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From• 
To. 
Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs 
2020 
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2020 10:26:13 +0000 
c
Importan 
e: Normal 
News Briefing Friday, October 23, 
Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com.
'FBI News Briefing 
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. 
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. 
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• 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. 
• 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 $3B, 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 
• DOJ 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. 
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• Professional Gambler Sues Bharara, DOJ 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 DOJ 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. 
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. 
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All three broadcast news networks covered what David Muir of ABC World News TonightVI 
(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 NewsVi (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-AMVI 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." 
NBC News (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 publicly reported." 
The Hill (10/22, Klar, Miller, 2.98M) reports looks at the takeaways from the incident, 
including the idea that Iran "should not be underestimated," and also highlighted the 
differences in tone of Wray and Ratcliffe. 
Meanwhile, Bloomberg (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 Ratcliffe 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 Emails 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 
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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." Business 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, Reuters (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 York 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 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 Ratcliffe'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 Hill (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 Ratcliffe, arguing that his comments were consistent 
with the intelligence community's previous assessments about Tehran's intentions when it 
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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 NewsVI (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. DI-IS 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 AP (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 "agencies involved have been warning for months, including 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), CNET 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 
disclosing 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 
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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, including 
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, "Bait 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 DO) "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 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 
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"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 York Times (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 TonightVi (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 AP (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 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, 3. 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 
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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 CBS Evening NewsVi (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 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. 
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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 Orange 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 Post (10/22, 14.2M) reports that "the U.S. military has been quietly helping 
the 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 
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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 News (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 TVVI (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' Evening Edit, "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." 
Breitbart (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 York 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. 
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 
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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 Post 
(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 
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pervasive 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 Fox 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." 
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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 
'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 Times 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 
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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 
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. 
Reuters (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 DO3 
"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 Bloomberg (10/22, Meyer, 4.73M), the Daily Caller 
(10/22, 716K), the Washington Times (10/22, Blake, 492K), Reuters (10/22), and CNN (10/22, 
Ilyushina, 83.16M). 
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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." 
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 
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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' 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) Tribune (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. Watters 
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. 
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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 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. 
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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 Nortetio 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. 
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 Hearing On Alleged Perjury. 
Newsday (NY). (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 claims that a key 
government witness in the case lied on the witness stand, according to court records." Newsday 
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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." 
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 includes 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 AP (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. 
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