EFTA00135832.pdf

From: Bulletin Intelligence Subject: (EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Tuesday, December 08, 2020 To: FBI@BulletinIntelligence.com Sent: December 8, 2020 6:25 AM (UTC-05:00) Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintellicience.com. TO : THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE : TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2020 6 : 30 AM ES TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Georgia Recertifies Election Results As Trump Legal Efforts Continue Elsewhere. PROTESTS EFTA00135832 • Activists: Some Georgia-Related Federal Prosecutions Aim To Blunt Future Protests. • Growing Number Of Prosecutors Join Effort To Revisit Lengthy Prison Sentences. • Northam Signs Virginia No-Knock Search Warrant Ban. COUNTER-TERRORISM • FBI Spoke To IS Fighter About Australian Terrorist. • Opinion: Al-Qaeda Persists Despite Shifting US Priorities, Is Poised For "Comeback." • New Zealand Commission: "No Plausible Way" Mosque Attacker's Plans Could Have Been Detected. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Senate GOP Set To Link Durham Appointment To Confirmation Of Next AG. • Appeals Court Denies Request For NSA Leaker To Leave Prison Early. • Ratcliffe: "No Greater Threat" To US Than China. • Report Concludes Directed Pulse Microwave Energy Likely Responsible For Diplomats' Illnesses. • NDAA Would Alter Reporting Structure Of JAIC. • DISA Planning "Grey Network" To Support Classified Remote Programs. • Reports: Iran's Supreme Leader May Have Transferred Power To Son. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Sentencing Hearing In Nebraska Murder Rescheduled Over COVID Concerns. • Marijuana Subpoena May Have Been Linked To Missouri FBI Probe. • FBI, BIA Probing Discovery Of Body On Montana Reservation. • FBI Joins Search For Missing Florida Teacher. • Ohio Firefighter Arrested On Child Pandering Charges. • Attorneys Seek Bail For Ghislaine Maxwell. • FBI Seizes 40 Pounds Of Meth, Two Pounds Of Heroin In New Mexico. • Resident Of State Of New York Sentenced To Decade In Prison For Selling Crack. • Two Florida Men Charged In Ohio "Grandparent Scam." • Pennsylvania Man Gets Long Prison Sentence For Conspiring To Distribute Heroin. • Three Indicted For Selling Fentanyl In Connecticut. • Army Expected To Take Action Against "Significant Number" Of Servicemembers At Fort Hood. • Death Of Green Beret, Army Veteran At Fort Bragg Under Investigation. • Connecticut Sailor Pleads Guilty To Sexually Assaulting Children, Producing Child Pornography. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • New Jersey Lab At Center Of FBI COVID-19 Test Warning Only Recently Opened. • Former Los Angeles Councilman Pleads Not Guilty To Corruption Charges. • Bribery Trial Of Cincinnati Councilman Delayed. • Cincinnati Councilman Accepts Suspension After Bribery Arrest. • US Charges Maryland Attorney In Alleged Scheme To Obtain Somali Government Assets. • US Charges Ohio Developer With Embezzlement. • Georgia Man Sentenced In Pennsylvania Check-Cashing Scam. • Dish Network To Pay $210M To Settle Allegations Of Telemarketing Violations. • FTC Warns Of Robocall Scammers Posing As Amazon, Apple. CYBER DIVISION • FBI Warns Of Hackers Finding Their Way Into School Zoom Classrooms. • UK Man Who Hacked Webcams In 39 Countries Avoids Extradition To US. • Canadian Police Officer Says He Was FBI's Point Of Contact During Huawei CFO Arrest. • NSA Warns Russia-Backed Hackers Are Exploiting VMware Products. • Chinese Telecom Giants Scramble To Meet New Requirements Abroad. • Trump Signs Bill Requiring Minimum Cybersecurity Requirements For Feds. EFTA00135833 • Companies Attempting To Lure In Hackers With "Honey Pots." • Opinion: Public Schools Could Offer Practical Cybersecurity Aid. • Report: Global Losses From Cybercrime Expected To Be Just Under $1T For 2020. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Child Sex Exploitation Prosecutions Triple In Frederick, Maryland Area. • Five More Federal Inmates Set To Be Executed Before Inauguration Day. • FBI Agent Discusses Common Themes In Minnesota Bank Robberies, ATM Burglaries. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS • US Charges Man Living In Romania With Puppy Fraud Scheme. • US Charged Head Of Canadian Police Agency's Intelligence Following Gambling Operation. LAWFUL ACCESS • UK Watchdog: Encrypted Messaging Puts Children At Risk Of Abuse. OTHER FBI NEWS • Wray Taps Dugan As New Norfolk, Virginia SAC. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • US Expected To Surpass 200K New COVID Cases Per Day This Week. • Azar Says Administration Ready To Distribute Vaccines. • Giroir, Collins Defend FDA Vaccine Approval Process. • Pfizer, Moderna Will Not Attend White House Vaccine Summit Where Trump Will Sign "America First" Executive Order. • Giuliani Diagnosis Prompts Concern For Legislators With Whom He Interacted. • Johnson To Highlight Vaccine Skeptic, Mask Critic At Hearing. • IBM, Clear Rolling Out New Vaccine Apps. • Physicians Working To Boost COVID Vaccine Confidence Among African Americans. • US Sees Increase In Underage Migrants Testing Positive For Coronavirus. • Administration Officials Divided Over Wisdom Of California Lockdown. • New York Orders Hospitals To Expand Capacity, May Slash Indoor Dining. • Pritzker Says Illinois Facing "Most Crucial Month Of This Entire Pandemic." • DeWine To Extend Ohio Curfew. • Whitmer Extends Michigan's COVID Restrictions For Another 12 Days. • Nevada Hospitalizations Up 230% Over Past Month. • Staffing Shortages Especially Afflicting Rural Hospitals. • Florida State Police Raid Home Of Data Scientist Behind COVID Dashboard. • South Dakota's Noem Lauds Her Response To Coronavirus. • Liability Protections, State And Local Aid Stall COVID Relief Negotiations. • Lawmakers To Vote On Short-Term Spending Bill As Dual Negotiations Continue. • Axios Report: Trump Discussing Pardons "Like Christmas Gifts." • DHS Says It Has Fully Restored DACA For Now. • TPS Extended For Nine Months. • Border Wall Contractors Accused Of "Smuggling Armed Mexican Security Teams" Into US. • Office Of Special Counsel Says Navarro Repeatedly Violated Hatch Act. • NYTimes Analysis: Scrutiny Of Spending At Trump Properties Did Not Result In Limits. • McConnell Says Senate Will Take Up And Pass NDAA. • Supreme Court Declines To Take Up Appeal On Transgender Student's Rights. • Supreme Court Considers US Role In Holocaust Survivors' Cases Against Germany And Hungary. • Biden Has Reportedly Decided On Austin For Defense Secretary. INTERNATIONAL NEWS EFTA00135834 • Britain Beginning Vaccination Campaign. • Canada Prepares To Begin Distributing Pfizer Vaccine This Month. • NYTimes Profiles Scandal-Plagued Executive For Chinese Vaccine Manufacturer. • US Economic Sanctions On Iran Could Impede Access To Coronavirus Vaccines, Analysts Say. • Lack Of Trust Said To Be Impacting Russia's COVID Vaccine Rollout. • Sao Paulo Governor Mandates Residents Get COVID Vaccine. • Iran Says Nuclear Official Was Killed By "Satellite-Controlled Smart System." • Duckworth Calls On State Department To Prioritize Return Of US Contractor Taken In Afghanistan. • With Brexit Talks At An Impasse, Johnson To Travel To Brussels This Week. • Maduro Alliance Claims Victory In Venezuelan Congressional Elections. • Romanian Prime Minister Resigns Following Unexpected Election Defeat. • NYTimes Analysis: Abortion Protests Shifting Gender Balance Of Power In Poland. • Ghanaians Go To Polls In Presidential Election. • Researchers Say Last Month Was Hottest November On Record. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Georgia Recertifies Election Results As Trump Legal Efforts Continue Elsewhere. Norah O'Donnell said on the CBS Evening News (12/7, story 5, 1:45, 4.74M) that with "more states certifying their results, there are questions tonight about the future of the President's legal fight to overturn the election." In Georgia, CBS' Paula Reid reported, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, "a Republican, recertified the results [Monday] after a second recount." Raffensperger: "We have now counted legally cast ballots three times, and the results remain unchanged." On NBC Nightly News (12/7, story 5, 1:30, Holt, 6.35M), Hallie Jackson said Joe Biden's "win [was] recertified in Georgia after a recount, with a top Republican there dismissing the campaign's baseless claims of widespread fraud." CNN (12/7, Collins, 83.16M) reports on its website that according to "multiple sources," there is "a sense developing within Donald Trump's legal team and what remains of his campaign staff that their efforts to overturn or delay the results of the election are coming to an end...despite what the President has said publicly. ... Following the news of Rudy Giuliani's coronavirus hospitalization, staffers only speculated further that it's a matter of time before their legal efforts come to a halt completely." The Washington Post (12/7, 14.2M) reports that Raffensperger "said Monday that the office would recertify the state's election results, which would reaffirm Biden's victory after a second statewide recount of presidential votes." The New York Times (12/7, Roose, 18.61M) reports Raffensperger's office "dedicated part of a morning news conference to debunking" several "falsehood[s]...in what was called 'Disinformation Monday." According to the ,SE (12/7, Brumback), "the total number of votes in the recount results certified Monday and posted on the secretary of state's website was 766 fewer than the number certified when the ballots were first tallied after the election. Biden's lead dropped from 12,670 to 11,779." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/7, 895K) says the President's "efforts to overturn Georgia's election results have met a wall of opposition from an unlikely source: Republican state officials and GOP-appointed judges who have loudly rejected his calls to undo Joe Biden's narrow victory in the state. ... Trump's pleas to top state officials to interfere in the election have been soundly rejected by Republican politicians he once endorsed." The Wall Street Journal. (12/7, Corse, Subscription Publication, 7.57M), &jai (12/7, 521K), and The Hill (12/7, Greenwood, 2.98M) also cover the certification, while other outlets examine EFTA00135835 the impact of the fight between Trump and his party's leaders in Georgia on the two January 5 Senate runoffs. Steve Osunsami said on ABC World News Tonight (12/7, story 4, 2:20, Muir, 7.76M), "The deadline in Georgia to register to vote in this upcoming runoff election" was Monday night. At a weekend rally, Trump "was trying to help the two sitting Republican senators who hope to hold onto their seats. ... The real worry: that Republicans might not show up to vote is born from the President's own made-up stories about widespread election fraud in the November election." Politico (12/7, Arkin, 4.29M) reports, "During a feverish weekend of campaigning...Georgia Republicans continued to indulge Trump's untruths about the last election, while imploring their backers to show up for the next one." The AP (12/7) reports that Secretary of State Pompeo "plans to deliver a speech extolling the Trump administration's foreign policy this week in Georgia, ahead of key Senate run-off elections in the state that will determine control of the upper chamber of Congress." Fox News (12/7, Steinhauser, 27.59M) reports on its website that while it is "normal for secretaries of state to speak to domestic audiences, the address by Pompeo comes as the nation's campaign spotlight is shining on Georgia. ... And it comes as Pompeo, who political pundits consider a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender, has faced criticism this year for giving speeches considered to be tinged with political overtones." The New Ynrk Times (12/7, Herndon, 18.61M) looks at GOP strategy in the contests, writing that Republicans are focusing primarily on Raphael Warnock, the African American minister challenging Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), and largely ignoring Jon Ossoff, the Democratic challenger to Sen. David Perdue (R-GA). Trump Reached Out To Pennsylvania House Speaker. The Washington Post (12/7, Gardner, Dawsey, Bade, 14.2M) reports the office of Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler has confirmed that Trump called the GOP speaker "twice during the past week to make an extraordinary request for help reversing his loss in the state." Cutler spokesman Michael Straub said, "The President said, 'I'm hearing about all these issues in Philadelphia, and these issues with your law. What can we do to fix it?" The Post says the calls "make Pennsylvania the third state where Trump has directly attempted to overturn a result." The Philadelphia Inquirer (12/7, Roebuck, 347K) reports, "With less than a day to go until the federal deadline for states to lock in their delegates for the Dec. 14 Electoral College vote, Pennsylvania Republicans have bombarded state and federal courts with a flurry of new legal filings, grasping for last-minute traction in their thus far unsuccessful attempts to overturn the results of the presidential election." Trump Campaign Appeals To Nevada Supreme Court. The AP (12/7, Ritter) reports attorneys for the Trump campaign are appealing to the Nevada Supreme Court "to overrule a lower court judge and nullify...Biden's electoral win in Nevada. ... A hearing was not immediately scheduled, but the appeal is expected to get fast-track handling." The Las Vegas Review -Journal (12/7, 345K) reports, "Campaign attorneys representing Trump's proposed slate of presidential electors filed a notice of appeal in the District Court shortly after Judge James Russell denied their request to essentially overturn the state's presidential result." Sidney Powell Suits Rejected In Two States. Reuters (12/7, Hals, Brice) reports federal judges in Georgia and Michigan rejected efforts by Sidney Powell, "a former lawyer for the Trump campaign," to decertify Biden's win in those states. US District Judge Timothy Batten in Atlanta and US District Judge Linda Parker in Detroit "ruled that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to bring the lawsuits and that the cases were filed too late." Batten "said [in] a hearing on Monday that the plaintiffs were seeking 'perhaps the most extraordinary relief ever sought' in connection with an election." Batten said, "They want this court to substitute its judgment for that of two-and-a-half million Georgia voters who voted for Joe Biden, and this I am unwilling to do." The Washington Past (12/7, 14.2M) reports that Batten, "who was appointed by President George W. Bush, forcefully rejected the plaintiffs' requests. Citing other technical reasons, Batten said that he was unwilling to reverse the decision of Georgia's voters, which has been reaffirmed through two recounts of presidential votes." 8Inomberg (12/7, Davis, 4.73M) reports that Powell, "who is no longer associated" with Trump's legal team, "filed the suits last month on behalf of Republican voters." According to Bloomberg, Powell has "claim[ed] that foreign agents from Iran EFTA00135836 and China conspired with Democratic officials and poll workers to infiltrate voting machines and switch votes" from Trump to Biden. The Detroit Free Press (12/7, 1.52M) reports Parker said in her opinion, "This lawsuit seems to be less about achieving the relief Plaintiffs seek - as much of that relief is beyond the power of this Court - and more about the impact of their allegations on People's faith in the democratic process and their trust in our government." Amistad Project "Has A Tie To President Trump's Legal Team." The Washington Post (12/7, Swaine, Helderman, Dawsey, Hamburger, 14.2M) reports that the Amistad Project, "a conservative legal organization that has filed lawsuits challenging the election results in five states, has a tie to President Trump's legal team, raising questions about the independence of what has appeared to be an endeavor separate from the president's last-gasp legal maneuvering." Trump campaign legal adviser Jenna Ellis "serves as special counsel to the Thomas More Society, which has filed lawsuits through the newly formed Amistad Project alleging problems with the vote in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin." Trump's Capitol Hill Defenders Urge Him Not To Concede. CNN (12/7, Raju, Herb, 83.16M) reports on its website that Trump's "staunchest defenders on Capitol Hill are urging him not to concede even after [Biden] wins the Electoral College vote next week, calling on their party's leader to fight for his unsubstantiated claims of widespread election fraud all the way to the House floor in January. ... Asked if Trump should concede next Monday," Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said, "No. No way, no way, no way." However, the Dallas Morning News (12/7, 946K) reports veteran Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), who is retiring, "referred Monday to 'President-elect Biden' in a briefing call about a major defense bill pending in the House, becoming only the third Texas Republican in Congress" to have done so. PROTESTS Activists: Some Georgia-Related Federal Prosecutions Aim To Blunt Future Protests. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (12/7, 895K) reports, "Paul Torino, a member of the Atlanta Anti- Repression Committee," is among the activists claiming that some Georgia-related federal prosecutions launched in the wake of George Floyd's death "are intended to blunt future protest against the government." But after five men were "arrested in June for allegedly setting an unoccupied Gainesville Police car on fire," FBI Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker stated, "We are not focused on peaceful protests, but instead concentrating on identifying, investigating and disrupting those individuals who are taking advantage of the protests to incite violence and engage in criminal activity." Growing Number Of Prosecutors Join Effort To Revisit Lengthy Prison Sentences. The Washington Post (12/7, Jackman, 14.2M) reports on a "push to begin revisiting lengthy prison sentences, as part of the justice reform effort being promoted by big city prosecutors around the country," that is "gaining momentum even in states like Maryland, where there is no formal mechanism for prosecutors to revisit settled cases." The Post says Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby on Monday "announced the launch of a sentencing review unit in Baltimore to address both mass incarceration and racial inequities in the justice system. ... Also Monday, the newly elected district attorney of Los Angeles, George Gascon, announced at his swearing-in that he, too, is launching a sentencing review unit." The Post adds similar initiatives are being launched by prosecutors in San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn. Northam Signs Virginia No-Knock Search Warrant Ban. USA Today (12/7, Atkinson, 10.31M) reports that with members of Breonna Taylor's family "there to witness," Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) on Monday "ceremoniously signed the so-called 'Breonna's Law' bill into Virginia's books. ... It was the second time Northam signed the legislation banning no-knock search warrants across Virginia - he originally approved it in late October." The Washington Post (12/7, Schneider, 14.2M) says the Monday ceremony "was designed to highlight EFTA00135837 the law as a step to address racial inequity, with Northam noting that no-knock warrants have been found to disproportionately target Black people." The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (12/7, Leonor, 277K) reports two of Taylor's aunts "wore black shirts that read 'no more no-knocks,' and face masks with Taylor's name and photo. They emphasized that justice for Taylor won't be realized until the officers involved in her killing face criminal charges - officials in Kentucky have so far declined - but celebrated Virginia for being 'on the right side of this fight." COUNTER-TERRORISM FBI Spoke To IS Fighter About Australian Terrorist. The News (AUS) (12/6, Schelle, 355K) reports, "An Islamic State fighter told FBI agents in Syria that he visited a convicted Australian terrorist in jail before he travelled overseas," but "lawyers for terror plotter Abdul Nacer Benbrika argued in the Supreme Court of Victoria that it was not relevant in the case to keep their client behind bars for longer." According to the News, "The terrorist fighter Jamil Shqeir told the United States intelligence agency in 2019 that he had gone to visit Benbrika in jail before he left for Syria years prior." According to the News, "Benbrika has spent the past 15 years behind bars for plotting attacks on Melbourne's MCG and Crown as well as a nuclear reactor in Sydney and was due to be released this year," but "the Australian government wants to keep him in jail for an extra three years because they believe he's at risk of committing further terrorist acts." Opinion: Al-Qaeda Persists Despite Shifting US Priorities, Is Poised For "Comeback." Colin P. Clarke, a Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, writes in an op-ed in Newsweek (12/7, 1.53M) that Al-Qaeda "has sidestepped the dilemma of leadership decapitation." It has shifted "its organizational structure to afford its affiliates in the Sahel, the Arabian Peninsula and elsewhere with the operational autonomy to develop attack plans and map out strategic objectives." In recent years, the group "has focused on grassroots organizing in an attempt to make inroads with local populations in countries like Mali, Yemen, and Syria. By lowering its profile, including by working through front organizations, al-Qaeda has concentrated its resources on gaining popular support." Though the US and its allies want to move on from the Global War on Terrorism, "al-Qaeda and its network of global affiliates will remain a significant challenge, and in some parts of the world may be poised for a major comeback." New Zealand Commission: "No Plausible Way" Mosque Attacker's Plans Could Have Been Detected. The New York Times (12/7, Graham-Mclay, 18.61M) reports that an official commission in New Zealand has concluded that "there was 'no plausible way" Christchurch mosque attacker Brenton Tarrant's plans "could have been detected by New Zealand's government agencies 'except by chance." Still, the inquiry "faulted the government on several counts. It found that lax gun regulations had allowed Mr. Tarrant to obtain a firearms license when he should not have qualified. And it said that the country's 'fragile' intelligence agencies had a limited understanding of right- wing threats and had not assigned sufficient resources to examine dangers other than Islamist terrorism." COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE Senate GOP Set To Link Durham Appointment To Confirmation Of Next AG. The Hill (12/7, Bolton, 2.98M) says Attorney General Barr "is setting the stage for a Senate brawl on his way out the door with the appointment of U.S. Attorney John Durham to serve as special counsel well beyond the end" of the current Administration. Senate Republicans say Joe Biden's choice for attorney general "should promise not to terminate Durham." The New York Post (12/7, Jacobs, 4.57M) says the next attorney general "will be the only one in public office with the ability EFTA00135838 to fire Durham or revoke his prosecutorial authority, meaning that whoever he selects as AG will likely face conflicting demands from both parties on the matter." Appeals Court Denies Request For NSA Leaker To Leave Prison Early. The Washington Examiner (12/7, Dunleavy, 448K) reports, "An appeals court denied a request by Reality Winner...to serve out the remainder of her prison sentence in home confinement because of the coronavirus outbreak." Judges of the 11th Circuit "upheld the district court's decision to deny Winner's request to leave prison early amid the pandemic." Judge Beverly Martin wrote, "Ms. Winner argues the District Court abused its discretion when it denied her motion because it refused to hold a hearing and did not properly consider her evidence." Winner's lawyer Joe Whitley argued that his client "signed up to serve her sentence under the care, custody, and safety of the Bureau of Prisons - she did not agree (nor did this Court require her) to be confined to an institution that was caught unprepared for this virus." Ratcliffe: "No Greater Threat" To US Than China. DNI Ratcliffe said on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight (12/7), "There are a lot of people who for economic reasons do not want China to be our greatest threat. There are a lot of people who for political reasons don't want China to be our greatest threat in America. But the intelligence doesn't lie. China is our greatest threat, and it's not even close. No other country has the capability of essentially taking away the American dream and the specific plan to do so." US Sanctions Chinese Officials Tied To Hong Kong Crackdown. Reuters (12/7, Pamuk) reports that on Monday, the Trump Administration "imposed financial sanctions and a travel ban on 14 Chinese officials over their alleged role in Beijing's disqualification last month of elected opposition legislators in Hong Kong." Reuters says the sanctions "targeted the vice chairpersons of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), the top decision- making body of the Chinese legislature." The AP (12/7, Lee) reports that "just last week, the administration further restricted visa access for Chinese Communist Party officials as part of the campaign which has also seen penalties imposed on China for its actions in western Xinjiang province, Tibet, Taiwan and the South China Sea." Secretary of State Pompeo released a statement reading, "Beijing's unrelenting assault against Hong Kong's democratic processes has gutted its Legislative Council, rendering the body a rubber stamp devoid of meaningful opposition." The Wall Street Journal (12/7, Talley, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that the Chinese Embassy had no immediate comment, though earlier Monday said such moves would be construed "as meddling in China's sovereign affairs." US Says China Flouting Sanctions On North Korea. The Wall Street Journal (12/7, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports US officials are charging China with increasingly flouting international sanctions on North Korea, no longer bothering to try to obscure some of the efforts. One senior State Department official said, "It is not particularly disguised or hidden. The fact that China is making it easier on them makes it a much more reliable revenue stream than they've had." Report Concludes Directed Pulse Microwave Energy Likely Responsible For Diplomats' Illnesses. Andrea Mitchell reported on NBC NightlyNlens (12/7, story 7, 1:50, Holt, 6.27M) that the National Academies of Sciences has concluded that "the most likely explanation" for illnesses that struck US diplomats and CIA officers in China, Cuba, and Russia is "directed pulse microwave energy." David Reiman, National Academies of Sciences report editor: "Pulsed directed microwave radiation can be focused on a particular space or physical environment at the level of several yards or a dozens of yards." Mitchell: "Russia has a long history of working on these weapons but denies involvement." NDAA Would Alter Reporting Structure Of JAIC. C4ISR f4 Netwnrkc (12/7, Eversden) reports that the 2021 NDAA "would alter the reporting EFTA00135839 structure of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, raising the office to report directly to the deputy secretary of defense, instead of the department's chief information officer." As such, Congress has "signaled its confidence in the Pentagon's young artificial intelligence office through a series of measures to increases its standing in the agency, including giving its director acquisition authority." The bill "establishes a board of advisers to give the center strategic advice and technical expertise on AI matters." It "still needs President Donald Trump's approval." CSIS fellow Lindsey Sheppard said, "This NDAA would clear that roadblock by giving the LAIC its own acquisition authorities to get technology in the door." DISA Planning "Grey Network" To Support Classified Remote Programs. MeriTalk (12/7, Mayo) reports that DISA "is looking to implement an enterprise 'grey network' to enable" DOD components to "securely support classified remote programs." Head of DISA's Emerging Technology Directorate Dr. Stephen Wallace "laid out the agency's approach to a grey network at AFCEA's TechNet Cyber conference on December 3." Wallace said, "we're looking for is a global Enterprise Grey Network that has many of the common services that these classified remote programs rely on, but in a consistent enterprise fashion, so that you're not recreating the wheel time and time again." Wallace added, "We do realize the urgency in it, and our ability to provide something like that will bring a lot of value to our mission partners, and we've heard that from them, so we're very interested in delivering something like that as quickly as possible." Reports: Iran's Supreme Leader May Have Transferred Power To Son. Fox News (12/7, McKay, 27.59M) reports that amid speculation "over the declining health of Iran's Supreme Leader, the Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei," there were "unconfirmed reports over the weekend" he had "transferred power to his son, cleric Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei." The son "has seen as a potential successor to his father's throne" for over a decade, and his "increasingly dogmatic role overseeing numerous security and intelligence departments are viewed as part of the grooming process to ascend to the top spot, according to the Jerusalem Post." He has "been profiled as a mostly hardline, conservative figure - even more refractory than his father - with especially tight ties" to the IRGC. However, the "process of succession isn't quite as simple as the Ayatollah merely making a preference. Iran has constitutional laws with regards to the process of choosing the next-in-line." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONC Sentencing Hearing In Nebraska Murder Rescheduled Over COVID Concerns. The Lincoln (NE) Journal Star (12/7, Pilger, 399K) reports, "A multi-day hearing to determine whether Aubrey Trail will get the death penalty for the killing of a 24-year-old Lincoln woman has been reset for March after one of his attorneys tested positive for COVID-19." According to the Journal Star, "On Friday, the defense filed a motion to continue the aggravation and mitigation hearing, which was set to start next week in Wilber. In the filing, attorney Ben Murray listed a number of COVID-related reasons prompting him to ask for a continuance. Among them, that the pandemic was making it impossible for out-of-state witnesses, who induded Trail's relatives in Tennessee, to travel to Nebraska. 'The present pandemic substantially impairs counsel's ability to take on the "extraordinary responsibility" of representing a person whose life is at stake and provide effective representation,' he wrote." Marijuana Subpoena May Have Been Linked To Missouri FBI Probe. The Independence (MO) Examiner (12/7, Hancock, 13K) reports, "The head of Missouri's medical marijuana program testified under oath that a grand jury subpoena his agency received late last year was likely connected to an FBI investigation in Independence." The Examiner adds, "The revelation by Lyndall Fraker, director of medical marijuana regulation at the Missouri Department of Health and Seniors Services, is the first indication of the target of the federal subpoena. In November 2019, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services received the subpoena, EFTA00135840 which was issued by the United States District Court for the Western District. It demanded the agency turn over all records pertaining to four medical marijuana license applications. The copy of the subpoena that was made public redacted the identity of the four applicants at the request of the FBI." FBI, BIA Probing Discovery Of Body On Montana Reservation. The Billings (MT) Gazette (12/7, Kordenbrock, 180K) reports, "A death investigation involving two federal agencies is ongoing after a body was found on the Crow Indian Reservation in late November." An FBI spokesperson "confirmed the investigation Monday afternoon. The FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs are investigating jointly, according to the FBI." The FBI "was notified on Nov. 29 that a body had been discovered on the Crow Reservation. Citing the ongoing nature of the investigation, FBI Public Affairs Specialist Sandra Yi Barker said by email that additional information could not be shared Monday, but that more information would be released when possible." FBI Joins Search For Missing Florida Teacher. The Daytona Reach (Fl ) News-Journal (12/7, Kustura, 166K) reports, "The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are helping Port Orange police in the search for a teacher missing since Oct. 25." The News-Journal adds, "In a press conference Monday morning, Sgt. Steven Nagy, a Port Orange police detective, said that in addition to the FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Daytona Beach police and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office are assisting with the investigation into the disappearance of Robert Heikka. Heikka, 70, a teacher at Creekside Middle School, failed to show up for work on Oct. 26, Andre Fleming, an officer and spokesman for Port Orange police, said." Ohio Firefighter Arrested On Child Pandering Charges. The Janesville (OH) Times Recorder (12/7, Holmes, 34K) reports, "A member of the Frazeysburg Fire Department is in jail on child pandering charges stemming from a recent FBI case." The Times Recorder adds, "On Thursday, officials in Muskingum County became aware of the information and began their own investigation. According to Sheriff Matt Lutz, deputies arrested Chad Buchanan, 42, on Thursday after a search of his house on 2525 Country Side Road around 9 p.m. Lutz said several items were seized from the home." Buchanan "has been charged with one second-degree felony count of pandering obscenity involving a minor, one second-degree felony count of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and one third-degree felony count of gross sexual imposition. Lutz said no other members of the fire department are anticipated to have been involved in the investigation." Attorneys Seek Bail For Ghislaine Maxwell. The AP (12/7, Neumeister) reports from New York, "A lawyer for the onetime girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein said Monday that her client, who again seeks release on bail, has lost weight and hair as she suffers under onerous jail conditions imposed in part because Epstein killed himself last year in a federal lockup." According to the AP, "The claims by defense attorney Bobbi Sternheim were made on Ghislaine Maxwell's behalf after lawyers for the Metropolitan Detention Center warden in Brooklyn defended conditions at the facility in a Friday letter that was publicly filed on Monday. 'Ms. Maxwell remains in good health,' the lawyers wrote in the letter as they defended her treatment as by-the-book following of rules to ensure the safety of all federal inmates. The letters were filed on the same day that a Nov. 25 letter was unsealed in which two of Maxwell's lawyers said they were renewing her application to be released on bail after compiling information not available when her initial request was rejected in July. Judge Alison J. Nathan said she will decide later this month whether to conduct a hearing." FBI Seizes 40 Pounds Of Meth, Two Pounds Of Heroin In New Mexico. The Albuquerque (NM) Journal (12/7, Gallagher, 196K) reports, "FBI agents seized 40 pounds of EFTA00135841 methamphetamine and two pounds of heroin last week during an investigation of an Albuquerque man suspected of being a member of the notorious SNM prison gang." According to the Journal, "Agents arrested Michael Anthony Hernandez, 44, known as "Polo," as part of a five-year racketeering investigation into the gang, which has sought to extend its influence from inside the prison to the streets of cities and towns throughout New Mexico. According to a search warrant affidavit, agents believe Hernandez put out a 'hit' or 'greenlight' on a lower-level drug dealer who owed him money for a drug transaction. He was being held on probation and parole violations pending further charges. He has not been charged in connection with the alleged hit plan." Resident Of State Of New York Sentenced To Decade In Prison For Selling Crack. The Schenectady (NY) Daily Gazette (12/7, Cook, 82K) reports Schenectady resident Robert J. Chaires has been sentenced "to 10 years in federal prison for" selling crack cocaine. The Chaires "case was investigated by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which indudes FBI Special Agents and members of federal, state and local law enforcement" organizations. The VVTEN-TV Albany, NY (12/7, 71K) website also covers this story. Two Florida Men Charged In Ohio "Grandparent Scam." The Warren (OH) Tribune Chronicle (12/7, 72K) reports from Cleveland, "Two Tampa, Fla. men are charged in a nine-count federal indictment involving the scamming of elderly people throughout the Northern Ohio district." John Tyler Pla, 25, and Johnny Lee Palmer, 25, both of Tampa, "are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, according to U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. A federal grand jury sitting in Toledo returned the indictments. 'Protecting our district's elderly and vulnerable populations from scammers and fraudsters is an important part of the work we do every day at the Justice Department,' Herdman said." FBI Special Agent Eric B. Smith "said his unit is increasingly watching over the elderly to prevent scams. 'The FBI encourages everyone to educate their elderly family and friends on financial scams such as this,' Smith said, referring to the case against the Florida men." Pennsylvania Man Gets Long Prison Sentence For Conspiring To Distribute Heroin. The Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times Leader (12/7, Lewis, 115K) reports Pennsylvania resident Hakim Wilburn has been "sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison" for "conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin." Wilburn "and his wife, Danielle Moore, were arrested when agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and police in Hanover Township and Wilkes-Barre executed search warrants at a residence on Boland Avenue, Hanover Township, and other properties." The Wilkes-Barre (PA) Citizens' Voice (12/7, 149K) also covers Wilburn's 198-month sentence. Three Indicted For Selling Fentanyl In Connecticut. The Connecticut Post (12/7, O'Neill, 347K) reports Connecticut residents Kyle Pitts, Curon Jonson and Jabari Walcott "face federal charges for selling fentanyl in the Hartford area," according to a federal grand jury indictment. The Post highlights that "the FBI's Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force" was involved with the investigation of this case. Army Expected To Take Action Against "Significant Number" Of Servicemembers At Fort Hood. The SE (12/7, Baldor) reports, "Army leaders are expected to fire or suspend a 'significant number' of officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, in a dramatic purge to correct a command culture they believe failed to address leadership failures and a pattern of violence that included murders, sexual assaults and suicides." According to "officials familiar with the matter," Army Secretary McCarthy "will take administrative action that will remove soldiers from their jobs, and likely trigger investigations that could lead to a wide range of punishments." Death Of Green Beret, Army Veteran At Fort Bragg Under Investigation. EFTA00135842 The New Ynrk Times (12/7, Levenson, Ismay, Opam, 18.61M) reports the Army is "investigating the deaths last week of a Green Beret and an Army veteran whose bodies were found in a training area at Fort Bragg in North Carolina." While officials have not said how they died, "they said the deaths were not related to official unit training activities." Chris Grey, a spokesman for the Army Criminal Investigation Command, said in a statement, "I can confirm that we are investigating this as a homicide investigation. ... I will release more at the appropriate time." Connecticut Sailor Pleads Guilty To Sexually Assaulting Children, Producing Child Pornography. The New London (CT) Day (12/8, Florin, 109K) reports, "Navy sailor Randall J. Tilton faces up to 210 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in New Haven to what investigators say is one of the worst cases of sexual abuse of young children, two of whom were just 4 and 6 months old when he began to violate them." According to the Day, "The 31-year-old New Hampshire native, a Machinists Mate 1st Class stationed since 2016 at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton aboard the USS South Dakota, is also accused of producing pornographic images of his victims that were distributed via the internet and dark web. He pleaded guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography, each of which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison." FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS New Jersey Lab At Center Of FBI COVID-19 Test Warning Only Recently Opened. The Press of Atlantic City (NJ) (12/7, Lowe, 177K) reports from Ventnor, New Jersey, "The North Jersey-based diagnostic lab at the center of an FBI warning last week regarding the efficacy of its COVID-19 tests only recently moved into its Atlantic Avenue storefront, the building owners said." On Friday, the FBI "released a statement directing anyone who received a coronavirus test at the Infinity Diagnostic Laboratory at 6715 Atlantic Ave. to be retested as soon as possible. Although the statement did not specify what initiated the warning, it did include a notice that a 'rapid' finger prick blood test is an antibody test and should not be used for diagnosing active cases of COVID- 19." NBC10 News "reported that the building was raided by the FBI on Thursday, but officials from the FBI declined to comment citing an ongoing investigation." Former Los Angeles Councilman Pleads Not Guilty To Corruption Charges. The AP (12/7) reports from Los Angeles, "Former City Council member Jose Huizar pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges that he took bribes to help developers win favors for large building projects in the city's burgeoning downtown district." Huizar "entered the plea to a new racketeering indictment that added additional charges. The 41-count complaint includes allegations of bribery, honest services fraud and money laundering." Huizar "was arrested in June on allegations that he masterminded a $1.5 million pay-to-play scheme tied to the approval of developments. They induded a 77-story tower in Huizar's district that would have been the largest skyscraper west of the Mississippi River. The developer, who already had a hotel in the district, was accused of providing cash and benefits worth $800,000 to Huizar and others that induded a dozen trips to Las Vegas casinos and funds to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit against the councilman." The My News LA (CA) (12/7) reports, "Huizar, 52, of Boyle Heights, has a June 22 trial date in the case, which is a result of a federal investigation into alleged widespread corruption at Los Angeles City Hall that has also ensnared political operatives, lobbyists and the former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety." Huizar "was charged in July in a 34-count indictment that alleged a conspiracy to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act in which he's accused of agreeing to accept at least $1.5 million in illicit financial benefits. The racketeering charge alleges 402 overt acts that Huizar and his co-conspirators are accused of committing to further their criminal enterprise, including bribery, honest services fraud, and money laundering." EFTA00135843  KTLA-TV Los Angeles (12/7, Gutierrez, 766K) reports, "The superseding indictment also names Raymond Chan, a deputy mayor who oversaw economic development for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2016 and 2017. He also is a former general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety. The case has already resulted in guilty pleas from a former Huizar aide, a City Hall lobbyist and two real estate consultants." Bribery Trial Of Cincinnati Councilman Delayed. WXIX-TV Cincinnati (12/7, Baker, 42K) reports from Cincinnati, "The January trial date for suspended Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor on federal corruption-related charges has been postponed at the request of his lawyer and the attorney representing his business partner, who also faces charges, court documents show. 'In order to permit adequate time to review the voluminous discovery in this case, and due to the difficulties created by the recent surge in COVID- 19 cases in Ohio and nationwide, Defendants' counsel jointly requested a continuance of this matter. The Government did not object to the request,' the records state. 'Having been so advised and for good cause shown, the Court vacated the trial date previously set for January 11, 2021 and converted the final pretrial conference set for January 4, 2021 at 3:00pm to a telephonic status conference." Pastor "was accused in an indictment last month of bribery, extortion, wire fraud, money laundering and other crimes related to his role on council." Cincinnati Councilman Accepts Suspension After Bribery Arrest. The Cincinnati Enquirer (12/7, Coolidge, 223K) reports, "Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld has accepted a suspension from council, a process initiated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost after Sittenfeld was arrested on federal bribery charges. Sittenfeld will be paid his $65,000 salary while temporarily suspended. He said: 'This has been a very difficult time, ensuring false accusations, inaccurate stories and having some folks not be willing to wait to get the complete and accurate facts is painful for me and those around me.'" The Enquirer adds, "It will now be up to Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph 'Ted' Winkler, a Republican, to name a temporary replacement for Sittenfeld, who is a Democrat." Sittenfeld "is one of three Cincinnati councilmembers arrested and accused of pay-to-play schemes this year and the second member of council to accept a state suspension, which bars them from working, but allows them to collect their salary." US Charges Maryland Attorney In Alleged Scheme To Obtain Somali Government Assets. The Washington Post (12/7, Marimow, 14.2M) reports, "More than a decade ago, Bethesda lawyer Jeremy W. Schulman began working to reclaim millions of dollars belonging to the government of Somalia from accounts frozen during the country's years of political turmoil. Now, Schulman is facing the possibility of decades in prison after the government accused him of defrauding the people he was claiming to help." Prosecutors "say Schulman, who was indicted last week on federal fraud charges, exploited connections to the Somali government and pretended to officially represent the war-torn country's interests to enrich himself. His lawyers say that the Justice Department has it wrong and that Schulman was a trusted adviser and advocate of the Somali people." Schulman, 47, "made an initial appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms and through his lawyer pleaded not guilty to the charges." US Charges Ohio Developer With Embezzlement. The Akron (OH) Beacon Journal (12/7, 198K) reports that an Aurora, Ohio man "is accused of embezzling money through a nonprofit and using more than $1 million of it to gamble." Arthur Fayne, 58, "was indicted on wire fraud charges in federal court. The Cleveland-area real-estate developer is accused of using a subsidiary of a nonprofit to embezzle money for personal use. According to a press release from U.S. Attorney's Office in Cleveland, Fayne owned Business Development Concepts in Cleveland and was vice president of a subsidiary of an unnamed nonprofit. Fayne is accused of entering into contracts on behalf of the nonprofit that allowed him to divert money to himself." The Beacon Jopurnal adds, "According to the FBI, Fayne used that money for personal interests, including gambling. He's accused of using and losing more than $1 EFTA00135844 milli