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From: 
Bulletin Intelligence 
Subject: 
(EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, October 23, 2020 
To: 
[email protected] 
Sent: 
October 23, 2020 6:26 AM (UTC-04:00) 
Mobile version and searchable archives available at tbi.bulletinintellioence.com.
TO : 
THE 
DIRECTOR 
AND 
SENIOR 
STAFF 
DATE
: 
FRIDAY, 
OCTOBER 
23, 
2020 
6 : 30 
AM 
EDT 
TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS 
LEADING THE NEWS 
• Intelligence Officials Warn Of Russian And Iranian Interference In US Election. 
• State Officials Working With FBI On Election Security. 
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PROTESTS 
• "Anarchist" Cities Sue Trump Administration Over Designation. 
• Judge Dismisses Third-Degree Murder Charge In Floyd Case. 
• Protests In Illinois After Police Shooting Of Black Teens. 
COUNTER-TERRORISM 
• Report: Far-Right Groups Responsible For Two-Thirds Of Domestic Terrorist Attacks. 
• Ninth Circuit Orders Resentencing Of California Man Who Pleaded Guilty To Terrorism Charges. 
• White Supremacist Group Talked Of Paramilitary Training In Secret Vetting Calls. 
• Man Who Supplied Weapons To San Bernardino Terrorists Faces Sentencing. 
• Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Planting Fake Bomb On Railroad Tracks. 
• French Officials Confirm Teacher's Killer Was In Contact With A Jihadist In Syria. 
• US Military Quietly Helping Taliban Fight Isis In Afghanistan. 
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE 
• Schumer, Wyden Urge FBI Not To Probe Biden Family Prior To Election. 
• Ex-Hunter Biden Partner Says Joe Biden Was Set To Get Cut Of Business Deal. 
• Trump, Ratcliffe Reportedly Seeking Declassification Of Russia Inquiry Document. 
• John Brennan Discusses DNI Ratcliffe's "Credibility," Trump's Relationship With Intelligence 
Community. 
• Reports Suggest Sonic Attacks Targeting Americans Are Widespread. 
• Intelligence Officials Warning About Election Interference Earlier Than In 2016. 
• Opinion: Both Parties Contributing To Lack Of Faith In Elections. 
• Russia Will Be Blamed For Either Outcome Of US Election, Ambassador Says. 
• NYTimes: US Intelligence Officials Believe Russia Is Greater Threat To Election. 
• Clapper: Foreign Actors Aim To Exploit, Amplify Divisiveness In US. 
• Opinion: Iran's Election Interference Aims Also To Discredit Democracy. 
• States Increase IT Support For Elections Organizers As Systems Move Online. 
• Wisconsin Officials Urge Voters To Ignore "Noise" About Election Interference And Vote. 
• India, US To Negotiate Deal For Access To Satellite Data During Pompeo Visit. 
• Filing: Garrison Courtney Almost Won Legal Immunity. 
• Lawyer: Snowden Has Won Permanent Residency In Russia. 
• Treasury Department Sanctioning Iran's Ambassador To Iraq Over Qods Force Agenda. 
• Bosnian Prosecutors Charge Intelligence Chief With Abuse Of Office. 
• Declassified Polish Documents Spark Debate Over Potential Spy Activity. 
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS 
• Man Arrested In North Carolina With Guns, Explosives Planned To Assassinate Biden. 
• Kentucky Governor: Release "Everything" From Breonna Taylor Grand Jury. 
• White Teen Sentenced For Planning To Attack Black Churchgoers. 
• Massachusetts Gang Member Pleads Guilty To Drug Conspiracy Charges. 
• Montana Man Sentenced For Meth Possession. 
• Missouri Man Arrested On Child Pornography Charges. 
• Continuing Coverage: Florida Attorney Arrested On Serial Bank Robbery Charges. 
• Philadelphia Mob Member Sentenced For Racketeering. 
• FBI Searching For Missouri Man. 
• FBI Searched California Home. 
• Oregon Man Charged After Threatening Police, Courthouse With Firearms. 
• FBI, DC Police Arrest Two For Child Sex Trafficking. 
• Texas Court Delays Bribery Trial Until 2021. 
• California Gang Members Indicted On Racketeering Charges. 
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• North Carolina Man Sentenced For Sex Trafficking. 
• North Carolina Man Sentenced On Drug, Firearms Charges. 
• Attorney Seeks Documents in Michigan Triple Murder; MGM Grand Mentioned. 
FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS 
• Judge In Mangano Case Orders Hearing On Alleged Perjury. 
• Florida Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement. 
• Athens, Alabama City Schools To Dismiss Superintendent Under FBI Probe. 
• New York Court Upholds Dismissal Of State Mortgage Fraud Charges Against Manafort. 
• Goldman To Pay Nearly $36, Take Millions From Executives To Settle 1MDB Probe. 
• FTC Nearing Decision On A Facebook Antitrust Case. 
• California Court Refuses To Hear Bayer's Appeal Of Roundup Verdict. 
CYBER DIVISION 
• EU, UK To Enforce Sanctions On GRU Officers Over 2015 Cyberattack On Germany. 
• Security Researcher Says He Accessed Trump's Twitter Account. 
LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES 
• DO) Effort Would Link Federal Police Grants To Use-Of-Force Standards. 
• FBI Agents Visit South Dakota Winter Housing Camp. 
• Walmart Sues Federal Government Over Opioid Crisis. 
• WPost: Judgment Against Purdue Pharma Is "Modest." 
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 
• US Congressman Seeks To Designate CCP As Criminal Organization. 
OTHER FBI NEWS 
• Sources: Trump Weighing Firing Of Wray After Election. 
• Professional Gambler Sues Bharara, DO) Claiming Misconduct In Insider Trading Case. 
OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS 
• Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Barrett Nomination As Democrats Boycott Vote. 
• Biden Says He Would Create Commission To Consider Court Reforms. 
• Pelosi Says Negotiators Are "Just About There" On Stimulus Deal. 
• FDA Officially Approves Remdesivir As Cases Spike. 
• Azar Dismisses Report Of Tensions With Hahn. 
• Azar: New CDC Guidelines On Close Contact A "Call To Action." 
• FDA Advisory Committee Debates Safety, Efficacy Standards For Vaccine. 
• Palantir System To Help Track Manufacture, Distribution Of COVID Vaccines. 
• Consensus Emerges COVID Rarely Transmitted By Contact With Contaminated Surfaces. 
• Chicago Imposes Curfew As Cases Spike. 
• Iowa's Economy Suffering Despite No Lockdown. 
• Three Cases Reported At Los Angeles Megachurch That Defied Public Health Orders. 
• Southwest Will No Longer Block Middle Seat Starting In December. 
• USA Today Criticizes Administration's Consideration Of Herd Immunity Strategy. 
• Court Bars Census Bureau From Giving Administration Data On Migrants. 
• Trump Says He Is Looking Forward To Supreme Court Overturning ACA. 
• Cotton, Loeffler Ask DO) To Investigate Racial Segregation On College Campuses. 
• Sources: Kushner Floating Launch Of Trump-Branded Media Outlet. 
• Trump Issues Order Removing Protections For Federal Workers. 
• USPS IG: Mail Service Deteriorated Under DeJoy. 
• Colorado Wildfire Grows By More Than 100,000 Acres, Forcing Evacuation. 
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS 
• Europe Imposes More Restrictions As Hospitals Prepare For Second Wave. 
• Report: Bombing Kills Syrian Cleric Key To Deals With Rebels. 
• US Provided Air Cover For Taliban As It Battled ISIS. 
• Afghan Airstrike Targeting Taliban Kills 12 Children. 
• Radical Cleric Seeks To Reimpose Islamic Law In Afghanistan. 
• Twenty NATO Members Not Forecast To Meet 2% Of GDP Defense Spending Target By 2024. 
• Putin Hints At Russia-China Military Alliance. 
• Hopes For Armenia-Azerbaijan Deal Fade Despite Upcoming Pompeo Meeting. 
• Sudanese Government Prepared To Normalize Relations With Israel As Part Of US Deal. 
• Hariri Named Lebanon's Prime Minister For Fourth Time. 
• Nigeria's Buhari Does Not Mention Shooting Of Protesters In Speech On Unrest. 
• Guinean President Easily Wins Third Term. 
• Polish Court Bans One Of Country's Only Forms Of Legal Abortion. 
• WPost Analysis: Bolivia Returns To Morales After Year Of Turmoil. 
• Vatican Dismisses US Concerns, Extends Agreement With China On Bishops. 
THE BIG PICTURE 
• Headlines From Today's Front Pages. 
WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE 
• Today's Events In Washington. 
LEADING THE NEWS 
Intelligence Officials Warn Of Russian And Iranian Interference In US Election. 
All three broadcast news networks covered what David Muir of ABC World News Tonight 
(10/22, 
story 3, 2:35, 6.71M) called a "new warning about election interference. US authorities say Russia 
and Iran have obtained voter registration information, and that Iran has used that information to 
send threatening messages to voters." ABC's Pierre Thomas reported on the "new details about 
alleged covert efforts by Russia and Iran to weaponize illegally obtained information about 
American voters." FBI Director Wray: "We are not going to tolerate any criminal activity that 
threatens the sanctity of your vote." Thomas: "Two of America's primary adversaries successfully 
penetrated voter registration databases at the local level along with gleaning voter data from 
publicly available sources." DNI Ratcliffe: "We have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails 
designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest." Pete Williams reported on NBC Nightly News 
(10/22, story 3, 1:55, Holt, 5.51M), "Voters in Florida and a few other states began receiving 
emails this week appearing to come from the Proud Boys known to support President Trump, 
especially after he fleetingly referred to them in the first presidential debate." Ratcliffe: "We have 
already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and 
damage President Trump." 
National Security Advisor O'Brien said on Fox News' The Story (10/22), "The Iranians are the 
most recent to have engaged in this activity that was exposed by Director Wray and Director 
Ratcliffe and I commend our intelligence services for uncovering it quickly. We think transparency 
is the best deterrent for this sort of activity in the future. The Iranians understand that we are very 
unhappy with this and there will be consequences as a result of it." O'Brien added, "We are 
confident in what we can do to protect the American people and protect our elections." 
Asked on WIND-AM 
Chicago (10/22, 8K) about the remarks by Ratcliffe and Wray, White 
House Senior Communications Advisor Ben Williamson said. "We're on top of this. This is an 
Administration that has spent and invested millions, if not billions, of dollars in election security, 
making sure our systems are secure, making sure we're holding foreign actors accountable for any 
evidence we see of foreign interference." 
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NBC NPWc (10/22, Dilanian, 6.14M) reports that a pair of US intelligence officials told them 
that the Administration "has known for weeks that Iran and Russia had successfully hacked local 
governments and obtained voter registration and other personal data." The officials "said Iran's 
intent wasn't entirely clear, but that one goal is sowing chaos and undermining confidence in the 
election. Both officials said it would hurt the Trump campaign if a white nationalist group was 
exposed as having sought to bully Democrats." 
Meanwhile, CBS News (10/22, Quinn, 3.68M) reports that officials in the three states targeted 
by Iran - Florida, Alaska, and Arizona - "say their voter databases have not been compromised." 
The Miami Herald (10/22, Gross, Ceballos) reports that after the FBI accused Iran of ending the 
emails, they "appeared to have come to a halt." However, "two Florida members of Congress are 
now requesting an FBI briefing for the Florida delegation and at least seven local election officials 
say they have not been given any information from authorities on the scope of the issue other than 
what has been publidy reported." 
The Hill. (10/22, Klar, Miller, 2.98M) reports looks at the takeaways from the incident, 
induding the idea that Iran "should not be underestimated," and also highlighted the differences in 
tone of Wray and Ratdiffe. 
Meanwhile, filnnmherg (10/22, Tarabay, Mehrotra, 4.73M) reports that Ratcliffe "said the 
Iranian operation was meant to hurt the president, which is far from clear based on the contents of 
the video and emails. Cyber-researchers are also wondering what sort of intelligence Ratdiffe 
unearthed to accuse Iran of meddling within just hours of the spoofing operation. Attributing 
malicious operations to nation-states typically takes months and years, not hours." 
Mistakes In Video Enabled Analysts To Attribute Purported Proud Boys EmaHs To 
Iran 
Reuters (10/22, Bing, Stubbs) reports government analysts and private sector 
investigators quickly attributed "to Iranian hackers a wave of thousands of threatening emails 
aimed at U.S. voters because of mistakes made in a video attached to some of the messages, 
according to four people familiar with the matter." The emails which "demanded that voters 
change their party affiliation to the Republican Party and vote for President Donald Trump or 'we 
will come after you,' appeared to come from an official-looking Proud Boys email address," but 
"the address was inauthentic, security analysts said." While the hackers attempted "to blur aspects 
of the video to hide their identity," they "were unable to obfuscate all of the incriminating 
information, the sources said. ... Analysts then cross-referenced those clues left in the video with 
data from other intelligence streams, including communications interceptions." 
Google Reports "Inauthentic Emails" This Week From Iran. In its election news blog, 
NBC News (10/22, Shabad, 6.14M) reports that Google "said in a statement Thursday that the tech 
company and others have seen evidence that an operation linked to Iran `sent inauthentic emails 
to people in the U.S. over the past 24 hours." Google added, "We referred the matter to the FBI 
and will continue to work with law enforcement and others in the industry to identify and remove 
any related content." ftucinecc Insider (10/22, 3.67M) says Google's statement "tallies closely with 
parts of a statement from" Ratcliffe "given at a press conference on Wednesday." 
Russia, Iran Deny Accusations. Reuters (10/22) reports that an Iranian Foreign Ministry 
spokesman on Thursday said, "Iran's strong rejection of American officials' repetitive, baseless and 
false claims was conveyed to the Swiss ambassador...As we have said before, it makes no 
difference for Iran who wins the U.S. election." Switzerland "represents U.S. interests in Iran 
because Washington and Tehran have no diplomatic ties." Similarly Reuterc (10/22) reports that 
Russia "on Thursday denied allegations from the United States that it had tried to interfere with 
the 2020 presidential election, calling accusations of hacking unfounded." 
US Officials Remain More Concerned About Russia Than Iran. The New Ynrk Times 
(10/22, Barnes, Perlroth, Sanger, 18.61M) reports that "while senior Trump administration officials 
said this week that Iran has been actively interfering in the presidential election, many intelligence 
officials said they remained far more concerned about Russia, which in recent days has hacked into 
state and local computer networks in breaches that could allow Moscow broader access to 
American voting infrastructure." The Washington Post (10/22, Nakashima, Harris, Barrett, 14.2M) 
similarly says that while the Administration "has highlighted the threat Iran poses to the U.S. 
election, a different foe - Russia - remains the more potent adversary, and has in recent months 
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stolen data from at least two county systems in California and Indiana, according to U.S. officials." 
Newsweek (10/22, Lemon, 1.53M) reports that Democratic Lawmakers "have criticized 
President Donald Trump's administration," particularly Ratcliffe, "over what they see as conflating 
Iranian election interference with Russian efforts, which they argue are far more serious and pose 
a significantly greater threat." CQ Roll Call. (10/22, Ratnam, 154K) reports that Ratdiffe's warning 
on Wednesday "mmediately drew skeptical reactions from Democratic lawmakers, some of whom 
had been briefed in private about the interference. They specifically disputed that the actions by 
Iran were intended to harm Trump." Instead of listening to Ratcliffe, "the House Homeland 
Security Committee said in its Twitter feed that Americans should listen" Wray and Krebs. 
The Hilt (10/22, Klar, 2.98M) reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for her part, on 
Thursday "said Iran is a 'bad actor' but not on par with Russia in terms of seeking to influence the 
U.S. election." Pelosi and other Democrats "sought to draw attention on Russian interference after" 
Ratcliffe "warned Wednesday both countries are behind efforts to sway public opinion related to 
the presidential election." ABC News (10/22, 2.97M) reports that Pelosi said, "I think we have to 
be very careful about any statements coming out about the election from the intelligence 
community at this time." 
CNN (10/22, Herb, Fung, Hansler, Cohen, 83.16M) reports that an ODNI spokesperson "on 
Thursday responded to the criticism of Ratdiffe, arguing that his comments were consistent with 
the intelligence community's previous assessments about Tehran's intentions when it comes to 
interference in the 2020 race." Amanda Schoch said in a statement to CNN, "As NCSC Director Bill 
Evanina said on August 7th, the IC assesses 'that Iran seeks to undermine U.S. democratic 
institutions, President Trump, and to divide the country in advance of the 2020 elections." CNN 
adds that "not all Democrats were critical of Ratcliffe," with SSCI Vice Chairman Mark Warner 
telling "reporters Thursday that he understood why Ratcliffe made the comments he did about the 
effort being intended to hurt Trump." 
New Alert: Russians Targeting Government, Aviation Computer Networks. Jeff 
Pegues of the CBS Evening NPWq 
(10/22, story 3, 2:00, O'Donnell, 3.96M) reported, "The cyber 
security alert says the Russian hacks began last month, targeting dozens of government and 
aviation computer networks in the United States, successfully obtaining data from at least two 
victim servers. Since 2016, Russian hackers posed the greatest threat to US election systems. In 
that election, it is widely assumed that they scanned and probed voter databases in all 50 states. 
Today's alert proves they haven't stopped." 
Axios (10/22, Rummler, 521K) reports that Energetic Bear, a Russian state-sponsored 
hacking organization, "has stolen data from two servers after targeting state and federal 
government networks in the U.S. since at least September," the FBI and CISA announced. 
However, the FBI and CISA "said Thursday they do not have evidence that Energetic Bear 
compromised elections data or government operations." Politico (10/22, Geller, 4.29M) reports 
that while "hackers have 'exfiltrated data from at least two victim servers,' the agencies said they 
saw no indication that the intruders had 'intentionally disrupted any aviation, education, elections, 
or government operations." Energetic Bear "is best known among security researchers for its 
intrusions into European energy companies, including firms in the oil, gas and electric sectors." 
USA Today (10/22, 10.31M) reports that CISA Director Christopher Krebs "described the activity 
Thursday has a 'broad scanning' effort by the Russians that had not interfered with actual voting." 
Bloomberg (10/22, Mehrotra, 4.73M) reports that while the FBI and CISA "don't have any 
evidence that attacks have disrupted victims in aviation, education, elections or government, they 
raise concerns that the successful compromises could open the door to more malicious attacks in 
the near future." Reuters (10/22, Satter) reports that the names of the targeted governments 
"were not disclosed. DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The FBI provided 
no further details but said in a statement that it was 'shining a spotlight on Russia's nefarious 
behavior." 
The AE (10/22, Tucker, Bajak) reports that US officials "have repeatedly said it would be 
extremely difficult for hackers to alter vote tallies in a meaningful way, but they have warned 
about other methods of interference that could disrupt the election, including cyberattacks on 
networks meant to impede the voting process." Still, NPR (10/22, Ewing, 3.12M) reports that the 
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"agencies involved have been warning for months, induding with similar bulletins about cyber-
risks confronting U.S. elections infrastructure, which they have suggested likely would focus on 
systems adjacent to core operations — such as a website that shows results — as opposed to the 
casting and counting of ballots themselves." CNN (10/22, Herb, Fung, Hansler, Cohen, 83.16M) 
says that the "warnings issued Thursday indicate the heightened security posture of the US 
government days ahead of the presidential election." 
The Wall Street Journal (10/22, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) also briefly reports on the 
new alert, as does CyberScoop (10/22, Lyngaas), CNFT News (10/22, Hautala, 1.99M), The Hill 
(10/22, 2.98M), among others. 
Senate Intelligence Committee Leaders Warn Iran, Russia Not To Interfere In 
Election. The Washington Times (10/22, Blake, 492K) reports that "leaders of the Senate Select 
Committee on Intelligence warned foreign adversaries Thursday not to meddle in next month's 
elections while urging Americans to stay vigilant." Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), acting Chairman, and 
Mark Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman, "were responding to the government disdosing attempts by 
Iran and Russia to interfere in the race." DNI Ratcliffe "said Wednesday that Iran and Russia have 
accessed voter information and taken 'specific actions to influence public opinion' about the 
elections." A statement from the Senate leaders said, "To our adversaries, we reiterate DNI 
Ratcliffe's warning against interfering in America's electoral process. ... Republicans and 
Democrats are united when we say that continued attempts to sow dissent, cast doubt on election 
results, or disrupt our election systems and infrastructure will necessitate a severe response." 
The Hill (10/22, Kelly, 2.98M) reports that DNI Ratcliffe had "said Iranian actors had sent 
'spoofed' emails to intimidate voters, 'incite social unrest and damage President Trump.'" Rubio 
and Warner "urged Americans and the media 'to be skeptical of sensationalist, last-minute claims 
about election infrastructure' and made a bipartisan show of force as a warning against any foreign 
actors aiming to interfere in the U.S. elections." 
State Officials Working With FBI On Election Security. 
WDTV-TV Bridgeport, WV (10/22) reports that while "U.S. intelligence officials say foreign 
governments are once again trying to influence voters," West Virginia "isn't one of the four states 
involved in the interference, according to Secretary of State Mac Warner." The West Virginia 
official is "working closely with federal authorities to ensure a secure election, induding the FBI's 
Pittsburgh Field Office. Michael Christman is the Special Agent In Charge." Christman said, 
"Cybersecurity is typically the greatest threat we're concerned with. ... We want to make sure that 
every citizen has the ability to vote in an unimpeded manner." Warner commented, "We can't stop 
somebody from attacking us. All we can do is react to it in a fashion that says we have a training 
plan in place, we will be transparent with the public as to what we know and when we know it." 
Also reporting is the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail (10/22, 121K). 
The AP (10/22) reports, "The U.S. attorney's office in Birmingham says Assistant U.S. 
Attorney Jason Cheek will serve as the region's elections officer" during the upcoming election. 
U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona "says anyone with information about fraud or discrimination should 
notify Justice Department officials," such as "intimidating voters at polling places, buying votes or 
stuffing ballot boxes are all prohibited." FBI agents will be "available nationwide to receive 
allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on Nov. 3." 
KRNV-TV Reno, NV (10/22) reports that Nevada has a "heightened risk of voter fraud due to 
the increase in mail in ballots." The state's Election Integrity Task Force in Nevada "is made up of 
Attorney General Aaron Ford, the Secretary of State's office and other local governing bodies." 
Special agent Aaron Rouse "says that voter fraud claims will be taken seriously and will be 
investigated thoroughly and quickly throughout the state." 
The Idaho Falls (ID) Post Register (10/22) reports, "Bart Davis, U.S. Attorney for Idaho, 
announced Thursday that his office," the FBI, and DO) "will be standing by to field complaints of 
voter intimidation or election interference." Davis said the DOJ "must act to protect the integrity of 
the election process." DO) has "a longstanding Election Day program to monitor these issues, and 
that it is a federal crime to intimidate or bribe voters, buy or sell votes, impersonate voters, alter 
vote tallies, or mark ballots for other voters against their wishes." Davis has "appointed three 
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assistant U.S. attorneys, in three regions of the state, to serve as elections officers for the district 
and field complaints," and all "will be on duty while polls are open." 
WJAR-TV Providence, RI (10/22, 144K) reports that on Thursday, Rhode Island Secretary of 
State Nellie Gorbea was joined at a press briefing "by the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, Board of 
Elections and the Attorney General to discuss the upcoming election." The Rhode Island official 
"estimates about half of all voters in the state will cast their ballots before Election Day," and 
"early voting numbers won't be added to the total votes until 10 p.m. on election night." FBI 
Boston Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta said, "As far as these disinformation 
campaigns, the reason why they're so powerful is because you look at everybody's reliance these 
days on social media platforms." 
PROTESTS 
"Anarchist" Cities Sue Trump Administration Over Designation. 
The AP (10/22, Johnson, Matthews) reports, "New York, Seattle and Portland - three cities 
recently labeled 'anarchist jurisdictions' by the U.S. Justice Department - filed a lawsuit Thursday 
to invalidate the designation and fight off the Trump Administration's efforts to withhold federal 
dollars." The suit "ridiculed the designation, calling the President's action 'offensive to both the 
Constitution and common sense," and "noted that the consequences of withholding federal money 
during a pandemic are 'deadly serious." The cities argue that "the President can't add conditions to 
money Congress has appropriated," and claims "the Administration violated due process rights and 
the 10th Amendment." 
The New Ynrk limec (10/22, Fitzsimmons, 18.61M) reports that the Administration's "attempt 
to strip New York City of federal funds...could cost the city as much as $12 billion - money for the 
cash-starved subway, for the Police Department and for the city's efforts to treat coronavirus 
patients, city officials said on Thursday." According to the Times, "although the city was granted 
$2.65 billion in Covid-related funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, only 
$199.6 million of it has been doled out." 
The Oregonian (10/22, 1M) reports that Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) "said the money at 
risk is 'critical to protecting vulnerable residents," including "federal funds for coronavirus relief, 
funds for HIV treatment, and funds for newborn screenings." New York City Corporation Counsel 
Jim Johnson "said the cities are acting now because the federal government has begun taking 
concrete steps to withhold funds." 
Judge Dismisses Third-Degree Murder Charge In Floyd Case. 
ABC World News Tonight 
(10/22, story 7, 0:20, Muir, 6.71M) reported, "A Minnesota judge 
tonight has upheld eight of nine charges against the former police officers in the George Floyd 
case. Derek Chauvin, seen with his knee on Floyd's neck, still facing second degree unintentional 
murder and manslaughter charges, though a lesser charge was dropped. The other three officers 
had all charges upheld, each facing aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter. The trial for all 
four is set for March." 
The AE (10/22, Forliti) reports that Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill "dismissed a 
third-degree murder charge filed against the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his 
knee against George Floyd's neck, saying there was not enough probable cause for that count to 
proceed to trial." Gov. Tim Walz (D) "activated the Minnesota National Guard in anticipation of 
protests" after similar demonstrations broke out "after Chauvin was released on bail earlier this 
month, resulting in dozens of arrests." Cahill "said Chauvin's decision to continue kneeling on 
Floyd's neck after he went silent and motionless 'is strong evidence of Chauvin's intent to inflict 
bodily harm," but that "nothing about the manner in which Chauvin pressed his knee down on 
Floyd's neck...was eminently dangerous to anyone other than Floyd," making the third-degree 
murder charge inappropriate in this case. 
Reuters (10/22, Layne) reports Walz "announced that he had activated the Minnesota 
National Guard as a 'precautionary step' following the ruling, which he said marked 'a positive step 
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in the path toward justice for George Floyd." Cahill also "upheld a manslaughter charge against 
Chauvin and all six charges against three other officers - Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and 
Tou Thao - for allegedly aiding and abetting Chauvin in the murder. Kueng and Lane helped hold 
Floyd down by restraining his back and legs, Cahill noted, while Thao kept a group of bystanders at 
bay." 
The New York Times (10/22, Ismay, 18.61M) reports that the ruling "came in response to a 
motion by lawyers representing Mr. Chauvin and three other former officers to dismiss all charges 
against them for lack of probable cause." Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a 
statement, "This is an important, positive step forward in the path toward justice for George Floyd, 
his family, our community, and Minnesota." Prosecutors also "announced charges against a truck 
driver who drove a fuel truck through a protest on a bridge in Minneapolis six days after Mr. Floyd 
was killed" on Thursday. Bogdan Vechirko "was charged with a felony count of threats of violence 
and a gross misdemeanor count of criminal vehicular operation." 
The Washington Post (10/22, Bailey, 14.2M) reports that the Floyd ruling is the first "in a 
series of major decisions expected in the case," as Cahill considers "whether the men will be tried 
together, as prosecutors have requested, or separately, as the former officers want. Defense 
attorneys have also requested to move the trial out of Hennepin County, questioning whether it is 
possible to seat an impartial jury in Minneapolis and citing security concerns in a city that was 
rocked by days of civil unrest after Floyd's death and remains deeply on edge." The Post says Walz 
acted "on a request from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey" in the activation of "100 Minnesota 
National Guard troops" and state patrol officers. 
The Minneapolis Star Tribune (10/22, 1.04M) reports "Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey 
requested support from the guard 'out of an abundance of caution and for the sake of 
preparedness,' spokesman Mychal Vlatkovich said." The Tribune says "Cahill's rulings Thursday are 
his most significant pretrial decisions since he was assigned the case this past summer," resolving 
"issues that had some activists worried Floyd's death would go unheard in the court system like 
many previous cases of police killing Black civilians. And they quelled some fears that Minneapolis 
would once again erupt in protest, arson and looting if the former officers were to avoid criminal 
prosecution." 
Protests In Illinois After Police Shooting Of Black Teens. 
The C.F3S Fvening News 
(10/22, story 7, 0:25, O'Donnell, 3.96M) reported that Waukegan Mayor 
Sam Cunningham "is calling for calm after the deadly police shooting of a Black teenager. 
Protesters took to the streets today over the killing of 19-year-old Marcellis Stinnette and the 
wounding of 20-year-old Tafarra Williams. Investigators say the officer, who is Hispanic, opened 
fire, as the couple's car rolled in reverse towards him, and that the couple had fled from another 
officer earlier Tuesday night. No weapons were found in the car." 
COUNTER-TERRORISM
Report: Far-Right Groups Responsible For Two-Thirds Of Domestic Terrorist Attacks. 
The Wall Street Journal (10/22, Strobel, Levy, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports white 
supremacists and other right-wing groups accounted for two-thirds of domestic terrorist attacks 
and plots so far in 2020, but the threat posed by antifascist and other leftist groups is rising, 
according to a new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 
Ninth Circuit Orders Resentencing Of California Man Who Pleaded Guilty To Terrorism 
Charges. 
The San Francisco Chronicle (10/22, Egelko, 2.67M) reports, "A federal appeals court ordered a 
reduction Thursday in the 15-year, 8-month prison sentence of an Oakland man who talked online 
of planning to kill thousands of people in the Bay Area, saying the evidence failed to show Amer 
Alhaggagi was seriously planning or promoting terrorism." Alhaggagi, "a Berkeley High graduate, 
pleaded guilty in July 2018 to attempting to provide material support or resources to a foreign 
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terrorist organization, the Islamic State." US District Judge Charles Breyer "imposed a 188-month 
sentence in February 2019, saying Alhaggagi had taken actions, such as opening the social media 
and email accounts, that were intended as 'intimidation or coercion' of the U.S. government," but 
"on Thursday, a divided panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected 
the terrorism finding and ordered Alhaggagi resentenced." 
White Supremacist Group Talked Of Paramilitary Training In Secret Vetting Calls. 
CNN (10/22, Sidner, Simon, 83.16M) reports, "Young men hoping to join a White supremacist 
group spoke about hosting paramilitary trainings and how to legally bring firearms to those 
events, according to secret recordings of vetting calls published by the Southern Poverty Law 
Center Thursday." CNN adds, "Some 83 hours of calls with more than 100 participants linked to 
The Base group were analyzed by the SPLC, which monitors hate, for a new podcast, 'Sounds Like 
Hate.' Military training or knowledge of firearms was an important asset, according to the released 
calls. So was having a place to train." According to CNN, "The SPLC's release of parts of the calls 
comes at a time when US intelligence services say domestic violent extremists, specifically White 
supremacist groups are the 'the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland." 
Man Who Supplied Weapons To San Bernardino Terrorists Faces Sentencing. 
The Oranae County (CA) Register (10/22, Rokos, 546K) reports, "Attorneys will argue for 
significantly different prison terms Friday, Oct. 23, when Enrique Marquez Jr. is sentenced for 
supplying the weapons used in the Dec. 2, 2015, terrorist shooting in San Bernardino that killed 14 
people and wounded 22 others." According to the OCR, "The ruling by U.S. District Court Judge 
Jesus G. Bernal in Riverside could mean a 19-year difference in Marquez's prison term. Marquez, 
28, pleaded guilty in February 2017, but his sentencing has been delayed by attorney motions and 
Marquez's unsuccessful attempt to withdraw his plea to one of the charges." The OCR adds, 
"Marquez was convicted of providing material support to terrorists and making a false statement 
on federal firearms-purchase forms on which Marquez said the firearms he was buying in 2011 and 
2012 were for his use. Instead, he sold them to Syed Rizwan Farook as part of an aborted plan to 
wage attacks on motorists." 
Texas Man Pleads Guilty To Planting Fake Bomb On Railroad Tracks. 
WFAA-TV Dallas (10/22, Harris, 307K) reports from Dallas, Texas, "A Dallas man pleaded guilty 
Thursday to one count of misinformation and hoaxes related to a Dec. 2018 case where he planted 
a fake bomb in the middle of a Kansas City Rail Line railroad track in Dallas, according to the U.S. 
Department of Justice." Mark Ashley Robert, 37, "put the device on the railroad track in the early 
morning hours of Dec. 21, 2018, according to court documents. A railroad conductor was the one 
who spotted it." The Dallas Police Department Bomb Squad "was called to the scene, and after 
determining that it was not a real explosive device, turned the fake bomb over to the FBI for 
fingerprint examination." 
French Officials Confirm Teacher's Killer Was In Contact With A Jihadist In Syria. 
The Guardian (UK). (10/22, 4.19M) reports, "The killer of Samuel Paty, the teacher decapitated 
outside his school last week after showing his class two cartoons of the prophet Muhammad, was in 
contact with an Islamist fighter in Syria," according to French media. France "confirmed on 
Thursday that seven people, including two schoolchildren, had been charged with terrorism 
offences after Abdullakh Anzorov, 18, killed the teacher with a 30cm knife on Friday." Anzorov 
"had contact with an as yet unidentified Russian-speaking jihadist in Syria who was located through 
an IP address that had been traced back to Idlib." He "had been granted asylum and a residence 
permit until 2030, had first established contact with the jihadist in September this year via 
Instagram." 
US Military Quietly Helping Taliban Fight Isis In Afghanistan. 
The Washington Pest (10/22, 14.2M) reports that "the U.S. military has been quietly helping the 
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Taliban to weaken the Islamic State in its Konar stronghold and keep more of the country from 
falling into the hands" of ISIS, according to various sources. Unlike the Taliban, the US views ISIS 
"as an international terrorist organization with aspirations to strike America and Europe." The US 
coordinates with the Taliban merely "by observing battle conditions and listening in on the group." 
The Konar operations reflect the "outsourcing of what has long been a core U.S. military mission -
fighting the Islamic State and al-Qaeda - to the uneasily coordinated forces of the Afghan 
government and the Taliban, with U.S. counterterrorism forces in some cases helping both." 
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE 
Schumer, Wyden Urge FBI Not To Probe Biden Family Prior To Election. 
Fox News (10/22, 27.59M) reports, "Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. wrote 
a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding the FBI `reject pressure' to investigate the 
Biden family after the Hunter Biden email story from the New York Post. `The FBI must reject 
pressure from Donald Trump to announce investigations of Joe Biden or his family to influence the 
presidential election, or else it risks doing lasting harm to our democracy and national security,' a 
news release of the letter read. `We are deeply concerned about the possibility that in response to 
these reports the Trump Administration will take actions before Election Day that would seek to 
damage the Democratic presidential candidate and undermine the rule of law,' Wyden and 
Schumer wrote in their letter. `In carrying out this critical national security mission, law 
enforcement's handling of this matter must be above politics and beyond reproach,' the lawmakers 
wrote." 
NBC Newc (10/22, 6.14M) reports, "They referred in a press release to `a widely questioned 
article in the New York Post, that alleged to have obtained stolen Hunter Biden emails from the 
president's lawyer Rudy Giuliani' and noted that Trump has called on the Justice Department to 
investigate. They are urging Wray `to resist pressure from President Trump and other partisan 
actors to take any actions intended to benefit President Trump politically on the eve of the 
election. Succumbing to such pressure would deeply undermine our national security interests and 
the credibility of law enforcement, and could have devastating consequences for the resiliency of 
our democracy." 
Ex-Hunter Biden Partner Says Joe Biden Was Set To Get Cut Of Business Deal. 
The Washington Times (10/22, 492K) reports that a former business partner of Hunter Biden's "has 
come forward to confirm" that Joe Biden "was involved in a deal and got a cut of the action from 
China. Tony Bobulinski, who was the CEO of a firm with Hunter Biden, said in a statement that the 
elder Mr. Biden is the `Big Guy' reference in his son's emails and was set to get a 10% cut of the 
deal." Bobulinski said in a statement, "It wasn't just Hunter's business, they said they were putting 
the Biden family name and its legacy on the line." 
White House Deputy Press Secretary Brian Morgenstern said on Newsmax TV (10/22), "We 
know a lot more today than we did over the last several days. We now have another Hunter Biden 
business partner coming out and basically saying they were trading on the family name with 
foreign entities, with foreign powers, and that we may have Chinese energy deals here with the 
Biden family participating in them. That's something they'll have to explain." Morgenstern said on 
Fox Business' Fvening Fdit, "If we're looking to elect a president for the American people, not our 
foreign adversaries, this is something the...people definitely need to know immediately. This is 
absolutely groundbreaking news for our nation." 
Areithart (10/22, 673K) reports Biden's campaign called reports of Hunter Biden's "overseas 
business dealings...'Russian misinformation' just hours before Thursday evening's final presidential 
debate." Fox News (10/22, Wulfsohn, 27.59M) reports on its website that Bobulinski had been 
scheduled to attend the debate "as a special guest of President Trump." The New Ynrk Times 
(10/22, Goldman, 18.61M) runs a piece titled "What We Know And Don't About Hunter Biden And A 
Laptop." 
Senate Judiciary Committee To Move Forward On Facebook, Twitter Subpoenas. 
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The Wall Street Journal (10/22, Hughes, Needleman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports the 
Senate Judiciary Committee has authorized Chairman Lindsey Graham to issue subpoenas to 
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. The Washington Times (10/22, 
Lovelace, 492K) says "the forthcoming subpoenas will request the CEO's testimony on the 
"suppression and/or censorship" of two New York Post articles involving the former vice president's 
son on information about the company's content moderation practices and on other instances of 
Facebook and Twitter limiting the visibility of material online." Roll Call (10/22, DeChiaro, 154K) 
reports Graham "said Democrats on the committee had asked him to delay voting on the 
subpoena authorization but that he decided to move forward because of bipartisan interest in 
Zuckerberg and Dorsey." 
Trump, Ratcliffe Reportedly Seeking Declassification Of Russia Inquiry Document. 
Reuters (10/22, Hosenball, Bing, Landay) reports President Trump and DNI Ratcliffe "have pushed 
for quick declassification of a document disputing the 2017 intelligence community finding that 
Russia acted to help Trump get elected in 2016," according to three officials familiar with the 
matter. Two of the source said the "effort faces strong objections from inside the intelligence 
agencies," in part because the presidential election is so soon. 
The Daily Caller (10/22, 716K) reports that Trump and Ratcliffe are requesting the 
declassification "at the request of California Republican Rep. Devin Nunes." The intelligence 
community concluded "that Russia's meddling in the 2016 election broke in favor of Trump, 
regardless of the later finding that Trump's campaign had not colluded with nation." 
The Hill (10/22, Coleman, 2.98M) reports that Ratcliffe said, "I have requested that the 
document undergo a formal declassification review in response to a request" from Nunes. A former 
intelligence official told Reuters the CIA and NSA "were attempting to prevent the document's 
declassification 'because it would damage national security assets and jeopardize sources and 
methods." 
John Brennan Discusses DNI Ratcliffe's "Credibility," Trump's Relationship With 
Intelligence Community. 
In an interview clipped three times on the Washington Post website (1, 2, and 3), former CIA 
Director John Brennan "says he wishes John Ratcliffe had more 'credibility." DNI Ratcliffe this 
week "warned that both Iran and Russia had obtained voter data that could be used to endanger 
the upcoming election," but, in the interview, Brennan "said Ratcliffe was not specific about what 
Russia has done." Brennan said, "I think there are questions about whether or not what he said is 
being motivated by his political interests." Brennan also "said he thinks one day we'll know more 
about President Trump's relationship with Russia." Moreover, Trump's "attacks on the intelligence 
community will have long-lasting effects, but he has confidence the agencies will be resilient and 
respond positively to a Biden administration, if he is elected." Brennan said, "I have confidence 
that the communities are going to be resilient and they're going to respond very positively to the 
words of encouragement they're going to be hearing from President Biden and the rest of his 
national security team." 
Ignatius: Ratcliffe Facing "Moment Of Truth." In a column for the Washington Pnst 
(10/22, 14.2M) entitled, "Can Trump's Spy Chief Be Trusted?," David Ignatius writes that DNI 
Ratcliffe's performance "has often seemed to emphasize...serving the political interests of the man 
who appointed him, President Trump." The President "is desperately seeking a silver bullet to fire 
at former vice president Joe Biden — some nugget from the intelligence world that would justify 
his wild accusations of 'hoaxes' and 'criminals.' Sources tell me Trump has been raging inside the 
White House for Ratcliffe to deliver the goods." Ratcliffe, Ignatius writes, "is facing a moment of 
truth: Will he serve the intelligence community that he heads" or "will he join Trump in an assault 
on the very agencies he leads." 
Reports Suggest Sonic Attacks Targeting Americans Are Widespread. 
According to the New York Post (10/22, McKay, News, 4.57M), "reports emerged this week 
suggesting that" potential sonic attacks first reported four years ago "might be far more pervasive 
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than what was publicly known." Russia is increasingly seen "as being behind the global barrage of 
possible sonic attacks." Former CIA Moscow bureau chief Dan Hoffman said, "There are a number 
of Americans who have fallen ill now, and we need to know why and who is behind it. ... This is 
something worthy of a congressional hearing." A US government probed is complicated by "the 
vast array of differing prognostics and experiences." For instance, some "have pointed to 
individuals in either homes or hotels hearing high-pitched tones or jarring thuds from one direction 
or all around," others "endure a kind of tremoring or a wind-like pressure," and "some hear 
nothing at all." Secretary of State Pompeo "said Wednesday that the mysterious maladies are still 
under review and dismissed claims that American workers were not adequately protected." Also 
reporting is fax News (10/22, McKay, 27.59M). 
Intelligence Officials Warning About Election Interference Earlier Than In 2016. 
Carrie Cordero, a "senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security," writes in the 
Washington Post (10/22, 14.2M) that "Wednesday's joint news appearance during television prime 
time by top intelligence and law enforcement officials was the latest and most dramatic step yet to 
warn Americans in real time about foreign governments' efforts to influence the election." Their 
"coordinated news appearance also had the effect of letting adversaries know in a very public way 
that the U.S. government knows what they're up to." In 2016, a joint assessment by the ODNI and 
DHS "came late in the election cycle and was overshadowed by competing events and 
distractions." This year, it "took days, not weeks or months," for that determination to be made. 
Before Wednesday's announcement, the FBI and CISA "had released information about threats to 
election infrastructure." Cordero says "NCSC's Evanina's recent participation in a nine-minute 
video alongside Wray, Krebs and NSA Director Paul Nakasone warning the public about foreign 
influence activities and committing to protecting the country, was important." 
Opinion: Both Parties Contributing To Lack Of Faith In Elections. 
Opinion columnist Eli Lake writes in an op-ed in Bloomberg View (10/22, 4.73M) that DNI Ratcliffe 
and FBI Director Christopher Wray "were right to knock down Iran's Proud Boy fakery before it 
spread." Wray was further "right to make clear that the U.S. government would not tolerate 
'foreign interference in our elections or criminal activity that threatens the sanctity of your vote or 
undermines public confidence in the outcome of the election." However, "Russia, Iran, China and 
other foreign adversaries have a lot of company when it comes to activity that 'undermines public 
confidence in the outcome of the election." For instance, President Trump "has been casting doubt 
on the reliability of mail-in voting, rattling off random examples of error-laden ballots mailed to 
voters and other ballots destroyed." Additionally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this year 
"forwarded a tendentious story that postal-service reforms recommended by an Obama-appointed 
inspector general amounted to 'a campaign to sabotage the election' by disenfranchising voters." 
Russia Will Be Blamed For Either Outcome Of US Election, Ambassador Says. 
Newsweek (10/22, 1.53M) reports that Russian Ambassador Andrei Kelin "told Russia's Tass state 
news agency on Thursday that he expects a 'coordinated campaign' to accuse Moscow of meddling 
in the U.S. election." He said Russia "will be blamed for the outcome...regardless of the result, 
amid concerns that the Kremlin is once again seeking to sway the vote." Kelin "painted Russia as 
the victim of disinformation efforts." The FBI is investigation "whether Moscow was involved in 
reports claiming compromising emails were recovered from a laptop purportedly belonging to 
Hunter Biden." Additionally, the US this week "brought charges against six members of the Russian 
Sandworm military intelligence hacking unit, who are accused of launching cyberattacks against 
Russian rivals around the world." On Wednesday, DNI Ratcliffe "said...that Russia had obtained 
U.S. voter registration information, though did not say whether Moscow had used the data nor 
what the purpose of taking it was." 
NYTimes: US Intelligence Officials Believe Russia Is Greater Threat To Election. 
Business Insider (10/22, Sheth, 3.67M) reports, "US intelligence officials have discovered that 
Russia plans to interfere in the November election to help President Donald Trump by 
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'exacerbating disputes around the results' if the race is too close to call," according to a New York 
Times report. On Wednesday, DNI Ratcliffe "said...Russia and Iran were attempting to 'influence 
public opinion' ahead of the election," though "US officials believe Russia poses a far greater threat 
to the election than Iran does, according to The Times." Russian actors have now "breached state 
and local networks in a move that could allow them'broader access to American voting 
infrastructure,' The limes said." According to unnamed officials, "while Ratcliffe accurately 
described initial conclusions about Iran's interference, Russia's election meddling is far more 
serious." 
In a video on CNBC (10/22, 3.62M), former Principal Deputy DNI Sue Gordon "joins 
[Shepard] Smith to talk about how voter data can be used against the American people during 
elections." A cybersecurity company has "found a hacker selling voter information data of nearly 
150 million Americans on the dark web," showing "how easily a foreign adversary can get their 
hands on all kinds of information." Gordon said there are "so many locations where the information 
is, if we don't protect them well, our adversaries are going to find it." Gordon added it can be 
weaponized by "creating havoc on election [day] and where people go, what people believe," and 
creating "mischief" and "chaos." Regarding recent news that Russian actors have hacked US 
networks, Gordon said "this is a very accomplished set of actors" that has a "whole toolkit." The 
breach is an "incredibly concerning, albeit not surprising view of what Russia can do." 
Clapper: Foreign Actors Aim To Exploit, Amplify Divisiveness In US. 
In a video on CNN (10/22, 83.16M), former DNI James Clapper "tells John Berman that the 
nation's polarization is why Russian disinformation campaigns are so successful against America." 
Berman said foreign actors are creating a "perception hack," meaning they want the "perception 
that they're inside the system, and sow distrust," according to David Sanger. Clapper said his 
office's "first key judgment in 2016" was that "the initial objective was to sow doubt, discord, and 
discontent." Clapper added that Russian actors "exploit and amplify the polarization and 
divisiveness" in the US. 
Opinion: Iran's Election Interference Aims Also To Discredit Democracy. 
Ariane M. Tabatabai, the Middle East fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy at the German 
Marshall Fund, writes in an opinion piece for the Washington Post (10/22, 14.2M) that DNI 
Ratcliffe's "assessment that Iran was active" in attempting to interfere in the US election 
"alongside Russia quickly raised eyebrows." Tabatabai writes it is "unlikely that Iran's primary goal 
was to hurt Trump's campaign or boost his challenger." Iran's "main goal" is instead "to 
exacerbate divisions along ethnic, religious, socioeconomic and partisan lines in the United States, 
and to sow chaos and confusion." The strategy "not only allows Iran to retaliate for what it sees as 
similar efforts by the U.S. government on Iran, but it also helps Iran discredit democracy as a 
system of government." Tabatabai concludes that fighting "over which candidate Iran wants to 
boost or hurt, rather than focusing on how to respond in a unified way to these threats, will only 
play into Tehran's hands." 
States Increase IT Support For Elections Organizers As Systems Move Online. 
The Wall Street Journal (10/22, Loten, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that more states 
are shifting election-system services - such as online voter registration, absentee ballot 
applications, and more - online, according to National Association of Secretaries of State President 
Maggie Toulouse Oliver. As a result, more IT workers will be needed to handle complex issues 
such as network outages or cybersecurity threats. According to National Association of State Chief 
Information Officers Executive Director Doug Robinson, many states are providing indirect support 
for their elections agencies through capabilities such as provisioning IT infrastructure and 
cybersecurity. For instance, Connecticut and Ohio have both increased their cybersecurity training 
and infrastructure, including offering assistance to local elections organizers from the National 
Guard. 
Wisconsin Officials Urge Voters To Ignore "Noise" About Election Interference And 
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Vote. 
WDJT-TV Milwaukee (10/22, 65K) reports that Wisconsin officials "expressed confidence in the 
security of their systems following National Intelligence and the FBI confirming foreign interference 
in the U.S. election." Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe said on 
Thursday, "There is no evidence that Wisconsin's or any state's systems have been accessed or 
compromised in any way." UW-Madison political science professor commented, "I'm glad that the 
FBI and DNI alerted the public before the election." Kim added, "I think that there might be a lot of 
disinformation campaigns, especially on social media so voters should be alerted about that." 
India, US To Negotiate Deal For Access To Satellite Data During Pompeo Visit. 
Reuterc (10/22, Miglani, Ghoshal) reports that a potential deal between the US and India would 
give the latter "access to satellite data for better accuracy of missiles and drones, government and 
industry officials said, as it tries to narrow the gap with the powerful Chinese military." The two 
countries "are expected to announce the pact during the visit next week" of Secretary of State 
Pompeo and Defense Secretary Esper "for talks in New Delhi with Indian counterparts 
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh." The US "has also been pushing for stronger 
security ties with India to help balance China's growing regional influence." A deal "would provide 
India with access to a range of topographical, nautical and aeronautical data," and "allow the 
United States to provide advanced navigational aids and avionics on U.S.-supplied aircraft to 
India." An unnamed defense industry source said, "It is a foundational agreement, which the U.S. 
has signed with many of its partners for greater interoperability." 
Filing: Garrison Courtney Almost Won Legal Immunity. 
The Daily Beast (10/22, 1.39M) reports, "A sentencing memo filed in federal court" by the DO) 
"reveals for the first time the full extent of fake spy Garrison Courtney's stunning ruse." He "came 
'dangerously close' to getting a legal sign-off that could have made it impossible for prosecutors to 
bring him to justice, authorities said in the new filing." Courtney also personally extracted "$4.4 
million...from his victims over the course of more than four years," and "was in line for nearly $4 
billion in Army, Navy, and Air Force contracts had the FBI not caught him." Courtney, "served as a 
high-level spokesperson" for the DEA "before embarking on his criminal career, pleaded guilty this 
summer to one count of wire fraud." 
Lawyer: Snowden Has Won Permanent Residency In Russia. 
The AP (10/22) reports, "Edward Snowden has been granted permanent residency in Russia, his 
lawyer said Thursday." The former NSA contractor "has been living in Russia since 2013 to escape 
prosecution in the U.S. after leaking classified documents detailing government surveillance 
programs." Snowden's lawyer "told the Interfax news agency that the application was submitted in 
April, but because of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown restrictions, it took immigration 
authorities more time to consider it." The former NSA contractor "was able to obtain permanent 
residency rights because of the changes in Russia's immigration laws made in 2019, the lawyer 
said." Also reporting are Ffloomberg (10/22, Meyer, 4.73M), the Daily Caller (10/22, 716K), the 
Washington Timec (10/22, Blake, 492K), Reuterc (10/22), and CNN (10/22, Ilyushina, 83.16M). 
Treasury Department Sanctioning Iran's Ambassador To Iraq Over Qods Force Agenda. 
The Hill (10/22, Castronuovo, 2.98M) reports, "The Treasury Department on Thursday announced 
that it was sanctioning Iran's ambassador to Iraq for his role in carrying out" the IRGC-QF's 
"'destabilizing foreign agenda' in Iraq, according to a press release." Treasury "said in the 
statement that Iraj Masjedi, a general in the Revolutionary Guard, 'has directed or supported 
groups that are responsible for attacks that have killed and wounded U.S. and coalition forces in 
Iraq." Treasury Secretary Mnuchin said in the press release, "The Iranian regime threatens Iraq's 
security and sovereignty by appointing IRGC-QF officials as ambassadors in the region to carry out 
their destabilizing foreign agenda." 
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Bosnian Prosecutors Charge Intelligence Chief With Abuse Of Office. 
The AP (10/22) reports that Bosnian prosecutors have charged Intelligence Security Agency head 
Osman Mehmedagic "with abuse of power for allegedly using agency resources to spy on a man 
who filed a criminal complaint against him." Mehmedagic and Cyber Security director Muhamed 
Pekic 'allegedly sought to obtain information and photographs concerning the man." The pair was 
"also charged with violating the right to privacy of postal communication." Prosecutors said "the 
accused abused their position in multiple ways, as well as (through) legal proceedings and official 
acts." A Bosnian court must confirm the indictment." 
Declassified Polish Documents Spark Debate Over Potential Spy Activity. 
The Wall Street Journal (10/22, Hinshaw, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports that a Polish 
archivist recently found a folder containing files regarding a British diplomat who was officially an 
embassy secretary, but was found sneaking around military bases in Warsaw. The diplomat, 
named James Bond, has now become at topic for debate by Polish historians. Some believe he was 
simply a secretary, while others find it unlikely he was not a spy. 
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS 
Man Arrested In North Carolina With Guns, Explosives Planned To Assassinate Biden. 
WBTV-TV Charlotte, NC (10/22, Ochsner, 57K) reports on its website a man was arrested in 
Kannapolis, North Carolina "with a van full of guns and explosives with plans to carry out an act of 
terrorism, including trying to assassinate Joe Biden." An order filed in federal court "outlines the 
plans by a man identified as Alexander Hillel Treisman," who "is originally from the state of 
Washington, Kannapolis Police have said." Treisman "currently faces pornography charges," but 
"the order details a list of factors related to the defendant's plans for a possible act of terror as 
grounds he should remain in custody." 
The AP (10/22, O'Hare) reports, "A North Carolina man indicted last month on child 
pornography charges had searched earlier this year for Democratic presidential candidate Joe 
Biden's home online, traveled near the home and wrote a checklist that ended with the word 
"execute," according to federal court documents." According to the Express-News, "The 
information was contained in documents related to a detention hearing for Alexander Hillel 
Treisman, held in U.S. District Court in Durham. A magistrate, in an order signed Oct. 8, ordered 
Treisman to remain in custody. An officer with the U.S. Marshal's Service and the Joint Terrorism 
Task Force testified that a search of Treisman's electronic devices and account showed a timeline 
of internet searches between March and May of this year seeking information about Biden's home 
address, state gun laws, rifle parts and night vision goggles." 
Fox News (10/22, Rambaran, 27.59M) reports, "Treisman, who goes by the alias Alexander 
S. Theiss, was arrested in late May after employees at a bank in Kannapolis, N.C., reported a 
suspicious white van abandoned in a parking lot, according to reports by WBTV. `Through the 
windows, KPD officers observed an AR-15 style rifle, a box for a Taurus .380 handgun, a cannister 
of the explosive material Tannerite, and a box of 5.56 caliber ammunition,' a federal judge wrote 
in a court order last month, referencing testimony from an FBI agent who investigated the case as 
part of the Joint Terrorism Task Force." 
Kentucky Governor: Release "Everything" From Breonna Taylor Grand Jury. 
CNN (10/22, Sanchez, Joseph, 83.16M) reports, "Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear late Thursday called 
on the state attorney general to release `all information' related to the Breonna Taylor grand jury 
proceedings. The call came after a second anonymous grand juror issued a statement saying the 
panel was not given an opportunity to consider homicide charges in the case against police officers 
who served a no-knock warrant at Taylor's home the night she was killed." CNN adds, "The 
unusual statements - grand juries are intended to be secret, with some exceptions - followed a 
ruling from Jefferson County Circuit Court Judge Annie O'Connell and shed further light on a case 
that has led to protests across the country and exemplified the ways that the 'war on drugs' 
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disproportionately hurts Black Americans." 
White Teen Sentenced For Planning To Attack Black Churchgoers. 
The AP (10/22) reports from Gainesville, Georgia, "A white 17-year-old girl was sentenced 
Thursday to four years in juvenile detention for planning to stab north Georgia churchgoers to 
death because they were Black." According to the AP, "The girl pleaded guilty to attempted murder 
as part of a plea agreement and was sentenced in Gainesville, Georgia, news outlets reported. The 
girl, who was 16 at the time of her arrest in 2019, sobbed while reading an apology, The Times of 
Gainesville reported. The Associated Press is not reporting her name because she was sentenced 
as a juvenile. She will be on probation for 10 years and must stay at least 150 feet (about 45 
meters) from any African Methodist Episcopal church during that time, the newspaper reported 
after Thursday's hearing in Hall County Superior Court. She also must undergo counseling, the 
newspaper said." 
Massachusetts Gang Member Pleads Guilty To Drug Conspiracy Charges. 
The New Bedford (MA) Standard-Times (10/22, 53K) reports from Boston, "A leader of the 
Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty Thursday to drug 
conspiracy charges." Bienvenido Nunez, "also known as `King Apache,' 33, pleaded guilty to 
conspiracy to distribute cocaine base." Senior US District Judge Rya W. Zobel "scheduled 
sentencing for Feb. 11, 2021. Nunez was charged in December 2019, at which time he was 
identified as the Inca, or leader, of the Massachusetts Latin Kings, a press release from the U.S. 
Department of Justice stated. Nunez admitted that he conspired with other Latin Kings members 
and leaders to possess cocaine base (also known as crack cocaine) with the intent to distribute it. 
In September 2019, Nunez conspired with others to obtain cocaine base from members of the 
Latin Kings in New Bedford for resale." 
Montana Man Sentenced For Meth Possession. 
The Great Falls (MT) Trumne (10/22, 114K) reports, "A Billings man who admitted to trafficking 
methamphetamine after investigators found more than 30 pounds of the drug and $11,380 in his 
vehicle and residence was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison, officials said. The sentence 
also came with five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said." Jerry Ray 
Schuster, 57, "pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and 
to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Wafters presided. 
Schuster was allowed to self surrender." Prosecutors "said an investigation into meth trafficking led 
to Schuster and a co-defendant, Byrne Martin Mestas. Mestas, 63, of Billings, was sentenced to 15 
years in prison in August for conviction on a conspiracy charge in the case." 
Missouri Man Arrested On Child Pornography Charges. 
KFVS-TV Cape Girardeau, MO (10/22, Ruch, 39K) reports Dmitriy Seregeyevic Seleznev "was 
arrested on October 7 around 1:30 p.m. by Vancouver police and agents with the Federal Bureau 
of Investigation at a business in Vancouver, Washington." He was "charged with one count of child 
pornography, a Class X felony; four counts of child pornography, Class 1 felonies; two counts of 
indecent solicitation of a child, Class 2 felonies; two counts of traveling to meet a minor, Class 3 
felonies; and two counts of grooming, Class 4 felonies." 
Continuing Coverage: Florida Attorney Arrested On Serial Bank Robbery Charges. 
The AP (10/22) reports Florida attorney Aaron Honaker has been charged by the FBI as being a 
"serial bank robber," who "tried to rob five banks in the last three weeks before being arrested on 
his way to another bank." The FBI filed a criminal complaint against Honaker on Wednesday. 
Philadelphia Mob Member Sentenced For Racketeering. 
The Inquirer (PA) (10/22, Roebuck, 347K) reports Philadelphia mob member Joseph Servidio was 
sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison after he "pleaded guilty to charges alleging he pumped 
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pills laced with heroin and fentanyl into Atlantic City." The investigation began in 2016, when an 
arrested mob member became a cooperating witness for the FBI. 
FBI Searching For Missouri Man. 
KCTV-TV Kansas City, MO (10/22, Brown, 133K) reports that the FBI Kansas City Field Office "is 
asking for help in locating a fugitive who is wanted for his involvement in meth distribution and 
conspiracy to commit money laundering." Suspect Christopher Brian Rogan has an arrest warrant 
dating back to July 21, when he was accused of participating in a conspiracy to "distribute 
methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering." 
KMBC-TV Kansas City, MO (10/22, 205K) reports that the FBI "said Rogan should be 
considered armed and dangerous." 
Also reporting are WDAF-TV Kansas City (MO) Kansas City, MO (10/22, 242K) and KSDK-TV 
St. Louis (10/22, 493K). 
FBI Searched California Home. 
The San Diego Union-Tribune (10/22, 755K) reports that federal gents "served an early-morning 
search warrant last week on the home of well-known San Diego criminal defense lawyer Vikas 
Bajaj, who has been identified in court documents as the purchaser of three firearms from a 
former sheriff's captain who pleaded guilty to illegal gun sales in September." The agents 
"remained at the home until just about 10:30 a.m., after carrying out bags and boxes of 
materials." 
Oregon Man Charged After Threatening Police, Courthouse With Firearms. 
The Salem (OR) Statesman Journal (10/22, Barreda, 115K) reports that an Otis, Oregon man "was 
arrested last week and charged with threatening to harm law enforcement officers and others 
inside the Lincoln County Courthouse." Daniel Kessler, 44, "is charged with two counts of furnishing 
a firearm used in a felony, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of unlawful 
possession of firearms. On Oct. 15, officials from the Lincoln County Sheriff's office received a call 
about a man who was preparing to harm specific law enforcement officers while in possession of 
multiple firearms. Detectives, with help from other agencies, found the suspect's threats were 
credible and that he 'had the means to follow through with his plans,' officials said." Kessler "was in 
possession of several firearms when investigators searched his residence and took him into 
custody on Tuesday. A previous court order prohibited Kessler from lawfully possessing firearms." 
FBI, DC Police Arrest Two For Child Sex Trafficking. 
The Washington Patch (10/22, 1.03M) reports that FBI agents and Metropolitan Police 
Department's Youth and Family Services Division officers "arrested two men in connection with a 
sex trafficking of children offenses that took place in the District." James Coleman is the only 
publicly identified figure so far. 
Texas Court Delays Bribery Trial Until 2021. 
The San Angelo (TX) LIVE! (10/22) reports that the bribery trial of former San Angelo police chief 
Tim Vasquez will "not happen until 2021." Vasquez "is accused of receiving bribes from a San 
Antonio radio vendor." 
California Gang Members Indicted On Racketeering Charges. 
KPIX-TV San Francisco (10/22, 110K) reports that six members of the Nortek) gang's "murder 
squad" have "been indicted by a federal grand jury charging them with racketeering conspiracy 
and the killing of a number of perceived gang rivals." The indictment "describes how the murder 
squad orchestrated seven shootings, killing eight people and injuring several others." 
Monterey County (CA) Herald (10/22, 84K) also reports. 
North Carolina Man Sentenced For Sex Trafficking. 
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WCCB-TV Charlotte, NC (10/22, 3K) reports U.S. District Judge Robert Conrad Jr. "sentenced 31-
year-old Xaver Boston of Charlotte, North Carolina on October 22nd to 40 years in prison with 30 
years of supervised release for sex trafficking and promotion of prostitution." Judge Conrad "[said] 
Boston will have to pay $354,000 in restitution and $25,000 according to 18 U.S. Code 3014 and 
the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015." 
North Carolina Man Sentenced On Drug, Firearms Charges. 
The Asheville (NC) Citizen-Times (10/22, 138K) reports U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger 
"sentenced 35-year-old Jerrell Tito Bowman to 185 months in prison and eight years of supervised 
release on drug and gun charges." Bowman had "plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute 
cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, Fentanyl, and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of 
a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon on June 29, 2020." 
Attorney Seeks Documents in Michigan Triple Murder; MGM Grand Mentioned. 
The Detroit News (10/22, Martindale, 825K) reports Nicholas Bahri, a West Bloomfield Township 
man "charged in three execution-style slayings this month, including a 6-year-old boy, had a brief 
probable cause hearing Thursday in Warren's 37th District Court that was adjourned into next year 
at the request of his attorney." Bahri's court appointed attorney, Randy Rodnick, "sought the 
adjournment to obtain copies of investigative reports, videos and other materials that police allege 
link Bahri to the slayings." Rodnick also asked "for copies of all fingerprint and DNA records and 
reports; phone records and video footage - including from a gas station where Bahri allegedly 
purchased gasoline to burn the rental car, and from the MGM Grand Casino in Detroit." Rodnick 
"said gathering the information has been time-consuming because multiple police agencies in 
several counties have participated in the investigation, including the FBI." 
FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS 
Judge In Mangano Case Orders Nearing On Alleged Perjury. 
Newsday (NYI (10/22, Kessler, 932K) reports, "A federal judge has scheduled a December hearing 
to determine if the corruption convictions of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and 
his wife, Linda, should be overturned because of defense daims that a key government witness in 
the case lied on the witness stand, according to court records." Newsday adds, "Defense attorneys 
for the Manganos maintain that the witness, former Long Island restauranteur Harendra Singh, 
committed perjury while testifying in a civil case. In separete filings addressing the allegations, 
federal prosecutors deny Singh perjured himself. The hearing scheduled for December 21st at the 
federal court in Central Islip would see both federal prosecutors and defense attorneys question 
Singh before U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack. The motion to overturn the Manganos' convictions 
and grant them a new trial is one of a number filed by the couple's defense attorneys to overturn 
the verdicts." 
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement. 
The Osceola (FL) News-Gazette (10/22, McBride) reports, "A Kissimmee woman has pleaded guilty 
has pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud after stealing more than $600,000 from two different 
companies." According to the plea agreement, around May 2017, Kavita L. Harack, 34, "was hired 
to work as an accountant in the Orlando office of a display services company. Between April 2018 
and May 2019, she directed 74 fraudulent payments from the display services company to four 
bank accounts held in her or her husband's name. Harack disguised the transfers to these personal 
accounts as vendor payments. After the display services company terminated Harack in May 2019, 
she was hired to work in the accounting department of a project design company in Orlando. 
Between July 2019 and December 2019, Harack directed four fraudulent payments from the 
project design company into two of her personal accounts, again disguising the transactions as 
vendor payments." 
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Athens, Alabama City Schools To Dismiss Superintendent Under FBI Probe. 
Alabama Live (10/22, Koplowitz, 734K) reports that the Athens, Alabama Board of Education 
"intends to fire Superintendent Trey Holladay, who was placed on administrative leave in June 
after learning he was under investigation by the FBI, the school system's president said Thursday." 
According to Alabama Live, "Details have not been publicly released about the nature of the 
investigation, which an FBI spokesman described to AL.com in June as a 'law enforcement action' 
at Holladay's home. Athens City Board of Education President Russell Johnson said in a statement 
Thursday night that the board reached a $250,000 settlement with Holladay that indudes 
terminating the superintendent's contract on Oct. 31. Holladay had about two years remaining on 
the contract, Johnson said." The FBI investigation into Holladay "remains ongoing, Johnson said. 
He added that the board was not told when the probe is expected to be completed." 
New York Court Upholds Dismissal Of State Mortgage Fraud Charges Against Manafort. 
The JAE (10/22, Sisak) reports a New York court has upheld a decision "dismissing state mortgage 
fraud charges against Paul Manafort on double jeopardy grounds, affirming a lower court finding 
that they mirrored the federal charges" that led to Manafort's imprisonment. The court "ruled that 
Manhattan prosecutors failed to show that the state charges they brought against Manafort last 
year warranted an exception to state double jeopardy protections." 
The New York Times (10/22, Zaveri, 18.61M) reports Manafort attorney Todd Blanche said in 
a statement, "As we have said from the time the district attorney announced charges against Mr. 
Manafort, this is a case that should never have been brought because the dismissed indictment is a 
clear violation of New York law." The New York Daily News (10/22, Crane-Newman, 2.52M) 
reports Manafort "was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in March 2019 for hiding millions of 
dollars in offshore accounts and then lying to get loans after income dried up from his work for 
pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians." Politico (10/22, Gerstein, 4.29M) also reports. 
Goldman To Pay Nearly $3B, Take Millions From Executives To Settle 1MDB Probe. 
The Wall Street Journal. (10/22, Hoffman, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) reports Goldman Sachs 
admitted Thursday that it broke US corruption laws and agreed to pay nearly $3 billion to officials 
in four countries to settle an investigation into its dealings with the Malaysian investment fund 
1MDB. In what the journal casts as a move to assuage shareholders Goldman said four executives: 
chief Executive David Solomon, President John Waldron, Chief Financial Officer Stephen Scherr and 
the head of Goldman's international business, Richard Gnodde will give up $31 million in pay this 
year. In addition, the bank will take back millions in past pay from Solomon's predecessor, Lloyd 
Blankfein and other former executives. The Washington Post (10/22, Bogage, 14.2M) says, 
"Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York charged the bank with conspiracy to violate the 
anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act." The settlement "includes the largest 
monetary penalty ever assessed under corporate criminal bribery law." 
The AP (10/22, Balsamo, Sweet) reports, "Goldman Sachs Malaysia entered the plea in 
federal court in Brooklyn." The New York Timing (10/22, Goldstein, Flitter, 18.61M) says Goldman 
"admitted its Malaysian subsidiary 'knowingly and willingly' conspired to violate the Foreign 
Corrupt Practices Act because some former employees paid bribes to officials in connection with 
the looting of a sovereign wealth fund, a scandal that toppled that country's leader and triggered 
criminal cases that spanned the globe." 
On its website, CNN (10/22, Disis, Isidore, Simko-Bednarski, Business, 83.16M) reports 
Goldman "has already settled the case with Malaysian authorities, agreeing this summer to a $3.9 
billion deal. As part of that settlement, Malaysia agreed to drop all criminal and regulatory 
proceedings in the country that involved Goldman, induding proceedings against the bank's 
subsidiaries and certain current and former directors." CNN adds the settlements "include partial 
credits for payments made to other countries, leaving Goldman with a total bill for the scandal of 
$5.1 billion, according to a company filing. It could still face civil penalties." 
Bloomberg (10/22, Natarajan, 4.73M) says Goldman, which was "pilloried after the 2008 
financial crisis, just saw a decade of image repair tarnished." Bloomberg adds, "The misconduct 
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