EFTA00150422.pdf

From: To: Subject: - u is airs ews ne Ing e nes ay, u y 29, 2020 Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2020 10:25:50 +0000 Importan c Normal e: Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com. 1B1 News Briefing TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF DATE: WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020 6:30 AM EDT TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS LEADING THE NEWS • Barr Spars With Democrats At Contentious House Hearing. • Barr Says Democrats Have Tried To "Discredit" Him. • Barr Says Bash Investigating "High Number Of Unmaskings" During Obama Administration. PROTESTS • Memo Reveals Federal Agents Sought Role In Suppressing Protests Since Start. • New Mexico Governor Addresses Concerns About Federal Agents In Albuquerque. • Report: US, Oregon In Talks About Pulling Agents From Portland. • Portland Fines Federal Government For Unpermitted Fence Outside Courthouse. • US Park Police Head: Decision To Clear Protesters Not Linked To Trump "Photo Op." • Hundreds Of Cases Involving LAPD Officers Accused Of Corruption Under Review. • Minneapolis Police Link Protest Figure To White Supremacy Group. • Austin Police Release Video Of Deadly Shooting Of Latino Man. • Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of Two Protesters In Colorado. • Biden Calls For Violent Protesters To Be "Found, Arrested And Tried." • Hoyer Denies Democrats Support Violent Rioters, Appears To Liken Trump To Fascists. • WPost Analysis: Civilian Militia Groups Surge Amid Protests. • Miami Journalist: Latinos Should Stand Up For Their Black Neighbors. • Free Beacon: Criticisms A "Calculated Attempt To Tar Cotton's Character." COUNTER-TERRORISM • California Man Charged With Leading Online White Supremacist Group Devoted To Dylann Roof. • Pentagon Admits To Civilian Casualties In Somalia. COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE • Former FBI Agent Strzok Publishing Book In September About Trump, Russia. • Declassified Senate Intelligence Report Highlights Doubts About Steele Dossier. • Valerie Jarrett Pressed On Obama's Role In Russia Probe. • Eisen Says In New Book Mueller Refused To Admit Trump Committed "At Least Five Chargeable Crimes." EFTA00150422 • US Seeks To Dismiss Charges Against Ex-Twitter Employees Accused Of Spying For Saudi Arabia. • Lawmakers Aim To Deny Visas To Chinese Spies And Their Families. • Report: US To Order Drastic Reduction In Chinese Diplomats. • Op-Ed: The New "Cold War" Between The US And China Is A Dangerous Myth. • Singapore Spy Case Stirs Fears China Recruiting On Island State. • Revised Missile Pact With US To Facilitate South Korean Spy Satellite. • University Of Texas Says Researchers Will Be Contacted By FBI About China Contacts. • Rubio Doubts IC Global Threats Hearing Will Happen This Year. • Russian Intelligence Services Spreading Coronavirus Disinformation. CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS • Kansas City Man Charged In Beating Death. • Federal Prosecutors Oppose Maxwell's Effort To Name Epstein Victims. • Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty To Forced Labor. • FBI Agent Shoots Suspect In Arkansas. • Continuing Coverage: Colorado Police Officers Shot In Line Of Duty. • Ohio Man Faces Murder Charges. • Utah Sex Offender Arrested. • FBI Agents Searching Home Of Tennessee State Senator. • South Carolina Man Sentenced Over Firearms Charge. • FBI Investigating Murder Of Illinois Teenager. • Oklahoma Man Arrested Over Fatal Shooting. • Kansas Men Charged In Connection To Kidnapping. • Continuing Coverage: Colorado Man Charged With Assault. • Investigation In Kentucky Results In Drug Charges For 14 Individuals. • Multi-State Drug Investigation Operation Leads To 17 Arrests. • Georgia Man Arrested For Methamphetamine Trafficking. • New York Man Sentenced For Drug Trafficking. • Police Investigating 2011 Disappearance Of North Carolina Man. • Michigan Police Reopening Investigation Into 1967 Cold Case. • FBI Investigating Illinois Bank Robbery. • New Mexico Man Arrested In Connection To Bank Robbery. • Continuing Coverage: Ohio Man Accused Of Carjacking. • Washington Drug Investigation Leads To 19 Indictments. • Multiple New York Defendants Plead Guilty To Conspiring To Distribute Meth. FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS • Florida Man Charged With PPP Fraud. • HSI Has Seized More Than $7M In COVID-19 Fraud Proceeds. • Former Ohio Candidate Says He Was FBI Informant In Householder Probe. • Former New Jersey Mayor Sentencing Delayed. • College Admissions Scheme Mastermind Was Working On His Own Degree Until Last Week. • Watchdog At SBA Reports Having Seen Indications Of Extensive Fraud In Emergency Loan Program. CYBER DIVISION • Republicans Raise Concerns TikTok Could Be Used By Chinese Government Interfere In Elections. • Op-Ed: The Cyberattack On Garmin Poses A Complicated Question For The US Government. • Chinese Hackers Infiltrated Vatican Network. • Foreign Hackers Exploit Pandemic. • Op-Ed: In An Evaporating CODA Loop, Time Is Of The Essence. EFTA00150423 • Langevin Calls Hill Oversight On Cyber "Absolutely Essential." • US Government Issues Warning To Critical Infrastructure Providers. • US Army Cyber Chief Outlines Ten-year Plan For Information Warfare. • Lindy Cameron Named New Head Of GCHQ Cyber Security Agency. LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES • Democrats Investigating Administration Decision To Lift Ban On Some Firearm Silencer Sales. • WPost: Federal Consent Decree Needed To Fix Alabama's "Grotesque" Prisons. OTHER FBI NEWS • Lawmakers Object To FBI HQ Funding In Coronavirus Bill. • Judge Says Finicum Lawsuit Against Oregon Authorities May Proceed, But Not Against FBI. OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS • White House Task Force Now Lists 21 States In "Red Zone." • Pence Credits Trump For Vaccine Progress. • Azar Says US Performing 800K Tests Per Day. • Wilkie: VA Nursing Homes Have Just Two Current COVID Cases. • Birx Meets With Virginia Officials About Coronavirus Mitigation. • Kodak Lands $765M Federal Loan For Pharmaceutical Manufacture. • Twitter Removes Trump Retweet Of Video With Controversial COVID Claims. • Politico Analysis: Trump Reverts To "Typical Behavior" After Briefly Staying On Message. • WPost Analysis: Trump One Factor In Nation's "Fraught Relationship With Masks." • Politico Analysis: Pandemic Is Pushing Biden, Democrats To Left On Healthcare. • Third Church Will Take Challenge To State Worship Restrictions To Supreme Court. • Future Of MLB Season In Doubt Amid COVID Outbreak. • Many Colleges Changing Plans For Fall. • CES 2021 To Be A Digital-Only Event. • New York Paramedic Describes Impact Working During Pandemic Has Had On Him. • WSJournal Responds To Senators' Criticism Of Meat Processing Facilities. • Administration To Reject All New DACA Applications. • Trump Calls Senate GOP Coronavirus Bill "Sort Of Semi-Irrelevant." • House Panel Expected To Question Tech CEOs On Antitrust Issues, Social Media Accountability. • VA IG: Breakdown At DC Hospital Preceded Veteran's Suicide. • Senate Democrats Assail Pompeo's Management Of State Department. • DO) Issues Guidance On Awarding Grants To Religious Groups. • Census Officials Worry White House Is Pushing To Complete Count Early. INTERNATIONAL NEWS • Pfizer CEO: Other Countries Will Not Pay Less Than US For Vaccine. • UN Report: Virus-Linked Hunger Causing 10,000 Children To Die Every Month. • China Continues To Report Rise In New Cases. • Defector Who Returned To North Korea Suspected Of Bringing COVID To Nation. • European Countries See "Worrying Rise" In New Coronavirus Cases. • WSJournal: Global Increases Show Lockdowns Won't Stop Virus' Spread. • Iranian Military Exercise Includes Attack On Mock US Aircraft Carrier. • Former Iranian President Reached Out To Saudi Crown Prince. • Iran Moves Imprisoned British-Australian Woman To "Notorious" Prison. • Taliban Declares Temporary Cease-Fire To Mark Eid Al-Adha. • US, Australia Vow To Pursue United Front Against China. • Report: US, Russia Space Security Talks End. EFTA00150424 • US Sanctions Two Former Venezuelan Officials. • Gallup Poll: Global View Of US Leadership Remains Weak. THE BIG PICTURE • Headlines From Today's Front Pages. WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE • Today's Events In Washington. LEADING THE NEWS Barr Spars With Democrats At Contentious House Hearing. Media coverage of Attorney General Barr's testimony before the House Judiciary Committee highlighted the contentious exchanges between Barr and Democratic lawmakers, with ABC World News TonightVi (7/28, story 4, 3:00, Muir, 7.32M) and NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/28, story 6, 2:00, Holt, 6.05M) describing the hearing as "heated," Politico (7/28, Cheney, Swan, 4.29M) as "disjointed and testy," and the New York Times (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) as "increasingly combative as the hours wore on." "Democrat after Democrat," adds the limes, posed "questions to Mr. Barr...only to cut him off when he tried to reply, substituting their own replies for his." The Times further recounts that "clearly frustrated, Mr. Barr complained at one point: `This is a hearing. I thought I was the one who was supposed to be heard.' At another point, after being reminded he was under oath," Barr "insisted, `I'm going to answer the damn question." Reports also highlight the AG's forceful defense of the government's efforts to quell what he cast as violent protests across the country. The AP (7/28, Tucker, Jalonick, Balsamo), for example, quotes Barr as saying that "violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests. ... Largely absent from these scenes of destruction are even superficial attempts by the rioters to connect their actions to George Floyd's death or any legitimate call for reform." The Washington Times (7/28, Al, Mordock, 492K) reports Barr also "called out Democrats' refusal to condemn the violence that has swept across Portland, Oregon, and other American cities," saying, "What makes me concerned for the country is this is the first time in my memory the leaders of one of our great two political parties, the Democratic Party, are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attack on federal courts." There was, however, a marked ideological split on the focus of the reporting, with conservative publications highlighting Barr's description of the protesters' violence and most mainstream media outlets building their accounts around Democratic accusations against Barr, which described this way by Politico (7/28, Cheney, Swan, 4.29M), "Democrats went into the hearing intending to highlight a single theme: That Barr distorted the Justice Department in service of [President] Trump's political agenda." NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/28, story 6, 2:00, Holt, 6.05M) reported, for example, that "Democrats said the federal deployments are intended to give the President footage for campaign ads." Nadler was shown saying, "You are projecting fear and violence nationwide in pursuit of obvious political objectives. Shame on you, Mr. Barr." Barr replied that "attackers at the Portland courthouse have set fires." Without attributing the charge to Democrats, the New York Times (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) asserts it its report that "the federal intervention...appears to be a critical campaign strategy by Mr. Trump who is trying to stoke a sense that Democrats are leading the country into chaos." The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/28, story 3, 2:20, O'Donnell, 4.37M) also led its report indicating "Democrats accused...Barr of doing...Trump's political bidding and of a double standard by using federal agents against protesters in Portland, while ignoring armed militias who took over Michigan's capital building earlier this year." ABC World News TonightVi (7/28, EFTA00150425 story 4, 3:00, Muir, 7.32M) said, meanwhile, that Barr was "under attack," with "Republicans helping" him to "make his case." USA Today (7/28, Phillips, Johnson, 10.31M) similarly casts Barr as "countering Democratic lawmakers who have characterized federal officers' actions against protesters as unconstitutional, politically charged fearmongering," and adds that the AG's "long-sought testimony comes as House Democrats investigate alleged political interference at the Justice Department, claiming that the attorney general has turned it into a political annex of the Trump White House." Fox News (7/28, Blitzer, 27.59M) reports Barr "did not shy away from Democrats' accusations against him," and the New York Times (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) that he "came out swinging." Bloomberg (7/28, Strohm, House, 4.73M) also says Barr "offered a combative defense of his independence from...Trump," and quotes him as saying, "The president has not attempted to interfere. On the contrary, he has told me from the start that he expects me to exercise my independent judgment to make whatever call I think is right." The Los Angeles Times (7/28, Wilber, 4.64M), meanwhile, was one of the few mainstream outlets to quote Barr as saying, "Every night for the past two months, a mob of hundreds of rioters has laid siege to the federal courthouse and other nearby federal property. ... The rioters arrive equipped for a fight, armed with powerful slingshots, tasers, sledgehammers, saws, knives, rifles and explosive devices. Inside the courthouse are a relatively small number of federal law enforcement personnel charged with a defensive mission: to protect the courthouse. ... Since when is it OK to try to burn down a federal court?" The Times adds that "local officials in Portland say that the presence of federal law enforcement agencies in the city has been inflaming the situation, making the violence worse, not better." The Federalist (7/28, Gottschalk, 126K) reports Barr also said yesterday, "To state what should be obvious, peaceful protesters do not throw explosives into federal courthouses, tear down plywood with crowbars, or launch fecal matter at federal officers. Such acts are in fact federal crimes under statutes enacted by this Congress." Breitbart (7/28, Pollak, 673K) recounts Barr also asked Democrats, "Why can't we just say: 'Violence against federal courts has to stop?' Could we hear something like that?" National Review (7/28, Bernstein, 731K) notes Barr went on to say, "We should all be able to agree that there is no place in this country for armed mobs that seek to establish autonomous zones beyond government control, or tear down statues and monuments that law- abiding communities chose to erect, or to destroy the property and livelihoods of innocent business owners." The New York Post (7/28, Bowden, 4.57M) reports, meanwhile, that Barr also said he "is concerned that Antifa-led violence will grow and spread across the country if state officials allow riots to continue rocking their cities." Barr stated, "I don't think it's a myth," and that "the violent far-left radical group was 'heavily represented in the recent riots." Added Barr, "It's a national organization that moves nationally. ... We are concerned about this problem metastasizing around the country." Along those lines, the President tweeted yesterday, 'Nadler calls ANTIFA violence a MYTH.' @foxandfriends They are Anarchists with miles of 'tape' showing their illegal activity. Jerry, blame it on Russia, Russia, Russia!" Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said on Fox News' Hannity (7/28, 535K), "I think at the end of the day, this is really a lost opportunity for the American people. There are many Americans who want to know more about why the Attorney General has made certain decisions that he's made and taken some of the actions that he's taken, and the Attorney General was prepared to answer those questions today. He's been preparing for weeks. But instead, the Democrats...would ask him questions and then they would refuse to let him answer those questions. The only conclusion that I can draw at least from that is perhaps maybe they realize there is no there, there. There are no buried bodies. There really aren't any scandals like the ones that the media has been drumming u[ for some time." EFTA00150426  In an editorial, USA Today (7/28, 10.31M) calls the federal government's approach to the protests "corrosive to democracy and contemptuous of conservative principles," and concludes "the American people can spot a ploy to change the subject from the ravages of COVID-19 and the Trump administration's horrible job in combating it." USA Today (7/28, 10.31M) runs its editorial side by side with Barr's opening statement to the Committee. Former DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, meanwhile, writes in the New York Times (7/28, 18.61M) that "the Trump administration's deliberate decision to intervene in the Portland protests with a heavy hand, unconventional means and inflammatory political rhetoric has contributed to growing public distrust - particularly of the Department of Homeland Security," whose "critics...are now rightly worried that its law enforcement agents might be increasingly deployed by...Trump to score political points, or even interfere with the November election." McClatchy (7/28, Wilner, Nozicka, 19K), the Wall Street Journal (7/28, Al, Gurman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) and Daily Caller (7/28, Kruta, 716K), among other news outlets, have more on Barr's testimony. Barr Defends Decision To Drop Flynn Prosecution. The Hill (7/28, Beavers, Neidig, 2.98M) reports that Barr "defended the stunning move" by the DOJ to drop charges against Michael Flynn. Barr "said that the FBI investigation that led to Flynn's questioning had been plagued with problems and that he no longer believed that the prosecution was supported by the facts." Meanwhile, the Austin (TX) American Statesman (7/28, Recio, Subscription Publication, 343K) reports that Barr "disclosed Tuesday that he has directed John Bash, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, to investigate the 'unmasking" of Flynn. The "new inquiry, which is on top of another one ordered earlier this year by Barr to examine the FBI's Trump campaign-Russia surveillance, marks an escalation of the Trump administration's attacks on federal officials and the Obama administration in advance of the presidential election." CNN (7/28, Shortell, Herb, 83.16M) reports that that Barr also sparred with Rep. Hank Johnson (D) over the sentencing of Roger Stone "as Johnson repeatedly refused to let Barr respond while the Georgia Democrat recounted the episode." More broadly, CNBC (7/28, Breuninger, Macias, 3.62M) says on its website that Barr "offered a full-throated defense of his much-criticized conduct in the federal probe of Russian election interference." CNBC also reports that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the committee's ranking member, "launched into his opening statement by decrying the Russia probe as a coordinated effort by Democrats to undermine Trump." Jordan said to Barr, "Spying. That one word, that's why they're after you." A Wall Street Journal (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorial lauds the investigation and argues that Americans deserve a full accounting of the FBI and Justice Department's intervention in the 2016 election. Barr Doesn't Rule Out Release Of Durham Report During Election. Politico (7/28, Gerstein, 4.29M) reports that a "highly anticipated forthcoming report from U.S. Attorney John Durham on the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation won't trigger a Justice Department policy against interference in the 2020 presidential race, so the review could be released in the weeks leading up to the November election," Barr said Tuesday. Barr said, "I will be very careful. I know what Justice Department policy is. Any report will be, in my judgment, not one that is covered by the policy and would disrupt the election." McEnany: Democrats' Criticism Of Barr Is Rooted In His Probe Of "Russia-gate." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/28, 831K), "The real problem that Democrats have with Attorney General Barr is he's actually taking Russia-gate seriously, this bogus sham effort that was launched against President Trump when he was just a candidate and went into his Administration. The fact that Bill Barr is looking into why Obama Administration spied on Trump campaign is their real problem." Barn "Possible" Pelosi's Comments Put Law Enforcement In Danger. Politico (7/28, Forgey, 4.29M) reports "Barr on Tuesday accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) EFTA00150427 of potentially endangering America's law enforcement community by likening the federal officers occupying Portland, Ore., to the 'stormtroopers' of Nazi Germany." Asked "whether Pelosi's comparison "encourages the violence that we're seeing" and 'participation against the police' at anti-racism protests," Barr Replied, "I think that's possible, and I think it's irresponsible to call these federal law enforcement officers Istormtroopers.'" Pelosi: Barr "Despicable." Pelosi said on MSNBC The BeatVi (7/28, 1.44M) that Barr's testimony "demonstrated to the American people the contempt that he has for our democracy. ... I just thought he was despicable and so beneath the dignity of an Attorney General." Pelosi added that Barr "is there to support the President, Donald Trump, no matter what. He's not the President's lawyer. ... He is the Attorney General of the United States of America. Too bad he doesn't care or realize that." Richmond Accuses Barr, Sessions, Whitaker Of Racism. ABC World News TonightVi (7/28, story 4, 3:00, Muir, 7.32M) reported that during his testimony, Barr said he" had paid his respects to the late Rep. John Lewis." ABC added that "later, Congressman Cedric Richmond [D- LA) had this to say." Richmond was shown saying, "The one thing that you have in common with your two predecessors, both Attorney General Sessions and Attorney General Whitaker, is that when you all came here and brought your top staff, you brought no black people. That, sir, is systematic racism. That is exactly what John Lewis spent his life fighting. And so, I would just suggest that actions speak louder than words. And, you should really keep the name of the honorable John Lewis out of the Department of Justice's mouth." Pence Criticizes Democrats, Says Violence "Has Got To Stop." Vice President Pence said on Fox News The StoryY (7/28), "It was clear that the Democrats on the Committee wanted to be heard more than they wanted to listen. Bill Barr is leading the Justice Department in this country with great integrity. ... It was clear that the Democrats wanted to hear themselves talk more than they wanted to hear from the Attorney General of the United States." Pence also said on Fox News The StoryY (7/28), "The violence in Portland has got to stop." The President "has made it clear, we will have law and order in our streets. With Joe Biden and the radical Democrats, they want to defund the police. While what we are going to do is find a law enforcement, stand up for 'law & order' and that begins right in Portland." Pence also said, "The reality is that the Mayor of Portland and the local community has allowed violent protesters to overrun that community. That community was looking the other way on groups like Antifa a long time ago, and now they are paying a price." Jordan Airs Video Of Violent Protests And Media Calling Them "Peaceful." Townhall (7/28, O'Brien, 177K) reports Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) "asked for a video to be shown" at hearing. The videoY "began with clips of different media outlets referring to the riots we've seen these past few months as 'peaceful protests," then "cut to a presser about the death of retired black police captain David Dorn, who was killed during a riot in St. Louis as he was helping protect a local business." The video "proceeded to show other footage of rioters toppling statues, looting local businesses, and running over police officers. It was scary, scary stuff." Townhall "included the video here but be warned it does have some graphic and disturbing footage." Fox News (7/28, Flood, 27.59M) recounts "a variety of MSNBC and CNN hosts made cameos" in the video, including "everyone from CNN's Don Lemon to NBC News' Chuck Todd dismissing violence amid images of burning buildings and attacks on law enforcement." The video, "which irked...Nadler," also "featured MSNBC host Ali Velshi famously declaring he was covering a 'mostly a protest' despite a building burning right behind him," and adding, "It is not, generally speaking, unruly." The Washington Examiner (7/28, Dibble, 448K) reports Jordan also "condemned Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee for what became a pattern of asking questions of...Barr only to interrupt and not allow him to answer." Jordan, who is "the top Republican on the panel, noted hours into the hearing that Democratic members had repeatedly cut off Barr EFTA00150428 while shouting that they were `reclaiming my time,' and "asked why Democrats even invited Barr to testify if they were not going to allow him to fully answer their queries." Barr Says Democrats Have Tried To "Discredit" Him. The Washington Post (7/28, Al, Zapotosky, Demirjian, Wagner, 14.2M) reports that in a written statement to the House Judiciary Committee, before which he testified on Tuesday, Attorney General Barr "alleged that Democrats have tried to discredit' him since he vowed to investigate the 2016 FBI probe of possible coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign and that the media has been unfair in covering the unrest." Reuters (7/28, Lynch, Wolfe) reports that Barr also "den[ied] accusations he is doing...Trump's bidding by intervening in high-profile cases." Reuters says that as Tuesday's hearing opened, House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler told Barr, "Your tenure is marked by a persistent war against the Department's professional core in an apparent effort to secure favors for the President." Barr "denied taking actions to help Trump associates, saying they do not deserve special breaks but also should not be treated more harshly than other defendants." Reuters says Barr "also incited Democrats' fury by saying a report being drafted by federal prosecutor John Durham that is expected to highlight missteps by US intelligence agencies during their 2016 probe into collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia could be made public before the 2020 presidential election." CNBC (7/28, Breuninger, Macias, 3.62M) says on its website that Barr "offered a full- throated defense of his much-criticized conduct in the federal probe of Russian election interference." CNBC also reports that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the committee's ranking member, "launched into his opening statement by decrying the Russia probe as a coordinated effort by Democrats to undermine Trump." Jordan said to Barr, "Spying. That one word, that's why they're after you." The New York Times (7/28, Fandos, Savage, Lafraniere, Qiu, 18.61M) reports that Barr also "accused Democrats of demonizing him because he believed the Trump-Russia investigation was misguided." The Times says Democrats "attacked Mr. Barr's intervention to recommend a shorter prison sentence for Mr. Trump's longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr. on seven felony crimes," but Barr "defended his extraordinary decision to overrule career prosecutors, saying that they were trying to treat Mr. Stone more harshly than other defendants." Barr said, "The prosecutors were trying to advocate for a sentence that was more than twice what anyone else in a similar position had ever served. ... This is a 67-year-old man, first-time offender, no violence, they were trying to put them in jail for seven to nine years. I was not going to advocate that. That is not the rule of law." The Washington Examiner (7/28, Mastrangelo, 448K) says Barr "struggled to offer a response during a round of questioning" from Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), who "peppered the attorney general with questions about the Roger Stone sentencing, President Trump's Twitter feed, and Barr's role as head of the Justice Department and handling of the case." Johnson said, "You filed a sentencing recommendation hours after President Trump tweeted his dissatisfaction with the Stone recommendation." Barr said, "No, the night before," to which Johnson replied, "I know your story." The Examiner says Barr "shot back," "I'm telling my story, that's what I'm here to do ... That's why I'm here," and Johnson replied, "You're here to answer my questions." The Examiner said the exchange was "one of several instances on Tuesday during which Democrats asked Barr probing questions about his conversations with Trump and conduct as attorney general but did not allow Barr to offer a response." Department of Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said on Fox News' Hannity (7/28, 535K) that she found it "particularly ironic" that "the Democrats were hurling their usual allegations at the attorney general, insisting that he was helping President Trump and helping President Trump's friends when in fact the only political pressure that I saw today was that from the Democrats towards the Attorney General as they berated him for not going harsher on Roger Stone, a first-time nonviolent offender, which as we saw when the Attorney General made the EFTA00150429 recommendation that he did, the judge in that case who is no friend of this Administration, ultimately agreed with the AG. So, if we are going to talk about political pressure that's where it was at." McEnany: Democrats' Criticism Of Barr Is Rooted In His Probe Of "Russia-gate." White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News' Fox & Friends (7/28, 831K), "The real problem that Democrats have with Attorney General Barr is he's actually taking Russia-gate seriously, this bogus sham effort that was launched against President Trump when he was just a candidate and went into his Administration. The fact that Bill Barr is looking into why Obama Administration spied on Trump campaign is their real problem." Barr Says Bash Investigating "High Number Of Unmaskings" During Obama Administration. The Washington Times (7/28, Mordock, 492K) reports that in testimony before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Attorney General Barr "revealed...that he's appointed another U.S. attorney to investigate requests by top Obama officials to 'unmask' President Trump's former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn." Barr "said he's asked John Bash, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, to look into the unmasking requests." Barr told the panel, "I've asked another US attorney to look into the issue of unmasking because of the high number of unmaskings and some that do not readily appear in the line of normal business." Barr "said that review will be independent of Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham's investigation into the origins of the Russia-collusion investigation." Townhall (7/28, Pavlich, 177K) reports that Barr "reconfirmed" that Bash is investigating the unmaskings. A Wall Street Journal (7/28, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) editorial lauds the investigation and argues that Americans deserve a full accounting of the FBI and Justice Department's intervention in the 2016 election. PROTESTS Memo Reveals Federal Agents Sought Role In Suppressing Protests Since Start. The New York Times (7/28, Al, Kanno-Youngs, Olmos, Baker, Goldman, 18.61M) reports that "from the earliest days of the recent protests against police brutality and racism, some top federal law enforcement officials viewed the demonstrators with alarm and called for an aggressive federal response that two months later continues to escalate." A memo from FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich dated June 2 "demanded an immediate mobilization," declaring the situation "a national crisis," and said that in addition to investigating "violent protesters, instigators" and "inciters," bureau leaders should collect information with "robust social media exploitation teams" and examine what appeared to be "highly organized behavior." Poll: Nearly Two-Thirds Of Americans Support Protests Against Racial Injustice. USA Today (7/28, Behrmann, 10.31M) reports, "Nearly two-thirds of Americans support the recent protests against racial injustice, a new Gallup poll released Tuesday revealed." The poll found that "65% of US adults support the protests." Additionally, "53% said the protests 'will help' public support for equality and racial justice versus 34% who said they would 'hurt' and 13% who said they will 'make no difference." In terms of support for the protests, "92% of Black Americans said they support the protests, while 89% of Asian Americans, 70% of Hispanics and 59% of white respondents said they do." New Mexico Governor Addresses Concerns About Federal Agents In Albuquerque. KOB-TV Albuquerque, NM (7/26, 51K) reports, "Gov. Lujan Grisham said there's been a dialogue and cooperation with federal agents, but she's still pushing back against the plan to add about 35 more." Grisham "also said she talked to the U.S. attorney assigned to this operation and explained her expectations when it comes to the federal agents. 'They will EFTA00150430 integrate into the operations that we already have. He certainly gave me every indication that he's willing to do that,' she said." Grisham "mentioned the claim that there's still nearly $10 million that New Mexico hasn't received from the federal government. 'They have not provided the federal funding that was promised to Albuquerque for police and crime interventions,' she said." Report: US, Oregon In Talks About Pulling Agents From Portland. The AP (7/28) reports the Administration has "started talks with the Oregon governor's office and indicated that it would begin to draw down the presence of federal agents sent to quell two months of chaotic protests in Portland if the state stepped up its own enforcement, a senior White House official said Tuesday." The official, however, stressed that the talks with the office of Gov. Kate Brown (D) "are in the early stages and there is no agreement." Brown didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. ACLU Seeks Contempt Findings, Sanctions Against Federal Officers In Portland. The Oregonian (7/28, Bernstein, 1M) reports the ACLU of Oregon is "asking a federal judge to find federal law enforcement operating in Portland in contempt of his order that barred the officers from assaulting or threatening to assault journalists or legal observers during declared riots or unlawful assemblies." The group also is asking US District Judge Michael H. Simon "to sanction the agents for violating the order and urges the judge to make" Acting DHS Secretary Wolf and Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli "personally appear before him court." In the motion filed Tuesday, federal officers are accused of firing pepper spray "into the faces of multiple marked legal observers 'at point blank range," and shooting "another legal observer in the chest with a rubber bullet from four feet away." Portland Fines Federal Government For Unpermitted Fence Outside Courthouse. The Oregonian (7/28, Theen, 1M) reports Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly said Tuesday the city is "fining the federal government $500 every 15 minutes - the maximum charge allowed - until it removes an unpermitted fence blocking a bike lane" outside the federal courthouse in the city. Eudaly "said the government hasn't responded to her demand to remove the fence," and the fine is now $192,000 "and counting." Protesters Attack Courthouse, Burn American Flag. NBC Nightly NewsVi (7/28, story 7, 1:40, Holt, 6.05M) reported, "In Portland, there was new violence around that federal courthouse." NBC (McLaughlin) added, "It's 9:00 at night. Protestors marched towards Portland's federal courthouse" and "burn a bonfire outside the courthouse fence, including an American flag. Near midnight, hundreds have gathered. Some protestors begin launching fireworks at the courthouse. Flames can be seen. There's a large blast inside the fence. Federal agents later respond with flash bangs and tear gas." Then, "just past 1:00 am, protestors confront federal agents in the streets." DHS "officials tell us they're there because Portland officials won't protect federal property." Acting DHS Secretary Wolf was shown saying, "This has nothing to do with nonviolent or peaceful demonstrations. This has to do with violence against law enforcement officials on federal property." However, added NBC, "state and local officials say they want them gone." In an interview with Sinclair Broadcasting GroupVI (7/28, 38K), Wolf was asked about claims that the presence of federal officers in Portland has made matters worse. Wolf said, "I dismiss that. The Mayor is on record before we arrived saying that the city has been experiencing over a month of violence and is pleading with his city to stop. What we know it was violent before DHS arrived and it continues to be violent." Asked about the Mayor's call for a "cease fire," Wolf said, "That term is objectionable. It is wrong. It is inaccurate. It is not a cease fire. Federal law enforcement is there doing their job day in and day out, the same job that we have done for decades there. If the Mayor and the Portland Police Department want to step up and do the job that they should do, we can end the violence in a matter of days." EFTA00150431  Acting CBP Commissioner Morgan said on the Brian Kilmeade ShowVi (7/28), "The violence was there in Portland well before we put additional resources there. We had actual, credible intelligence that the federal building was going to be attacked by anarchists. That is why we put additional resources and lo and behold, that is exactly what has happened and it has been happening for the last four and a half weeks every single night, destroying the building and harming, potentially harming federal agents and officers. That is the truth. That is the facts." US Park Police Head: Decision To Clear Protesters Not Linked To Trump "Photo Op." The AP (7/28, Knickmeyer) reports that in testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday, Gregory Monahan, the head of US Park Police, "insisted...that the forceful routing of protesters from the square in front of the White House last month had 'zero correlation' with President Donald Trump's staged photo event minutes later." However, Monahan "was unable to point to any immediate threat that justified his officers' sudden, violent drive against the hundreds gathered there." Attorney General Barr, "testifying separately on Trump's deployment of hundreds of federal officers and agents against nationwide protests this spring and summer, also distanced Trump's photo event from the decision to drive demonstrators from Lafayette Square that night." Barr is quoted as saying, "This was something conceived of long before and didn't turn on the nature of the crowd." Politico (7/28, Adragna, 4.29M) reports Monahan's testimony "claiming officers followed all rules in a volatile situation paints a far different image than the prepared testimony from a major in the D.C. National Guard who later told the panel the protestors' removal was 'deeply disturbing' and appeared to be an infringement of their First Amendment rights." Monahan "committed to providing documentation to the committee chronicling what he called a 'sustained level of violence,' and said the days of demonstrations were 'one of the most violent' protests he'd experienced over the course of his decades-long career." The New York Times (7/28, Edmondson, 18.61M) reports when "pressed repeatedly to square his remarks with evidence captured during the demonstrations that his officers attacked protesters, Mr. Monahan demurred." Monahan, the Washington Post (7/28, Jackman, 14.2M) reports, acknowledged that he was informed that President Trump "would be visiting Lafayette Square later that day, but that the decision to forcefully clear protesters from the park at 6:30 that evening was unrelated to Trump's visit soon after." The two events, he said, were a coincidence. USA Today (7/28, Wu, 10.31M) reports House Natural Resources Chairman Raul Grijalva "said what he heard from the Trump administration on its response to protests were 'outright lies' and warned of 'creeping authoritarianism' in its heavy-handed sponses to protests." Hundreds Of Cases Involving LAPD Officers Accused Of Corruption Under Review. The Los Angeles Times (7/28, Rector, Queally, Poston, 4.64M) reports that "hundreds of criminal cases involving three city police officers charged earlier this month with falsifying evidence are now under review by prosecutors after corruption allegations sparked questions about whether their past police work could be suspect." Prosecutors are "analyzing pending cases to determine if they can move forward on the strength of evidence other than the charged officers' testimony, but past cases and convictions - including those based on plea deals - could also be revisited, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey said." Minneapolis Police Link Protest Figure To White Supremacy Group. The New York Times (7/28, Macfarquhar, 18.61M) reports that in "one of the first widely shared images of wanton destruction to emerge from the protests in Minneapolis" after George Floyd's death was a "tall man, dressed head to toe in black, including a black gas mask and a black umbrella." Given the nickname "Umbrella Man," Minneapolis police "unsuccessfully tried to identify the man," but "after receiving a tip about his identity, they used other photographs, EFTA00150432 including a driver's license, to zero in on a suspect who they say has ties to the Hells Angels and a prison biker gang." In a search warrant affidavit filed in Hennepin County District Court on Monday, police asserted the suspect "hoped to instigate racial unrest." Austin Police Release Video Of Deadly Shooting Of Latino Man. The CBS Evening NewsVi (7/28, story 4, 0:30, O'Donnell, 4.37M) reported, "A new policy in Austin, Texas, has forced the police there to release video of the deadly shooting of a Black and Latino man named Michael Ramos" back in April. The video shows Ramos "getting out of his car with his hands and shirt raised. Police first shoot Ramos with a bean bag round before he gets back in his car and starts driving. That's when Ramos was shot dead. He was later found to be unarmed. Two officers are now on administrative duty. The case won't go to a grand jury until next year." Suspect Arrested In Shooting Of Two Protesters In Colorado. The AP (7/28) reports that a man "at a weekend Colorado protest who shot and wounded two demonstrators after he apparently aimed at a Jeep driving toward protesters has been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide, authorities said." Police in Aurora "said Samuel Young, 23, was arrested on Monday after authorities made public a picture of a person of interest in the case and sought help from the public to identify him." The Daily Caller (7/28, Safi, 716K) reports "the driver of the Jeep has not been arrested or identified publicly, although police seized the vehicle as evidence." Police are "still trying to determine why the driver appeared to drive toward protesters." Biden Calls For Violent Protesters To Be "Found, Arrested And Tried." The New York Post (7/28, Nelson, 4.57M) reports Joe Biden on Tuesday "called for the arrest of violent protesters." Striking "a discordant tone with fellow liberals who insist protests against the May killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police are peaceful, and that authorities are to blame for any violence in Portland and other cities," Biden said, "I think we do need to hold those who violate the law accountable. We should never let what's done in a march for equal rights overcome what the reason for the march is. And that's what these folks are doing. And they should be arrested - found, arrested and tried." More Than 100 Police Agencies Pull Out Of Democratic Convention. The AP (7/28) reports that "more than 100 police agencies are withdrawing from agreements to send personnel to bolster security at next month's Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, in part because they're concerned about a recent directive ordering police in the city to stop using tear gas to control crowds." Since the Milwaukee order was issued last week, "more than 100 law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin and across the country decided against coming to Milwaukee." Hoyer Denies Democrats Support Violent Rioters, Appears To Liken Trump To Fascists. The Washington Examiner (7/28, Picket, 448K) reports House Majority Leader Hoyer "rejected President Trump's assertion that Democrats condone acts of violence and criminality committed by rioters in Portland and other cities across the country." Said Hoyer, "[He] posits that criminal behavior violence is happening with respect to the demonstrations. The assertion that any of us sanction the use of violence or the use criminal behavior in these demonstrations is absolutely untrue." Hoyer also said, "Frankly, we have seen down through history that fascist leaders and those would-be dictators try to scare the populace into thinking that they are under some mob assault." WPost Analysis: Civilian Militia Groups Surge Amid Protests. EFTA00150433 A 3,400-word Washington Post (7/28, Al, Partlow, 14.2M) report examines how this summer's protests against racial injustice has "energiz[ed] conservatives who are deploying to the front lines of the culture war. Across the country, conservative armed civilians have surged into public view - marching on statehouses, challenging Black Lives Matter protests, chasing Internet rumors - and bringing the threat of lethal force to local politics." Miami Journalist: Latinos Should Stand Up For Their Black Neighbors. Miami journalist Lizette Alvarez writes in a Washington Post (7/28, 14.2M) op-ed that "when the Black Lives Matter movement roared into South Florida," she "was caught off guard. I hadn't fully realized the subtle ways that racism thrives in Miami, my hometown, a place dominated by a white Latino supermajority." In the city, Alvarez writes, "there is indifference, or outright hostility, to the Black Lives Matter movement." She argues that "it's certainly recent enough for Miami's white Latinos to remember the oppression our own families overcame, and to honor them by standing up for our black neighbors today." Free Beacon: Criticisms A "Calculated Attempt To Tar Cotton's Character." The Washington Free Beacon (7/28, 78K) editorializes that recent criticisms of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) over his remarks about the New York Times' 1619 Project represent "a calculated attempt to tar Cotton's character. The same was true when New York Times staffers raised selective outrage at Cotton's op-ed calling for order in the streets." Cotton, the Free Beacon writes, "should wear these latest attacks as a badge of honor." COUNTER-TERRORISM California Man Charged With Leading Online White Supremacist Group Devoted To Dylann Roof. The Sacramento (CA) Bee (7/28, Stanton, 567K) reports, "An Orangevale man who has reportedly led a secret online life as leader of a neo-Nazi movement that idolizes church shooter Dylann Roof is under investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office in connection with racist graffiti and had a firearm seized earlier this month over fears that he might become a "lone wolf" attacker, court records say." Andrew Richard Casarez, 27, "has been under investigation since December 'regarding graffiti which appeared to be motivated by hate/race' and became the subject of an emergency gun violence protective order after an online website identified him as an online poster in white supremacy sites known as 'Vic Mackey,' the purported leader of a group known as the 'Bowl Patrol." Pentagon Admits To Civilian Casualties In Somalia. The New York Times (7/28, Gibbons-Neff, 18.61M) reports the Pentagon has "admitted for the third time that its bombing campaign against terrorist groups in Somalia, which has been underway for more than a decade, had caused civilian casualties there, a military report said on Tuesday." The announcement by AFRICOM "substantiated reports by Amnesty International that a U.S. airstrike on Feb. 2 in the Somali town of Jilib killed Nurto Kusow Omar Abukar, 18, and injured her two younger sisters and grandmother." In the report, AFRICOM Commander Gen. Stephen 3. Townsend wrote, "Our goal is to always minimize impact to civili