office sergeant Chad Coffey "faces two counts of obstruction of justice following an investigation into the department's drug unit." Coffey "is expected to surrender to authorities in the coming days," and he "wants his day in court to defend himself against the charges." Attorney Hart Miles said in a statement, "Chad is an experienced and well-respected law enforcement officer who has dedicated 22 years of his life to the protecting and serving the citizens of Granville County." Washington, DC Police Arrest Two Men Over Killing Of 11-Year-Old On Fourth Of July, Two Suspects Remain At Large. The AP (7/10, Balsamo) reports, "Two men have been arrested and two others are wanted in connection with the killing of an 11-year-old boy who was shot during a Fourth of July cookout in Washington, police said Friday." Davon McNeal "was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire between five armed suspects, police said." The killing happened amid a swell "of violence in Washington and in other major cities across the U.S. and sparked widespread outrage from community members." The AP adds that 22-year-old Christian Wingfield and 18- year-old Daryle Bond "were arrested on first-degree murder charges." The two each "had prior arrests for violent crimes and Wingfield was on court-ordered supervision with a GPS monitor at the time of the crime, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham said." WPost Al: Residents Of Street Where McNeal Was Shot "Not So Quick To Support" Cutting Police Funding. In a front-page story, the Washington Post (7/10, Al, Hermann, Williams, 14.2M) reports that on Cedar Street, where McNeal was shot, "the residents' long battle for just policing is intertwined with another reality: Each trip outside their front doors can be deadly." The Post adds, "Residents in this small Southeast Washington apartment community share the same fears of police and the same desire for a cultural change as those protesting the killing in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis." However, the relationship these residents have with police "is more complicated and nuanced than the slogans shouted in front of the White House. They are not so quick to support shrinking the size and wallets of the police force. If anything, they want more police, and they're willing to invest to get them better trained and more attentive to their communities." Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Arson Suspect In California. The Canyon (CA) News (7/11) reported that the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the Santa Monica police department "are seeking to identify a suspect who was responsible for setting a police vehicle on fire during a spurt of rioting in Santa Monica on Sunday, May, 31." They are "asking for the public's help and is offering a reward up to $10,000 for information in regards to the identification and arrest for the unknown suspect who may have been involved in the arson of the fire." FBI Investigating Racist Letter Sent To North Carolina Family. WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (7/10, 338K) reported that the FBI "is looking into a racist letter that was recently sent to an interracial family in Wake Forest" on Friday. The letter said, "(P)lease remember that the rest of us live in an upscale neighborhood and have spent the extra money to stay out of mixed neighborhoods and/or the ghetto." It continued, "No one wants trouble or any circumstance arising which could turn our neighborhood into a 'semi-ghetto." Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman "said Friday that she doesn't see any basis for criminal charges, but the federal investigation could involve civil rights violations." Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Missing Colorado Woman. The Canon City (CO) Daily Record (7/9, 22K) reported that FBI agents and Colorado police returned Thursday to the property of Suzanne Morphew, who "went missing on Mother's Day." No suspects have been arrested yet. EFTA00150706 Continuing Coverage: FBI Identifies Remains Recovered In Massachusetts. The Gloucester (MA) Times (7/10, 15K) reported that the FBI Boston Division's Evidence Response Team announced the identification of the remains recovered last week as Zakhia Charabati, who "was reported missing by his family March 14." His remains "were found buried in the back of the property located at 145 Milk St. in Methuen, Massachusetts." Also reporting are the AP (7/10), Boston (7/10, 586K),