EFTA00150682.pdf

From: To Subject: FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Monday, July 13, 2020 Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2020 10:27:51 +0000 c Importan e: Normal Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. ; I BI News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Trump Commutes Stone's Sentence. PROTESTS • Trump Hails Barr On Launch Of Operation Legend. • Trump Says Defund The Police Movement Is A "Fad." • More Than 150 Minneapolis Officers Filing Disability Claims Following Floyd Protests. • Trump: "Automatic" 10 Years In Prison For Those Attempting To Topple Monuments. • Trump: States Must Request Federal Intervention In Response To Protests. • FEMA Denies Minnesota Request For Aid To Rebuild After Protests. • NYTimes Profiles Smith, Administration's "De Facto Spokesman On Criminal Justice." • Waters: Trump, Supporters Believe It Is Their Right To Ensure Blacks Don't Have Power. • House Democrats Seek To Freeze Capitol Police Budget. • NYTimes: Camden Could Serve Example To Other Police Departments. • Fifteen Shot In New York City In 15-Hour Time Period. • Two Shot Dead Sunday In Washington, DC. • Law-Enforcement Executes Search Warrant On Couple Who Brandished Firearms As Protesters Went By. • Judge Approves Petition To Recall Seattle Mayor. • Pennsylvania Police Received More Than $6M Of Military Surplus Since 2018. • Economics Journals Faulted For Neglecting Studies On Race. • Target, MN Blocked Ads From News Mentioning Protests. • DC Football Team Expected To Announce Name Change On Monday. • USC Closes John Wayne Exhibit. • Low Turnout At Kenyan Protest Against Police Brutality. • Utah Governor Proclaims State Of Emergency After Protests Over Police Shooting. COUNTER-TERRORISM • Pennsylvania Man Arrested With 30 Improvised Bombs, Detonators. • Ohio Man Changes Plea In Explosives Case. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE EFTA00150682 • Appeals Court Stays Decision Ordering Judge To Dismiss Michael Flynn Case. • Trump Demands Extradition Of Steele Over Russia Dossier • Jordan Hopes For Durham Investigation Results This Summer. • Op-Ed: Samantha Power's Unmasking Efforts Must Be Exposed. • Source Says Japan May Still Build Aegis Ashore Despite Reports Of Cancellation. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • FBI Continues To Probe Death Of Fort Hood Soldier • Maxwell's Lawyers Request She Be Released. • Arrest Made In Search For Missing Pennsylvania Teen. • FBI Probing Alleged Racially-Charged Indiana Beating As Possible Hate Crime. • Phoenix Police Identify Two Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting. • Two Plead Guilty To Plotting To Blow Up Competing Pharmacy In Nebraska. • Mississippi Nurse Sentenced In Compounding Pharmacy Scheme. • Eleventh Circuit Affirms Most Of Alabama Doctors' "Pill Mill" Convictions. • US Charges Four Georgia Men With Gun, Drug Violations. • Drug Probe Leads To 48 Arrests In Georgia. • Charges Filed Against Five Alleged Members Of Cocaine Trafficking Organization. • Human Remains Found In California. • FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. • Five Connecticut Men Charged In Connection To 2018 Murder. • West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Child Sex Trafficking. • Former North Carolina Sheriff's Deputy Charged With Obstruction. • Washington, DC Police Arrest Two Men Over Killing Of 11-Year-Old On Fourth Of July, Two Suspects Remain At Large. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Arson Suspect In California. • FBI Investigating Racist Letter Sent To North Carolina Family. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Missing Colorado Woman. • Continuing Coverage: FBI Identifies Remains Recovered In Massachusetts. • Continuing Coverage: New York Police Searching For Couple Connected To Racist Attack. • FBI Arrests New Mexico Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. • Philadelphia Men Charged With Mugging. • Continuing Coverage: Bail Denied For Illinois Man Charged With Murder • Ohio Teenager Sentenced To Probation Over Social Media Posts. • Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty To Arms Smuggling. • West Virginia Men Sentenced Over Drug Trafficking. • Washington State Woman Charged With Murder Of 5-year-Old. • Connecticut State Police Announce Recovery Of Stolen Police Rifle. • Alabama Resident Arrested On Drug Charges. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Cohen Adviser Disputes Account Of Why He Was Sent Back To Prison. • US Charges Florida Man With Bilking Medicare, SBA Loan Program For Coronavirus Victims. • Federal Prosecutors Subpoena San Francisco Public Utilities Commission In Widening Corruption Probe. • Campaign Finance Cover Clouds Toledo, Ohio Bribery Accusations. • California Couple To Plead Guilty On College Admissions Scandal-Related Charges. • Alabama Mayor, Spouse Indicted On Federal Conspiracy Charges. • Louisiana Councilman, Attorney Plead Not Guilty To Fraud. • North Carolina Man Sentenced For Running Ponzi Scheme. EFTA00150683 • Millions In PPP Aid Given To Traffic Camera Companies Linked To Corruption Scandals. • Georgia Heathcare Executive Pleads Guilty To Sabotaging Shipments. • Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty To Fraud Conspiracy. • US Charges Former Louisiana Bank CEO With Fraud. CYBER DIVISION • In Interview, Trump Confirms He Authorized Covert Cyberattack On Russia In 2018. • Russian Hacker Accused Of Targeting American Companies Found Guilty In Federal Court. • Amazon Says Email Telling Employees To Remove TikTok App Was Sent In Error. • Administration Expected To Take Action Against TikTok. • The UK Preparing Decision On Huawei's Role In 5G Network, Reviewing Potential Implications. • DHS' CISA Updates Goals To Shore Up Critical Network Vulnerabilities. • Hacking Attacks On Hospitals For Patient Data Increase During Coronavirus Pandemic. • Cyber Command Measures Success By The Outcomes. • US Secret Service Forms Cyber Fraud Task Force. • North Korea's Hackers Stole $2B Through Cyber Bank Heists. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • First Federal Execution In 17 Years Set To Take Place Monday. • Dispute Between DC, Congress Could Arise Over Looming Vote To Decriminalize Some Hallucinogenic Substances. • Two Texas Police Officers Killed During Domestic Violence Call. • McEnany Lauds Administration's Counternarcotics Operations Following Trump's Visit To US Southern Command. • California Could Release Up To 8,000 Inmates Ahead Of Schedule To Combat COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • Judge Denies Bail To Men Accused Of Helping Ghosn Flee Japan. OTHER FBI NEWS • Judge Swears In DuCharme As US Attorney As Donoghue Takes Post In Deputy AG's Office. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • Multiple States Report Record Single-Day COVID Case Counts. • Trump Says Case Count Rising "Because We Do So Much Testing." • Trump Expects Coronavirus Vaccine "Before The End Of The Year." • Trump Says He Is "Flexible" About GOP Convention. • Adams Urges Americans To Wear Facemasks. • Networks Highlight "Emerging Divide" Between White House And Fauci. • LATimes Examines California's "Failed" COVID Testing Effort. • Michigan Sheriff Will Not Enforce Whitmer Facemask Order. • Pittsburgh Region Sees Coronavirus Case Surge After Early Hope. • WPost Criticizes Hogan's Safety Plans For November Election. • Trump Says 450 Miles Of Border Wall Will Be Built By Year's End. • Trump Says Privately Built Border Wall Was Done To Make Him "Look Bad." • Politico Analysis: Trump's "QAnon-Baiting" Has Gone Into Overdrive. • Axios Report: Meadows Has Set Traps To Identify Suspected Leakers. • WSJournal Analysis: In Current Term, Roberts Showed He Is An Institutionalist. • At Least 21 Injured In Explosion On US Naval Ship. • Pompeo Says He Will Not Testify Unless Senate Democrats Drop Resistance To State Dept. Nominees. • White House Picks Tully To Fill Russia Post On NSC, Sources Say. EFTA00150684 • Former White House Aide Tied To Bannon Gets USAID Post. • Cox Reportedly Stepping Down As White House Liaison. • IG Says Shelby Improperly Awarded $5M VA Contract To Friends. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • WHO Says Global Coronavirus Cases Exceeds 228,000. • WHO Reports Record Daily Rise In Number Of Coronavirus Cases Globally. • Public Health Experts Fear "Vaccine Nationalism" Threatens Global Effort. • Mexico Set To Surpass Italy's Coronavirus Death Toll. • Top Bollywood Star Tests Positive As Cases Climb In India. • Iran Blames Chain Of Errors For Ukrainian Plane Downing. • Trump Again Says Russia Bounty Story Is A "Democrat Hoax." • As Leaders Talk Peace, Taliban Commanders Continue To Fight. • Trump Signals Openness To Another Summit With Kim. • Chinese Professor Jailed For Xi Criticism Released From Detention. • Polish Election Too Close To Call. • Sudan Moves To Ease Islamist Policies. • Pope "Deeply Pained" By Turkey's Move On Hagia Sophia. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Trump Commutes Stone's Sentence. To deeply unfavorable coverage, President Trump late Friday night commuted the sentence of Roger Stone. Typical of the tone of the reporting, a front-page New York Times (7/10, Baker, Haberman, Lafraniere, 18.61M) article says that the President "commuted the sentence of his longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes on Friday, using the power of his office to spare a former campaign adviser days before Mr. Stone was to report to a federal prison to serve a 40-month term." The Times adds that the White House in a statement "punctuated by the sort of inflammatory language and angry grievances characteristic of the president's Twitter feed...denounced the 'overzealous prosecutors' who convicted Mr. Stone on 'process-based charges' stemming from the 'witch hunts' and 'Russia hoax' investigation," but "did not assert that Mr. Stone was innocent of the false statements and obstruction counts." The Times also describes the commutation as "the latest action by the Trump administration upending the justice system to help the president's convicted friends." Similarly, the Washington Post (7/10, Al, Hsu, Weiner, Olorunnipa, 14.2M) reports on its front page that Trump used "the extensive powers of the presidency to protect a felon and political ally while also lashing out against a years-long probe into Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. election." The Post adds that even though Trump's "most stalwart supporters" celebrated his move to commute the sentence, Republican lawmakers had a "muted response," and Stone's "history as a self-described 'dirty trickster' indicated that the president's decision to interfere with the nation's justice system could be fraught with political risk." The Post also contrasts Trump's embrace of "law and order" with using the "unique presidential authority to undermine the unanimous finding by a jury that Stone broke the law multiple times by lying to Congress and obstructing justice." According to the AP (7/10, Colvin, Tucker), Stone's commutation "marks another extraordinary intervention by Trump in the nation's justice system and underscores anew his EFTA00150685 willingness to flout the norms and standards that have governed presidential conduct for decades. As Trump stares down a coronavirus pandemic that has worsened his chances for reelection, he has been more willing than ever to test the limits of his power." Echoing this sentiment, Reuters (7/10, Lynch, Holland, Beech) says the action "marked the Republican president's most assertive intervention to protect an associate in a criminal case and his latest use of executive clemency to benefit an ally." Reuters adds Democrats "condemned Trump's action as an assault on the rule of law." House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said, "With this commutation, Trump makes clear that there are two systems of justice in America: one for his criminal friends, and one for everyone else." Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), the ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, "The United States was founded on the rule of law. It seems our president has nothing but contempt for it." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 9, 1:59, Muir, 6.62M), Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas said that prosecutors "proved [Stone] obstructed a congressional probe into possible connections between Russia, Wikileaks, and the 2016 Trump campaign." Thomas also reported prosecutors "recommended that Stone be sentenced to seven to nine years in prison," but after Trump "cried foul," Attorney General Barr "overrul[ed] his own team, saying the sentencing recommendation was too harsh." Thomas added Stone "was ultimately sentenced to three years and four months behind bars," which Barr described as "an appropriate prosecution and I thought the sentence was fair." On ABC's Good Morning America Vi (7/10, 3.18M), Jon Karl described Trump as "at odds" with Barr over a commutation. However, Margaret Brennan reported on the CBS Evening NewsVI (7/10, story 6, 0:35, Brennan, 3.95M) that Trump "has always said his long-time friend Roger Stone was framed on charges linked to the Russia investigation," and The Hill (7/10, Samuels, Chalfant, 2.98M) says Trump "has regularly railed against the prosecutors involved in the case, singled out the Obama-appointed federal judge overseeing the trial for criticism and complained that the conservative provocateur was the victim of a `ridiculous' process." In addition, Politico (7/10, Forgey, 4.29M) reports Trump had "pledged last month that the provocative Republican consultant would serve no time behind bars." The Washington Times (7/10, Boyer, 492K) reports White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump presidency." McEnany added, "There was never any collusion between the Trump campaign, or the Trump administration, with Russia." She asserted, "These charges were the product of recklessness borne of frustration and malice." The President on Saturday issued a series of tweets defending his commutation of the 40- month prison sentence of Roger Stone, expressing his support for former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and calling for the prosecution of Russia dossier author Christopher Steele. However, coverage of the President's remarks were overshadowed by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's op-ed in the Washington Post asserting that Stone "remains a convicted felon, and rightly so," as well as criticism from lawmakers on both side of the aisle. Trump tweeted, "Roger Stone was targeted by an illegal Witch Hunt that never should have taken place. It is the other side that are criminals, including Biden and Obama, who spied on my campaign - AND GOT CAUGHT!" Several hours later, he promoted the opening monologue of Fox News' "Watters' World" and subsequently pinned the segment on his Twitter feed. He also tweeted. "2016? HERE WE GO AGAIN!" In addition, the President tweeted, "New documents just released reveal General Flynn was telling the truth, and the FBI knew it! @OANN." He also tweeted, "This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail. A sick lier who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!" The President retweeted John Solomon, founder of Just the News, who said, "Credibility shredded? British court identifies at least five inaccurate or unproven allegations in just one of the many memos that made up Christopher Steele's anti- Trump dossier I Just The News." EFTA00150686 He added, "John, among others, should have gotten a Pulitzer for exposing Russia, Russia, Russia as Fake News. He was right. The journalists' who got them were all WRONG. Take back the Pulitzers, which have become a JOKE!" The President also tweeted, "Bring back Steele!!!" The President retweeted Fox News political analyst Gregg Jarrett, who said, "British High Court Rules Steele Pay Damages For Violating Data Privacy Law' In Dossier." The Hill (7/11, Byrnes, 2.98M) says Trump "defended his decision to commute the prison sentence for his longtime associate and political confidant Roger Stone, claiming Stone was the victim of a `Witch Hunt." Mueller: Stone "Remains A Convicted Felon, And Rightly So." Bloomberg (7/11, Haubert, Krasny, 4.73M) reports that former Special Counsel Robert Mueller in a "rare public comments" on Saturday "defended the investigation into Russian election interference and said Roger Stone `remains a convicted felon, and rightly so.' Bloomberg also reports Mueller in the Washington Post (7/11, Mueller, 14.2M) op-ed "wrote that the work of the special counsel's office - including its report, indictments and convictions - should speak for itself." To the AP (7/11, Tucker), Mueller "sharply defended his investigation into ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign," in what was "Mueller's first public statement on his investigation since his congressional appearance last July." The AP adds that the op-ed "represented his firmest defense of the two-year probe whose results have come under attack and even been partially undone by the Trump administration, including the president's extraordinary move Friday evening to grant clemency to Stone just days before he was due to report to prison." Similarly, USA Today (7/11, Johnson, 10.31M) reports Mueller "defend[ed] the prosecution of Roger Stone and the larger investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 election, saying that the flamboyant political operative was `prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes.' He added, "Stone became a central figure in our investigation for two key reasons: He communicated in 2016 with individuals known to us to be Russian intelligence officers, and he claimed advance knowledge of WikiLeaks' release of emails stolen by those Russian intelligence officers." Mueller continued that his investigation "identified numerous links between the Russian government and Trump campaign personnel - Stone among them," even though "we did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired with the Russian government in its activities." However, he said the investigation "did establish that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome," and also "established that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts." According to Politico (7/11, Muller, 4.29M), the op-ed "was uncharacteristic for the former special counsel, who rarely spoke about the investigation publicly and whose office was known in Washington to be leak-proof. Saturday marked the first time Mueller made public statements about the Russia investigation since his congressional testimony in July 2019." Tom Llamas reported on ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 10, 2:47, Llamas, 4.69M) that Trump "is being sharply criticized for commuting the sentence of his long-time adviser Roger Stone. Among those speaking out: Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who prosecuted the case." ABC's Rachel Scott: "In his first public statement in nearly a year, Robert Mueller insisted] Roger Stone was no victim," writing in the Washington Post over the weekend, "Stone was prosecuted and convicted because he committed federal crimes. He remains a convicted felon, and rightly so." Scott: "The President commut[ed] the 40-month sentence of his long- time ally and adviser, against the advice of some aides fearing the move would be seen as an abuse of power." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 4, 0:31, Snow, 4.22M) briefly quoted from the Mueller op-ed, and on the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/12, story 4, 0:38, Yuccas, 2.32M), Nikole Killion said Trump is "facing fallout over his decision to commute the sentence." Graham Will Call Mueller To Testify Before Senate Judiciary Committee. USA Today (7/12, Phillips, 10.31M) reports Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham "said Sunday he will grant a request from Democrats to call Robert Mueller to testify before his committee, EFTA00150687 after the former Russia special counsel penned an op-ed pushing back" against Trump's decision to commute the sentence. The New York Times (7/12, Edmondson, 18.61M) says Graham's announcement is "part of an election-year bid by Senate Republicans to discredit the inquiry, came after Mr. Mueller broke a nearly yearlong silence" with the Post op-ed. Graham tweeted, "Apparently Mr. Mueller is willing - and also capable - of defending the Mueller investigation through an oped in the Washington Post. Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have previously requested Mr. Mueller appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify about his investigation. That request will be granted." The Washington Post (7/12, Sonmez, 14.2M) reports Graham spokeswoman Taylor Reidy "said a formal invitation to Mueller is in the works but did not provide details on the timing of any potential testimony. There are only about three dozen legislative days remaining for the Senate before the November election." The Justice Department "declined to comment on Graham's statement," and a spokesperson for Judiciary ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) "did not immediately respond to a request for comment." The Washington Examiner (7/12, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, "Graham has listed 53 prominent figures connected to the Russia investigation who now may face subpoenas, though the list does not include former President Barack Obama despite Trump's urging." The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) also covers Graham's announcement. Grenell Among "Right-Wing Figures" Expressing Doubt Mueller Wrote Op-Ed. The Washington Examiner (7/12, Chaitin, 448K) reports, "Republicans and other right-wing figures amplified the claim that former special counsel Robert Mueller did not write an opinion piece Saturday defending his Russia investigation." Ex-Acting DNI Richard Grenell "reacted to a user late Saturday who said, 'Mueller didn't write this op-ed.' He replied, `Everyone who saw him testify knows this is true." Others expressing doubt include Lee Smith, "a conservative investigative journalist who wrote The Plot Against the President." Barr, Meadows Reportedly Urged Trump Not To Grant Stone Clemency. On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/11, Lead, 2:52, Diaz Balart, 3.95M), Kelly O'Donnell reported that although the President wore a mask "for the first time publicly, visiting service members at a military hospital," the mask was "no cover for the controversial lifeline the President gave his friend, political adviser and convicted felon Roger Stone." O'Donnell added that some White House officials "are outraged though not surprised by the decision. Concerned in part about how it plays politically. Senior officials tell NBC News the Justice Department played no role and that Attorney General William Barr personally counseled the President against clemency for Stone." The Hill (7/11, Moreno, 2.98M) reports sources also told NBC that White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows "recommended against the move over concerns of political blowback." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 3, 2:59, Llamas, 4.18M), Rachel Scott said Barr this week "told our Pierre Thomas [that] Stone's 40-month sentence was fair." Barr: "He was prosecuted while I was attorney general. I think the prosecution was righteous." Pelosi: Commuting Of Sentence Was "Staggering Corruption." On CNN's State Of The UnionVi (7/12, 1.11M), House Speaker Pelosi said of the President's action, "It's staggering corruption, but I think it's important for people to also know that it's a threat to our national security. The whole impeachment process was about our national security. The Supreme Court was to find out about the Russian connection. And we will continue to pursue that." Pelosi To Propose Legislation To Limit Presidential Pardon Power. Bloomberg (7/11, Wasson, 4.73M) reports Pelosi on Saturday "said that in the wake of President Donald Trump's commutation of Roger Stone's criminal sentence, she plans to support a bill limiting the ability of presidents to take such actions." In a statement, Pelosi said Trump's commutation of "Stone, who could directly implicate him in criminal misconduct, is an act of staggering corruption." She added, "Congress will take action to prevent this type of brazen wrongdoing. Legislation is needed to ensure that no president can pardon or commute the sentence of an individual who is engaged in a cover-up campaign to shield that President from criminal prosecution." EFTA00150688 However, The Hill (7/11, Johnson, 2.98M) states that such legislation "has no chance of passing while the Republicans control the Senate. It's also not entirely clear if Congress has the constitutional authority to limit the president's pardon power. Under the Constitution, the president is able to execute a pardon except in cases of impeachment." Politico (7/10, Gerstein, Cheney, Swan, 4.29M) reports House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler and House Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney "said they intended to immediately seek a briefing from the White House counsel about the circumstances of Stone's commutation." Fox News (7/10, Givas, 27.59M) reports Bill Russo, a spokesman for Joe Biden, said Trump "has once again abused his power, releasing this commutation on a Friday night, hoping to yet again avoid scrutiny as he lays waste to the norms and the values that make our country a shining beacon to the rest of the world." Schiff: "Anyone Who Cares About The Rule Of Law" Is "Nauseated." House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, on ABC's This WeekA (7/12, 2.54M), said, "I think anyone who cares about the rule of law in this country is nauseated by the fact that the President has commuted the sentence of someone who willfully lied to Congress, obstructed the investigation. It shouldn't matter if you're a Democrat or Republican. This should be offensive to you if you care about the rule of law." The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) and Politico (7/12, Oprysko, 4.29M) cover Schiff's remarks. Romney, Toomey Join Democrats In Denouncing Stone Clemency, Graham And Rep. Jordan Back President's Move. On the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/11, Story 3, 1:19, Yuccas, 2.21M), Nikole Killion reported Democrats from Joe Biden to House Speaker Pelosi "accused the President of abuse of power. So did some Republicans." Bloomberg (7/11, Wasson, 4.73M) reports Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Pat Toomey (R- PA) "became the first major Republican elected officials to criticize...Trump's decision to commute" Stone's sentence. Romney tweeted, "Unprecedented, historic corruption: an American president commutes the sentence of a person convicted by a jury of lying to shield that very president." According to Bloomberg, Romney's tweet "quickly trended on the social media site, and shortly after 4 p.m. had been `liked' over 422,000 times and retweeted over 127,000 times." Bloomberg adds Toomey "took a more measured approach, calling it the commutation a `mistake' in an emailed statement, and arguing that the decision should have been left to the court system." The Hill (7/11, Moreno, 2.98M) reports Toomey said the President "clearly has the legal and constitutional authority to grant clemency for federal crimes," but added "this authority should be used judiciously and very rarely by any president." Toomey also asserted, "While I understand the frustration with the badly flawed Russia-collusion investigation, in my view, commuting Roger Stone's sentence is a mistake." He continued that Stone was "duly convicted of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and obstructing a congressional investigation conducted by a Republican-led committee." However, The Hill (7/11, Byrnes, 2.98M) reports Republicans "largely refrained from criticizing the commutation, instead pointing blame at the prosecutors who brought the charges against Stone in their investigation into Russian election interference." Similarly, Politico (7/11, Desiderio, 4.29M) reports Republican lawmakers were "mostly silent about the commutation, which came just after a federal appeals court panel rejected Stone's last-ditch bid to delay the start of his 40-month prison sentence set to begin next week." Politico adds Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) "was supportive of the sentence commutation in part because `this was a non-violent, first-time offense' for Stone." Meanwhile, the Washington Times (7/11, Blake, 492K) says some Republicans "openly cheered." The Times reports Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) also "expressed support for commuting Stone's sentence." Hogan Criticizes Trump's Decision. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), on NBC's Meet The PressVi (7/12, 1.58M), said, "No question that's the appearance [of a double standard] and it's a problem. Roger Stone is convicted of seven felonies and the President does have the right by law to take the action he took. That doesn't mean he should have, and we've got a guy who EFTA00150689 is convicted of seven felonies a couple of months before the election. For the President to take this action it will certainly hurt politically." Media Analyses Criticize Trump For Commuting Stone Sentence. In a more than 2,100-word front-page analysis, the Washington Post (7/11, Al, Reinhard, Helderman, Hsu, Dawsey, 14.2M) says the President's commutation of Stone's sentence "over the objections of some aides and without the involvement of his administration's pardon office" has "allowed an old friend to jump to the front of the slowest and longest line of federal inmates seeking mercy in decades" and is "is emblematic of the very few people to receive clemency from Trump, with most being political allies who appealed directly to the White House instead of following Justice Department protocol." However, the Post adds Stone also "stands out as the first whose conviction grew from an investigation that also examined the president's conduct." In an analysis, Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) senior political reporter Aaron Blake says that while Trump "has attempted to make law and order his calling card in the 2020 election," he "just commuted the sentence of a political ally, Roger Stone, who was recently convicted of seven crimes, including ones aimed at shielding the president himself." According to Blake, "The first thing that jumps out at you about Trump's pardons and commutations is the inordinate number of them which have gone to people with either personal or political ties to Trump (or both): Joe Arpaio, Dinesh D'Souza, Conrad Black, Bernard Kerik, Rod Blagojevich, Michael Milken, Paul Pogue, David Safavian, Eddie DeBartolo Jr. and now Stone. It's hardly unheard-of for a president to pardon allies - see Marc Rich et al. - but Trump has taken it to another level." New York Times (7/11, Al, 18.61M) Chief White House Correspondent Peter Baker asserts In a front-page analysis that Trump "has said he learned lessons from President Richard M. Nixon's fall from grace, but in using the power of his office to keep his friend and adviser Roger J. Stone Jr. out of prison he has now crossed a line that even Mr. Nixon in the depths of Watergate dared not cross." According to Baker, "Trump indulged his own sense of grievance over precedent to reward an ally who kept silent." Meanwhile, New York Times (7/11, 18.61M) investigative reporter Sharon Lafraniere and Washington investigative correspondent Mark Mazzetti also contend that Trump's action "was extraordinary because federal prosecutors had suspected that Mr. Stone could shed light on whether Mr. Trump had lied to them under oath or illegally obstructed justice. Even Mr. Stone suggested a possible quid pro quo, telling a journalist hours before the announcement that he hoped for clemency because Mr. Trump knew he had resisted intense pressure from prosecutors to cooperate." Stone Says He Wouldn't "Live Long" In Prison. Meanwhile, Stone told the Wall Street Journal (7/10, Al, Tau, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), "I know Donald Trump is a believer in fairness." Stone continued, "I could tell from his tweets and his public comments. He said he was following the case closely and he clearly knew I did not get a fair trial. The fundamental problem is if I'm sent to a prison with Covid-19, I won't live long enough to see my appeal." USA Today (7/10, Fritze, Johnson, Phillips, 10.31M) reports Grant Smith, an attorney for Stone, "said his client was 'incredibly honored' that Trump used 'his awesome and unique power under the Constitution of the United States for this act of mercy." Breitbart (7/10, 673K) reports John Cardillo, a political commentator and former NYPD officer, "shared a photo of himself posing with Stone, tweeting: 'Roger is feeling and looking better than he has in months, and wants you all to know how much he appreciates all the love and support." Appeals Court Denied Stone's Request To Delay Prison Sentence. Bloomberg (7/10, Larson, 4.73M) reports the US Court of Appeals in Washington on Friday "denied an emergency request from Republican operative Roger Stone for a delay to the start of his 40- month prison term for lying to Congress during the Russia probe, saying he hadn't proved that he was in particular danger of catching the coronavirus behind bars." The ruling had meant that if Trump had not commuted the sentence when he did, Stone would have had "to surrender to a federal correctional facility in rural Georgia next week." The Hill (7/10, Neidig, 2.98M) reports EFTA00150690 the ruling "came just an hour before President Trump stepped in to commute his longtime ally's sentence." Stone Presses On With Appeal Of Conviction. Bloomberg (7/11, Larson, 4.73M) says that the commutation "spares the Republican operative from spending more than three years at a federal lockup in rural Georgia, but his legal journey is far from over," as Stone's conviction "is still intact." According to Bloomberg, a pardon "would have required Stone to abandon the appeal he filed in April after U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson in Washington denied his request for a new trial." Bloomberg reports Stone "has said he's eager to clear his name and overturn a conviction he says is the result of a politically biased judge and jury - claims frequently echoed by Trump." On Saturday, Stone told Bloomberg, "A pardon includes acceptance of guilt and ends the appeals process. The commutation allows me to go forward with the appeals." WSJoumal: Barr Was Right About Prosecution; Flynn Deserves Pardon. In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (7/12, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) says Attorney General Barr was right in calling Stone's prosecution "righteous" and "appropriate," and expresses hope that the outcry over the President's action will not prevent him from pardoning ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who the Journal says deserves it. More Commentary. In an editorial, the Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) denounces Trump's move to commute Stone's sentence. The Post adds while Trump "may have had the power to help his longtime friend," it "does not make it any less a perversion of justice - indeed, it is one of the most nauseating instances of corrupt government favoritism the United States has ever seen." The Post concludes the US "is supposed to be a place in which laws apply equally to all. And while it never has - and never will - live up to that ideal in full, no modern president before Mr. Trump has so clearly renounced it." In a Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) op-ed, NBC News analyst Howard Fineman asserted, "No one can make up Roger Stone. No one should want to. He has a certain roguish appeal to chroniclers of American politics, high and low. There is in his story a faint pathos: a youth suffused with some understandable resentments; an encyclopedic knowledge of what used to be the Republican Party; a sense that he could have done positive things with the talents he had — or as New Stone might say, with the talents God gave him. But mostly he made his way and name for decades by not just defeating, but destroying and humiliating, other people for money - all in the name of dismantling a supposedly corrupt Establishment of better educated and, by and large, more decent and principled people than he could claim to be." In his Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Max Boot declares that with this commutation of "Stone's well-deserved prison sentence and so many other vile acts," Trump "has disgraced the nation's highest office as no previous occupant has come close to doing." According to Boot, "What makes Trump the worst president ever is not simply that he is colossally incompetent. It is that he is also thoroughly corrupt. It is hard to think of a single major decision he has made for the good of the country, rather than for his own advantage. Trump has so egregiously abused the power of the presidency that he makes Warren Harding and Richard Nixon look like choirboys." In her Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Ruth Marcus concurs, "It is hard to imagine a more corrupt use of the clemency power than...Trump's commutation of the sentence of convicted felon Roger Stone." According to Marcus, "Stone epitomizes the danger the Framers had in mind when they debated the pardon power." She concludes, "Systematically self-serving. That is the essence of the Trump presidency. Even this far into it, we have to summon the outrage to say so." In his Washington Post (7/11, 14.2M) column, Colbert I. King asserts that Stone "is the first of Trump's three felonious friends to escape a full measure of justice," and he again predicts Trump will "hit a trifecta with his felon allies." King contends that since Stone and "convicted felon" Paul Manafort "have been spared from life behind bars, it's all but certain that convicted felon Michael Flynn will go footloose and fancy-free." He concludes, "None of this EFTA00150691 should come as a surprise. What does the rule of law and the system of justice mean to Donald Trump, who thinks his presidency is uncheckable? Trump must be taught otherwise on Election Day." PROTESTS Trump Hails Barr On Launch Of Operation Legend. President Trump on Saturday tweeted, "Congratulations to A.G. Barr. Law & Order!" He retweeted John Solomon, founder of Just the News, who said, "Breaking: AG Barr launches Operation Legend, federal crackdown on violent crime in U.S. cities I Just The News." Law-Enforcement In Major Cities Dealing With Rise In Crime Amid Calls To Cut Police Funding. The Wall Street Journal (7/11, Wernau, Barrett, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports police officials in a number of major US cities are dealing with a marked increase in violent crime in the midst of a debate surrounding the police's role, increasing fiscal difficulties, and demands to cut police-department budgets. DC Has Four Fatal Shootings In Span Of Hours. The Washington Post (7/11, Hermann, 14.2M) reports there were four deadly shootings in a span of hours in Washington, DC in Friday in what was among "the worst spasms of violence in a year already experiencing an increasing number of homicides." Police say the killings appear to be unrelated, and the Post adds the shootings increased the amount of individuals "slain in the District this year" to 98, "a 21 percent increase from the same period in 2019, a year that saw a decade-high number of homicides." With regard to Friday's shootings, DC Police Chief Peter Newsham on Saturday said, "We had a very violent night." Meanwhile, the Washington Post (7/10, Duggan, Hermann, 14.2M) reports, "An 11-year- old boy shot during a Fourth of July 'stop the violence' cookout in Southeast Washington was killed by a stray bullet when members of a street gang unleashed a fusillade of gunfire at perceived enemies in the neighborhood where the barbecue was held, according to a police affidavit made public Friday." Davon McNeal "was hit by a bullet that entered the front of his head and exited through the back, police said." The Post adds that according to the affidavit, "the suspects, two of whom have been arrested, apparently were chasing people they thought were members of a rival crew on foot, and shooting at them, when Davon was wounded in front of the Frederick Douglass Community Center, in the Cedar Gardens area of Anacostia." The Washington Post (7/10, 14.2M) editorializes on the subject of children being shot in Washington, DC, urging "some real action in combating the gun violence that has long persisted in the city's poorest neighborhoods. As of July 10, there have been 94 homicides in the District in 2020, an 18 percent increase compared to the same time last year." The Post says "there clearly are no easy answers" but calls for "the city to start treating this problem like the public emergency it is." Police Officers Fatally Shot In Texas Border City. The AP (7/11) reports two police officers on Saturday were fatally shot in the South Texas border city of McAllen "after reportedly responding to a disturbance call, authorities said." The officers were shot on McAllen's south side and taken "to an area hospital, said Lt. Christopher Olivarez, spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety." The AP adds, "A suspect in the shooting was also shot, though that person's condition was not immediately available." To the [McAllen] Monitor, McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said, "We have lost two brave public servants who sought only to keep peace in our City." In Defiance Of Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Coroner Releases Report On Fatal Police Shooting. ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 4, 1:50, Llamas, 4.18M) reported on "a deadly police shooting facing scrutiny in Los Angeles county." According to correspondent Zohreen Shah, "protesters demanding answers about the death of 18-year-old Andres Guardado at the hands of a Los Angeles sheriff's deputy. Overnight the Los Angeles EFTA00150692 coroner defying the sheriff's department, releasing a report matching the Guardado family's independent autopsy, confirming that he was fatally shot in the back five times." Regarding the report, the coroner said that "the public demands and has a right to see." However, the sheriff's department said the disclosure of autopsy could jeopardize the probe. Virginia Sheriffs' Deputy Falsely Claimed To Have Been Assaulted. Under the headline "Virginia Sheriff's Deputy Fabricated Assault, Officials Say," the Washington Post (7/11, Weil, 14.2M) reports, "A deputy sheriff in Fauquier County falsely claimed he had been attacked Friday on a road near Warrenton, according to the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office." A pedestrian discovered the deputy "face down at the intersection of Old Waterloo Road and Wilson Road, according to the sheriff's office. He said he had been assaulted shortly after 7 p.m. by occupants of a passing vehicle." Officials on Saturday said a probe concluded that the allegation was false. The deputy, Jake Preston Dooley, "was charged with falsely summoning law enforcement and obstruction of justice, according to the sheriff's office." Prince George's County Police: Deadly Chase May Not Have Been Authorized. The Washington Post (7/11, Boorstein, 14.2M) reports Prince George's County police on Saturday announced that a preliminary probe indicated that a fatal car chase in which police were involved might not have been authorized. The Post adds, "Officials are investigating the Thursday chase and crash, which killed a mother and son, said Officer Antonia Washington, a police spokeswoman. Police announced Friday that five officers involved in the chase have been suspended." Washington told the Post, "At this point we can say, preliminarily, that the pursuit itself was unauthorized. But we are still collecting information." Protesters Assemble In Detroit After Police Fatally Shoot Man Who Video Shows Shot First. The Washington Post (7/10, Ruble, Guarino, 14.2M) reports a shooting in Detroit on Friday incited protests, "with hundreds of demonstrators gathering in an area near where police officers fatally shot a 20-year-old man during a daylight arrest on a neighborhood sidewalk." According to the Post, "Protest signs and megaphones dotted the group of people who came from other parts of the city, as residents faced off against officers, at times allegedly throwing rocks and bottles at police. Officers in riot gear arrived around 5 p.m., and bystanders said they fired tear gas canisters into the crowd to disperse the demonstrators." Detroit Police Chief James Craig indicated that no less than 8 arrests were made. Demonstrators called for information regarding "the shooting, and police responded almost immediately, releasing video clips from dashboard cameras." The Post adds, "Police identified the man as Hakim Littleton, whom the videos show firing a pistol at police at close range before officers return fire." On NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/11, Story 6, 1:31, Diaz Balart, 3.95M), correspondent Kathy Park reported in the "dash and body cam footage," police gang squad members are shown "arresting Darnl Sylvester, wanted on a federal drug warrant. While he complies authorities say Littleton standing nearby appears to pull out a weapon." Trump Says Defund The Police Movement Is A "Fad." Politico (7/10, Oprysko, 4.29M) reports that "during an unrelated event at U.S. Southern Command in Florida" on Friday, President Trump "asserted that calls to defund the police would eventually die off, writing off the movement for wide scale police reform as a 'fad." The President said, "We will never, ever defund our police. OK? That I can tell you. We are not defunding police." He continued, "What's going on here, admiral, when you hear 'defund the police,' you are probably saying it's a foreign language, right?" Trump added, "So, just a terrible thing, but I assume this is going to be a fad. We'll call it a fad." Trump Threatens Federal Government Will Intervene If Law And Order Not Restored. The President on Friday tweeted, "Get it done or the Federal Government will come in and get it done for you!" He retweeted "Newsmax insider" Cory Mills, who said, "We must bring back law and order and stop the senseless murders in some of America's largest cities." Trump Campaign Ad Implies Biden Presidency Will Result In More Violence. The AP (7/10, Fram) reports a new 30-second ad from the President's reelection campaign portrays EFTA00150693 "apocalyptic images of blazing buildings and window-smashing protesters" before ending "with 'You won't be safe in Joe Biden's America' emblazoned across a flickering hellscape. It blames a push by progressive activists to defund the police as 'violent crime has exploded." To the AP, the President and other Republicans are "trying to play offense, ominously," as they "insinuate that the rare looting and violence that marred largely peaceful social justice protests are spreading and foretell a wave of mayhem that they claim Democrats would abet with anti-police policies." The AP adds Democrats "call the GOP drive an obvious diversion from issues they say voters care most about: the coronavirus pandemic that Trump has failed to control, the economic shutdown, recession-level unemployment, racial justice and health care." Meanwhile, Washington Post (7/10, Bump, 14.2M) correspondent Philip Bump says that while Trump's ad warns of a violent Biden presidency, "all of those stark images...were captured around the country in late May. Meaning that while they're used to argue that America won't be safe under Biden, they actually depict instability under Trump." Bump concludes, "Trump's position is that crime in the United States is rising, which is a function of Joe Biden's allies and which, under Joe Biden, could rise to the levels seen under Trump - and that Trump could fix this very easily if he were asked to, or if he wanted to, which he might soon. Or more succinctly: it's not his fault but it could get worse and through his omnipotence he could fix it, but he hasn't." NYTimes Analysis: Trump's Vows To Fight Crime Are Unpopular With Some Suburbanites. Under the headline, "Trump Is Selling White Grievance. The Suburbs Aren't Buying It," the New York Times (7/10, Glueck, 18.61M) says, "From North Carolina to Pennsylvania to Arizona, interviews this week with more than two dozen suburban voters in critical swing states revealed abhorrence for Mr. Trump's growing efforts to fuel white resentment with inflammatory rhetoric on race and cultural heritage." According to the Times, "The discomfort was palpable even among voters who also dislike the recent toppling of Confederate statues or who say they agree with some of Mr. Trump's policies." the Times adds, "As the president increasingly stakes his candidacy on a message of 'law and order'...there are signs that he is especially alienating voters in bedroom communities who approach the debate over racial justice with a far more nuanced perspective than the president does." More Than 150 Minneapolis Officers Filing Disability Claims Following Floyd Protests. The AP (7/10, Forliti) reports, "More than 150 Minneapolis police officers are filing work-related disability claims after the death of George Floyd and ensuing unrest, with about three-quarters citing post-traumatic stress disorder as the reason for their planned departures, according to an attorney representing the officers." The claims "come as the city is seeing an increase in violent crime and while city leaders push a proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new agency that they say would have a more holistic approach." Though Floyd's death and the subsequent unrest "are not the direct cause of many of the disability requests, attorney Ron Meuser said, those events and what Meuser called a lack of support from city leadership were a breaking point for many who had been struggling with PTSD from years on the job." Trump: "Automatic" 10 Years In Prison For Those Attempting To Topple Monuments. The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) reports President Trump on Sunday "said agitators shouldn't even think about trying to topple several of Washington, D.C.'s highest- profile monuments and statues." On Twitter, the President said, "No, Radical Left anarchists, agitators, looters or protesters will not be knocking down or harming the Washington Monument, the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials, or just about any other Federal Monument or Statue. If they even try, an automatic 10 years in prison. Sorry!" Native Americans Push To Remove Statues Honoring Spanish Conquistadors. Axios (7/12, Ayesh, 521K) reports Native Americans are "pushing for the removal of statues memorializing conquistadors, particularly in the Southwest, as the country continues to reckon with systemic racism in the aftermath of George Floyd's death." Some Latino communities, EFTA00150694 however, argue against removing the statues, "claiming that doing so erases history and expunges Hispanic culture." Trump: States Must Request Federal Intervention In Response To Protests. President Trump, asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 934) if there is a point at which the violence in major cities will trigger a federal response, said, "We have to be called and we have to be asked, as you know. For a state, we can't just go in. ... If we got called from Chicago or New York, or a couple of other of these places that are doing so badly, we'd be glad to help. But they have to call and they have to request to help. We are ready, willing, and able to go. We want to do it. In Seattle, we were ready to go in. They heard that and they cleaned up the mess before we got there. We were going in the following morning. If you look at Portland, we're helping them in Portland. But it has to be a request. Otherwise, it's very difficult for us to do it." FEMA Denies Minnesota Request For Aid To Rebuild After Protests. The AP (7/12) reports the federal government has denied a request from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) for funds to "rebuild and repair fire damage from the unrest that followed George Floyd's death." The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that Walz's spokesman Teddy Tschann "confirmed that the request for federal aid was denied", saying the Governor is "disappointed." Walz asked President Trump on July 2 to declare a "major disaster" in a request to FEMA "because of extensive damage to public infrastructure" during protests following Floyd's death. Minneapolis Police Mull Cutbacks To Community Programs. The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/9, Jany, 1.04M) reports, "Stung by budget constraints and growing calls for reimagining public safety since the killing of George Floyd, Minneapolis police officials are considering sharp cutbacks to popular community-oriented programs like the Police Athletics League and procedural justice to avoid making cuts elsewhere." The budget pressures come "as the City Council pushes to shrink or radically restructure the MPD." NYTimes Profiles Smith, Administration's "De Facto Spokesman On Criminal Justice." The New York Times (7/12, Rogers, 18.61M) profiles Ja'Ron Smith, "the highest-ranking Black official in the Trump White House, a deputy assistant to a president who has threatened protesters calling for police reform and racial justice" after the death of George Floyd. Smith has "emerged as a de facto spokesman on criminal justice and one of the authors of an executive order on policing for a White House where there are no Black advisers in the president's inner circle." Waters: Trump, Supporters Believe It Is Their Right To Ensure Blacks Don't Have Power. Breitbart (7/12, Key, 673K) reports on MSNBC's AM Joy, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) said both President Trump and his supporters believe they have a right to "ensure that blacks and people of color and others do not rise to any level of influence and power." Asked about criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement, Waters said, "I think you said it earlier today when you talked about this need for Trump and those who support him to want to, you know, have absolute power and to believe that it is their right and their responsibility to ensure that Blacks and people of color and others do not rise to any level of influence and power, significant that would cause them not to be in total charge of the country." House Democrats Seek To Freeze Capitol Police Budget. The Washington Times (7/12, Dinan, 492K) reports House Democrats are "moving ahead with a budget that freezes but doesn't trim any funding for the U.S. Capitol Police." Instead, Democrats are "demanding new training and more accountability, ordering the department to EFTA00150695 study whether it's policing too far beyond the Capitol, to release better arrest statistics, and to do a better job communicating with the public." NYTimes: Camden Could Serve Example To Other Police Departments. The New York Times (7/12, Goldstein, Armstrong, 18.61M) reports that "as officials across the United States face demands to transform policing, many have turned to" Camden, New Jersey, which "did what some activists are calling for elsewhere: dismantled its police force and built a new one that stresses a less confrontational approach toward residents who are mostly Black and Latino." The Times calls the Camden Police Department's efforts "have made it one of the most compelling turnaround stories in U.S. law enforcement." Fifteen Shot In New York City In 15-Hour Time Period. The Washington Examiner (7/12, Colton, 448K) reports "New York City Police Department sources revealed there were 15 shootings in a 15-hour span in New York City over the weekend." The New York Post "spoke to several NYPD sources on Sunday who reported the spate of shootings," which "come as the city reports an overall spike in violent crimes." Ocasio-Cortez Suggests Crime Surge Due To Unemployment. The Fox News (7/12, Halon, 27.59M) website reports Rep. Alexandria 0casio-Cortez (D-NY) "suggested over the weekend that the crime surge in New York City is likely because struggling residents are forced to shoplift in order to 'feed their child." In a virtual town hall meeting she hosted, 0casio- Cortez said, "The fact that people are at a level of economic desperation that we have not seen since the Great Recession? Maybe this has to do with the fact that people aren't paying their rent and are scared to pay their rent and so they go out, and they need to feed their child and they don't have money." "Black Lives Matter" Mural Outside Trump Tower Site Of Weekend Protests. The New York Post (7/12, Brown, 4.57M) reports the new "Black Lives Matter" mural painted in front of Trump Tower in Manhattan "has become a flashpoint for protesters clashing over the statement." On Saturday, there were "ugly confrontations as dozens of 'All Lives Matter' counter-protesters descended on Fifth Avenue, photos and video show." Two Shot Dead Sunday In Washington, DC. The Washington Post (7/12, Boorstein, 14.2M) reports that two people were killed in shootings in the District of Columbia early Sunday, "adding to an already violent month in the city, police said." According to the Post, "around 100 people have been killed in the District this year, more than 20 percent higher than for the same period of 2019, which set a decade high." Law-Enforcement Executes Search Warrant On Couple Who Brandished Firearms As Protesters Went By. The AP (7/11) reports, "Authorities executed a search warrant at the St. Louis mansion of a white couple whose armed defense of their home during a recent racial injustice protest drew widespread attention, their attorney confirmed Saturday." Mark and Patricia McCloskey "were caught on video brandishing guns as demonstrators walked past their Renaissance palazzo- style home on June 28 while headed to protest outside of the mayor's home nearby." The McCloskey's attorney, Joel Schwartz, indicated that "a search warrant was served Friday evening and that the gun Mark McCloskey was holding in the video was seized." Moreover, Schwartz "told The Associated Press that arrangements have been made to turn over to authorities on Saturday the gun that Patricia McCloskey had been holding, adding that her gun was inoperable at the time of the protest and still is." On ABC World News TonightVi (7/11, Story 5, 1:32, Llamas, 4.18M), correspondent Janai Norman reported Mark McCloskey said to "a local TV station [that] the couple grabbed their guns before protestors allegedly threatened them." Norman added that "no one was hurt in the confrontation and that couple has not been charged with any crimes." EFTA00150696 Judge Approves Petition To Recall Seattle Mayor. The Washington Times (7/12, Press, 492K) reports a King County Superior Court judge has approved a petition for an election to recall Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan (D). The petitioners' recall effort "accuses the mayor of lendanger[ing] the peace and safety of the community' by allowing police to 'leak false information about fabricated crimes and threats to the media' and issuing a citywide curfew without sufficient notice to the public." Pennsylvania Police Received More Than $6M Of Military Surplus Since 2018. USA Today (7/12, Ullery, 10.31M) reports that a federal program has provided "more than $6 million worth of military surplus to Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies in the past two years alone." The federal military surplus "1033 program administered by the Defense Logistics Agency has let municipal, county and state agencies collect a bevy of gear for the price of shipping or other fees." Economics Journals Faulted For Neglecting Studies On Race. The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Omeokwe, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports some economists are criticizing their field's academic journals for failing to conduct studies on race and discrimination. Sowell: "Systemic Racism" Has "No Meaning." Breitbart (7/12, Pollak, 673K) reports that "conservative African American economist Thomas Sowell says that the term 'systemic racism,' which is central to the Black Lives Matter movement, has 'no meaning." Sowell told Fox News on Sunday, "It really has no meaning that can be specified and tested in the way that one tests hypotheses." Target, MTV Blocked Ads From News Mentioning Protests. The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Haggin, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Target Corp. and MTV have asked online news publishers not to run its ads in stories related to the Black Lives Matter movement. Target and other advertisers have compiled similar "blocklists" including words such as "Breonna Taylor," "George Floyd," and "protests." DC Football Team Expected To Announce Name Change On Monday. WJLA-TV Washington (7/12, ABC7, 123K) reports on its website that the Washington NFL team "could have a new name in the next 24 hours." Senior NFL reporter for Yahoo! Charles Robinson, "reportedly told ESPN Radio's Dallas-Fort Worth station that 'Washington is about to have a new name in the next 24 to 48 hours' on Saturday." The Washington Times (7/12, Paras, 492K) reports the team is expected to announcement the retirement of their name on Monday, and USA Today (7/12, Jones, 10.31M) says the team will also reveal a new name. The new name remains unknown, "but Warriors, Red Wolves and Redtails have ranked among the post popular choices among fans on social media." USC Closes John Wayne Exhibit. ABC World News TonightVI (7/12, story 15, 0:22, Llamas, 4.69M) reported, "USC's film school is closing an exhibit honoring Hollywood legend John Wayne. The decision comes as racist and homophobic remarks made by the late actor face growing scrutiny, including a resurfaced interview where he said, quote, 'I believe in white supremacy." Low Turnout At Kenyan Protest Against Police Brutality. The Washington Post (7/12, Ombuor, Bearak, 14.2M) reports that a "global movement is pointing a spotlight at police brutality, which is rampant in Kenya, and so grass-roots human rights activists here thought they might get the one thing their protests usually lack: a big EFTA00150697 turnout." The plan "was for hundreds to march in downtown Nairobi, demanding police accountability as well as basic services, such as electricity and water, for the city's vast slums." However, there "was no mass protest, just scattered groups." Utah Governor Proclaims State Of Emergency After Protests Over Police Shooting. The New York Times (7/10, Hauser, 18.61M) reports Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) "declared a state of emergency Thursday in response to protests in Salt Lake City that erupted after the authorities said the fatal police shooting of a 22-year-old man in May was justified." Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill "announced on Thursday that there would be no criminal charges against the two Salt Lake City Police Department officers who shot the man, Bernardo Palacios-Carbajal, on May 23." Demonstrators "who had gathered for weeks in front of the district attorney's office" then "marched on 500 5, a major street in the downtown area." According to the Times, "The police said that the protests disrupted traffic and broke windows, and that officers were sprayed with pepper spray." The Washington Post (7/10, Elfrink, 14.2M) reports the confrontation following the release of Gill's report "left one officer injured and two demonstrators under arrest." While police haven't disclosed details regarding those arrests, "a video posted to Facebook by Justice for Bernardo, a group behind the protests, shows protest leader Sofia Alcala being handcuffed." The Post adds, "Asked what she was being charged with, police said 'destruction of property." COUNTER-TERRORISM Pennsylvania Man Arrested With 30 Improvised Bombs, Detonators. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (7/10, Guza, 380K) reports, "A man arrested Thursday night in Mt. Lebanon in connection with online threats had more than 30 improvised bombs in his Mercedes along with homemade detonators and chemicals used to make explosives, investigators said in a criminal complaint." Kurt James Cofano, 32, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, "faces felony charges related to weapons of mass destruction and explosive devices along with lesser drug charges." The Tribune-Review adds, "Mt. Lebanon police Officer Thomas Rutowski wrote in the criminal complaint against Cofano that his department had been asked to be on the lookout for Cofano and his white Mercedes-Benz by Whitehall police, who were searching for Cofano in connection with a mental health warrant." Cofano "had posted videos to social media that showed him making and detonating improvised explosives, according to Whitehall police." Ohio Man Changes Plea In Explosives Case. The Mansfield (OH) News Journal (7/10, 47K) reports, "Fireworks or bombs? That was the central question in the case of Benjamin Brubach. He appeared by video Friday morning in Richland County Common Pleas Court for a change-of-plea hearing." Brubach, 44, was scheduled to face trial today after he was "previously indicted on charges of illegally manufacturing or possessing explosives and violation of firework manufacturer prohibitions." According to the News Journal, "Law enforcement recovered 215 explosive devices and bomb- making materials from his residence...on March 11. After the two sides agreed Brubach was trying to make fireworks, he pleaded guilty to violation of firework manufacturer prohibitions, a third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The more serious charge, a second-degree felony, was dismissed." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Appeals Court Stays Decision Ordering Judge To Dismiss Michael Flynn Case. EFTA00150698 The Washington Examiner (7/10, Chaitin, 448K) reported an appeals court "stayed a decision ordering a judge to accept the Justice Department's motion to dismiss its criminal case against retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn." The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit "issued an order on Friday that gives the former Trump national security adviser and the Justice Department 10 days to respond to Judge Emmet Sullivan's Thursday petition for a rehearing by the full appeals court." The filing further "stated that the three-judge panel's June 24 decision ordering Sullivan to grant the Justice Department's motion to drop the criminal charges against Flynn has been stayed `pending disposition of the petition for rehearing en banc." Law360 (7/10, Subscription Publication, 8K) reported the move came "a day after US District Judge Emmet Sullivan, who has delayed dismissing Flynn's case, asked the court for an en banc review to examine the June 24 split decision." CNN International (7/10, Polantz) reported the appeals court "says it will hear from Flynn's attorneys and from the Justice Department before July 20." The order "said Friday the case won't be dismissed until at least then." It's also become "a political lightning rod, with President Trump and Flynn both saying he's been treated unfairly by the judge and the prosecutors who cut his plea deal." Also providing similar coverage on the story is CBS News (7/10, 3.68M). Flynn: New Documents Show Misconduct On Part Of Prosecutors. Politico (7/10, Gerstein, Cheney, 4.29M) reported defense attorneys for Flynn "released more documents Friday that they say show their client is the victim of prosecutorial misconduct and that the government suppressed clear evidence of his innocence." The records were "turned over to Flynn's lawyers on Tuesday as part of a top-to-bottom review of the case that Attorney General William Barr ordered, leading to his controversial move in May to dismiss the false-statement prosecution brought by special counsel Robert Mueller in 2017." The defense filing Friday with US District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan "portrays the handwritten notes and a typed chronology as smoking-gun evidence that Flynn was framed and that prosecutors failed to share information vital to his defense." Fox News (7/10, Ruiz, 27.59M) reported Flynn's lawyers "said that top Justice Department officials and the special counsel's office knew about the documents for three years before they were able to obtain them, following US Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Jeffrey Jensen's review of the case." The Washington Times (7/10, Mordock, 492K) reported the documents also "revealed that the FBI was investigating Flynn...as early as the summer of 2016, but `had not seen things to point to [an] initial issue." Also unearthed in the documents "was that FBI leadership nixed having agents playing select audio cuts from recordings of Flynn's phone calls with the then- Russian ambassador during his January 2017 interview with FBI agents." National Review (7/10, Hoonhout, 731K) reported the document "explains that while the Bureau 'prompted Flynn with language used during the call,' Flynn was not shown his actual words because of a decision 'made by FBI leadership not to confront Flynn with the actual tech cuts." Bloomberg (7/10, Larson, Yaffe-Bellany, 4.73M) reported Bloomberg paraphrases Flynn's attorney, Sidney Powell, as having said in a filing with the US Court of Appeals in Washington on Friday that the Justice Department "this week handed over 14 new pages of documents that show misconduct by prosecutors who suppressed evidence that would have helped him." The filing reads, "These documents establish that on January 25, 2017 - the day after the agents ambushed him at the White House - the agents and DOJ officials knew General Flynn's statements were not material to any investigation, that he was open and forthcoming' with the agents, that he had no intent to deceive them, and that he believed he was fully truthful with them." The Washington Examiner (7/10, Dunleavy, 448K) reported the internal memo from "indicates that the FBI concluded Flynn was not acting as an agent of Russia and noted that agents believed he did not think he was lying to them during an interview about his calls with Russia's ambassador." Flynn's lawyers "told the court that they believed the new information was further exculpatory evidence demonstrating Flynn's innocence." EFTA00150699 In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal (7/10, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) urged President Trump to intervene and pardon Flynn. The Journal argues the prosecution of Flynn exposed the bad faith of the Justice Department and FBI, but is now being made worse as federal Judge Emmet Sullivan is appealing an order to drop the charges against Flynn. Also providing similar coverage of the story are Stars And Stripes (7/11, 30K) and the Daily Caller (7/10, 716K). Op-Ed: Flynn's Case Deserves To Be Reviewed By Full Appeals Court. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times (7/10, 4.64M), editorial writer Michael McGough wrote, "The overarching issue in this legal melodrama isn't whether there is a good reason to dismiss the Flynn case — though there are powerful arguments against dismissal." Rather, the key question is "whether Flynn got special treatment because he's a friend of President Trump. ... I don't mean to minimize the importance of the legal arguments in this tangled affair. In their petition for a rehearing, Sullivan's lawyers make specific points grounded in precedent about why a three-judge panel was wrong to issue an order known as a writ of mandamus to force Sullivan to dismiss the Flynn case." He concludes, "The insanely intricate legal issues in this unusual case more than justify a review by the full appeals court. But so does the perception that Flynn received special treatment." Trump Demands Extradition Of Steele Over Russia Dossier. The Independent (UK) (7/11, 1.36M) reported President Trump has demanded "the extradition of Christopher Steele, the British former MI6 officer who compiled the infamous dossier on the president's ties with Russia." On Saturday, the president tweeted, "This man should be extradited, tried, and thrown into jail. A sick lier [sic] who was paid by Crooked Hillary & the DNC!" Trump shared a "news report from Wednesday regarding a British court ruling that the former British spy had violated a data privacy law by failing to check information on the President's Russia connections." A few minutes later, Trump wrote, "Bring back Steele!!!", and "retweeted a link to a book on the Russia investigation by Fox News legal and political analyst Gregg Jarrett." Jordan Hopes For Durham Investigation Results This Summer. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), on Fox News' Sunday Morning FuturesVi (7/12, 1.6M), discussed US Attorney John Durham's investigation into the origins of the Russia probe. Jordan said, "We know what [Attorney General] Barr has told us now...he expects something this summer...so let's hope it happens...before the election. ... Let's hope that someone is going to be held accountable for the major wrongdoing that took place when they targeted the President's campaign." Donald Trump Jr. Says American People "Deserve" Durham Probe Results Before Election. Fox News (7/10, Singman, 27.59M) reported Donald Trump Jr. on Friday "said the American people 'deserve' to know US Attorney John Durham's findings in his investigation into the origins of the Russia probe before they hit the voting booths, saying it would be a 'disgrace, a disservice to the country, and a blight on the office' should he wait to release his results or initiate any potential prosecutions until after the 2020 presidential election." Trump Jr. "responded to a question from Fox News about its exclusive report this week, which revealed that the investigation, which was slated to wrap up at the end of the summer, could extend into the fall." He said, "The problem is, it is political. The Obama administration, Joe Biden's involvement himself - they unmasked people, such as myself. They have been able to hold this issue over Donald Trump's head for three and a half years." Op-Ed: Samantha Power's Unmasking Efforts Must Be Exposed. In a commentary in the Daily Caller (7/11, 716K),Chris Farrell, director of investigations and research at Judicial Watch, wrote, "This week Judicial Watch filed a FOIA lawsuit against the State Department seeking information on former UN Ambassador Samantha Power's potential EFTA00150700 abuse of her authority to unmask the identities of US citizens." He contends, "The full extent of the unprecedented abuse of intelligence information in 2016-2017 has yet to be revealed. US Attorney John Durham's investigation into the origins of the FBI's Russian collusion 'witch hunt' may also reveal more detail on how unmasking was used to lay the groundwork for the coup cabal to pursue its grudge against the Trump team. ... It was an abuse of foreign intelligence powers for a domestic political purpose. There is no legitimate reason to deny this information to the public." He concludes, "The State Department's stonewalling must end, and the full truth about the worst political scandal in the history of the Republic must be told." Source Says Japan May Still Build Aegis Ashore Despite Reports Of Cancellation. Reuters (7/10, Kelly) reported a source told Reuters Japan may still "build Aegis Ashore missile defense systems to defend against attacks by North Korea and other regional rivals, including China," despite recent reports the program had been ended. Japan's defense minister, Taro Kono, last month "cancelled plans to build two Aegis Ashore sites, citing cost and concerns that falling booster stages from the interceptor missiles could drop on local residents." However, the source "said Japan has not cancelled the $1 billion contract for the defense system's radars, built by Lockheed Martin, and is mulling a technical assessment from the US government that makes recommendations on using other sites that would eliminate the safety issues." The source "said options include installing missile launchers on sea platforms or in remote coastal locations to eliminate the risk from falling boosters." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS FBI Continues To Probe Death Of Fort Hood Soldier. NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 6, 1:58, Snow, 4.22M) reported, "President Trump says he'll be briefed tomorrow on the case of murdered Fort Hood soldier Vanessa Guillen. Her death sparked renewed calls for a closer look at how the military handles claims of abuse and harassment." NBC (Park) added, "A convoy of cars in San Antonio traveled 13 miles in honor of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen. Her disappearance gaining national attention, with protesters demanding justice. And tow the Army Secretary is ordering an independent review of the command climate and culture at Fort Hood, adding, 'We are saddened and deeply troubled by the loss of one of our own.' Guillen was last seen on base April 22nd, setting off a search with local law enforcement, fellow soldiers, and military police. Investigators found the 20 years old's remains at Lake June, not far from Fort Hood. According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Army Specialist Aaron Robinson, a suspect in her killing, died by suicide when confronted by police. Cecily Aguilar, a civilian, is accused of helping Robinson dispose of Guillen's body." Army Times (7/10, Myers, 346K) reports, "As FBI and Army Criminal Investigation Command authorities continue to investigate the circumstances concerning the April 22 disappearance and subsequent killing of a young, female soldier, big Army is taking a broader look at the community where it happened." The Times adds, "Fort Hood, Texas, will be the subject of an independent command climate review, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told reporters Friday, to be headed up by Army Under Secretary James McPherson. 'The purpose of this independent review is to examine whether the command climate and culture at Fort Hood and the military community surrounding Fort Hood respects Army values - including respect, inclusiveness and workplaces free from sexual harassment and a commitment to diversity,' McPherson said." Investigators: Guillen Could Have Faced Harassment. The Washington Post (7/10, Horton, 14.2M) reports, "Army investigators said Friday that Army Spec. Vanessa Guillen, the soldier who was missing for more than two months before her remains were discovered in late June, could have faced some harassment some time before she was killed." Her "family say she EFTA00150701 confided in them that she faced sexual harassment before her disappearance on April 22 from Fort Hood in Texas, an allegation the Army said it has not substantiated." However, during a call with reporters, investigators said Guillen faced "potentially some harassment, not of a sexual nature." The potential harassment wasn't from individuals "of interest in the investigation, they said, or Spec. Aaron Robinson, the soldier they say killed Guinan before fatally shooting himself on July 1 in a confrontation with police." ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 11, 0:21, Muir, 6.62M) provided similar coverage in a brief broadcast. Killing Of Army Specialist Galvanizes More Women To #MeToo Cause. The New York Times (7/11, Steinhauer, 18.61M) reports, "As the #MeToo movement gained ground, propelled by stories of women in Hollywood, the news media, restaurants and other industries, women in the military have remained in the shadows." However, the killing of Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen "has attracted the attention of the nation - veterans, active-duty service members and civilians alike." Military women as well as people "who advocate for them say the horrific nature of the crime, perpetrated against the backdrop of a racial equality movement sweeping the country, has galvanized many women to the cause." The Times adds, "The persistence of Specialist Guillen's family also has kept front and center a case that might otherwise have left them in grief-stricken retreat." Maxwell's Lawyers Request She Be Released. The New York Times (7/10, Hong, Weiser, 18.61M) reports, "Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein, sought to distance her from the disgraced financier on Thursday, saying in a new court filing that the two had no contact for more than a decade before his death in August 2019." Her attorneys wrote, "Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein." On Thursday, they "asked a federal judge in Manhattan to release her from jail on $5 million bond, arguing that she did not pose a flight risk and had not been hiding from the authorities." The Times adds, "In proposing to release her into home confinement, her lawyers offered to secure the bond with six co-signers, including two of her sisters, and with property in the United Kingdom worth more than $3.75 million." The Washington Post (7/10, Jacobs, 14.2M) reports Maxwell's arraignment is slated to happen on Tuesday in Manhattan. According to the Post, "She is expected to appear via video from the Brooklyn detention center where she's being held." Judge Alison Nathan "is expected to hear arguments over her bail request" ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 10, 1:58, Muir, 6.62M) reported Maxwell is "now being monitored closely. Her sheets reportedly taken away and she's been given paper clothing to wear to prevent any possibility of her harming herself." According to correspondent Eva Pilgrim, Maxwell "'vigorously denies' charges she helped Epstein recruit, groom, and abuse three teenage girls in the mid 90s, and will 'fight any allegations' against her. But some of Epstein's alleged victims want her behind bars." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/10, story 11, 0:25, Brennan, 3.95M) and NBC Nightly News Vi (7/10, story 11, 0:23, Holt, 5.52M) provided similar coverage in brief broadcasts. Arrest Made In Search For Missing Pennsylvania Teen. ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 14, 0:23, Llamas, 4.69M) reported on "the arrest made in the search for a missing Amish teen. Police in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania have arrested and charged 34-year-old Justo Smoker for the suspected kidnapping of Linda Stoltzfoos. The 18-year-old was last seen leaving church three weeks ago, and is still missing. Smoker's car spotted near a wooded area where clothing believed to be the victim's was found. The FBI has joined the case." The AP (7/11) reports from Lancaster, "A man is charged with kidnapping an Amish woman who disappeared in Pennsylvania several weeks ago and remains missing - but EFTA00150702 investigators believe she 'was harmed following her abduction,' prosecutors said Saturday." Smoker "was arrested Friday and charged with a felony kidnapping count and misdemeanor false imprisonment in the case of Linda Stoltzfoos, 18, who has been missing since June 21, the Lancaster County district attorney's office said. Stoltzfoos was last seen walking home from church in the Bird-in-Hand area." Prosecutors "say surveillance video obtained by East Lampeter Township police and enhanced by FBI forensic technicians 'depicts the abduction' of Stoltzfoos on Beechdale Road, which would have been part of her route. That video shows a red sedan involved in the abduction, and the defendant owns the same kind of car, prosecutors said." The York (PA) Daily Record (7/11, Moore, 120K) reports, "Police said they charged Smoker Friday with felony kidnapping and misdemeanor false imprisonment. He was arraigned Saturday and District Judge Joshua Keller made him ineligible for bail." Stoltzfoos "was last seen around 12:30 p.m., on Sunday June 21, after leaving a church service at a home in Bird- in-Hand, in Lancaster County. Local police and FBI continue to search for the 18-year-old. Community volunteers have been helping in the searches." North Central PA (7/12, Crossley) reports, "Police said they honed in on Smoker after multiple witnesses reported seeing an Amish female in the passenger seat of a red/orange vehicle in the Gap area on the afternoon of Stoltfzoos' disappearance. According to police, witness descriptions of the male driver are consistent with Smoker and descriptions of the suspect vehicle matched Smoker's red Kio Rio sedan. FBI forensic technicians enhanced surveillance video that allegedly depicts the abduction of ... on Beechdale Road." The LNP Media (PA) (7/11, Lohr, 81K) reports, "The arrest happened on the same day the FBI issued a reward for information on Stoltzfoos' whereabouts." NBC News (7/12, 6.14M) reports, "Lieutenant Matt Hess talked to Dateline just days after Linda went missing and said that she was last seen around 12:30 p.m. that Sunday at a farm on Stumptown Road. When Linda didn't make it to her youth group later that evening, her parents became concerned and contacted the police. 'There is no reason for us to believe that she wanted to just leave,' Lt. Hess said at the time. He described Linda as a kind and quiet girl. 'She did not indicate to anyone that she wanted to leave or take a trip. From what we understand, just running off without telling anyone would be very out of character for Linda." FBI Probing Alleged Racially-Charged Indiana Beating As Possible Hate Crime. WXIN-TV Indianapolis (7/10, McQuaid, 434K) reports from Bloomington, Indiana, "Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, and his attorneys held a press conference Friday to provide an update on an incident that he says was a racially-charged beating." According to WXIN-TV, "No arrests have been made thus far in connection with the incident, which happened over the Fourth of July weekend. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential hate crime. 'It's been a week since Vauhxx Booker was pinned against a tree and threatened to be hung from a noose and lynched, yet there are still are no arrests. There is a systematic delay in justice for Black people across our nation; his attorneys said in a release. 'Enough is enough. We are calling for a Grand Jury to speed up this process and end the shameful postponements. Black Lives Matter!" People (7/10, Truedell, 50.07M) reports, "Chris Bavender, a spokesman for the FBI's Indianapolis office, confirms to PEOPLE the agency is investigating the incident. She declined to provide further information." Phoenix Police Identify Two Officers Involved In Fatal Shooting. NBC News (7/10, 6.14M) reports, "Phoenix police on Friday identified the two officers who fatally shot a man seated in a parked car, a killing that has sparked protests across the city." NBC News adds, "Officers Noel Trevino, 29, and Gregory Wilson, 31, are both on administrative leave following the deadly Fourth of July confrontation with 28-year-old James 'Jay' Garcia, Phoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said in a statement to NBC News." According to NBC EFTA00150703 News, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams "has asked the FBI to conduct an independent civil rights investigation into the shooting. 'That's why I called in the FBI to assist us and run a parallel investigation in the Garcia case,' Williams told KPNX." Two Plead Guilty To Plotting To Blow Up Competing Pharmacy In Nebraska. The Omaha (NE) World-Herald (7/11, Nitcher, 641K) reports, "A Nebraska man and a Maryland man who planned to firebomb a small-town Nebraska pharmacy to benefit their black market drug dealing have pleaded guilty to federal charges." Hyrum T. Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, and William Burgamy IV, 32, of Maryland "both appeared Friday in federal court in Virginia," and "each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to use explosives, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Burgamy also pleaded guilty to a firearms charge. The men will be sentenced Nov. 20." Prosecutors "said Burgamy ran a website called NeverPressedRX that sold oxycodone and other drugs over the darknet, a part of the Internet accessible only through encryption," and that "Wilson, a pharmacist, supplied the drugs. The two men, officials said, conspired to blow up Cody's U-Save Pharmacy" in Auburn, Nebraska. The AP (7/10, Barakat) reports, "Burgamy, 32, of Hanover, Maryland, ran a website called NeverPressedRX that sold oxycodone and other drugs over the darknet, a part of the Internet only accessible through encryption, prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Alexandria said. His supplier was a real pharmacist, Hyrum Wilson, 41, of Auburn, Nebraska, who ran Hyrum's Family Value Pharmacy. According to court papers, the two conspired to blow up a competing pharmacy in Wilson's town, Cody's U-Save Pharmacy. The two reasoned that Wilson's pharmacy would pick up more business and allow him to illegally funnel even more drugs to the darknet operation without attracting the suspicion of federal regulators." Mississippi Nurse Sentenced In Compounding Pharmacy Scheme. The Laurel (MS) Leader Call (7/10, 22K) reports, "Fallon Deneem Page, 37, of Hattiesburg was sentenced to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for mail fraud in connection with a widespread compounding pharmacy scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent Michelle Sutphin of the FBI in Mississippi, and Special Agent Cyndy Bruce of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service's Southeast Field Office. In addition to the prison sentence by Senior U.S. District Judge Keitih Starrett, Page was also ordered to pay $9,500 in fines and fees." Eleventh Circuit Affirms Most Of Alabama Doctors' "Pill Mill" Convictions. Law360 (7/10, Subscription Publication, 8K) reports that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals "on Friday affirmed the convictions of two Alabama doctors found guilty of running a massive 'pill mill' operation but ordered resentencing after finding insufficient evidence to support conviction on one charge alleging an illegal kickback conspiracy." The three-judge panel "rejected most of what it described as a 'broad-sweeping appeal' from Dr. Xiulu Ruan and Dr. John Patrick Couch. The pair, who are currently serving prison sentences of 21 and 20 years, respectively, challenged their convictions, several evidentiary rulings during their joint 2017 jury trial and the district court's jury instructions." US Charges Four Georgia Men With Gun, Drug Violations. The Augusta (GA) Chronicle (7/10, Papp, 167K) reports, "Four Augusta-area men were among ten defendants indicted in federal court on drug and gun charges." According to the Chronicle, "The indictments are part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Guardian, an initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Most of the indictments targeted previously convicted felons, several of whom were on state parole or probation at the time of their indictment, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia." EFTA00150704 Drug Probe Leads To 48 Arrests In Georgia. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (7/10, 895K) reported that the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement organizations in Georgia conducted a drug investigation that "led to 48 arrests and the seizure of more than $700,000 worth of heroin and methamphetamine." Forsyth County Sheriff Ron Freeman "said seizing such a large quantity of drugs and arresting suspected dealers would help curb crime in communities across the state." The Gainesville (GA) Times (7/10, Watson, 81K) reported, "The Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office and the FBI Major Offenders Task Force worked together" during the investigation. The Georgia Sun (7/10) published a similar article. Online coverage of this story was run by WSB-TV Atlanta (7/11, Fernandes, 105K), WAGA- TV Atlanta (7/12, 49K), and WXIA-TV Atlanta (7/10, Raymond, 258K). Charges Filed Against Five Alleged Members Of Cocaine Trafficking Organization. The Chicago Sun-Times (7/10, Struett, 875K) reported that the DEA and the FBI were involved with a drug investigation that led to charges being filed against five alleged members of a cocaine trafficking operation. The Sun-Times added, "Chicago police and the FBI began investigating" the cocaine trafficking organization's alleged leader, Joshua Moore, "in December 2018." Human Remains Found In California. The San Jose (CA) Mercury News (7/9, 456K) reported that the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department is investigating the disappearance of Sierra LaMar, who "disappeared eight years ago and is presumed dead" and whose remains were thought to have been discovered last week in San Jose. Sheriff's spokesperson Sgt. Michael Low said Friday in a statement, "Based on the preliminary investigation, we have no information to connect these findings to Sierra LaMar." He continued, "The investigation is ongoing and we are working closely with the Medical Examiner-Coroner's Office to determine all of the facts." FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. WGN-TV Chicago (7/12, 576K) reports that the FBI "is looking for a man after a Glen Ellyn bank was robbed Saturday morning." WMAQ-TV Chicago (7/11, 252K) reported that suspect "is approximately 50 years old, 5- foot 6-inches tall to 5-foot 8-inches tall and weighs approximately 150 to 160 lbs." Five Connecticut Men Charged In Connection To 2018 Murder. The Stamford (CT) Advocate (7/11, 170K) reported Henry Floy, Shakale Brantley, Antoine Sistrunk, Ta'Ron Pharr and Jaylen Wilson, who are members of the Original North End gang, "have been charged in connection with is the Aug. 13, 2018, fatal shooting of 25-year-old Len Allen Smith while he was in a parked car on Union Avenue." The criminal complaint says that they "attempted to destroy the Jeep and other evidence used in the murder in order to hinder the investigation and prosecution of the murder." The FBI supported the investigation. West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Child Sex Trafficking. The Beckley (WV) Register-Herald (7/11, 59K) reported Darnell Ramsey, who "admitted that he was communicating via Snapchat with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old minor" that he had previously had met, "pleaded guilty on Friday to attempted sex trafficking of a minor." The plea agreement says that he "offered to pay the 14-year-old $200 to engage in two sexual acts," and he "traveled to a location in Greenbrier County," where he was arrested, on April 3. The Federal Bureau of Investigation's West Virginia Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force led the investigation. Former North Carolina Sheriff's Deputy Charged With Obstruction. EFTA00150705 WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (7/10, 338K) reported former Granville County Sheriff's Office sergeant Chad Coffey "faces two counts of obstruction of justice following an investigation into the department's drug unit." Coffey "is expected to surrender to authorities in the coming days," and he "wants his day in court to defend himself against the charges." Attorney Hart Miles said in a statement, "Chad is an experienced and well-respected law enforcement officer who has dedicated 22 years of his life to the protecting and serving the citizens of Granville County." Washington, DC Police Arrest Two Men Over Killing Of 11-Year-Old On Fourth Of July, Two Suspects Remain At Large. The AP (7/10, Balsamo) reports, "Two men have been arrested and two others are wanted in connection with the killing of an 11-year-old boy who was shot during a Fourth of July cookout in Washington, police said Friday." Davon McNeal "was shot in the head during an exchange of gunfire between five armed suspects, police said." The killing happened amid a swell "of violence in Washington and in other major cities across the U.S. and sparked widespread outrage from community members." The AP adds that 22-year-old Christian Wingfield and 18- year-old Daryle Bond "were arrested on first-degree murder charges." The two each "had prior arrests for violent crimes and Wingfield was on court-ordered supervision with a GPS monitor at the time of the crime, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham said." WPost Al: Residents Of Street Where McNeal Was Shot "Not So Quick To Support" Cutting Police Funding. In a front-page story, the Washington Post (7/10, Al, Hermann, Williams, 14.2M) reports that on Cedar Street, where McNeal was shot, "the residents' long battle for just policing is intertwined with another reality: Each trip outside their front doors can be deadly." The Post adds, "Residents in this small Southeast Washington apartment community share the same fears of police and the same desire for a cultural change as those protesting the killing in police custody of George Floyd in Minneapolis." However, the relationship these residents have with police "is more complicated and nuanced than the slogans shouted in front of the White House. They are not so quick to support shrinking the size and wallets of the police force. If anything, they want more police, and they're willing to invest to get them better trained and more attentive to their communities." Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Arson Suspect In California. The Canyon (CA) News (7/11) reported that the FBI Los Angeles Field Office and the Santa Monica police department "are seeking to identify a suspect who was responsible for setting a police vehicle on fire during a spurt of rioting in Santa Monica on Sunday, May, 31." They are "asking for the public's help and is offering a reward up to $10,000 for information in regards to the identification and arrest for the unknown suspect who may have been involved in the arson of the fire." FBI Investigating Racist Letter Sent To North Carolina Family. WRAL-TV Raleigh, NC (7/10, 338K) reported that the FBI "is looking into a racist letter that was recently sent to an interracial family in Wake Forest" on Friday. The letter said, "(P)lease remember that the rest of us live in an upscale neighborhood and have spent the extra money to stay out of mixed neighborhoods and/or the ghetto." It continued, "No one wants trouble or any circumstance arising which could turn our neighborhood into a 'semi-ghetto." Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman "said Friday that she doesn't see any basis for criminal charges, but the federal investigation could involve civil rights violations." Continuing Coverage: FBI Searching For Missing Colorado Woman. The Canon City (CO) Daily Record (7/9, 22K) reported that FBI agents and Colorado police returned Thursday to the property of Suzanne Morphew, who "went missing on Mother's Day." No suspects have been arrested yet. EFTA00150706 Continuing Coverage: FBI Identifies Remains Recovered In Massachusetts. The Gloucester (MA) Times (7/10, 15K) reported that the FBI Boston Division's Evidence Response Team announced the identification of the remains recovered last week as Zakhia Charabati, who "was reported missing by his family March 14." His remains "were found buried in the back of the property located at 145 Milk St. in Methuen, Massachusetts." Also reporting are the AP (7/10), Boston (7/10, 586K), and WBTS-TV Boston (MA) Boston (7/10, 105K). Continuing Coverage: New York Police Searching For Couple Connected To Racist Attack. NBC News (7/10, 6.14M) reported that the New York Police Department "issued warrants for Philip Sarner, 39, and Emily Orbay, 28," who are "fac[ing] assault charges, as well as a charge of intimidation based on bigotry and bias" after they were caught on camera "attacking Crystal Caldwell, a Black desk clerk, at a Quality Inn on June 26." Police "said the arrest warrants were issued after they finished reviewing all of the evidence, including security video of the incident." The FBI Civil Rights Division is supporting the investigation. FBI Arrests New Mexico Man In Connection To Bank Robbery. The Albuquerque M) Journal (7/10, 196K) reported that a FBI task force "arrested [Frank Hermansen] on Friday - a day after he allegedly robbed a bank wearing a surgical mask in Northwest Albuquerque." Philadelphia Men Charged With Mugging. Daily Voice (7/10, 98K) reported that federal and local authorities "captured four Philadelphia men who they said beat and tased two victims during a gunpoint robbery in Edgewater late last year." Derrick Felder, Tank Driver, Stephen Driver and Aburbarka Ham have been "charged with kidnapping, armed robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, conspiracy and various weapons offenses." The FBI supported the investigation. Continuing Coverage: Bail Denied For Illinois Man Charged With Murder. The Chicago Daily Herald (7/11, 358K) reported DuPage County Judge David Schwartz "denied bond for Alec Gonzales," who was "charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting of a 55-year-old Elmhurst man." Gonzales was arrested on June 25 following an investigation by the FBI Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force. Ohio Teenager Sentenced To Probation Over Social Media Posts. WJW-TV Cleveland (7/10, 480K) reported Justin Olsen, who "made an online threat against federal agents and voiced support for mass shootings," has "been sentenced to three years of probation." Olsen pleaded guilty last year, and his sentenced includes a requirement that he undergo mental health counseling. Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty To Arms Smuggling. KFOR-TV Oklahoma City (7/10, 216K) reports Randy Williams, who "was charged on June 1 with violating the Arms Export Control Act, making a false statement to a firearms dealer, and possession of an unregistered firearm," has "entered a guilty plea...to illegally shipping firearms to the Middle East and two other firearms violations." The FBI started its investigation after its Legal Attaché in Abu Dhabi "notified the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office that a FedEx shipment had been seized in Dubai, UAE, on December 19, 2018." The package was connected to Williams' home address, and it "contained multiple Glock pistols and firearms parts." West Virginia Men Sentenced Over Drug Trafficking. EFTA00150707 The Beckley (WV) Register-Herald (7/11, 59K) reported that that eight West Virginia men "were sentenced to federal prison and another pleaded guilty this week for participating in a drug trafficking organization operating between California and Raleigh County," West Virginia. Operation Shutdown Corner was a joint operation between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Washington State Woman Charged With Murder Of 5-year-Old. The Walla Walla (WA) Union-Bulletin (7/10, 38K) reported JoAnn Cunningham, who "pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in December," will be sentenced next Thursday to murdering her son, AJ Freund, in 2019. She faces a 60-year sentence maximum, and it would amount to a life-sentence if imposed. Connecticut State Police Announce Recovery Of Stolen Police Rifle. The Norwich (CT) Bulletin (7/12, 42K) reports that the Connecticut State Police "reported Sunday that in the week after a series of vehicle break-ins in the Danielson-Killingly area, they have recovered many stolen items, including a semi-automatic rifle taken from a state police vehicle." They "said they wanted to recognize the Hartford Police Department, the FBI, along with numerous local law enforcement agencies for their help in the investigation." WVIT-TV New Haven, CT (7/12, 169K) reports that the Bushmaster rifle "was stolen during a series of car break-ins in the Danielson/Killingly area on July 4." Alabama Resident Arrested On Drug Charges. The Gadsden (AL) Times (7/10, Bailey, 32K) reported that Alabama resident Billy Jerome Brooks was recently arrested and "charged with six counts of drug trafficking, first-degree marijuana possession, second-degree receiving stolen property, possession of a pistol by a violent felon and attempting to elude." The Times added, "The Gadsden Police Department, FBI Safe Streets Task Force and FBI North Alabama Criminal Enterprise Task Force assisted in the" methamphetamine trafficking investigation that led to Brooks' arrest. A similar WEIS-AM Centre, AL (7/11, 1K) website report said the Etowah County Drug Enforcement Unit was also involved with the investigation. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS Cohen Adviser Disputes Account Of Why He Was Sent Back To Prison. On CBS This MorningVI (7/10, 2.48M), Paula Reid reported Michael Cohen, "the President's former lawyer and fixer," who "landed a three-year prison sentence...was released to home confinement earlier in year over coronavirus concerns in prisons. He was recently seen eating dinner out in New York City, potentially violating the terms of his release. He was taken back into custody Thursday. The Bureau of Prisons says Cohen was taken into custody because he refused to sign this document obtained by CBS News that would have limited his ability to use social media, to talk to the press, and even to write a book while in custody. Cohen's legal adviser says once he was actually being cuffed, he did agree to sign the document, but he was still taken into custody." On NBC's TodayVi (7/10, 2.93M), Hoda Kotb reported that officials "said Cohen was taken into custody yesterday for violating the terms of his home confinement. But his legal adviser said it was because Cohen refused to sign an agreement barring him from talking to the press or publishing a tell-all book. He was released in may because of coronavirus after serving one year of a three-year sentence." EFTA00150708 US Charges Florida Man With Bilking Medicare, SBA Loan Program For Coronavirus Victims. The Miami Herald (7/10, 1.09M) reports, "A South Florida man has been charged with bilking the Medicare system and also using his pharmacy to obtain federal loans for small businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, authorities said." Carlos Belone, 37, of Coconut Creek, Florida "was arrested Friday and had his first appearance in Fort Lauderdale federal court on charges of wire and healthcare fraud along with making false statements to a financial institution." Belone, "the owner of R&S Pharmacy in Coral Springs, is accused of submitting $5.6 million in claims to Medicare, the federal health insurance program, for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary or not provided, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators interviewed patients who said they did not need the orthotic braces or authorize their Medicare numbers to be used for the pharmacy's claims, the complaint says." Federal Prosecutors Subpoena San Francisco Public Utilities Commission In Widening Corruption Probe. The San Francisco Chronicle (7/10, Fracassa, 2.67M) reports, "Federal officials served the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission with a sweeping subpoena last month, demanding numerous records and documents that appear to draw the agency into the widening City Hall corruption scandal touched off by the arrest of former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru in January." Federal prosecutors "issued the subpoena on June 15, according to a copy obtained by The Chronicle on Friday. The subpoena suggests that federal investigators are interested in examining contracts the commission awarded to several companies, some of which have previously been linked to alleged schemes traced back to Nuru in investigations by the FBI and the City Attorney's Office." Campaign Finance Cover Clouds Toledo, Ohio Bribery Accusations. The Toledo (OH) Blade (7/11, Troy, 88K) reports, "Offered $1,000 after promising his vote on Toledo City Council for a permit for an internet gambling business on Central Avenue, at-large councilman Gary Johnson instructed the businessman to put it in the form of a contribution to his campaign fund, but in somebody else's name. 'If you can do that... get a check from somebody else to write the check [sic], and then donate it to the campaign,' Mr. Johnson told the person who was secretly a confidential source for the FBI while they were at a Toledo restaurant Jan. 6." According to the Blade, "The exchange, reported in a 40-page affidavit detailing a sweeping federal bribery probe that targeted four Toledo councilmen and one Toledo lawyer, is typical of many of the detailed furtive interactions between FBI sources and those accused of taking bribes. Investigators say councilmen Yvonne Harper, Tyrone Riley, Larry Sykes, and Mr. Johnson, all Democrats, engaged in pay-to-play for council votes." California Couple To Plead Guilty On College Admissions Scandal-Related Charges. The New York Times (7/11, Levenson, 18.61M) reports Todd and Diane Blake of California "agreed to plead guilty to charges that they paid $250,000 to fraudulently gain their daughter's admission to the University of Southern California as a volleyball recruit, prosecutors said." Should a federal judge approve the agreement, the Blakes "will be the 27th and 28th parents to plead guilty in the nation's largest college admissions prosecution, which has ensnared wealthy financiers, lawyers and celebrities." The AP (7/12) reports from Boston, "The couple was accused of tapping William 'Rick' Singer, who authorities say was mastermind behind the sweeping nationwide scheme, to facilitate their daughter's admission into USC. According to the indictment against the couple posted on the U.S. attorney's website, Todd Blake sent a check for $50,000 to USC Women's Athletics and wired $200,000 to a sham charity set up by Singer." Diane Blake, "will plead guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and honest services wire and mail fraud, EFTA00150709 her plea agreement states. Todd Blake, will plead guilty to the same charge, as well as one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, his plea agreement states." Alabama Mayor, Spouse Indicted On Federal Conspiracy Charges. Gulf Live (AL) (7/10) reported Moss Point Mayor Mario King and his wife, Natasha King "made their first appearance in federal court Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert H. Walker on one count of conspiracy and 13 counts of wire fraud charges relating to the Mayor's Gala held in 2019." The indictment says that they "used money raised through a 2019 gala charity fundraiser to instead pay for personal purchases, including the down payment on the purchase of a vehicle, cash withdrawals and the payment of credit card debts involving charges to complete the purchase of a personal pet." The FBI investigated the case. The Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger (7/10, 275K) reported that they "face up to 20 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and up to give five years on the conspiracy charge." Louisiana Councilman, Attorney Plead Not Guilty To Fraud. The AP (7/10) reported New Orleans City Council President Jason Williams and attorney Nicole Burdett, who works at his law firm, "pleaded not guilty to federal tax fraud charges on Friday." They "were charged in an 11-count indictment last month following a yearslong investigation led by the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI." North Carolina Man Sentenced For Running Ponzi Scheme. The Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times (7/10, Boyle, 138K) reports, "Saying Ponzi schemer Hal Brown appeared to be 'a con man to his soul,' a federal judge on July 9 sentenced the Biltmore Park resident to 17 and a half years in a federal prison." Brown "previously pleaded guilty to obtaining $22.5 million from at least 60 victims, including some at or near retirement age, through 'a sophisticated Ponzi scheme through his company Oodles Inc. and its various affiliates; according to a July 10 press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Brown ran the scheme from 2007 through September 2019. 'Court records show that Brown was the architect and primary, if not sole, operator of the fraud, and he used his religious reputation and his respected status in the local community to con his investor-victims into trusting him with their money; the release states." Millions In PPP Aid Given To Traffic Camera Companies Linked To Corruption Scandals. Fox Business (7/10, Henney, 1.73M) reported, "Companies that contract with major U.S. cities to provide red light and other traffic enforcement cameras reaped millions" in PPP loans, "despite alleged involvement in past bribery scandals." The article added the SBA data "shows the government issued $521 billion in loans, with an average loan size of $107,000. Combined, the aid program supported about 51 million jobs, or roughly 84 percent of all employees working at small businesses, the Small Business Administration said." One company, Redflex Traffic Systems, "has a controversial past: The company's former CEO, Karen Finley, was one of three people sentenced to federal prison in 2016 for a long-running bribery scheme that secured the business lucrative contracts in Chicago. The company paid $20 million to the city to settle a lawsuit." Georgia Heathcare Executive Pleads Guilty To Sabotaging Shipments. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (7/10, 895K) reported former Stradis Healthcare Vice President of Finance Christopher Dobbins, who was "charged in April with reckless damage to a protected computer after he deleted and modified tens of thousands of shipping records from his former employer's systems," has "pleaded guilty to sabotaging shipments of crucial medical equipment." The FBI investigated the case. EFTA00150710 Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty To Fraud Conspiracy. WTOG-TV Tampa, FL (7/10) reports from Savannah, Georgia, "A Georgia woman who operated a telemedicine network through two companies has admitted to participation in an ever- growing healthcare and telemedicine fraud scheme." Charlene Frame, "the operator of Royal Physician Network, LLC, and Envision It Perfect, LLC, both Georgia companies, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge of Conspiracy for conspiring to pay medical providers, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, in exchange for obtaining orders for durable medical equipment (DME) that would then be sold to DME providers and, ultimately, billed to Medicare, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. 'Frame's fraud scheme of $60-million has put tremendous strain on our federally-subsidized health care programs and it is only a small part of a much larger operation,' said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta." US Charges Former Louisiana Bank CEO With Fraud. WWL-AM New Orleans (7/11, Kuhn) reports that a federal grand jury indicted a "local banker and founding CEO of First NBC Bank, Ashton Ryan, on federal bank fraud charges. The grand jury handed up the indictment Friday. Ryan is accused of falsifying bank records to hide bank loans that borrowers could not pay back unless they took out other high interest loans with the bank to pay off the previous loans. This led to some borrowers owing tens of millions of dollars." Ryan "faces 46 federal counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. Federal prosecutors say he used high-risk lending tactics to funnel money to himself through personal real estate projects. 'Along with our Partners, the FBI has dedicated significant time and resources toward investigating the failure of First NBC Bank, which resulted in nearly a billion dollar loss to the FDIC,' said FBI New Orleans Special Angent in Charge, Bryan Vornbran." CYBER DIVISION In Interview, Trump Confirms He Authorized Covert Cyberattack On Russia In 2018. Washington Post (7/10, Thiessen, 14.2M) columnist Marc A. Thiessen says President Trump in an interview on Wednesday "acknowledged for the first time that, in 2018, he authorized a covert cyberattack against Russia's Internet Research Agency, the St. Petersburg-based troll farm that spearheaded Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and was doing the same in the 2018 midterm elections." Moreover, "Trump said the cyberattack was part of a broader policy of confronting Russia throughout the world," which also included sending military equipment to Ukraine, pressuring Germany to cancel the Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia, and Trump's "restoration of America's military." In addition, Trump "also pointed to his success in persuading NATO members to increase their contributions to the transatlantic alliance." Thiessen concludes, "While Trump is accused of not taking Russian interference seriously, he did more than Obama ever did to combat it." Meanwhile, the New York Times (7/11, Sanger, 18.61M) says that Trump cited the cyberattack "as evidence that he has responded strongly to Russian provocations, despite considerable evidence that he has often excused Moscow's aggressions in cyberspace and on European territory." Russian Hacker Accused Of Targeting American Companies Found Guilty In Federal Court. The Washington Times (7/11, Blake, 492K) reports 32-year-old Russian man Yevgeniy Nikulin, who is "accused of hacking American companies including LinkedIn, was found guilty of related charges Friday by a federal jury in San Francisco, California." Nikulin "was convicted of counts related to hacking LinkedIn, Dropbox and Formspring in 2012 and compromising the personal information of millions of account holders. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, EFTA00150711 according to the case docket. Arkady Bukh, a defense lawyer for Nikulin, said he would file an appeal in the interim." Amazon Says Email Telling Employees To Remove TikTok App Was Sent In Error. The New York Times (7/10, Isaac, Weise, 18.61M) reports Amazon on Friday "asked its employees to delete the Chinese-owned video app TikTok from their cellphones, putting the tech giant at the center of growing suspicion and paranoia about the app," but "almost five hours later, Amazon reversed course, saying the email to workers was sent in error." The Washington Post (7/10, Lerman, 14.2M) reports Secretary of State Pompeo earlier this week "told Fox News host Laura Ingraham that the administration was 'certainly looking at it,' when she asked if the government was considering banning the app after India prohibited it and some other Chinese-owned apps." The Wall Street Journal (7/10, Needleman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provides similar coverage. Administration Expected To Take Action Against TikTok. President Trump, asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 1.03M) about the possibility of banning TikTok, said, "It's something we're looking at. Yes. ... It's a big business. Look, what happened with China with this virus, what they've done to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful. And we are looking at numerous different things. TikTok's one of them, one of many." Bloomberg (7/12, Yang, 4.73M) reports White House adviser Peter Navarro said he expects the President to take "strong action" against Chinese-owned social media apps TikTok and WeChat for engaging in "information warfare" against the US. Appearing on Fox News, Navarro said the Administration is "just getting started" with the two apps, and "he wouldn't rule out the US banning them." Australian Government Warns Of Social Media Manipulation. The Sydney (AUS) Morning Herald (7/10, Waters, 35K) reported the Australian government "has warned of the manipulation of information on social media platforms as viral video app TikTok faces a global backlash over security concerns." The mobile app has "come under increased scrutiny in Australia after US Secretary of State Pompeo said he was looking at banning it over data and national security concerns following a similar ban in India." Attorney-General and acting Home Affairs Minister Christian Porter said, "The Morrison government recognizes social media can be a particularly effective tool in the manipulation of information. We are working with partners both internationally and domestically to share information and increase resilience to foreign interference in at-risk sectors, including disinformation through social media." TikTok Boosts Courtship Of US Policymakers As Administration Weighs Ban. The Washington Times (7/10, Lovelace, 492K) reported that, "as the Trump Administration weighs banning" TikTok, the company is "moving quickly to win over policymakers and to beef up its US operations." TikTok "said it has met with nearly 50 congressional representatives offices since April and has made plans to bring lawmakers into its 'Transparency Centers,' where they can physically observe how content is moderated on the video-based platform." Two such US monitoring centers, "one in Washington, DC, and another in Los Angeles, California, are scheduled to open later this year, with the Los Angeles one expected to open first." The UK Preparing Decision On Huawei's Role In 5G Network, Reviewing Potential Implications. BBC News Online (UK) (7/11, 1.02M) reported the UK prime minister "will shortly review" Huawei's equipment, "with MPs set to be informed of his decision on Tuesday." It appears "Boris Johnson will set a deadline by which time the firm should stop being involved in the country's 5G network." But what's "unclear is whether he'll also order it to be stripped out of other mobile and fixed-line broadband systems too." The decision will "not only have an impact on the rollout EFTA00150712 of high-speed data services but could also encourage other countries to rethink their own relationships with Huawei." There are several implications of such a move, as well as various options to replace the company's equipment and role in the development of the UK's 5G network. Huawei Believes It Can Supply 5G Kit To UK Despite US Sanctions. The Guardian (UK). (7/11, Sabbagh, 4.19M) reported Huawei "believes it can supply 5G hardware unaffected by White House sanctions to the UK for the next five years, sidestepping the expected conclusion of an emergency review on Tuesday next week." The company has "stockpiled 500,000 pieces of kit but fears a wider ban on its equipment will be unveiled to placate Conservative rebel MPs, who say the Chinese supplier represents a national security risk." The NCSC is "expected to conclude that Huawei kit will no longer be secure because it will have to rely on untested chips." Huawei "said it could divert 20,000 of its existing reserve for use in the UK, but is unclear whether there would be any point in doing so." UK Says Cyber Security Centre Continuing Work On Huawei Decision. Reuters (7/10) reported a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson "said on Friday Britain's National Cyber Security Centre is continuing its work looking into Huawei, responding to reports that culture minister Oliver Dowden would make a statement on Tuesday." The spokesman told reporters, "It's an ongoing process, the NCSC continue their work and when we can update further we will." Former MI6 Chief Claims There Is "Close Linkage" Between Huawei And Chinese Military. The Telegrapl UK). (7/12, Jones, 956K) reported the UK's former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove says there "is 'close linkage' between Huawei and the Chinese military, as he urged the Government to strip the firm from the UK's mobile network." Huawei has always "vehemently denied the claim that it has links to the Chinese military, with a spokesman saying such accusations are 'categorically untrue and groundless." Sir Richard "said that it was time for the UK to consider a 'reset of the whole of our relationship' with China which, he claimed, had become 'more aggressive." DHS' CISA Updates Goals To Shore Up Critical Network Vulnerabilities. MeriTalk (7/10, Weingarten) reported DHS' cyber agency is looking "to fix 75 percent of Federal agencies critical network vulnerabilities within 30 days of their discovery," according to a goal in the July 2020 update to the President's Management Agenda (PMA). Matthew Travis, the deputy director at DHS' Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is "currently tasked with overseeing the implementation of the goal, which has a completion date of September 30, 2021, at the end of next fiscal year." To identify the severity of vulnerabilities and their persistence, CISA "is using the agency-wide adaptive risk enumeration algorithm, or AWARE algorithm. Eighteen of the 24 CFO Act agencies were "reporting AWARE scores up to the Federal Dashboard," according to the July PMA update." CISA is using the "agency-wide adaptive risk enumeration algorithm, or AWARE algorithm." Hacking Attacks On Hospitals For Patient Data Increase During Coronavirus Pandemic. USA Today (7/12, Weintraub, 10.31M) reports a national survey indicated "more than 80% of medical practices have been the victims of cyberattacks." Over half reported "patient safety concerns from the hacks, and 20% said that their business had been interrupted for more than five hours." Wendi Whitmore, a cybersecurity expert and vice president of IBM X-Force, a commercial security research team, said, "That can be the difference between life and death." And the situation "has only gotten worse during the months-long coronavirus pandemic, as more employees switched to working from home, and medical facilities were cash-strapped and stretched thin because of COVID-19." Whitmore "said that, between March and April, IBM saw a 6,000% increase in spam attacks on information technology systems, leveraging COVID-19, EFTA00150713 many of them at health care facilities, describing the situation as a continuous 'cat and mouse' game between criminals and institutions." Cyber Command Measures Success By The Outcomes. C4ISR & Networks (7/10, Pomerleau) reported a US Cyber Command official "said that when they examine whether any given operation or even when a strategy has been successful, they're not looking at metrics, but rather outcomes." Maj. Gen. John Morrison, Cyber Command's outgoing chief of staff, told C4ISRNET in a July interview, "It's really about: have we enabled the collective defense of the nation." Cyber Command and DOD about two years ago "started a paradigm shift for cyber policy and operations." The 2018 DOD cyber strategy "tasked Cyber Command to 'defend forward,' which is best described as operators working on foreign networks to prevent attacks before they happen." The way Cyber Command "meets those goals is through persistent engagement, which means challenging adversary activities wherever they operate." US Secret Service Forms Cyber Fraud Task Force. Gov Info Security (7/11, Asokan) reported the US Secret Service is "combining its electronic and financial crimes units into a single, unified task force that will focus on investigating cyber- enabled financial crimes such as business email compromise schemes and ransomware attacks." The newly formed Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force "will combine agents and resources from the existing Electronic Crimes Task Forces and Financial Crimes Task Forces. "This new task force "will then focus on investigating and prosecuting cyber-related crimes." Michael D'Ambrosio, the assistant director of the Secret Service, "says that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the US has witnessed a spike in cyber-related crimes and scams." He said, "The creation of the new Cyber Fraud Task Force, will offer a specialized cadre of agents and analysts, trained in the latest analytical techniques and equipped with the most cutting-edge technologies." North Korea's Hackers Stole $2B Through Cyber Bank Heists. The Telegraph (UK). (7/12, Cook, 956K) reports on efforts by North Korean hackers to steal funds abroad to support the country's missile program. Cybersecurity businesses ESET and F- Secure "discovered that the messages were sent by Lazarus, a notorious North Korean hacking group, which in 2014 had managed to break into the servers of Sony Pictures and in 2017 brought parts of the NHS to a standstill during the WannaCry ransomware attack." One hacker then used "his access to a victim's email account to find an outstanding invoice." He sent an email "to another business demanding payment, but asked for the money to be sent to a new bank account controlled by the hacking group." This cyberattack is a "typical example of North Korea's unique approach to hacking." A UN report published last year "estimated that North Korean hackers have stolen more than $2bn (£1.5bn) and said the money was being funneled into the regime's missile development programs." LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES First Federal Execution In 17 Years Set To Take Place Monday. Politico (7/12, Gerstein, 4.29M) reports that the first federal execution in more than 17 years appears to be back on track for Monday "after a federal appeals court overturned a lower-court order blocking the event because family members of the victims did not want to travel amid the coronavirus pandemic." On Sunday, a three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously lifted the lower-court injunction. The judges called the family members' lawsuit was "frivolous" and "said they had no basis to file suit because - although they were invited to attend the execution - they had no right in law or regulations to attend." Following the ruling, EFTA00150714 Daniel Lee "is set to be executed at a federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., on Monday afternoon for the brutal 1996 murder of a family of three in Arkansas as part of a robbery aimed at raising funds for a white supremacist organization." DOJ Appeals After Judge Halts First Federal Execution In 17 Years. The AP (7/10, Balsamo, Long, Demillo) reports the Justice Department filed an appeal on Friday after Chief District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson halted the execution of Daniel Lee, who "was convicted in Arkansas of the 1996 killings of gun dealer William Mueller, his wife, Nancy, and her 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Powell," and was "scheduled to die by lethal injection on Monday." According to the AP, "The family of the victims in the case had requested that it be called off because their fear of the coronavirus would keep them from attending. Not that they wanted to see the killer die; they have long asked that he be given a life sentence instead, and their pandemic objection could postpone the execution indefinitely." Reuters Exclusive Details DOJ Efforts To Secure Required Drugs To Resume Federal Executions. According to Reuters (7/10, Allen), "If the Trump administration carries out the first federal execution since 2003 on Monday, as scheduled, it will mark the culmination of a three-year campaign to line up a secret supply chain to make and test lethal-injection drugs." Reuters says that after President Trump took office, the Justice Department became "intent on enforcing the death penalty," and "started building the network of contractors it would need by May 2017." Reuters adds the DOJ subsequently "pursued a new drug protocol that could survive legal challenges through firms whose identities it has fought to keep hidden." Dispute Between DC, Congress Could Arise Over Looming Vote To Decriminalize Some Hallucinogenic Substances. The Wall Street Journal (7/11, Peterson, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports residents of the District of Columbia this fall are probably going to vote on whether to decriminalize a number of hallucinogenic substances, among which is psychedelic mushrooms, thereby increasing the probability of another dispute involving Congress, which has the ability to intervene in district affairs, and local officials. Two Texas Police Officers Killed During Domestic Violence Call. ABC World News TonightVI (7/12, story 11, 1:41, Llamas, 4.69M) reported that over the weekend, two police officers in McAllen, Texas, "responding to a domestic violence call were shot and killed at the door of the home. The police chief said they never stood a chance. When other officers arrived, the gunman took his own life." McEnany Lauds Administration's Counternarcotics Operations Following Trump's Visit To US Southern Command. On AM Tampa Bay (7/10), White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany hailed President Trump's visit to US Southern Command in Florida to talk about counternarcotics operations. McEnany touted the Administration's efforts to combat the flow of drugs into the US. California Could Release Up To 8,000 Inmates Ahead Of Schedule To Combat COVID- 19. The Los Angeles Times (7/10, Myers, Willon, 4.64M) reports that up to 8,000 California inmates "could be released ahead of schedule in an unprecedented attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 inside state prisons, with more than half of the releases expected by the end of the month." The Times adds, "The announcement on Friday by top advisors to Gov. Gavin Newsom offered stark evidence of the dire health conditions at several California prisons." INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS EFTA00150715 Judge Denies Bail To Men Accused Of Helping Ghosn Flee Japan. The Wall Street Journal (7/10, Maremont, Kostov, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports US Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell denied bail for two men who have been accused of helping Carlos Ghosn, who previously ran Nissan Motor Co., flee Japan, with Cabell determining that the men, 59-year-old Michael Taylor and 27-year-old Peter Taylor, both of whom are facing extradition to Japan, are flight risks. Michael Taylor, who's Peter's father, was previously an Army Special Forces soldier. OTHER FBI NEWS Judge Swears In DuCharme As US Attorney As Donoghue Takes Post In Deputy AG's Office. According to Politico (7/10, Swan, 4.29M), Seth DuCharme, "a former senior official at Justice Department headquarters," was sworn in on Friday as the new US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York after Rich Donoghue resigned to "take a new role in Washington as second- in-command of the deputy attorney general's office," which was previously held by DuCharme, "meaning the two have swapped jobs." Politico adds that Donoghue "will bring a significant injection of prosecutorial experience into the deputy attorney general's office." Politico also highlights that DuCharme "isn't the first U.S. attorney helming a powerful New York office to be sworn in by a judge there rather than confirmed by the U.S. Senate; Geoffrey Berman, whom Attorney General William Barr recently fired from his post as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, officially ascended to that role the same way." OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS Multiple States Report Record Single-Day COVID Case Counts. The Washington Post (7/13, Armus, 14.2M) reports, "Nine states in nearly every major region of the country reported record new single-day caseloads on Saturday: South Carolina, Texas, Alaska, Arkansas, North Carolina, Idaho, Wisconsin, Oregon and Hawaii. Six of those states, along with 10 others, saw new seven-day average case highs." The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Al, King, Calfas, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports the number of daily infections in the US topped 60,000 for a third consecutive day on Saturday. Florida Has Highest One-Day New Case Total Since Start Of Pandemic. On ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 2, 2:06, 4.69M), Tom Llamas reported that "at least 12 states [are) reporting a record number of new cases" of COVID-19. Florida had its "highest one-day total of any state since this outbreak began." Jamie Yuccas said on the CBS Weekend NewsVI (7/12, story 7, 2:14, 2.32M), "Florida finds itself in a harsh spotlight. The state was one of the first to reopen. Now, it's breaking records for new infections." Kate Snow reported on NBC Nightly NewsVI (7/12, lead story, 2:45, 4.22M), "The numbers out of Florida tonight are alarming - more than 15,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in one day. That is the highest number any state has recorded, even eclipsing New York at the worst of its crisis in April." Reuters (7/12, Shumaker) reports, "If Florida were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for the most new cases in a day behind the United States, Brazil and India." The New York Times (7/12, De Freytas-Tamura, Rojas, Fink, 18.61M) reports the Florida case surge "has come as Disney World has let tourists back onto its rides, the Republican National Convention is set to begin in Jacksonville in August," and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) "has ordered that public schools reopen for five days a week when classes resume next month." The Times says the surge "reflects how the spread of the virus has escalated in much of the country, particularly in Southern states where governors following President Trump's lead had pushed aggressively to ease restrictions and encourage businesses to reopen." EFTA00150716 Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez (R), on CNN's State Of The UnionVI (7/12, 1.11M), said, "We have reached capacity in some [hospitals], but we also have reserve space. In our system, we have another 1,200 beds that we can crank out pretty fast. We have another 500 ICU beds that we can crank up. We have right now probably about 1,500 vacant beds in our critical care. It's our ICU capacity that's causing us concern. But we can crank up another 500 once they stop doing elective surgery here. The recovery rooms then can become ICU rooms. And we can do that fairly quickly." Bloomberg (7/11, 4.73M) also reports on the situation in Florida. Texas Case Count Continues To Surge. Jamie Yuccas reported on the CBS Weekend NewsVI (7/12, story 8, 2:16, 2.32M), "For the second time in a week, Texas hospitalized more than 10,000 virus patients. What has officials worried is the lack of ICU beds across the state." CBS' Mireya Villarreal: "More than 1,100 people in South Texas are hospitalized with coronavirus. In this region, new cases are up nearly 70% from two weeks ago." The Washington Times (7/12, Meier, 492K) reports the Defense Department "is sending an additional 580 medical personnel to Texas as the state sees a surge" in new cases. Texas, Arizona, Florida Voters Say States Reopened Too Quickly. The Hill (7/12, Klar, 2.98M) reports, "Most voters in Texas, Arizona and Florida, three states hit hardest by the new surge in coronavirus cases, said their states reopened economies too quickly," according to a CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday. In Texas, 61% of respondents said the state reopened too quickly, and of that group, 63% "said Texas moved too quickly because of pressure from the Trump administration." In Florida, 64% said the state reopened too soon, with 68% of them citing Administration pressure; in Arizona, the numbers were 60% and 70%, respectively. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (D), on CBS' Face The NationVi (7/12, 2.72M), said, "It continues to be a very difficult situation, and in the greater Phoenix area we are seeing positivity rates above 20%. We continue to have a real challenge with testing, although there was some very good news this week about additional resources that are coming." Trump Says Case Count Rising "Because We Do So Much Testing." President Trump said in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 1.03M), "The cases go up because we do so much testing. We have more testing than anybody in the world. But if you look at the mortality rate - in other words, the number of deaths are now very low. We have the lowest mortality rate anywhere in the world, meaning when people get sick, we lose fewer than any in the world, and pretty much by far. There are a couple of countries that are doing well, but we're doing better than anybody in the world. And that's a very important statistic and that comes from a lot of good work." Giroir: "We're All Very Concerned" About Rise In Cases. HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Adm. Brett Giroir said on ABC's This WeekVi (7/12, 2.54M), "We're all very concerned about the rise in cases. No doubt about that. That's why we're meeting regularly, but we're in a much better place. This is not out of control, but it requires a lot of effort and everybody's going to have to do their part. You've got to stop the bars, you've got to decrease restaurant capacity, physically distanced. We have to have people wearing masks in public. It's absolutely essential." On NBC's Meet The PressVi (7/12, 3.05M), Giroir said, "I think the public health people have been very, very clear that mask wearing is essential. It's very important that we can really decrease the transmission. You may not protect yourself, but you protect everyone else." Erin McLaughlin reported on NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 2, 2:45, Snow, 4.22M), "More than 1,000 American lives reported lost this weekend, and a grim warning from the White House Task Force." Giroir: "We do expect deaths to go up. If you have more cases, more hospitalizations, we do expect to see that over the next two or three weeks before this turns around." McLaughlin: "With at least 3.2 million cases and 135,000 dead, the White House EFTA00150717 testing czar insists America does not need to shut down again if 90% of people in hot spots wear masks." Giroir: "If we don't have that, we will no get control of the virus." USA Today (7/12, Cummings, 10.31M) reports Giroir "said the overall mortality rate should remain lower than it was during the initial surge in cases in March and April because medical professionals know more about caring for COVID-19 patients and have seen benefits from the drug remdesivir." The Washington Times (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) reports Giroir said the US "is still in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and that states seeing a resurgence in cases should think about imposing new lockdown orders. ... He did say the percentage of tests coming back positive has started to level off a bit and that the U.S. is much better prepared in terms of protective equipment supplies compared to a few months ago." The Washington Examiner (7/12, Soellner, 448K) and Politico (7/12, Lim, 4.29M) are among the other sources covering Giroir's remarks. ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 3, 0:23, Llamas, 4.69M) briefly highlighted Giroir's remarks, while the Washington Post (7/12, Al, Weiner, Wan, Hauslohner, 14.2M) looked at how delays in getting test results are impairing response. Pelosi: HEROES Act Will Aid In Testing, Other Matters. House Speaker Pelosi, on CNN's State Of The UnionVi (7/12, 1.11M), said, "The state and local governments need the resources in order to meet the needs of the American people, including the education of our children. Secondly, in the HEROES Act, we talk about opening the economy, testing, tracing, treatment, social distancing, mask hygiene and the rest, and the money to do that." Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), on ABC's This WeekVi (7/12, 2.54M), said, "We have to get something done. We have to start ramping up our testing and tracing, the ability to treat those who get sick and those who carry the virus." Hogan: "We Should Have Had A National Testing Strategy." Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), on NBC's Meet The PressVi (7/12, 3.05M) that the Administration has "made progress in a number of areas with respect to now getting PPE out to some of the states and working together with us, but there's no question that mistakes were made, that we should have had a national testing strategy, and we should have been on top of this." Trump Expects Coronavirus Vaccine "Before The End Of The Year." President Trump was asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 1.03M) when he expects a vaccine to be available. Trump said, "Well, I think before the end of the year I really would expect to see it. And therapeutically, we already have things that are helping a lot. A lot of things are coming to the fore, and we have the lowest mortality rate." Trump added, "We're ready to distribute [the vaccine). Logistically, we're totally set to distributed it." Trump Says He Is "Flexible" About GOP Convention. President Trump was asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 1.03M) if would consider a smaller Republican convention in Jacksonville if the case numbers in Florida continue to increase. Trump said, "We're always looking at different things. When we signed in Jacksonville, again, we wanted to be in North Carolina. That almost worked out, but the Governor didn't want to have people use the arena, essentially. And so I said, 'Too bad for North Carolina.' And then we went to Florida. And when we went, when we signed a few weeks ago, it looked good. And now all of a sudden it's spiking up a little bit and that's going to go down. It really depends on the timing. Look, we're very flexible." However, the AP (7/12, Miller) reports Trump "is slowly coming to accept that the late August event will not be the four-night infomercial for his reelection that he had anticipated. ... Trump aides and allies are increasingly questioning whether it's worth the trouble, and some are advocating that the convention be scrapped altogether." Trump Jr.: Democrats Want "Virtual Convention" Due To Lack Of Enthusiasm For Biden. On Fox News' Sunday Morning FuturesVI (7/12, 1.61M), Donald Trump Jr. said, "I EFTA00150718 think for the Democrats, of course they want to do a virtual convention because there's no enthusiasm for Joe Biden. He can't get people to show up if he was able to do rallies, so this whole scenario is, really, the ultimate best-case scenario for Joe Biden and his campaign. They don't want him speaking to reporters, they don't want him to ad lib. Honestly, they don't even want him on the teleprompter because he can't even get that right, so for them, it's sort of the ultimate scenario." Adams Urges Americans To Wear Facemasks. Surgeon General Adams, on CBS' Face The NationVi (7/12, 2.72M), said, "Case counts are going up in many localities, and we are absolutely concerned about that. But there are two very important things I just want the American people to know. Number one, we are in a very different place than where we were in February and March. We have over 300% increase in available PPE, and that's not to say `Mission Accomplished,' but we are in a better place. ... The other quick thing I just want people to know is...the course is two weeks while we are seeing cases rise we can see cases go down just as quickly if the American people will do the things that we know slow the spread of this disease, including wearing a face covering. Critically important for people to know, COVID stops with me, we have the power to turn this thing around." Will Carr reported on ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, story 5, 0:23, Llamas, 4.69M) that Adams wore a mask "during an interview as he faced hard questions about earlier guidance telling people not to wear masks." Adams: "Once upon a time, we prescribed cigarettes for asthmatics and leeches and cocaine and heroin for people as medical treatments. When we learn better, we do better." Nikole Killion of the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/12, story 2, 0:13, Yuccas, 2.32M) also mentioned that Adams wore a mask for the interview. The New York Times (7/12, Belluck, 18.61M) reports Adams "wore a mask during his entire interview...even though he was being interviewed remotely from Indiana. He said measures like wearing face coverings were `critically important." Axios (7/12, Allassan, 521K) reports Adams "defended his and other health officials' reversal on whether people should wear face coverings to protect against the coronavirus. ... Adams has faced significant criticism for tweeting in February, `Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!" CNN (7/12, Duster, 83.16M) reports on its website that on Sunday, Adams "doubled down on his concern and said education on masks would benefit Americans." The Washington limes (7/12, Sherfinski, 492K) also covers his remarks. Networks Highlight "Emerging Divide" Between White House And Fauci. Kate Snow said on NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 3, 1:51, 4.22M), "Despite cases surging, the White House is not only relying much less on the nation's top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, but now actively trying to discredit him." NBC's Kelly O'Donnell: "Officials are quietly providing a list of Fauci's public comments and advice dating back several months to undermine his credibility. The White House pointed to Fauci's January predictions that coronavirus was not a major threat and likely had no asymptomatic spread." Nikole Killion reported on the CBS Weekend NewsVi (7/12, story 3, 0:31, Yuccas, 2.32M) that there is "an emerging divide between the coronavirus task force and [Fauci], who at times has publicly disagreed with the President. A senior Administration tells CBS News members are frustrated with Dr. Fauci and feel he has become a source of controversy, though his role does not appear to be in jeopardy." President Trump said in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVI (7/12, 1.03M), "Dr. Fauci said `don't wear masks; and now he says wear them. And he said numerous things. EFTA00150719 'Don't close off China. Don't ban China.' I did it anyway. I sort of didn't listen to my experts and I banned China. We would have been in much worse shape." Maggie Haberman of the New York Times (7/12, Haberman, 18.61M) writes that "the move to treat Dr. Fauci...as if he were a warring political rival came as he has grown increasingly vocal in his concerns about the national surge in coronavirus cases, as well as his lack of access to Mr. Trump over the past several weeks. It has been accompanied by more measured public criticism from administration officials, including the president." LATimes Examines California's "Failed" COVID Testing Effort. The Los Angeles Times (7/12, Baumgaertner, 4.64M) runs a 2,600-word feature titled "The Inside Story Of How California Failed Mass Coronavirus Testing," reporting, "What by many measures was the most extensive public health campaign in California" stumbled due to "early failures" that "left California far behind in the fight against the coronavirus, and it has struggled to keep up - even as cases surge today." Michigan Sheriff Will Not Enforce Whitmer Facemask Order. The Detroit Free Press (7/12, Spelbring, 1.52M) reports Van Buren County, Michigan Sheriff Daniel Abbott says he does not intend to enforce an order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) "which requires face masks be worn in both public indoor and crowded outdoor spaces." In a statement, Abbott said, "The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office will strive to protect its citizens and ensure that the constitutional rights and civil liberties given to every American are protected. We will dedicate our services to investigating crimes against persons and property and we will not pull valuable resources away from that to investigate complaints against the governor's executive orders." Pittsburgh Region Sees Coronavirus Case Surge After Early Hope. The New York Times (7/12, Robertson, Mervosh, 18.61M) reports that following "only a modest outbreak" of COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, western Pennsylvania "is suddenly experiencing an alarming surge of infections. Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, reported more than 100 new cases for the first time on June 30; two days later, the daily case count surpassed 200." The Times says "the spike in the Pittsburgh area offers a cautionary tale: Even after months of vigilance, an outbreak can flare up all of a sudden." WPost Criticizes Hogan's Safety Plans For November Election. The Washington Post (7/12, 14.2M) editorializes that though Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) "presided over a largely mail-in primary election in his state last month that saw strong turnout based on extremely high levels of absentee voting - but that also encountered some problems," he last week decided "to reverse course and treat the November vote like a more routine election. His reaction may cause more problems than it solves." The Post says Hogan "must now make sure to have plenty of trained employees in reserve; otherwise he risks chaotic, last- minute closures and widespread voter confusion." Trump Says 450 Miles Of Border Wall Will Be Built By Year's End. President Trump wrote in a tweet Sunday morning, "We have now built 240 Miles of new Border Wall on our Southern Border. We will have over 450 Miles built by the end of the year. Have established some of the best Border Numbers ever. The Radical Left Democrats want Open Borders for anyone, including many criminals, to come in!" Trump Says Privately Built Border Wall Was Done To Make Him "Look Bad." The AP (7/12, Merchant) reports that President Trump "criticized a privately built border wall in South Texas that's showing signs of erosion months after going up." In a tweet Sunday, Trump said it was "only done to make me look bad," but the AP says "the wall was built after a EFTA00150720 months-long campaign by his supporters." A group called "We Build the Wall" raised money online for the wall and "promoted itself as supporting Trump during a government shutdown that started in December 2018 because Congress wouldn't fund Trump's demands for a border wall." The AP says that "in response to a ProPublica-Texas Tribune report that the riverbank has started to erode," Trump tweeted, "I disagreed with doing this very small (tiny) section of wall, in a tricky area, by a private group which raised money by ads. It was only done to make me look bad, and perhaps it now doesn't even work. Should have been built like rest of Wall, 500 plus miles." Politico Analysis: Trump's "QAnon-Baiting" Has Gone Into Overdrive. Politico (7/12, Nguyen, 4.29M) reports in an analysis that President Trump's "QAnon-baiting has gone into overdrive in recent months." An analysis by Media Matters found that since the beginning of the pandemic, Trump has retweeted some 90 posts from 49 pre-QAnon accounts. Politico adds that that the people around the President "have followed suit." Eric Trump "recently posted a giant 'Q' on Instagram as well as the hashtag version of the community's slogan: 'Where we go one, we go all:" In March, White House Deputy Communications Director Dan Scavino posted a photo on Facebook "with Q symbology in it." On Parler, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) "directed people to The Dirty Truth, a video producer who has promoted QAnon-related conspiracies in the past." Over the Fourth of July weekend, former national security advisor Michael Flynn "recorded a video of himself taking the QAnon loyalty pledge, a slightly altered version of the U.S. oath of office." Politico adds that has all taken place "with barely any pushback from Trump or Republican leaders — or even much acknowledgment that the phenomenon exists." Axios (7/12, Knutson, 521K) reports "at least 11 Republican congressional nominees have publicly supported or defended the QAnon conspiracy theory movement or some of its tenets - and more aligned with the movement may still find a way onto ballots this year." Axios Report: Meadows Has Set Traps To Identify Suspected Leakers. Axios (7/12, Swan, 521K) reports Chief of Staff Meadows "has told several White House staffers he's fed specific nuggets of information to suspected leakers to see if they pass them on to reporters - a trap that would confirm his suspicions." Axios adds that the search for the leakers "has put some White House staffers on edge, with multiple officials telling Axios that Meadows has been unusually vocal about his tactics. So far, he's caught only one person, for a minor leak." Axios also reports that all of Trump's chiefs of staff has tried unsuccessfully to stop the leaks. WS.Journal Analysis: In Current Term, Roberts Showed He Is An Institutionalist. The Wall Street Journal (7/12, Bravin, Kendall, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports in an analysis that Chief Justice John Roberts clearly left his mark on the Court's recently-concluded term. To the Journal, Roberts demonstrated himself to be an institutionalist. His rulings recognized precedent and sought to maintain the stability of the institution and his influence came by building changing coalitions. WPost Al: Roberts Emerges As Counterpart To Trump, Congress. In a front-page article, the Washington Post (7/10, Al, Barnes, 14.2M) reports, "The Supreme Court ended a momentous term with a trove of decisions more reflective of public opinion than of the nation's divisive political discourse, and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. emerged as a formidable counterpart to President Trump and the Congress." However, the Post adds, "it wasn't just Roberts," highlighting the court's move to reject "the president's claim that he was immune from a New York prosecutor's subpoena and that Congress had exceeded its authority in separate subpoenas." The Post then highlights several major rulings from the term. NYTimes Analysis: Trump's Supreme Court Appointees Declare Independence. New York Times (7/9, Baker, 18.61M) chief White House correspondent Peter Baker wrote that EFTA00150721 during Trump's Tulsa campaign rally, he "ranked his Supreme Court appointments among his biggest achievements," touting Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. However, Baker added Trump "might not have felt so warmly on Thursday after" the justices "categorically dismissed his claim to 'absolute immunity' from investigators seeking his tax returns." Baker argued, "The forceful decisions represented a declaration of independence not only by Mr. Trump's own justices but by the Supreme Court as an institution, asserting itself as an equal branch of government in the Trump era." At Least 21 Injured In Explosion On US Naval Ship. ABC World News TonightVi (7/12, lead story, 1:45, Llamas, 4.69M) led its broadcast Sunday night with "an explosion on the USS Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault ship, docked at the Navy base in San Diego. Multiple alarms going out. Firefighters from the military and from local departments responding. At least 21 people reportedly hospitalized, with injuries, including 17 sailors." The CBS Weekend NewsVI (7/12, story 6, 0:30, Yuccas, 2.32M) reported briefly that "166 sailors were on the ship when the fire started," but "all are now reported to be off the ship." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/12, story 5, 1:25, Snow, 4.22M) reported, "The reason for the explosion: a 55-gallon drum of oil." Pompeo Says He Will Not Testify Unless Senate Democrats Drop Resistance To State Dept. Nominees. Bloomberg (7/10, Wadhams, Flatley, 4.73M) reports Secretary of State Pompeo "is refusing to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unless it holds hearings on five senior State Department nominees, including the administration's new ambassador to Ukraine, in what Democrats called an extraordinary challenge to congressional norms and the body's oversight role." Bloomberg adds Pompeo in his letter to Senate Foreign Relations Chairman James Risch "said he would testify on July 20" only if the panel proceeds with "hearings for Trump administration nominees for the ambassadors to Ukraine and Peru, the State Department legal adviser, an undersecretary and an assistant secretary." Bloomberg describes the letter as "an unusual challenge to congressional oversight, particularly considering that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is controlled by Pompeo's fellow Republicans." White House Picks Tully To Fill Russia Post On NSC, Sources Say. Politico (7/10, Lippman, 4.29M) reports the White House "has tapped Ryan Tully to be the top Europe and Russian official on the National Security Council, the fifth person to hold the job in three and a half years, according to two people familiar with his hiring." Politico says Tully, who assumes the post of Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on Monday, "is currently the senior adviser for arms control and deputy senior director for the council's directorate on weapons of mass destruction, where he helped lead policy on counterproliferation and biosecurity." Politico adds Tully "replaces Tom Williams, who returned to the Defense Department on Friday after a two-year detail at the NSC. Other people who have held the role in the Trump administration include Fiona Hill and Tim Morrison, both of whom testified in the impeachment inquiry, and, briefly, Andrew Peek." Former White House Aide Tied To Bannon Gets USAID Post. Politico (7/10, Toosi, 4.29M) reports Tera Dahl, described as a "former Breitbart writer and Steve Bannon ally," is set to become a senior adviser at the US Agency for International Development. Politico says Dahl "briefly served as the deputy chief of staff at the White House- based National Security Council in 2017." According to Politico, "Like some other new political appointees at the aid agency, Dahl has a history of sharp commentary on Islam," and "has disavowed efforts to de-link the concept of terrorism from the religion, in ways that Muslim advocacy groups view as discriminatory." Politico says Dahl "was considered a member of the EFTA00150722 Bannon-led "nationalist" faction in the White House during the early days of the Trump administration." Cox Reportedly Stepping Down As White House Liaison. Politico (7/10, Sherman, 4.29M) reports Chris Cox, President Trump's "top liaison to the House of Representatives," on Friday "told associates he is leaving the White House, 15 hours after POLITICO raised questions about his alleged contacts with a former lobbying client while in government." IG Says Shelby Improperly Awarded $5M VA Contract To Friends. The Hill (7/10, Moreno, 2.98M) says a Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) report released on Thursday has "concluded that the actions of Peter Shelby, who was the VA's assistant secretary for human resources and administration at the time, were not only unethical but resulted in the complete waste of government funds," when Shelby in 2018 "improperly steered a $5 million contract to personal friends." INTERNATIONAL NEWS WHO Says Global Coronavirus Cases Exceeds 228,000. Reuters (7/10, Shumaker) says the World Health Organization on Friday "reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases...with the total rising by 228,102 in 24 hours," which broke the "previous WHO record for new cases [of) 212,326 on July 4. Deaths remained steady at about 5,000 a day." Reuters states that the US, Brazil, India, and South Africa recorded "the biggest increases." Meanwhile, Matt Gutman reported on ABC World News TonightVi (7/10, story 4, 0:37, Muir, 6.62M) that scientists "still believe that the virus is primarily transmitted through close contact or by touching surfaces," but the WHO "now concede(s) that they cannot rule out the virus can be transmitted in an aerosolized fashion, especially in crowded, poorly ventilated areas. They say their understanding of the virus continues to evolve and they need to do more research." Tedros Says Review Of WHO's Handling Of Coronavirus Pandemic Will Not Impede Response To COVID-19. Reuters (7/10, Nebehay, Shields) reports World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday expressed confidence that an upcoming review of the WHO's handling of the coronavirus pandemic would not interfere with the agency's response to COVID-19. During an online briefing from Geneva, "Tedros said the decision to start the inquiry 'gives the responsibility actually to me, which is very important, so that we can have a balancing act, so the evaluation doesn't affect the response." He added, "We felt that starting it now can really help us to understand how...the whole response is happening." Two WHO Specialists Traveling To China To Probe Pandemic's Origin. Reuters (7/10) reports that "an advance team from the World Health Organization (WHO) has left for China to organise an investigation into the origins of the novel coronavirus which sparked the global pandemic." According to Reuters, "Two WHO experts, specialists in animal health and epidemiology, will work with Chinese scientists to determine the scope and itinerary of the investigation." WHO Reports Record Daily Rise In Number Of Coronavirus Cases Globally. Reuters (7/12, Shumaker) reports the World Health Organization recorded "a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Sunday, with the total rising by 230,370 in 24 hours." The largest "increases were from the United States, Brazil, India and South Africa." EFTA00150723 Public Health Experts Fear "Vaccine Nationalism" Threatens Global Effort. USA Today (7/12, Weise, 10.31M) reports "public health experts fear as the world enters into a scientifically turbo-charged but chaotic race to create and then produce coronavirus vaccines" that "rather than widespread collaboration, coordination and sharing, 'me first' vaccine nationalism" will pit "nation against nation to get and keep enough doses for their citizens." Countries are "focusing on their own vaccine development programs rather than collaborating to pool resources," and "agreements are scarce to share vaccines when they're available." Mexico Set To Surpass Italy's Coronavirus Death Toll. Reuters (7/12, Jorgic) reports Mexico's death toll from the coronavirus pandemic "is poised to overtake Italy's and shoot above 35,000 on Sunday, with the Latin American nation set to post the world's fourth highest deaths total, according to Reuters data." Mexico on Saturday "recorded 539 additional fatalities to bring its coronavirus toll to 34,730," while Italy has recorded 34,945 deaths. Top Bollywood Star Tests Positive As Cases Climb In India. The New York Times (7/12, Gettleman, 18.61M) reports that "when India's biggest star, Amitabh Bachchan, announced on Saturday night that he had contracted the coronavirus, this country was shattered." Bachchan, 77, "is not simply an enormously successful actor," but also "one of India's most revered figures." India, the Times notes, is "now racking up more new reported infections each day - about 30,000 - than any other country except the United States and Brazil." Iran Blames Chain Of Errors For Ukrainian Plane Downing. The AP (7/12, Vandat, Gambrell) says a report released over the weekend by Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said "a misaligned missile battery, miscommunication between troops and their commanders and a decision to fire without authorization all led to Iran's Revolutionary Guard shooting down a Ukrainian jetliner in January, killing all 176 people on board." To the AP, the report "may signal a new phase in the investigation into the crash, as the aircraft's black box flight recorder is due to be sent to Paris." Reuters (7/12, Hafezi) quotes the report as saying the incident "occurred because of a human error." The Washington Post (7/12, Loveluck, Coletta, 14.2M) reports that many of dead "had citizenship or permanent residence in Canada," which "pressed Sunday for more answers." A government spokesman said, "Immediate action is required from the Iranian regime to ensure that they conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation in accordance with international standards, so that all those responsible are held accountable." Bloomberg (7/12, Shahla, 4.73M), among other news outlets, also reports the story. Trump Again Says Russia Bounty Story Is A "Democrat Hoax." President Trump was asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 359K) about the status of the investigation into the leak of intelligence reports that Russia offered Taliban fighters bounties to kill US service members. Trump said, "Well, it's people in intelligence. And it's people that, frankly, the Justice Department is looking into it. It's up to them. But it's people in so-called intelligence. I don't know if it's intelligence or the opposite of that word. And they've been leaking for years. They leak and that's what they do. And they're not patriotic people. They're not good for our country. As far as the bounty is concerned I think it's a hoax, I think it's a Democrat hoax, because good people in intelligence said that they did not think it rose to the level of bringing it to the President. Nobody brought it to me. But they said, 'It didn't rise to that level' And that's okay with me." As Leaders Talk Peace, Taliban Commanders Continue To Fight. EFTA00150724 The Washington Post (7/12, George, 14.2M) reports that during peace talks, "the Taliban's leaders have struck a conciliatory tone," but "in one of the militant group's long-held districts in eastern Afghanistan, Taliban commanders and fighters speak not of peace but of toppling the Afghan government in Kabul." To the Post, the "competing visions of a postwar Afghanistan within the Taliban's ranks reveal the difficult task facing the group's leaders as they seek to rally support for an agreement with the government in Kabul ahead of long-awaited formal talks." Trump Signals Openness To Another Summit With Kim. President Trump, asked in a pre-recorded interview with Full Court PressVi (7/12, 359K) if he anticipates a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said, "I understand they want to meet and we would certainly do that. I think if Hillary had won the election you'd be in a major war right now with North Korea." Asked if he would do another summit with Kim, Trump said, "I would do it if I thought it was going to be helpful. Yeah." North Korean Cyberattacks Increase As Kim's Sister Rises In Power. The Washington Times (7/12, Taylor, 492K) reports that a "cyber 'spear phishing' campaign believed to be run by North Korean intelligence operatives who impersonate American journalists and South Korean diplomats on email with the goal of hacking U.S.-based North Korea analysts and human rights advocates has grown increasingly brazen in recent months, according to sources familiar with the campaign." According to the Times, the campaign "has grown more aggressive and sophisticated" during a period in which Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, "has emerged as an influential power player" in Pyongyang. Chinese Professor Jailed For Xi Criticism Released From Detention. The New York Times (7/12, Buckley, 18.61M) reports Xu Zhangrun, "an outspoken Chinese law professor who has denounced the Communist Party's harsh policies under Xi Jinping," was released from detention on Sunday after a week in jail. Xu has been "one of the few Chinese academics willing to openly and bluntly criticize the Chinese government." Over 600,000 In Hong Kong Cast Symbolic "Protest" Votes. Reuters (7/12, Pang, Pomfret) reports Hong Kong's opposition said Sunday that "over 600,000 citizens in the Chinese-ruled city cast ballots over the weekend in primaries it cast as a symbolic protest vote against tough national security laws imposed by Beijing." The "unofficial poll" will decide the pro-democracy candidates to contest elections in September to Hong Kong's Legislative Council. They hope to "seize majority control for the first time from pro-Beijing rivals by riding a wave of anti-China sentiment stirred by the law." Democracy activist Nathan Law, on CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPSVI (7/12, 1.15M), said, "The national security law in Hong Kong specifically targets freedom of expression, which none of the other national security laws would restrain. ... It is not targeting those so-called violent protesters, but targeting the freedom of expression of people, and they will prosecute you just because you are exercising your right to speak. So this is a fundamentally different thing in Hong Kong, and they're using it as a legal weapon to really target peaceful protesters." Polish Election Too Close To Call. The New York Times (7/12, Pronczuk, Santora, 18.61M) reports Poland's presidential election, "widely viewed as the most important since the end of Communist rule in 1989, failed to produce a clear winner on Sunday night, with exit polls showing President Andrzej Duda holding a razor-thin lead over the challenger, Rafal Trzaskowski." Duda had 50.4% of the vote in exit polls to 49.6% for Trzaskowski, the mayor of Warsaw, and neither candidate conceded the race. Sudan Moves To Ease Islamist Policies. The Washington Times (7/12, Meier, 492K) reports Sudan over the weekend "moved to strengthen women's rights and will ban the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) as well as allow non-Muslims to consume alcoholic beverages." The country's justice minister EFTA00150725 announced "that women will no longer need a permit issued by a male member of their family to travel with their children and will decriminalize apostasy." The moves mark "a reversal of nearly 40 years of implementing the controversial Islamist policies." Pope "Deeply Pained" By Turkey's Move On Hagia Sophia. The AP (7/12) reports Pope Francis said Sunday he is "deeply pained" over the decision by Turkey "to change the status of Hagia Sophia - which was originally built in Istanbul as a Christian cathedral - from a museum to a mosque." In "a very brief, improvised remark," Francis noted that the Catholic Church marked Sunday as International Day of the Sea, saying, "And the sea brings me a little far away with my thought: to Istanbul. I am thinking of St. Sophia and I am deeply pained." THE BIG PICTURE Headlines From Today's Front Pages. Wall Street Journal: Coronavirus's Spread Broadens Across US Fed, Treasury Disagreements Slowed Start Of Main Street Lending Program Why China Isn't Expected To Power A Global Recovery Connecticut Bet Big On The Suburbs. That Might Finally Pay Off. Analog Devices In Talks To Buy Maxim Integrated For About $20 Billion New York Times: Florida Records Nation's One-Day Peak For New Virus Cases Fracking Firms Fail, Rewarding Executives And Raising Climate Fears Ja'Ron Smith's Balancing Act: A Black Republican Navigates The Trump White House What Donald Trump's 'Access Hollywood' Weekend Says About 2020 Disney World Opens Its Gates, With Virus Numbers Rising Washington Post: A $20 Burger's Pandemic Odyssey Florida Surge Shatters Record Democrats Sense Shift As Trump's Polls Drop Green Goal: Hottest City Finds Ways To Get Cool In The Taliban, A Schism On Afghanistan's Future Backlogs In Test Results Hobble Virus Response Financial Times: Bollywood Superstars Hospitalised With Covid-19 As Virus Rages In India WeWork On Track For Profits And Positive Cash Flow In 2021, Says Chairman Merkel's Government Pressed To Release Wirecard Conversations Washington Times: `Safe For Democracy': Democrats Bring 'Defund' Movement To Capitol Police Rise Of Kim Jong-Un's Sister Marks Increase North Korean Cyberattacks Berthing Pains: Navy's Newest Supercarrier Plagued With Mechanical Problems New St. Andrews College President Under Fire After 'We Know Science' Bathroom Video Betsy DeVos: Nothing In Data Suggests Going Back To School Is Dangerous For Kids Story Lineup From Last Night's Network News: ABC: San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; US-Coronavirus; US-Coronavirus Testing; US- Coronavirus Deaths; Trump-Mask Use; New York-COVID-19 Patient Recovers; Coronavirus- Latinos; Trump-Reopening Schools; CDC-Reopening Schools; Trump-Stone Sentence; Texas- Ambush; Weather Forecast; Colorado-Bear Attack; Pennsylvania-Arrest In Missing Teen Case; EFTA00150726 USC Closes John Wayne Exhibit; China-Flooding; Chicago-Couple Brings Newborn Home. CBS: Trump-Reopening Schools; Trump-Mask Use; White House-Fauci Tensions; Trump-Stone Sentence; 2020 Presidential Race; San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; US-Coronavirus; Texas- Coronavirus; US-Reopening Schools; Chicago-Puppet Theater. NBC: Florida-Coronavirus; US-Coronavirus; White House-Fauci Tensions; Trump-Stone Sentence; San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; Texas-Fort Hood Solider Killing; US-Reopening Schools; US-Shopping Mall Closures; Father, Daughter Ballet. Network TV At A Glance: US-Coronavirus - 7 minutes, 5 seconds US-Reopening Schools - 4 minutes, 50 seconds Trump-Stone Sentence - 3 minutes, 55 seconds Trump-Reopening Schools - 3 minutes, 45 seconds San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion - 3 minutes, 40 seconds White House-Fauci Tensions — 2 minutes, 20 seconds Trump-Mask Use - 40 seconds Story Lineup From This Morning's Radio News Broadcasts: ABC: San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; Trump-Stone Sentence; US-Coronavirus; Florida- Coronavirus. CBS: Florida-Coronavirus; US-Coronavirus Deaths; San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; Trump- Stone Sentence; 2020 Presidential Race; Pope Francis-Turkey Tensions. FOX: Trump-Reopening Schools; San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; Benjamin Keough Dies. NPR: WHO-Global Coronavirus Cases; Brazil-Dengue Fever Outbreak; San Diego-Navy Ship Explosion; EU-Serbia, Kosovo Negotiations. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE Today's Events In Washington. White House: • President Trump — Has lunch with the Vice President; participates in a roundtable with stakeholders positively impacted by law enforcement. • Vice President Pence — Has no public schedule announced. US Senate: • Senate convenes for pro forma session - Senate convenes for pro forma session * Chamber on recess from 2 Jul - 20 Jul Location: US Capitol, Washington, DC; 5:30 PM US House: • House of Representatives meets in pro forma session Location: US Capitol, Washington, DC; 12:00 PM • House Appropriations Committee markup hearing - Markup hearing on 'FY 2021 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill' and 'FY 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Bill' Location: Rm 1100, Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC; 1:00 PM • House Natural Resources subcommittee legislative hearing - National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subcommittee legislative hearing, held via Cisco Webex, on 'H.R. 4345, Fort Monroe National Monument Land Acquisition Act', 'H.R. 4840, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Boundary Modification Act of 2019', 'H.R. 5458, Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary Modification Act', 'H.R. 5459, Rocky Mountain National Park Ownership Correction Act', 'H.R. 5472, Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Redesignation Act', 'H.R. 5852, Weir Farm National Historical Park Redesignation Act', 1H.R. 7098, Saguaro National Park EFTA00150727 Boundary Expansion and Study Act of 2020', and 'H.R. 7489, Long Bridge Act of 2020'; 2:00 PM • House Homeland Security subcommittee virtual hearing on ICE contractors response to coronavirus - Border Security, Facilitation, & Operations Subcommittee virtual hearing on 'Oversight of ICE Detention Facilities: Examining ICE Contractors Response to COVID-19', with testimony from CoreCivic President and CEO Damon Hininger; The GEO Group Chairman and CEO Dr George Zoley; Management & Training Corporation (MTC) President and CEO Scott Marquardt; and LaSalle Corrections Executive Director Rodney Cooper; 2:00 PM This Town: • Carnegie Endowment virtual event on the US, Russia, and China - 'The United States, Russia, and China in the Time of Pandemic' Carnegie Endowment for International Peace online event, on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic will reinforce trends and likely usher in a period of even greater competition and tension. Speakers include former National Intelligence Council officer Eugene Rumer, Yale Law School's Susan Thornton, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Senior Fellow Aaron David Miller, and Vice President for Studies Evan Feigenbaum; 10:30 AM • FMEP online discussion on an Israeli-Palestinian 'One-State Reality' — 'Imagining Together a Shared, One-State Reality' online discussion hosted Foundation for Middle East Peace, with featured speakers including FMEP Nonresident Fellow Peter Beinart, Arab Center Washington, DC Nonresident Fellow Yousef Munayyer and FMEP President Lara Friedman; 11:00 AM • NPC Virtual 'Newsmaker' with FRB Dallas president - National Press Club Virtual 'Newsmaker' Event, with Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan, who discusses the importance of 'continuous and widespread' testing in restoring consumer confidence during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; 1:00 PM • FMCSA Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee meeting - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee meeting, via teleconference • CANCELED: National Conference on Ending Homelessness - CANCELED: National Conference on Ending Homelessness * Canceled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Location: 2660 Woodley Rd NW, Washington, DC • American Association for Justice Annual Convention, held virtually Copyright 2020 by Bulletin Intelligence LLC Reproduction or redistribution without permission prohibited. 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