[EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Friday, November 13, 2020
Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com.
FBI News Briefing
TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF
DATE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2020 6:30 AM EST
TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEADING THE NEWS
• Agencies, Cybersecurity Experts Say Election Was Most Secure In US History.
PROTESTS
• Attorneys Seek Bond Release For Accused In Arbery Case.
COUNTER-TERRORISM
• Utah Man Pleads Guilty To Impersonating ISIS Leader In Attack Plot.
• FBI Analyst: Pittsburgh Is A "Hub" For White Supremacy.
• Massachusetts Man On Trial For Allegedly Trying To Firebomb Jewish Elder Care Facility.
• Accomplice Testifies Against Reputed Militia Leader In Minnesota Mosque Bombing Trial.
• Georgia Man Charged In 9/11 Bomb Threat.
• IS Claims Responsibility For Attack At Saudi WWI Ceremony.
• Iran Arrests Arab Separatist Leader Suspected To Be Behind 2018 Attack.
• Gunman Opens Fire On Saudi Embassy In The Netherlands.
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE
• "Growing Number" Of GOP Senators Call For Biden To Receive PDB.
• In Recording, Facebook CEO Defends Decision Not To Suspend Bannon.
• Opinion: "Stolen Election" Rhetoric Could Unleash Wave Of Violence.
• Wisconsin Official Says There Still Isn't Evidence Of Election Fraud.
• Former Ohio State Researcher Pleads Guilty To Lying About Chinese Ties.
• Cleveland Clinic Physician Charged With Taking Research To China.
• Chinese Professor Accused Of Stealing Trade Secrets For Huawei To Plead Guilty.
• House And Senate Poised To Extend Trump-Era Investigations.
• CNN: Internal White House Debate Over Fate Of Haspel.
• Independent Investigation Finds Bonanza Media Is A Russian Disinformation Project.
• UC Global Spied On Assange For Ecuadorian Intelligence, Says Ex Manager.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
• US Charges South Carolina Inmate With Trying To Hire Hitman To Kill Prosecutor.
• Documents Show Alleged Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Ringleader Planned To Take Hostages At Capitol Building.
• FBI Arrests California Man For Hate Crime Attack On Restaurant.
• Alaska Man Arrested With Large Amounts Of Drugs.
• Another Defendant Pleads Guilty In New Jersey Drug Trafficking Case.
• US Charges Four In Missouri Murder-For-Hire Plot.
• Pennsylvania Woman Gets 13 Months In Prison For Drug Trafficking.
• Marijuana-Related Search Warrant Operation Conducted In Arizona.
• FBI Arrests Woman In Connection To Bank Robberies In Utah, Arizona.
• FBI Investigating Minnesota Robbery.
• North Carolina Jury Convicts Foreign National Of Sexual Abuse.
• Continuing Coverage: FBI Investigating Disappearance Of Missing Colorado Woman.
• FBI Search Colorado Home In Connection To 2016 Disappearance.
• New York Sex Offender Charged With Child Pornography Possession.
• Iowa Man Sentenced For Child Pornography.
FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS
• Attorney For Cincinnati Councilman Charged In Bribery Scheme To Hold Press Conference Today.
• US Arrests Nine Californians On Money Laundering Charges.
• US Charges California Man With Wire Fraud, Identity Theft.
• Former Philadelphia Officials, Contractor's Employee Charged With Embezzlement.
• Plea Hearing For Ex-Michigan Prosecutor Moved Again Due To Coronavirus.
• New Hampshire Attorney Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering, Wire Fraud.
CYBER DIVISION
• Two DHS Officials Reportedly "Forced To Resign"; Krebs "Expects To Be Fired."
• Commerce Department Will Delay Enforcement Of TikTok Shutdown Order.
• Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Finds New Type Of Iranian Ransomware.
• Finland Prepares Change To Code Law After Hacking Case.
• NSA Grant To Help Two Indiana Campuses Expand Cybersecurity Programs.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
• Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department Assigns Officer To FBI Gun Violence Task Force.
• WPost: Voters Usher In "New Phase Of Drug Policy."
OTHER FBI NEWS
• DOJ Report: Acosta Engaged In No Misconduct When He Agreed To Epstein Plea Deal.
• Ramsey Tapped As New Portland, Oregon SAC.
OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS
• Media Analyses: Trump Silent On Pandemic, "Largely Out Of Sight," As Election Challenges Continue.
• Agreement Reached With Pharmacies To Provide Free COVID Vaccinations.
• Fauci Says Working With Administration Has Been "Stressful."
• Fauci: Lockdown Can Be Avoided.
• Birx Urges Tighter Restrictions, Guidance Adherence.
• US COVID Infections Topped 150K Thursday; States See Surge In Hospitalizations.
• California Cities Reimpose Restrictions As State Reaches Millionth COVID Case.
• Upper Midwest, Plains States See COVID Cases Rising.
• Chicago Mayor Issues Stay-At-Home Advisory.
• NYC Schools Seen As Likely To Close Again Amid Resurgence Of COVID.
• Health Officials Encouraging Extra COVID Precautions For Holidays.
• Clinical Laboratories Warn COVID Testing May Be Delayed.
• Lewandowski Tests Positive For COVID.
• Ivanka Trump, Kushner Withdrew Children From School After White House Outbreak.
• Alaska Congressman Tests Positive For COVID.
• WSJournal: Delaware COVID Settlement Allows Churches To Be Treated Neutrally.
• WSJournal: Biden's COVID Team Would Push For Lockdowns.
• Administration Leaving Stimulus Talks To McConnell As Pelosi, Schumer Signal No Compromise.
• Federal Judge Schedules Conference On Trump Defamation Suit.
• At Least Four Dead As Eta Moves Through Southeast.
• Appeals Court Upholds Harvard Affirmative Action Ruling.
• Deputy AG Rosen Reportedly Blocked Charges Against Zinke.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
• Chinese Government Stopping Taiwan's Participation In WHO Meeting.
• Prime Minister Says Japan Does Not Need To Declare COVID State Of Emergency.
• Germany, France See Slowing Of COVID Cases, But Hospitals Remain Crowded.
• South Africa Opens To Foreign Visitors.
• US Allies In Iraq Said To Fear Targeting By Iran.
• NYTimes Analysis: Syrian Refugees Resist Return Under Current Leadership.
• NYTimes Analysis: Afghan Officials Do Not Expect Biden To Stop Trump's Troop Withdrawal.
• Five Americans, Two Others Killed In Crash Of Peacekeeping Force Helicopter In Sinai.
• Pompeo To Visit Golan Heights, West Bank Israeli Settlement.
• Wolf Planning To Visit Several Latin American Countries In Early December.
• Russian Military Operations Off Coast Of Alaska Impact Private US Ships.
• Hong Kong Legislature Opens Without Pro-Democracy Lawmakers.
• EU Plans Pro-LGBTQ Policies In Response To Hungary And Poland.
• Researchers Conclude World "Already Past A Point Of No Return For Global Warming."
• NYTimes Analysis: Nobel Peace Prize Repeatedly Awarded To Dubious Winners.
THE BIG PICTURE
• Headlines From Today's Front Pages.
WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE
• Today's Events In Washington.
[Full briefing content follows, including detailed news summaries, legal and criminal case updates, COVID-19 developments, and more.]
Key Epstein Case Reference:
- DOJ Report: Acosta Engaged In No Misconduct When He Agreed To Epstein Plea Deal.
- CBS Evening News (11/12): DOJ said the prosecutor who handled the 2008 case against Jeffrey Epstein showed poor judgment but did not engage in professional misconduct. Alex Acosta, later Trump's labor secretary, was under fire for the generous plea deal with Epstein, accused of abusing dozens of teenage girls. A lawyer for Epstein's victims called the DOJ report a cover-up.
- AP (11/12): DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility found Acosta "exercised 'poor judgment'" in handling the Epstein investigation as a top federal prosecutor in Florida. The report details Acosta's handling of a secret plea deal with Epstein, accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. The report concludes no prosecutors committed misconduct in their interactions with victims, likely disappointing victims who hoped for accountability.
- Reuters (11/12): DOJ said Acosta failed to ensure Florida would notify victims about the state plea hearing. Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) denounced the report's conclusions, calling it a "disgusting failure."
- New York Times (11/12): The review was an attempt to close the door on an embarrassing episode for DOJ, which critics say allowed Epstein to go unscrutinized despite years of allegations. The full report shows Epstein and his defense lawyers were in control of negotiations from June 2007.
- Washington Post (11/12): Lawyers for the victims criticized the report, calling the mistakes reckless. DOJ said it could not release the entire report publicly due to privacy law, but it was being turned over to lawmakers.
- Also reported by Wall Street Journal, CNN, Axios.