FBI news briefing for Director and senior staff, July 29, 2020

Importance: Normal¶

Priority: Normal¶

Sensitivity: None¶

Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com https://fbi.bulletinintelligence.com?d=200729&auth=ayh0ot0c58 . https://fbi.bulletinintelligence.com?d=200729&auth=ayh0ot0c58 ¶

TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF¶

DATE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020 6:30 AM EDT¶

TODAY’S TABLE OF CONTENTS¶

Leading the News¶

Barr Spars With Democrats At Contentious House Hearing.
Barr Says Democrats Have Tried To “Discredit” Him.
Barr Says Bash Investigating “High Number Of Unmaskings” During Obama Administration.
Memo Reveals Federal Agents Sought Role In Suppressing Protests Since Start.
New Mexico Governor Addresses Concerns About Federal Agents In Albuquerque.
Report: US, Oregon In Talks About Pulling Agents From Portland.
Portland Fines Federal Government For Unpermitted Fence Outside Courthouse.
Hundreds Of Cases Involving LAPD Officers Accused Of Corruption Under Review.
US Park Police Head: Decision To Clear Protesters Not Linked To Trump “Photo Op.”
Minneapolis Police Link Protest Figure To White Supremacy Group.
Austin Police Release Video Of Deadly Shooting Of Latino Man.
Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of Two Protesters In Colorado.
Biden Calls For Violent Protesters To Be “Found, Arrested And Tried.”
Hoyer Denies Democrats Support Violent Rioters, Appears To Liken Trump To Fascists.
WPost Analysis: Civilian Militia Groups Surge Amid Protests.
Miami Journalist: Latinos Should Stand Up For Their Black Neighbors.
Free Beacon: Criticisms A “Calculated Attempt To Tar Cotton’s Character.”
Counter-Terrorism
California Man Charged With Leading Online White Supremacist Group Devoted To Dylann Roof.
Pentagon Admits To Civilian Casualties In Somalia.
Counter-Intelligence
Former FBI Agent Strzok Publishing Book In September About Trump, Russia.
Declassified Senate Intelligence Report Highlights Doubts About Steele Dossier.
Valerie Jarrett Pressed On Obama’s Role In Russia Probe.
Eisen Says In New Book Mueller Refused To Admit Trump Committed “At Least Five Chargeable Crimes.”
US Seeks To Dismiss Charges Against Ex-Twitter Employees Accused Of Spying For Saudi Arabia.
Lawmakers Aim To Deny Visas To Chinese Spies And Their Families.
Report: US To Order Drastic Reduction In Chinese Diplomats.
Op-Ed: The New “Cold War” Between The US And China Is A Dangerous Myth.
Singapore Spy Case Stirs Fears China Recruiting On Island State.
Revised Missile Pact With US To Facilitate South Korean Spy Satellite.

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University Of Texas Says Researchers Will Be Contacted By FBI About China Contacts.
Russian Intelligence Services Spreading Coronavirus Disinformation.
Rubio Doubts IC Global Threats Hearing Will Happen This Year.
Criminal Investigations
Kansas City Man Charged In Beating Death.
Federal Prosecutors Oppose Maxwell’s Effort To Name Epstein Victims.
Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty To Forced Labor.
FBI Agent Shoots Suspect In Arkansas.
Continuing Coverage: Colorado Police Officers Shot In Line Of Duty.
Utah Sex Offender Arrested.
Ohio Man Faces Murder Charges.
FBI Agents Searching Home Of Tennessee State Senator.
South Carolina Man Sentenced Over Firearms Charge.
FBI Investigating Murder Of Illinois Teenager.
Oklahoma Man Arrested Over Fatal Shooting.
Kansas Men Charged In Connection To Kidnapping.
Continuing Coverage: Colorado Man Charged With Assault.
Investigation In Kentucky Results In Drug Charges For 14 Individuals.
Georgia Man Arrested For Methamphetamine Trafficking.
Multi-State Drug Investigation Operation Leads To 17 Arrests.
New York Man Sentenced For Drug Trafficking.
Police Investigating 2011 Disappearance Of North Carolina Man.
Michigan Police Reopening Investigation Into 1967 Cold Case.
FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery.
New Mexico Man Arrested In Connection To Bank Robbery.
Continuing Coverage: Ohio Man Accused Of Carjacking.
Washington Drug Investigation Leads To 19 Indictments.
Multiple New York Defendants Plead Guilty To Conspiring To Distribute Meth.
Financial Crime & Corporate Scandals
Florida Man Charged With PPP Fraud.
HSI Has Seized More Than $7M In COVID-19 Fraud Proceeds.

mer Ohio Candidate Says He Was FBI Informant In Householder Probe.¶

Former New Jersey Mayor Sentencing Delayed.¶

College Admissions Scheme Mastermind Was Working On His Own Degree Until Last Week.
Watchdog At SBA Reports Having Seen Indications Of Extensive Fraud In Emergency Loan Program.
Cyber Division
Republicans Raise Concerns TikTok Could Be Used By Chinese Government Interfere In Elections.
Op-Ed: The Cyberattack On Garmin Poses A Complicated Question For The US Government.
Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Vatican Network.
Foreign Hackers Exploit Pandemic.
Op-Ed: In An Evaporating OODA Loop, Time Is Of The Essence.
Langevin Calls Hill Oversight On Cyber “Absolutely Essential.”
US Government Issues Warning To Critical Infrastructure Providers.
US Army Cyber Chief Outlines Ten-year Plan For Information Warfare.
Lindy Cameron Named New Head Of GCHQ Cyber Security Agency.
Law Enforcement Services
Democrats Investigating Administration Decision To Lift Ban On Some Firearm Silencer Sales.
WPost: Federal Consent Decree Needed To Fix Alabama’s “Grotesque” Prisons.
Other FBI News
Lawmakers Object To FBI HQ Funding In Coronavirus Bill.
Judge Says Finicum Lawsuit Against Oregon Authorities May Proceed, But Not Against FBI.
Other Washington News
White House Task Force Now Lists 21 States In “Red Zone.”
Pence Credits Trump For Vaccine Progress.

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Azar Says US Performing 800K Tests Per Day.
Wilkie: VA Nursing Homes Have Just Two Current COVID Cases.
Birx Meets With Virginia Officials About Coronavirus Mitigation.
Kodak Lands $765M Federal Loan For Pharmaceutical Manufacture.
Twitter Removes Trump Retweet Of Video With Controversial COVID Claims.
Politico Analysis: Trump Reverts To “Typical Behavior” After Briefly Staying On Message.
WPost Analysis: Trump One Factor In Nation’s “Fraught Relationship With Masks.”
Politico Analysis: Pandemic Is Pushing Biden, Democrats To Left On Healthcare.
Future Of MLB Season In Doubt Amid COVID Outbreak.
Third Church Will Take Challenge To State Worship Restrictions To Supreme Court.
Many Colleges Changing Plans For Fall.
CES 2021 To Be A Digital-Only Event.
New York Paramedic Describes Impact Working During Pandemic Has Had On Him.
WSJournal Responds To Senators’ Criticism Of Meat Processing Facilities.
Administration To Reject All New DACA Applications.
Trump Calls Senate GOP Coronavirus Bill “Sort Of Semi-Irrelevant.”
House Panel Expected To Question Tech CEOs On Antitrust Issues, Social Media Accountability.
VA IG: Breakdown At DC Hospital Preceded Veteran’s Suicide.
Senate Democrats Assail Pompeo’s Management Of State Department.
DOJ Issues Guidance On Awarding Grants To Religious Groups.
Census Officials Worry White House Is Pushing To Complete Count Early.
International News
Pfizer CEO: Other Countries Will Not Pay Less Than US For Vaccine.
UN Report: Virus-Linked Hunger Causing 10,000 Children To Die Every Month.
China Continues To Report Rise In New Cases.
Defector Who Returned To North Korea Suspected Of Bringing COVID To Nation.
European Countries See “Worrying Rise” In New Coronavirus Cases.
WSJournal: Global Increases Show Lockdowns Won’t Stop Virus’ Spread.
Iranian Military Exercise Includes Attack On Mock US Aircraft Carrier.
Former Iranian President Reached Out To Saudi Crown Prince.
Iran Moves Imprisoned British-Australian Woman To “Notorious” Prison.
Taliban Declares Temporary Cease-Fire To Mark Eid Al-Adha.
US, Australia Vow To Pursue United Front Against China.
Report: US, Russia Space Security Talks End.
US Sanctions Two Former Venezuelan Officials.
Gallup Poll: Global View Of US Leadership Remains Weak.
The Big Picture
Headlines From Today’s Front Pages.
Today’s Events In Washington.

Washington’s Schedule¶

Leading the News¶

Barr Spars With Democrats At Contentious House Hearing.¶

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29M) as “disjointed and testy,” and the New York Times

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/william-barr-house-judiciary-hearing.html> (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) as “increasingly combative as the hours wore on.” “Democrat after Democrat,” adds the Times, posed “questions to Mr. Barr…only to cut him off when he tried to reply, substituting their own replies for his.” The Times further recounts that “clearly frustrated, Mr. Barr complained at one point: ‘This is a hearing. I thought I was the one who was supposed to be heard.’ At another point, after being reminded he was under oath,” Barr “insisted, ‘I’m going to answer the damn question.’”¶

Reports also highlight the AG’s forceful defense of the government’s efforts to quell what he cast as violent protests across the country. The AP https://apnews.com/1484348dd6e646815aa2bdac176622c8 (7/28, Tucker, Jalonick, Balsamo), for example, quotes Barr as saying that “violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests. … Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyd’s death or any legitimate call for reform.” The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/william-barr-calls-out-democrats-refusal-condemn-p/ (7/28, A1, Mordock, 492K) reports Barr also “called out Democrats’ refusal to condemn the violence that has swept across Portland, Oregon, and other American cities,” saying, “What makes me concerned for the country is this is the first time in my memory the leaders of one of our great two political parties, the Democratic Party, are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attack on federal courts.”¶

There was, however, a marked ideological split on the focus of the reporting, with conservative publications highlighting Barr’s description of the protesters’ violence and most mainstream media outlets building their accounts around Democratic accusations against Barr, which described this way by Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/27/barr-faces-democratic-barrage-382916 (7/28, Cheney, Swan, 4.29M), “Democrats went into the hearing intending to highlight a single theme: That Barr distorted the Justice Department in service of [President] Trump’s political agenda.”¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/4a3933950a634c168729acfc86314dc5?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 6, 2:00, Holt, 6.05M) reported, for example, that “Democrats said the federal deployments are intended to give the President footage for campaign ads.” Nadler was shown saying, “You are projecting fear and violence nationwide in pursuit of obvious political objectives. Shame on you, Mr. Barr.” Barr replied that “attackers at the Portland courthouse have set fires.” Without attributing the charge to Democrats, the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/politics/william-barr-house-judiciary-hearing.html (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) asserts it its report that “the federal intervention…appears to be a critical campaign strategy by Mr. Trump who is trying to stoke a sense that Democrats are leading the country into chaos.”¶

The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/635513f334f645b49bbb1c1454ed0f62?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 3, 2:20, O’Donnell, 4.37M) also led its report indicating “Democrats accused…Barr of doing…Trump’s political bidding and of a double standard by using federal agents against protesters in Portland, while ignoring armed militias who took over Michigan’s capital building earlier this year.” ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/2eeb497d7fd4479ba57fa1e5022f8423?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 4, 3:00, Muir, 7.32M) said, meanwhile, that Barr was “under attack,” with “Republicans helping” him to “make his case.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/bill-barr-grilled-house-judiciary-over-federal-officers-portland/5525185002/ (7/28, Phillips, Johnson, 10.31M) similarly casts Barr as “countering Democratic lawmakers who have characterized federal officers’ actions against protesters as unconstitutional, politically charged fearmongering,” and adds that the AG’s “long-sought testimony comes as House Democrats investigate alleged political interference at the Justice Department, claiming that the attorney general has turned it into a political annex of the Trump White House.”¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/barr-testifies-before-house-judiciary-committee-maintainsindependence-from-trump (7/28, Blitzer, 27.59M) reports Barr “did not shy away from Democrats’ accusations against him,” and the New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/politics/william-barr-house-¶

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judiciary-hearing.html>(7/28,Fandos,Savage,Lafraniere,Qiu,18.61M)that he“came out swinging.”Bloomberg<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-28/barr-denies-letting-trump-dictate-to-doja-head-of-house-face-off?srnd=premium&sref=3IOEzKok>(7/28,Strohm,House,4.73M)also says Barr“offered a combative defense of his independence from...Trump,”and quotes him as saying，“The president has not attempted to interfere.On the contrary,he has told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever call I think is right。”

The Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-07-28/barr-defend-federal-response-protests-house-hearing (7/28, Wilber, 4.64M), meanwhile, was one of the few mainstream outlets to quote Barr as saying, “Every night for the past two months, a mob of hundreds of rioters has laid siege to the federal courthouse and other nearby federal property. … The rioters arrive equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices. Inside the courthouse are a relatively small number of federal law enforcement personnel charged with a defensive mission: to protect the courthouse. … Since when is it OK to try to burn down a federal court?” The Times adds that “local officials in Portland say that the presence of federal law enforcement agencies in the city has been inflaming the situation, making the violence worse, not better.”¶

The Federalist https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/28/barr-scorches-media-lies-peaceful-protesters-do-not-throwexplosives-into-federal-courthouses/ (7/28, Gottschalk, 126K) reports Barr also said yesterday, “To state what should be obvious, peaceful protesters do not throw explosives into federal courthouses, tear down plywood with crowbars, or launch fecal matter at federal officers. Such acts are in fact federal crimes under statutes enacted by this Congress.” Breitbart https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/07/28/watch-ag-barr-calls-out-democrats-fornot-condemning-mob-violence/ (7/28, Pollak, 673K) recounts Barr also asked Democrats, “Why can’t we just say: ‘Violence against federal courts has to stop?’ Could we hear something like that?”¶

National Review <https://www.nationalreview.com/news/barr-defends-protest-response-ahead-of-scheduled testimony/> (7/28, Bernstein, 731K) notes Barr went on to say, “We should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control, or tear down statues and monuments that law-abiding communities chose to erect, or to destroy the property and livelihoods of innocent business owners.”¶

The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/28/ag-barr-thinks-antifa-will-spread-if-states-dont-squashviolence/ (7/28, Bowden, 4.57M) reports, meanwhile, that Barr also said he “is concerned that Antifa-led violence will grow and spread across the country if state officials allow riots to continue rocking their cities.” Barr stated, “I don’t think it’s a myth,” and that “the violent far-left radical group was ‘heavily represented in the recent riots.’” Added Barr, “It’s a national organization that moves nationally. … We are concerned about this problem metastasizing around the country.” Along those lines, the President tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288095296363405314 yesterday, “‘Nadler calls ANTIFA violence a MYTH.’ @foxandfriends They are Anarchists with miles of ‘tape’ showing their illegal activity. Jerry, blame it on Russia, Russia, Russia!”¶

Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said on Fox News’ Hannity https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176070117001?playlist_id=930909813001#sp=show-clips (7/28, 535K), “I think at the end of the day, this is really a lost opportunity for the American people. There are many Americans who want to know more about why the Attorney General has made certain decisions that he’s made and taken some of the actions that he’s taken, and the Attorney General was prepared to answer those questions today. He’s been preparing for weeks. But instead, the Democrats…would ask him questions and then they would refuse to let him answer those questions. The only conclusion that I can draw at least from that is perhaps maybe they realize there is no there, there. There are no buried bodies. There really aren’t any scandals like the ones that the media has been drumming u[ for some time.”¶

In an editorial, USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/07/28/trump-using-federal-agents-portland-political-stage-props-editorials-debates/5497383002/ (7/28, 10.31M) calls the federal government’s approach to the protests “corrosive to democracy and contemptuous of conservative principles,”¶

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and concludes “the American people can spot a ploy to change the subject from the ravages of COVID-19 and the Trump administration’s horrible job in combating it.” USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/07/28/william-barr-portland-government-mustensure-rule-law-editorials-debates/5531532002/ (7/28, 10.31M) runs its editorial side by side with Barr’s opening statement to the Committee.¶

Former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, meanwhile, writes in the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/opinion/homeland-security-portland-trump.html (7/28, 18.61M) that “the Trump administration’s deliberate decision to intervene in the Portland protests with a heavy hand, unconventional means and inflammatory political rhetoric has contributed to growing public distrust – particularly of the Department of Homeland Security,” whose “critics…are now rightly worried that its law enforcement agents might be increasingly deployed by…Trump to score political points, or even interfere with the November election.” McClatchy https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/article244544022.html#cardLink=row2_card1 (7/28, Wilner, Nozicka, 19K), the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/barr-defends-deploying-federal-agents-to-protests-in-showdown-with-house-democrats-11595960046 (7/28, A1, Gurman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) and Daily Caller https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/28/william-barr-slams-democrats-downplaying-rioters-injuring-marshals/ (7/28, Kruta, 716K), among other news outlets, have more on Barr’s testimony.¶

Barr Defends Decision To Drop Flynn Prosecution. The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/house/509465-democrats-blister-barr-during-tense-hearing (7/28, Beavers, Neidig, 2.98M) reports that Barr “defended the stunning move” by the DOJ to drop charges against Michael Flynn. Barr “said that the FBI investigation that led to Flynn’s questioning had been plagued with problems and that he no longer believed that the prosecution was supported by the facts.”¶

Meanwhile, the Austin (TX) American Statesman https://www.statesman.com/news/20200728/texas-prosecutor-john-bash-to-probe-flynn-case (7/28, Recio, Subscription Publication, 343K) reports that Barr “disclosed Tuesday that he has directed John Bash, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, to investigate the ‘unmasking’” of Flynn. The “new inquiry, which is on top of another one ordered earlier this year by Barr to examine the FBI’s Trump campaign-Russia surveillance, marks an escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on federal officials and the Obama administration in advance of the presidential election.”¶

CNN https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/politics/william-barr-house-hearing/index.html (7/28, Shortell, Herb, 83.16M) reports that that Barr also sparred with Rep. Hank Johnson (D) over the sentencing of Roger Stone “as Johnson repeatedly refused to let Barr respond while the Georgia Democrat recounted the episode.”¶

More broadly, CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/bill-barr-set-to-rail-against-bogus-russia-probeviolent-rioters-in-testimony.html (7/28, Breuninger, Macias, 3.62M) says on its website that Barr “offered a full-throated defense of his much-criticized conduct in the federal probe of Russian election interference.” CNBC also reports that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the committee’s ranking member, “launched into his opening statement by decrying the Russia probe as a coordinated effort by Democrats to undermine Trump.” Jordan said to Barr, “Spying. That one word, that’s why they’re after you.”¶

A Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/bill-barrs-other-prosecutor-11595978614 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorial lauds the investigation and argues that Americans deserve a full accounting of the FBI and Justice Department’s intervention in the 2016 election.¶

Barr Doesn’t Rule Out Release Of Durham Report During Election. Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/barr-pre-election-release-durham-report-385244 (7/28, Gerstein, 4.29M) reports that a “highly anticipated forthcoming report from U.S. Attorney John Durham on the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation won’t trigger a Justice Department policy against interference in the 2020 presidential race, so the review could be released in the weeks leading up to the November election,” Barr said Tuesday. Barr said, “I will be very careful. I know what Justice Department policy is. Any report will be, in my¶

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judgment, not one that is covered by the policy and would disrupt the election.”¶

McEnany: Democrats’ Criticism Of Barr Is Rooted In His Probe Of “Russia-gate.” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News’ Fox & Friends <https://video.foxnews.com/v/6175838589001? playlist_id=930909787001#sp=show-clips> (7/28, 831K), “The real problem that Democrats have with Attorney General Barr is he’s actually taking Russia-gate seriously, this bogus sham effort that was launched against President Trump when he was just a candidate and went into his Administration. The fact that Bill Barr is looking into why Obama Administration spied on Trump campaign is their real problem.”¶

Barr: “Possible” Pelosi’s Comments Put Law Enforcement In Danger. Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/barr-pelosi-comments-endangered-law-enforcement-384238 (7/28, Forgey, 4.29M) reports “Barr on Tuesday accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) of potentially endangering America’s law enforcement community by likening the federal officers occupying Portland, Ore., to the ‘stormtroopers’ of Nazi Germany.” Asked “whether Pelosi’s comparison “encourages the violence that we’re seeing” and ‘participation against the police’ at anti-racism protests,” Barr Replied, “I think that’s possible, and I think it’s irresponsible to call these federal law enforcement officers ‘stormtroopers.’”¶

Pelosi: Barr “Despicable.” Pelosi said on MSNBC The Beat https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/fdd58cd5474145909935bc1939462785?pubid=fbi (7/28, 1.44M) that Barr’s testimony “demonstrated to the American people the contempt that he has for our democracy. … I just thought he was despicable and so beneath the dignity of an Attorney General.” Pelosi added that Barr “is there to support the President, Donald Trump, no matter what. He’s not the President’s lawyer. … He is the Attorney General of the United States of America. Too bad he doesn’t care or realize that.”¶

Richmond Accuses Barr, Sessions, Whitaker Of Racism. ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/2eeb497d7fd4479ba57fa1e5022f8423?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 4, 3:00, Muir, 7.32M) reported that during his testimony, Barr said he” had paid his respects to the late Rep. John Lewis.” ABC added that “later, Congressman Cedric Richmond [D-LA] had this to say.” Richmond was shown saying, “The one thing that you have in common with your two predecessors, both Attorney General Sessions and Attorney General Whitaker, is that when you all came here and brought your top staff, you brought no black people. That, sir, is systematic racism. That is exactly what John Lewis spent his life fighting. And so, I would just suggest that actions speak louder than words. And, you should really keep the name of the honorable John Lewis out of the Department of Justice’s mouth.”¶

Pence Criticizes Democrats, Says Violence “Has Got To Stop.” Vice President Pence said on Fox News The Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_-XRHM10oM (7/28), “It was clear that the Democrats on the Committee wanted to be heard more than they wanted to listen. Bill Barr is leading the Justice Department in this country with great integrity. … It was clear that the Democrats wanted to hear themselves talk more than they wanted to hear from the Attorney General of the United States.” Pence also said on Fox News The Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_-XRHM10oM (7/28), “The violence in Portland has got to stop.” The President “has made it clear, we will have law and order in our streets. With Joe Biden and the radical Democrats, they want to defund the police. While what we are going to do is find a law enforcement, stand up for ‘law & order’ and that begins right in Portland.” Pence also said, “The reality is that the Mayor of Portland and the local community has allowed violent protesters to overrun that community. That community was looking the other way on groups like Antifa a long time ago, and now they are paying a price.”¶

Jordan Airs Video Of Violent Protests And Media Calling Them “Peaceful.” Townhall https://townhall.com/tipsheet/cortneyobrien/2020/07/28/jim-jordan-video-n2573284 (7/28, O’Brien, 177K) reports Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) “asked for a video to be shown” at hearing. The video https://youtu.be/BbKvhnLoV0Q “began with clips of different media outlets referring to the riots we’ve seen these past few months as ‘peaceful protests,’” then “cut to a presser about the death of retired black police captain David Dorn, who was killed during a riot in St. Louis as he was helping protect a local business.” The video “proceeded to show other footage of rioters toppling statues, looting local businesses, and running over police officers. It was scary, scary stuff.” Townhall “included the video here but be warned it does have some¶

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graphic and disturbing footage.”¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/don-lemon-chuck-todd-barr-hearing-jim-jordan (7/28, Flood, 27.59M) recounts “a variety of MSNBC and CNN hosts made cameos” in the video, including “everyone from CNN’s Don Lemon to NBC News’ Chuck Todd dismissing violence amid images of burning buildings and attacks on law enforcement.” The video, “which irked…Nadler,” also “featured MSNBC host Ali Velshi famously declaring he was covering a ‘mostly a protest’ despite a building burning right behind him,” and adding, “It is not, generally speaking, unruly.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/reclaiming-my-time-tensions-soar-as-jim-jordan-rips-democrats-for-repeatedly-interrupting-barr (7/28, Dibble, 448K) reports Jordan also “condemned Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee for what became a pattern of asking questions of…Barr only to interrupt and not allow him to answer.” Jordan, who is “the top Republican on the panel, noted hours into the hearing that Democratic members had repeatedly cut off Barr while shouting that they were ‘reclaiming my time,’” and “asked why Democrats even invited Barr to testify if they were not going to allow him to fully answer their queries.”¶

Barr Says Democrats Have Tried To “Discredit” Him.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/28/bill-bar-testimony-live-updates/ (7/28, A1, Zapotosky, Demirjian, Wagner, 14.2M) reports that in a written statement to the House Judiciary Committee, before which he testified on Tuesday, Attorney General Barr “alleged that Democrats have tried to ‘discredit’ him since he vowed to investigate the 2016 FBI probe of possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign and that the media has been unfair in covering the unrest.”¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-justice/u-s-attorney-general-barr-defends-response-toprotests-trump-tied-cases-idUSKCN24T1AB (7/28, Lynch, Wolfe) reports that Barr also “den[ied] accusations he is doing…Trump’s bidding by intervening in high-profile cases.” Reuters says that as Tuesday’s hearing opened, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler told Barr, “Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the Department’s professional core in an apparent effort to secure favors for the President.” Barr “denied taking actions to help Trump associates, saying they do not deserve special breaks but also should not be treated more harshly than other defendants.” Reuters says Barr “also incited Democrats’ fury by saying a report being drafted by federal prosecutor John Durham that is expected to highlight missteps by US intelligence agencies during their 2016 probe into collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia could be made public before the 2020 presidential election.”¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/bill-barr-set-to-rail-against-bogus-russia-probe-violent-rioters-intestimony.html (7/28, Breuninger, Macias, 3.62M) says on its website that Barr “offered a full-throated defense of his much-criticized conduct in the federal probe of Russian election interference.” CNBC also reports that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the committee’s ranking member, “launched into his opening statement by decrying the Russia probe as a coordinated effort by Democrats to undermine Trump.” Jordan said to Barr, “Spying. That one word, that’s why they’re after you.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/william-barr-house-judiciary-hearing.html> (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) reports that Barr also “accused Democrats of demonizing him because he believed the Trump-Russia investigation was misguided.” The Times says Democrats “attacked Mr. Barr’s intervention to recommend a shorter prison sentence for Mr. Trump’s longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes,” but Barr “defended his extraordinary decision to overrule career prosecutors, saying that they were trying to treat Mr. Stone more harshly than other defendants.” Barr said, “The prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice what anyone else in a similar position had ever served. … This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence, they were trying to put them in jail for seven to nine years. I was not going to advocate that. That is not the rule of law.”¶

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The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/im-telling-my-story-barr-shoots-back-at-democrats-interrupting-his-testimony (7/28, Mastrangelo, 448K) says Barr “struggled to offer a response during a round of questioning” from Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who “peppered the attorney general with questions about the Roger Stone sentencing, President Trump’s Twitter feed, and Barr’s role as head of the Justice Department and handling of the case.” Johnson said, “You filed a sentencing recommendation hours after President Trump tweeted his dissatisfaction with the Stone recommendation.” Barr said, “No, the night before,” to which Johnson replied, “I know your story.” The Examiner says Barr “shot back,” “I’m telling my story, that’s what I’m here to do … That’s why I’m here,” and Johnson replied, “You’re here to answer my questions.” The Examiner said the exchange was “one of several instances on Tuesday during which Democrats asked Barr probing questions about his conversations with Trump and conduct as attorney general but did not allow Barr to offer a response.”¶

Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said on Fox News’ Hannity https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176070117001?playlist_id=930909813001#sp=show-clips (7/28, 535K) that she found it “particularly ironic” that “the Democrats were hurling their usual allegations at the attorney general, insisting that he was helping President Trump and helping President Trump’s friends when in fact the only political pressure that I saw today was that from the Democrats towards the Attorney General as they berated him for not going harsher on Roger Stone, a first-time nonviolent offender, which as we saw when the Attorney General made the recommendation that he did, the judge in that case who is no friend of this Administration, ultimately agreed with the AG. So, if we are going to talk about political pressure that’s where it was at.”¶

Barr Says Bash Investigating “High Number Of Unmaskings” During Obama Administration.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/ag-william-barr-says-hes-appointed-another-us-atto/ (7/28, Mordock, 492K) reports that in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Attorney General Barr “revealed…that he’s appointed another U.S. attorney to investigate requests by top Obama officials to ‘unmask’ President Trump’s former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.” Barr “said he’s asked John Bash, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, to look into the unmasking requests.” Barr told the panel, “I’ve asked another US attorney to look into the issue of unmasking because of the high number of unmaskings and some that do not readily appear in the line of normal business.” Barr “said that review will be independent of Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the Russia-collusion investigation.” Townhall <https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/07/28/barr-confirms-obama-era-unmaskings-are-being-¶

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2020/07/28/barr-confirms-obama-era-unmaskings-are-being-investigated-n2573306 (7/28, Pavlich, 177K) reports that Barr “reconfirmed” that Bash is investigating the unmaskings.¶

Protests¶

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Memo Reveals Federal Agents Sought Role In Suppressing Protests Since Start.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/federal-agents-portland-seattle-protests.html> (7/28, A1, Kanno-Youngs, Olmos, Baker, Goldman, 18.61M) reports that “from the earliest days of the recent protests against police brutality and racism, some top federal law enforcement officials viewed the demonstrators with alarm and called for an aggressive federal response that two months later continues to escalate.” A memo from FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich dated June 2 “demanded an immediate mobilization,” declaring the situation “a national crisis,” and said that in addition to investigating “violent protesters, instigators” and “inciters,” bureau leaders should collect information with “robust social media exploitation teams” and examine what appeared to be “highly organized behavior.”¶

Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Of Americans Support Protests Against Racial Injustice. USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/poll-most-americans-support-black-lives-matter-protests/5532345002/ (7/28, Behrmann, 10.31M) reports, “Nearly two-thirds of Americans support the recent protests against racial injustice, a new Gallup poll released Tuesday revealed.” The poll found that “65% of US adults support the protests.” Additionally, “53% said the protests ‘will help’ public support for equality and racial justice versus 34% who said they would ‘hurt’ and 13% who said they will ‘make no difference.’” In terms of support for the protests, “92% of Black Americans said they support the protests, while 89% of Asian Americans, 70% of Hispanics and 59% of white respondents said they do.”¶

New Mexico Governor Addresses Concerns About Federal Agents In Albuquerque.¶

KOB-TV https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/gov-lujan-grisham-addresses-national-audience-over-concerns-about-sending-federal-agents-to-abq/5807629/?cat=504 Albuquerque, NM (7/26, 51K) reports, “Gov. Lujan Grisham said there’s been a dialogue and cooperation with federal agents, but she’s still pushing back against the plan to add about 35 more.” Grisham “also said she talked to the U.S. attorney assigned to this operation and explained her expectations when it comes to the federal agents. ‘They will integrate into the operations that we already have. He certainly gave me every indication that he’s willing to do that,’ she said.” Grisham “mentioned the claim that there’s still nearly $10 million that New Mexico hasn’t received from the federal government. ‘They have not provided the federal funding that was promised to Albuquerque for police and crime interventions,’ she said.”¶

Report: US, Oregon In Talks About Pulling Agents From Portland.¶

The AP https://nypost.com/2020/07/28/us-oregon-in-talks-about-pulling-agentsin-portland-report/ (7/28) reports the Administration has “started talks with the Oregon governor’s office and indicated that it would begin to draw down the presence of federal agents sent to quell two months of chaotic protests in Portland if the state stepped up its own enforcement, a senior White House official said Tuesday.” The official, however, stressed that the talks with the office of Gov. Kate Brown (D) “are in the early stages and there is no agreement.” Brown didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.¶

ACLU Seeks Contempt Findings, Sanctions Against Federal Officers In Portland. The Oregonian https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/07/aclu-seeks-contempt-findings-sanctions-against-federal-officerswho-have-fired-impact-munitions-at-journalists-legal-observers.html (7/28, Bernstein, 1M) reports the ACLU of Oregon is “asking a federal judge to find federal law enforcement operating in Portland in contempt of his order that barred the officers from assaulting or threatening to assault journalists or legal observers during declared riots or unlawful assemblies.” The group also is asking US District Judge Michael H. Simon “to sanction the agents for violating the order and urges the judge to make” Acting DHS Secretary Wolf and Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli “personally appear before him court.” In the motion filed Tuesday,¶

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federal officers are accused of firing pepper spray “into the faces of multiple marked legal observers ‘at point blank range,’” and shooting “another legal observer in the chest with a rubber bullet from four feet away.”¶

Portland Fines Federal Government For Unpermitted Fence Outside Courthouse.¶

The Oregonian https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2020/07/portland-issues-maximum-fine-on-feds-for-unpermitted-fence-outside-courthouse-bill-is-192000-and-counting.html (7/28, Theen, 1M) reports Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said Tuesday the city is “fining the federal government $500 every 15 minutes – the maximum charge allowed – until it removes an unpermitted fence blocking a bike lane” outside the federal courthouse in the city. Eudaly “said the government hasn’t responded to her demand to remove the fence,” and the fine is now $192,000 “and counting.”¶

Protesters Attack Courthouse, Burn American Flag. NBC Nightly News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/33dae48ce2734252911c305b3afe8232?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 7, 1:40, Holt, 6.05M) reported, “In Portland, there was new violence around that federal courthouse.” NBC (McLaughlin) added, “It’s 9:00 at night. Protestors marched towards Portland’s federal courthouse” and “burn a bonfire outside the courthouse fence, including an American flag. Near midnight, hundreds have gathered. Some protestors begin launching fireworks at the courthouse. Flames can be seen. There’s a large blast inside the fence. Federal agents later respond with flash bangs and tear gas.” Then, “just past 1:00 am, protestors confront federal agents in the streets.” DHS “officials tell us they’re there because Portland officials won’t protect federal property.” Acting DHS Secretary Wolf was shown saying, “This has nothing to do with nonviolent or peaceful demonstrations. This has to do with violence against law enforcement officials on federal property.” However, added NBC, “state and local officials say they want them gone.”¶

In an interview with Sinclair Broadcasting Group¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/1e13fcf657eb4853918f9be82726fa3b?pubid=fbi (7/28, 38K), Wolf was asked about claims that the presence of federal officers in Portland has made matters worse. Wolf said, “I dismiss that. The Mayor is on record before we arrived saying that the city has been experiencing over a month of violence and is pleading with his city to stop. What we know it was violent before DHS arrived and it continues to be violent.” Asked about the Mayor’s call for a “cease fire,” Wolf said, “That term is objectionable. It is wrong. It is inaccurate. It is not a cease fire. Federal law enforcement is there doing their job day in and day out, the same job that we have done for decades there. If the Mayor and the Portland Police Department want to step up and do the job that they should do, we can end the violence in a matter of days.”¶

Acting CBP Commissioner Morgan said on the Brian Kilmeade Show¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/66c3967342894b6fa4c3b6d330f06460?pubid=fbi (7/28), “The violence was there in Portland well before we put additional resources there. We had actual, credible intelligence that the federal building was going to be attacked by anarchists. That is why we put additional resources and lo and behold, that is exactly what has happened and it has been happening for the last four and a half weeks every single night, destroying the building and harming, potentially harming federal agents and officers. That is the truth. That is the facts.”¶

US Park Police Head: Decision To Clear Protesters Not Linked To Trump “Photo Op.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/5c3c51fca838138b62d7bc9c5840cd90 (7/28, Knickmeyer) reports that in testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, Gregory Monahan, the head of US Park Police, “insisted…that the forceful routing of protesters from the square in front of the White House last month had ‘zero correlation’ with President Donald Trump’s staged photo event minutes later.” However, Monahan “was unable to point to any immediate threat that justified his officers’ sudden, violent drive against the hundreds gathered there.” Attorney General Barr, “testifying separately on Trump’s deployment of hundreds of federal¶

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officers and agents against nationwide protests this spring and summer, also distanced Trump’s photo event from the decision to drive demonstrators from Lafayette Square that night.” Barr is quoted as saying, “This was something conceived of long before and didn’t turn on the nature of the crowd.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/park-police-defends-lafayette-park-384266 (7/28, Adragna, 4.29M) reports Monahan’s testimony “claiming officers followed all rules in a volatile situation paints a far different image than the prepared testimony from a major in the D.C. National Guard who later told the panel the protestors’ removal was ‘deeply disturbing’ and appeared to be an infringement of their First Amendment rights.” Monahan “committed to providing documentation to the committee chronicling what he called a ‘sustained level of violence,’ and said the days of demonstrations were ‘one of the most violent’ protests he’d experienced over the course of his decades-long career.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/lafayette-square-park-police-protests.html> (7/28, Edmondson, 18.61M) reports when “pressed repeatedly to square his remarks with evidence captured during the demonstrations that his officers attacked protesters, Mr. Monahan demurred.” Monahan, the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2020/07/28/park-police-chief-says-he-knew-trump-was-coming-lafayette-square-clearing-was-unrelated/ (7/28, Jackman, 14.2M) reports, acknowledged that he was informed that President Trump “would be visiting Lafayette Square later that day, but that the decision to forcefully clear protesters from the park at 6:30 that evening was unrelated to Trump’s visit soon after.” The two events, he said, were a coincidence.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/excessive-force-george-floyd-protesters-lafayette-square/5525007002/ (7/28, Wu, 10.31M) reports House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva “said what he heard from the Trump administration on its response to protests were ‘outright lies’ and warned of ‘creeping authoritarianism’ in its heavy-handed sponses to protests.”¶

Hundreds Of Cases Involving LAPD Officers Accused Of Corruption Under Review.¶

The Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-28/lacey-flags-hundreds-of-cases-linked-to-charged-lapd-officers-for-possible-review (7/28, Rector, Queally, Poston, 4.64M) reports that “hundreds of criminal cases involving three city police officers charged earlier this month with falsifying evidence are now under review by prosecutors after corruption allegations sparked questions about whether their past police work could be suspect.” Prosecutors are “analyzing pending cases to determine if they can move forward on the strength of evidence other than the charged officers’ testimony, but past cases and convictions – including those based on plea deals – could also be revisited, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said.”¶

Minneapolis Police Link Protest Figure To White Supremacy Group.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/umbrella-man-identified-minneapolis.html (7/28, Macfarquhar, 18.61M) reports that in “one of the first widely shared images of wanton destruction to emerge from the protests in Minneapolis” after George Floyd’s death was a “tall man, dressed head to toe in black, including a black gas mask and a black umbrella.” Given the nickname “Umbrella Man,” Minneapolis police “unsuccessfully tried to identify the man,” but “after receiving a tip about his identity, they used other photographs, including a driver’s license, to zero in on a suspect who they say has ties to the Hells Angels and a prison biker gang.” In a search warrant affidavit filed in Hennepin County District Court on Monday, police asserted the suspect “hoped to instigate racial unrest.”¶

Austin Police Release Video Of Deadly Shooting Of Latino Man.¶

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The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/a2aa5e3ed3d941fca1ef7f0d8024b912?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 4, 0:30, O’Donnell, 4.37M) reported, “A new policy in Austin, Texas, has forced the police there to release video of the deadly shooting of a Black and Latino man named Michael Ramos” back in April. The video shows Ramos “getting out of his car with his hands and shirt raised. Police first shoot Ramos with a bean bag round before he gets back in his car and starts driving. That’s when Ramos was shot dead. He was later found to be unarmed. Two officers are now on administrative duty. The case won’t go to a grand jury until next year.”¶

Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of Two Protesters In Colorado.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/65b22cf4023d527652cb303f7c00d795 (7/28) reports that a man “at a weekend Colorado protest who shot and wounded two demonstrators after he apparently aimed at a Jeep driving toward protesters has been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide, authorities said.” Police in Aurora “said Samuel Young, 23, was arrested on Monday after authorities made public a picture of a person of interest in the case and sought help from the public to identify him.”¶

The Daily Caller https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/28/colorado-man-arrested-samuel-young-shooting-protests-aurora-elijah-mcclain/ (7/28, Safi, 716K) reports “the driver of the Jeep has not been arrested or identified publicly, although police seized the vehicle as evidence.” Police are “still trying to determine why the driver appeared to drive toward protesters.”¶

Biden Calls For Violent Protesters To Be “Found, Arrested And Tried.”¶

The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/28/biden-violent-protesters-should-be-arrested-and-tried/ (7/28, Nelson, 4.57M) reports Joe Biden on Tuesday “called for the arrest of violent protesters.” Striking “a discordant tone with fellow liberals who insist protests against the May killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police are peaceful, and that authorities are to blame for any violence in Portland and other cities,” Biden said, “I think we do need to hold those who violate the law accountable. We should never let what’s done in a march for equal rights overcome what the reason for the march is. And that’s what these folks are doing. And they should be arrested – found, arrested and tried.”¶

Mc.
<https://w	reports
that“more than 10	boister security at
next month's Democratic	they're concerned about a recent
directive ordering police in the city	crowds.” Since the Milwaukee order was issued last week,“more than 100 law enquiries in Wisconsin and across the country decided against coming to Milwaukee。”

Hoyer Denies Democrats Support Violent Rioters, Appears To Liken Trump To Fascists.¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/steny-hoyer-lashes-out-at-trump-accusation-that-democrats-support-rioters (7/28, Picket, 448K) reports House Majority Leader Hoyer “rejected President Trump’s assertion that Democrats condone acts of violence and criminality committed by rioters in Portland and other cities across the country.” Said Hoyer, “[He] posits that criminal behavior violence is happening with respect to the demonstrations. The assertion that any of us sanction the use of violence or the use criminal behavior in these demonstrations is absolutely untrue.” Hoyer also said, “Frankly, we have seen down¶

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through history that fascist leaders and those would-be dictators try to scare the populace into thinking that they are under some mob assault.”¶

WPost Analysis: Civilian Militia Groups Surge Amid Protests.¶

A 3,400-word Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/28/conservative-armed-militias-protests-coronavirus/ (7/28, A1, Partlow, 14.2M) report examines how this summer’s protests against racial injustice has “energiz[ed] conservatives who are deploying to the front lines of the culture war. Across the country, conservative armed civilians have surged into public view – marching on statehouses, challenging Black Lives Matter protests, chasing Internet rumors – and bringing the threat of lethal force to local politics.”¶

Miami Journalist: Latinos Should Stand Up For Their Black Neighbors.¶

Miami journalist Lizette Alvarez writes in a Washington Post¶

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/28/latinos-can-be-racist-too-my-community-shows-how/ (7/28, 14.2M) op-ed that “when the Black Lives Matter movement roared into South Florida,” she “was caught off guard. I hadn’t fully realized the subtle ways that racism thrives in Miami, my hometown, a place dominated by a white Latino supermajority.” In the city, Alvarez writes, “there is indifference, or outright hostility, to the Black Lives Matter movement.” She argues that “it’s certainly recent enough for Miami’s white Latinos to remember the oppression our own families overcame, and to honor them by standing up for our black neighbors today.”¶

Free Beacon: Criticisms A “Calculated Attempt To Tar Cotton’s Character.”¶

The Washington Free Beacon https://freebeacon.com/culture/why-the-left-fears-tom-cotton/ (7/28, 78K) editorializes that recent criticisms of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) over his remarks about the New York Times’ 1619 Project represent “a calculated attempt to tar Cotton’s character. The same was true when New York Times staffers raised selective outrage at Cotton’s op-ed calling for order in the streets.” Cotton, the Free Beacon writes, “should wear these latest attacks as a badge of honor.”¶

Counter-Terrorism¶

California Man Charged With Leading Online White Supremacist Group Devoted To Dylann Roof.¶

The Sacramento (CA) Bee https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article244533482.html (7/28, Stanton, 567K) reports, “An Orangevale man who has reportedly led a secret online life as leader of a neo-Nazi movement that idolizes church shooter Dylann Roof is under investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office in connection with racist graffiti and had a firearm seized earlier this month over fears that he might become a “lone wolf” attacker, court records say.” Andrew Richard Casarez, 27, “has been under investigation since December ‘regarding graffiti which appeared to be motivated by hate/race’ and became the subject of an emergency gun violence protective order after an online website identified him as an online poster in white supremacy sites known as ‘Vic Mackey,’ the purported leader of a group known as the ‘Bowl Patrol.’”¶

Pentagon Admits To Civilian Casualties In Somalia.¶

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The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/world/africa/pentagon-somalia-civilian-casualties.html (7/28, Gibbons-Neff, 18.61M) reports the Pentagon has “admitted for the third time that its bombing campaign against terrorist groups in Somalia, which has been underway for more than a decade, had caused civilian casualties there, a military report said on Tuesday.” The announcement by AFRICOM “substantiated reports by Amnesty International that a U.S. airstrike on Feb. 2 in the Somali town of Jilib killed Nurto Kusow Omar Abukar, 18, and injured her two younger sisters and grandmother.” In the report, AFRICOM Commander Gen. Stephen J. Townsend wrote, “Our goal is to always minimize impact to civilians. Unfortunately, we believe our operations caused the inadvertent death of one person and injury to three others who we did not intend to target.”¶

Counter-Intelligence¶

Former FBI Agent Strzok Publishing Book In September About Trump, Russia.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/a63cca581185eb6ae82468f173bd0e4e (7/28, Tucker) reports former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok “is releasing a book on his concerns the president could be compromised.” Publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books & Media “said in a statement that the book, ‘Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump,’ is due out September 8.” The book will offer “an insider’s view on some of the most sensational and politically freighted investigations in modern American history, including into whether the 2016 Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to sway the presidential election.” Strzok said Tuesday in a statement accompanying the book announcement, “Russia has long regarded the US as its ‘Main Enemy,’ and I spent decades trying to protect our country from their efforts to weaken and undermine us.”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/509369-former-fbi-agent-peter-strzok-releasing-a-book-on-concerns-that (7/28, Scully, 2.98M) reports the book is expected “to provide an insider’s view on some of the most notable and politically infamous investigations in modern American history, including the investigation into whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to influence the presidential election.” Also reporting on the story is Axios https://www.axios.com/former-fbi-agent-trump-strok-mueller-russia-interference-ca9b9628-8d82-4e19-a136-0a9d06bd6db8.html (7/28, Allassan, 521K).¶

Declassified Senate Intelligence Report Highlights Doubts About Steele Dossier.¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/declassified-senate-intelligence-committee-documents-showsome-in-fbi-including-comey-pushed-for-inclusion-of-steele-report-in-classified-memo (7/28, Olson, 27.59M) reports a declassified report from the Senate Intelligence Committee “released on Wednesday revealed internal conversations about the notorious Steele dossier between the FBI and CIA during the writing of an Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) on Russian election interference and potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election.” The Steele dossier was “at the center of the applications for FISA warrants against former Trump advisor Carter Page for alleged ties to Russia.” The report, the “fourth in a series of such releases by Senate Republicans, adds more detail to information previously reported by Horowitz.” The report reinforces the “deep divide regarding how much stock the IC put into the Steele information well before the three renewals of the Page FISA warrants, and that those in the FBI were rather uncritical of Steele’s reliability.”¶

The Daily Caller https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/28/cia-fbi-steele-dossier-brennan-comey/ (7/28, Ross, 716K) reports the documents “detail an intense debate between the CIA and FBI in late 2016 over the handling of¶

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information from Christopher Steele, with one CIA official telling the Senate Intelligence Committee that the former British spy’s allegations about Trump-Russia collusion were ‘very unvetted.’” Despite the CIA’s “concerns about Steele’s allegations, the FBI successfully lobbied to include his information in an Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election.” The bureau also continued “using information from Steele to conduct surveillance against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.”¶

Jarrett Says It “Makes Sense” Steele’s Source Worked At The Brookings Institution. Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/gregg-jarrett-investigation-christopher-steele-dossier-igor-danchenko (7/28, Musto, 27.59M) reports Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett “said Tuesday that the primary source for former British spy Christopher Steele’s unverified dossier working for the Brookings Institution research group ‘makes sense.’” In an interview on ‘Fox & Friends,’ Jarrett “explained that he had previously run into former Brookings Institution senior research analyst Igor Danchenko’s name several times.” He said, “I could never piece it together. Because frankly…it is so wild and stupid that Steele’s source was not from Russia but – it’s a guy in Washington, DC working for the liberal Brookings Institution. Now, it sort of makes sense because the president of Brookings at the time was Strobe Talbott: [a] long-time Hillary Clinton ally who was hoping to fuel the collusion narrative and had his own contacts with Christopher Steele.”¶

Op-Ed: A Steeley Media Silence. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-steeley-media-silence-11595977183 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. writes about the release of the key sub-source in the Steele dossier and the unwillingness of mainstream media to provide adequate coverage. The source was Russian Igor Danchenko, who studied at Louisville and Georgetown, and worked as a business and political writer, including at Brookings. He complained that media sources virtually universally ignored the new revelation despite the extreme public attention the story has received during the past three years. He argues there is something wrong with US journalism.¶

Valerie Jarrett Pressed On Obama’s Role In Russia Probe.¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/valerie-jarrett-pressed-about-obamas-role-in-russia-probe (7/28, Schultz, 27.59M) reports Fox Business Network anchor Maria Bartiromo “pressed a top aide to President Obama about what the former president knew about the launch of the Russia probe into President Trump’s 2016 campaign.” In an interview Tuesday, Bartiromo “asked Valerie Jarrett whether Obama ‘directed’ the probe into Trump campaign ties to Russia, which eventually sparked the Mueller investigation.” Jarrett, former Obama senior adviser, said, “That’s not how it works. That’s not how our investigations work. We leave that to the intelligence community to bring forward information. And the dossier – I would imagine would be one piece of a much bigger puzzle.”¶

Eisen Says In New Book Mueller Refused To Admit Trump Committed “At Least Five Chargeable Crimes.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/robert-mueller-refused-to-admit-trump-committed-at-least-five-chargeable-crimes-author (7/28, Chaitin, 448K) reports special counsel Robert Mueller “refused to admit President Trump committed at least five crimes,” according to a top lawyer for the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment fight. Norm Eisen, a former Obama adviser and US ambassador, “criticizes Mueller in his new book, ‘A Case for the American People: The United States v. Donald J. Trump,’ chastising the former FBI director for failing to go ‘all the way’ with his obstruction of justice inquiry and letting the country down.” Eisen wrote, “The refusal to admit there were at least five chargeable crimes was his shortcoming, not his lack of style. I understood his old-fashioned restraint under the special counsel regulations and typical prosecutorial standards. But he had leeway under the rules to do much, much more, and he didn’t.”¶

US Seeks To Dismiss Charges Against Ex-Twitter Employees Accused Of Spying For Saudi Arabia.¶

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The Verge https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/28/21345794/twitter-employees-saudi-arabia-spies-charges-dropped-case-dismissed (7/28, Statt, 2.05M) reports, “Two former Twitter employees who were last fall charged with spying on behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia may have charges against them dropped at the recommendation of US prosecutors.” The Verge adds, “It is unclear at this time why the US is pushing to have the case against the two men, Ahmad Abouammo and Ali Alzabarah, dismissed,” but “lawyers in San Francisco submitted the recommendation to a judge on Tuesday. It has yet to be approved. A third man, a Saudi citizen named Ahmed Almutairi, was also implicated in the operation as the recruiter who convinced Abouammo and Alzabarah to spy on Saudi dissidents using internal Twitter tools. Prosecutors are also recommending charges against him be dropped.”¶

Lawmakers Aim To Deny Visas To Chinese Spies And Their Families.¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/republicans-introduce-legislation-to-deny-visas-to-chinese-spies-and-their-families (7/28, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, “Republicans in the House and Senate are pushing legislation aimed at denying visas to foreigners who have engaged in espionage or intellectual property theft against the United States.” Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) “announced the Protecting America from Spies Act on Tuesday with a particular focus on China, a country against which the Trump administration is turning up the pressure on several fronts. Harztler introduced her version of the bill last month while Cruz dropped his in the evening on Tuesday.” According to the Examiner, “Their goal is to empower the State Department to ensure that any espionage and illicit tech-transfer activity makes one ineligible for entry into the U.S. To do so, the Republicans aim to update the Immigration and Naturalization Act because, under current law, spies from China or elsewhere who are expelled from the U.S. are still allowed to then reapply for visas to regain entry.”¶

Report: US To Order Drastic Reduction In Chinese Diplomats.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/us-china-standoff-trump-administration-order-reduc/ (7/28, Gertz, 492K) reports exclusively that the Administration is “preparing to order China to sharply reduce the number of diplomats posted in the United States to levels equal to the number of American diplomats stationed in China, senior State Department officials said.” The official said the move “seeks in part to reduce the burden on FBI counterintelligence agents, who in recent months have devoted 2,000 special agents to catching Chinese spies and their agents.”¶

Op-Ed: The New “Cold War” Between The US And China Is A Dangerous Myth.¶

In an op-ed in the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/28/new-cold-war-between-us-china-is-dangerous-myth/ (7/28, 14.2M) reports former DNI Dan Coats writes, “China dominates current discussions of foreign policy, primarily because it poses the greatest challenges to our national interests. But China also dominates the discussion because the Covid-19 pandemic emerged there, a fact that has become a major theme in the President Trump’s campaign for reelection. The trade relationship seems to be deteriorating along with the political relationship.” He concludes, “Policies by the US and our allies must be aimed at expanding the diplomatic and political space to work these issues creatively and productively. … And it will also require the rebuilding of alliance cohesion and multilateral institutions capable of responding to China’s long-term strategic vision with policies of comparable coherence and strength. Only the US can forge those tools. Our allies and other like-minded nations are beginning to recognize the threats China poses to our common future.”¶

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Singapore Spy Case Stirs Fears China Recruiting On Island State.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-spy-singapore/singapore-spy-case-reawakens-fears-china-cruiting-on-island-state-idUSKCN24T0ZV (7/28, Geddie, Aravindan) reports the case of a Singaporean “caught spying for China in the US has reawakened fears over China recruiting intelligence assets on an island state which has won trust among Western governments while keeping on good terms with Beijing.” Jun Wei Yeo, “a 39-year-old academic who also goes by the name Dickson Yeo, pleaded guilty in a US court on Friday to acting as an illegal agent of Chinese intelligence.” He will be “sentenced in October and faces up to 10 years in prison.” Singapore’s home ministry “said in a brief statement on Sunday that it had been aware of Yeo’s case since his arrest by US authorities in November, and he is receiving consular assistance.” Court documents “show Yeo was lured into becoming a Chinese asset four years earlier while attending a forum in Beijing to give a presentation on Southeast Asian politics.”¶

Revised Missile Pact With US To Facilitate South Korean Spy Satellite.¶

Reuters <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-rocket/revised-missile-pact-with-us-to-facilitate south-korean-spy-satellite-idUSKCN24T136> (7/28, Shin) reports Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Hyunchong “said on Tuesday. South Korea and the US have agreed to revise their joint missile guidelines to facilitate South Korea’s plans to build a spy satellite by easing rules on rocket propellants.” Under the current guidelines, “last amended in 2017, South Korea cannot build rockets using solid-fuel engines, posing a setback for its plans to develop a military spy satellite by the late 2020s.” Kim “said at a briefing in Seoul that the change in the propellant rules took effect on Tuesday.” He said, “This revision would allow us to have an unblinking eye that monitors the Korean peninsula 24/7. If we fire low-altitude launch vehicles based on our own solid fuel propellant as planned, it would dramatically improve our military’s reconnaissance capabilities.”¶

University Of Texas Says Researchers Will Be Contacted By FBI About China Contacts.¶

KXAN-TV https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/ut-researchers-will-be-contacted-by-fbi-about-chinese-government-efforts-university-says/ Austin, TX (7/28, Powell, 495K) reports from Austin, Texas, “Monday evening, faculty, graduate and postdoctoral students at the University of Texas at Austin were sent a message from university leaders alerting them that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation will be contacting researchers regarding efforts the Chinese government may have taken to illegally obtain research from American universities. This is ‘including coronavirus vaccine research.’” KXAN-TV adds, “UT Austin researchers are working on projects to further expedite the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. University leaders said this is part of a ‘national situation’ that may impact some in UT’s research community. They explained the FBI told UT last week that because of the recently ordered closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston, the bureau will be ‘contacting UT researchers about the role of the Consulate and efforts by the Chinese government to illegally procure research.’”¶

Rubio Doubts IC Global Threats Hearing Will Happen This Year.¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/rubio-intelligence-hearing-security-385091 (7/28, Matishak, 4.29M) reports acting Senate Intelligence Chair Marco Rubio (R-FL) “raised doubts Tuesday that the panel will hold a public session on global threats facing the US this year, citing increased partisanship over the nation’s intelligence apparatus.” Rubio said, “I’m not sure we’re going to have one, especially after the letters over the last ten days, seeing this sort of heavy politicization of it.” He was referring to “a war of words that¶

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erupted between congressional Democrats and the Trump Administration and Republicans after the nation’s top counterintelligence official issued a warning about election interference.” Rubio added, “It’s become harder to get to an agreement on a forum that doesn’t turn into a political circus. Why would a career professional intelligence official, at any level at this point, want to be dragged into being turned into a political pretzel to further the narrative of one side or the other?”¶

Russian Intelligence Services Spreading Coronavirus Disinformation.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/politics/russia-disinformation-coronavirus.html (7/28, Barnes, Sanger, 18.61M) reports “Russian intelligence services have been spreading disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, according to newly declassified intelligence, material that demonstrates how Moscow is continuing to try to influence Americans as the election draws closer.” The Hill http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/509467-declassified-intel-says-russia-is-spreading-coronavirus-disinformation (7/28, Wise, 2.98M) reports the campaign reportedly includes “the dissemination of news articles with unfounded claims about the virus’s origins and how Moscow and the US have responded to it, among other things.” The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-07-28/us-officials-tellap-russia-spreading-virus-disinformation (7/28, Tucker) reports US officials “said Tuesday Russian intelligence services are using a trio of English-language websites to spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, seeking to exploit a crisis that America is struggling to contain ahead of the presidential election in November.” US government officials “said two Russians who have held senior roles in Moscow’s military intelligence service known as the GRU have been identified as responsible for a disinformation effort meant to reach American and Western audiences.”¶

Criminal Investigations¶

Kansas City Man Charged In Beating Death.¶

The Kansas City (MO) Star https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article244552912.html (7/28, Nozicka, 549K) reports, “A Kansas City man was charged Tuesday in the June beating of a victim found dead in the middle of a street in northeast Kansas City, according to court records.” Antoine Cotton, 42, “was charged with second-degree murder in the June 15 killing of 51-year-old Hoang Dinh, who was found in the 3600 block of Thompson Avenue with severe trauma to his head. Police were assisted with surveillance in the case by FBI agents assigned to Operation LeGend, a new federal anti-crime initiative, according to charging documents.”¶

Federal Prosecutors Oppose Maxwell’s Effort To Name Epstein Victims.¶

The New York Daily News https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-ghislaine-maxwell-victims-named-20200728-d36y2lh7l5b6vjlfktjn4zdhve-story.html (7/28, Brown, 2.52M) reports, “Federal prosecutors slammed Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘absurd’ effort Tuesday to name the underage girls she’s accused of grooming for Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse.” According to the Daily News, “Maxwell’s legal team says they should be allowed to identify women who have previously spoken publicly about the British socialite’s alleged role recruiting girls into Epstein’s trafficking scheme. Prosecutors have not named any of the women they consider victims of Maxwell’s sex abuse trap. In a new filing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Rossmiller wrote that it was important to maintain that anonymity. ‘The Government has repeatedly asked defense counsel to explain how or why it would need to publicly name victims of sexual abuse to prepare for trial, and the defense repeatedly has declined to do so, presumably because the argument borders on the absurd,’ Rossmiller wrote in Manhattan Federal Court.”¶

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Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty To Forced Labor.¶

The Chicago Sun-Times https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/7/28/21345615/woman-accused-keeping-guatemalan-immigrants-home-admits-forced-labor (7/28, Seidel, 875K) reports, “A woman accused last year of keeping ‘enslaved’ Guatemalan immigrants in her squalid Cicero home pleaded guilty Tuesday to forced labor.” Concepcion Malinek, 50, “admitted through her lawyer that she helped several people enter the United States between 2009 and 2014, only to charge them fees and demand payment while threatening to have them deported. She also helped some of them obtain fraudulent IDs. In one case, she admitted she offered to help a Guatemalan citizen enter the United States illegally for $8,000 before increasing and adding fees for ‘additional services.’ Robert Rascia, Malinek’s attorney, said Malinek let that person stay at her home while she paid off the debt.”¶

FBI Agent Shoots Suspect In Arkansas.¶

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/jul/28/fbi-agent-shoots-suspect-west-little-rock/ (7/28, 307K) reports that a FBI agent “shot and wounded a suspect near a west Little Rock discount store” on Tuesday. FBI spokesman Connor Hagan “did not give the condition of the suspect but he did say the agent was uninjured.”¶

The Arkansas Times https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2020/07/28/shooting-involving-fbi-agent-underinvestigation-on-stagecoach-road (7/28, 70K) reports that Arkansas police “blocked a portion of Stagecoach Road in the 9100 block near Interstate 430 for an investigation of an apparent vehicle crash and a shooting involving an FBI agent.”¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arkansas/articles/2020-07-28/fbi-agent-involved-in-shooting-in-little-rock-1-injured (7/28) reports that a FBI team will “investigate the incident and turn over its findings to the Justice Department or local prosecutors, or both.”¶

Local sources include KATV-TV Little Rock (AR) http://katv.com/news/local/little-rock-fbi-police-on-scene-of-situation Little Rock, AR (7/28, KATV, 137K), KTHV-TV Little Rock (AR)¶

https://www.thv11.com/article/news/crime/fbi-little-rock-agent-involved-in-shooting-subject-injured/91-ca752449-25e2-45f0-992f-1e5fe0a3dbde Little Rock, AR (7/28, 63K), and KARK-TV¶

https://www.kark.com/news/local/news/people-concerned-after-fbi-agent-involved-shooting-on-stagecoachrd/ Little Rock, AR (7/28).¶

Continuing Coverage: Colorado Police Officers Shot In Line Of Duty.¶

The Denver Post https://www.denverpost.com/2020/07/28/two-aurora-police-officers-and-a-suspect-shot-in-exchange-of-gunfire-remain-in-hospitals/ (7/28, 720K) reports in continuing coverage about the shooting of two Aurora police officers, who “were on assignment with the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force” and “were following an armed-robbery suspect.” Aurora police spokesman Matthew Longshore did not identify the officers, but he said that they were not critically injured.¶

Ohio Man Faces Murder Charges.¶

The Xenia (OH) Daily Gazette <https://www.xeniagazette.com/top-stories/49813/xenia-man-faces-federal-¶

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murder-charges> (7/28) reports that a federal grand jury “charged Joshua Cordell Lee Williams, 19, with firearms-related murder and possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.” Court documents “show on Jan. 21, 2020, Williams met with four individuals in Wilmington to sell them marijuana,” but a struggle “ensued between the individuals” and Williams “fired the weapon, shooting the victim, Layne Hall, in the chest and fatally injuring him.”¶

Utah Sex Offender Arrested.¶

Deseret (UT) News https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/7/28/21345034/registered-sex-offender-about-to-be-arrested-attempts-escape-police-say (7/28, 308K) reports Utah sex offender Brandon Albert Larson “was arrested Monday and formally charged Tuesday in 7th District Court with 60 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a second-degree felony; three counts of assault by a prisoner, escape and evidence tampering, all third-degree felonies; interfering with an arresting officer, drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, all class B misdemeanors.” The investigation “began in June when the Utah Attorney General’s Office and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children notified Emery County sheriff’s detectives of possible child pornography being uploaded to a cellphone.”¶

FBI Agents Searching Home Of Tennessee State Senator.¶

WHBQ-TV https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/local/fbi-agents-sent-home-state-sen-katrina-robinson-agency-confirms/66TXQQXHH5B5HI6OUMRAB7GGMY/ Memphis, TN (7/28, 23K) reports that the FBI “confirmed to FOX13 that agents were sent to the home of [Tennessee] State Sen. Katrina Robinson Tuesday morning.” The FBI “would not say why they were at Robinson’s home and referred all questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”¶

South Carolina Man Sentenced Over Firearms Charge.¶

The Lexington County (SC) Chronicle https://www.lexingtonchronicle.com/news/lexington-man-sentenced-6-years-federal-prison-firearms-charge (7/28, 20K) reports United States Attorney Peter M. McCoy, Jr., “announced Tuesday that Demarcus Deon Booker, 34, of Lexington, was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.” Evidence “presented to the court showed that federal law prohibited Booker from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior convictions, including a 2006 assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and a 2012 possession with intent to distribute marijuana.”¶

FBI Investigating Murder Of Illinois Teenager.¶

The Chicago Sun-Times https://chicago.suntimes.com/crime/2020/7/28/21345088/vernado-jones-reward-murder-shooting-gun-violence-englewood (7/28, 875K) reports that the FBI “is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the gunmen in an Englewood shooting that killed four people, including 14-year-old Vernado Jones Jr.” Jones “was shot in the back on Independence Day when four gunmen walked up to a gathering at 61st and Carpenter and opened fire, striking eight people.”¶

Oklahoma Man Arrested Over Fatal Shooting.¶

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The Tulsa (OK) World <https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/suspect-sought-by-tpd-fbi-in-east tulsa-shooting-arrested/article_d00fbccb-91bc-55f3-99a9-0418e802c758.html> (7/28, 205K) reports Kyle Sago, who “was sought as the suspect after a man was shot dead outside a home in the 18500 block of East First Street about 6:30 p.m. Saturday,” was arrested on Monday. He “was booked into the Tulsa County jail and is being held without bond on a hold for the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”¶

KOTV-TV https://www.newson6.com/story/5f200a24a717d00d80c58784/tulsa-murder-suspect-arrested-fbi-investigation-underway Tulsa, OK (7/28, Griffin, 108K) reports that the victim “was a Cherokee Nation citizen, and because of the recent Supreme Court ruling, the FBI was given the case.”¶

Kansas Men Charged In Connection To Kidnapping.¶

KOAM-TV https://www.koamnewsnow.com/two-men-charged-in-violent-kidnapping-in-neosho/ Pittsburg, KS (7/28) reports Freddie Lewis Tilton and Alvin Dale Boyer “were charged in federal court today for kidnapping a woman” in July 2020. The case “was investigated by the FBI, the Neosho, Mo., Police Department, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).”¶

Continuing Coverage: Colorado Man Charged With Assault.¶

The Arvada (CO) Press https://arvadapress.com/stories/hate-crime-charge-filed-in-lakewood-attack,313186 (7/28) reports in continuing coverage about the investigation into Eric Breemen, who “is accused of hitting [Lakhwant] Singh with his car in April.” Breeman “was originally charged with six felonies, including attempted murder, first-degree assault for extreme indifference, first-degree assault for causing serious bodily injury, leaving a scene involving serious bodily injury, vehicular assault and violating bail bond conditions.”¶

Investigation In Kentucky Results In Drug Charges For 14 Individuals.¶

The Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2020/07/28/feds-charge-14-violent-gang-drug-ring/5518492002/ (7/28, Kachmar, 368K) reports US Attorney Russell Coleman announced on Tuesday that an investigation involving the FBI apprehended members of a gang that allegedly distributed illegal drugs in Louisville. The article says that as a result of the operation, “14 individuals were charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone and methamphetamine.” An online WHAS-TV http://www.whas11.com/article/news/crime/14-indicted-on-drug-trafficking-charges-in-louisville/417-095abda5-211d-4170-b510-a16be06f1126 Louisville, KY (7/28, 99K) article says the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Louisville Metro Police Department “worked together on the investigation.” The WLKY-TV https://www.wlky.com/article/live-federal-officials-to-announce-charges-related-to-drugs-louisville-gang-activity/33446685 Louisville, KY (7/28, 79K), WDRB-TV https://www.wdrb.com/news/feds-charge-14-suspects-in-alleged-louisville-gang-related-drug-conspiracy-3-on-the-loose/article_34b33b5-cd0f5-11ea-a824-c3f2ee11860c.html Louisville, KY (7/28, 179K), and WAVE-TV https://www.wave3.com/2020/07/28/fbi-lmpd-arrest-gang-affiliated-suspects-drug-trafficking-violent-crime-sting/ Louisville, KY (7/28, Valtierra, 34K) websites also cover this story.¶

Multi-State Drug Investigation Operation Leads To 17 Arrests.¶

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The Jackson (TN) Sun https://www.jacksonun.com/story/news/2020/07/28/operation-clear-cut-nets-17-arrestsmulti-state-drug-ring/5530797002/ (7/28, 55K) reports 17 “individuals have been charged in federal court with operating a multi-state drug trafficking organization in West Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi.” The article highlights the FBI’s involvement with the investigation of this case.¶

Georgia Man Arrested For Methamphetamine Trafficking.¶

The Covington (GA) News https://www.covnews.com/news/crime/career-criminal-behind-bars-butts-county/ (7/28, 22K) reports Andy Kirk Davis, who “is a member of the ‘Ghost Face Gangsters’ gang,” was arrested Tuesday by the Butts County Sheriff’s Department with support from the FBI. Sheriff Gary Long “said his agents purchased more than 500 grams of meth from Davis in Butts, Newton and Putnam counties.”¶

New York Man Sentenced For Drug Trafficking.¶

WNYT-TV https://wnyt.com/saratoga-county-ny/news/francisco-alarcon-badillo-former-saratoga-race-courseworker-sentenced-for-drug-trafficking/5809444/?cat=10114 Albany, NY (7/28, 37K) reports Francisco Alarcon Badillo, who “was convicted of selling crystal meth,” was “sentenced in federal court Tuesday to five years in prison for drug trafficking.” The FBI supported the investigation.¶

Police Investigating 2011 Disappearance Of North Carolina Man.¶

The Charlotte (NC) Observer https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/northcarolina/article244400877.html (7/28, 470K) reports that the Northampton County Sheriff’s Department “combed the farm across from Daniel Moses’ old house, covering 65 acres with a cadaver dog,” as part of a new push to solve the reason behind Moses’ disappearance in 2011. Moses’ family has asked the FBI to investigate, but the agency has not committed to do so.¶

Michigan Police Reopening Investigation Into 1967 Cold Case.¶

WZZM-TV https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/ottawa-county/authorities-hope-cgi-can-help-id-1967-cold-case-murder-victim/69-a4a7c223-637d-4ff1-9bca-4959e1912165 Grand Rapids, MI (7/28, 73K) reports Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office will exhume the unidentified body of a woman found dead in 1967 in an effort to finally identify her. She “is believed to have been between 16 and 21 years of age, around 5-foot-7 and between 90 and 100 pounds at the time of death.”¶

WHTC-AM https://whtc.com/news/articles/2020/jul/28/dna-sought-in-jenny-cold-case/1043931/ Holland, MI (7/28, Inc., 399) reports that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children “is providing resources, including forensic anthropology, to further this investigation.”¶

FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery.¶

The Park Ridge (IL) Herald-Advocate https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/park-ridge/ct-prh-bank-robbery-tl-0730-20200728-e2baikzprrfivmig5g27ixrob4-story.html#ed=rss_www.chicagotribune.com/arcio/rss/category/news/breaking/ (7/29, Johnson, 1.75M) reports¶

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that the FBI is investigating the July 27 robbery of Parkway Bank. The agency “is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.”¶

New Mexico Man Arrested In Connection To Bank Robbery.¶

The Brainerd (MN) Daily Dispatch https://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/crime-and-courts/6593578-Authorities-arrest-suspect-in-Garrison-bank-robbery (7/28) reports James Richard Ardito, who “was convicted of robbing the same bank over a decade ago,” was “arrested Monday, July 27, at a residence in Andover” in connection to the Deerwood Bank robbery on July 24. This case “remains an active investigation by the sheriff’s office working jointly with the FBI.”¶

Continuing Coverage: Ohio Man Accused Of Carjacking.¶

WOIO-TV https://www.cleveland19.com/2020/07/28/k-bond-man-accused-armed-carjacking-mayfield-heights-parking-lot/ Cleveland (7/28, Tullos, 68K) reports James King Belle, who “arrested for carjacking a woman’s car at gunpoint in Mayfield Heights,” was ordered held on a $75,000 bond. FBI agents “arrested Belle on July 20.”¶

Washington Drug Investigation Leads To 19 Indictments.¶

The Kent (WA) Reporter https://www.kentreporter.com/news/five-kent-residents-among-19-indicted-in-cartelconnected-drug-trafficking-conspiracy/ (7/28, Hunter, 90K) reports 19 people, including three Kent residents, have been indicted in connection with an “18-month investigation of a drug trafficking organization tied to the” Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in Mexico, which is often referred to as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Commenting on the results of the investigation, “conducted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Tacoma Resident Office in partnership with” the FBI and several other law enforcement organizations, was DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis, who stated, “The South Sound streets are safer today with the removal of this violent criminal ring that pushed heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities.”¶

Multiple New York Defendants Plead Guilty To Conspiring To Distribute Meth.¶

The Salamanca (NY) Press http://www.salamancapress.com/news/2-randolph-residents-among-10-to-plead-guilty-in-federal-meth-ring-case/article_7b0fc5e0-d0d5-11ea-a15f-af7f4f5923d2.html (7/28, Eckstrom, 5K) reports 10 defendants have pleaded guilty “to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, five grams or more of methamphetamine.” The pleas “are the result of an investigation” conducted by the DEA, the FBI and some other law enforcement organizations. The Genesee (NY) Sun https://geneseesun.com/10-defendants-plead-guilty-in-major-methamphetaine-ring-just-before-trial-was-to-begin-this-morning/ (7/28) and the Jamestown (NY) Post-Journal https://www.post-journal.com/news/page-one/2020/07/10-enter-guilty-pleas-for-role-in-meth-ring-in-jamestown-area/ (7/10, 42K) also cover this story.¶

Financial Crime & Corporate Scandals¶

Florida Man Charged With PPP Fraud.¶

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Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/07/28/feds-make-another-ppp-fraud-arrest-alleging-proceeds-used-to-buy-a-lamborghini/ (7/28, Erb, 9.71M) reports, “The Department of Justice has announced the arrest of a Florida man in connection with Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan fraud. David T. Hines, 29, of Miami, Florida, was arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining $3.9 million in PPP loans and using those funds, in part, to purchase a 2020 Lamborghini Huracan sports car. Authorities seized the $318,000 sports car and $3.4 million from bank accounts at the time of the arrest.” Forbes adds, “According to the complaint, Hines applied for approximately $13.5 million in PPP funds to pay employees. However, it’s alleged that those employees either didn’t exist or were paid a fraction of what Hines claimed. Hines’ state and bank records showed little to no payroll expense during this period.”¶

HSI Has Seized More Than $7M In COVID-19 Fraud Proceeds.¶

Fox News <https://www.foxnews.com us/homeland-security-coronavirus-fraud-counterfeit-substandard-tests> (7/28, Dorman, 27.59M) reports, “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Tuesday that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents have seized more than 900 shipments of counterfeit or substandard medical equipment and supplies – including test kits and purported treatments for COVID-19. The agency made the announcement to mark 100 days since the April launch of Operation Stolen Promise, meant to ‘protect the Homeland from the increasing and evolving threat posed by COVID-19-related fraud and criminal activity.’” Fox News adds, “In addition to the seizure of hundreds of shipments, HSI said its agents had initiated 570 criminal investigations and made 53 arrests. Agents have also seized more than $7 million in “illicit proceeds,” including $2.2 million obtained through fraud related to the CARES Act.”¶

Former Ohio Candidate Says He Was FBI Informant In Householder Probe.¶

The Cleveland Plain Dealer https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/07/former-ohio-house-candidate-reveals-he-was-fbi-informant.html (7/28, Tobias, 895K) reports from Columbus, Ohio, “A former state legislative candidate says he went to the FBI earlier this year with his concerns over the anonymously funded political ads that flooded the airwaves during his race, earning him a spot as a witness in the federal charging documents against Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and others that were unsealed last week.” Nick Owens, “a Brown County Republican and member of the State Board of Education, says he is referenced in the 81-page affidavit as ‘Individual 1.’ Individual 1 provided the FBI with information about Householder’s political operation relevant to the investigation, the affidavit says, including by detailing Householder’s secret control of a political group prosecutors said covertly received $60 million from FirstEnergy in exchange for Householder’s delivery of nuclear bailout legislation.” Owens, “a former assistant county prosecutor, said he called the FBI tip line in mid-March. He said he was connected with Blane Wetzel, the FBI special agent who ended up writing the complaint.”¶

The Cincinnati Enquirer https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20200728/this-clermont-county-republican-reported-larry-householder-to-fbi (7/28, Balmert, 223K) reports from Columbus, Ohio, “Owens, from Clermont County, knew that something wasn’t right when Householder said that he put $500,000 into the race. That included an attack ad that incorrectly accused the Democrat of abusing his elected position during a traffic stop. ‘I understand campaign finance,’ Owens told The Enquirer about the November 2018 meeting. ‘You can’t just dump in $500,000.’” The Enquirer adds, “Now, Householder, political adviser Jeff Longstreth and three GOP lobbyists are the subjects of a federal investigation into a $61 million bribery scheme to elect Householder as speaker, pass a $1.3 billion bailout for two nuclear plants and defend that legislation against a ballot effort to upend it. Part of that effort included funneling money from FirstEnergy and other donors to dark money groups, which are not required to disclose donors, and political action committees.”¶

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The Cleveland Plain Dealer https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/07/criminal-charges-against-house-speaker-larry-householder-echo-past-pay-to-play-allegations.html (7/28, Eaton, 895K) reports, “Ned Hill will never forget his first encounter with Larry Householder. During the Perry County state legislator’s first term as Speaker of Ohio’s House of Representatives, Householder visited a board meeting of an industry group that Hill was attending. ‘The ethos of “pay to play” was palpable,’ recalls Hill, an Ohio State University professor of economic development. ‘I saw him work the room, pounding people’s chests with his fingers and telling them how much their donation was going to be. It was the closest thing to a shakedown that I have ever seen.’” The Plain Dealer adds, “More than a decade before Householder’s July 21 arrest in a federal bribery probe of the state’s nuclear bailout law, Householder’s aggressive fundraising practices came under law enforcement scrutiny. But no charges resulted from that case.”¶

Former New Jersey Mayor Sentencing Delayed.¶

The Press of Atlantic City (NJ) https://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/ex-atlantic-city-mayors-sentencing-pushed-back-for-fifth-time/article_4a984612-24d4-51d7-9940-d42a2e0637c7.html (7/28, 177K) reports former Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam Jr’s sentencing “has been rescheduled to September.” His sentencing “has been pushed back five times since he pleaded guilty Oct. 3 to defrauding a youth basketball program out of more than $87,000.” The FBI investigated.¶

College Admissions Scheme Mastermind Was Working On His Own Degree Until Last Week.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/28/rick-singer-mastermind-college-admissions-scandal-grand-canyon-university-student/5524754002/ (7/28, Oldham, 10.31M) reports from Phoenix, Arizona, “The man who exploited a broken system to help wealthy parents bribe and cheat their way into sending their children to elite colleges spent the past eight months taking a familiar approach to turning his life around: education.” Rick Singer, “the consultant at the center of the largest college admissions scandal in American history, had been enrolled at Arizona’s Grand Canyon University since November 2019, according to GCU spokesperson Bob Romantic. As of July 21, Singer no longer was a student at the university, Romantic said.” Singer “had been working on a doctorate in psychology at the Phoenix-based university and had hoped to be near completion when he was sentenced sometime in 2021 or 2022, his lawyer Donald Heller said Tuesday.”¶

Watchdog At SBA Reports Having Seen Indications Of Extensive Fraud In Emergency Loan Program.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-fraud/us-watchdog-sees-signs-of-widespread-potential-fraud-in-small-business-disaster-loans-idUSKCN24T2WP (7/28, Prentice) reports, “The internal watchdog at the U.S. government agency responsible for managing COVID-19 emergency loans and grants to small business owners and nonprofits said it has found ‘strong indicators of widespread potential fraud’ in the disaster loan program.” The Office of the Inspector General at the Small Business Administration (SBA) “said it has been ‘inundated’ with contacts to investigative field offices, receiving complaints of more than 5,000 instances of suspected fraud from financial institutions receiving economic injury loan deposits through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Advance grant programs, according to a public memo on Tuesday.” SBA inspectors have commenced several probes “into reports of suspected fraud in the disaster loan program, the memo from SBA Inspector General Hannibal‘Mike’ Ware to SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza said.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/28/scathing-sba-watchdog-report-details-pervasive-fraud-coronavirus-disaster-loan-program/ (7/28, Gregg, 14.2M) reports the SBA’s office of inspector general indicated “that it has identified $250 million in taxpayer-subsidized coronavirus loan funds given to ‘potentially ineligible recipients.’” The Post adds, “Among the potentially fraudulent transactions¶

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detailed in the report are $1.9 million in pending SBA transactions made to accounts outside the United States, roughly 3,000 ‘suspicious’ transactions worth $73 million that were flagged by a banking service provider.” A credit union informed the Justice Department that of the 60 SBA deposits it received, 59 seemed to be fraudulent. The inspector general said, “We are alarmed by these reports, but they are consistent with our investigations, which indicate pervasive fraudulent activity.” The report included a response from Carranza, who “said the findings were ‘unexpected’” and challenged the contention that the SBA did not put appropriate internal controls in place. Said Carranza, “The reality is that SBA has developed and implemented a comprehensive, rigorous, end-to-end infrastructure to reduce the risk of fraud in the EIDL COVID program.”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/news/509460-sba-ig-warns-of-widespread-potential-fraud-in-economicinjury-disaster-loan (7/28, Moreno, 2.98M) says, “According to the report, nine financial institutions have reported a combined total of $187.3 million in suspected fraudulent transactions through the program.”¶

Meanwhile, the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/07/28/business/stock-market-today-coronavirus/thieves-are-targeting-small-business-relief-programs-a-watchdog-says (7/28, Cowley, 18.61M) says the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program “offers eligible companies low-interest loans and small grants.” In contrast to the Paycheck Protection Program, “the disaster program does not rely on banks to vet applicants and issue loans.” Ware “recommended ‘immediate action and attention’ to prevent further losses.” The Times adds that Ware “identified one especially glaring shortfall: The S.B.A. has no formal process for working with financial institutions to review possible fraud cases.”¶

Cyber Division¶

Republicans Raise Concerns TikTok Could Be Used By Chinese Government Interfere In Elections.¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/509463-republicans-raise-concerns-tiktok-could-be-used-by-chinese-government (7/28, Miller, 2.98M) reports a group of Republican senators “led by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Tuesday raised concerns that popular social media app TikTok could be used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to spread disinformation around US elections.” The lawmakers – who also “included Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Rick Scott (R-FL) – wrote to the FBI, the DHS and ODNI raising concerns that the app could be used by China to interfere in American elections.” Cotton and his colleagues wrote, “TikTok has become a popular forum for Americans – particularly younger Americans – to engage in political conversations. I’m greatly concerned that the CCP could use its control over TikTok to distort or manipulate these conversations to sow discord among Americans and to achieve its preferred political outcomes.” The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/republicans-concerned-tiktok-could-be-used-by-chinese-government-to-manipulate-us-elections (7/28, Neale, 448K) reports the senators “asked each agency what sort of punishment could be used by chinese-government”¶

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/republicans-concerned-tiktok-could-be-used-by-chinese-government-to-manipulate-us-elections (7/28, Neale, 448K) reports the senators “asked each agency what sort of punishment could be leveled if the app is used in disinformation campaigns during election cycles.”¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-tiktok/us-republicans-worry-china-might-use-tiktok-to-meddle-in-election-idUSKCN24T309 (7/28, Alper) reports a spokesperson for the company “said that TikTok, though not a ‘go-to’ for political news, was ‘proactively investing to safeguard our app,’ and taking cues from the experience of peers during the last election.” The person said, “TikTok already has a strict policy against disinformation, and we don’t accept political ads,” adding that “content and moderation policies are led by a California-based team and aren’t ‘influenced by any foreign government.’”¶

Op-Ed: The Cyberattack On Garmin Poses A Complicated Question For The US Government.¶

In a commentary in Slate <https://slate.com/technology/2020/07/garmin-cyberattack-ransomware-¶

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payment.html> (7/28, 1.58M), Josephine Wolff writes, “What really made the Garmin attack interesting…was the test it posed to the US government’s ongoing attempts to crack down on Russian cybercrime organizations. The ransomware that infected Garmin’s systems appeared to be a program called WastedLocker…by the Russian cybercrime group known as Evil Corp. In late 2019, the US Treasury’s OFAC announced sanctions against Evil Corp, which prohibited US individuals and firms from engaging in any transactions with them.” Wolff concludes, “The Treasury Department would now investigate what happened with Garmin and penalize the company if, in fact, it did authorize any ransom payment. But the government may be understandably wary of appearing to bully a company that has already suffered considerable losses. If, however, Garmin faces no investigation into what happened then the government will be sending a clear signal to all other cybercrime victims that its sanctions were never more than a symbolic gesture.”¶

Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Vatican Network.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/china-vatican-hack.html> (7/28, Sanger, Wong, Horowitz, 18.61M) reports Chinese hackers “infiltrated the Vatican’s computer networks in the past three months, a private monitoring group has concluded, in an apparent espionage effort before the beginning of sensitive negotiations with Beijing.” While “Chinese hackers and state authorities have often used cyberattacks to try to gather information on groups of Buddhist Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners outside China,” the Times says this “appears to be the first time” they “have been publicly caught directly hacking into the Vatican and the Holy See’s Study Mission to China.”¶

Foreign Hackers Exploit Pandemic.¶

Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2020/07/28/covid-crimes-espionage-hackers-and-whyamerica-is-vulnerable/ (7/28, Fisher, 9.71M) reports the cybercrime risks “faced by Americans working from home are just the tip of a very dangerous cyberattack iceberg.” Strong evidence indicates that “Russia, China and potentially other adversaries have been attempting to hack universities and research institution’s databases to steal potentially lifesaving Covid-19-related intellectual property.” With millions of lives and trillions of dollars at stake, the US “is in a dangerous place when it comes to vulnerabilities associated with the pandemic.” To understand just what we’re facing, Forbes interviewed Bryan Cunningham, long-time cybersecurity and privacy lawyer and Founding Executive Director of the University of California, Irvine Cybersecurity Policy & Research Institute, about “exactly what’s going on, what the focus should be, and what precautions Americans should be taking.”¶

Op-Ed: In An Evaporating OODA Loop, Time Is Of The Essence.¶

In a commentary in C4ISR & Networks https://www.c4isrnet.com/opinion/2020/07/28/in-an-evaporating-oodaloop-time-is-of-the-essence/ (7/28), Jan Kallberg, a research scientist at the Army Cyber Institute at West Point, writes, “Both the accelerated execution of cyberattacks and an increased ability to, at machine speed, identify vulnerabilities for exploitation compress the time window that cybersecurity management has to address unfolding events. … It is time to face the issue of accelerated cyber engagements.” Kallberg raises “the ‘observe, orient, decide, act’ loop and the utility of the OODA concept for cybersecurity. The OODA loop resurfaces in cybersecurity and information security managerial approaches as a structured way to address unfolding events.” Kallberg concludes, “I have no intention of being a narrative impossibilist, who presents challenges with no solutions, so the current way forward is pre-authorizations. In the near future, the human ability to play an active role in rapid engagement will be supported by artificial intelligence decision-making that executes the tactical movements.”¶

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Langevin Calls Hill Oversight On Cyber “Absolutely Essential.”¶

MeriTalk https://www.meritalk.com/articles/langevin-calls-hill-oversight-on-cyber-absolutely-essential/ (7/28, Weingarten) reports Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) – one of the pioneering policy voices in Congress on cybersecurity issues – “told MeriTalk in an exclusive interview that legislative oversight of Federal government actions in the cybersecurity arena remains ‘absolutely essential.’” Rep. Langevin, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, said, “I do believe that congressional oversight here is absolutely essential. It’s really important.” The congressman, “who co-founded the Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus in 2008 with Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), “talked about a range of a pending legislative and policy issues in a wide-ranging interview on July 24.” Asked about a July 15 Yahoo News report that “said the CIA has received White House clearance to conduct offensive cyber operations, Rep. Langevin said, “I can’t comment on that since I have not been briefed on that.” He added, “I can neither confirm nor deny that such a program exists.”¶

US Government Issues Warning To Critical Infrastructure Providers.¶

i360 Gov https://www.i360gov.com/government-energynews/2020/jul/28/amid-heightened-tensions-us-government-issues-warning-to-critical-infrastructure-providers (7/28) reports the US government on Thursday “issued a cybersecurity alert to operators of critical infrastructure, outlining ‘immediate actions’ that should be taken during a ‘time of heightened tensions’ to avoid being compromised by a cyberattack.” Recommendations include “disconnecting from the Internet any operational systems that do not need connectivity for safe and reliable operations, and planning for ‘continued manual process operations’ should the industrial control systems (ICS) become unavailable or need to be deactivated due to hostile takeover.” Security experts “say it is significant that NSA joined DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on the alert, and that the alert was not related to a specific incident.” They “said the warning could be a nod to tensions with several adversaries of the US, including Russia, China and Iran.”¶

US Army Cyber Chief Outlines Ten-year Plan For Information Warfare.¶

C4ISR & Networks <https://www.c4isrnet.com/smr/information-warfare/2020/07/28 us-army-cyber-chief-outlines-ten-year-plan-for-information-warfare/> (7/28, Pomerleau) reports the US Army’s top cyber general “has described three phases that will prepare the service for information warfare over the next decade.” Appearing in a special edition of the Cyber Defense Review, Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commander of Army Cyber Command, “provided a road map for where his organization is headed.” Fogarty “sketched out three phases Army Cyber Command will undertake over the next 10 years, with the first reaching out to mid-2021.” By that time, the command “hopes to realize the initial builds of new programs and formations, many of which have already been underway for some time.” The main effort is “the migration of ARCYBER’s headquarters from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to Fort Gordon, Georgia.” The command “uncased the colors at its new state-of-the-art headquarters attached to NSA’s Georgia division in a brief July 24 ceremony.”¶

Lindy Cameron Named New Head Of GCHQ Cyber Security Agency.¶

The Independent (UK) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/national-cyber-security-centregchq-head-lindy-cameron-a9642051.html (7/28, Sengupta, 1.36M) reports a civil servant who “has served in conflict zones including Afghanistan and Iraq, and has worked in the international development field, will be taking over as the head of one of Britain’s cyber intelligence agencies.” Lindy Cameron “will replace Ciaran¶

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Martin as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ.” She joins the NCSC “from the Northern Ireland Office where she was deputy head to the Permanent Secretary, Sir Jonathan Evans.” She had previously “served as the Director-General in charge of the Department for International Development (Dfid) programmes in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.” Cameron, a “graduate of the Ministry of Defence’s Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) served in Baghdad and Kabul for Dfid, and Helmand for the Foreign Office at particularly violent times in both conflicts.”¶

Security Magazine https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/92936-lindy-cameron-named-new-ceo-of-theuk-national-cyber-security-centre (7/28) reports Cameron will lead the “UK’s principal technical authority on cybersecurity.” Her role will include “overseeing the organization’s response to hundreds of cyber incidents each year, improving the cyber resilience of the UK’s critical national infrastructure, identifying the risks and opportunities for the UK in emerging technologies and leading the NCSC’s ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.”¶

Law Enforcement Services¶

Democrats Investigating Administration Decision To Lift Ban On Some Firearm Silencer Sales.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/gun-silencers-democrats-trump.html> (7/28, Vogel, 18.61M) reports House Democrats said Tuesday they are “investigating the Trump administration’s decision to lift a ban on firearm silencer sales to foreign private buyers that had been enacted to prevent the devices from being used against American troops.” The Times says Democrats are looking into “the involvement of Michael B. Williams, a White House lawyer” who worked for two years as general counsel of the American Suppressor Association, which “had lobbied to overturn the ban.” The removal of the ban “pav[ed] the way for as much as $250 million a year in possible new foreign sales for companies that Mr. Williams had championed.” Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), who chairs the House Oversight and Reform Committee’s subcommittee on national security issues, “sent a letter Tuesday to the White House budget office requesting documents related to the move, and Mr. Williams’s role in pushing it.”¶

WPost: Federal Consent Decree Needed To Fix Alabama’s “Grotesque” Prisons.¶

In an editorial, the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/alabamas-13-state-prisons-are-grotesque-chambers-of-horrors/2020/07/28/134d0f70-d04a-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/28, 14.2M) condemns Alabama’s state prisons for male convicts as “overcrowded, understaffed, grotesque chambers of horrors where beatings, rapes and suicides are commonplace and systematically underreported.” The Post condemns the state’s “sluggish at best” reform efforts, warning, “The culture of mismanagement and violence is too entrenched, and the corrections department lacks basic accountability policies.” The Post says that state Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) “is demonstrably less interested in fixing the prisons than in grandstanding,” exemplifying how that state government is “incapable of tackling a breakdown in its basic obligation to provide decent, safe prisons.” The Post argues that that “what may be the nation’s most mismanaged, inhumane and blood-soaked prison system” will only be fixed by “a no-nonsense consent decree, overseen by a federal court.”¶

Other FBI News¶

Lawmakers Object To FBI HQ Funding In Coronavirus Bill.¶

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The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/509420-mcconnell-wants-fbi-money-out-of-coronavirus-bill (7/28, Bolton, 2.98M) reports, “Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says he wants the $1.75 billion in funding for a new FBI headquarters in downtown Washington removed from the GOP’s coronavirus relief package.” The Hill adds, “Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, McConnell said he hopes that provision and other ‘non-germane’ items will be removed from the legislation before it’s sent to President Trump’s desk. ‘I am opposed to non-germane amendments, whether it’s funding for the FBI building or, for example, in the House bill, whether it’s a tax cut for high-income earners in blue states or other non-germane amendments in the House bill like marijuana studies or aid to illegal immigrants,’ McConnell told reporters after GOP senators met for lunch with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who are involved in negotiations with congressional Democrats on the COVID-19 package.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-no-room-for-new-fbi-building-invirus-aid-bill/2020/07/28/c1201de6-d12f-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html (7/28, Daly, 14.2M) reports, “McConnell told reporters he opposes inclusion of the FBI money and all other measures not related to the government’s response to the virus. ‘When we get to the end of the process, I would hope all of the non-COVID-related measures are out,’ McConnell said. ‘No matter what bills they were in at the start.’” McConnell’s comments “came after Democrats accused Trump of self-dealing with his push on the FBI building, which sits across the street from a downtown hotel that Trump owns on Pennsylvania Avenue, blocks from the White House. The Trump International Hotel could face competition if the FBI moves from the site and another hotel is developed on the property.” The Post adds, “Before running for office, Trump expressed interest in redeveloping the FBI property himself, and he has taken a strong personal interest in the effort to rebuild the headquarters.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/republicans-trump-fbi-building-virus-relief-bill.html> (7/28, Rogers, Cochrane, 18.61M) reports that McConnell “looked startled on Monday when first asked why Republicans had agreed to a White House demand that $1.75 billion for a new F.B.I. building be tucked into their emergency coronavirus relief bill,” and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) “the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, framed the item as a Trump administration priority, not a Republican one. Other Republicans were more blunt. ‘I don’t know – that makes no sense to me’ said Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of President Trump’s. ‘I’d be fine, OK, with stripping it out.’” The Times adds, “By Tuesday afternoon, another chapter in Mr. Trump’s long, strange and, to his critics, ethically questionable odyssey to personally shape the future of the J. Edgar Hoover Building seemed headed to a close as Republicans distanced themselves from key elements of their own coronavirus relief bill.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/white-house-sought-funds-fbi-building-in-gop-stimulus-bill/5526978002/ (7/28, King, Bailey, 10.31M) reports, “White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters on Capitol Hill that a new headquarters is a ‘pressing need.’ While he defended its inclusion, Meadows said it won’t be an obstacle to passage of another relief bill. ‘There are a number of things in the last bill that had nothing to do with the coronavirus,’ he said. ‘I think everybody acknowledges that it’s a funding mechanism. And I don’t see it standing in the way of us getting a deal.’”¶

NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/inclusion-fbi-building-coronavirus-relief-proposal-frustrates-republicans-n1235139 (7/28, Caldwell, 6.14M) reports, “A new FBI headquarters has been in the works for more than a decade and was slated to move from its current downtown location to a yet-to-be determined site in the Washington suburbs of Maryland or Virginia.” The “plans to move the headquarters were abruptly scuttled but an Inspector General report that found that top officials at the General Services Administration, which oversaw the selection of the new headquarters, met with the president multiple times, misrepresented the cost of rebuilding on the current FBI site and misled Congress about the project. Critics say the president was concerned about an abandoned FBI building at the current location that could be transitioned into a commercial venture and provide competition for his hotel.”¶

CNN https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/politics/mcconnell-stimulus-fbi-building-funding/index.html (7/28, Foran, Barrett, 83.16M) reports, “A number of Senate Republicans have expressed opposition to the provision and Republicans pushed administration officials Tuesday during their private lunch as to why the money was¶

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included in the bill, which members argued wasn’t even related to coronavirus.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/6c50a1b700fa4f8227d6777c00076a76 (7/28, Daly) reports, “Before running for office, Trump expressed interest in redeveloping the FBI property himself, and he has taken a strong personal interest in the effort to rebuild the headquarters. ‘They don’t have money for food stamps, but they have money for an FBI building just so that they can diminish competition for the president’s hotel,’ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday night. ‘More than 150,000 Americans have died from coronavirus, millions are unemployed … and Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump are more concerned about protecting Trump Hotel. That is shameful,’ said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.” Also reporting are NPR https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896372953/senate-gop-balks-at-white-house-push-for-new-fbi-hq-in-covid-relief-bill (7/28, Snell, 3.12M), Federal News Network https://federalnewsnetwork.com/facilities-construction/2020/07/senate-republicans-walk-away-from-fbi-headquarters-funding-in-pandemic-spending-bill/ (7/28, Heckman, 220), the Wall Street Journal <https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-push-for-fbi-building-funds in-coronavirus-relief-package-sparks-opposition-confusion-11595952413> (7/28, Parti, Wise, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/509393-senate-gop-criticizes-inclusion-of-fbi-funding-in-coronavirus-bill (7/28, Carney, 2.98M), and Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-28/trump-s-bid-for-fbi-building-money-draws-bipartisanscorn (7/28, House, Litvan, 4.73M).¶

Judge Says Finicum Lawsuit Against Oregon Authorities May Proceed, But Not Against FBI.¶

The Oregonian https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2020/07/civil-suit-stemming-from-robert-lavoy-finicums-death-should-proceed-against-state-troopers-not-fbi-or-governor-judge-rules.html (7/28, Bernstein, 1M) reports, “A wrongful death civil suit can proceed against the Oregon State Police stemming from the 2016 fatal shooting of refuge occupation spokesman Robert ‘LaVoy’ Finicum, but allegations against the FBI, federal Bureau of Land Management, Oregon’s governor and Harney County should be thrown out, a federal judge has recommended.” US Magistrate Judge Patricia Sullivan “made the findings in a 73-page ruling that now goes before a district judge, who can accept the findings, reject them or issue a separate decision.” Jeanette Finicum “filed the lawsuit against the FBI, Oregon State Police, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and others in the fatal shooting of her 54-old husband, a rancher from Arizona who became the spokesman for the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon.”¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/orregon/articles/2020-07-28/federal-judge-limits-wrongful-death-lawsuit-to-oregon-police (7/28) reports from Portland, Oregon, “A federal district judge now must decide whether to accept, reject or modify Sullivan’s recommendation.” Finicum “was shot in Jan. 2016 by state police officers after he fled an attempted police stop while he and other occupation leaders were heading to a meeting in a neighboring county. Law enforcement officers used a road block to stop his vehicle, and police said Finicum had reached inside his jacket for a gun when he was shot. Jeanette Finicum’s lawsuit contends he was shot ‘assassination style’ by improperly trained ‘militarized officers of the Oregon State Police and/or FBI’ as he was trying to drive to the neighboring county to seek the protection of Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer. Jeaneatte Finicum also said in the lawsuit that Gov. Kate Brown was also responsible for her husband’s death in part by authorizing the participation of state police and the police stop.”¶

Other Washington News¶

White House Task Force Now Lists 21 States In “Red Zone.”¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/world/coronavirus-covid-19.html (7/28, 18.61M) says “a new federal report found that the number of states with outbreaks serious enough to place them in the¶

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‘red zone’ had grown to 21, and urged officials in them to impose more restrictions.” The 21 states “were placed there because they had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 people in the past week. Three more states were added to the most serious category since a similar report dated July 14: Missouri, North Dakota and Wisconsin.” The findings in the new report, “which contained profiles of each state, were sent to state officials by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.”¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/fauci-says-there-are-early-signs-coronavirus-outbreaks-are-brewing-in-ohio-indiana-kentucky-and-tennessee.html (7/28, Higgins-Dunn, 3.62M) reports on its website that on Tuesday, NIAID Director Fauci said there are “early signs that a coronavirus outbreak could be brewing in Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky. The so-called positivity rate, or the percentage of tests run that are positive, appears to be rising in those states – an early indication that the outbreak is worsening, Fauci said. … ‘That’s a surefire sign that you’ve got to be really careful,’” Fauci told ABC.¶

Norah O’Donnell said on the CBS Evening News¶

Norah O'Donnell said on the CBS Evening News

<https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/29dd003409e84905a0cb67405d91081a?pubid=fbi>(7/28, lead story,4:40,4.37M) reported,“With the death toll from coronavirus closing in on 150,000 Americans, it now appears the outbreak is growing so rapidly nationwide, nearly half of all states are in what the White House calls the 'red zone.'"David Muir said on ABC World News Tonight

<https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/622e26f38c4d4a138fe8d9314a45d4c8?pubid=fbi>(7/28, lead story,4:40,7.32M),“As they continue to battle the virus in the South, there are early indicators tonight it might be reappearing in some states in the North.The death toll continues to climb, more than 148,000 lives lost in the US,and a grim new report from Florida:a record 191 deaths in just 24 hours,more than 9,000 more positive cases.”Lester Holt said in opening NBC Nightly News

<https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/fe422532e43b413296ecb91fdd76902a?pubid=fbi>(7/28, lead story,2:55,6.05M),“It was just over three months ago President Trump predicted the US would lose 50 to 60,000 people from coronavirus.He wasn't even close.Tonight,the death toll has climbed over 150,000.”

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/coronavirus-cases-on-the-rise-in-the-midwest-as-they-ebb-in-the-sun-belt/2020/07/28/710e86ca-d10d-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html (7/28, Morello, 14.2M) reports, “As new coronavirus infections appeared to plateau in the Sun Belt but creep up in the Midwest, governors and local authorities imposed additional restrictions Tuesday.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/states-charting-own-paths-in-coronavirus-reclosings-11595928601 (7/28, Mann, Prang, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that states in the US are examining their own coronavirus indicators when making decisions about reclosing parts of their economies amid the pandemic. States are mostly making decisions on restaurant dining and large social gatherings on their own.¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/883d01533cff4f81ab4eab202afeb59b?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 2, 3:00, Holt, 6.05M) reported Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) “is talking about whether a further lockdown is required to arrest a recent surge in COVID cases,” while the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/coronavirus-texas-funeral-homes.html (7/28, Sandoval, 18.61M) reports that “in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where a surge of virus cases has set off a flood of deaths this month, funeral homes – like hospitals – are overloaded and struggling to carry out basic services and keep up with the expanding crisis.”¶

Pence Credits Trump For Vaccine Progress.¶

Vice President Pence said on Fox News’ The Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_-XRHM10oM (7/28), “A vaccine usually takes years to develop, but what President Trump did early on was to say we need to clear any red tape barriers.” He added, “We have great confidence that by this fall we will have a vaccine. The really exciting thing is that under Operation Warp Speed, we are literally producing those vaccines right now.”¶

FDA Commissioner Hahn said on WIOD-FM¶

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https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/8cdb7da86ac644dcb8e11c49dbadcacf?pubid=fbi Miami (7/28, 439), “I think if everything broke right, the timetable by end of this year, early next year could be met.” Asked about speculation that the Administration is trying to rush a vaccine to influence the presidential election, Hahn said, “I want to assure the American people this is being done with the utmost scientific and medical rigor. … We have world-class scientists at the FDA, the best in the world. They are not…going to do anything than use the best judgment around the science and the data.” CDC Director Redfield said on KOCO-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/d676b135f3bc468da361af56fb5c72d7?pubid=fbi Oklahoma City (7/28, 33K), “The countermeasure of a vaccine is on the horizon. You heard this week we had two large Phase 3 trials begin. Next week, I think there will be a third. We are on a very rapid pace to develop a vaccine. I think it is reasonable that we may have an approved vaccine before the end of this year.”¶

Moderna Tests Vaccine In Monkeys. The New York Times¶

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/health/coronavirus-moderna-vaccine-monkeys.html (7/28, Grady, 18.61M) reports monkeys given the Moderna coronavirus vaccine “and then deliberately infected were able to fight off the virus, quickly clearing it from their lungs, researchers reported on Tuesday.” The findings “do not guarantee that the vaccine will perform the same way in people, but the results are considered encouraging and a milestone in the struggle against the pandemic.”¶

Azar Says US Performing 800K Tests Per Day.¶

HHS Secretary Azar said on KLIF-AM https://omny.fm/shows/klif-news-information-in-the-morning/alexazar-stimulus-reaction-and-how-bout-them-cowb Dallas (7/28, 2K), “On testing, we are now doing 800,000 tests a day in the United States. That is what all of these public health experts were talking about, the talking heads on TV, back many months ago, saying was the ultimate goal. We are now there. We would like to see faster turnaround on it.”¶

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said on WTAM-AM¶

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said on WTAM-AM https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/358f264408ea48138fe7256d16f7593c?pubid=fbi Cleveland (7/28, 12K), “About half the results on that we have in your state and every other state are either point-of-care, meaning 15 minutes or so done like in a local hospital, which is generally within one shift or 24 hours. It is the big commercial labs that have started to get backed up. … We are trying to get that down, particularly in nursing home.” Giroir was also interviewed on WIBC-FM https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/2ca1aad723394e2ab2facccf521b6a1a?pubid=fbi Indianapolis (7/28, 6K).¶

Wilkie: VA Nursing Homes Have Just Two Current COVID Cases.¶

WJHL-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/0dc85671e05c4eb99b78f6cbb0be88f2?pubid=fbi Johnson City, TN (7/28, 41K) reported that according to VA Secretary Wilkie, “the number of patients in VA nursing homes nationwide who currently have the virus can be counted on one hand.” Wilkie: “We have two veterans who are positive in our nursing homes out of 7,500. That’s because we took emergency measures early on.”¶

Birx Meets With Virginia Officials About Coronavirus Mitigation.¶

WWBT-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/90de7a99a4d549bbb8c8d484cc830794?pubid=fbi Richmond, VA (7/28, 29K) reported White House Coronavirus Task Force Response Coordinator Deborah Birx visited Richmond Tuesday to meet with Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and state health officials. Birx “gave¶

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some recommendations to possibly help mitigate this upward trend in numbers. Among those recommendations: 100% mask wearing by everyone in public. She also suggested that Virginians avoid going to bars and limiting groups to 10 or less.” WTVR-TV¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/a1e41d54e02b409d97d4fa61093a71e5?pubid=fbi Richmond, VA (7/28, 24K) reported that Birx “also touched on ways to improve test turnaround times, which can sometimes take more than a week.” Birx: “Many tests have moved toward the South to provide more rapid diagnosis in their critical situation. I think though we do need incredibly additional help from our university structure.”¶

WRIC-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/29ee3776f1a44a219681a3a38497383a?pubid=fbi Richmond (VA)‘s 8 News at 6PM (7/28, 54K) reported that Northam “is taking [Birx’s] advice, but not all of it.” Birx “told the governor to go further to prevent the kind of surges we’re seeing in other states.” Birx: “What always worries me is if there are people who have gone to the Virginia Beach area or the Portsmouth area or the Hampton area and unknowingly bring that virus back.”¶

Kodak Lands $765M Federal Loan For Pharmaceutical Manufacture.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/coronavirus-trump-addresses-media-congress-debates-new-stimulus/5525204002/ (7/28, Fritze, Subramanian, 10.31M) reports President Trump “returned to the briefing room Tuesday to tout his administration’s deal with camera company Kodak to manufacture pharmaceuticals.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/kodak-lands-765-million-u-s-loan-in-start-of-medical-supply-chain-fix-11595930400 (7/28, Levy, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Kodak has been awarded a $765 million government loan through the Defense Production Act, to help improve domestic production of drugs to treat a variety of medical conditions and decrease US dependence on foreign supply chains. The company is preparing to develop ingredients for generic drugs as the US seeks to shift its reliance from countries like China and India. The official White House Twitter account said https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1288234814181703681 , “We are building the greatest medical arsenal in history!”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-reroutes-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-from-china-to-new-york-kodak-plant (7/28, Doyle, 448K) reports, “A new division, Kodak Pharmaceuticals, is expected to create 350 jobs, senior administration officials said during a call with reporters Tuesday.” The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/donald-trump-doles-out-765m-loan-kodak-make-drug-i/ (7/28, Howell, 492K) says Trump “has made domestic manufacturing one of the linchpins of his agenda. However, the pandemic exposed the extent to which the U.S. still relies on China, India and other countries with lax labor and environmental standards to produce its goods, medicines and health supplies.”¶

Appearing on Fox Business’ Mornings With Maria <https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6175831509001/? playlist_id=937116503001#sp=show-clips> (7/28), Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Navarro said, “This project with Kodak is going to be amazing. And it started with the President months ago telling my office, ‘Hey, we need to bring those supply chains back.’ And then he made a critical creative decision, when he signed an executive order that enabled the Development Finance Corporation…to figure out ways to finance bringing those supply chains home.” WROC-TV¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/c44b7ea8f92a483899738ac7b426a472?pubid=fbi Rochester, NY (7/28, 24K) reported that Navarro “says this will help with American pharmaceutical independence.” WHEC-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/5c7d86adcbb54203a7de27c86210fd23?pubid=fbi Rochester, NY (7/28, 26K) showed Navarro saying, “And by the way, raise wages in the process because we’ll be more productive. That’s the beauty of the American Way here.”¶

Twitter Removes Trump Retweet Of Video With Controversial COVID Claims.¶

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David Muir said on ABC World News Tonight¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/9e182c005db047afbbcd5f30bb27063a?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 2, 3:45, 7.32M) that President Trump is “under fire for sending mixed messages about the virus. [After] several days last week, telling Americans, wear a mask, that they work, they should social distance,” Trump then retweeted “a video of a controversial doctor overnight.” ABC’s Jonathan Karl: “Trump is once again downplaying the COVID-19 threat and hyping a discredited treatment.” Trump: “Many doctors think it is extremely successful, the hydroxychloroquine.” Karl: “This after the President again used his Twitter account to spread misinformation, tweeting video of a doctor denouncing the use of masks and promoting hydroxychloroquine, the controversial anti-malaria drug the President’s top health officials have warned is ineffective and potentially dangerous as a COVID-19 treatment. That doctor, who was only licensed to practice medicine in Texas last November, has a history of outrageous statements, such as saying health problems can be caused by demons.”¶

Norah O’Donnell said on the CBS Evening News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/42e0fad1df194b8fbadbd344774869a4?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 2, 2:00, 4.37M), “In an extraordinary move, the three most powerful social media companies effectively censored videos shared by President Trump because it promoted false and misleading claims about COVID-19. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have labeled false information in the past. This time, they deleted the video, but not before it was seen on Facebook at least 14 million times.” Peter Alexander reported on NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/9106be7c268448a8845967b559a553c5?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 4, 1:45, Holt, 6.05M), “In the clip, a Houston doctor, who has pushed conspiracy theories and blamed some medical issues on demon spirits, aggressively promotes hydroxychloroquine as part of a COVID cure. … She’s also made videos saying that doctors make medicine using DNA from aliens.” Trump: “I can tell you this, she was on air along with many other doctors. They were big fans of hydroxychloroquine. But I know nothing about her.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/401be7f2fb8578097570dad38148cdf9 (7/28, Seitz) reports that “many Republicans reacted with outrage, filling social media with cries of ‘censorship,’ after Donald Trump Jr.’s account was put on a timeout for sharing the video, which was viewed millions of times online in a matter of hours, reaching the president himself, before Facebook, Twitter and YouTube banned it.” The AP adds, “Because it spread misinformation about treating the coronavirus, Twitter required Trump Jr. take down the video and put his account on a 12-hour timeout, a Twitter spokesman confirmed Tuesday.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/07/28/trump-coronavirus-misinformation-twitter/ (7/28, Shepherd, 14.2M) reports that Donald Trump Jr. spokesman Andy Surabian “said the restriction was ‘further proof that Big Tech is intent on killing free expression online and is another instance of them committing election interference to stifle Republican voices.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/fauci-trump-ineffective-coronavirus-treatment-383809 (7/28, Forgey, 4.29M) reports that on Tuesday, NIAID Director Fauci “dismissed dubious medical advice” the President “shared on Twitter the previous evening, vowing to continue in his role as the country’s top infectious disease expert despite a new salvo of attacks from the White House.” Fauci said, “The overwhelming prevailing clinical trials that have looked at the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine have indicated that it is not effective in [treating] coronavirus disease.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-28/twitter-suspends-donald-trump-jr-s-account-over-covid-19-video?srnd=premium (7/28, Parker, Wagner, 4.73M) and Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-twitter-donald-trump-jr/twitter-temporarily-restricts-donald-trump-jr-s-account-over-covid-19-video-idUSKCN24T22F (7/28, Culliford) also report.¶

Biden Says Trump “Has Been Lying To You.” Mary Bruce reported on ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/313d7cba87c94bc39d6949f8211f62fb?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 3, 2:20, Muir, 7.32M), “As President Trump spreads misinformation on the pandemic, Joe Biden today said the country can’t fight the virus if they can’t trust the President.” Biden: “People are losing faith in what the President says. And if a President repeatedly says things to you that are not true and then there comes a time when they say, ‘I have something that I think can cure you, but it could really hurt you,’ you’re not going to¶

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listen to the guy who has been lying to you.” NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/f0744e03fc664662ad965973b756557b?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 5, 0:45, Holt, 6.05M) showed a clip of Biden saying, “To change the tone over the last few days, as Trump has, doesn’t change the facts of the last four years. President Trump faces a real test, and he’s failed it.”¶

Politico Analysis: Trump Reverts To “Typical Behavior” After Briefly Staying On Message.¶

A Politico <https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28 trump-new-tone-385709> (7/28, McGraw, 4.29M) analysis says that although President Trump “was more willing to stick to a script, temporarily eschewed some of his more fact-challenged medical statements and kept many of answers to reporters’ questions uncharacteristically succinct,” over the past week, his “more typical behavior is starting to show through.” Trump has, in the last day, “again chided governors who were slowing economic reopenings amid a nationwide coronavirus surge, and he returned to promoting flawed information about hydroxychloroquine, MAGA world’s preferred Covid-19 drug, even as top public health officials debate its efficacy.” Politico says the “swinging pendulum of Trump’s tone represents the latest instance of Trump pulling back on his frequent tactics – pushing evidence-deficient claims, interweaving political attacks with policy announcements – only to revert within days.”¶

WPost Analysis: Trump One Factor In Nation’s “Fraught Relationship With Masks.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/at-the-heart-of-dismal-us-coronavirus-response-a-fraught-relationship-with-masks/2020/07/28/f47eccd0-cde4-11ea-bc6a-6841b28d9093_story.html (7/28, Witte, Cha, Dawsey, 14.2M) looks at the nation’s “fraught relationship with masks,” writing that “faulty guidance from health authorities, a cultural aversion to masks and a deeply polarized politics have all contributed” to skepticism, as has “a president who resisted role modeling the benefits of face coverings, and who belittled those who did. The result, experts say, is a country that squandered one of its best opportunities to beat back the coronavirus pandemic this spring and summer.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-face-masks-work-and-which-types-offer-the-best-covid-19-protection-11595946178 (7/28, Hufford, Williams, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) runs a feature titled “How Face Masks Work And Which Types Offer The Best Covid-19 Protection.”¶

Transportation Unions Seek Mandate Mask Requirements On Planes, Buses, Trains. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/labor-unions-petition-transportation-department-for-a-mandatory-mask-rule/2020/07/28/0cc36306-d0f0-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/28, Duncan, 14.2M) reports the Transportation Trades Department, a coalition of 33 unions, formally asked the Transportation Department this week “to issue an emergency rule ordering passengers to wear masks on planes, buses and trains or be denied a ride.”¶

Politico Analysis: Pandemic Is Pushing Biden, Democrats To Left On Healthcare.¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/biden-democrats-medicare-for-all-385607 (7/28, Ollstein, 4.29M) reports in an analysis that the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting “economic devastation…are pushing Joe Biden and the Democratic Party further to the left on health care,” it “may not be far enough for some progressives.” Politico says Biden is “inching closer to the Bernie Sanders wing of the party without embracing ‘Medicare for All,’ by proposing to lower the eligibility age of the entitlement program from 65 to 60 and potentially extend government coverage to an additional 23 million people.” In addition, Biden is “backing a robust government-run public health insurance option that would auto-enroll low-income people who lose their jobs and provide another choice for Americans covered under Obamacare or at their job.” Politico says the¶

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proposals “could tamp down the kind of infighting that roiled Democrats in the leadup to 2008 and 2016 elections,” but “they come as emboldened progressives” are demanding the party embrace “Medicare for All” in its platform.¶

Third Church Will Take Challenge To State Worship Restrictions To Supreme Court.¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/third-church-looks-to-supreme-court-for-protection-from-state-ordered-worship-restrictions (7/28, Rowan, 448K) reports that Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church in Chicago “on Tuesday announced its intentions to appeal to the Supreme Court, following an unfavorable ruling from an Illinois federal appeals court upholding Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s worship ban.” The church “has been embroiled in a legal war with Chicago and the state of Illinois since early May when it began opposing the 10-person limit on in-person services.” If the Supreme Court accepts the case, it will be “the first coronavirus church closure case to reach the highest court.” The Court “has rejected two emergency injunctions filed by churches in California and Nevada” since May.¶

Future Of MLB Season In Doubt Amid COVID Outbreak.¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/09d29e79f9bb46f4911ad04f25a8eae1?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 11, 1:20, Holt, 6.05M) reported that the new Major League Baseball season’s future “is already in doubt.” NBC (Brock) added that the league announced Tuesday that “the Miami Marlins’ games are postponed through Sunday, after four more players tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total to 15 since opening day, or roughly half the team’s traveling roster. … The league says its positivity rate through last Thursday is below 1%, as it tries to keep an infectious disease from stopping sports.”¶

Many Colleges Changing Plans For Fall.¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-college-fall-semester-online-lockdown-reopen-harvard-michigan-berkeley-11595949067 (7/28, A1, Belkin, Korn, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that with many colleges and universities expected to begin classes in the next few weeks, many schools are still developing plans for the fall semester. The Journal reports that many schools had planned to reopen their campuses to students, but are now shifting to online classes.¶

CES 2021 To Be A Digital-Only Event.¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/ces-2021-will-be-digital-only-cta-says.html (7/28, Haselton, 3.62M) reports on its website that on Tuesday, the Consumer Technology Association announced that January’s CES 2021 “will be a digital-only event due to ongoing concerns about the spread of coronavirus.” According to CNBC, CES is “the biggest tech show of the year, and it’s where major companies like LG, Samsung and others, often show off new products ranging from televisions to refrigerators.” The AP https://apnews.com/b0d4ccd3c8b02011c70425be7912f305 (7/28, Pisani) reports that the decision is “a reversal from May when organizers said it would go on as a smaller gathering in Las Vegas.”¶

New York Paramedic Describes Impact Working During Pandemic Has Had On Him.¶

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NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/74447ffb29034d6f8450dcc7836fe554?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 3, 2:20, Holt, 6.05M) reported on a paramedic in New York who “has a cautionary tale for the rest of the country.” NBC’s Stephanie Gosk added, “In early April, paramedics in Yonkers were getting nearly 700 calls a day, double the normal volume.” Paramedic A.J. Briones: “Saying that we cannot be affected by the things that we see is like saying we can walk on water and not get wet. As long as you do the right thing, death never takes a patient from me. He always has to fight me for it. The rest of the country is starting to have spikes. So areas like Florida and Texas now have huge numbers and are going through what we went through in March and April. You’ll have moments when you’re questioning your own abilities and perhaps your sanity. But you’ll rise.”¶

WSJournal Responds To Senators’ Criticism Of Meat Processing Facilities.¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-get-a-meaty-education-11595978578 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says in an editorial that Smithfield Foods and other meat processing facilities are doing their best to operate safely amid the coronavirus pandemic, and says criticism by Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) may score political points but ignores reality.¶

Administration To Reject All New DACA Applications.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-trump-daca-exclusive/exclusive-trump-administration-to-offer-extensions-for-some-dreamer-immigrants-idUSKCN24T2IO (7/28, Holland) reports the Administration, “bolstering” the President’s “tough immigration stance in an election year, said on Tuesday it will reject any new applications for the so-called ‘Dreamer’ immigrant program and shorten the deportation protections of those whose eligibility is soon to expire and needs renewal.” Reuters adds “a senior administration official said there would be a lengthy review of a Supreme Court ruling last month that found the administration had erred in the way that it had decided to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, in which some 644,000 immigrants are enrolled. … The administration plans to continue its existing policy of not accepting new DACA applicants, a policy in place since 2017, the official told Reuters,” but “will extend the eligibility by a year for those DACA immigrants whose protection from deportation was due to expire, as long as they do not have a criminal record.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/trump-cuts-daca-time-half-major-rewrite-obama-prog/ (7/28, A1, Dinan, 492K) notes a “senior administration official” said, “The administration is now undertaking a comprehensive review of the DACA program and the justifications that have been offered for winding DACA down, including its legality.” Along those lines, to the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/us/politics/trump-daca.html (7/28, Shear, Kanno-Youngs, 18.61M), “President Trump will not try again to immediately terminate President Barack Obama’s program that protects young undocumented immigrants,” and instead “officials said that the administration would conduct a ‘comprehensive review’ of the program.” The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-to-allow-dreamer-protection-renewals-for-one-year (7/28, Crilly, 448K) quotes the “senior administration official” as saying, “The Administration was obviously very disappointed in Chief Justice Roberts’ decision at the Supreme Court a few weeks back.”¶

The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/28/trump-will-allow-daca-recipients-to-renew-status-for-one-year/ (7/28, Nelson, 4.57M) says “the White House announced the decision in a Tuesday call with reporters” and the AP https://apnews.com/4410f751345c305676ba82ff1521ed6c (7/28, Miller, Colvin) that “a White House official confirmed the announcement Tuesday,” while the Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-administration-daca-applications (7/28, Shaw, 27.59M) website quotes DHS Secretary Wolf as saying, “As the Department continues looking at the policy and considers future action, the fact remains that Congress should act on this matter. … There are important policy reasons that may¶

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warrant the full rescission of the DACA policy.”¶

USA Today<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/28/trump-extend-daca-protections-young-immigrants-pending-review/5528696002/>(7/28,Fritze,Jackson,10.31M) reports“critics called the administration's review an attempt to limit the program, despite the Supreme Court's decision last month that the administration erred in striking it down in the first place.”White House"officials,"meanwhile,"acknowledged Tuesday that they expected the move will ultimately face additional legal challenges.“Politico<https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/daca-renewals-trump-dreamers-384504>(7/28,Choi,4.29M) runs a similar story under the headline"Trump Administration Rejects New DACA Applications As It Works To End Program,"while the Wall Street Journal<https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-moves-to-curb-daca-as-it-reviews-whether-to-cancel-program-11595960186>(7/28,Kendall,Hackman,Subscription Publication,7.57M),McClatchy<https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article244548782.html#cardLink=row2_card3>(7/28,Wilner,19K),The Hill<https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/509394-trump-to-review-daca-allow-holders-to-extend-for-one-year>(7/28,Samuels,Chalfant,2.98M),and Breitbart<https://www.breitbart.com/immigration/2020/07/28/donald-trump-extends-daca-denies-new-entrants/>(7/28,Munro,673K), among other news outlets, also cover the story.

Trump Calls Senate GOP Coronavirus Bill “Sort Of Semi-Irrelevant.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/07/28/gop-bailout-coronavirus/ (7/28, A1, Werner, Kim, Stein, 14.2M) reports President Trump “brushed off the new $1 trillion Senate GOP coronavirus legislation as ‘sort of semi-irrelevant’ Tuesday, dismissing its significance just a day after Senate Republican leaders overcame contentious internal divisions to roll it out.” The Post writes, “If the wheels were not entirely off Tuesday, negotiations were not off to a great start.” Democrats accused Senate Majority Leader McConnell “of not wanting a deal at all, while one Republican senator called the new GOP bill ‘a mess.’”¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-congress/senate-republicans-push-back-onmcconnells-1-trillion-u-s-coronavirus-relief-proposal-idUSKCN24T1AZ (7/28, Morgan, Zengerle) reports Trump “told reporters that there were aspects of the bill hammered out with fellow Republicans and unveiled on Monday that he did not like. Trump did not elaborate.” McConnell “said he opposed ‘non-germane’ add-ons in the plan, including a provision to fund a new FBI building that the White House had insisted upon and is not related to coronavirus aid.”¶

According to the AP https://apnews.com/47194e1ef374939f07ecab4a2752d129 (7/28, Mascaro), “The differences over the next coronavirus aid package are vast: Democrats propose $3 trillion in relief and Republicans have a $1 trillion counteroffer. At stake are millions of Americans’ jobless benefits, school reopenings and eviction protections.” The AP adds that it is “apparent” that Democrats have the “leverage,” and says Republicans are “so deeply divided over the prospect of big government spending it’s leaving [McConnell] with a weakened hand.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/28/republican-senators-gop-coronavirus-package-384522 (7/28, Desiderio, Levine, Caygle, 4.29M) reports Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said, “It’s a mess. I can’t figure out what this bill is about. I don’t know what we’re trying to accomplish with it.” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) “spoke up about the lack of amendments and the legislative process,” and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), “who opposes a new coronavirus relief measure altogether, stormed out of the lunch meeting early and harangued his colleagues over the $1 trillion price tag, which is almost certain to rise during a negotiation with Democrats.”¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/coronavirus-stimulus-updates-next-steps-after-republicans-release-heals-act.html (7/28, Pramuk, 3.62M) reports on its website that Senate Minority Leader Schumer said on Tuesday, “Unfortunately, we’re pretty far apart right now, although I’m optimistic we could have a good solution at the end.” CNBC says that when “asked if the sides could reach a deal before the end of next week, [Schumer]¶

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said: ‘I hope so, and that’s what we’re working for. We’ll sit down. We’re going to sit down again today. We’ll sit down 24/7.’” The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/coronavirus-relief-bills-house-senate.html> (7/28, Cochrane, 18.61M) reports that House Speaker Pelosi “has said that she plans to fight for even more funding, particularly for schools, in negotiations with Republicans,” but McConnell “has warned against letting the price tag rise beyond $1 trillion, particularly as many Republicans question the merits of approving any additional aid.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/pelosi-schumer-slam-gop-coronavirus-proposal-catas/ (7/28, Muñoz, 492K) also covers the comments by Schumer and Pelosi, while The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/finance/509406-hoyer-says-democrats-are-flexible-on-unemployment-benefits-not-600-or-bust (7/28, Lillis, 2.98M) reports House Majority Leader Hoyer said Democrats “are not insisting that $600 federal unemployment payments be included in the massive coronavirus relief package under negotiation between the two parties.” Hoyer told CNN, “It’s not $600 or bust. Speaker Pelosi said the other day, which I thought was a great line: ‘We don’t have red lines, we have values. And we’re going into these negotiations with values.’” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-relief-how-the-republican-and-democratic-plans-compare-11595934002 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) looks at how the Democratic and GOP plans compare.¶

GOP Bill Replaces Spending On Defense Programs Canceled To Fund Border Wall. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com-us-policy/2020/07/28/coronavirus-bailout-wall/?tidr=a_breakingnews (7/28, Werner, Demirjian, 14.2M) reports that Senate Republicans’ “new $1 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill restores hundreds of millions of dollars in Pentagon spending that the Trump administration redirected to help pay for President Trump’s border wall.” According to the Post, “Navy planes and ships and Air Force aircraft that the Trump administration canceled earlier this year so the money could go to pay for the wall have reappeared in the GOP bill that was introduced on Monday.”¶

House Panel Expected To Question Tech CEOs On Antitrust Issues, Social Media Accountability.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/fe8ff30d02008142edda9fd8580bdfb2 (7/28, Gordon) reports Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Apple’s Tim Cook, Google’s Sundar Pichai, and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg will appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, where they “will answer for their companies’ practices before Congress for the first time as a group.” They will do so “in the manner of tycoons of Wall Street or the tobacco industry in earlier high-octane televised shamings.” The panel’s hearing “cap[s] its yearlong investigation of Big Tech’s market dominance.” CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/28/tech-antitrust-hearing-preview.html?&qsearchterm=Zuckerberg (7/28, Feiner, 3.62M) says on its website, “Regardless of how well-practiced the CEOs are when they take the witness stand, their testimonies will offer an important insight: how they are handling antitrust challenges from regulators with the authority to break them up.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-tech-to-appear-before-congress-on-wednesday-11595962801 (7/28, Tracy, McKinnon, Glazer, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) quotes Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), who chairs the Antitrust Subcommittee, saying, “These platforms have been allowed to run wild and free from really any constraints. The responsibility we have is to make clear what the impacts are of the lack of competition in the digital marketplace.”¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/technology/amazon-apple-facebook-google-antitrust-hearing.html (7/28, Kang, Nicas, McCabe, 18.61M) quotes Gigi Sohn, “a former senior adviser at the Federal Communications Commission and a fellow at Georgetown University’s law school,” as saying, “It has the feeling of tech’s Big Tobacco moment.” The Times says Republicans are “expected to sidetrack discussion with their concerns of liberal bias at the Silicon Valley companies and accusations that conservative voices are censored.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/28/technology-202-republicans-poised-reignite-claims-political-bias-big-tech-hearing/ (7/28, Zakrzewski, 14.2M) similarly says, “There are signs Republicans intend to raise unproven accusations that tech companies are biased against conservatives.” On Monday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) wrote to Attorney General Barr “seeking a Justice¶

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Department investigation into whether Mark Zuckerberg lied in his 2018 testimony when he said that Facebook doesn’t make content decisions based on political ideology.”¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/opinion/tech-ceo-hearing-congress.html (7/28, 18.61M) says in an editorial that the hearing “could give the public a rare glimpse into the inner workings of some of the world’s most valuable companies. … The challenge for the subcommittee will be in establishing whether these tech companies – which have amassed immeasurable power – operate as illegal monopolies in certain domains, such as online search (Google), online marketplaces (Amazon), mobile phone app stores (Apple), the dissemination of information (Facebook), advertising sales (Google and Facebook) and mergers and acquisitions.”¶

Hawley Bill Links Ad Practices To Content Liability Shield. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tech-ads-legislation/u-s-senator-introduces-legislation-to-curb-big-techs-ad-business-idUSKCN24T18U (7/28, Bose) reports that on Tuesday, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced legislation “that would penalize large tech companies that sell or show targeted advertisements by threatening a legal immunity enjoyed by the industry.” According to Reuters, “The bill, titled ‘Behavioral Advertising Decisions Are Downgrading Services (Bad Ads) Act,’ aims to crack down on invasive data gathering by large technology companies such as Facebook and Alphabet’s Google that target users based on their behavioral insights.”¶

Breitbart Analysis: Google “Interfering” In 2020 Election By Suppressing Breitbart Search Visibility. Breitbart https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/07/28/election-interference-google-purges-breitbart-from-search-results/ (7/28, Bokhari, 673K) reports, “A few days after the 2016 election, at an internal meeting later leaked to Breitbart News, top Google executives, including Sundar Pichai, Sergey Brin, and Kent Walker, lamented President Trump’s victory,” likening his “voters to ‘extremists’ and discussing their desire to make Trump’s election and the populist movement a ‘blip’ in history. True to their word, four years later, Google is deliberately working to interfere with the reelection of Trump in 2020. There are several ways in which Google is interfering in the 2020 election, but this article will focus primarily on one of them: political search bias. Search visibility is a key industry measure of how findable a publisher’s content is in Google search. New data shows that Google has suppressed Breitbart’s search visibility by 99.7 percent since 2016.”¶

VA IG: Breakdown At DC Hospital Preceded Veteran’s Suicide.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-patient-can-go-shoot-themself-i-do-not-care-va-inspector-general-exposes-breakdown-at-dc-hospital-that-led-to-veterans-suicide/2020/07/28/c3b9c774-d0e8-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html (7/28, Rein, 14.2M) reports that a veteran, “suffering in pain and out of medication, turned last year to the Veterans Affairs’ flagship hospital in D.C. for help. Instead of receiving aid,” a new report by the VA inspector general released Tuesday said, “a cascade of failures by the medical staff resulted in him being forcibly expelled.” He shot and killed himself six days later. The report “revealed not only poor communication and poor judgment by multiple mental health and emergency room staff, but it exposed an insensitive call by the emergency department’s attending physician.”¶

Senate Democrats Assail Pompeo’s Management Of State Department.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/senate-democrats-and-career-diplomats-say-pompeos-leadership-has-badly-weakened-the-state-department/2020/07/28/d5edc188-d10c-11eaaf07-1d058ca137ae_story.html (7/28, Hudson, 14.2M) reports that in a “scathing report” about Secretary of State Pompeo Tuesday. Senate Democrats criticized his “management of the State Department, decrying the broad vacancies at the agency and high-profile resignations of career officials because of alleged intimidation and retribution campaigns by political appointees.” The Post says the report “probably will provide ammunition for liberal lawmakers who are poised to grill Pompeo about his actions during his public appearance before the¶

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committee on Thursday.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics state-pompeo-democrats-report.html> (7/28, Verma, 18.61M) says the report “says Mr. Pompeo’s department is rife with what it describes as troubling issues: vacant key department posts, a culture of disrespect toward career staff members and an atmosphere of political retaliation. Democrats say this has hampered the agency’s effectiveness in pursuing diplomatic relationships abroad or responding to crises like the coronavirus pandemic.”¶

DOJ Issues Guidance On Awarding Grants To Religious Groups.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/doj-releases-new-religious-liberty-guidance-grants/ (7/28, Vondracek) reports the Department of Justice issued new guidance saying that under the Supreme Court’s decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the “Office of Justice Programs cannot exclude religious or evangelizing groups from eligibility for grant funding.” In the case, the Court held that taxpayer-financed vouchers for education can be used for a Christian school.¶

Census Officials Worry White House Is Pushing To Complete Count Early.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/trump-census.html> (7/28, Wines, 18.61M) reports census officials are concerned that the Administration and Senate Republicans “appear to be signaling that they want the census finished well ahead of schedule, pandemic or not.” The Times says the Administration “took the Census Bureau by surprise last week,” when “it asked the Senate Appropriations Committee to set aside $448 million in the next coronavirus relief package for a ‘timely’ completion of the census.” The request, which “did not define what ‘timely’ meant,” comes “as census workers and former officials say the White House and the Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau, are asking how the bureau can compress its schedule to wrap up the count of households earlier than expected – perhaps by the end of September. The aim, they say, may be to speed up the delivery of key data for political reapportionment to the president by the end of December.”¶

International News¶

Pfizer CEO: Other Countries Will Not Pay Less Than US For Vaccine.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-pfizer-results/pfizer-says-it-will-charge-other-developed-countries-on-par-with-u-s-for-vaccine-deals-idUSKCN24T1EL (7/28, Mishra, Erman) reports that on Tuesday, Pfizer “said other developed countries would not get a lower price for its coronavirus vaccine than what it will charge the United States under a contract announced last week.” Reuters reports that the Trump Administration “agreed to pay nearly $2 billion to buy enough of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech SE to inoculate 50 million people at a price of $39 for a two-dose treatment course.” Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla is quoted as saying, “All the countries that are developed right now will not receive a lower price for the same volume commitment than the US.”¶

UN Report: Virus-Linked Hunger Causing 10,000 Children To Die Every Month.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/5cbee9693c52728a3808f4e7b4965cbd (7/28, Hinnant, Mednick) reports that¶

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across the globe, lockdowns put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus are “pushing already hungry communities over the edge, cutting off meager farms from markets and isolating villages from food and medical aid. Virus-linked hunger is leading to the deaths of 10,000 more children a month over the first year of the pandemic, according to an urgent call to action from the United Nations shared with The Associated Press ahead of its publication in the Lancet medical journal.” In addition, “more than 550,000 additional children each month are being struck by what is called wasting, according to the U.N. – malnutrition that manifests in spindly limbs and distended bellies.”¶

China Continues To Report Rise In New Cases.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/9456102fcf942d9e476c9000a1591a59 (7/28) reports that “new coronavirus cases continue to rise in China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang, with 57 reported on Tuesday.” The AP also says Beijing “reported its first case of domestic transmission in more than two weeks, while the northeastern province of Liaoning added another six cases in its local outbreak. Another four cases were found among Chinese travelers arriving from outside the country, bringing the daily total over the past 24 hours to 68.”¶

Hong Kong Sets New Record For Daily Numbers Of New Cases. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/hong-kong-was-a-pandemic-poster-child-now-its-a-cautionary-tale/2020/07/28/c6ccbd72-cfe4-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html (7/28, Mahtani, 14.2M) reports that in Hong Kong, recovery “progress has come to a halt, as government missteps and a mutated strain of the coronavirus have led to the most severe wave of infections in [the country] since the onset of the crisis in January.” Cases are now “setting new daily records,” and “isolation wards are filling up.” Until recently, heralded “as a model in the fight against coronavirus, Hong Kong is emerging as a cautionary tale.”¶

Clinton Administration Official: China Must Be Held Accountable. Jamie Metzl, who served on the National Security Council and in the State Department in the Clinton Administration, writes in the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-hold-beijing-accountable-for-the-coronavirus-11595976973 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) that China much be held accountable for the spread of the novel coronavirus and subsequent cover-up.¶

Defector Who Returned To North Korea Suspected Of Bringing COVID To Nation.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/world/asia/north-korea-defector-coronavirus.html (7/28, Choe, 18.61M) reports Kim Geum-hyok, who defected to South Korea from the North in 2017, is suspected of bringing COVID-19 to his hometown of Kaesong earlier this month when he returned. On Monday, police in South Korea “said that before Mr. Kim left, a warrant had been issued for his arrest on a rape accusation.” What happened to Kim after he returned to the North “is unknown,” but Pyongyang “said Sunday that he was in quarantine,” accusing him of creating “the dangerous situation in Kaesong City that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster.”¶

European Countries See “Worrying Rise” In New Coronavirus Cases.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-coronavirus-secondwave/2020/07/28/8dd12632-d0d1-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html (7/28, Morris, Birnbaum, Steinhaus, 14.2M) reports “countries across Europe that had brought their coronavirus outbreaks under control are now seeing a worrying rise in cases, as health officials warn that lax public attitudes are putting the continent on a dangerous trajectory.” In fact, “a spike in infections is leading Belgium to ramp up restrictions on social contact, while Spain has closed gyms and nightclubs in Barcelona. In France, the government announced that the initial¶

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progress made in a strict two-month lockdown has more or less evaporated.” At the same time, “German health officials have called a rise in infections in the past two weeks deeply concerning.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/spain-germany-eye-lockdown-coronavirus-returns/ (7/28, Meier, 492K) reports “Spain and other EU countries…are facing pressure to clamp down again as they tentatively reopen public life.”¶

Spain Criticizes UK, Germany For Advising Tourists To Stay Away. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-europe/spain-slams-uk-germany-for-advising-tourists-to-stay-away-idUSKCN24T1LY (7/28, Melander, Young, Sheahan) reports Spain “reacted angrily on Tuesday to recommendations from Britain and Germany that their citizens avoid its islands and beaches because of an increase in coronavirus cases.” With travel advisories “piling up on top of a quarantine order from Britain for returning travellers, Spain, which depends on summer visits by sun-seeking northern Europeans, is facing a major blow to any hopes of reviving its economy.”¶

WPost: EU Succeeded In Suppressing Outbreak Due “Quality Of Leadership.” In an editorial, the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/the-pandemic-has-made-europe-stronger/2020/07/28/19e67c02-d029-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/28, 14.2M) says “European Union nations, having largely succeeded in suppressing covid-19 infections, are returning to something resembling normal life, with schools, shops and businesses reopening.” The Post argues that the most conspicuous difference between these countries and the US “might be quality of leadership.” Though Europe “could still be hammered by another wave of infections,” the Post says “the union nevertheless has been made stronger by the crisis, thanks to responsible leaders willing to make tough decisions and impose unpopular measures.”¶

WSJournal: Global Increases Show Lockdowns Won’t Stop Virus’ Spread.¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-worlds-covid-resurgence-11595978652 (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorializes that the recent increase in cases around the world disprove arguments that the reopening of parts of the US happened too quickly are to blame for America’s virus resurgence. The increases, it argues, also indicate that lockdowns will not stop the spread of the virus.¶

Iranian Military Exercise Includes Attack On Mock US Aircraft Carrier.¶

The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/bb78360a4bfc46c4aee5e479f7658ac8?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 9, 0:20, O’Donnell, 4.37M) reported, “War games by the Iranian military are again raising tensions with the US in the Persian Gulf,” with Iran firing missiles “at a mock US aircraft carrier” and then boarding it.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/07/28/irans-navy-shoots-missile-mock-up-u-s-aircraft-carrier-strait-of-hormuz/5524875002/ (7/28, Hjelmgaard, 10.31M) reports that the “war games and military drills that illustrate the persistent threat of conflict between Tehran and Washington.” US Navy Fifth Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich said in an emailed statement that the Navy was aware of the military exercise involving the mock Nimitz-class carrier. Iran conducted a similar exercise in 2015, when it sank a replica US aircraft carrier.¶

Similarly, the AP https://apnews.com/b931ea8d6751c953233665202a59e5e1 (7/28, Gambrell) reports that the exercise and the US response “underlined the lingering threat of military conflict between Iran and the U.S.” Missiles fired by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during “the drill resulted in American troops being put on alert at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Al-Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command in Qatar.” Rebarich condemned “this type of irresponsible¶

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and reckless behavior by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways.”¶

Additional coverage includes the Washington Free Beacon https://freebeacon.com/national-security/iran-launches-missile-at-mock-aircraft-carrier/ (7/28, Beyrer, 78K) and the Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/iran-attacks-fake-us-aircraft-carrier (7/28, Halaschak, 448K).¶

Former Iranian President Reached Out To Saudi Crown Prince.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/26/world/middleeast/iran-Ahmadinejad-Salmanletter.html (7/28, Fassihi, 18.61M) reported that former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, known for denying that Holocaust and calling for the elimination of Israel, wrote “written a chummy letter to his country’s most ardent Arab foe”: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The letter, which is “filled with flattery and praise” and casts the crown prince as a man of peace, “flout[s] Iran’s stated policy toward Saudi Arabia.” In it, Ahmadinejad calls for working to end the Yemen war. Diplomats and analysts “said it was highly unlikely” the move would result in further engagement, and “some saw it as a bid for relevance by Mr. Ahmadinejad.” Meanwhile, a spokesman for Iran’s mission to the United Nations “sought to play down Mr. Ahmadinejad’s attempts at independent diplomacy.”¶

Iran Moves Imprisoned British-Australian Woman To “Notorious” Prison.¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/world/british-australian-woman-jailed-tehran-moved-iran-qarchak-prison (7/28, Sorace, 27.59M) reports on its website that officials say that Iran moved Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a lecturer in Islamic studies at Melbourne University, “to Qarchak prison, the country’s notorious desert jail, officials said Tuesday.” In 2018 Iran sentenced the British-Australian academic to 10 years on espionage charges.¶

Taliban Declares Temporary Cease-Fire To Mark Eid Al-Adha.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afghanistan-taliban-eid-cease-fire-peace-talks/2020/07/28/f2a33c98-d0e1-11ea-826b-cc394d824e35_story.html (7/28, George, Constable, 14.2M) reports that the Taliban announced a temporary cease-fire Tuesday to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. The Afghan government “welcomed the move” and “ordered Afghan government forces to respect the truce.” The cease-fire comes amid growing pressure “to bring the militants and the Afghan government together for direct peace talks now months overdue,” and as “violence across the country remains high, despite the signing of a peace deal between the Taliban and the United States in February.”¶

US, Australia Vow To Pursue United Front Against China.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/ee65120ecca32443225f682a3427af30 (7/28, Lee) reports the US and Australia are “teaming up in their criticism of China, taking the country to task for aggressive behavior throughout the Asia-Pacific and not acting quickly to contain the coronavirus.” The US and Australian foreign and defense ministers “pledged Tuesday to renew and strengthen a united front against China and what they termed Beijing’s malign behavior throughout the region and beyond that they said had grown worse in recent years.” The two sides also “accused China of violating international norms in the South China Sea and vowed to uphold freedom of navigation and the rule of the law as well as democratic freedoms in Hong Kong.”¶

Report: US To Order Drastic Reduction In Chinese Diplomats. The Washington Times¶

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https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/us-china-standoff-trump-administration-order-reduc/ (7/28, Gertz, 492K) reports exclusively that the Administration is “preparing to order China to sharply reduce the number of diplomats posted in the United States to levels equal to the number of American diplomats stationed in China, senior State Department officials said.” The official said the move “seeks in part to reduce the burden on FBI counterintelligence agents, who in recent months have devoted 2,000 special agents to catching Chinese spies and their agents.”¶

Harvard Professor Hit With Additional Charges In Spying Case. The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/28/charles-lieber-harvard-china-new-charges-indictmen/ (7/28, Mordock, 492K) reports that “federal charges continue to mount against the former chairman of Harvard University’s chemistry department who was indicted earlier this year for allegedly lying to investigators about his ties to a controversial Chinese talent recruitment program.” The Justice Department on Tuesday filed its third indictment against Charles Lieber, this time alleging he failed to report foreign bank accounts with the IRS.¶

Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Vatican Network. The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28 us/politics/china-vatican-hack.html> (7/28, Sanger, Wong, Horowitz, 18.61M) reports Chinese hackers “infiltrated the Vatican’s computer networks in the past three months, a private monitoring group has concluded, in an apparent espionage effort before the beginning of sensitive negotiations with Beijing.” While “Chinese hackers and state authorities have often used cyberattacks to try to gather information on groups of Buddhist Tibetans, Muslim Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners outside China,” the Times says this “appears to be the first time” they “have been publicly caught directly hacking into the Vatican and the Holy See’s Study Mission to China.”¶

Growing Number Of Americans Report Receiving Seed Packages From China. The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/aebbff180b004c7e990db5fe88c590b8?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 10, 0:20, O’Donnell, 4.37M) reported briefly that “a growing number of people say they’ve received mysterious packets of seeds in their mailbox. The seeds, apparently from China, have turned up unsolicited in at least 45 states. The Department of Agriculture is urging people not to plant them and has begun an investigation.”¶

ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/90ebf6585c1543ed977cd25a976e32c7?pubid=fbi (7/28, story 7, 0:15, Muir, 7.32M) reported the USDA is urging people “if you receive a package, leave it sealed, don’t throw it out, and contact” the agency.¶

Report: US, Russia Space Security Talks End.¶

The Washington Free Beacon https://freebeacon.com/national-security/russian-space-talks-go-nowhere-amidrising-tensions/ (7/28, Beyrer, 78K) reports the US and Russia “held their first talks regarding space militarization since 2013 on Monday, ending without any public progress, the Wall Street Journal reported” Tuesday. The talks in Vienna were “intended to decrease tension and increase cooperation,” but “competing views of how to regulate international conduct in space…left the talks without a mutually agreed-upon foundation.” Neither Moscow nor Washington released public statements regarding the talks.¶

US Sanctions Two Former Venezuelan Officials.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-venezuela-politics-usa/pompeo-bars-two-former-venezuelan-officials-from-traveling-to-united-states-idUSKCN24T2BB (7/28, Psaledakis) reports the US on Tuesday imposed sanctions “on two former officials of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government, barring them from traveling to the United States over accusations they were involved in significant corruption.” Secretary of State Pompeo said in a statement that the two former officials, Luis Motta and Eustiquio Jose Lugo Gomez, “had accepted bribes and kickbacks” to enrich themselves. The officials were “previously blacklisted by the United¶

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States last year in a decision that froze any of their U.S. assets and generally prohibits Americans from dealing with them.”¶

Gallup Poll: Global View Of US Leadership Remains Weak.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/07/28/gallup-poll-world-favors-german-leadership-over-us-russia-china/5492608002/ (7/28, Pineda, 10.31M) reports that “for the third year in a row, Germany remains the top-rated global power, while the image of U.S., Chinese and Russian leadership stays consistently weak, according to a new Gallup poll.” The poll results released Monday “measure global views of major powers and show worldwide approval of U.S. leadership continues to be ‘historically low.’ Globally, 33% approved of U.S. leadership, a slight increase from a previous low of 30% during the first year of Donald Trump’s presidency.” Gallup said the world’s view of the US “dropped 19 points in 2017, between President Barack Obama’s last year in office and Trump’s first year,” and “the situation hasn’t changed much since.”¶

The Big Picture¶

Headlines From Today’s Front Pages.¶

Wall Street Journal:¶

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Story Lineup From This Morning’s Radio News Broadcasts:¶

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ABC: Trump-Dr. Fauci; Texas-Pandemic & Hurricane Hanna; Coronavirus-Rising Cases; AG Barr; ACLU-NYPD Records.¶

CBS: Coronavirus-Rising Cases; Congress-Relief Bill; Coronavirus-Hunger Issue; AG Barr; Children Hot Car Deaths; Biden-VP.¶

FOX: Congress-Relief Bill; Trump-Hydroxychloroquine; Pence-Federal Agents in Portland.¶

NPR: AG Barr; Trump-DACA; Trump-Twitter Video.¶

Washington’s Schedule¶

Today’s Events In Washington.¶

White House:¶

President Trump — Participates in a roundtable with supporters; delivers remarks at a fundraising committee reception; participates in a tour of Double Eagle Energy Oil Rig; delivers remarks on restoring energy dominance in the Permian Basin and signs Presidential Permits.
Vice President Pence — Visits Raleigh, NC, stopping at Thales Academy – which reopened to students last month – to discuss ‘the plan the academy is using to safely open’, then touring NCBiotech – which is conducting Phase-III trials for a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine – to discuss ‘President Donald Trump’s goal of making a vaccine available to the American people as soon and as safely as possible’
US Senate:
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Business Meeting – Business Meeting, with agenda including the nominations of Natalie Brown to be U.S. Ambassador to Uganda; Jason Myung-lk Chung to be Asian Development Bank U.S. Director, with the rank of ambassador; Sandra Clark to be U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso; Ramsey Coats Day to be USAID Assistant Administrator; J. Steven Dowd to be European Bank for Reconstruction and Development U.S. Director; William Ellison Grayson to be U.S. Ambassador to Estonia; Joseph Manso for the rank of ambassador during his tenure of service as U.S. Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; Jenny McGee to be USAID Associate Administrator; Richard Mills Jr. to be the U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations, with the rank and status of ambassador, and U.S. Deputy Representative in the United Nations Security Council, and U.S. Representative to the Sessions of the U.N. General Assembly during his tenure of service; and Henry Wooster to be U.S. Ambassador to Jordan
Location: Rm 325, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 9:00 AM
Senate Public Works Committee hearing on remote working during coronavirus and whether the govt can save money – Hearing on ‘Lessons Learned from Remote Working during COVID-19: Can the Government Save Money Through Maximizing Efficient Use of Leased Space?’, with testimony from Dell Technologies Senior Vice President of Corporate Real Estate, Global Facilities and Environment, Health, and Safety Mark Pringle; Global Workplace Analytics President Kate Lister; and California Air Resources Board Air Quality Planning and Science Division Chief Dr Michael Benjamin

Location: Rm 106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 10:00 AM¶

Senate Commerce Committee hearing on ‘building a stronger and more resilient seafood sector’ – Hearing on ‘Building a Stronger and More Resilient Seafood Sector’, with testimony from Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Member Leann Bosarge; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Deputy Assistant Administrator of Operations Dr Paul Doremus; and Pacific Fishery Management Council Chair Phil

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Anderson¶

Location: Rm 253, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 10:00 AM¶

CFPB Director Kraninger testifies to Senate Banking Committee on biannual report – Remote hearing on ‘The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Semi-Annual Report to Congress’, with testimony from CFPB Director Kathleen Kraninger; 10:00 AM
Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing – Senate Committee on the Judiciary nominations hearing considers J. Philip Calabrese and James Ray Knepp II to be U.S. District Judges for the Northern District of Ohio; Aileen Mercedes Cannon to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida; Toby Crouse to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Kansas; and Michael Jay Newman to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Ohio
Location: Rm 226, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 10:00 AM
Helsinki Commission online hearing on the societal impact of public monuments and memorials – Helsinki Commission online hearing on ‘Human Rights At Home: Values Made Visible, examining what the U.S. conveys to the world through its public monuments and memorials, and discussing how acknowledgement of the past can encourage restitution, reparations and restorative justice. Witnesses include former OSCE Secretary General and High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier, journalist and documentary filmmaker H.R.H. Maria-Esmerelda of Belgium, Smithsonian Institution Acting Under Secretary for Museums and Culture Kevin Gover, and former Charlottesville, VA, Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy; 10:00 AM
Senate Finance Committee hearing on WTO reform – Hearing on ‘WTO Reform: Making Global Rules Work For Global Challenges’, with testimony from Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Trade and International Political Economy Jennifer Hillman; Cassidy Levy Kent partner Thomas Graham; Global Public Affairs UPS President Laura Lane; International Food Policy Research Institute Senior Research Fellow Dr Joseph Glauber; and World Wildlife Fund Vice President for Ocean Policy Michele Kuruc
Location: Rm 215, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 10:15 AM
Closed Briefing: Intelligence Matters
Location: CVC 217, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, DC; 2:00 PM
Senate Indian Affairs Committee Business Meeting – Business Meeting, to consider legislation including ‘S. 1161, A bill to support the education of Indian children’, ‘S. 2165, A bill to enhance protections of Native American tangible culture heritage, and for other purposes’, ‘S. 2610, A bill to reauthorize certain programs under the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes’, ‘S. 2716, A bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, and for other purposes’, ‘S. 2891, A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to establish Tribal Wildlife Corridors, and for other purposes’, ‘S. 2912, A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land located in Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River Indian Community, and for other purposes’, and ‘S. 3019, A bill to protect access to water for all Montanans, and for other purposes’
Location: Rm 628, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 2:30 PM
Senate Indian Affairs Committee oversight hearing on how to safely reopen Bureau of Indian Education schools – Oversight hearing on ‘Preparing to Head Back to Class: Addressing How to Safely Reopen Bureau of Indian Education Schools’

Location: Rm 628, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 2:30 PM¶

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing on VA telehealth – Hearing on ‘VA Telehealth During and Beyond COVID-19: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural America’ * Committee follows guidelines developed to

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protect the health of Members, witnesses, staff, and the public, including maintaining six-foot social distance spacing in the hearing room and not accommodating in-person visitors¶

Location: Rm G50, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC; 3:00 PM¶

US House:¶

House Judiciary subcommittee Business Meeting – Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee Business Meeting, to consider ‘Request for a Department of Homeland Security Departmental Report on the Beneficiaries of H.R. 7572’
Location: Rm 2141, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC; 9:00 AM
House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on USCIS oversight – Immigration and Citizenship Subcommittee hearing on ‘Oversight of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’, with testimony from USCIS Deputy Director of Policy Joseph Edlow; American Immigration Lawyers Association Director of Government Relations Sharvari Dalal-Dheini; American Federation of Government Employees Local 1924 President Michael Knowles; Federation of American Scientists Senior Fellow Doug Rand; and Center for Immigration Studies Director of Policy Studies Jessica Vaughan
Location: Rm 2141, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC; 9:30 AM
House Commerce subcommittee remote hearing on reauthorizing key public health programs – Health Subcommittee remote hearing on ‘Improving Access to Care: Legislation to Reauthorize Key Public Health Programs’, with testimony from School-Based Health Alliance President Robert Boyd; BlackWomen’s Health Imperative President and CEO Linda Goler Blount; Kids v. Cancer founder and Executive Director Nancy Goodman; Harvard Medical School Professor of Medicine Aaron Seth Kesselheim; National Bone Marrow Donor Program Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Brian Lindberg; and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart; 10:00 AM
House Armed Services subcommittee hearing on sexual harassment and retaliation in the military – Military Personnel Subcommittee hearing on ‘An Epidemic of Fear: Sexual Harassment and Retaliation in the Military. Is it a crisis at Fort Hood?’, with testimony from Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office Deputy Director Dr Nate Galbreath; U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Command Inspector General Col. Patrick Wempe; and Grass Roots Movement: Justice for Vanessa’s Lucy Del Guadio and Melissa Bryant (both veterans) * Held virtually via WebEx and in-person in Rm 2118, Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 AM
House Small Business subcommittee hybrid hearing on ‘Kick Starting Entrepreneurship and Main Street Economic Recovery’ – Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship Subcommittee hybrid hearing on ‘Kick Starting Entrepreneurship and Main Street Economic Recovery’, with testimony from LINK Grinnell Executive Director Chad Nath; Center on Rural Innovation Rural Innovation Network Head Mark Rembert; Ketelsen RV Vice President Jeremy Ketelsen; and Small Nation founder Jason Duff * Held virtually via Cisco WebEx, and in Rm 2360, Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 AM

House Foreign Affairs Committee markup hearing – Markup hearing on legislation including ‘H.R. 7682, Sudan Democratic Transition, Accountability, and Fiscal Transparency Act of 2020’, ‘H.R. 7276, East Africa Locust Eradication Act’, ‘H.R. 6334, Securing America From Epidemics Act’, ‘H.R. 4644, Libya Stabilization Act’, ‘H.R. 5517, Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative Act’, ‘H.R. 5586, Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act’, ‘H.R. 3331, Countering Hizballah in Lebanon’s Military Act of 2019’, ‘H.R. 7703, Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act’, ‘H.R. XXXX, STOP Organ Trafficking’, ‘H.R. 7623, Passport Backlog Elimination Act’, and ‘H.Res. 759, Expressing that it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Russian Federation interfered in the 2016 United States Presidential election and deliberately spread false information to implicate the Republic of Ukraine’ * Held virtually via Cisco WebEx and in-person in Rm 2172, Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 AM
House Oversight Committee hybrid hearing on ‘safeguarding the 2020 Census against administration attacks’
House Oversight Committee hybrid hearing on ‘safeguarding the 2020 Census against administration attacks’ –

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Hybrid hearing on ‘Counting Every Person: Safeguarding the 2020 Census Against the Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Attacks’ * Held remotely and in-person in Rm 2154, Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 AM¶

House Veterans Affairs subcommittee oversight hearing on state vets homes during coronavirus – Health Subcommittee oversight hearing on ‘Who’s in Charge? Examining Oversight of State Veterans Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic’

Location: HVC-210, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, DC; 10:00 AM¶

House meets for legislative business – House of Representatives meets for legislative business, with agenda for the week including completion of consideration of ‘H.R. 7027 – Child Care Is Essential Act’ and ‘H.R. 7327 – Child Care for Economic Recovery Act’, consideration of ‘H.R. 7617 – Defense, Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2021’, and consideration of ‘H.R. 4686 – Sami’s Law’, as amended, and “H.R. 7575 – Water Resources Development Act of 2020’, as amended, under suspension of the rules

Location: U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC; 10:00 AM¶

House Natural Resources Committee hybrid markup hearing – Hybrid markup hearing on legislation including ‘S. 294, Native American Business Incubators Program Act’, ‘H.R. 1031, Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act of 2019’, ‘H.R. 1267, B-47 Ridge Designation Act’, ‘H.R. 3682, Land Grant and Acequia Traditional Use Recognition and Consultation Act’, ‘H.R. 3879, SOAR Act’, ‘H.R. 4299, Data Preservation Act of 2019’, ‘H.R. 4888, To amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, and for other purposes’, ‘H.R. 5040, AIR Safety Act of 2019’, ‘H.R. 6237, PRC for Native Veterans Act’, ‘H.R. 6636, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention Improvements Act of 2020’, ‘H.R. 7119, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Land Transfer Act of 2020’, and ‘H.R. 7489, Long Bridge Act of 2020’ * Held virtually via Cisco Webex and in-person in Rm 2167, Rayburn House Office Building; 10:00 AM

Helsinki Commission online hearing on the societal impact of public monuments and memorials – Helsinki Commission online hearing on ‘Human Rights At Home: Values Made Visible, examining what the U.S. conveys to the world through its public monuments and memorials, and discussing how acknowledgement of the past can encourage restitution, reparations and restorative justice. Witnesses include former OSCE Secretary General and High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier, journalist and documentary filmmaker H.R.H. Maria-Esmerelda of Belgium, Smithsonian Institution Acting Under Secretary for Museums and Culture Kevin Gover, and former Charlottesville, VA, Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy; 10:00 AM
Business Meeting, with agenda including ‘Authorizing Member Access Requests to review classified

Location: HVC-304, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Washington, DC; 11:00 AM¶

Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google CEOs testify to House Judiciary subcommittee on market dominance – Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law Subcommittee hearing on ‘Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 6: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google’, with testimony from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (testifying virtually); Apple CEO Tim Cook (testifying virtually); Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (testifying virtually); and Google CEO Sundar Pichai (testifying virtually)

Location: Rm 2141, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC; 12:00 PM¶

Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence virtual discussion on coronavirus, race, and sexual violence – Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence hosts virtual roundtable conversation to discuss ‘how coronavirus (COVID-19) and race impact sexual violence on local levels’, featuring Task Force co-chair Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster alongside National Alliance to End Sexual Violence President Monika Johnson Hostler, Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence Executive Director Rosa Beltre, National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault Executive Director Condencia Brade, and Center for the Pacific Asian Family Shelter

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Program Director Patima Komolamit; 2:00 PM¶

House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing on State Department record in promoting diversity and inclusion – Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on ‘Diversity and Diplomacy: Assessing the State Department’s Record in Promoting Diversity and Inclusion’, with testimony from State Department Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion Josue Barrera, Foreign Service Director General and Director of Global Talent Carol Perez, and Office of Civil Rights Director and Chief Diversity Officer Gregory Smith; and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mirembe Nantongo * Held virtually via Cisco WebEx and in-person in Rm 2172, Rayburn House Office Building; 2:00 PM
Cabinet Officers:
EPA Administrator Wheeler discusses ‘recent successes’ on Heritage Foundation virtual event – Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler speaks at Heritage Foundation virtual event on ‘recent successes’, the agency’s 2020 regulatory actions and what they mean to Americans; 10:00 AM
Visitors:
No visitors scheduled
This Town:
FP virtual dialogue on ‘How African Enterprises are Innovating in the Face of COVID-19’ – ‘How African Enterprises are Innovating in the Face of COVID-19’ Foreign Policy ‘Profiles in Resilience’ virtual dialogue, hosted in partnership with the U.S. African Development Foundation, to discuss grassroots investment and sustainable growth in Africa and its effect in supporting coronavirus (COVID-19) recovery. Speakers include Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan and USADF President and CEO C.D. Glin, with panelists Sosai CEO Habiba Ali, All On CEO Wiebe Boer, Mastercard Foundation West, Central, and North Africa Regional Head Nathalie Gabala, Brown Button Foundation founder Adepeju Jaiyeoba, Ugandan Under Secretary of Finance Betty Kasimbazi, Shalem Investment Limited Managing Director Ruth Kinoti, Gahaya Links CEO and founder Joy Ngungutse, and Citigroup Assistant Vice President Steve Zita; 10:00 AM
East-West Center online discussion on Mongolia, the U.S., China and Russia – ‘Mongolia’s Response to Increasing U.S.-China-Russia Rivalry in Asia’ online discussion hosted by East-West Center, with featured speakers including The Mongolia Society Vice President Dr Alicia Campi and Mongolia Ambassador to the U.S. Amb. Dr Otgonbayar Yondon; 10:00 AM
DoJ virtual public workshop on competition in the licensing of public performance rights in the music industry continues – Department of Justice holds virtual public workshop on competition in the licensing of public performance rights in the music industry, day two, to ‘provide a further venue for industry stakeholders to weigh in on the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) consent decrees and their implications for antitrust law enforcement and policy as we enter the third decade of the 21st century and as music distribution continues to evolve through technological innovation’. Day two speakers include Jon Bon Jovi, American Beverage Licensees Executive Director John Bodnovich, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Business Affairs General Counsel and Executive Vice President Peter Brodsky, NAB Legal and Regulatory Affairs General Counsel and Executive Vice President Rick Kalpan, BMI Senior Vice President and General Counsel Stuart Rosen, iHeartMedia Business Affairs Executive Vice President Tres Williams; 12:30 PM

CFA Virtual National Food Policy Conference continues – Consumer Federation of America Virtual National Food Policy Conference continues, focusing on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting the food system, with day two speakers including Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern and World Central Kitchen founder Chef Jose Andres; 1:00 PM
U.S. interest rate decision – Federal Open Market Committee decision on interest rates, following two-day meeting and followed by press briefing with Chair Jerome Powell * The FOMC decided to maintain the target

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range for the federal funds rate at 0-0.25% at its last meeting in June as it continued to deal with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the U.S. economy¶

Location: Washington, DC; 2:00 PM¶

Dem Sen. Maria Cantwell speaks at RFF webinar on the nation’s public lands – ‘The Future of America’s Public Lands and the Outdoor Recreation Economy’ Resources for the Future webinar, with Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell discussing the implications of the Great American Outdoors Act and the future of public lands and the outdoor recreation economy in the U.S.; 3:00 PM
GOP Sen. Mitt Romney participates in Virtual Town Hall with NAACP president and CEO – NAACP hosts Virtual Town Hall with Republican Sen. Mitt Romney and NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, moderated by journalist April Ryan, to discuss the global public health crisis and social uprisings ‘which have brought awareness to the ongoing disparities and systemic racism present throughout’ the U.S.; 8:00 PM

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Importance: Normal¶

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Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com¶

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TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2020 6:30 AM EDT¶

TODAY’S TABLE OF CONTENTS¶

Leading the News¶

FBI Says Its Review Of Surveillance Applications Found Only Minor Errors.
US Charges Massachusetts Man With Firing At Boston Police During Protests.
Two More Charged In Kansas City Under Operation LeGend.
Operation LeGend Prosecution Underway In Albuquerque.
Trump: Feds Will Not Leave Portland Until Governor Clears Protesters.
DHS Compiled “Intelligence Reports” On Journalists Who Published Leaked Documents.
Pentagon Removes Language From Training Referring To Protesters, Media As “Adversaries.”
In Leaked Recording, Trump Asks Inhofe To Preserve Name Of Fort Lee.
Prosecutor: No Charges For Ferguson Officer Who Killed Michael Brown.
Missouri AG Drops Gun Charges Against St. Louis Couple.
NYTimes Analysis: Trump Echoes Wallace As “Law And Order” Candidate.
Gerson: Trump Tweet On Housing Regulation “Laid Bare” His Biases.
Counter-Terrorism
North Carolina Man Sentenced For Lying To FBI About Helping Another Join ISIS.
Conspirator In 1993 NYC Terror Plot Is Set For Release.
Counter-Intelligence
Full DC Appeals Court To Review DOJ’s Decision To Drop Flynn Case.
Senators Ask Agencies For Trove Of Trump-Russia Documents.
Federal Judge Blocks Anti-Trump Group From Filing Amicus Opposing Stone’s Commutation.
Republican Senators Seek Records On Top Steele Dossier Source.
Op-Ed: Valerie Jarrett Uses Classic Obama Administration Tactic To Dismiss FBI Spying Scandal.
Op-Ed: Steele’s Failings Go Far Beyond Dodgy “Dossier.”
Book Review: Jeffrey Toobin’s “True Crimes And Misdemeanors” On Trump Impeachment.
Bongino Says Durham’s Report Will Be “Horrifying For The Democrats.”
FBI, Counterintelligence Officials Warn Of China Election Interference.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty To Stealing Trade Secrets From Ohio Hospital.
FBI Probing Whether China Spied On Universities’ Coronavirus Research.
Democrats Press Nunes For Details On Anti-Biden Package Provided By Ukrainian Official.
Lessons From The KGB On Dirty Tricks In 2020 Election.
Election Officials Game Worst-Case Scenarios In Drills.
Pentagon’s Secret, Defunct UFO-hunting Program May Still Exist.

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CFIUS Halted Eight Foreign Investment Deals In 2019, Trump Ended One.
Op-Ed: The US Has Failed To Adapt To Kinds Of Global Threats.
Russia Detains Alleged Ukrainian Spy In Its Black Sea Fleet.
Belarus’ Arrest Of Russian Wagner Soldiers May Have Been Staged To Postpone Elections.
Op-Ed: Holding Syria Accountable For Chemical Attacks Will Be Tough Without Sharing Intelligence.
Anti-Tank Weapon Rarely Seen In Afghanistan Destroys Helicopter.
Criminal Investigations
Trump Meets With Family Of Murdered Fort Hood Soldier, Pledges Rigorous Investigation.
FBI Joins Army Probe Of Killing Of Fort Bragg Paratrooper.
Epstein Accuser Alleged In Unsealed Deposition That Maxwell Was His Partner In Abuse.
Idaho Prosecutor Subpoenas FBI Agents In Daybell Probe.
Man Shot By FBI In Arkansas Will Remain Jailed.
Kentucky AG: Breonna Taylor Autopsy, Police Radio Files Should Not Be Released Yet.
Buffalo Exchange Closes Colorado Stores Amid Abuse Probe.
Mississippi Man Facing Charges Over Shooting US Task Force Officers.
Continuing: Alabama Pair Indicted In Connection To Killing Of Child.
Ohio Man Facing Child Pornography Charges.
Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty To Firearms Charge.
Kentucky Man Charged With Murder, Robbery.
South Dakota Community Scammed By FBI Impersonators.
Indiana Toddler Critically Wounded In Shooting.*
DOJ Acknowledges Investigation Into Death Of Elijah McClain.
Continuing Coverage: Hawaii Man Accused Of Running Mob.
Two Accused Of Operating Illegal Marijuana Growing Operation In Massachusetts.
Four Defendants Charged With Meth Trafficking Plead Not Guilty.
Alleged Gang Leader, More Than 20 Others Arrested On Drug, Firearms Charges.
Six Arrested As Result Of Probe That Targeted Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation.
FBI Investigating Threats Against Missouri Elections Office.
Connecticut Man Arrested In Connection To Death Of Teenager.
FBI Investigating ATM Robberies In Minnesota.
West Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Conviction Of Child Murderer.
Nevada Man Arrested Over Sex-Trafficking Charges.
New York Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robberies.
Colorado Man Sentenced Over Child Pornography.
North Carolina Man Arrested Over Illegal Narcotics.
Indiana Men Facing Potential Hate Crime Charges.
Georgia Gang Member Arrested Over Methamphetamine.
Financial Crime & Corporate Scandals
Ohio Lawmakers Vote To Remove House Speaker Householder After Indictment.
Los Angeles City Councilman Charged In Corruption Probe.
Tennessee Lawmaker Charged With Theft Of Federal Funds.
Texas Man Sentenced For Wire Fraud In New Hampshire.
Cyber Division
Chinese Hackers Reportedly Targeted Moderna’s Vaccine Research.
Twitter Says Hacking Started With Phone Calls To Employees.
Senators Urge Justice Department To Open Investigation Into TikTok And Zoom.
DOD Inspector General’s Uphill Battle To Create A Culture For Cybersecurity.
Volunteer Experts Seek To Assist US Election Cybersecurity.
Portugal Telecoms Won’t Use Huawei For Core 5G Networks Despite Lack Of Official Ban.
Hackers Post Fake Stories On Real News Sites.
Gallagher Says Pentagon Needs Access To Defense Companies’ Networks To Hunt Cyberthreats.

Op-Ed: US Must Prevent Foreign Cyber Attacks On Texas Energy Infrastructure.¶

Law Enforcement Services¶

New Jersey Lawmakers Could Vote For Early Release Of 20% Of Prison Inmates.

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Other FBI News¶

Accessing Unclassified Data Poses Remote-Work Challenges For FBI.
Cohen Free To Publish Anti-Trump Book While Serving Sentence At Home.
Other Washington News
GOP Legislators Quick To Reject Trump’s Floating Of Delay In November Election.
Trump Exhorts People Who Have Recovered From COVID To Donate Plasma.

Fauci Reiterates Ineffectiveness Of Hydroxychloroquine To Refute Viral Video Shared By Trump¶

Birx Warns Cases Spiking In Midwest As Florida And Arizona Set New Death Records.
In Shift, Administration Officials Now Urging Public To Wear Face Masks.
Daily Beast: Trump’s Revival Of COVID News Conferences Has Frustrated Staff.
Reports Tie Cain’s Death From COVID To His Appearance At Trump’s Tulsa Rally.
Vanity Fair: Kushner Team’s Abandoned Ambitious COVID Testing Plan.
FDA Issues Guidance For Companies Making At-Home Tests.
Pentagon Researchers At Work On Developing COVID Antibody.
Johnson & Johnson Starts Human Vaccine Trials.
Data Suggest Native American Communities Disproportionately Impacted By Coronavirus.
Study: Children May Carry Coronavirus At High Levels.
NBA Issues New Safety Protocols.
WPost: Gohmert Face Of GOP Coronavirus Ignorance.
Trump Says 300 Miles Of New Border Wall Will Be Completed By End Of August.
Judge Blocks Administration’s Green Card Eligibility Rules.
Undocumented Woman Who Worked At Trump Club Facing Deportation.
US GDP Shrunk By Record Amount In Second Quarter.
Weekly Jobless Claims Rise To 1.434M As Senators Remain Divided On Extending Benefit.
Trump, DeVos Reiterate Call For Schools To Reopen.
Tropical Storm Isaias Could Reach Florida Over Weekend.
Senate Hearing On Controversial Pentagon Nominee Tata Cancelled.
Albence Stepping Down As Acting ICE Director.
Memo Reveals State Department Dispute Over Susan Pompeo’s Travel.
Obama Calls For Passage Of Voting Rights Act, Criticizes Trump In Lewis Eulogy.
House Votes To End Ban On Transgender Troops.
House Rejects Ocasio-Cortez Proposal To Bar Military Recruitment On Online Gaming Platforms.
Schweikert Admits To 11 Ethics Violations, Agrees To Pay $50K Fine.
Ginsburg Resting In Hospital Following Minimally Invasive Surgery.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Lifts Off En Route To Mars.
Omar Campaign Spent $606K At Husband’s Firm In First Weeks Of July.
International News
Trump: “Lamestream Media” Ignoring “Major China Virus Flare Up” In Other Countries.
Companies Work To Build Reliable Supply Chains For Coronavirus Vaccines.
EU Again Extends Travel Ban On Americans.
Study: UK Has Europe’s Worst Surge In Deaths During Pandemic.
Pompeo: US Has Discussed Threats To Its Troops In Afghanistan With Russia.
US Urges Pakistan To Act After American Charged With Blasphemy Shot In Court.
Craft: Trump Wants To Give In-Person UN Address In September.
Pompeo Insists “Tide Is Turning” In Dealings With China.
US Ambassador To Russia Dismisses Conviction Of Marine Vet As “Absurd.”
Democrats Slam Decision To Move US Troops Out Of Germany As Gift To Putin.
Polish Towns That Declared Themselves “LGBT-Free Zones” Are Denied EU Funds.
Trudeau Defends Charity Deal In Rare Testimony Before Parliament.
Violence In Darfur Increasing After Bashir’s Overthrow.
The Big Picture
Headlines From Today’s Front Pages.
Washington’s Schedule
Today’s Events In Washington.

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Leading the News¶

FBI Says Its Review Of Surveillance Applications Found Only Minor Errors.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/2b182474062c00f4989d039ffeaa5835 (7/30, Tucker) reports that according to the FBI, “errors in more than two dozen applications for surveillance warrants were not as severe as the Justice Department inspector general made them out to be.” The Justice Department IG has identified “important errors and omissions in applications the FBI submitted to wiretap a former Trump campaign adviser in the Russia investigation. In March, it said it had conducted an audit of 29 wiretap applications and found problems in all 29.” However, the FBI said its review of the applications “found only two material errors, and neither is believed to have affected a judge’s decision that there was probable cause for the surveillance. The FBI says that out of nearly 7,000 facts in the applications, there were rough 200 nonmaterial errors, such as typos and date inaccuracies.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/fbi-says-wiretap-applications-contained-minor-error/s551226002/ (7/30, Phillips, 10.31M) reports, “A statement issued Thursday came a few months after the Justice Department’s internal watchdog said in a memo that it found errors and lack of documentation in nearly all 29 surveillance applications it is reviewing as part of a broader audit of the FBI’s practices. The FBI and the Justice Department have since reviewed the 29 applications and found that the errors are mostly typographical, such as misspellings and wrong dates, the FBI said in the statement. The bureau said it found only two material errors, but neither would’ve affected the justifications for the surveillance.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/fbi-justice-department-say-errorfound-in-29-fisa-applications-were-small/2020/07/30/8ed0d1a4-d28e-11ea-8d32-1ebf4e9d8e0d_story.html (7/30, Barrett, 14.2M) reports, “A spokeswoman for the inspector general declined to comment. Back in March, the inspector general’s office said it had ‘identified apparent errors or inadequately supported facts in all of the 25 applications we reviewed,’ the memo said, adding that in another four cases, they couldn’t even find a corresponding file meant to act as a fact-checking exercise for FBI agents seeking surveillance orders.” The Post adds, “Thursday’s FBI statement also noted that the 29 FISA applications predated changes to the surveillance process ordered by Director Christopher A. Wray. The FBI said in its statement that the bureau ‘remains confident these actions will fully address the findings and recommendations’ of the inspector general.”¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fbi-wiretap/fbi-says-error-uncovered-in-wiretap-applications-were-mostly-non-material-idUSKCN24V2R8 (7/30, Lynch) reports, “The FBI’s findings could help take some of the heat off the bureau, which has been under fire for missteps in its early-stage investigation known as ‘Operation Crossfire Hurricane’ into whether President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia.”¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fbi-doj-claim-errorsin-fisa-court-filings-did-not-impact-orders (7/30, Blitzer, 27.59M) reports, “The filing did not dispute that there were inaccuracies in the warrant applications, it only claimed that those inaccuracies did not ultimately affect the outcome of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court’s orders.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/fbi-review-indicates-carter-page-fisa-was-especially-problematic (7/30, Dunleavy, 448K) reports that surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page “appears to have been uniquely problematic.” The FBI released details of more than two dozen FISA applications, According to The Examiner, “This sample indicates that the 17 ‘significant errors and omissions’ found by the DOJ watchdog in the process to obtain warrants to wiretap Page…was an outlier and gives Republican who believe Trump’s campaign was unfairly targeted more ammo in the unraveling ‘Russiagate’ controversy.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-internal-probe-finds-errors-in-fisa-warrants-didnt-undermine-cases-11596127762 (7/30, Viswanatha, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) also¶

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reports.¶

Protests¶

US Charges Massachusetts Man With Firing At Boston Police During Protests.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtonontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/john-boampong-accused-shooting-boston-police-durin/ (7/30, Mordock, 492K) reports that a Boston man “accused of firing a gun at 21 police officers during the city’s George Floyd protests last month was slapped with federal charges Thursday.” John Boampong was charged with “assaulting a federal officer, interfering with a law enforcement officer during the commission of civil disorder and being a person prohibited under felony indictment in possession of a firearm and ammunition.”¶

The Boston Herald https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/07/30/man-accused-of-shooting-at-boston-police-during-protests-now-charged-federally/ (7/30, Cotter, 410K) reports that Boampong, 37, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, “is accused of spraying bullets from a car at officers standing on near the Four Seasons Hotel on Boylston Street in the early hours of June 1.” The Herald adds, “One of the first protests following the police killing of Black Minneapolis man George Floyd coalesced May 31, a Sunday six day’s after Floyd’s death. The protest went off peacefully – but ‘devolved into widespread acts of violence, vandalism, looting and destruction of police property, including the burning of at least one police vehicle on Tremont Street. Some protestors threw rocks, bricks and commercially-available explosives, like M-80s, at police officers,’ FBI Special Agent Timothy Kenny wrote in the new criminal complaint against Boampong.” WFXT-TV¶

https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/boston-man-facing-federal-charges-assaulting-officers-withfirearm-during-city-rioting-june-1/OTLYFKDODFHY5G47XTLS3L3GDU/ Boston (7/30, Staff) also reports.¶

Two More Charged In Kansas City Under Operation LeGend.¶

The Kansas City (MO) Star https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article244607087.html (7/30, Nozicka, 549K) reports, “Two more people have been charged under the federal Operation LeGend, including a man who allegedly threatened a witness in a shooting, prosecutors said Thursday.” According to the Star, “The two are among more than 50 people arrested so far in connection to the anti-crime initiative named after 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, who was fatally shot last month in Kansas City.” Shannon Walz, 45, “was charged with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition after Kansas City police arrested him following a foot chase in May. Shortly before, he was accused of threatening a witness to keep their mouth shut about a shooting that led to the victim’s death weeks later.” The Star adds, “The other defendant whose charges were announced Thursday was 20-year-old Maricela Delores Lozano, who was accused of stealing a car at gunpoint in July from a County Club Plaza parking garage.”¶

KSHB-TV https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/2-more-charged-with-firearm-offenses-under-operation-legend Kansas City, MO (7/30, White, 90K) reports that Lozano “allegedly brandished an ‘AK-47 style pistol’ in a Plaza parking garage and demanded the keys and cellphone of the victim. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper spotted her in Fulton two days later and took her into custody, according to U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri Timothy Garrison.” Walz “was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm in a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday. Walz was arrested by Kansas City police on May 30, nearly six weeks before Operation LeGend launched in Kansas City. Walz had allegedly told a person to ‘keep their mouth shut’ about a shooting that had occurred the week before while waving a handgun ‘in a threatening manner,’ according to Garrison’s office. The victim in that shooting died on June 10.”¶

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Operation LeGend Prosecution Underway In Albuquerque.¶

The Albuquerque (NM) Journal https://www.abqjournal.com/1481226/operation-legend-prosecution-underway-in-albuquerque.html (7/30, Kaplan, 196K) reports, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting what appears to be its first Operation Legend case in Albuquerque – charging a defendant with being a felon in possession of a firearm during an incident last month.” Carlos Trevon Morris, 44, “was arrested by federal officers on Tuesday. But the incident, a homicide, happened more than a month ago and federal agents have been investigating it for weeks. In response to questions about what makes the case part of Operation Legend, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Mexico said the main goal is to get guns out of the hands of convicted felons and others who are prohibited from having them. Last week, on July 22, Attorney General William Barr and President Donald Trump announced more than 25 federal officers are coming to Albuquerque as part of the operation, which is also being conducted in Kansas City, Missouri, and Chicago.”¶

Trump: Feds Will Not Leave Portland Until Governor Clears Protesters.¶

President Trump took to Twitter https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288826742539464707 Thursday to write, “Kate Brown, Governor of Oregon, isn’t doing her job. She must clear out, and in some cases arrest, the Anarchists & Agitators in Portland. If she can’t do it, the Federal Government will do it for her. We will not be leaving until there is safety!”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/dministration/509755-trump-feds-wont-leave-portland-until-governor-clamps-down-on (7/30, Chalfant, 2.98M) reports Brown responded on Twitter https://twitter.com/OregonGovBrown/status/1288887417894612993 to Trump, writing, “I think we’ve had enough political grandstanding from DC. The President’s plan to ‘dominate’ the streets of American cities has failed. We will protect free speech and the right to protest peacefully.”¶

Echoing the President, Deputy CBP Commissioner Robert Perez said on the Lars Larson Show https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/c450037d4da640d0b2e580f61fd6835b?pubid=fbi (7/30), “We’re not going anywhere. We’re going to remain in the city. The Federal Protective Service…along with the US Marshals, they are the ones charged with protecting that courthouse and those federal buildings. That said…we constantly and continually are collaborating and working alongside our state and local law enforcement. So we welcome and we’ve been wanting the sort of typical collaboration that we’ve always had there in Portland to quell this violence that has been occurring and all this criminal activity around the courthouse.” Perez was also interviewed on America First¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/4dbadb2fbedb4733a4437ce3e3679996?pubid=fbi (7/30).¶

Police Move To Take Over Defense Of Federal Buildings. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-globalrace-protests/signs-portland-federal-withdrawal-moving-ahead-idUSKCN24V2J9 (7/30) reports that on Thursday in Portland, police “cleared a downtown park, making at least one arrest, as part of a plan for federal tactical police to leave the city following weeks of clashes with protesters.” A day after Brown and US officials announced a phased withdrawal deal, “Oregon State Police requested the park be closed before their planned takeover of security at a nearby federal courthouse.”¶

DHS Compiled “Intelligence Reports” On Journalists Who Published Leaked Documents.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/dhs-compiled-intelligence-reports-on-journalists-who-published-leaked-documents/2020/07/30/5be5ec9e-d25b-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, A1, Harris, 14.2M) reports DHS has compiled “intelligence reports” about “the work of American journalists covering protests in Portland, Ore., in what current and former officials called an alarming use of a¶

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government system meant to share information about suspected terrorists and violent actors.” Over the past week, the department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis “disseminated three Open Source Intelligence Reports to federal law enforcement agencies and others, summarizing tweets written by two journalists – a reporter for the New York Times and the editor in chief of the blog Lawfare – and noting they had published leaked, unclassified documents about DHS operations in Portland.” The intelligence reports, obtained by the Post, “include written descriptions and images of the tweets and the number of times they had been liked or retweeted by others.”¶

Pentagon Removes Language From Training Referring To Protesters, Media As “Adversaries.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/pentagon-strips-out-language-protesters-adversaries-388751 (7/30, Seligman, 4.29M) reports Defense Secretary Esper “has directed the Pentagon to adjust the wording in a mandatory training course that identifies protesters and journalists as ‘adversaries,’ a day after Politico first reported on the materials.” The training material has been in use since 2010, but “it was shared with a wider audience following Esper’s new guidance aimed at clamping down on leaks released this month, chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman told reporters on Thursday.”¶

In Leaked Recording, Trump Asks Inhofe To Preserve Name Of Fort Lee.¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/in-overheard-call-trump-asks-senator-to-preserve-the-name-of-fort-lee (7/30, Doyle, 448K) reports President Trump was overheard on a phone call https://www.nytimes.com/video-us/politics/100000007265038/trump-inhofe-audio-call.html to Senate Armed Services Chairman James Inhofe “asking for assurance that Fort Lee, a U.S. military base that bears the name of the commander of the Confederate Army, Robert E. Lee, would not be renamed.” According to the New York Times, Trump asked Inhofe, “We’re gonna keep the name of Robert E. Lee?” Inhofe was at “an Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill, when he took the call on Wednesday.” Inhofe replied, “Just trust me. I’ll make it happen.” Inhofe “put the president on speakerphone, which allowed a nearby diner to record the call.”¶

Prosecutor: No Charges For Ferguson Officer Who Killed Michael Brown.¶

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-county-prosecutor-to-announce-decision-in-2014-killing-of-michael-brown-in-ferguson/article_8e537a12-4dd0-51d8-a325-11ba7dddd20e.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1 (7/30, Currier, 685K) reports St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell on Thursday “finally answered the question that has followed him since his political campaign: Will he charge a former Ferguson police officer in the 2014 shooting death” of Michael Brown. The answer is “no.” Speaking to reporters, Bell said, “This is one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do as an elected official. Although this case represents one of the most significant moments in St. Louis’ history, the question to this office is a simple one: Could we prove beyond a reasonable doubt that when Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown he committed murder or manslaughter under Missouri law? After an independent and in-depth review of the evidence, we cannot prove that he did.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/michael-brown-darren-wilson-ferguson.html> (7/30, Eligon, 18.61M) reports that “six years after a white police officer shot and killed” Brown “another investigation into the killing has come to the same conclusion as the first: The officer should not be charged.” Thursday’s announcement “most likely marks the end of the legal saga in a case that started the global rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.”¶

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Missouri AG Drops Gun Charges Against St. Louis Couple.¶

Townhall https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2020/07/30/victory-missouri-ag-intervenes-to-drop-charges-against-couple-who-fended-off-mob-n2573458 (7/30, Vespa, 177K) reports Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is “stepping to stop what pretty much is a politically motivated legal action against” St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who “defended their home when a roving band of leftist rioters broke down the gate to their home and ventured onto their property.”¶

NYTimes Analysis: Trump Echoes Wallace As “Law And Order” Candidate.¶

Peter Baker writes in an analysis for the New York Times¶

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/politics/trump-wallace.html> (7/30, A1, 18.61M) reports that amid the 1968 race riots, the “law and order” candidate was George C. Wallace. Fifty-two years later, “in another moment of social unrest, the ‘law and order’ candidate is already in the Oval Office and the politics of division and race ring through the generations as President Trump tries to do what Wallace could not.” According to Baker, “comparisons between the two men stretch back to 2015 when Mr. Trump ran for the White House denouncing Mexicans illegally crossing the border as rapists and pledging to bar all Muslims from entering the country. But the parallels have become even more pronounced in recent weeks after the killing of George Floyd.”¶

Gerson: Trump Tweet On Housing Regulation “Laid Bare” His Biases.¶

In a column titled “Trumpism’s Most Persistent Goal Is The Preservation Of White Supremacy,” Michael Gerson writes in the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumpisms-most-persistent-goal-is-the-preservation-of-white-supremacy/2020/07/30/0a3a6aec-d291-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/30, 14.2M) that President Trump “has trouble concealing his intentions.” He cites a tweet this week from the President stating: “I am happy to inform all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood.” His language, Gerson argues, “laid bare his motivating biases. He was ‘happy’ to make the announcement.”¶

Counter-Terrorism¶

North Carolina Man Sentenced For Lying To FBI About Helping Another Join ISIS.¶

WBTV-TV https://www.wbtv.com/2020/07/30/nc-man-sentenced-lying-fbi-about-helping-with-persons-plans-join-isis/ Charlotte, NC (7/30, 57K) reports from Union County, North Carolina, “A North Carolina man has been sentenced to five years in prison for lying to the FBI about buying plane tickets for someone who planned traveling to Syria to join ISIS.” Alexander Samuel Smith, 32, of Waxhaw, North Carolina, “was sentenced to 60 months in prison Wednesday for making a false statement to the FBI. Smith was also ordered to serve three years under court supervision upon completion of his prison term.” WBTV-TV adds, “According to filed court documents, evidence presented at trial and Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, in Feb. 2016, Smith lied during an interview with the FBI about his plans to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and about providing assistance to other individuals to do the same.”¶

Conspirator In 1993 NYC Terror Plot Is Set For Release.¶

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The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/victor-alvarez-conspirator-in-1993-nyc-terror-plot-set-for-release/ (7/30, Feuerherd, Golding, 4.57M) reports, “A would-be terrorist convicted in a fiendish plot to bomb New York City landmarks is set for release from prison on Thursday – and could be headed straight for a Manhattan homeless shelter.” Victor Alvarez, 54, “has finished serving a 30-year sentence for conspiring with the late, blind Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman to blow up the various Big Apple bridges and tunnels, as well as the United Nations and local FBI headquarters. His crimes included helping stir diesel fuel and fertilizer for what the feds called a ‘witches’ brew’ that was found inside a makeshift bomb factory in Queens when it was raided in 1993, disrupting the terror scheme. Abdel-Rahman and nine followers, including Alvarez, were found guilty in 1995 following a nine-month trial that included audio and video recordings secretly made with the help of bodyguard for the radical Egyptian cleric after he became an informant for the FBI.”¶

The New York Daily News https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-blind-shiekh-follower-released-20200730-vg25whcapncinewi5zuht62kn4-story.html (7/30, Brown, 2.52M) reports, “A mentally-ill follower of ‘Blind Shiekh’ Omar Abdel Rahman completed his 30-year prison sentence Thursday for plotting to blow up New York City buildings in 1993 – and then alarmed federal officials by vowing to stop taking his meds. Victor Alvarez’s return to society got off to a rocky start in Manhattan Federal Court as he began a three-year term of supervised release for what prosecutors called a conspiracy to ‘wage a war of urban terrorism’ by bombing the FBI building in New York, United Nations and other targets. He insisted on an in-person hearing so he and his court-appointed attorney could explain that he would refuse mental health treatment and medicine to treat his mental illness while on home confinement at the Bellevue Men’s Shelter.”¶

Counter-Intelligence¶

Full DC Appeals Court To Review DOJ’s Decision To Drop Flynn Case.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/legal-issues/michael-flynn-case-to-be-reheard-by-full-federal-appleals-court-in-dc/2020/07/30/003f9720-d033-11ea-8d32-1ebf4e9d8e0d_story.html (7/30, Marimow, 14.2M) reports that on Thursday, the full US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit “agreed…to revisit US District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan’s plan to examine” the Justice Department’s decision to drop its case against former national security adviser Michael Flynn, thereby “reviving the unusual case testing the limits of the judiciary’s power to check the executive branch.” The Post adds “the decision to rehear the case before a full complement of judges wipes out the June ruling from a three-judge panel that ordered Sullivan to immediately dismiss the case and said Sullivan was wrong to appoint a retired federal judge to argue against the government’s move to undo Flynn’s guilty plea.” Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/appleals-court-michael-flynn-388384 (7/30, Gerstein, Cheney, 4.29M) says Thursday’s announcement is “a setback for Flynn, who scored an unexpected victory on the issue last month.” Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/flynn-to-go-before-full-appleals-court-as-legal-saga-drags-on (7/30, Olson, 27.59M) calls the move “the latest twist in the long-running legal drama that stemmed from the FBI’s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in 2016.”¶

NPR https://www.npr.org/2020/07/30/897205758/full-d-c-appeals-court-agrees-to-take-up-michael-flynn-legal-case (7/30, Johnson, 3.12M) reports that the full appeals court “likely will assess whether Sullivan can go ahead with the consideration and investigation of the government’s change of heart; the smaller panel of judges ruled that he had overstepped himself and violated the privilege of the executive branch to reach decisions about prosecutions confidentially.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/michael-flynn-case-be-heard-full-appeals-court/ (7/30, Mordock, 492K) points out “the DC Circuit is currently composed of seven judges appointed by three Democrats and four Republican appointees.” Bloomberg <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/michael-flynn-dismissal-will-be-heard-by-full-appeals-¶

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court> (7/30, Larson, Yaffe-Bellany, 4.73M) reports that the appellate court “said in a one-page order that the ‘parties should be prepared to address whether there are “no other adequate means to attain the relief” desired.’” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-appeals-court-will-reconsider-dismissal-of-caseagainst-former-trump-security-adviser-flynn-11596133273 (7/30, Tau, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that arguments are set for August 11.¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/appleals-court-rehear-trump-ally-michael-flynns-case-rare-move/5358913002/ (7/30, Phillips, 10.31M) indicates that “rehearing a case that had already been ruled on is very rare, a request granted only in proceedings that involve ‘a question of exceptional importance’ and when the court feels the need to ‘maintain uniformity’ in its decisions.” USA Today adds “the move set off an unusual legal battle in the appeals court, where both the defense and prosecution wanted to dismiss the case while the presiding judge – himself represented by an attorney – argued he’s entitled to scrutinize the Justice Department’s motives for dropping the prosecution.” CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/michael-flynn-appleals-court-will-reconsider-case-of-former-trump-aide.html (7/30, Mangan, Breuninger, 3.62M) says the decision “implies that at least some judges on the appeals court believe Sullivan should be given the opportunity to rule on the dismissal request before an appeal is heard of his refusal to do so.” The AP https://apnews.com/affa6d959446fdabd986f6d4fa4d68ee (7/30, Tucker) reports “Sidney Powell, a lawyer for Flynn, did not immediately return an email seeking comment, but did tweet the news and wrote, ‘WOW!’”¶

Powell said on Fox News’ Hannity <https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176857493001?¶

Powell said on Fox News Hannity https://video.foxnews.com/v/01/085/493001 playlist_id=930909813001#sp=show-clips>(7/30, 535K), “It is a sad day for the rule of law. Judge Sullivan’s petition for rehearing should not have even been considered by the court because he had no standing to file it. He’s not a party in the case. He is supposed to be a neutral umpire. And yet, he has taken on the role of an advocate for some sort of hearing that he wants to conduct back in his court on an issue that the government has decided to dismiss, a case it has decided to drop. … He cannot act as a prosecutor because only the Department of Justice can under Article II of the Constitution. So, there are two Constitutional provisions that preclude him from doing what he’s trying to do, and the court seems to be indicating that it is going to give him that opportunity, despite the fact he has no Constitutional authority to proceed.”¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-flynn/case-of-ex-trump-aide-flynn-to-be-reheard-by-fullu-s-appeals-court-idUSKCN24V30T (7/30, Wolfe, Lynch) reports “Democrats have said the Flynn case is an example of Attorney General William Barr improperly meddling to help Trump’s friends and political allies.” The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/usr/politics/michael-flynn-appeals-court.html (7/30, Savage, 18.61M) says that “Barr’s Justice Department, while not embracing Ms. Powell’s accusations that prosecutors committed misconduct, argued that the uncertain status of the Flynn inquiry at the time agents questioned him meant that Mr. Flynn’s lies were not a crime because they were not connected to a legitimate investigation.”¶

Also reporting on the move are CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-flynn-appeals-court-arguments-dismissal/ (7/30, Hymes, 3.68M), ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-flynnn-criminal-case-reheard-full-appeals-court/story?id=72081112 (7/30, Mallin, 2.97M), BBC World News (UK) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53603915 (7/30, 3.28M), The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/full-dc-appeals-court-agrees-to-rehear-michael-flynn-case (7/30, Chaitin, 448K), The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/dc-appeals-court-revives-case-against-michael-flynn/ (7/30, Nelson, 4.57M), Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-flynn-loses-washington-dc-circuit-court-of-appeals-2020-7 (7/30, Sheth, Samuelsohn, 3.67M), and Law360 https://www.law360.com/articles/1296942 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 8K).¶

Senators Ask Agencies For Trove Of Trump-Russia Documents.¶

The Daily Caller https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/30/igor-danchenko-laufman-steele-dossier/ (7/30, Datoc,¶

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716K) reports that Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) “are pressing multiple government agencies for the release of a slew of documents related to the Trump-Russia probe, including records of a former Justice Department official’s correspondence with Igor Danchenko, a Russia analyst identified as the primary source for the Steele dossier.” The senators sent letters “to the Justice Department, FBI, State Department, CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence seeking records about surveillance activities against the Trump campaign and other related issues.” The letter to DOJ and the FBI “seeks records of correspondence between Danchenko, the purported dossier source, and David Laufman, who served as chief of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence and export control section until 2018.”¶

Federal Judge Blocks Anti-Trump Group From Filing Amicus Opposing Stone’s Commutation.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/federal-judge-blocks-anti-trump-group-filing-legal/ (7/30, Mordock, 492K) reports that US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Thursday “blocked a trio of anti-Trump lawyers from filing a legal brief opposing the commutation of Roger Stone’s prison sentence.” Judge Jackson “said the case is closed so there is no reason for more court filings. Although Stone has appealed his conviction to a federal appeals court, those issues are not before her, Judge Jackson said. ‘Here there is no motion or question to be decided pending before the Court – indeed the matter is on appeal and the Court lacks jurisdiction to deal with it,’ she wrote in a brief, one-page order.’ Judge Jackson “said the law is murky on whether the public can file” an amicus brief “in a criminal case, much less one that is no longer before the court.”¶

Republican Senators Seek Records On Top Steele Dossier Source.¶

The Washington Examiner https://r.bulletinintelligence.com/34699f9f736b427c8fefa1d51b7e3a4b (7/30, Dunleavy, 448K) reports two top Senate Republicans “drastically expanded the scope of their inquiry into the Russia investigation, sending letters asking for information from the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, the ODNI, and the State Department.” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), the chairman of the Finance Committee, and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), the chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, “told key Trump Administration officials in separate letters…that their committees ‘are investigating matters related to the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation’ and noted that they had requests for records related to a host of Trump-Russia figures and controversies.” They “asked Attorney General Barr for all records tying former DOJ counterintelligence official David Laufman to Igor Danchenko.”¶

Op-Ed: Valerie Jarrett Uses Classic Obama Administration Tactic To Dismiss FBI Spying Scandal.¶

In a commentary in the Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/valerie-jarrett-uses-classic-obama-administration-tactic-to-dismiss-fbi-spying-scandal (7/30, 448K), Becket Adams writes, “White House spin is nothing new, though the press’s frenetic coverage of the Trump Administration would have you believe otherwise. During the Obama years, for example, the White House and its allies had a go-to strategy for dismissing unflattering reports and outright scandals. They would note simply of whatever story threatened to damage the White House that it happened a long time ago, as if the passage of time itself was a defense or an explanation.” She contends, “Valerie Jarrett’s appearance this week on the Fox Business Network is merely a reminder that the Trump Administration is not the first to declare simply that its scandals are non-stories. Also, given that the ‘old news’ tactic was the go-to strategy for the Obama Administration, it should not surprise you to see that Jarrett is still leaning on this trick, even years removed from the White House.”¶

Book Review: Jeffrey Toobin’s “True Crimes And Misdemeanors” On Trump Impeachment.¶

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In a book review in the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/07/30/trump-tried-shut-him-down-robert-mueller-was-his-own-worst-enemy/ (7/30, 14.2M), Carlos Lozada reviews Jeffrey Toobin’s new book, ‘True Crimes and Misdemeanors,’ which explores “the inquiry into Russian electoral interference as well as the Ukraine scandal that led to Trump’s impeachment and Senate trial.” Lozada writes, “A staff writer for the New Yorker and a legal analyst for CNN, Toobin has written books on the Bill Clinton investigation and the Iran-contra scandal; he had served as a young prosecutor in the latter case. A Toobin book on the Trump investigations seemed inevitable. In an author’s note, Toobin says he interviewed members of Mueller’s staff, subjects and witnesses in the probe, Trump’s legal team and members of his administration, as well as lawmakers. Specific sources usually go unnamed, and Toobin also relies on reporting and analysis by The Washington Post, the New York Times, Lawfare and others. Put together, this all gives the book an authoritative, omniscient-narrator quality.”¶

Op-Ed: Steele’s Failings Go Far Beyond Dodgy “Dossier.”¶

In an op-ed in the Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/christopher-steeles-failings-go-far-beyond-dodgy-t/ (7/30, 492K), retired CIA officer Daniel Hoffman writes, “President Trump earlier this month publicly called for the extradition of former British MI6 Intelligence Officer Christopher Steele. … Steele’s dossier made a number of other sensational but inaccurate claims, including that Mr. Fridman and Mr. Aven provided Mr. Putin with foreign policy guidance; that former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen traveled to Prague to conspire with Russian hackers; and that Russian intelligence possessed a salacious blackmail tape of Mr. Trump himself.” He contends, “Mr. Steele would best serve his own interests – and the national security of both the UK and US – with a mea culpa admitting his errors of judgment and laying out the multitude of lessons we should learn from his shoddy work product.”¶

Bongino Says Durham’s Report Will Be “Horrifying For The Democrats.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/dan-bongino-three-reasons-why-john-durhams-report-will-be-horrifying-for-the-democrats (7/30, Chaitin, 448K) reports that, according to conservative commentator Dan Bongino, Democrats are “terrified by what US Attorney John Durham will put in his report.” Fox News host Sean Hannity “had the former Secret Service agent and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, on his show Wednesday night, and they touched on Attorney General William Barr’s testimony the day before in which he refused to rule out releasing Durham’s report before Election Day.” Hannity “mentioned that Democrats are ‘scared to death’ of Durham’s criminal inquiry into the Russia investigation, a point which Bongino drew out in his comments.” He said, “There are three things we know now that are going to be really horrifying for the Democrats, okay? Number one, we know that that January meeting happened, where we know Steele’s sources were garbage. January of 2017, so what Mueller was doing, we still have no idea.”¶

FBI, Counterintelligence Officials Warn Of China Election Interference.¶

Axios https://www.axios.com/fbi-counterintelligence-china-election-interference-87aa1353-dd92-4010-baf7-cbb521179aa2.html (7/30, Treene, 521K) reports, “FBI Director Christopher Wray and other intelligence community officials warned about China’s increased capability to interfere in U.S. elections in separate classified hearings with the Senate Intelligence Committee this week, two sources familiar with the hearings tell Axios.” Wray and other officials “cited concerns that China is developing the ability to interfere with local election systems and target members of Congress to influence China policy, sources said.” Wray “briefed committee¶

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members on Tuesday afternoon, and the other intel officials, including William Evanina, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) briefed them on Wednesday. An official with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which includes the NCSC, said it has been providing ‘robust intelligence-based briefings on election security to the presidential campaigns, political committees, and Congressional audiences’ but declined to comment on the details.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://r.bulletinintelligence.com/47fd1a18ff8f49e8806cb6f5868d0625 (7/30, Dunleavy, 448K) reports that “following last week’s revelation by” Evanina “that the U.S. intelligence community is most concerned about China, Russia, and Iran seeking to meddle in November’s election and” Director Wray “reportedly warning the Senate Intelligence Committee this week about the Chinese government’s growing ability to interference in U.S. elections, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday that Beijing has not just the capability but the intention of conducting influence operations inside the United States.”¶

Pompeo Says Tech Leaders Must Be Aware China Steals IP. CNBC¶

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/pompeo-slams-us-tech-for-downplaying-china-cyber-threat.html (7/30, Macias, 3.62M) reports on its website that in an appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday, Secretary of State Pompeo “slammed U.S. tech companies…for their lack of transparency in regards to the breadth and depth of intellectual property theft the Chinese government conducts on American industries.” Pompeo is quoted as saying, “The idea that anyone in the tech space could not know of what the Chinese Communist Party is attempting to steal and the cyberattacks they are making seems incredulous to me.”¶

Blumenthal And Hawley Urge DOJ To Probe TikTok And Zoom’s Ties To China. Reuters¶

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-china-tiktok-zoom/senators-urge-u-s-justice-dept-to-probe-tiktok-zoom-idUSKCN24V36O (7/30) reports Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) wrote to the Justice Department on Thursday “to urge a probe of video technology company Zoom and Chinese-owned social media company TikTok.” They wrote, “We believe that it is imperative that the Department of Justice investigate and determine whether Zoom and TikTok’s business relationships, data handling practices, and operational connections to China pose a risk to Americans.” The senators charged that “both Zoom and TikTok have failed to answer even basic questions about their business operations, including who has access to personal information and when they comply with request from China or other governments.”¶

Chinese National Pleads Guilty To Stealing Trade Secrets From Ohio Hospital.¶

Fox News <https://www.foxnews.com us/ohio-hospital-researcher-pleads-guilty-steal-secrets-sell-china> (7/30, Miles, 27.59M) reports, “A researcher who worked for 10 years at an Ohio children’s hospital research institute pleaded guilty to conspiring to trade secrets related to cellular research and illegally transfer the information to China.” Li Chen and her husband, Yu Zhou, “whose case is still pending, had been indicted for setting up businesses in China, applying for patents there and traveling to China, all without the authorization of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Research Institute in Columbus.” Fox News adds, “As part of her plea, Chen will forfeit approximately $1.4 million, 500,000 shares of common stock of Avalon GloboCare Corp. and 400 shares of common stock of GenExosome Technologies Inc. ‘Li Chen was a trusted researcher at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, conducting cutting-edge U.S. government-funded research,’ stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Chris Hoffman.”¶

The Columbus (OH) Dispatch https://www.limaohio.com/wire/state-wire/420783/chinese-national-pleadsguilty-to-stealing-trade-secrets-from-nationwide-childrens-hospital (7/30, Woods, 367K) reports, “The couple was arrested in July 2019 in California, charged with conspiring to steal at least five trade secrets related to exosome research while they were employed at Nationwide Children’s. Chen admitted that she conspired to steal and monetize one of the trade secrets by creating and selling ‘isolation kits.’ Chen helped to start a company in China to sell the kits and received benefits from the Chinese government, according to the plea agreement.”¶

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FBI Probing Whether China Spied On Universities’ Coronavirus Research.¶

The Houston Chronicle https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/education/article/FBI-Chinese-spy-COVID-university-texas-austin-15446341.php (7/30, Britto, 730K) reports, “The FBI is investigating whether the Chinese government attempted to illegally obtain COVID-19 research from American universities, including the University of Texas at Austin, UT officials confirmed to the Houston Chronicle.” The FBI “told UT officials last week that the closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston sparked the probe, wrote Daniel Jaffe, UT’s interim executive vice president and provost, in an email to the university’s faculty, graduate and post-doctorate students on Monday. As a result of this ‘ongoing and evolving national situation,’ the FBI will contact UT researchers ‘about the role of the consulate and efforts by the Chinese government to illegally procure research from American universities,’ Jaffe said.”¶

The Austin (TX) American Statesman <https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-¶

world/national/article244615712.html> (7/30, Korte, Subscription Publication, 343K) reports, “The FBI is looking into whether the Chinese government tried to illegally procure coronavirus vaccine research from American universities, including the University of Texas, UT officials said this week.” The American Statesman adds, “In an email to faculty and graduate students Monday evening, UT interim Executive Vice President and Provost Dan Jaffe said the FBI notified the university last week that, due to the recent closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston, it will be contacting UT researchers about the role of the consulate and efforts by the Chinese government to illegally procure research. The U.S. government took over the Chinese Consulate in Houston last week amid allegations of espionage. ‘We do not know whom the FBI intends to contact or what they plan to discuss, nor have we shared anyone’s information or details about ongoing research with FBI agents,’ Jaffe said in his email. ‘It’s not unusual for federal law enforcement officers to ask to speak with researchers if deemed necessary to support criminal or national security investigations.’” KEYE-TV https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/report-fbi-investigating-possible-chinese-spying-on-uts-covid-19-researchAustin, TX (7/30, Bontke) also reports.¶

Democrats Press Nunes For Details On Anti-Biden Package Provided By Ukrainian Official.¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/devin-nunes-joe-biden-ukraine-388843 (7/30, Cheney, 4.29M) reports Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) this week “declined to answer a colleague’s question about whether he had received derogatory information about Vice President Joe Biden from Andrii Derkach, a Kremlin-linked Ukrainian lawmaker who has worked to foment allegations of corruption by Biden and his son Hunter.” During a closed-door business meeting “of the panel on Wednesday – a transcript of which was made publicly available Thursday – Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) pressed Nunes about news reports indicating that he was one of several GOP lawmakers who was delivered packets of information from Derkach containing allegations about Biden in December 2019.” Derkach has “confirmed that he sent the packages to Nunes, as well as Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).” Derkach has provoked “growing alarm among Democrats, who have noted his increasingly public efforts to promote anti-Biden allegations.”¶

Lessons From The KGB On Dirty Tricks In 2020 Election.¶

CNN https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/30/tech/2020-election-russia-disinformation/index.html (7/30, O’Sullivan, Naik, Scott, 83.16M) reports it’s a “modern-day digital disinformation playbook that US intelligence agencies will almost certainly be watching out for ahead of November’s presidential election – especially after Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election caught the country off guard.” But to fully understand “Russia’s use of tactics like false news stories and leaked materials, it’s useful to examine the country’s long history of painstaking influence operations dating back to an analog era.” Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy “who lived¶

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undercover in the US in the 1980s, explained how it was done back in his day in an interview with CNN Business last year.” The KGB would take “great care to furnish a convincing forgery of a US government document, often with the goal of implicating the US in something tawdry and designed to appear to confirm an existing conspiracy theory. That forgery would then be given to a sympathetic, unwitting reporter.”¶

Election Officials Game Worst-Case Scenarios In Drills.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-07-30/election-officials-game-out-worst-case-scenarios-in-drills (7/30, Tucker) reports DHS’ cybersecurity agency this week “hosted a three-day tabletop exercise aimed at helping local, state and federal officials prepare for and respond to worst-case scenarios on Election Day.” The virtual exercise “involved more than 2,000 participants who brainstormed ways to deal with problems and crises that could arise during a November election expected to bring unique challenges tied to the coronavirus pandemic.” Ben Hovland, a commissioner on the US Election Assistance Commission, said, “One of the great things about them is they’re always designed to basically be your worst day ever. The good thing about it is it really forces you to think through a lot of issues.” This is the “third year DHS has held these exercises, though this one was held virtually because of coronavirus concerns.”¶

Pentagon’s Secret, Defunct UFO-hunting Program May Still Exist.¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/science/pentagons-secret-defunct-ufo-hunting-program-may-still-exist (7/29, Weisberger, 27.59M) reports that, according to recent Senate committee reports, the US government’s search for unidentified flying objects (UFOs) “is ongoing, and is part of a program called the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force (UAPTF) that operates under the US Office of Naval Intelligence.” This agency appears to “have assumed the responsibilities of another UFO-hunting Pentagon group that was purportedly disbanded in 2012; the New York Times reported on July 23 that UAPTF’s findings could be made public within the next six months.” Although the results of UAPTF’s investigations are classified, “a briefing delivered to Defense Department representatives in March by a former consultant for the UFO program mentioned retrievals from ‘off-world vehicles not made on this earth.’”¶

CFIUS Halted Eight Foreign Investment Deals In 2019, Trump Ended One.¶

Reuters <https://www.reuters.com/article-us-cfius-2019-report us-national-security-panel-killed-eight-deals-in2019-trump-ended-one-idUSKCN24V3KK> (7/30, Bartz) reports a US interagency panel that “reviews proposed transactions to ensure they do not harm national security said on Thursday that it killed eight deals in 2019 while President Trump rejected a ninth.” In its report on 2019, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) “reviewed 231 transactions and did in-depth investigations of 113.” The report “showed that amid a deterioration in US-China ties, the number of deals involving Chinese companies reviewed by CFIUS dropped from 60 in 2017 to 55 in 2018 and 25 last year.” In eight cases, CFIUS “told the parties to the transactions that they could not identify a way to mitigate the national security harm and refused to approve the proposed deals, or the companies rejected the proposed mitigation.” In a ninth case, CFIUS “referred a deal to Trump, who prohibited it at the panel’s recommendation.”¶

Op-Ed: The US Has Failed To Adapt To Kinds Of Global Threats.¶

In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-07-30/foreign-policy-threats-trump (7/30, 4.64M), Seth G. Jones, director of the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for¶

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Strategic and International Studies, and Juan C. Zarate, global co-managing partner for K2 Intelligence/Financial Integrity Network, write, “It has now been more than five months since a US intelligence assessment included in President Trump’s Daily Brief suggested that Russia was paying bounties to Taliban fighters for attacking US and other foreign forces in Afghanistan.” They contend, “The IC needs to better identify these new types of threats and networks and counter them aggressively with both overt and covert actions. New life should be injected into the National Counterterrorism Center. … And there needs to be more aggressive coordination with the private sector, enabled by DHS, to protect US critical national systems and ensure resilience.” They conclude, “Without a more effective US response, countries like Russia, China and Iran will be encouraged to ramp up such hybrid activities.”¶

Russia Detains Alleged Ukrainian Spy In Its Black Sea Fleet.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/uraine-crisis-russia-treason/russia-detains-alleged-ukrainian-spy-inits-black-sea-fleet-idUSL5N2F12Y3 (7/30) reports Russia’s RIA news agency cited the Federal Security Service “as saying Russian security forces on Thursday detained a serviceman from its Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean city of Sevastopol on Thursday on suspicion of spying for Ukrainian military intelligence.” The FSB did not “name the serviceman or give his rank.” Masked men in plain clothes “could be seen rushing out of a van, grabbing a man in the street and bundling him into the back of the vehicle before driving off in footage of the arrest shown by RIA.”¶

Belarus’ Arrest Of Russian Wagner Soldiers May Have Been Staged To Postpone Elections.¶

The Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/was-belarus-arrest-of-russian-wagner-soldiers-staged-in-aploy-to-postpone-elections (7/30, 1.39M) reports the videos were “certainly not what Russians have come to expect from their country’s secret warriors abroad: powerful men in unmarked uniforms imposing Russian influence on Syria, Ukraine, and Africa.” These men were “caught on camera by Belarusian security officers totally unprepared.” Some were “naked except for underwear, with documents, propaganda leaflets, and condoms strewn around their hotel rooms.” Belarusian state news agencies reported the “soldiers served as Russian security contractors with Wagner, a Russian private military group close to the government.” Belarusian officials “said that they were in the country for ‘destabilization’ purposes before the elections.” Moscow “denied any military involvement in Belarus, and some believe the mercenaries were simply using the country as a staging post on their way to or from their latest assignment.”¶

Op-Ed: Holding Syria Accountable For Chemical Attacks Will Be Tough Without Sharing Intelligence.¶

In an op-ed in the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/07/30/holding-syria-accountable-chemical-attacks-will-be-tough-without-sharing-intelligence/ (7/30, Carnegie, Carson, 14.2M), Allison Carnegie And Austin Carson, authors of ‘Secrets in Global Governance: Disclosure Dilemmas and the Challenge of International Cooperation,’ write, “A chemical weapons confrontation is escalating in Syria, after an international watchdog agency concluded this month that Damascus used chemical weapons, lied to investigators and violated its commitment to dismantle its chemical weapons arsenal. Syria has 90 days to respond or face a referral to the UN Security Council for possible punishment. … Our new book analyzes another source of evidence – information derived from national intelligence that is quietly shared with international organizations. Governments collectively spend billions of dollars each year on technologies and human networks that can provide precise and timely information on compliance with international rules.” They conclude, “The experience in holding Syria accountable for its chemical weapons commitments shows that intelligence can help to fill in evidentiary gaps and give international law more bite.”¶

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Anti-Tank Weapon Rarely Seen In Afghanistan Destroys Helicopter.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-helicopter-missile.html (7/30, Gibbons-Neff, Mashal, 18.61M) reports an Afghan helicopter was “attacked in the country’s south this week by what US and Afghan officials say was a missile rarely seen in the hands of the Taliban, raising new concerns for a beleaguered Afghan military and questions about who supplied the weapon.” A Black Hawk helicopter was returning on Monday from “a medical evacuation mission in Helmand Province and was preparing to land.” American and Afghan officials “said it is unclear if the helicopter had touched down or was hovering just feet off the ground when it was struck by an anti-tank guided missile.” Anti-tank guided missiles, which come in many variants, “are common in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, having been captured from military bases and supplied by countries such as the US, Russia and Iran.” US military officials “said that the weapons have been rare in Afghanistan.”¶

Criminal Investigations¶

Trump Meets With Family Of Murdered Fort Hood Soldier, Pledges Rigorous Investigation.¶

ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/cf660d0145824f48b2997090beee6880?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 10, 0:20, Muir, 7.06M) reported the President on Thursday “met…with the family of murdered Ft. Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen,” saying “news of her death hit him, quote, ‘very hard.’” Trump “pledged to get to the bottom of what happened to her.” The AP https://www.militarytimes.com/news/yourmilitary/2020/07/30/family-of-slain-texas-soldier-meets-with-trump-pushes-for-change-near-capitol/ (7/30, Superville) points out Trump also said “he would help with funeral expenses.” The AP quotes Trump as saying, “It’s an incredible story. It’s a terrible story. … So we’re going to look into it very powerfully. We already have started, as you know, and we’ll get to the bottom of it. Maybe things can come out that will help other people in a situation like Vanessa. We’ll be in touch with you constantly.” The Washington Post <https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pledges-case-of-slain-army-soldier-vanessa-guillen-wont-be-swept-under-the-rug/2020/07/30/4cb6dde2-d291-11ea-9038 af089b63ac21_story.html> (7/30, Wagner, Horton, 14.2M) notes Trump also said, “We didn’t want to have this swept under the rug, which could happen.” He also called Guillén “a spectacular person” who was “respected and loved by everybody.”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/509829-trump-meets-with-family-of-slain-fort-hood-soldier-vanessa-guillen (7/30, Chalfant, 2.98M) reports “the Army specialist went missing from the Texas military base in late April. Her remains were found more than two months later, on June 30, buried 20 miles away from Ford Hood near a lake.” The Hill adds “authorities suspect another soldier, Aaron Robinson, in Guillén’s death.” Robinson “killed himself on July 1 after he was confronted by police.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/vanessa-guillen-murder-prompts-sexual-harassment-orobe-fort-hood/5543352002/ (7/30, Brook, 10.31M) reports “the independent review” into Guillen’s death “will be led by Chris Swecker, a lawyer and former assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.” Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said in a statement, “The Army is committed to taking care of our soldiers, civilians, families, and soldiers for life, and this independent review will explore the current command climate and culture at Fort Hood.” USA Today adds “earlier this month, Army officials disclosed that Guillen may have been harassed in an unrelated matter to her disappearance and murder. That matter is under investigation.”¶

Stars And Stripes https://www.stripes.com/news-us/family-of-vanessa-guillen-announces-legislation-demandschange-1.639425 (7/30, Wentling, 30K) reports that also on Thursday, “the 16-year-old sister of a slain Army specialist took the stage in front of 100 people on the National Mall in Washington…and fervently demanded¶

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Congress pass reforms to prevent more deaths.” Guillen’s “family, along with their attorney, Natalie Khawam, gathered outside the Capitol on the National Mall to announce the #IamVanessaGuillen bill,” a measure that “would allow service members to file claims of sexual harassment and assault to a third-party agency, rather than through the chain of command.”¶

CNN <https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/30 us/fort-hood-independent-review-vanessa-guillen/index.html> (7/30, Sanchez, 83.16M) reports, “The independent review is intended to determine whether that climate and culture ‘reflects the Army’s values, including safety, respect, inclusiveness, and a commitment to diversity, and workplaces and communities free from sexual harassment.’ The panel, with assistance from a brigadier general and a staff, will study ‘historical data and conduct interviews with military members, civilians and members of the local community.’” Members of the panel include Swecker, “Jonathan Harmon, a trial lawyer who has represented Fortune 500 companies across the country; Carrie Ricci, an assistant general counsel for the US Department of Agriculture; Queta Rodriguez, a Bexar County, Texas, resident and regional director for FourBlock, a nonprofit that helps veterans transition into civilian careers; and Jack White, an attorney with expertise in government investigations and discrimination claims.”¶

ABC News <https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/army-ready-begin-broad-review-fort-hood-wake/story? id=72067393> (7/30, Martinez, Seyler, 2.97M) reports, “McCarthy announced the review two weeks ago following a meeting with members of the League of United Latin American Citizens and two members of Congress to discuss the issues surrounding the investigation into Guillen’s death. The panel’s findings will be submitted to James McPherson, under secretary of the Army, and Gen. Joseph Martin, the vice chief of staff of the Army, who will co-chair an implementation team to consider the recommendations and implement any changes, as needed.”¶

FBI Joins Army Probe Of Killing Of Fort Bragg Paratrooper.¶

The Fayetteville (NC) Observer https://www.fayobserver.com/story/news/military/2020/07/30/fbi-helpingarmy-investigators-try-find-who-murdered-paratrooper/5550328002/ (7/30, DeVane, 151K) reports, “The FBI is helping Army investigators try to determine who killed a Fort Bragg paratrooper.” The Observer adds, “The investigation into the death of Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez is a priority for Army Criminal Investigation Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, according to a statement released Thursday by the division. Roman-Martinez was camping with fellow paratroopers on an island at Cape Lookout National Seashore over the Memorial Day weekend. The other soldiers told authorities that he disappeared on May 22.” According to the Observer, “Part of Roman-Martinez’s body washed up on the beach a week later. A coroner has ruled his death a homicide, according to his family. The statement released by the 82nd said division officials have actively worked with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Park Rangers, and Army investigators.”¶

Epstein Accuser Alleged In Unsealed Deposition That Maxwell Was His Partner In Abuse.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/epstein-accuser-alleged-in-newly-unsealed-deposition-that-ghislaine-maxwell-was-his-partner-in-abuse/2020/07/31/62a13384-d2da-11ea-8d32-1ebf4e9d8e0d_story.html (7/31, Helderman, Jacobs, 14.2M) reports, “A woman who has accused deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein of years-long abuse that began when she was a teenager alleged in a newly unsealed deposition that his former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, was both his chief accomplice and a participant in the sexual abuse.” Maxwell, “who was arrested earlier this month and charged with trafficking minors, had fought unsuccessfully to keep the court documents under seal.” The Post adds, “The unsealed court documents stem from a defamation suit she settled for an undisclosed sum in 2017 with…Virginia Giuffre, who has alleged that she was forced to have sex with Epstein and his friends. She has claimed that Maxwell recruited her to serve as a traveling masseuse for Epstein after spotting her working a summer job as a locker room attendant 20 years ago at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s private estate. Giuffre’s deposition was among several hundred pages of¶

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records unsealed by judicial order” Thursday.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news-us/articles/2020-07-31/documents-unsealed-from-suit-against-epsteins-ex-girlfriend (7/31, Neumeister) reports from New York, “Giuffre claimed in the suit and other litigation that Maxwell recruited her in 2000 to be a sexual servant to Epstein. She said the couple subsequently pressured her into having sex with numerous rich or notable men, including Britain’s Prince Andrew, U.S. politicians, wealthy entrepreneurs, a famous scientist and fashion designer. Among the newly released documents were emails Maxwell and Epstein exchanged in January 2015, when Giuffre’s allegations were getting a new round of media attention.” The AP adds, “One email, sent from Epstein’s email address but written in Maxwell’s voice, appeared to be a draft a statement or set of talking points for Maxwell to use in defending herself. It said she had been the target of ‘false allegations of impropriety and offensive behavior that I abhor and have never ever been party to.’”¶

Idaho Prosecutor Subpoenas FBI Agents In Daybell Probe.¶

The Idaho Falls (ID) Post Register https://www.postregister.com/news/local/fbi-agents-subpoenaed-by-daybellprosecutor/article_128536eb-cd04-5410-9912-6cbb02e71c4f.html (7/30, Krutzig) reports, “Three FBI agents have been subpoenaed by state prosecutor Rob Wood to appear at Chad Daybell’s upcoming hearing. The agents, Special Agent Benjamin Dean, Special Agent Steven Daniels and Agent Gary Lyu, are all based out of Salt Lake City. A fourth subpoena was also filed for Rylene Nowlin, laboratory manager for the Idaho State Police Forensic Services in Meridian. They will each appear at the Fremont County Courthouse on Monday and Tuesday ‘as a witness in a criminal action.’” The FBI “has been part of the investigation into Daybell and his wife Lori Vallow since the early days of the case. The subpoenas came a day after a sealed court hearing was held regarding whether Vallow’s attorney Mark Means potentially had a conflict of interest in the case.”¶

Man Shot By FBI In Arkansas Will Remain Jailed.¶

The AP <https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states arkansas articles/2020-07-30/fleeing-man-shot-by-fbi-in-little-rock-will-remain-in-jail> (7/30) reports from Little Rock, Arkansas, “A Little Rock man will remain in jail after he was shot by an FBI agent when he reportedly attempted to drive through a line of police vehicles.” The AP adds, “Cameron Bryant, 33, ‘suffered a gunshot wound from the incident,’ according to his defense attorney Lott Rolfe, when he tried to flee at high speed and struck through at least six law enforcement vehicles that were blocking him from leaving a parking lot. Bryant is currently facing drug and gun charges from a 2018 indictment and is on parole from the state Department of Corrections, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Federal prosecutors sought to revoke the pretrial release of Bryant.”¶

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/jul/30/man-shot-by-fbi-in-lr-to-remain-behind-bars/?news-arkansas (7/30, Satter, 307K) reports, “Federal prosecutors sought to revoke the pretrial release of…Bryant…who is facing drug and gun charges stemming from a 2018 indictment and is on parole from the state Department of Corrections,” but “they didn’t get a chance to call witnesses to discuss the events that unfolded Tuesday afternoon outside a Dollar General store at 9125 Stagecoach Road because Bryant’s attorney told U.S. Magistrate Judge Jerome Kearney that Bryant wouldn’t challenge the bond revocation request and agreed to be detained.”¶

Kentucky AG: Breonna Taylor Autopsy, Police Radio Files Should Not Be Released Yet.¶

The Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/metro-government/2020/07/30/daniel-camerons-office-too-soon-release-breonna-taylor-records/5536911002/ (7/30,¶

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Costello, 368K) reports from Louisville, Kentucky, “The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office won’t require Louisville public agencies to release Breonna Taylor’s autopsy report, police radio recordings in connection with her death or Kenneth Walker’s investigative file.” The Courier-Journal adds, “The agency, which is conducting its own investigation into Taylor’s March 13 death, released a series of open records rulings this week, finding that Louisville Metro Police, Louisville Metro Emergency Services and the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office were justified in rejecting The Courier Journal’s requests because of pending investigations. In reaching those conclusions, the attorney general’s office pointed to letters from the FBI’s Louisville field office and an assistant deputy attorney general that said releasing the records would adversely impact the ongoing investigations and any potential prosecutions that may result from them.”¶

Buffalo Exchange Closes Colorado Stores Amid Abuse Probe.¶

The Denver Post https://www.denverpost.com/2020/07/30/buffalo-exchange-closing-stores-temporarily-assault-allegations/ (7/30, Wenzel, 720K) reports, “Buffalo Exchange, the Tucson, Ariz.-based vintage clothing retailer with stores in 19 U.S. states, has cut ties with its Colorado franchisee group after dozens of anonymous allegations of employee abuse surfaced on an Instagram account this week.” The Post adds, “At the same time, Denver police – with help from the FBI – said they are investigating the complaints, which included allegations of sexual assault, underage drug and alcohol use, fraud and theft. People identifying themselves as former employees of Buffalo Exchange locations in Denver and Boulder levied the accusations against Colorado franchise managing partner Patrick Todd Colletti.”¶

Mississippi Man Facing Charges Over Shooting US Task Force Officers.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/mississippi/articles/2020-07-30/man-charged-in-ms-shooting-of-federal-task-force-officers (7/30) reports Joseph D. Sonnier, who is “accused of shooting a federal task force member who was trying to execute a search warrant in Mississippi,” has “been indicted on nine charges.” He “faces four counts of assault on a federal officer or employee of the government, four counts of discharging a firearm in connection with a violent crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.”¶

Continuing: Alabama Pair Indicted In Connection To Killing Of Child.¶

KOKI-TV https://www.fox23.com/news/trending/2-indicted-federal-kidnapping-charges-abduction-killing-kamille-cupcake-mckinney/YWXFONQV4FA73OT4MMSBG5AAJU/ Tulsa, OK (7/30, Bonvillian, 11K) reports Patrick Devone Stallworth and Derick Irisha Brown “are each charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap [Kamille McKinney], who vanished Oct. 12, 2019, as she played outside a birthday party in the Tom Brown Village public housing complex in Birmingham.” They “face a possible death penalty” if convicted.¶

WVTM-TV https://www.wvtm13.com/article/birmingham-man-and-woman-indicted-on-kidnapping-charges-in-kamille-cupcake-mckinney-death/33458941 Birmingham, AL (7/30, 85K) also reports.¶

Ohio Man Facing Child Pornography Charges.¶

The Canton (OH) Repository https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20200730/update-malone-university-fires-employee-amid-child-pornography-charges (7/30, Balint, 178K) reports former Malone University sports¶

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information director William Aaron Doty Jr “faces child exploitation and child pornography charges stemming from allegations he sought sexually-implicit videos and images from young girls.” The investigation began after the FBI “received a tip in June alleging a person using the username ‘d.beas22’ on Instagram was communicating with at least four children under 12 and made sexually explicit statements and requested to engage in sexual activities.”¶

WJW-TV https://fox8.com/news/canton-man-charged-with-sexual-exploitation-of-children-under-12-fbi-searching-for-more-possible-victims/ Cleveland (7/30, 480K) reports that the FBI “says the investigation revealed that user also logged onto the same computer within a very short time to a Facebook account with the username Aaron Doty.”¶

WOIO-TV https://www.cleveland19.com/2020/07/30/canton-university-employee-charged-with-sexually-exploiting-children/ Cleveland (7/30, Vadaj, 68K) also reports.¶

Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty To Firearms Charge.¶

The Muskogee (OK) Phoenix https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/tahlequah-man-pleads-guilty-infederal-court-to-firearm-charge/article_ac1152c6-f0d8-5d45-be06-5059f2e8c6ce.html (7/30, 23K) reports Hurley Dewayne Pitts “pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and influencing a federal official by threatening a family member.” The indictment “alleged that on or about Jan. 18, Pitts, who had previously been convicted of a felony, possessed a firearm and ammunition.”¶

Kentucky Man Charged With Murder, Robbery.¶

The Bowling Green (KY) Daily News https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/attorneys-spar-over-la-placita-shooting-suspects-arrest-interview/article_a1d7c450-943f-54a8-a0c2-789dac230858.html (7/30, 57K) reports Jonny Alexander Reyes-Martinez, who “is accused of killing Jose Cruz, 31, of Bowling Green, on March 17, 2017, during a robbery,” appeared Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green. His defense team “filed a motion to suppress the statements he made to Bowling Green Police Department detectives and FBI agents while held in prison in Kansas on Sept. 27, 2017” because Reyes-Martinez “invoked his right to a lawyer during the interview, but police continued questioning him and obtained incriminating statements from Reyes-Martinez.”¶

South Dakota Community Scammed By FBI Impersonators.¶

KELO-AM https://kelo.com/news/articles/2020/jul/30/scammers-posing-as-the-fbi-bilk-minnehaha-countywoman-of-7k-in-gift-cards/1044698/ Sioux Falls, SD (7/30) reports that criminals “posing as the FBI bilk[ed] a Minnehaha County woman out of $7,000 in gift cards.” The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office “[said] the scammers said a car she had sold was used in a drug conspiracy in Texas,” and the criminals “if she didn’t get the gift cards then the money, she’d be arrested by the FBI.”¶

The Sioux Falls (SD) Argus Leader https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2020/07/30/sheriff-minnehaha-county-woman-loses-27-000-phone-scam/5546235002/ (7/30, 179K) also reports.¶

Indiana Toddler Critically Wounded In Shooting.¶

The AP <https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2020-07-30/girl-2-critically-wounded-in-northwestern-¶

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indiana-shooting> (7/30) reports that an unidentified two-year-old “was shot in the head and critically wounded in northwestern Indiana when gunshots erupted as the child was in a car with her mother.” The FBI is supporting the manhunt for the shooter, who “fled into a wooded area” afterwards.¶

DOJ Acknowledges Investigation Into Death Of Elijah McClain.¶

The Colorado Public Radio https://www.cpr.org/2020/07/30/federal-investigation-prosecuting-aurora-police-elijah-mcclain-death-westminster-curtis-lee-arganbright/ (7/30, Sherry, 3K) reports that the DOJ, US Attorney’s Office for Colorado and the FBI Denver field office has “been investigating [Elijah] McClain’s death since 2019,” when he “died…after three Aurora police officers stopped and attempted to detain him, placing him in two carotid chokeholds.”¶

Continuing Coverage: Hawaii Man Accused Of Running Mob.¶

Honolulu Civil Beat (HI) https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/07/alleged-oahu-crime-boss-nightclub-was-a-popular-place-for-political-fundraisers/ (7/30) reports in continuing coverage about Michael Miske, who is accused of running an organized crime syndicate in Honolulu. A recent indictment “accuses Miske and his associates of a series of crimes, including murder, murder-for-hire, armed robbery and the deployment of potentially deadly pesticides on their dance club patrons.”¶

Two Accused Of Operating Illegal Marijuana Growing Operation In Massachusetts.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/3f01b9bcda26b0e9f9ee98c631d9da34 (7/30) reports, “Two people federal authorities say operated a massive illegal marijuana growing operation that was cultivating thousands of plants at multiple locations” in Massachusetts have been arrested. Weiqing Li, “41, and Li Qin Li, 49, were arrested on Wednesday and charged with manufacturing marijuana and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.” The WWLP-TV https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampden-county/two-arrested-over-4100-marijuana-plants-discovered-in-monson-palmer-homes/ Springfield, MA (7/30, Asiamah, 81K) website publishes a similar story.¶

Four Defendants Charged With Meth Trafficking Plead Not Guilty.¶

The Cedar Rapids (IA) Gazette https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/public-safety/cedar-rapids-meth-trafficking-trial-robey-werkmeister-lemus-garcia-20200730 (7/30, Mehaffey, 157K) reports Bobby D. Robey, Travis C. Werkmeister, Genaro Aguilar Lemus and Jorge Martinez-Garcia “were charged this week with methamphetamine trafficking.” The case against the four defendants, who have all pleaded not guilty, was “investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program of the US Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Tri-County Drug Task Force, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force, Iowa Counter Drug Task Force and Central Iowa Drug Task Force.”¶

Alleged Gang Leader, More Than 20 Others Arrested On Drug, Firearms Charges.¶

The Washington Examiner <https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/alleged-chicago-gang-leader-and-two-¶

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dozen-others-arrested-on-drug-and-gun-trafficking-charges> (7/30, Mastrangelo, 448K) reports 23 individuals, “including the alleged leader of the Black Disciples street gang, have been arrested on federal drug and firearms charges in Chicago.” The DEA and the FBI were involved with the investigation that led to those charges, according to the Examiner article, which says the US Department of Justice “has made fighting crime in Chicago a priority in recent weeks.” The Chicago Crusader https://chicagocrusader.com/alleged-leader-of-black-disciples-among-23-gang-members-charged/ (7/30) runs a similar article.¶

Six Arrested As Result Of Probe That Targeted Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation.¶

An online WHNS-TV https://www.foxcarolina.com/investigations/6-suspects-face-federal-charges-after-investigation-into-alleged-drug-trafficking-wire-fraud-operations-in/article_365e6d08-d2a0-11ea-89fc4f8548afbf4d.html Greenville, SC (7/30, Kalsi, 157K) report says an FBI “investigation into an alleged drug trafficking operation and wire fraud operation in Greenville County has resulted in at least six arrests.”¶

FBI Investigating Threats Against Missouri Elections Office.¶

The Hannibal (MO) Courier-Post https://www.hannibal.net/FBI-talks-to-Ralls-clerk-about-social-mediaattacks (7/30, 21K) reports that the FBI “has contacted the Ralls County clerk after she was attacked on social media in the run-up to the Aug. 4, Primary Election.” Ralls County Clerk Sandy Lanier “said recently that her office was under attack and that her staff was being intimidated.” She wrote in a Facebook post, “Contact was made with employees in my office and my family, asking personal questions about my life and slandering me in an effort to persuade the upcoming Aug. 4, 2020, election.” She continued, “These are negative campaign ethics. Please understand that these kind of attacks will not be tolerated. As the Election Authority for Ralls County, I took an oath for this office and will stand behind this oath.”¶

Connecticut Man Arrested In Connection To Death Of Teenager.¶

The Hartford (CT) Courant https://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-br-bridgeport-oxford-boy-murdered-20200730-z3mfd4r6abev7l66ij7pp44j7u-story.html (7/30, Dempsey, 698K) reports Diante Willoughby, who “admitted his involvement in the killing,” was arrested Wednesday over the murder of Jose Nunez, who “was reported missing Tuesday morning by his mother.” Nunez’s body was found Wednesday, and an autopsy “completed Thursday concluded Jose was strangled to death, but police released few other details, citing the ‘very active’ and ongoing investigation.”¶

FBI Investigating ATM Robberies In Minnesota.¶

WCCO-AM https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/07/30/minneapolis-fbi-help-sought-iding-suspects-in-series-of-atm-robberies/ Minneapolis (7/30, 14K) reports that the FBI Minneapolis field office “is asking for the public’s help in identifying suspects who were involved in May’s civil unrest” after the suspects robbed ATMs throughout the city.¶

West Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Conviction Of Child Murderer.¶

WVNews <https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/west-virginia-supreme-court-affirms-convictions-of-lena-¶

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lunsford-conaway/article_c0658c5e-d299-11ea-bc9d-f7852a99214f.html> (7/30) reports that the West Virginia Supreme Court “has upheld the conviction and life without mercy sentence of child murderer Lena Lunsford Conaway,” who “was convicted in the September 2011 slaying of 3-year-old Aliayah Lunsford, whose body never has been found.” The justices “ruled by memorandum decision, opting not to hear arguments in the case, which had been requested by Lunsford Conaway attorney Jeremy Cooper and opposed by Assistant Attorney General Scott Johnson.”¶

WSAZ-TV https://www.wsaz.com/2020/07/30/wva-supreme-court-affirms-convictions-of-lena-lunsfordconaway/ Huntington, WV (7/30, 166K) reports Conaway “remains incarcerated at the state’s Lakin Correctional Center.”¶

Also reporting are the AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/west-virginia/articles/2020-07-30/wva-supreme-court-rejects-convicted-mothers-appeal (7/30) and West Virginia MetroNews https://wvmetronews.com/2020/07/30/supreme-court-rejects-appeal-of-lunsford-decision/ (7/30, 34K).¶

Nevada Man Arrested Over Sex-Trafficking Charges.¶

The Reno (NV) Gazette-Journal https://www.rgj.com/story/news/crime/2020/07/30/reno-man-arrested-sextrafficking-charges-child-pornography-case/5551860002/ (7/30, 183K) reports James Westfall “was arrested on sex trafficking-related charges after he was allegedly caught producing child pornography from his downtown home.” He also “faces charges of facilitating sex trafficking of a child, soliciting a child for prostitution and using a child to produce pornography.” The FBI Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Safe Streets Task Force supported the investigation.¶

New York Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robberies.¶

WGRZ-TV https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/crime/man-pleads-guilty-to-robbing-three-western-new-york-banks-in-less-than-a-week/71-118e0645-a503-4f79-8f0b-eb86400de9bf Buffalo, NY (7/30, 100K) reports Michael Tyo “has pleaded guilty to robbing banks in Brighton and Buffalo and attempting to rob one in Niagara Falls over four days in August of 2019.” The case “was investigated by the Brighton Police Department and the FBI.”¶

Colorado Man Sentenced Over Child Pornography.¶

The Denver Patch https://patch.com/colorado/denver/colorado-aurora-man-sentenced-10-years-federal-prisonpossession-child-pornography (7/30, 1.03M) reports United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn “announced that Scott Lynn Garland, age 55, of Aurora, Colorado, was sentenced to serve 120 months (10 years) in federal prison followed by 5 years on supervised release for possession of child pornography.” The investigation into Garland began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children “received information from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) showing that accounts associated with Garland were involved in obtaining child pornography.”¶

North Carolina Man Arrested Over Illegal Narcotics.¶

The Charlotte (NC) Observer https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article244596087.html (7/30, 470K) reports that the FBI “arrested Kongmany Sibounheuang on a cocaine conspiracy charge” on Thursday. Investigators “suspected the 35-year-old was dealing drugs in March 2018 when police and¶

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paramedics answered an emergency overdose call at his apartment on Scaleybark Road.”¶

Indiana Men Facing Potential Hate Crime Charges.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news-us/articles/2020-07-30/special-prosecutor-sought-in-alleged-attack-on-black-man (7/30) reports Sean M. Purdy and Jerry E. Cox Jr “face criminal confinement, battery and intimidation charges in the July 4 assault on Vauhxx Booker, a civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission.” Booker “said he called 911 after the men assaulted him and pinned him to a tree at Lake Monroe, just south of Bloomington,” and he “said five men accused him of trespassing on private property and after he tried to apologize, the situation got physical.” The FBI is investigating the case as a hate crime.¶

Georgia Gang Member Arrested Over Methamphetamine.¶

The Jackson (GA) Progress-Argus https://www.jacksonprogress-argus.com/news/member-of-ghost-facegangsters-arrested-in-butts-county-for-allegedly-trafficking-meth/article_ef013f62-d28b-11ea-898c-238c1bfb6505.html (7/30, Stanford, 11K) reports that the Butts County Sheriff’s Office “culminated a two-month investigation into the alleged trafficking of methamphetamine through four counties with the arrest of Andy Kirk Davis on July 28.” Sheriff Gary Long “said Davis is a member of the ‘Ghost Face Gangsters,’ a violent gang known for trafficking meth.”¶

Financial Crime & Corporate Scandals¶

Ohio Lawmakers Vote To Remove House Speaker Householder After Indictment.¶

The Cleveland Plain Dealer https://www.cleveland.com/open/2020/07/ohio-house-votes-to-remove-larryhouseholder-as-ohio-speaker.html (7/30, Tobias, 895K) reports from Columbus, Ohio, “The Ohio House of Representatives has voted unanimously to remove Larry Householder as Ohio House speaker a little more than one week following his arrest on federal corruption allegations. The vote was 90-0, with 9 members, including Householder, absent. Members approved the measure swiftly without debate in a Thursday morning session.” Householder, “a political aide and three lobbyists, including former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges, were arrested last Tuesday in what federal authorities described as a $60 million bribery scheme. They were formally indicted on Thursday. The FBI says FirstEnergy funneled the money to Householder and his allies, including a network of shadowy political groups, to help elect Householder as speaker, in exchange for a nuclear bailout bill worth more than $1 billion that Householder pushed through the legislature.”¶

The AP https://omaha.com/news/national/stain-on-the-house-ohio-reps-oust-gop-speaker-amid-probe/article_4ea659b4-4a40-5cd3-827e-488fb2a9e69e.html (7/30, Amiri) reports, “Householder, his long-time adviser Jeffrey Longstreth, former Ohio Republican Party chairman Matt Borges and lobbyists Neil Clark and Juan Cespedes could each face up to 20 years in prison if they’re convicted for their alleged work to pass the bailout and block attempts to overturn it, according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI. A federal grand jury formally indicted the five on Thursday, charging each with a single count of racketeering.”¶

Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ohio-house-speaker-ousted-from-position-bribery-money-laundering-scheme (7/30, Phillips, 27.59M) reports, “The arrests were part of a yearlong investigation into public corruption and bribery tied to legislation that bailed out two nuclear power plants in the state. The former speaker and his associates are accused of accepting corporate money for personal and political use to pass House¶

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Bill 6 to financially bail out two FirstEnergy nuclear plants with over $1 billion. Householder was a key player in the legislation, which added a fee to every electric bill in the state and directed over $150 million a year through 2026 to the plants near Cleveland and Toledo.”¶

NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/ohio-house-speaker-larry-householder-ousted-amid-racketeering-charges-n1235319 (7/30, Fieldstadt, Li, 6.14M) reports, “Householder is the first Ohio House speaker ever removed by the chamber, according to the Ohio History Connection. For now, he still retains his seat in the GOP-led legislature. Remaining members of Householder’s leadership team had said he deserves the presumption of innocence but that he ‘lost the trust of his colleagues and the public’ and couldn’t effectively lead the House.”¶

The Circleville (OH) Herald https://www.circlevilleherald.com/news/householder-and-others-indicted-on-ricoconspiracy/article_e41aa028-4a9e-567e-bdd6-3bf834d49212.html (7/30, Pavloff, 19K) reports, “Prior to the indictment, 61-year-old Householder, of Glenford, along with four other individuals and a 501(c)(4), Generation Now, were previously charged in a criminal complaint that was first unsealed on July 21. The criminal complaint document alleged the enterprise conspired to violate a racketeering statute through honest services wire fraud, receipt of millions of dollars in bribes and money laundering. Along with Householder the other four individuals charged in the indictment include Mathew Borges of Bexley, 48; Jeffrey Longstreth of Columbus, 44; Neil Clark of Columbus, 67; and Juan Cespedes of Columbus, 40. Householder’s social welfare organization, Generation Now, was also charged in the indictment.”¶

The Columbus (OH) Dispatch https://r.bulletinintelligence.com/2a9d369002f046cebac833e3b6ab63d8 (7/30, Ludlow, 367K) reports, “Following passage of House Bill 6, ‘the team’ gathered that night to celebrate with House Speaker Larry Householder. Among the celebrants, according to a federal criminal complaint, was ‘Representative 3,’ whom The Dispatch has identified as Republican Rep. Jamie Callender of Concord in Lake County, east of Cleveland. He was one of the measure’s two sponsors.” The Dispatch adds, “Before the 53-43 ‘yes’ vote on May 29, 2019, a media campaign financed by ‘dark money’ urged voters to contact their representatives and tell them to support the $1 billion bailout of two nuclear plants along Lake Erie. FirstEnergy, whose subsidiary owned the two facilities, had wired $9.5 million to Generation Now, a nonprofit authorities say was controlled by Householder and run by Jeff Longstreth, to pay for the media blitz and provide ‘cover’ for reluctant House members, the complaint states.”¶

Tennessee Lawmaker Charged With Theft Of Federal Funds.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/tennessee/articles/2020-07-30/grand-jury-indicts-tennessee-state-senator-on-theft-charges (7/30, Sainz) reports from Memphis, Tennessee, “A Tennessee state senator was indicted Thursday on dozens of counts of stealing more than $600,000 in federal funds received by a health care school she directed and using the money to pay for personal items and expenses.” The AP adds, “A federal grand jury in Memphis handed down the indictment against Democratic state Sen. Katrina Robinson, one day after the U.S. attorney’s office unsealed a criminal complaint alleging she used grant money earmarked for health care worker training to pay for her wedding and honeymoon, home improvements, a Jeep Renegade for her daughter, her children’s snow cone business, a campaign event, legal fees for her divorce, and other things. The indictment includes 24 counts of theft and embezzlement involving government programs, and 24 counts of wire fraud, U.S. attorney Michael Dunavant said in a statement.”¶

Los Angeles City Councilman Charged In Corruption Probe.¶

CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jose-huizar-los-angeles-city-councilman-34-count-indictment-corruption-probe-2020-07-30/ (7/30, 3.68M) reports, “A federal grand jury on Thursday returned a 34-count indictment against Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar as part of an ongoing corruption investigation,¶

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CBS Los Angeles reports. Huizar, 51, has been accused of leading a criminal enterprise where prosecutors say he used his position at City Hall to enrich himself and his close associates.” Huizar “was charged last month with one count of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Thursday’s indictment charges Huizar with the following criminal charges: 12 counts of honest services wire fraud; two counts of honest services mail fraud; four counts of traveling interstate in aid of racketeering; six counts of bribery; five counts of money laundering; one count of structuring cash deposits to conceal bribes; one count of making a false statement to a financial institution; one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement; and one count of tax evasion, according to prosecutors.”¶

NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/los-angeles-councilman-faces-34-federal-charges-alleged-bribery-scheme-n1235393 (7/31, 6.14M) reports, “A previous federal charge of conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act was incorporated into Thursday’s indictment, said Ciaran McEvoy, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles. The new allegations include multiple counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, traveling interstate in aid of racketeering, bribery and money laundering and single counts of structuring cash deposits to conceal bribes, making a false statement to a financial institution, making false statements to federal law enforcement and tax evasion. The case stems from allegations that Huizar took bribes from an unnamed Chinese billionaire developer and others in exchange for weighing in favorably on proposed construction projects.”¶

The Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-07-30/l-a-councilman-jose-huizar-indicted (7/30, 4.64M) reports, “He is the fifth person to be charged in the ongoing investigation, which has netted guilty pleas from former Huizar aide George Esparza, real estate consultant George Chiang, political fundraiser Justin Jangwoo Kim and former Councilman Mitchell Englander. The indictment alleges that Huizar tried to cover up the illicit money in several ways, including guiding his aide on how to avoid bank reporting requirements and using family members to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes. It also alleges that he made false statements to federal prosecutors and the FBI.”¶

Texas Man Sentenced For Wire Fraud In New Hampshire.¶

The AP https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-hampshire/articles/2020-07-30/man-convicted-of-wire-fraud-after-posing-as-movie-producer (7/30) reports from Concord, New Hampshire, “A former college student from Texas who posed as a film producer has been sentenced in New Hampshire to more than a year in jail for defrauding several foreign citizens living in the United States.” Shiva Chandan Reddy Thudi, 26, of Irving, Texas, “was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison for wire fraud, United States Attorney Scott Murray announced Thursday. Thudi attended college in New Hampshire from 2015 to 2017, where he met and defrauded several people, according to court documents and witness statements. Thudi falsely claimed he was seeking investors to share in profits from a business that produced and distributed films in the United States. He was neither a film producer nor a film distributor.”¶

Cyber Division¶

Chinese Hackers Reportedly Targeted Moderna’s Vaccine Research.¶

Citing a “US security official tracking Chinese hacking activity,” Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/ushealth-coronavirus-moderna-cyber-excl/exclusive-chinese-backed-hackers-targeted-covid-19-vaccine-firm-moderna-idUSKCN24V38M (7/30, Bing, Taylor) reports that “Chinese government-linked hackers targeted biotech company Moderna Inc, a leading US-based coronavirus vaccine research developer, earlier this year in a bid to steal valuable data.” Moderna, “which…announced its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in January, confirmed to Reuters that the company had been in contact with the FBI and was made aware of the suspected ‘information¶

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reconnaissance activities’ by the hacking group.”¶

Twitter Says Hacking Started With Phone Calls To Employees.¶

Twitter said https://twitter.com/TwitterSupport/status/1289000138300563457 Thursday that the hackers who gained control of its network earlier this month used phone calls to employees to begin the process of gaining enough information to use internal tools to complete the hack. Twitter used its Twitter Support account and a company blog post https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/company/2020/an-update-on-our-securityincident.html to explain how the attack started.¶

The development was reported by several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-links-hack-to-phone-based-phishing-attack-11596166657 (7/30, McMillan, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), which reports the hack has increased concerns about how Twitter manages its platform. The FBI is investigating the hack, while Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) on Friday wrote to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to ask for more information and to question what controls the company has used to thwart such incursions. The Journal reports this month’s hack was the third major incident since 2011 that involved using insiders for access to Twitter.¶

Among other outlets reporting on Twitter’s admission are the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/07/30/twitter-hack-phone-attack/ (7/30, Lerman, 14.2M), Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-twitter-cyber/twitter-says-spear-phishing-attack-on-employees-led-to-breach-idUSKCN24W089 (7/31, Rana), and Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-31/twitter-says-hackers-broke-into-system-by-calling-employees (7/31, Savov, 4.73M).¶

Senators Urge Justice Department To Open Investigation Into TikTok And Zoom.¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/509897-senators-urge-justice-department-to-open-investigation-into-tiktok-zoom (7/30, Miller, 2.98M) reports Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) on Thursday “urged the Department of Justice to open investigations into social media platform TikTok and video conferencing service Zoom, citing concerns over potential security threats from ties to the Chinese government.” In a letter to Justice Department Assistant Attorney General John Demers, Hawley and Blumenthal “wrote that they were ‘extremely concerned’ that Zoom and TikTok had potentially disclosed private American information to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and censored content on the CCP’s behalf.” The senators wrote, “As tens of millions of Americans turn to Zoom and TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic, few know that the privacy of their data and their freedom of expression is under threat due to the relationship of these companies to the Chinese government. Of particular concern, both Zoom and TikTok have sought to conceal and distract from their meaningful ties to China, holding themselves out as American companies.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/doj-faces-bipartisan-push-to-probe-zoom-and-tiktok/ (7/30, Blake, 492K) reports the senators wrote, “Based on numerous reports, we are extremely concerned that Zoom and TikTok have disclosed private information about Americans to the PRC and engaged in censorship on behalf of the Chinese government.” In their letter, the senators “accused each company of concealing their true relationship with the Chinese government and warned they could be putting at risk the personal data of millions of American users.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/justice-department-probe-of-tiktok-zoom-urged-by-two-senators (7/30, Strohm, 4.73M) reports the senators also “asked for the Justice Department and US intelligence agencies to brief Congress on the issue as soon as possible.”¶

Op-Ed: Why America Is Afraid Of TikTok. In a commentary in The Atlantic¶

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https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/07/tiktok-ban-china-america/614725/ (7/30, 3.47M), Michael Schuman writes, “The US has long prided itself on being open to anyone and anything, from anywhere, which improves our lives and livelihoods. In the American telling, the entrepreneurial, their grit and genius, have always been welcome, even cherished, no matter where they were born. You’d think, then, that [ByteDance fiounder] Zhang would be feted from Washington to Wall Street as an avatar of the best of China and America, and of what their partnership can accomplish. With a presidential election approaching, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden should be tapping TikTok to woo young voters. New York bankers should be competing to list ByteDance’s shares on US stock exchanges.” He contends, “If Washington takes the drastic step of banning TikTok, the US would suffer as well. It would mean Americans failed to find a middle path between preserving their values and protecting their security in the face of ever-changing technology.”¶

China Criticizes Trump For “Double Standards” Over TikTok. Bloomberg¶

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/china-criticizes-trump-for-double-standards-over-tiktok (7/30, 4.73M) reports China’s government “blasted the US for flouting the rules of global trade and business by threatening to ban TikTok, in Beijing’s strongest defense yet of ByteDance Ltd.’s viral video app.” President Trump has “said he’s considering blocking the popular music video app, while adviser Peter Navarro warned of penalties for ‘information warfare’ against the US.” Asked about the scrutiny, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin “accused Washington of unfairly singling out Chinese companies.” Wang told reporters at a regular briefing, “Recently governments and media in some countries have said double standards shouldn’t be applied to social media apps. China’s companies and their products have provided diversity of choices for US consumers. We hope the US can heed the voice from the market to provide an open, just, fair business environment for foreign countries and stop politicizing economic issues.”¶

DOD Inspector General’s Uphill Battle To Create A Culture For Cybersecurity.¶

Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/roslynlayton/2020/07/30/the-inspector-generals-uphill-battle-to-create-a-culture-for-cybersecurity-at-the-pentagon/ (7/30, 9.71M) reports the DOD’s Inspector General has “launched an audit of network security practices as more of the more than 1 million employees are working from home during the COVID19 pandemic.” One year ago today the DOD IG “published a report to censure the military for the purchase of vulnerable Chinese computer equipment to the tune of $33 million.” The report “called out DOD management’s lack of accountability for cybersecurity and failure to communicate blacklisted products from Lexmark and Lenovo.” The Audit of the DoD’s Management of the Cybersecurity Risks for Government Purchase Card Purchases of Commercial Off-the-Shelf Items “describes $32.8 million in purchases of vulnerable and insecure computer equipment by the US Army and Air Force in 2018.” The IG “observed how DOD agencies have repeatedly ignored previous cybersecurity alerts.”¶

Volunteer Experts Seek To Assist US Election Cybersecurity.¶

NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/volunteer-hacker-army-boosts-u-s-election-cybersecurity-n1235324 (7/30, 6.14M) reports a new volunteer group “hopes to ease the cybersecurity concerns for free as election officials across the country prepare for November without knowing if they’ll receive additional federal funds.” Some states “pay private companies for cybersecurity, while others rely on in-house staff or federal assistance.” But nearly all have had “to drastically rearrange their budgets this year to focus on holding an election during a pandemic, such as covering an influx of mailed ballots and buying cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.” With Congress still “debating what the next coronavirus relief bill will look like, and a proposal from Senate Republicans that offers no additional funding for election officials, states are anticipating the possibility that they won’t receive any additional resources before November.” DHS “offers state and local election directors some free cybersecurity services, and the Election Assistance Commission recently released a free online cybersecurity course.”¶

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Portugal Telecoms Won’t Use Huawei For Core 5G Networks Despite Lack Of Official Ban.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-huawei-5g-portugal-exclusive/exclusive-portugal-telcos-wont-usehuawei-for-5g-networks-though-no-government-ban-idUSKCN24V22L (7/30) reports the three companies who lead Portugal’s mobile phone market “said they would not use Huawei technology in their core 5G networks despite the government not banning the Chinese group from supplying critical infrastructure.” NOS, Vodafone, and Altice – which together serve nearly 100% of Portugal’s mobile customers – “all said they had decided not to use Huawei kit in the core systems of their 5G networks, which covers servers, gateways and routers that forward traffic to the antennas.” The Portuguese government has so far “not taken a stance, but Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos told Reuters it has ‘no ‘a priori’ issues with any manufacturer.’” Nuno Santos “revealed that a group created by the Portuguese government to assess risks and cybersecurity issues relating to 5G had completed its work and had not drawn any conclusions directed against any particular supplier.”¶

Hackers Post Fake Stories On Real News Sites.¶

BBC News Online (UK) https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53594440 (7/30, 1.02M) reports a cybersecurity firm has “warned hackers have broken into real news websites and posted fake stories stirring up anti-NATO sentiment.” According to FireEye researchers, “the disinformation campaign, nicknamed ‘ghostwriter,’ has been ongoing since 2017.” They “said that it is designed to ‘chip away’ at support for NATO in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.” While the false stories “are ‘aligned with Russian security interests,’ it is not known who is behind the attack.” FireEye “said that the disinformation campaign uses ‘falsified news articles, quotes, correspondence and other documents designed to appear as coming from military officials and political figures in the target countries.’” In some cases, false news stories “were posted on real news websites without permission.”¶

The Guardian (UK) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jul/30/russia-aligned-hackers-running-antinato-fake-news-campaign-report-poland-lithuania (7/30, 4.19M) reports part of the campaign – labeled ‘Ghostwriter’ – “involved gaining access to news sites publishing systems, deleting stories and replacing them with false news that sought to delegitimize the transatlantic alliance.” In one example, a Lithuanian news site “was compromised last September and a false article was inserted into its archive wrongly claiming that German soldiers serving with NATO had desecrated a Jewish cemetery.” A series of Polish sites in May “were targeted and stories published with fake quotes attributed to the commander of the US army in Europe, in which he was said to have ridiculed the capability of the Polish military.” Emails purporting to be “from a local news service with links to the doctored articles were then sent out to other media and public institutions in an attempt to disseminate the fakes and give them further credibility.”¶

Gallagher Says Pentagon Needs Access To Defense Companies’ Networks To Hunt Cyberthreats.¶

C4ISR & Networks https://www.c4isrnet.com/cyber/2020/07/30/pentagon-needs-access-to-defense-companiesnetworks-to-hunt-cyberthreats-says-commission/ (7/30, Pomerleau) reports that, according to one of the leaders of the Cyber Solarium Commission, the Pentagon “must be able to hunt cyberthreats on the private networks of defense companies in order to strengthen national cybersecurity.” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) who co-chairs the commission, “said in testimony before the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities that there must be greater visibility of these networks, in which much sensitive and classified information is kept.” He said, “I think one of our biggest findings in the report was that while we are getting a better awareness of our own systems, we still – down to the level of some of our DOD contractors, subcontractors, all the small companies that work with the big defense primes – don’t have the level of visibility on the threat picture and the security of their networks that we need.”¶

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Op-Ed: US Must Prevent Foreign Cyber Attacks On Texas Energy Infrastructure.¶

In an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Hurd-Wemust-prevent-foreign-cyber-attacks-on-15445578.php (7/30, 730K), Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) writes, “A company owned by a member of the Chinese Communist Party – Guanghui Energy Company – may gain access to our power grid through a large wind farm in the Devil’s River Areas of West Texas, and the federal government is not moving fast enough to prevent it, and the state government lacks the power to stop it. … When the Texas utility sector deregulated…those involved did not predict a company friendly with a hostile foreign government would try to connect to our power grid.” He concludes, “The US and our allies are scrambling to prevent Huawei from infiltrating telecommunications networks globally. We must act to prevent a similar scenario in our power markets.”¶

Law Enforcement Services¶

New Jersey Lawmakers Could Vote For Early Release Of 20% Of Prison Inmates.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/nyregion/New-jersey-inmate-release-Covid.html (7/30, Tully, 18.61M) reports “New Jersey lawmakers seemed close to supporting legislation on Thursday that could free more than 3,000 prisoners – about 20 percent of the state’s prison population – months before their release dates in response to the extraordinary threat posed by the coronavirus in tightly packed correctional facilities.” The Times adds “inmates who are within a year of completing their state prison sentences would be eligible to be released up to eight months early based on credits awarded for time served during the pandemic.” The measure, “which the American Civil Liberties Union believes to be the first legislative initiative of its kind in the United States, would not permit the release of most sex offenders, but would apply to inmates sentenced for other violent crimes, including murder.”¶

Other FBI News¶

Accessing Unclassified Data Poses Remote-Work Challenges For FBI.¶

FedScoop https://www.fedscoop.com/fbi-remote-access-unclassified-data/ (7/30, Nyczepir) reports, “The coronavirus pandemic is forcing the FBI to rethink how it organizes its unclassified data, with the goal of making more of it available through remote access in the cloud.” FedScoop adds, “The challenge is that a lot of unclassified data resides on FBI legacy systems that otherwise are not available remotely, said Gurvais Griss, assistant director of the Science and Technology Branch at the FBI Laboratory. With much of its workforce online from home, the bureau now wants confidential, secret and top secret networks ‘appropriately’ integrated with a cloud platform so ‘relevant’ intelligence within them can be shared more easily, he said. The job involves tagging, flagging and moving the unclassified data to a lower-classification environment, Griss said during an Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, Bethesda forum Thursday.”¶

Cohen Free To Publish Anti-Trump Book While Serving Sentence At Home.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/70edd09000ff3c12b2100549ab81e2a1 (7/30, Neumeister) reports, “The US government dropped its effort to silence President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer on Thursday, saying¶

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it will no longer demand that Michael Cohen not speak with the media in the weeks before his book critical of his former boss is released.” The AP adds “an agreement between lawyers for the government and Cohen attorney Danya Perry lifting the media ban that had prevented Cohen from speaking publicly awaited a signature by a federal judge.” Cohen “was released from prison in May amid coronavirus fears in U.S. prisons, only to be returned earlier this month after making it known that he planned to publish” the book.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-cohen/ex-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-while-serving-time-at-home-can-publish-book-agreement-idUSKCN24V38Q (7/30, Freifeld) reports that “federal authorities returned him to prison on July 9, one week after Cohen tweeted he was close to finishing his book, when Cohen questioned their new requirement that he agree to steer clear of media.” A federal judge subsequently ruled that “the return to prison amounted to government retaliation against Cohen’s desire to exercise his First Amendment rights,” and “gave both sides a week to negotiate a media provision that is ‘consistent with the First Amendment but yet serves the purposes of confinement.’” The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/nyregion/michael-cohen-donald-trump-book.html (7/30, Weiser, 18.61M), New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/michael-cohen-can-write-book-while-on-home-confinement-judge/ (7/30, Feuerherd, 4.57M) and New York Daily News https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-michael-cohen-trump-book-20200730-37pfhj3c55dk3felo3exhummoa-story.html (7/30, Sommerfeldt, 2.52M), among other outlets, also report the story.¶

Other Washington News¶

GOP Legislators Quick To Reject Trump’s Floating Of Delay In November Election.¶

President Trump’s floating of a delay in the November election on Twitter, and the immediate backlash from leaders and members of both parties, receives heavy coverage. At 8:10 a.m., the President tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288809157722877952 , “Mail-In Voting is already proving to be a catastrophic disaster. Even testing areas are way off. The Dems talk of foreign influence in voting, but they know that Mail-In Voting is an easy way for foreign countries to enter the race. Even beyond that, there’s no accurate count!” About half an hour later, Trump tweeted¶

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288818160389558273 , “With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history. It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???”¶

That second tweet drew comment and criticism quickly, and Trump tweeted¶

That second tweet drew comment and criticism quickly, and Trump tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288932940337090561 at 4:22 p.m., “Glad I was able to get the very dishonest LameStream Media to finally start talking about the RISKS to our Democracy from dangerous Universal Mail-In-Voting (not Absentee Voting, which I totally support!).” Within the next minute, Trump tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288933078287745024, “Must know Election results on the night of the Election, not days, months, or even years later!” and then https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288933202812456968, “We are going to WIN the 2020 Election.”¶

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288933202812456968 , “We are going to WIN the 2020 Election, BIG!”¶

On ABC World News Tonight¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/1f0e3adc9287462d89f8a86a9f390839?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 2, 2:25, 7.06M), David Muir said Trump’s morning tweet “set off a firestorm, [with] even Republican leaders jumping in and quickly to try to put this to rest.” ABC’s Terry Moran: “No president has ever said anything like it. But President Trump, behind in the polls, with a cratering economy and a pandemic out of control,” posted the tweet, and “later, the President tried to explain what he meant.” Trump: “Do I want to see a date change? No. But I don’t want to see a crooked election. This election will be the most rigged election in history if that happens.”¶

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Moran: “That’s a flip-flop. In April, Trump said this.” Trump: “I never even thought of changing the date of the election. Why would I do that? November 3. It’s a good number. No, I look forward to that election.”¶

On the CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/4f5eb96197d04a32a4532b696595e5a8?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 4, 1:40, O’Donnell, 4.19M), Ben Tracy said Trump’s “stunning suggestion that the election be delayed comes as he’s trailing badly in the polls and at the same time the nation’s GDP reached a historic low. In a remarkable tweet, he made the unfounded claim that mail-in voting will make the election ‘the most inaccurate and fraudulent in history,’ and suggested a delay until people can ‘properly, securely, and safely vote.’ … The top Republicans in Congress rebuked the idea.” Senate Majority Leader McConnell: “We’ll cope with whatever the situation is, and we will have the election on November 3 as already scheduled.” House Minority Leader McCarthy: “Never in the history of the federal elections have we ever not held an election, and we should go forward with our election.”¶

Lester Holt said on NBC Nightly News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/760b48bcbf9341e7a107ff2bc95a8738?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 2, 1:35, 5.82M) that there was “a strong backlash” after Trump “suggested that this fall’s election could be delayed over his concerns about mail-in voting.” NBC’s Peter Alexander: “The President has no power to delay a general election. The Constitution says it is up to Congress to set the date. And with Democrats controlling the House, that will not happen. … Trump’s suggestion [was] immediately dismissed even by top Republicans.” On the Brian Kilmeade Show <https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/8d7e297f963a4fb2a34d06302da6a35b? pubid=fbi> (7/30), HUD Secretary Carson said, “Obviously, the President can’t do that. Congress would have to do that. But I think the point that he’s making is that this is a system that is ripe for corruption, and it’s not like there’s a historical evidence of that occurring and this is much too important an election to ignore this.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/d203eaa406dc5e7362dfa9e33522195e (7/30, Miller, Sherman, Long) reports under the headline “Trump Floats Idea Of Election Delay, A Virtual Impossibility” that Trump, “lagging in the polls and grappling with deepening economic and public health crises, on Thursday floated the startling idea of delaying” the election. His campaign “to sow doubt about the election’s outcome drew immediate pushback from Democrats and Republicans alike in a nation that has held itself up as a beacon to the world for its history of peaceful transfer of power.” Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump/trump-fLOATSElection-delay-congressional-republicans-reject-idea-idUSKCN24V2DL (7/30, Holland) reports, “Critics and even Trump’s allies dismissed the notion as an unserious attempt to distract from devastating economic news, but some legal experts warned that his repeated attacks could undermine his supporters’ faith in the election process.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/donald-trump-suggests-delaying-election-because-mail-voting/5543726002/ (7/30, Jackson, Garrison, Fritze, 10.31M) reports, “Election experts noted a president does not have the legal power to change the date of an election. Others suggested Trump is seeking to sow doubt about the election results or distract from a new government report that found a historic contraction in the nation’s economy.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-floats-idea-of-delaying-the-november-election-as-he-ramps-up-attacks-on-voting-by-mail/2020/07/30/15fe7ac6-d264-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, Wagner, Gardner, 14.2M) says the “suggestion represented Trump’s latest, and most dramatic, attempt to undermine public faith in the Nov. 3 election, a trend that has grown more frequent and emphatic as polls have shown his political fortunes declining.” The Post says McConnell and “many Republican senators…quickly and unequivocally rejected Trump’s idea.” The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/509790-senate-republicans-dismiss-trump-proposal-to-delay-election (7/30, Bolton, 2.98M) reports Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham said, “I have concerns about mail-in ballots being the exclusive way to cast votes, but I don’t believe we should delay the elections.” Axios https://www.axios.com/republicans-trump-delay-election-d7258076-e89f-4b6b-8fd0-f417586872a2.html (7/30, Rummler, 521K) lists Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R-WY), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Charles Grassley (R-IA), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) as others who publicly rejected the notion.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/politics/trump-delay-election.html (7/30,¶

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Burns, 18.61M) writes under the headline “Trump Attacks An Election He Is At Risk Of Losing” that Trump’s “proposal appeared as impotent as it was predictable – less a stunning assertion of his authority than yet another lament that his political prospects have dimmed amid a global public-health crisis. … Far from a strongman, Mr. Trump has lately become a heckler in his own government, promoting medical conspiracy theories on social media, playing no constructive role in either the management of the coronavirus pandemic or the negotiation of an economic rescue plan in Congress – and complaining endlessly about the unfairness of it all.”¶

The Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-07-30/trump-suggests-delaying-november-election (7/30, Megerian, 4.64M) writes, “In a desperate struggle to resuscitate his reelection campaign, President Trump has tried ignoring the coronavirus crisis, spreading racist fears about poor people bringing crime to the suburbs and promising that an economic miracle is right around the corner. None of it has worked, so Thursday he attempted a new tactic – suggesting that widespread voter fraud could require delaying” the election. The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/can-trump-delay-the-2020-presidential-election/ (7/30, Nelson, 4.57M) says Abraham Lincoln “held an election during the Civil War despite expecting to lose. And when terrorists flew planes into the Twin Towers on the morning of Sept. 11, a local primary election was delayed just two weeks with regular citywide and mayoral elections held as scheduled two months later.”¶

Nevertheless, Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/trump-suggests-delaying-2020-election-387902 (7/30, Forgey, 4.29M) reports Trump “refused to back down from his suggestion earlier in the day that the November general election be postponed, repeating unsubstantiated predictions of widespread voter fraud amid the coronavirus pandemic and saying that large numbers of mail-in ballots might mean ‘you never even know who won the election.’”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-cannot-move-the-vote-but-he-can-undermine-our-trust-in-it/2020/07/30/c3f80d2c-d1dd-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/30, 14.2M) says in an editorial, “In a possible attempt to distract from dismal economic news, or dismal pandemic news, or both, President Trump tweeted Thursday that the November presidential election may have to be delayed, warning about the supposed dangers of mail-in voting. … This outburst, like so many others, was not harmless; it was yet another part of the dark, unprecedented campaign that Mr. Trump and members of his administration are waging to undermine trust in the nation’s democracy.” USA Today¶

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/todaysdebate/2020/07/30/trump-doesnt-decide-whether-electionwork-voters-do-editorials-debates/5536753002/ (7/30, 10.31M) similarly editorializes, “By all accounts, Trump lacks legal authority to postpone the vote and, in any event, the Constitution says his first term ends Jan. 20. … But where the president succeeded, and can do still more damage, was fomenting confusion and angst ahead of an election already fraught with risks to its integrity.”¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/delay-the-election-11596150821 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says in an editorial that a delay in the election would be a horrible idea, and adds that the US conducted a presidential election in 1864 during the Civil War. However, the Journal says Democrats must also focus on whether states are prepared to properly conduct elections during the pandemic.¶

In a USA Today <https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/07/30 trump-suggests-delay-election-anti-democratic-intent-column/5545947002/> (7/30, 10.31M) op-ed, David Rothkopf, author of “Traitor: A History of Betraying America from Benedict Arnold to Donald Trump,” writes, “Beneath Trump’s far-fetched words, his anti-democratic intent was blood-chillingly real. … Trump’s tweet about postponing the election followed by minutes one that once again argued without any basis in fact that mail-in balloting created a risk of voting fraud.” Rothkopf advises, “Do not take lightly this president’s threats no matter how far-fetched or outrageous they may seem. They reveal this man for who he is and what he represents: The greatest threat our democracy has faced from within since the Civil War.”¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/politics/trump-postpone-election.html> (7/30, Burns, 18.61M) looks at who has the power to set and delay elections, while the Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/vote-rigging-and-hanging-chads-a-brief-history-of-/¶

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(7/30, Dinan, 492K) offers “a brief history of contested elections.” The Daily Caller https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/30/top-republicans-oppose-trumps-suggestion-delay-2020-election/ (7/30, Datoc, 716K) headlines its report “No Way’ – Top Republicans Kill Trump’s Hopes For A Delayed 2020 Election.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/changing-the-election-date-would-be-difficult-even-for-congress?srnd=premium (7/30, Korte, 4.73M), McClatchy https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article244595962.html#cardLink=row2_card1 (7/30, Jasper, 19K), the Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/donald-trump-suggests-delaying-elections-avoid-gre/ (7/30, Boyer, 492K), and CQ Roll Call https://www.rollcall.com/2020/07/30/trump-doesnt-have-the-authority-to-change-election-date-alone/ (7/30, Ruger, 154K) are among the other sources with coverage.¶

Pompeo Says DOJ “And Others Will Make That Legal Determination.” The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/pompeo-justice-department-will-determine-when-elections-are-held (7/30, Simonson, 448K) reports Secretary of State Pompeo on Thursday “erroneously asserted that the Department of Justice will decide whether the presidential election is held on Nov. 3.” At the beginning of a Senate hearing, Pompeo was asked about the President’s tweet. Pompeo replied, “I’m not going to enter a legal judgment on that on the fly this morning. In the end, the Department of Justice and others will make that legal determination.”¶

Federalist Society Co-Founder: Trump Tweet “Is Itself Grounds For The President’s Immediate Impeachment.” Federalist Society co-founder Steven G. Calabresi writes in the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/trump-delay-election-coronavirus.html (7/30, 18.61M), “I have voted Republican in every presidential election since 1980, including voting for Donald Trump in 2016.” Calabresi adds that he also publicly criticized Robert Mueller’s investigation of Trump and opposed the President’s impeachment. He continues, “But I am frankly appalled by the president’s recent tweet seeking to postpone the November election. Until recently, I had taken as political hyperbole the Democrats’ assertion that President Trump is a fascist. But this latest tweet is fascistic and is itself grounds for the president’s immediate impeachment again by the House of Representatives and his removal from office by the Senate.”¶

Postal Service Employees Say Backlogs Adding To Mail-In Voting Concerns. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/postal-service-backlog-sparks-worries-that-ballot-delivery-could-bedelayed-in-november/2020/07/30/cb19f1f4-d1d0-11ea-8d32-1ebf4e9d8e0d_story.html (7/30, Lee, Bogage, 14.2M) reports, “As President Trump ramps up his unfounded attacks on mail balloting as susceptible to widespread fraud, postal employees and union officials say the changes implemented by the Trump fundraiser-turned-postmaster general Louis DeJoy are contributing to a growing perception that mail delays are the result of a political effort to undermine absentee voting.” The Post says “days-long backlogs of mail across the country” after DeJoy “put in place new procedures described as cost-cutting efforts” come as Trump “has escalated his efforts to cast doubt about the integrity of the November vote.”¶

Trump Exhorts People Who Have Recovered From COVID To Donate Plasma.¶

President Trump tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288968970331213830 Thursday, “My Administration has been focused on finding treatments for Coronavirus. If you’ve recovered from Coronavirus, donate your plasma today to help SAVE LIVES! Together, we will beat the Virus!” The tweet included video of the President’s visit Thursday to the Red Cross headquarters in Washington.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07/30/trump-urges-people-who-have-recovered-covid-19-donate-plasma/ (7/30, Johnson, 14.2M) reports Trump “issued a national call to action Thursday, exhorting people who have recovered from covid-19 to donate blood plasma to help others fight the disease and boost the nation’s supply.” Blood plasma from people “who have successfully recovered from coronavirus infection has been widely used in the United States, even though researchers are still gathering evidence to definitively show it works.” About 50,000 people “have been transfused with the treatment, called¶

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convalescent plasma, under an expanded access program” sponsored by the FDA. NIH Director Collins said, “The way Americans are doing this is truly inspiring.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/trump-urges-americans-to-donate-plasma-to-fight-covid-19 (7/30, Edney, Jacobs, 4.73M) quotes HHS Secretary Azar as saying, “This is going to be a major national initiative in the months ahead.”¶

Adams To Trump: “You Look Bada— In A Face Mask.” Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/surgeon-general-to-trump-face-mask (7/30, Phillips, 27.59M) reports on its website that Surgeon General Adams told President Trump on Thursday: “You look bada— in a face mask.” Adams made the comment as the two participated in a roundtable at the Red Cross “focusing on plasma collection to be used in plasma therapies for COVID-19 patients.” The President was seen wearing a mask “as he watched a recovered COVID-19 patient donate plasma.”¶

Fauci Reiterates Ineffectiveness Of Hydroxychloroquine To Refute Viral Video Shared By Trump.¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/a928c3fc32c5490a978a2967639a47f7?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 9, 2:00, Holt, 5.82M) reported, “As COVID spreads throughout the country, so does misinformation and conspiracy theories about cures and treatments that simply don’t work and may even be harmful.” NBC’s Tom Costello added, “In a nanosecond,” a video by the America’s Frontline Doctors “ricocheted across the Internet, posted by Tea Party Patriots Action featuring a group of doctors insisting masks don’t work, but hydroxychloroquine does. Even though the NIH and FDA insist that’s not true, a presidential retweet made the video go viral, forcing” NIAID Director Fauci “to once again reiterate the hard science.” Fauci: “Hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of coronavirus disease or COVID-19.”¶

USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/07/30/americas-frontline-doctors-tout-hydroxychloroquine-covid-who-they/5535096002/ (7/30, Miller, Shannon, 10.31M) reports that “tech platforms scrambled this week to delete” the video “even as President Donald Trump, his son and other political allies sought to amplify the video.” While their name, America’s Frontline Doctors, “suggests the speakers may work in hospital emergency rooms or intensive care units and have experience treating critically ill COVID-19 patients, it’s unclear to what extent the doctors have such experience.”¶

Margaret Sullivan writes in her Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/this-was-the-week-america-lost-the-war-on-misinformation/2020/07/30/d8359e2e-d257-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, 14.2M) media column that the video “was taken down by Facebook. But as usual, it was far too late. And Donald Trump Jr., who tweeted it out calling it a ‘must watch,’ got his hand slapped by Twitter – briefly losing his right to sully the truth and jam the gears of reality.” Sullivan adds, “With the lies in a viral video, a president’s stamp of approval, and the confirmation that social media is how more and more Americans get their supposed ‘news,’” we “should be afraid.”¶

Birx Warns Cases Spiking In Midwest As Florida And Arizona Set New Death Records.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/coronavirus-cases-rise-in-u-s-midwest-withsummer-travel-birx-says-idUSKCN24V2D8 (7/30, Lambert, Caspani) reports that on Thursday, White House Coronavirus Task Force Response Coordinator Deborah Birx warned that coronavirus cases “appear to be picking up in the U.S. Midwest…as Ohio reported a record day of cases and Wisconsin’s governor mandated the use of masks.” Birx said “the coronavirus outbreak is ‘moving up’ into Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska from the south ‘because of vacations and other reasons of travel.’” Florida, meanwhile, “reported a record increase in new COVID-19 deaths for a third consecutive day on Thursday…while Arizona also reported a record increase in fatalities.”¶

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Assistant HHS Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir, asked on the Lars Larson Show https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/db2f0120d7594ac1b333cf5c3dee6e79?pubid=fbi (7/30) about claims that the death count is not as high as is being reported, said, “This is really real and we all have to take it very serious. … The important thing…is that we do have the power to snuff this out again, like we did in the vehicle April to May time frame before this reared up again, by those simple measures we can all do and we can do those without closing down our economy.”¶

The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/5fb3a6ff5c384817a33ed2914d129103?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 2, 2:45, O’Donnell, 4.19M) reported, “Deaths are rising in at least 17 states. One day this week, there was a death nearly every minute.” CBS’ David Begnaud added, “The horrifying toll of coronavirus and the number of people who don’t survive is soaring. For a third day in a row, Florida shattered its record for coronavirus deaths in a single day,” part of “a stunning trend. Deaths are skyrocketing. In the US, more than 1,400 new deaths were reported on Wednesday. That’s about one death every minute. Texas is now the latest state to surpass New York in total COVID cases. And they joined other hot spots, such as California and Florida. The virus is also hitting Louisiana hard. That state is now leading the country in per-capita cases.”¶

ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/0d88efcc691e4529a5cb6c1004374ad3?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 4, 1:50, Muir, 7.06M) reported, “For the virus, no end in sight. California, North Carolina, and Florida this week all hitting record daily death tolls. Making matters even worse here in Florida, with a tropical storm approaching, statewide, all public testing sites are shutting down today through the weekend. During that same four-day stretch last week, nearly 350,000 people were tested.”¶

In New Jersey, the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/nyregion/coronavirus-cases-nj.html (7/30, Tully, 18.61M) reports, the number of cases “are rising again, fueled in part by outbreaks among young adults along the Jersey Shore.” In the past seven days, New Jersey has recorded “an average of 416 cases per day, an increase of 28 percent from the average two weeks earlier.”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/coronavirus-report/509830-coronavirus-hotspots-ease-but-officials-warn-normal-is-a-long-way (7/30, Wilson, 2.98M) reports that while the number of new cases in some of the states hit hardest in the last month “is easing,” public health officials “warn that widespread transmission is still taking place, and that a return to normal life is a long way off.” In interviews with state health officials this week, “most said they remain concerned that the drop in new cases may be a plateau at an unacceptably high level of transmission, rather than a sustained decline.”¶

WPost: “No End In Sight To The Casualties.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/50000-more-people-are-dead-and-theres-no-end-in-sight-it-didnt-have-to-be-this-way/2020/07/30/e37b12c6-d0fb-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/30, 14.2M) editorializes, “On May 27, the United States reached a grim milestone. Four months after the country’s first confirmed case of covid-19, the death toll of the novel coronavirus reached 100,047 as of 6 p.m. Eastern Time, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.” The Post writes, “We hoped the alarming loss of so many lives in so short a period of time would galvanize a concerted national effort to contain the virus. Instead, two months later, another 50,000 people are dead, and there is no end in sight to the casualties.”¶

In Shift, Administration Officials Now Urging Public To Wear Face Masks.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/deborah-birx-anthony-fauci-recommend-face-shields/ (7/30, Sherfinski, Howell, 492K) reports that “top members of the White House coronavirus task force now say that face shields and goggles can be effective ways to combat the spread of the coronavirus – the latest shift in messaging” from the Administration “on the how to contain a pandemic that has now claimed more than 150,000 American lives.”¶

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Appearing on Fox News’ Fox & Friends <https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176619276001?¶

Appearing on Fox News Fox & Friends playlist_id=930909787001#sp=show-clips> (7/30, 831K), Deborah Birx, Response Coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said, “Across the South [there is] still a very serious pandemic. Although they are starting to see the glimmers of hope of improvement…we believe if the governors and mayors of every locality right now would mandate masks for their communities and every American would wear a mask and socially distance and not congregate in large settings where you can’t socially distance or wear a mask that we can really get control of the virus and drive down cases as Arizona has done.”¶

FDA’s Hahn Reiterates Guidance On Masks And Distancing. In an appearance on NBC’s Today https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/e02b213699c242b7b4bd8d4ebdfce239?pubid=fbi (7/30, 2.93M), FDA Commissioner Hahn said, “We’ve seen some evidence that the very common sense public health measures that we can take – wearing a mask, following local guidance with respect to wearing a mask, social distancing, hand hygiene, protecting the vulnerable – we’ve seen early evidence that that works. We must take this seriously, and we must do that because we absolutely need to reduce the number of cases in the country. Because that is what’s leading to the deaths that we’re seeing.”¶

Daily Beast: Trump’s Revival Of COVID News Conferences Has Frustrated Staff.¶

The Daily Beast https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-haunts-his-team-with-diversions-to-demon-sperm-and-obsessions-with-fauci (7/30, Suebsaeng, 1.39M) reports that when the “early results” of President Trump’s return to regular news conferences on coronavirus response “suggested that maybe Trump could keep a lid – even if just for a few seconds – on his self-destructive impulses, increasingly, the worst fears of the president’s staff are being realized.” One “senior administration official who works closely with the White House coronavirus task force” said, “When he started doing them again, my thought was, ‘Oh, great, this f---ing s----again. And now we’re all talking about demon ejaculation.’ The Daily Beast says Trump “has begun – once more – aggressively hawking hydroxychloroquine” and has “continued to pettily criticize and express his jealousy” of NIAID Director Fauci. The “end result has been Republicans, once more, wondering whether the president can get out of his own way.”¶

Reports Tie Cain’s Death From COVID To His Appearance At Trump’s Tulsa Rally.¶

President Trump tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288907916020461569 Thursday, “My friend Herman Cain, a Powerful Voice of Freedom and all that is good, passed away this morning. Herman had an incredible career and was adored by everyone that ever met him, especially me. He was a very special man, an American Patriot, and great friend. I just got off…¶

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288907923914137604 the phone with his amazing wife Gloria, daughter, Melanie, and son Vincent to express my deepest condolences to the entire family. @FLOTUS Melania and I loved Herman Cain, a great man. Herman, Rest In Peace!”¶

Nancy Cordes of the CBS Evening News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/3b489831759146fc8a28ea068e88796a?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 3, 1:40, O’Donnell, 4.19M) indicated that “those close to Cain say that it’s unclear where he contracted the virus, and that he made a series of trips last month.” Likewise, Peter Alexander of NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/d12d50bc76f74b0aa7026b7aeebb9940?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 3, 0:20, Holt, 5.82M) reported that “it is unclear where he contracted the virus.”¶

Most reports, however, tied Cain’s infection to the President’s Tulsa rally. To the Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/pundits-and-journalists-immediately-blame-trump-followingnews-of-herman-cains-death (7/30, Miller, 448K), “media personalities, journalists, and other verified people on Twitter responded to the news of former presidential candidate Herman Cain’s death from the coronavirus on¶

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Thursday by politicizing his death and blaming…Trump.”¶

On ABC World News Tonight¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/3ec7a4b5bebd4de3bac8742d48261351?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 6, 2:10, Muir, 7.06M), Jonathan Karl said “it’s unclear if Cain was infected at the rally, but nine days later, he tested positive,” the AP https://apnews.com/8173fe14f7cf7095ced3b55fdc65581e (7/30, Wagner) that while “it’s not clear when or where he was infected…he was hospitalized less than two weeks after attending Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa,” and the CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/former-gop-presidential-candidate-herman-cain-dies-after-battle-with-coronavirus.html (7/30, Breuninger, 3.62M) website that Cain, “a stage 4 cancer survivor, tweeted a photograph of himself at Trump’s rally showing him surrounded by other attendees, none of whom appeared to be wearing masks or other protective gear.” The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/politics/herman-cain-dead.html (7/30, Ortiz, Seelye, 18.61M) reports, meanwhile, that “in a video posted to his website after the rally, Mr. Cain said he had worn a mask while in groups of people. But he also posted photographs of himself on social media that showed him without a mask and surrounded by people in the arena.”¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/sure-as-hell-didnt-help-chris-cuomoties-trump-to-herman-cains-death (7/30, Dibble, 448K) reports “CNN host Chris Cuomo wished ‘no peace’ to…Trump following” Cain’s death, while the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/politics/herman-cain-gop-coronavirus.html (7/30, Peters, 18.61M) runs a story headlined “Will Herman Cain’s Death Change Republican Views On The Virus And Masks?”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/herman-cain-former-republican-presidential-hopeful-has-died-of-the-coronavirus-statement-on-his-website-says/2020/07/30/4ac62a10-d273-11ea-9038af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, Wagner, 14.2M) reports that “before being hospitalized, [Cain] advertised in a tweet that masks would not be required at an Independence Day celebration that Trump staged at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. ‘PEOPLE ARE FED UP!’ Cain wrote.” Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/herman-cain-death-covid-388081 (7/30, Nelson, 4.29M) reports that Cain “frequently downplayed the risk of Covid-19, even as he remained hospitalized with the virus.” Reuters <https://www.reuters.com/article-us-health-coronavirus-USA-cain/herman-cain-ex-presidential-candidate who-refused-to-wear-mask-dies-after-covid-19-diagnosis-idUSKCN24V2OD> (7/30) covers Cain’s death under the headline “Herman Cain, Ex-Presidential Candidate Who Refused To Wear Mask, Dies After COVID-19 Diagnosis.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/herman-cain-pizza-ceo-turned-white-house-contender-dies-at-74?srnd=premium&sref=3IOEzKok (7/30, Krasny, 4.73M), USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/07/30/herman-cain-dies-after-battle-covid-19/5544484002/ (7/30, Wu, Santucci, 10.31M), the Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/herman-cain-2012-gop-presidential-candidate-dies-a/ (7/30, Sherfinski, 492K), Axios https://wwwaxios.com/herman-dies-coronavirus-5af21554-24dc-48a9-ab21-b750465aff4e.html (7/30, Perano, 521K), and the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/herman-cain-dies-after-being-hospitalized-for-covid-19-11596121691 (7/30, McCormick, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), among other news outlets, also cover Cain’s passing.¶

Vanity Fair: Kushner Team’s Abandoned Ambitious COVID Testing Plan.¶

Vanity Fair https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/07/how-jared-kushners-secret-testing-plan-went-poof-intothin-air (7/30, Eban, 9.08M) reports that the coronavirus team assembled by Jared Kushner had planned “a secret project to devise a comprehensive plan that would have massively ramped up and coordinated testing for COVID-19 at the federal level.” But “after assembling the team that came up with an aggressive and ambitious national testing plan, Kushner then appears to have decided, for reasons that remain murky, to scrap its proposal. … Some of those who worked on the plan were told that it would be presented to President Trump and likely announced in the Rose Garden in early April. … But no nationally coordinated testing strategy was ever announced. The plan, according to the participant, ‘just went poof into thin air.’”¶

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FDA Issues Guidance For Companies Making At-Home Tests.¶

Bloomberg https://news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-and-business/at-home-coronavirus-test-makers-getnew-guidance-from-fda (7/30, Alexander, Subscription Publication, 4K) reports “companies making at-home Covid-19 tests got new directions from the FDA Wednesday on submitting their tests for approval under emergency use conditions.” The agency’s “template is intended to help get simple at-home or over-the-counter diagnostic tests on the market, comparable to home pregnancy tests,” according to FDA Commissioner Hahn.¶

USA Today <https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/07/29/fda-opens-door-rapid-home-covid-19 tests/5536528002/> (7/30, Weintraub, Alltucker, 10.31M) reports Hahn said of the rapid-result at-home tests, “These types of tests will be a game-changer in our fight against COVID-19 and will be crucial as the nation looks toward reopening.” However, the agency has yet to approve a test for at-home use. The theory is that “screening at home, maybe once or twice a week, would allow people to test themselves before going to work or school, getting on an airplane, attending an event, or visiting an elderly relative” as the tests would provide relatively accurate, real-time results for consumers.¶

Pentagon Researchers At Work On Developing COVID Antibody.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/how-a-secretive-pentagon-agency-seeded-the-ground-for-a-rapid-coronavirus-cure/2020/07/30/ad1853c4-c778-11ea-a9d3-74640f25b953_story.html (7/30, Sonne, 14.2M) reports on the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s efforts to develop “an antibody for covid-19. … ‘We have been thinking about and preparing for this for a long time, and it’s almost a bit surreal,’ said Amy Jenkins, manager of DARPA’s antibody program, which is known as the Pandemic Prevention Platform, or P3.” According to the Post, “In that program and others, DARPA has quietly been seeding the ground for the United States to produce a rapid cure for a pathogen like covid-19 for years.”¶

Johnson & Johnson Starts Human Vaccine Trials.¶

The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/johnson-johnson-starts-human-vaccine-trials-after-monkey-study/ (7/30, O’Neill, 4.57M) reports Johnson & Johnson began human trials of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, “after the shots already proved successful in protecting monkeys, the drugmaker announced.” The company pointed to a new study published Thursday in the journal Nature “which found that five out of six primates who got the single-dose shot were protected from infection when exposed to the coronavirus.”¶

WPost Weighs Use Of Volunteers In COVID Vaccine Trials. In a Spanish-language editorial, the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/es/post-opinion/2020/07/30/tal-vez-nunca-sea-necesario-pero-pensemos-en-como-los-fabricantes-de-vacunas-podrian-exponer-los-voluntarios-al-virus/ (7/30, Board, 14.2M) ponders the ethical questions behind the use of volunteers in coronavirus vaccine clinical trials. The Post does not come out on either side of the debate, but calls for the crafting of a “regulatory, medical and ethical infrastructure” for the use of volunteers now, even ahead of a decision on whether they will ultimately be used.¶

Data Suggest Native American Communities Disproportionately Impacted By Coronavirus.¶

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The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/native-americans-coronavirus-data.html> (7/30, Conger, Gebeloff, Oppel, 18.61M) reports that despite “significant gaps” in available data, “there are strong indications that Native Americans have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus.” A Times analysis found that the “rate of known cases in the eight counties with the largest populations of Native Americans is nearly double the national average.” Although the “analysis cannot determine which individuals are testing positive for the virus,” those counties “are home to one in six U.S. residents who describe themselves in census surveys as non-Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native.” The Times adds that there are “many smaller counties with significant populations of Native Americans that have elevated case rates.”¶

Study: Children May Carry Coronavirus At High Levels.¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/7234f647d97f46a7998cd9225d8b9954?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 5, 2:10, Holt, 5.82M) reported, “As the death toll from COVID-19 rises in this country, there’s new concerns tonight about children with the disease and their ability to spread it.” NBC’s Miguel Almaguer added, “With the nation fast approaching 4.5 million cases, tonight a new study finds children under five may be able to spread COVID as well as older children and adults. A troubling finding for the young who are often in close quarters in schools and day cares.” NBC’s Dr. John Torres: “I think the study should have people think for a second about what we need to do to make sure that when we reopen schools, we’re doing it in a safe manner. We can’t assume that children don’t get coronavirus or spread coronavirus.”¶

NBA Issues New Safety Protocols.¶

On NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/e6bcc5f17857423fb30c3ecca4d4df37?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 11, 1:20, Holt, 5.82M), Sam Brock reported the NBA is “back in action after a 20-week shutdown from COVID-19. … But even Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledges the league’s staying power amid this virus is no slam dunk.” Silver: “If we have any significant spread whatsoever, we would certainly stop immediately and investigate whether we could move forward.” On Thursday, the league announced new safety protocols.¶

WPost: Gohmert Face Of GOP Coronavirus Ignorance.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/no-one-puts-a-better-face-on-the-gops-coronavirus-ignorance-than-louie-gohmert/2020/07/30/fb830252-d290-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/30, 14.2M) editorializes that “it was a slip of the tongue,” but House Minority Leader McCarthy’s “reference to fellow Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert as ‘Congressman Covid’ could not have been more apt. No one puts a better face on the heedlessness and ignorance that have helped fuel the spread of the deadly coronavirus than the Texas congressman who has made it a political badge of honor not to wear a mask.”¶

Trump Says 300 Miles Of New Border Wall Will Be Completed By End Of August.¶

President Trump on Thursday tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288966119676616704 , “As the Wall goes up, illegal crossings go down. This past week we built over 10 miles of Wall at our Southern Border. We now have 256 miles of NEW Wall and we are on track to have 300 miles completed by the end of August!”¶

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Judge Blocks Administration’s Green Card Eligibility Rules.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/trump-green-card.html> (7/30, Vigdor, 18.61M) reports that on Wednesday, “a federal judge blocked the Trump administration…from moving forward with plans to deny green cards to immigrants who have received Medicaid, food stamps or housing vouchers, even on a limited basis – a wealth test challenged by New York and other states in light of the coronavirus pandemic.” Judge George B. Daniels of the US District Court in Manhattan “granted a nationwide temporary injunction, suspending the eligibility requirements that were introduced last year and have drawn several legal challenges, including before the Supreme Court.” The Times says the Supreme Court “ruled in January that the Trump administration could move forward with the plan, but that was before the pandemic.”¶

Undocumented Woman Who Worked At Trump Club Facing Deportation.¶

The New York Times <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30 us/undocumented-housekeeper-trump-golf-bedminster.html> (7/30, Jordan, 18.61M) reports Victorina Morales, “an undocumented immigrant who worked for years at President Trump’s luxury golf resort in New Jersey and later revealed that he employed many immigrants who are in the country illegally has been placed in deportation proceedings.” Morales, who “worked for more than five years as a housekeeper at the club in Bedminster, N.J., using counterfeit identification that she said her supervisors knew to be falsified,” was “notified by the federal authorities this week that she had been placed in removal proceedings that could result in deportation. She can remain in the country only if an immigration judge approves her petition for asylum.”¶

US GDP Shrunk By Record Amount In Second Quarter.¶

The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/dd25fc508e7e4e6595bb54a3c1b77629?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 6, 1:05, O’Donnell, 4.19M) reported the economy’s “stall is evident” in Thursday’s announcement of a “historic drop in gross domestic product. The economy shrank a record 9.5% in the second quarter, sidelining millions of Americans.” ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/284a984040b24bb682f92283a42866dd?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 3, 1:30, Muir, 7.06M) referred to the economy “contracting at an annual rate of nearly 33% from April to June,” and NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/da8554d6201c408fb40f785694c78e4e?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 6, 1:10, Holt, 5.82M) pointed out the drop was “worse than the Great Recession and the Great Depression.”¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/us-gdp-q2-2020-first-reading.html (7/30, Cox, 3.62M) says on its website that Q2 US GDP “plunged 32.9% on an annualized basis,” but “economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a drop of 34.7%.” CNBC says “sharp contractions in personal consumption, exports, inventories, investment and spending by state and local governments converged to bring down GDP, which is the combined tally of all goods and services produced during the period.” Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-USa-economy/covid-19-crushes-u-s-economy-in-second-quarter-rising-virus-cases-loom-over-recovery-idUSKCN24V0FO (7/30, Mutikani) reports that “the bulk of the deepest contraction in at least 73 years…occurred in April when activity almost ground to an abrupt halt after restaurants, bars and factories among others were shuttered in mid-March to slow the spread of coronavirus.”¶

The Washington Free Beacon https://freebeacon.com/media/media-economics-experts/ (7/30, Stiles, 78K) reports, “Global pandemics typically aren’t good for national economies. On the contrary, they are usually bad. The US economy, for example, contracted 9.5 percent in the second quarter of 2020,” and “the German economy, meanwhile, declined by 10.1 percent.”¶

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Assistant Treasury Secretary for Public Affairs Monica Crowley said on WOR-AM https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/f13fecc878eb467fb128b2bde171354c?pubid=fbi New York (7/30, 17K), “We knew it was going to be bad and it is bad, but there are signs of life in this economy. When we take a look at some of these numbers on the internals of the GDP, we see that economic activity has already resumed in most parts of the country and if we take a look at some of these internal numbers about monthly retail sales, industrial production data, those things are important gauges of growth and those numbers are up even after severe declines in March and April.”¶

NEC Chief Economist Joe LaVorgna said on CNBC’s Squawk On The Street https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/3bf181aa39b54e6786065615333965bb?pubid=fbi (7/30, 304K), “The figures are annualized, which is fine when you have a growing economy – which happens about 95% of the time. So if you look at it, it’s really more like a 9% drop, 9.5% drop because we annualize it assuming it’s going to continue for the full year. That’s clearly not going to happen because this really is a pandemic contraction, and we’ve seen it in the data with March and April being extraordinarily weak and then seeing record growth in many series in May and June – retail sales, industrial production, employment, the PMI. So, we’re looking at this as really being a shock almost something akin to a natural disaster.”¶

To Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/29/trump-v-shape-rebound-gone-387425 (7/30, White, 4.29M), “the question now for President Donald Trump, trailing in the polls and facing a daunting reelection effort, is just how much conditions can snap back in the months leading up to Election Day.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/30/gdp-q2-coronavirus/ (7/30, A1, Siegel, Van Dam, 14.2M) says, “Thursday’s report helps explain which parts of the economy suffered as people stayed home, cut back their spending and suddenly overhauled their routines. With retail stores shuttered and people swapping out their work wardrobes for leisurewear, clothing and footwear sales dropped. The pandemic also triggered a collapse in oil prices, exacerbated by lower gasoline sales and dampened transportation services, as Americans stayed home and avoided commutes or basic errands.” In addition, “Health care fell off as the pandemic pushed people to cancel non-emergency visits and procedures, triggering layoffs within the health care industry.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/c1878e580f5acd2c0305e5236c4e3197 (7/30, Crutsinger, Wiseman) says, “The economy’s collapse in the April-June quarter, stunning in its speed and depth, came as a resurgence of the viral outbreak has pushed businesses to close for a second time in many areas.” The AP adds, “So steep was the economic fall last quarter that most analysts expect a sharp rebound for the current July-September period. But with coronavirus cases rising in the majority of states and the Republican Senate proposing to scale back aid to the unemployed, the pain is likely to continue and potentially worsen in the months ahead.”¶

According to the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/07/30/business/stock-market-today-coronavirus (7/30, 18.61M), recent “data from public and private sources indicate a pullback in economic activity, reflecting consumer unease and renewed shutdowns.” Likewise, Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/u-s-economy-shrinks-at-record-32-9-pace-in-second-quarter?srnd=premium&sref=3IOEzKok (7/30, Pickert, 4.73M) says the recent “surge” in coronavirus cases, “the result of America’s failure to contain the virus, indicates that the U.S. economy is likely to recover more slowly than places that have done a better job, such as the euro area.” Bloomberg adds, “And the longer the pandemic lasts without a vaccine, the longer economic output will remain below pre-crisis levels, leaving permanent scars on many businesses and workers.” USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/07/30/economy-gdp-fell-annual-rate-32-9-q-2-amid-covid-19-crisis/5536647002/ (7/30, Davidson, 10.31M), the Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-07-30/coronavirus-induced-collapse-in-gdp-is-one-for-the-record-books (7/30, Lee, 4.64M) and the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-economy-gdp-report-second-quarter-coronavirus-11596061406 (7/30, A1, Torry, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), among other news outlets, also report the story.¶

In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-lockdowns-destruction-11596150889 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) criticizes Democrats and what it calls their media allies for pushing for further lockdowns after seeing their devastating effects on the economy – as illustrated by Thursday’s GDP data.¶

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Stocks Sharply Down On GDP Data. USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/07/30/dow-slides-500-points-after-us-reports-record-economic-drop/5543828002/ (7/30, Menton, 10.31M) reports, “Stocks slumped on Wall Street Thursday after the U.S. posted a record economic contraction in the second quarter as the coronavirus pandemic battered the economy, leading to widespread business shutdowns.” Reuters <https://www.reuters.com/article us-USa-stocks/sp-dips-on-worries-about-earnings-data-stimulus-and-election-idUSKCN24V1Y7> (7/30, Carew) reports “the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 225.92 points, or 0.85%, to 26,313.65, the S&P 500 lost 12.22 points, or 0.38%, to 3,246.22 and the Nasdaq Composite added 44.87 points, or 0.43%, to 10,587.81.”¶

Biden Blames Trump For Causing Recession To Be Worse Than It Could It Have Been. CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/biden-says-trump-is-responsible-for-historic-economic-slump.html (7/30, Higgins, 3.62M) reports on its website that on Thursday, Joe Biden “came out swinging against President Donald Trump’s record on the economy…hours after new data showed the US suffered its worst quarterly downturn in history in the midst of the spreading coronavirus pandemic.” Biden said, “The depth of economic devastation our nation is experiencing is not an act of God, it’s a failure of presidential leadership. … Had President Trump taken immediate and decisive action, tens of thousands of lives and millions of jobs would never have been lost.”¶

Weekly Jobless Claims Rise To 1.434M As Senators Remain Divided On Extending Benefit.¶

CNBC https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/weekly-jobless-claims.html (7/30, Imbert, 3.62M) says on its website that the Labor Department reported Thursday that “the number of Americans who filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week totaled 1.434 million,” making it “the 19th straight week in which initial claims totaled at least 1 million and the second consecutive week in which initial claims rose after declining for 15 straight weeks.” Continuing claims, that is “those receiving unemployment benefits for at least two straight weeks,” increased “by 867,000 to 17.018 million for the week ending July 18.” Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-30/u-s-jobless-claims-rise-a-second-week-in-sign-of-growing-risks?srnd=premium&sref=3IOEzKok (7/30, Rockeman, 4.73M) says “the jump in continuing claims was concentrated in California and Texas, which reported a combined increase of about 576,000 on an unadjusted basis,” while Florida “showed a decline of about 122,000.” Jo Ling Kent of NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/e81410521a064cb6a541128b5366e50b?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 7, 1:00, Holt, 5.82M) provided similar coverage, as did the CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/828d1bd8324e49cbbf1b861aca7cc898?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 7, 0:50, O’Donnell, 4.19M).¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/07/30/business/stock-market-today-coronavirus#1-43-million-filed-new-state-unemployment-claims-last-week (7/30, Lee, 18.61M) reports that “new claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, the government’s program aimed at covering freelancers, the self-employed and other workers not covered by traditional unemployment benefits, totaled 830,000, down from 975,000 the week before.” Meanwhile, “the $600 supplemental weekly unemployment payment from the federal government is ending, a potentially crippling financial blow to millions.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/30/jobless-claims-increase-second-week-row-1434000-new-claims-filed/ (7/30, 14.2M) reports that Democrats “want the full $600 extended through January, while some Republicans have proposed reducing it to $200 a week.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/6547ff6300f7540c376ed92728ac0739 (7/30, Taylor, Mascaro) says Friday’s expiration of the $600 benefit “sent Republicans controlling the Senate scrambling to respond.” Senate Majority Leader McConnell “made a procedural move to make it easier to reach a potential compromise next week that would extend the bonus unemployment benefit while talks on a broader COVID-19 relief measure grind on. But ahead of late-night talks at the Capitol, the outlook dimmed.” The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/509839-mcconnell-tees-up-fight-on-unemployment-benefits (7/30, Carney, 2.98M) quotes McConnell as saying on the Senate floor, “We’ve had enough rope a dope. We’ve had¶

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enough empty talk. It’s time to go on the record.”¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/gop-pushes-short-term-extension-unemployment-benef/ (7/30, Swoyer, Muñoz, 492K) says McConnell “explained that the ‘shell’ bill would be amendable, giving lawmakers more time over the weekend to continue negotiations.” However, Senate Minority Leader Schumer called the move a “stunt.” The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/democrats-block-extending-unemployment-benefits-after-talks-stall-on-big-aid-package (7/30, Ferrechio, 448K) reports that Schumer “accused Republicans of failing to negotiate adequately on a larger spending deal.” Schumer said, “Unemployment is a crisis. … There are many crises. All of your constituents are saying why can’t we open our schools safely? They need dollars. We can’t negotiate that proposal.” Mary Bruce said on ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/11db46132f064e21a4542522bcac85f3?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 5, 0:50, Muir, 7.06M), “Bottom line, even if the two sides can reach an agreement here, it looks like it is going to take weeks, potentially, taking a huge toll on millions of Americans and the economy.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-leaders-trade-withering-criticism-as-benefits-set-to-expire/2020/07/30/af3d4df8-d272-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html (7/30, Kim, Werner, Stein, 14.2M) reports that on Wednesday, President Trump “urged Congress to quickly approve some extension in unemployment benefits and a federal eviction moratorium that expired last week.” On Thursday, Chief of Staff Meadows “told reporters Trump would support a one-week extension of unemployment benefits at $600.”¶

A New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/mitch-mcconnell-coronavirus-economy.html (7/30, 18.61M) editorial laments “lack of action on Capitol Hill” on coronavirus relief and calls on lawmakers “to extend the emergency aid programs that were created in March to help Americans endure a broad suspension of economic activity.” The Times argues that this “abject failure to act is not the fault of Congress in a collective sense. … Responsibility for the current debacle rests specifically and squarely on the shoulders of [McConnell] and the other 52 Senate Republicans.”¶

Kimberley Strassel writes in the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-gops-doh-moment-11596149323 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) that Republicans realized this week that Democrats do not want a bill, they want an issue that will help them win the election. Strassel lauds McConnell’s plan to hold a vote on a plan to extend the unemployment benefit at $200, which will make Democrats go on the record opposing it and force them to explain why. Strassell argues Republicans will lose an election over which part can spend more and should instead use it as an opportunity to highlight their competing vision.¶

Liability Protection For Businesses Proving To Be A Sticking Point. The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/mitch-mcconnell-business-liability-protection-dela/ (7/30, Swoyer, 492K) reports that Senate Republicans hope to prevent “a flood of coronavirus lawsuits” by “granting liability protection to businesses as part of the next round of coronavirus relief.” But, liability protection, which is “a top priority” for McConnell, “also is a chief sticking point in negotiating the $1 trillion-plus package.” While McConnell “vowed not to bring to the floor any relief package without liability protection,” Democrats, “who usually side with trial lawyers, say the Republican plan goes too far and is a giveaway to big business at the expense of consumer protection.”¶

Trump, DeVos Reiterate Call For Schools To Reopen.¶

Ben Tracy briefly reported on the CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/8c09b773c3e341b2bbbec0cb6dca2c1d?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 5, 0:30, O’Donnell, 4.19M), “Despite questioning the safety of holding an election during coronavirus, the President continues to push for schools to reopen, saying there isn’t much risk to children.” Trump: “The younger the better. Amazing. The immune system. But children, the lower they are in age, the lower the risk.” On NBC Nightly News <https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/9dc1bea884c546d48eab04c9fbc98c4c?¶

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pubid=fbi> (7/30, story 4, 0:15, Holt, 5.82M), Peter Alexander said, “Trump was pressed whether he can assure people that schools will be safe if they reopen, something he has been pushing for for weeks. The President did not convey confidence, responding with a question, saying, ‘Can you assure anybody of anything?’”¶

Education Secretary DeVos said on Fox News’ Bill Hemmer Reports https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176758197001#sp=show-clips (7/30), “There has been no data that has suggested that it is unsafe for kids to go back to school. In fact, all of the recommendations are that kids need to be back in school, that schools need to open up again, and we need to take into account the health of the whole child.”¶

Assistant HHS Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said on the Lars Larson Show https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/db2f0120d7594ac1b333cf5c3dee6e79?pubid=fbi (7/30), “It is very important to have children back in school, physically present in school. We know it for their learning, for their emotional development, for their mental health, for their physical health. … That being said, there are going to be some communities where there’s a lot of virus spread that you are going to have to temper that.”¶

Noem Says Reopening Schools Would Be “Best Decision We Can Make For Our Kids.” North Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) writes at The Federalist https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/30/gov-kristi-noem-science-shows-not-going-to-school-hurts-kids-much-worse-than-covid/ (7/30, 126K), “When it comes to children,” coronavirus “doesn’t impact them even on the same level as the flu. … We know that it is extremely harmful to kids to keep schools closed. We know that children thrive on routine and being in supportive, social environments. We know that the loss of human connections for many of these kids is driving increases in stress, anxiety, and depression. … Right now, the best decision we can make for our kids – for their full development and well-being – is to get them back into school.”¶

Tropical Storm Isaias Could Reach Florida Over Weekend.¶

NBC Nightly News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/399fb5178cda4269a008f06f1b31f873?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 8, 0:20, Holt, 5.82M) reported that Tropical Storm Isaias was “battering parts of the Caribbean” Thursday night, “and it’s only going to get worse. Heavy rain is causing flash floods in Puerto Rico, and residents there are worried about possible mud slides.” Isaias “is heading northwest and could approach Florida’s east coast over the weekend. A tropical storm watch issued late today in the southeastern part of the state.” Brief reports on the CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/60b9060f78cf4ceeabff8e832418fa04?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 8, 0:25, O’Donnell, 4.19M) and ABC World News Tonight https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/41985c095f1242cda7381a544aa1a64f?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 7, 0:25, Muir, 7.06M) provided similar coverage.¶

Senate Hearing On Controversial Pentagon Nominee Tata Cancelled.¶

The AP https://apnews.com/ea5e2ca355edbc6e98f982cdf8377fc1 (7/30, Baldor) reports the Senate Armed Services Committee “abruptly canceled a confirmation hearing Thursday on a controversial former general’s nomination to a top Pentagon post after a furor over offensive remarks he made about Islam and other inflammatory comments.” The AP adds “the nomination of retired Army Brig. Gen. Anthony Tata to be the Pentagon’s under secretary for policy was already under fire from Senate Democrats, who sent a letter to him this week calling for him to withdraw.” Tata “posted tweets in 2018 calling Islam the ‘most oppressive violent religion I know of,’ and he called former President Barack Obama a ‘terrorist leader,’ and referred to him as Muslim.” Senate Armed Services Chairman James Inhofe “announced the hearing’s cancellation shortly before it was scheduled to start.” The Washington Post <https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/07/30/senate-hearing-controversial-pentagon-nominee-anthony-tata-canceled-just-before-it-was-¶

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set-begin/> (7/30, Lamothe, Kim, 14.2M) reports there are “signs that [Tata] did not have enough Republican votes,” and “one defense official familiar with the process…said that once Inhofe and the administration figured out late Wednesday that Tata did not have the votes needed, ‘there was no need’ to go through a difficult hearing.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/pentagon-nominee-hearing-canceled-amid-questions-388334 (7/30, O’Brien, 4.29M) quotes Inhofe as saying, “There are many Democrats and Republicans who didn’t know enough about Anthony Tata to consider him for a very significant position at this time. … We didn’t get the required documentation in time; some documents, which we normally get before a hearing, didn’t arrive until yesterday. As I told the President last night, we’re simply out of time with the August recess coming, so it wouldn’t serve any useful purpose to have a hearing at this point, and he agreed.” Politico reports that “if confirmed, Tata would have replaced John Rood, who was forced out as Pentagon policy chief in February amid allegations he was insufficiently loyal to Trump.” The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/usr/politics/trump-inhofe-tata-pentagon.html (7/30, Cooper, Edmondson, Haberman, 18.61M), among other news outlets, also reports the story.¶

Albence Stepping Down As Acting ICE Director.¶

The Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/exclusive-trumps-ice-chief-matt-albence-leaving-post (7/30, Giaritelli, 448K) reports that Acting ICE Director Albence “will leave his post by Labor Day, the Washington Examiner has learned.” In a private phone call Thursday, Albence “informed senior ICE officials…that he plans to retire after serving a year in his position.”¶

Memo Reveals State Department Dispute Over Susan Pompeo’s Travel.¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/susan-pompeo-travel-state-department-memo-388727 (7/30, Toosi, 4.29M) reports that as Secretary of State Pompeo “prepared to tour the Middle East last year, senior State Department officials debated whether they could legally justify his wife Susan’s desire to travel with him.” Susan Pompeo had been invited to events in Cairo and Abu Dhabi, “but circumstances had grown complicated: a U.S. government shutdown meant the State Department had to be exceptionally careful with spending, and her presence would incur some costs to taxpayers.” The issue “resulted in a memo, obtained this week by Politico, in which some senior State Department officials argued Susan Pompeo’s travel was in the ‘foreign policy interests of the United States’ and ‘necessary to national security,’ while diplomats who deal with Middle East policy disagreed.”¶

Obama Calls For Passage Of Voting Rights Act, Criticizes Trump In Lewis Eulogy.¶

The funeral of Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) was held in Atlanta on Thursday, with three former presidents in attendance, and all three broadcast networks opened their newscasts with coverage. Much of the reporting focuses on the eulogy delivered by former President Obama, which was critical of President Trump in none-too-subtle terms.¶

On ABC World News Tonight¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/96e1ada9e1804e8e9a27512f05914c17?pubid=fbi (7/30, lead story, 5:00, 7.06M), David Muir said, “Amid this pandemic, amid so much worry in this country, the nation paused today to remember a man who spent most of his life fighting for equality. Three presidents came to honor John Lewis, who they say never lost hope in the promise of America.” Obama “deliver[ed] the eulogy, saying John Lewis’ life proved that any of us can stand up to power and say, we can do better. But the former President didn’t¶

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stop there. There was an urgency to his words, with this pandemic, his concern about protecting Americans, their health and their right to vote this November.” Obama: “This idea that any of us, ordinary people, a young kid from Troy, can stand up to the powers and principalities and say no, this isn’t right, this isn’t true, this isn’t just. We can do better. America was built by people like them. America was built by John Lewises.”¶

Norah O’Donnell said on the CBS Evening News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/2a1d4c3bb03049289c021c3362917c3c?pubid=fbi (7/30, lead story, 5:05, 4.19M), “Three former presidents spoke, but it was President Obama who delivered a rousing eulogy, using the moment to speak to the cause of John Lewis’ life – voting rights – saying those in power are trying to discourage voting. And that appeared to be a direct response to President Trump, who floated the idea today of delaying November’s election, something he doesn’t even have the power to do.” CBS’ Michelle Miller: “Lewis, his casket draped in the American flag, returned to Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, the place where he worshiped with his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”¶

Lester Holt said on NBC Nightly News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/276eb85d61a14bfaa311497d4e7a0d3c?pubid=fbi (7/30, lead story, 5:30, 5.82M), “The civil rights struggles of both history and today were the backdrop for a powerful send-off for congressman and civil rights giant John Lewis. … Lewis, born in tiny segregated Troy, Alabama, the son of sharecroppers, celebrated today by presidents, including the first Black president, who says he was elected standing on Lewis’ shoulders. … Obama one of many today calling to strengthen the Voting Rights Act that Lewis championed.” Obama: “Do you want to honor John? Let’s honor him by revitalizing the law that he was willing to die for.” Holt: “And while not naming him, launching a forceful attack against President Trump.” Obama: “George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”¶

The AP https://apnews.com/76a63a9d89f53018f9347206b98ae9a9 (7/30, Martin) reports, “After nearly a week of observances that took Lewis’ body from his birthplace in Alabama to the nation’s capital to his final resting place in Atlanta, mourners in face masks to guard against the coronavirus spread out across pews Thursday at the city’s landmark Ebenezer Baptist Church. … Obama called Lewis ‘a man of pure joy and unbreakable perseverance’ during a fiery eulogy that was both deeply personal and political.” USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2020/07/30/john-lewis-funeral-set-thursday-atlanta/5520752002/ (7/30, Ellis, 10.31M) reports Obama “challenged the nation Thursday to honor the memory of John Lewis by picking up the fight for his signature issue, voting rights.” The mourners “gave Obama a thunderous ovation.” The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-presidents-pay-tribute-at-john-lewiss-funeral-11596130170 (7/30, Siddiqui, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Obama also called for an end to the filibuster, calling it a “Jim Crow relic.” Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/clinton-bush-obama-john-lewis-funeral-388050 (7/30, McCaskill, 4.29M) also covers Obama’s remarks.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/john-lewis-in-essay-published-on-day-ofhis-funeral-urges-others-to-continue-tradition-of-good-trouble/2020/07/30/84b39450-d251-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html (7/30, A1, Wagner, Kane, 14.2M) reports former President Bush “praised Lewis’s life story and used their political differences, as a GOP president and Democratic congressman, to point to the nation’s strength,” while former President Clinton “took a veiled shot at Trump’s early Thursday tweet suggesting that the elections be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and his previous suggestions he might not accept the results of the election.” Clinton “told the story of how Lewis accepted defeat” in his bid to lead the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the late 1960s. Clinton said, “We are here today because he had the kind of character he showed when he lost an election.”¶

In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-filibuster-swipe-11596150793 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) criticizes Obama’s call in his eulogy for scrapping the filibuster, arguing that such a move would fundamentally alter the nature of the Senate. The Washington Times https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/john-lewis-laid-rest-georgia/ (7/30, Muñoz, 492K) covers the funeral under the headline “Former Presidents, Loved Ones Bid Funeral Farewell To John Lewis.” ABC World News Tonight <https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/dfe36fddbe90473685f561d0edc53172?¶

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pubid=fbi> (7/30, story 11, 2:00, Muir, 7.06M), the CBS Evening News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/8f48a28f5f924994a5bfafc3d63ded01?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 10,¶

2:05, O’Donnell, 4.19M), and NBC Nightly News¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/b11c049346d243baa9b689934086f5fc?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 12,¶

1:20, Holt, 5.82M) all had further remembrances of Lewis.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/john-lewis-civil-rights-america.html (7/30, 18.61M) publishes a letter written by Lewis shortly before his death, which he intended to be published on the day of his funeral. Lewis wrote, “While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division.”¶

House Votes To End Ban On Transgender Troops.¶

CQ Roll Call https://www.rollcall.com/2020/07/30/house-votes-to-end-military-ban-on-transgender-troops/ (7/30, Satter, 154K) reports “the House adopted by voice vote an amendment to the fiscal 2021 Defense appropriations bill Thursday that would effectively bring an end to the Trump administration’s severe restrictions on transgender people serving openly in the US military.” The amendment “was tucked into a massive en bloc package of amendments that were attached to the six-bill spending package that includes defense funding.” The Hill https://thehill.com/policy/defense/509815-house-passes-amendment-barring-funding-for-transgendertroops-ban (7/30, Kheel, 2.98M) points out the measure was authored by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) and had 28 Democratic cosponsors. Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/house-blocks-trump-transgendertroop-ban-388573 (7/30, O’Brien, 4.29M) says “Republicans opposed the amendment package, but didn’t demand a roll call vote.”¶

House Rejects Ocasio-Cortez Proposal To Bar Military Recruitment On Online Gaming Platforms.¶

The New York Post https://nypost.com/2020/07/30/democrats-rip-aocs-proposal-to-ban-militarys-gaming-recruitment/ (7/30, Nelson, 4.57M) reports, “Fellow House Democrats tore into” a proposal by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) to bar the military from using online gaming platforms for recruitment. Rep. Max Rose (D-NY) said, “This is incredibly insulting as it perpetuates the limousine liberal trope that soldiers are idiots who only get duped into enlisting.” The proposal failed 292-126 http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2020&rollnumber=173 .¶

Schweikert Admits To 11 Ethics Violations, Agrees To Pay $50K Fine.¶

The Arizona Republic https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics.arizona/2020/07/30/rep-david-schweikert-admits-11-ethics-violations-pay-50-000-fine/5362363002/ (7/30, Hansen, 869K) reports Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) “reached a deal announced Thursday to end a longstanding House Ethics Committee investigation by admitting to 11 rules violations, accepting a reprimand and agreeing to pay a $50,000 fine.” The panel “found ‘substantial evidence’ of violations by the five-term Arizona Republican stretching from 2010 into 2018 and faulted him for evasive, stalling tactics that helped him skirt more serious violations.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/rep-schweikert-admits-to-11-spending-violations-will-facesanction-by-full-house/2020/07/30/c390c488-d286-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, Sonmez, 14.2M) says “the news deals a blow to the reelection campaign of Schweikert,” who “is running unopposed in next week’s Republican primary in Arizona’s 6th District” but faces “four candidates…seeking the Democratic nomination to face him in November; among them, Hiral Tipirneni had a $1 million cash-on-hand advantage¶

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over Schweikert as of mid-July.”¶

The Hill https://thehill.com/homenews/house/509823-house-ethics-panel-recommends-50000-fine-for-rep-schweikerts-campaign-finance (7/30, Marcos, 2.98M) recounts that “an investigative report released by the Ethics Committee concluded that Schweikert, who has served in the House since 2011, violated campaign finance laws, misused taxpayer funds for unofficial purposes, pressured congressional office staff to do campaign work and displayed a ‘lack of candor during the investigation.’” CQ Roll Call https://www.rollcall.com/2020/07/30/misuse-of-taxpayer-funds-leads-ethics-committee-to-reprimand-and-fine-rep-schweikert/ (7/30, Marquette, 154K)indicates “the Ethics Committee plans to bring a privileged resolution to reprimand the Arizona Republican for a full House vote,” and “Schweikert must repay the Treasury by Oct. 30.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/ethics-rebukes-schweikert-slew-of-violations-388447 (7/30, Ferris, 4.29M) reports, “Among the biggest findings from the Ethics panel is that Schweikert had paid over $270,000 to a firm whose sole employee is Schwab over seven years, violating the limit on outside income for senior congressional aides.” Schwab “left his congressional job in 2018 after seven years. That same year, the aide also repaid the campaign more than $50,000.”¶

Ginsburg Resting In Hospital Following Minimally Invasive Surgery.¶

The CBS Evening News https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/f191b381b6cb4a7b8fcf4aaa07b5c3c1?pubid=fbi (7/30, story 9, 0:15, O’Donnell, 4.19M) reported that following “minimally invasive, nonsurgical procedure on a bile duct stent she received last year,” Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “is resting in a New York hospital.” She “is expected to be released by the end of the week.”¶

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Lifts Off En Route To Mars.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/science/nasa-mars-launch.html (7/30, Chang, 18.61M) reports NASA’s Perseverance rover lifted off Thursday morning on its way to Mars, making it “the third spacecraft to head that way this month.” The “robotic wheeled vehicle [is] designed to look for signs of past life on Mars.” Its destination “is a crater, Jezero, which was once a lake in the northern hemisphere of Mars. Scientists believe it is a promising location where signs of ancient Martian life could be preserved if life ever existed on Mars.” The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2020/07/30/nasas-new-mars-rover-perseverance-poised-rocket-red-planet-search-ancient-life/ (7/30, Achenbach, 14.2M) says Perseverance “is supposed to obtain samples of rock cores and soil that could later be sent back to Earth for study in laboratories.” Its mission “is the first leg of what is known as the Mars Sample Return campaign.”¶

NASA Administrator Bridenstine said on the Weather Channel¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/395882a4f73c4e5a9b05b4ebe38eec61?pubid=fbi (7/30, 107K), “We are in fact looking for signs of ancient life on Mars. … This is the most sophisticated robot we’ve ever launched. From past missions, we have learned that Mars was at one time, it had an ocean, it had liquid water. The northern hemisphere of Mars was covered in liquid ocean. About two-thirds of it was covered in ocean, We know that it had a thick atmosphere, and, of course, very dynamic weather events. And it had a magnetosphere that protected it from the radiation deep space. In other words, Mars was habitable. The question that we are trying to answer now, for the first time is was it inhabited? are we going to find signs, biosignatures of ancient life on Mars?” Bridenstine was also interviewed on Fox News’ The Story https://video.foxnews.com/v/6176840033001?playlist_id=5410209611001#sp=show-clips (7/30) and KOTV-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/8cbff4f963b249bc996120c607ccff40?pubid=fbi Tulsa, OK (7/30, 24K).¶

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NASA Deputy Administrator James Morhard said on Bloomberg TV¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/815808ba1d0746ff82b6367bdb5ff8d6?pubid=fbi (7/30, 4.73M), “We are so excited because this is the dawn of a new space age. … It is a precursor mission in anticipation of astronauts going to Mars. The President has told us to get to moon in preparation to do that but also, ultimately, we have to get to Mars. This rover is gong to be there picking up samples that we are going return on another mission, back to the Earth.” Morhard was also interviewed on KENS-TV https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/89136285b05248eb923750b86bb14458?pubid=fbi San Antonio (7/30, 15K) and America First¶

https://playvideo.bulletinintelligence.com/883dd31908814b9b9a36224e2b18a30e?pubid=fbi (7/30).¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/nasa-s-perseverance-rover-launched-on-mission-to-mars-11596111859 (7/30, Hotz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that in addition to the Perseverance, spacecraft already launched by China and the United Arab Emirates are already on their way to Mars.¶

A Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-space-race-for-the-21st-century-11596150696 (7/30, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorial points out the list of countries attempting Mars missions and adds that the US, China, Russia and Japan are all considering manned missions to the moon in the coming years. The Journal argues that competition could be beneficial.¶

Omar Campaign Spent $606K At Husband’s Firm In First Weeks Of July.¶

The Washington Free Beacon https://freebeacon.com/2020-election/ilhan-omar-paid-her-husbands-firm-600000-in-three-weeks/ (7/30, Schoffstall, 78K) reports Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) “funneled an additional $606,000 to her husband’s firm in the first three weeks of July alone.” FEC records released Thursday “show that over the first three weeks of July, Omar’s campaign sent $606,000 to the E Street Group, a D.C.-based consulting firm run by Tim Mynett, Omar’s husband.”¶

International News¶

Trump: “Lamestream Media” Ignoring “Major China Virus Flare Up” In Other Countries.¶

President Trump on Thursday tweeted https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1288815049604292610 , “Major China Virus flare ups in many of the countries that the Fake News was touting as doing so well. Some of these countries are now a disaster. Lamestream Media doesn’t want to report this. Also, highly inaccurate numbers being reported by many other countries!!! @WSJ”¶

Companies Work To Build Reliable Supply Chains For Coronavirus Vaccines.¶

The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/drugmakers-race-to-build-covid-19-vaccine-supply-chains-11596101586 (7/30, Chen, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports as companies race to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine, they are already working to build reliable supply chains to manufacture and distribute the vaccines in the future.¶

EU Again Extends Travel Ban On Americans.¶

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USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2020/07/30/europe-travel-ban-americans-covid-19-rise-eu-to-us/5546206002/ (7/30, Tate, Shesgreen, 10.31M) reports that “for the second time this month, the European Union extended its travel ban on Americans on Thursday.” The announcement by the European Council came “after EU officials conducted their biweekly review of travel restrictions, examining coronavirus trends and containment measures in each country to determine whether to add or narrow the list of permitted travelers.”¶

Study: UK Has Europe’s Worst Surge In Deaths During Pandemic.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/europe/UK-deaths-coronavirus-europe.html (7/30, Landler, 18.61M) reports England “has had the greatest rate of excess deaths of any country in Europe during the coronavirus pandemic, with a surge that lasted longer and spread to more places than those in hard-hit nations like Italy and Spain, according to a government report released on Thursday.” The findings, in a report by Britain’s Office of National Statistics, “painted a grim picture of how Britain – and England in particular – weathered the first wave of the pandemic.”¶

Pompeo: US Has Discussed Threats To Its Troops In Afghanistan With Russia.¶

The Washington Times https://www.washingtonontimes.com/news/2020/jul/30/mike-pompeo-us-has-discussed-threats-its-troops-af/ (7/30, Meier, 492K) reports Secretary of State Pompeo on Thursday “said that US officials have been notified of ‘every single threat’ to American soldiers in Afghanistan and that Trump administration officials have discussed threats on the lives of U.S. forces with Russian counterparts.” Despite “repeated rebukes from the White House that President Trump had not been briefed about the threats to U.S. soldiers before the reports surfaced,” Pompeo told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that “the proper people have been aware of every single threat to our soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan whether that was General [Austin] Miller, or my team at the embassy there in Kabul.”¶

Taliban Denies Responsibility For Bombing That Killed 18. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast-eid/bombing-kills-18-in-afghanistan-on-eve-of-eid-ceasefire-idUSKCN24V38E (7/30) reports that on Thursday, “at least 18 people, including Afghan security forces personnel, were killed in a suspected car-bombing in eastern Afghanistan…hours before a three-day ceasefire was to begin in the country for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.” Reuters adds, “The ceasefire, announced by the Taliban, comes at a time violence has risen across the war-torn country as U.S.-brokered peace talks between the militant group and an Afghan government-mandated committee await the completion of a prisoner exchange between the two sides.” According to Reuters, the Taliban “denied responsibility for the bombing.”¶

US Urges Pakistan To Act After American Charged With Blasphemy Shot In Court.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article-us-pakistan-court-blasphemy/u-s-urges-pakistan-to-act-after-american-charged-with-blasphemy-shot-in-court-idUSKCN24V2RW (7/30, Farooq, Ahmad) reports the US “urged Pakistan on Thursday to take action over the killing of an American national in a crowded courtroom as he faced trial for blasphemy.” Tahir Ahmed Naseem was “shot multiple times at close range” as he appeared in a Peshawar courtroom on Wednesday. On Twitter https://twitter.com/State_SCA/status/1288668684936974337, the State Department wrote, “We urge Pakistan to take immediate action and pursue reforms that will prevent such a shameful tragedy from happening again.”¶

Craft: Trump Wants To Give In-Person UN Address In September.¶

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Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-un-trump/trump-likely-to-address-u-n-in-person-in-september-says-u-n-envoy-idUSKCN24V358 (7/30, Nichols) reports UN Ambassador Craft indicated on Thursday that President Trump “hopes to address the U.N. General Assembly in person in September…while all other world leaders will send videos instead of traveling to New York amid the coronavirus pandemic.” Craft is quoted as saying, “We’re hoping that President Trump will actually be speaking in person in the General Assembly. He will be the only world leader to be speaking in person.” Craft added, “Obviously we’re going to be focused on human rights issues, on transparency, on accountability.”¶

Politico <https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30 trump-un-general-assemble-address-388292> (7/30, Heath, 4.29M) reports Craft “has been taking her diplomacy beyond the confines of the U.N. Security Council…during the Covid-19 pandemic.” Craft is quoted as saying, “Since we have been sheltering in place, I used that time to start calling 185 of the ambassadors, just to check on people.” According to Politico, Craft “said ambassadors from smaller countries were ‘shocked’ to receive her call, but said they were ‘very responsive,’ helping to create ‘a special bond’ that the U.S. would find useful in its efforts to reform the U.N.”¶

Pompeo Insists “Tide Is Turning” In Dealings With China.¶

Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-senate-pompeo/pompeo-insists-china-tide-is-turning-at-contentious-u-s-senate-hearing-idUSKCN24V1S2 (7/30, Zengerle, Psaledakis) reports Secretary of State Pompeo “insisted on Thursday the ‘tide is turning’ in dealings with China, citing international support for Washington’s policies even as he expressed ‘dismay’ at the number of countries supporting Beijing’s new security law for Hong Kong.” During his first public testimony before the panel in 15 months, Pompeo stressed President Trump’s “tough line on China at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in which he repeatedly clashed with lawmakers over administration policies.” Pompeo “said other countries are supporting initiatives like the push not to use Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies’ equipment in 5G networks and stepped-up maritime maneuvers in the South China Sea.” Pompeo is quoted as saying, “Our vigorous diplomacy has helped lead an international awakening to the threat of the [Chinese Communist Party]. Senators, the tide is turning.”¶

Poll: Increasing Number Of Americans See China Negatively. USA Today https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/07/30/poll-americans-views-china-sours-amid-coronavirus-trump-attacks/5535455002/ (7/30, Shesgreen, Hjelmgaard, 10.31M) reports that a “new poll shows nearly three-quarters of Americans view China negatively, a record high as new coronavirus cases spike across the U.S. and the Trump administration ramps up its attacks on Beijing.” The survey, published Thursday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, “found a sharp uptick in the number of Americans who see China unfavorably.” In 2018, “just 47% of Americans held unfavorable views of China, but that figure has jumped 26% since then – to 73%, the highest level in the 15 years Pew has measured Americans’ attitudes toward Beijing.” To the Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/poll-shows-rising-voter-anger-toward-china-as-trump-and-biden-try-to-seize-the-issue (7/30, Crilly, 448K), the Pew findings “cement the issue as one of the top election questions facing two candidates who have tussled over who can better play hardball with Beijing.”¶

Four Hong Kong Activists Arrested For Online Posts Under New Security Law. The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/07/29/hong-kong-police-arrest-four-young-people-under-beijings-new-security-law/ (7/30, O’Grady, 14.2M) reports that in “some of the most high-profile detentions” in Hong Kong since Beijing imposed “a controversial national security law late last month,” police arrested four people between the ages of 16 and 21 on suspicion of inciting secession. The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/world/asia/hong-kong-arrests-security-law.html (7/30, Ramzy, Yu, 18.61M) reports the four were arrested “over social media posts that called for the city to become independent from China, in what appears to be the first targeted detentions of activists” under the new law.¶

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US Ambassador To Russia Dismisses Conviction Of Marine Vet As “Absurd.”¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/europe/marine-sentenced-russia.html (7/30, Nechepurenko, 18.61M) reports Trevor Reed, a former US Marine who “traveled to Moscow” in May 2019 “to spend the summer with his Russian girlfriend and take some language lessons,” was, “by August…in jail, facing charges of assaulting and endangering the lives of two police officers, accusations that his family and supporters say are fraudulent and politically motivated.” On Thursday, “a court in Moscow sentenced Mr. Reed to nine years in prison for the August 2019 episode. He has already spent more than 11 months in a Russian jail.”¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ex-marine-gets-nine-years-in-a-russian-jail-over-a-drunken-incident-he-cannot-remember/2020/07/30/054c016e-d253-11ea-826bcc394d824e35_story.html (7/30, Dixon, 14.2M) reports that Reed “told journalists the case was ‘clearly political,’” and John Sullivan, the US Ambassador to Russia, “described the evidence used to convict Reed as ‘ridiculous.’” Sullivan is quoted as saying, “Today, US citizen Trevor Reed was convicted and sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison based on evidence so ridiculous that even the judge laughed in court. This was theater of the absurd.”¶

Russia Demands Belarus Explain “Odious” Detention Of Alleged Mercenaries. Reuters <https://www.reuters.com/article-us-belarus-election/russia-turns-on-belarus-over-odious-detention-of-alleged mercenaries-idUSKCN24V179> (7/30, Osborn, Makhovsky) reports Russia “demanded an explanation” from Belarus on Thursday over “what it called Minsk’s wrongful arrest of a group of alleged Russian mercenaries accused of plotting acts of terrorism.” Belarusian state television broadcast footage on Wednesday of “more than 30 suspected Russian private military contractors being detained” near Minsk. Authorities “said they had received information that over 200 fighters had entered the country to destabilize it before an Aug. 9 presidential election.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov “said Moscow wanted an exhaustive explanation from Belarus about the detention.”¶

Democrats Slam Decision To Move US Troops Out Of Germany As Gift To Putin.¶

The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/pompeo-clashes-with-lawmakers-over-troop-withdrawal-in-germany-and-watchdog-firing/2020/07/30/186a1f8c-d272-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html (7/30, Hudson, 14.2M) reports on Thursday, Secretary of State Pompeo “clashed bitterly with Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.” Pompeo was “grilled” about the Administration’s “decision to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany and Pompeo’s firing of the department’s internal watchdog, who had been investigating alleged wrongdoing by him and his wife.” Ranking member Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) “said the U.S. administration had ‘abetted’ Russian President Vladimir Putin by withdrawing the troops from Germany and took aim at the central focus of Pompeo’s tenure, Iran, noting that the country ‘is much closer to a nuclear bomb than when you came into office.’” Menendez also “said that for all of Pompeo’s ‘bluster against China,’ it has not stopped Beijing’s ‘march in the South China Sea’ or its ‘suppressing and oppressing its own people’ in Hong Kong.”¶

Politico https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/30/mike-pompeo-criticism-trump-administration-russia-388004 (7/30, Toosi, 4.29M) reports that in his Senate testimony, Pompeo “claimed he did not interact significantly with Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was ousted in 2019 after she defied Trump administration orders by cooperating with House investigations” into President Trump. Pompeo “also defended the Trump administration’s approach to Russia as well as his push to oust an inspector general amid withering criticism from Senate Democrats.” Pompeo is quoted as saying, “I can assure you and the American people that each time I’ve spoken with [Russian Foreign Minister Sergey] Lavrov, I have raised all of the issues that put any American interests at risk, whether it’s our soldiers on the ground in Syria, soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan, the activities that are taking place in Libya, the actions in Ukraine.”¶

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Citing “three former senior officials,” Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-germany-military/trumps-military-shuffle-in-europe-will-take-time-and-be-costly-idUSKCN24V28Q (7/30, Emmott, Siebold) reports that the US “will take years to move its main military command in Europe from Germany to NATO headquarters in Belgium and updating facilities will be costly.” However, “despite concerns that the move announced on Wednesday is politically motivated, they told Reuters that ‘streamlining and rationalising’ the U.S. military presence in Europe made some strategic sense.” Reuters notes that Defense Secretary Esper “said the decision was part of a review of U.S. troop presence around the world.”¶

Polish Towns That Declared Themselves “LGBT-Free Zones” Are Denied EU Funds.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/europe/LGBT-free-poland-EU-funds.html (7/30, Pronczuk, 18.61M) reports the EU “will not provide funding to six Polish towns that have declared themselves ‘L.G.B.T.-free zones,’ a rare financial sanction of a member nation for issues related to the equal treatment of its citizens.” While the amounts of money being withheld “are modest – from $6,000 to $29,000 – the exclusion of the towns from funding for a program that connects local communities across Europe was intended to have a deeper symbolic resonance.” EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli tweeted https://twitter.com/helenadalli/status/1288122195927896068, “E.U. values and fundamental rights must be respected by Member States and state authorities.”¶

Violence In Darfur Increasing After Bashir’s Overthrow.¶

The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/world/middleeast/darfur-sudan.html (7/30, Walsh, 18.61M) reports it has been just over a year since “euphoric protests toppled Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the detested dictator whose alleged atrocities in Darfur earned him an indictment on genocide charges in an international court.” Sudan is now “run by a joint civilian-military government that has promised to usher in a new era of democracy, and finally – after 17 years of suffering – bring peace to Darfur.” But this month, the “tempo of violence quickened” with 60 civilians massacred on Saturday in “the deadliest attack in months.”¶

Trudeau Defends Charity Deal In Rare Testimony Before Parliament.¶

In what the Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/canada-trudeau-we-charity-testimony-parliament/2020/07/29/325c61a4-d19e-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html (7/30, Coletta, 14.2M) calls an “unusual for a sitting prime minister,” Justin Trudeau testified in a Parliament hearing broadcast live on Canadian television that “WE Charity received no preferential treatment – not from me, not from anyone else.” The Canadian leader “apologized again for his failure to recuse himself from cabinet discussions on the deal” amid a “burgeoning ethics scandal that has cast a pall over his minority government.” In his testimony Thursday, Trudeau “said he did not learn that public servants were recommending that the Toronto-based WE Charity administer the program until a briefing before a cabinet meeting on May 8.”¶

The Big Picture¶

Headlines From Today’s Front Pages.¶

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Wall Street Journal:¶

US Economy Contracted At Record Rate Last Quarter; Jobless Claims Rise To 1.43 Million

<https://www.wsj.com/articles/us-economy-gdp-report-second-quarter-coronavirus-11596061406>

Amazon, Apple, Facebook Show Dominant Results, Grip On Society <https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-amzn-2q-earnings-report-2020-11596137257>

Reopening Schools Try To Decide When They Should Close Again Due To Coronavirus Cases

<https://www.wsj.com/articles/reopening-schools-try-to-decide-when-they-should-close-again-due-to-coronavirus-cases-11596101401>

Huawei Rides China Recovery To Top Of Smartphone World <https://www.wsj.com/articles/huawei-rides-china-recovery-to-top-of-smartphone-world-11596105186>

If NBA's Virtual Fans Don't Behave, There's An Eject Button <https://www.wsj.com/articles/nba-season-restart-virtual-fans-orlando-behavior-eject-button-11596120629>

Families File First Wave Of Covid-19 Lawsuits Against Companies Over Worker Deaths

<https://www.wsj.com/articles/families-file-first-wave-of-covid-19-lawsuits-against-companies-over-worker-deaths-11596137454>

New York Times:¶

A Collapse That Wiped Out 5 Years Of Growth, With No Bounce In Sight

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/business/economy/q2-gdp-coronavirus-economy.html>

Trump Attacks An Election He Is At Risk Of Losing <https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/politics/trump-delay-election.html>

A Half-Century After Wallace, Trump Echoes The Politics Of Division

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/politics/trump-wallace.html>

A Quarter Of Bangladesh Is Flooded. Millions Have Lost Everything.

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/climate/bangladesh-floods.html>

John Lewis, A Man Of ‘Unbreakable Perseverance,’ Is Laid To Rest

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/us/john-lewis-live-funeral.html>

‘This Is A New Phase’: Europe Shifts Tactics To Limit Tech’s Power

<https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/technology/europe-new-phase-tech-amazon-apple-facebook-google.html>

Washington Post:¶

Nation’s Unrest Looms Large As Lewis Is Eulogized http://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/john-lewis-inessay-published-on-day-of-his-funeral-urges-others-to-continue-tradition-of-good-trouble/2020/07/30/84b39450-d251-11ea-8c55-61e7fa5e82ab_story.html ¶

Many Economists Urge Congress To ‘Go Big’ On Next Relief Bill¶

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/30/economists-favor-big-stimulus/¶

Record Economic Contraction In US https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/30/gdp-q2-coronavirus/¶

Trump Suggests Delaying Election http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-floats-idea-of-delaying-the-november-election-as-he-ramps-up_attacks-on-voting-by-mail/2020/07/30/15fe7ac6-d264-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html ¶

Mail Backlog Raises Fears Of Delays In Ballot Delivery http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/postal-service-backlog-sparks-worries-that-ballot-delivery-could-be-delayed-in-november/2020/07/30/cb19f1f4-d1d0-11ea-8d32-1ebf4e9d8e0d_storv.html ¶

DHS Gathers ‘Intelligence’ On Journalists Covering Ore. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/dhs-compiled-intelligence-reports-on-journalists-who-published-leaked-documents/2020/07/30/5be5ec9e-d25b-11ea-9038-af089b63ac21_story.html ¶

Financial Times:¶

US Economy Suffers Sharpest P

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