npr--2020-06-16--Top Executives At VOA Resign As Trump Ally Prepares To Take Over

Top Executives At VOA Resign As Trump Ally Prepares To Take Over The Voice of America 's two top executives stepped down Monday following Senate confirmation of President Trump 's pick to run the agency that oversees the international broadcaster .
The resignation of Director Amanda Bennett and Deputy Director Sandy Sugawara was announced as Michael Pack , a conservative filmmaker and supporter of the president , was set to take over as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media ( USAGM ) .
In a farewell message , Bennett thanked staff members for their `` dedication to our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about editorial independence at VOA under the new Trump appointee .
`` Nothing about you , your passion , your mission or your integrity changes , '' said Bennett , a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who previously worked as executive editor at Bloomberg News and spent more than two decades at The Wall Street Journal .
`` Michael Pack swore before Congress to respect and honor the firewall that guarantees VOA 's independence , which in turn plays the single most important role in the stunning trust our audiences around the world have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran of The Washington Post and UPI before coming to VOA , lauded the `` many brave , heroic journalists at VOA who believe passionately in the power of a free press . ''
Trump is a frequent critic of the publicly-funded broadcaster .
In April , for example , the White House criticized VOA for its story about the reopening of Wuhan , China , where the COVID-19 outbreak first emerged .
`` Journalists should report the facts , but VOA has instead amplified Beijing 's propaganda , '' the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VOA called China 's Wuhan lockdown a successful 'model ' copied by much of the world — and then tweeted out video of the Communist government 's celebratory light show marking the quarantine 's alleged end . ''
Trump is n't the first president to be critical of VOA 's coverage , but he has been perhaps the most vocal .
At an April 15 White House news briefing , the president lambasted VOA 's coverage .
`` If you heard what 's coming out of the Voice of America , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are disgusting toward our country , '' Trump said .
`` And Michael Pack would get in and do a great job . ''
Earlier this month the Senate approved Pack — who is close to Steve Bannon , the former top Trump aide and ex-executive chairman of the right-wing Breitbart News — to lead USAGM on a nearly party-line vote , with only one Democrat joining Republicans to approve the nomination .
The vote was delayed because of a still ongoing investigation into whether Pack misused funds at Public Media Lab , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which began in 1942 , provides news and information in more than 40 languages , with an estimated weekly global audience of more than 280 million .
Despite being an agency of the U.S. government , the organization 's charter requires VOA to be `` accurate , objective and comprehensive '' and reflect the nation as a whole .
Pack is seen by critics as someone who might push more favorable coverage of the Trump administration at VOA , jeopardizing its editorial independence .
In a letter to members of the House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urged that VOA 's autonomy be preserved .
`` Any attempt by government officials to interfere with the independence of publicly funded media raises the specter of state control and coercion , which should be anathema to all Americans , '' Reporters Committee wrote .
Pack 's predecessor at USAGM was John Lansing , who left to become the CEO of NPR in October .

Top Executives At VOA Resign As Trump Ally Prepares To Take Over
Enlarge this image toggle caption VOA VOA
The Voice of America's two top executives stepped down Monday following Senate confirmation of President Trump's pick to run the agency that oversees the international broadcaster.
The resignation of Director Amanda Bennett and Deputy Director Sandy Sugawara was announced as Michael Pack, a conservative filmmaker and supporter of the president, was set to take over as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM).
In a farewell message, Bennett thanked staff members for their "dedication to our mission" but also alluded to potential concerns about editorial independence at VOA under the new Trump appointee.
"Nothing about you, your passion, your mission or your integrity changes," said Bennett, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who previously worked as executive editor at Bloomberg News and spent more than two decades at The Wall Street Journal. "Michael Pack swore before Congress to respect and honor the firewall that guarantees VOA's independence, which in turn plays the single most important role in the stunning trust our audiences around the world have in us."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
Sugawara, a veteran of The Washington Post and UPI before coming to VOA, lauded the "many brave, heroic journalists at VOA who believe passionately in the power of a free press."
Trump is a frequent critic of the publicly-funded broadcaster. In April, for example, the White House criticized VOA for its story about the reopening of Wuhan, China, where the COVID-19 outbreak first emerged.
"Journalists should report the facts, but VOA has instead amplified Beijing's propaganda," the White House website read. "This week, VOA called China's Wuhan lockdown a successful 'model' copied by much of the world — and then tweeted out video of the Communist government's celebratory light show marking the quarantine's alleged end."
Trump isn't the first president to be critical of VOA's coverage, but he has been perhaps the most vocal.
At an April 15 White House news briefing, the president lambasted VOA's coverage.
"If you heard what's coming out of the Voice of America, it's disgusting. What – things they say are disgusting toward our country," Trump said. "And Michael Pack would get in and do a great job."
Earlier this month the Senate approved Pack — who is close to Steve Bannon, the former top Trump aide and ex-executive chairman of the right-wing Breitbart News — to lead USAGM on a nearly party-line vote, with only one Democrat joining Republicans to approve the nomination. The vote was delayed because of a still ongoing investigation into whether Pack misused funds at Public Media Lab, a non-profit he ran.
Taxpayer-funded VOA, which began in 1942, provides news and information in more than 40 languages, with an estimated weekly global audience of more than 280 million.
Despite being an agency of the U.S. government, the organization's charter requires VOA to be "accurate, objective and comprehensive" and reflect the nation as a whole. Pack is seen by critics as someone who might push more favorable coverage of the Trump administration at VOA, jeopardizing its editorial independence.
In a letter to members of the House Foreign Relations Committee in late April, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urged that VOA's autonomy be preserved.
"Any attempt by government officials to interfere with the independence of publicly funded media raises the specter of state control and coercion, which should be anathema to all Americans," Reporters Committee wrote.
Pack's predecessor at USAGM was John Lansing, who left to become the CEO of NPR in October.


npr--2020-06-15--Federal Executions Set To Resume After Nearly 2-Decade Hiatus

Federal Executions Set To Resume After Nearly 2-Decade Hiatus After nearly two decades , the federal government will once again begin executing criminals , the Justice Department announced Monday .
Four convicted child-murderers are set to be put to death by lethal injection .
`` The four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws , '' said Attorney General William Barr in a statement .
`` We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes , and to the families left behind , to carry forward the sentence imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes were grisly .
Daniel Lewis Lee murdered a family of three , including an eight-year-old girl .
He 's been on death row since 1999 ; his execution is scheduled for July 13 .
Wesley Ira Purkey , who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl , will be put to death on July 15 .
Dustin Lee Honken , who shot and killed five people , will be executed July 17 .
Keith Dwayne Nelson , who kidnapped , raped and strangled a 10-year-old girl to death with a wire , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been exceedingly rare in recent decades .
According to the Death Penalty Information Center , only three have taken place since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988 .
All of those executions were carried out during the George W. Bush administration .
One of those was Timothy McVeigh , sentenced to death for bombing the Oklahoma City federal building .
In 2014 , President Barack Obama ordered a review of how the death penalty is applied in the U.S. , after a bungled state execution in Oklahoma , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ultimately took more than an hour for the prisoner to die .
Last July , the Trump administration announced that the review was complete , and executions could resume .
After a series of legal challenges that delayed the executions , a federal appeals court gave Barr the go-ahead in April .
In its statement , the Department of Justice said each of the inmates has exhausted his appeals , `` and no legal impediments prevent their executions , '' adding : `` Additional executions will be scheduled at a later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporter of the death penalty .
More than 60 federal prisoners are awaiting execution , including Dylann Roof , who killed nine parishioners at a church in Charleston , S.C. , in 2015 ; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , who participated in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing .

Federal Executions Set To Resume After Nearly 2-Decade Hiatus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Evan Vucci/AP Evan Vucci/AP
After nearly two decades, the federal government will once again begin executing criminals, the Justice Department announced Monday. Four inmates convicted of murdering children are set to be put to death by lethal injection.
"The four murderers whose executions are scheduled today have received full and fair proceedings under our Constitution and laws," said Attorney General William Barr in a statement. "We owe it to the victims of these horrific crimes, and to the families left behind, to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system."
The crimes were grisly. Daniel Lewis Lee murdered a family of three, including an 8-year-old girl. He's been on death row since 1999; his execution is scheduled for July 13. Wesley Ira Purkey, who raped and murdered a 16-year-old girl, will be put to death on July 15. Dustin Lee Honken, who shot and killed five people, will be executed July 17. Keith Dwayne Nelson, who kidnapped, raped and strangled a 10-year-old girl to death with a wire, will be executed Aug. 28.
Federal executions have been exceedingly rare in recent decades. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, only three have taken place since the federal death penalty was reinstated in 1988. All of those executions were carried out during the George W. Bush administration. One of those was Timothy McVeigh, sentenced to death for bombing the Oklahoma City federal building.
In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered a review of how the death penalty is applied in the U.S. after a bungled state execution in Oklahoma in which medical officials had difficulty inserting the IV. It ultimately took more than an hour for the prisoner to die.
Last July, the Trump administration announced that the review was complete, and executions could resume. After a series of legal challenges that delayed the executions, a federal appeals court gave Barr the go-ahead in April.
In its statement, the Department of Justice said each of the inmates has exhausted his appeals, "and no legal impediments prevent their executions," adding: "Additional executions will be scheduled at a later date."
Trump is a longtime supporter of the death penalty.
More than 60 federal prisoners are awaiting execution, including Dylann Roof, who killed nine parishioners at a Charleston, S.C., church in 2015; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who participated in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.


npr--2020-06-15--Feds: Former eBay Employees Sent Newsletter Writers Roaches, Spiders And Pornography

Feds : Former eBay Employees Sent Newsletter Writers Roaches , Spiders And Pornography Angered by items that appeared in a e-commerce newsletter , six former employees of eBay sent the publishers , a couple living in Massachusetts , live cockroaches and spiders , pornography , a bloody pigface mask , a preserved pig fetus and a funeral wreath , and attempted to secretly install a tracking device on the couple 's car , federal authorities allege in criminal charges unsealed on Monday .
Authorities do not disclose the name of the newsletter , nor the couple who were the subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several of the blog posts mentioned by prosecutors can be found on EcommerceBytes , a site and newsletter ran by David and Ina Steiner that often focuses on eBay sellers , highlighting their struggles with the online retailer .
The couple have also drawn attention to how much top executives at eBay are paid .
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said at a press conference on Monday that the ex-eBay employees exacted revenge in a manner intended to torment and intimidate the couple .
`` They were not merely unhappy , they were enraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the scheme a `` campaign fueled by the resources of a Fortune 500 company to emotionally and psychologically terrorize this middle aged couple , '' noting that involvement `` goes pretty far up the chain at eBay . ''
Lelling added : `` It could be that it speaks to a culture in Silicon Valley of dealing aggressively with criticism of a particular brand as fast as you can . ''
On Monday , James Baugh , 45 , of San Jose , Calif. , eBay 's former senior director of safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 , of New York City , eBay 's former director of global resilience , were both arrested on charges conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses .
Four other former eBay officials were also charged .
Prosecutors say the eBay employees harassed the couple online using fake social media accounts and then reached out to say eBay was aware of the malicious behavior and was investigating .
Authorities say it was a ploy eBay employees concocted after watching the Ridley Scott film Body of Lies , a movie featuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intended to draw a real terrorist out of hiding .
Prosecutors say the former eBay employees planned to have Brian Gilbert , who was on eBay 's global security team and is a former Santa Clara police captain , approach the couple with an offer to help stop the harassment as a way of promoting good will toward the company in order to generate more favorable coverage .
The campaign against the couple , federal investigators say , even sent an eBay team to the couple 's home in the Natick , Mass.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials suspected the couple collaborated with troll accounts on social media to `` publish negative content about eBay . ''
Federal officials say on August 15 , 2019 , three eBay employees arrived in Boston and drove to Natick , where Baugh and Harville approached the couple 's home on foot with the intention of installing a GPS tracking device on the couple 's car .
The eBay team had signed up for a software development conference in Boston to create a pretext for their trip , authorities say .
The group also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of interest '' document describing individuals who had supposedly made threats against eBay executives , planning to show the document to police in the event that they were caught , according to the charging documents .
Federal investigators say they were not able to reach the car because the couple 's garage was locked .
The couple figured out what was happening and reported it to the local police , who eventually forwarded the matter to federal authorities .
eBay executive allegedly wrote : `` We are going to crush this lady '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged by top executives at eBay , which the company denies .
None of the six former eBay employees charged held executive positions .
The effort targeting the couple began in August 2019 , according to prosecutors , when Steiner posted an item about a lawsuit eBay filed accusing Amazon of attempting to poach eBay sellers to Amazon 's online marketplace .
Shortly after , a person identified as Executive 1 texted someone known in the federal affidavit as Executive 2 that Ina Steiner was `` out with a hot piece on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take her down..now is the time . ''
In a text message from April 10 , 2019 , Executive 2 allegedly texted Executive 1 with this message including a link to the couple 's newsletter with an item about the compensation of Executive 1 : `` We are going to crush this lady . ''
In another message sent over email , Executive 2 allegedly said the newsletter writers have `` dedicated their lives to erroneously trashing us as a way to build their own brand , '' adding that `` we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` I genuinely believe these people are acting out of malice and ANYTHING we can do to solve it should be explored , '' Executive 2 wrote , according to federal investigators .
`` Whatever .
It .
Takes . ''
Former eBay CEO Devin Wenig left the company in September 2019 , citing a conflict with eBay 's new board of directors .
In a statement on Monday , eBay said its own internal investigation never directly linked Wenig to the harassment .
`` While Mr. Wenig 's communications were inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew in advance about or authorized the actions that were later directed toward the blogger and her husband , '' the company wrote .
However , a source close to the investigation confirms to NPR that Wenig is among the executives who exchanged text messages and emails encouraging retaliation against the couple .
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the district of Massachusetts declined to comment on individuals not named in the charging documents , but noted that the investigation remains ongoing .
Four other former employees charged Prosecutors say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the harassment to investigators and deleted text messages to cover up their communication .
But authorities say the messages were uncovered through subpoenas of Apple and forensic analysis of phones obtained by investigators .
Besides Baugh and Harville , the other four charged are Stephanie Popp , 32 , of San Jose , eBay 's former senior manager of global intelligence ; Stephanie Stockwell , 26 , of Redwood City , Calif. , the former manager of eBay 's global intelligence center ; Veronica Zea , 26 , of San Jose , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence analyst ; and Brian Gilbert , 51 , of San Jose , a former senior manager of special operations for eBay 's global security team .
Lawyers for the defendants have not responded to NPR requests for comment .

Feds: Former eBay Employees Sent Newsletter Writers Roaches, Spiders And Pornography
Enlarge this image toggle caption Wilfredo Lee/AP Wilfredo Lee/AP
Angered by items that appeared in a e-commerce newsletter, six former employees of eBay sent the publishers, a couple living in Massachusetts, live cockroaches and spiders, pornography, a bloody pigface mask, a preserved pig fetus and a funeral wreath, and attempted to secretly install a tracking device on the couple's car, federal authorities allege in criminal charges unsealed on Monday.
Authorities do not disclose the name of the newsletter, nor the couple who were the subject of the alleged harassment campaign. But several of the blog posts mentioned by prosecutors can be found on EcommerceBytes, a site and newsletter ran by David and Ina Steiner that often focuses on eBay sellers, highlighting their struggles with the online retailer. The couple have also drawn attention to how much top executives at eBay are paid.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling said at a press conference on Monday that the ex-eBay employees exacted revenge in a manner intended to torment and intimidate the couple.
"They were not merely unhappy, they were enraged," said Lelling said, who called the scheme a "campaign fueled by the resources of a Fortune 500 company to emotionally and psychologically terrorize this middle aged couple," noting that involvement "goes pretty far up the chain at eBay."
Lelling added: "It could be that it speaks to a culture in Silicon Valley of dealing aggressively with criticism of a particular brand as fast as you can."
On Monday, James Baugh, 45, of San Jose, Calif., eBay's former senior director of safety and security, and David Harville, 48, of New York City, eBay's former director of global resilience, were both arrested on charges conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. Four other former eBay officials were also charged.
Prosecutors say the eBay employees harassed the couple online using fake social media accounts and then reached out to say eBay was aware of the malicious behavior and was investigating. Authorities say it was a ploy eBay employees concocted after watching the Ridley Scott film Body of Lies, a movie featuring Leonardo DiCaprio about a fake terrorist plot intended to draw a real terrorist out of hiding.
Prosecutors say the former eBay employees planned to have Brian Gilbert, who was on eBay's global security team and is a former Santa Clara police captain, approach the couple with an offer to help stop the harassment as a way of promoting good will toward the company in order to generate more favorable coverage.
The campaign against the couple, federal investigators say, even sent an eBay team to the couple's home in the Natick, Mass., a suburb of Boston.
eBay officials suspected the couple collaborated with troll accounts on social media to "publish negative content about eBay."
Federal officials say on August 15, 2019, three eBay employees arrived in Boston and drove to Natick, where Baugh and Harville approached the couple's home on foot with the intention of installing a GPS tracking device on the couple's car.
The eBay team had signed up for a software development conference in Boston to create a pretext for their trip, authorities say. The group also carried with them a fake "person of interest" document describing individuals who had supposedly made threats against eBay executives, planning to show the document to police in the event that they were caught, according to the charging documents.
Federal investigators say they were not able to reach the car because the couple's garage was locked. The couple figured out what was happening and reported it to the local police, who eventually forwarded the matter to federal authorities.
eBay executive allegedly wrote: "We are going to crush this lady"
Federal prosecutors say the harassment tactics were urged by top executives at eBay, which the company denies. None of the six former eBay employees charged held executive positions.
The effort targeting the couple began in August 2019, according to prosecutors, when Steiner posted an item about a lawsuit eBay filed accusing Amazon of attempting to poach eBay sellers to Amazon's online marketplace.
Shortly after, a person identified as Executive 1 texted someone known in the federal affidavit as Executive 2 that Ina Steiner was "out with a hot piece on the litigation. If you are ever going to take her down..now is the time."
Executive 2 allegedly wrote back: "On it."
In a text message from April 10, 2019, Executive 2 allegedly texted Executive 1 with this message including a link to the couple's newsletter with an item about the compensation of Executive 1: "We are going to crush this lady."
In another message sent over email, Executive 2 allegedly said the newsletter writers have "dedicated their lives to erroneously trashing us as a way to build their own brand," adding that "we look bad fighting back in public."
"I genuinely believe these people are acting out of malice and ANYTHING we can do to solve it should be explored," Executive 2 wrote, according to federal investigators. "Whatever. It. Takes."
Former eBay CEO Devin Wenig's involvement
Former eBay CEO Devin Wenig left the company in September 2019, citing a conflict with eBay's new board of directors.
In a statement on Monday, eBay said its own internal investigation never directly linked Wenig to the harassment.
"While Mr. Wenig's communications were inappropriate, there was no evidence that he knew in advance about or authorized the actions that were later directed toward the blogger and her husband," the company wrote.
However, a source close to the investigation confirms to NPR that Wenig is among the executives who exchanged text messages and emails encouraging retaliation against the couple.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the district of Massachusetts declined to comment on individuals not named in the charging documents, but noted that the investigation remains ongoing.
Four other former employees charged
Prosecutors say Baugh and Harville lied about involvement with the harassment to investigators and deleted text messages to cover up their communication. But authorities say the messages were uncovered through subpoenas of Apple and forensic analysis of phones obtained by investigators.
Besides Baugh and Harville, the other four charged are Stephanie Popp, 32, of San Jose, eBay's former senior manager of global intelligence; Stephanie Stockwell, 26, of Redwood City, Calif., the former manager of eBay's global intelligence center; Veronica Zea, 26, of San Jose, a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst; and Brian Gilbert, 51, of San Jose, a former senior manager of special operations for eBay's global security team.
Lawyers for the defendants have not responded to NPR requests for comment.


npr--2020-06-15--College Football Star Threatens Boycott Over Coach's Support For Far-Right TV Channel

Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard , who was college football 's leading rusher last season , said that he will not participate with the program in response to a photo released of his head coach wearing a shirt with the logo of a far-right television network .
In the photo , head football coach Mike Gundy is pictured on a fishing trip wearing a One America News Network shirt .
`` This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society , and it 's unacceptable , '' Hubbard said .
`` I will not be doing anything with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The news channel , One America Network ( OAN ) , has a history of supporting President Trump and of spreading misinformation that favors the political right .
It drew ire last week in the wake of an incident in which Buffalo police officers pushed down an elderly protester .
The network characterized the incident as a potential `` setup , '' and Trump tweeted in support of that idea .
There is no evidence to support those claims .
Gundy has previously praised the OAN for not being as laden with `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream media , '' according to The Oklahoman .
`` There 's no commentary , '' Gundy said of the network .
`` There 's no opinions on this .
There 's no left .
There 's no right .
They just reported the news .
And I 've been watching them the last week , because they 're given us the news and given us more information — in my opinion — some of the positives are coming out . ''
Other college athletes have taken stands similar to Hubbard in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players threatened to boycott donor and recruiting events if the university does n't take steps to make the environment more welcoming to its black students , including changing the names of buildings named for people associated with the Confederacy .
For now , it is unclear what specific change Hubbard is asking for .
Hubbard , who is also a sprinter for Team Canada , has spoken out about police violence and racism in recent weeks via his Twitter account .
NPR reached out to the program about the incident and received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response .
`` I hear and respect the concerns expressed by our Black student-athletes , '' Hargis wrote .
`` This is a time for unity of purpose to confront racial inequities and injustice .
We will not tolerate insensitive behavior by anyone at Oklahoma State . ''
The university 's athletic director Mike Holder emailed the statement , `` This afternoon has been very disturbing .
The tweets from the current and former players are of grave concern . ''

College Football Star Threatened Boycott Over Coach's Support For Far-Right Channel
Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Daniel Dunn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Updated at 11:30 a.m. ET
Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard, who was college football's leading rusher last season, threatened on Monday to stop participating in the program in response to a photo released of his head coach wearing a shirt with the logo of a far-right television network.
But Hubbard apologized several hours later in a video with coach Mike Gundy, saying that he "went about it the wrong way" by taking to Twitter.
Gundy said he met with players who had complaints about the photo and is "looking forward to making some changes."
In the photo, Gundy is pictured on a fishing trip wearing a One America News Network shirt.
"This is completely insensitive to everything going on in society, and it's unacceptable," Hubbard said in his initial tweet. "I will not be doing anything with Oklahoma State until things CHANGE."
Hubbard posted another tweet Monday night, saying that his foot was "still on the gas" and that "results are coming."
"I am a man and I realize I should have went to him [coach Gundy] as a man face to face rather than on twitter," he wrote in a separate statement Tuesday morning. "But I had to hold him accountable either way. I am glad things happened the way they did because things are being changed as we speak!"
The news channel, One America News Network (OAN), has a history of supporting President Trump and of spreading misinformation that favors the political right. It drew ire last week in the wake of an incident in which Buffalo police officers pushed down an elderly protester. The network characterized the incident as a potential "setup," and Trump tweeted in support of that idea. There is no evidence to support those claims.
Gundy has previously praised the OAN for not being as laden with "negativity" as some of the "mainstream media," according to The Oklahoman.
"There's no commentary," Gundy said of the network. "There's no opinions on this. There's no left. There's no right. They just reported the news. And I've been watching them the last week, because they're given us the news and given us more information — in my opinion — some of the positives are coming out."
Other college athletes have taken stands similar to Hubbard's in recent weeks. University of Texas at Austin players threatened to boycott donor and recruiting events if the university doesn't take steps to make the environment more welcoming to its black students, including changing the names of buildings named for people associated with the Confederacy.
For now, it is unclear what specific change will take place within the Oklahoma State program. Hubbard, who is also a sprinter for Team Canada, has spoken out about police violence and racism in recent weeks via his Twitter account.
NPR reached out to the program about the incident and received a statement from Oklahoma State President Burns Hargis in response.
"I hear and respect the concerns expressed by our Black student-athletes," Hargis wrote. "This is a time for unity of purpose to confront racial inequities and injustice. We will not tolerate insensitive behavior by anyone at Oklahoma State."


npr--2020-06-16--As Texas Coronavirus Cases Reach New High, Gov. Abbott Plays Down The Numbers

As Texas Coronavirus Cases Reach New High , Gov .
Abbott Plays Down The Numbers Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday the state 's highest-ever number of new COVID-19 cases : 2,622 .
He also reported a second record high : 2,518 people hospitalized with the virus in Texas , up from 2,326 a day earlier .
Despite the concerning uptick in people sick with the virus , Abbott said that the reason for his news conference was to let Texans know about the `` abundant '' hospital capacity for treating people with COVID-19 .
He and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's hospital bed availability .
Disclosing the new record high number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19 , Abbott emphasized that figure is `` really a very small percentage of all the beds that are available . ''
Texas has so far been spared the high case numbers in other populous states .
While it 's the second-largest state by population , Texas currently ranks sixth in terms of cumulative case numbers .
Before releasing the number of new cases , Abbott delved into what he said accounted for the previous daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,504 new cases .
The governor said that spike could be largely attributed to 520 positive tests of inmates in Texas prisons being reported at once as well as a data error in a rural county .
He said there are also reasons for why Tuesday 's new case count was so high : tests results coming from an assisted living facility near Plano , a county south of Austin where positive cases seemed to be reported in batches , and 104 cases in one East Texas county that appear to be primarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he also pointed to uncareful behavior as a possible driver in some of the new cases .
Abbott said there were a number of counties where a majority of those who tested positive for the coronavirus were under the age of 30 , which he attributed to people going to `` bar-type '' settings or Memorial Day celebrations and not taking health precautions .
Abbott said that measures such as wearing masks , hand sanitizing and social distancing are what make it possible to reopen the state 's economy .
Dr. John Hellerstedt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State Health Services , struck the same note .
`` The message is we are seeing some increase in the number of COVID patients in the state .
We expected this , '' he said .
`` But we are seeing it occurring at a manageable level .
I really want to stress that the continued success is up to the people of the state of Texas . ''
Despite Abbott 's emphasis on the importance of masks , he has barred Texas cities from implementing any rules that would require face coverings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 27 that says while individuals are encouraged to wear face masks , `` no jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering . ''
On Tuesday , the mayors of nine Texas cities — including Houston , Dallas , San Antonio , Austin , Fort Worth and El Paso — sent a letter to the governor asking for the authority to set the rules and regulations on the use of face coverings .
`` A one-size-fits-all approach is not the best option .
We should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about health policy .
And if mayors are given the opportunity to require face coverings , we believe our cities will be ready to help reduce the spread of this disease , '' they wrote .
`` If you do not have plans to mandate face coverings statewide , we ask that you restore the ability for local authorities to enforce the wearing of face coverings in public venues where physical distancing can not be practiced . ''
Abbott said Tuesday that judges and local officials have other tools available for enforcement such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't follow state protocols .
Austin Mayor Steve Adler extended a stay-at-home warning on Monday amid the news of rising cases – but that warning could only be advice to residents and not an order due to the state 's preemption .
`` People are confused , '' Adler told NPR 's Steve Inskeep on Tuesday .
`` They just do n't know at this point if it 's really important to wear face coverings or not , because I think they 're feeling like they 're getting mixed messaging — not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So we 're just not getting the vigilance that we need on these efforts . ''
In Austin , Adler said , you 'll see most everyone wearing a mask in grocery stores but not in restaurants or music clubs : `` When we started opening up the economy and when the governor took away from cities the ability to make it mandatory , more and more people stopped wearing them . ''
Adler said he agreed with Abbott that face coverings are key to reopening parts of the economy , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I know it 's inconvenient .
I know it 's hot .
I know it 's a nuisance , '' Adler said .
`` And it 's hard to do , and people do n't like it .
But at the same time , our community has to decide just how much we value the lives of folks in our community that are over 65 and older .
We have to decide how much we value the lives of the communities of color that are suffering disproportionately because of this virus .
@

Texas Governor Says 'No Reason Today To Be Alarmed' As Coronavirus Cases Set Record
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday the state's highest-ever number of new COVID-19 cases: 2,622.
He also reported a second record high: 2,518 people hospitalized with the virus in Texas, up from 2,326 a day earlier.
Despite the concerning uptick in people sick with the virus, Abbott said that the reason for his news conference was to let Texans know about the "abundant" hospital capacity for treating people with COVID-19. He and other officials spent much of the briefing touting the state's hospital bed availability.
Disclosing the new record high number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19, Abbott emphasized that figure is "really a very small percentage of all the beds that are available."
Texas has so far been spared the high case numbers in other populous states. While it's the second-largest state by population, Texas currently ranks sixth in terms of cumulative case numbers.
Before releasing the number of new cases, Abbott delved into what he said accounted for the previous daily high on June 10, which had 2,504 new cases. The governor said that spike could be largely attributed to 520 positive tests of inmates in Texas prisons being reported at once as well as a data error in a rural county.
He said there are also reasons for why Tuesday's new case count was so high: tests results coming from an assisted living facility near Plano; a county south of Austin where positive cases seemed to be reported in batches; and 104 cases in one East Texas county that appear to be primarily from tests at a prison.
But he also pointed to uncareful behavior as a possible driver in some of the new cases. Abbott said there were a number of counties where a majority of those who tested positive for the coronavirus were under the age of 30, which he attributed to people going to "bar-type" settings or Memorial Day celebrations and not taking health precautions.
Abbott said that measures such as wearing masks, hand sanitizing and social distancing are what make it possible to reopen the state's economy.
Dr. John Hellerstedt, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, struck the same note.
"The message is we are seeing some increase in the number of COVID patients in the state. We expected this," he said. "But we are seeing it occurring at a manageable level. I really want to stress that the continued success is up to the people of the state of Texas."
Despite Abbott's emphasis on the importance of masks, he has barred Texas cities from implementing any rules that would require face coverings.
Abbott signed an executive order on April 27 that says while individuals are encouraged to wear face masks, "no jurisdiction can impose a civil or criminal penalty for failure to wear a face covering."
On Tuesday, the mayors of nine Texas cities — including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth and El Paso — sent a letter to the governor asking for the authority to set the rules and regulations on the use of face coverings.
"A one-size-fits-all approach is not the best option. We should trust local officials to make informed choices about health policy. And if mayors are given the opportunity to require face coverings, we believe our cities will be ready to help reduce the spread of this disease," they wrote. "If you do not have plans to mandate face coverings statewide, we ask that you restore the ability for local authorities to enforce the wearing of face coverings in public venues where physical distancing cannot be practiced."
Abbott said Tuesday that judges and local officials have other tools available for enforcement such as issuing fines for gatherings that don't follow state protocols.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler extended a stay-at-home warning on Monday amid the news of rising cases – but that warning could only be advice to residents and not an order due to the state's preemption.
"People are confused," Adler told NPR's Steve Inskeep on Tuesday. "They just don't know at this point if it's really important to wear face coverings or not, because I think they're feeling like they're getting mixed messaging — not only from state leadership but from national leadership. So we're just not getting the vigilance that we need on these efforts."
Health Surges In COVID-19 Cases Cause Friction Between Local Leaders, Governors Surges In COVID-19 Cases Cause Friction Between Local Leaders, Governors Listen · 3:48 3:48
In Austin, Adler said, you'll see most everyone wearing a mask in grocery stores but not in restaurants or music clubs: "When we started opening up the economy and when the governor took away from cities the ability to make it mandatory, more and more people stopped wearing them."
Adler said he agreed with Abbott that face coverings are key to reopening parts of the economy, even if they're unpleasant for wearers.
"I know it's inconvenient. I know it's hot. I know it's a nuisance," Adler said. "And it's hard to do, and people don't like it. But at the same time, our community has to decide just how much we value the lives of folks in our community that are over 65 and older. We have to decide how much we value the lives of the communities of color that are suffering disproportionately because of this virus."


npr--2020-06-16--Florida Officials Spar Over Rising COVID-19 Cases

In Florida , where there 's a surge of new COVID-19 cases , officials are divided over what to do about it .
The state saw 2,783 new cases Tuesday .
It was the third time in a week that Florida set a new daily record .
Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis and other Republican officials , including President Trump , say the rising number of new cases was expected and is mostly the result of increased testing .
Florida is now testing more than 200,000 people a week , more than double the number tested weekly in mid-May .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are concerned about other statistics that show that the coronavirus is still spreading in Florida .
The state 's Department of Health reports that the number of people showing up in hospital emergency rooms with symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 is rising .
Also worrisome — the percentage of people who are testing positive for the virus is going up .
In Palm Beach County , health director Alina Alonso says the rising positivity rate is a clear sign that the new cases ca n't just be attributed to increased testing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen , Alonso says , the percentage of people testing positive has jumped from 4.9 % to 8.9 % .
`` The fact that these are going up means there 's more community spread , '' she says .
`` The virus now has food out there .
It has people that are out there without masks , without maintaining distancing .
So it 's infecting more people . ''
Alonso say the number of people hospitalized for the coronavirus has also gone up in Palm Beach County .
`` The numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
So far , the number of deaths from COVID-19 has remained low .
But Alonso says deaths lag behind new recorded cases by about six weeks .
She thinks the number of deaths will also rise .
`` We need to be cautious at this time .
Wait a little bit until we see whether or not that happens , '' she says .
`` If we go forward without waiting to see what is going on ... by the time we get those deaths , it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently is n't requiring residents to wear face coverings when in public places .
County commissioners are now considering following the lead of Broward and Miami-Dade counties and making face masks mandatory .
In Tallahassee , DeSantis held a news conference where he responded to concerns about the rising positivity rate .
Much of it , he said , is related to outbreaks among farmworkers and people in prison .
Among the incidents he highlighted — a watermelon farm near Gainesville where , out of 100 workers tested , 90 were positive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 out of 100 test positive , what that does to positivity — that 's huge numbers . ''
Some of the other localized outbreaks among farmworkers , he noted , were in Palm Beach County .
DeSantis said there 's no reason to consider rolling back the rules allowing businesses to reopen at the moment .
He has encouraged the resumption of sports events and attended a NASCAR race in Homestead , Fla. , on Sunday with a few hundred other spectators .
And he successfully lobbied for Florida to host President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Convention event in Jacksonville .
That gathering is expected to draw thousands .
Democrats have become increasingly critical , saying DeSantis is ignoring important data that favor a more cautious response .
Florida 's top elected Democrat , Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried , said , `` Refusing to acknowledge the alarming patterns in cases , hospitalizations and positivity is not only arrogant but will cost lives , public health and our economy . ''

Florida Officials Spar Over Rising COVID-19 Cases
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Raoux/AP John Raoux/AP
In Florida, where there's a surge of new COVID-19 cases, officials are divided over what to do about it. The state saw 2,783 new cases Tuesday. It was the third time in the past seven days that Florida set a new daily record.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican officials, including President Trump, say the rising number of new cases was expected and is mostly the result of increased testing. Florida is now testing more than 200,000 people a week, more than double the number tested weekly in mid-May.
But local officials and public health experts are concerned about other statistics that show that the coronavirus is still spreading in Florida. The state's Department of Health reports that the number of people showing up in hospital emergency rooms with symptoms of the flu and COVID-19 is rising. Also worrisome — the percentage of people who are testing positive for the virus is going up.
In Palm Beach County, health director Alina Alonso says the rising positivity rate is a clear sign that the new cases can't just be attributed to increased testing. Since Palm Beach County began allowing businesses to reopen, Alonso says, the percentage of people testing positive has jumped from 4.9% to 8.9%. "The fact that these are going up means there's more community spread," she says. "The virus now has food out there. It has people that are out there without masks, without maintaining distancing. So it's infecting more people."
Alonso say the number of people hospitalized for the coronavirus has also gone up in Palm Beach County. "The numbers are very concerning to the hospitals," she says. So far, the number of deaths from COVID-19 has remained low. But Alonso says deaths lag behind new recorded cases by about six weeks. She thinks the number of deaths will also rise. "We need to be cautious at this time. Wait a little bit until we see whether or not that happens," she says. "If we go forward without waiting to see what is going on ... by the time we get those deaths, it will be too late."
Palm Beach County currently isn't requiring residents to wear face coverings when in public places. County commissioners are now considering following the lead of Broward and Miami-Dade counties and making face masks mandatory.
In Tallahassee, DeSantis held a news conference where he responded to concerns about the rising positivity rate. Much of it, he said, is related to outbreaks among farmworkers and people in prison. Among the incidents he highlighted — a watermelon farm near Gainesville where, out of 100 workers tested, 90 were positive. DeSantis said, "When you have 90 out of 100 test positive, what that does to positivity — that's huge numbers." Some of the other localized outbreaks among farmworkers, he noted, were in Palm Beach County.
DeSantis said there's no reason to consider rolling back the rules allowing businesses to reopen at the moment. He has encouraged the resumption of sports events and attended a NASCAR race in Homestead, Fla., on Sunday with a few hundred other spectators. And he successfully lobbied for Florida to host President Trump's acceptance speech at a Republican National Convention event in Jacksonville. That gathering is expected to draw thousands.
Democrats have become increasingly critical, saying DeSantis is ignoring important data that favor a more cautious response. Florida's top elected Democrat, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, said, "Refusing to acknowledge the alarming patterns in cases, hospitalizations and positivity is not only arrogant but will cost lives, public health and our economy."


npr--2020-06-16--U.S. Open Tennis Will Start On Time, New York Gov. Cuomo Says

U.S. Open Tennis Will Start On Time , New York Gov .
Cuomo Says New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that the U.S. Open tennis tournament will take place as scheduled this summer in Queens .
The event will begin on Aug. 31 without fans in the stands because of the continued spread of the coronavirus .
Some tennis stars expressed unease at the announcement .
Australian tennis star Nicholas Kyrgios called the move `` selfish '' on Twitter and joked that he would bring his hazmat suit .
Australia has lost 102 people to the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 116,000 who have died in the United States from COVID-19 .
Other stars , including the women 's world No .
1 Ash Barty and 17-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic , have expressed concerns about the safety of the event , according to The Associated Press .
In a tweet , Cuomo stressed that the U.S. Tennis Association will be taking precautions that include `` testing , additional cleaning , extra locker room space , and dedicated housing & transportation . ''
`` It will be held without fans , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll take that , '' Cuomo said at a press conference .
`` The tennis authority is going to be taking extraordinary precautions . ''
The U.S. Open is one of tennis ' four Grand Slam tournaments and would be the second to take place this year , with the Australian Open having ended in February .
Wimbledon has been canceled for the year , and the French Open , which usually takes place in May , was rescheduled to September after the U.S. Open .

U.S. Open Tennis Will Start On Time, New York Gov. Cuomo Says
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that the U.S. Open tennis tournament will take place as scheduled this summer in Queens.
The event will begin on Aug. 31 without fans in the stands because of the continued spread of the coronavirus.
Some tennis stars expressed unease at the announcement. Australian tennis star Nicholas Kyrgios called the move "selfish" on Twitter and joked that he would bring his hazmat suit. Australia has lost 102 people to the coronavirus, a tiny fraction of the more than 116,000 who have died in the United States from COVID-19.
Other stars, including the women's world No. 1 Ash Barty and 17-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, have expressed concerns about the safety of the event, according to The Associated Press.
In a tweet, Cuomo stressed that the U.S. Tennis Association will be taking precautions that include "testing, additional cleaning, extra locker room space, and dedicated housing & transportation."
"It will be held without fans, but we can watch it on TV, and I'll take that," Cuomo said at a press conference. "The tennis authority is going to be taking extraordinary precautions."
The U.S. Open is one of tennis' four Grand Slam tournaments and would be the second to take place this year, with the Australian Open having ended in February. Wimbledon has been canceled for the year, and the French Open, which usually takes place in May, was rescheduled to September after the U.S. Open.


npr--2020-06-16--Twin Cities Area Police Forces Loaded Up On War Surplus Under President Trump

Twin Cities Area Police Forces Loaded Up On War Surplus Under President Trump When protests erupted in Minnesota following the death of George Floyd — the black man who died after a white Minneapolis policeman kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes — many of the law enforcement agencies from the Twin Cities metropolitan area that responded were recent beneficiaries of free excess military materiel from a Pentagon program originally meant to support counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations .
At least 10 police departments in the Minneapolis and St. Paul suburbs have obtained either all or nearly all of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from $ 13.56 cartridge magazines to hulking personnel carriers with original price tags surpassing $ 700,000 — during the first three and a half years of the Trump administration .
That haul was part of more than $ 1 billion worth of military equipment transferred to police and sheriff departments since 2016 under what is commonly known as the 1033 program , named for the section of a 1997 defense bill that authorized the initiative .
For many years the program , which has distributed more than $ 7 billion worth of military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its inception , kept a low profile .
That changed in 2014 when police in Ferguson , Mo.
, deployed donated military equipment against demonstrators protesting the fatal shooting of another black man , Michael Brown , by a white policeman .
The public outcry that episode ignited over what many saw as the militarization of police forces prompted President Obama to sign a executive order in 2015 that authorized a recall of transferred military equipment such as tracked armored personnel carriers , grenade launchers and bayonets .
It also prohibited any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that measure imposed on the 1033 program were opposed by the Fraternal Order of Police , and in August 2017 President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise to that police organization by rescinding Obama 's executive order .
Trump 's revocation enabled the 42-member police force of Cottage Grove , a fast-growing St. Paul suburb , to receive 39 bayonets in December from the Defense Logistics Agency , which administers the 1033 program .
The DLA had previously recalled 1,623 bayonets issued to local law enforcement agencies .
The bayonets were part of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No Minnesota law enforcement agency has received more military surplus during the Trump administration than that of Cottage Grove , whose population of approximately 37,000 inhabitants is 80 % white , has above-average household incomes , and boasts a violent crime rate 81 % below the state average .
Since Cottage Grove received its first military equipment in November from the 1033 program — six night vision viewers , each valued at $ 10,427.10 — it has acquired 461 other types of surplus gear whose total listed value exceeds $ 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota Protest Sgt .
Brad Petersen , who supervises Cottage Grove 's participation in the Pentagon program , says the chief reason his police department joined that decades-old initiative was to get a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected , or MRAP , armored personnel carrier .
`` We witnessed other communities getting MRAP 's through the 1033 program , and we enrolled in 2019 to explore that opportunity , '' Petersen recalls .
It worked .
Like many other police departments in the Twin Cities metropolitan region , Cottage Grove now has an MRAP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its possession .
The vehicle , originally designed for forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and meant to withstand improvised explosive device blasts , technically remains controlled property of the Department of Defense , as does all equipment transferred to law enforcement agencies that is of a strictly military nature .
`` We went through pretty great lengths to remove all the military hardware and soften its image , make it appear and function more like a civilian armored vehicle , '' Petersen says of the MRAP , which was delivered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how we were going to use it , because we were sensitive to the militarization issue , and obviously we saw what happened in Ferguson six years ago and that 's been part of the narrative since then . ''
Cottage Grove 's MRAP , with a list value of $ 705,421 , was kept off the streets until protests erupted over the police killing of George Floyd .
`` We rushed it back into service when things started to go sideways here , '' says Petersen , who is also a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team .
`` The first time we used it was the week of civil unrest . ''
Members of the Cottage Grove police force joined other law enforcement teams in Oakdale , a St. Paul suburb , at protests outside a house owned by Derek Chauvin , the now-fired Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd 's neck .
Cottage Grove 's MRAP was used to transport about a half dozen local SWAT team members to a staging area in Oakdale `` just as a contingency , '' according to Petersen .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an active shooter or a high risk situation , never to directly engage any of the protesters . ''
Other items on Cottage Grove 's wish list for the 1033 program suggest its police department had been girding for a possible face-off with demonstrators .
According to DLA records , a request from its police for four `` riot control kits , '' worth $ 35,000 each , was made in February for `` crowd control operations '' but was rejected on the grounds the department had not submitted required paperwork .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his force recently received through the Pentagon program were intended to be used as utility knives rather than mounted on rifle barrels .
Knives in the possession of uniformed agents have proven problematic during Minnesota 's protests .
Video recordings show law enforcement officers from Anoka , another Twin Cities suburb , stabbing knives into tires of parked cars in the midst of Minneapolis demonstrations .
A press release from the Anoka County Sheriff 's Office , which participates in the 1033 program , acknowledges that some of that agency 's officers `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegally abandoned '' vehicles during the street protests `` in order to preserve order , life and safety of both the protestors and law enforcement that were present at this location . ''
The knives used are not listed among the $ 377,654 worth of Pentagon-controlled military items that DLA records indicate the Anoka County Sheriff 's Office has received through that program since 2017 .
As for the bayonets transferred by the DLA to Cottage Grove , Petersen says while they are `` nice '' to have , none have been issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' viewpoint is different — they 're more sensitive to the perception that it 's militarization of police or whatnot , '' says the Cottage Grove police sergeant in a phone interview .
`` In fact , [ the bayonets ] are sitting in a box and they 're going to be returned to the DLA . ''
There has been no indication that Trump might be reconsidering his revocation of Obama 's executive order banning the transfer of such items as bayonets .
At a White House signing Tuesday of an executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and former Vice President Joe Biden of having done nothing to fix policing problems .
The 45th president made no mention of the military gear now going to police in places like the Twin Cities suburbs that his predecessor had restricted .

Twin Cities Area Police Forces Loaded Up On War Surplus Under President Trump
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mike Groll/AP Mike Groll/AP
When protests erupted in Minnesota following the death of George Floyd — the black man who died after a white Minneapolis policeman kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes — many of the law enforcement agencies from the Twin Cities metropolitan area that responded were recent beneficiaries of free excess military materiel from a Pentagon program originally meant to support counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism operations.
At least 10 police departments in the Minneapolis and St. Paul suburbs have obtained either all or nearly all of their Department of Defense military-grade equipment — ranging from $13.56 cartridge magazines to hulking personnel carriers with original price tags surpassing $700,000 — during the first three and a half years of the Trump administration.
That haul was part of more than $1 billion worth of military equipment transferred to police and sheriff departments since 2016 under what is commonly known as the 1033 program, named for the section of a 1997 defense bill that authorized the initiative.
For many years the program, which has distributed more than $7 billion worth of military surplus to local law enforcement agencies since its inception, kept a low profile. That changed in 2014 when police in Ferguson, Mo., deployed donated military equipment against demonstrators protesting the fatal shooting of another black man, Michael Brown, by a white policeman.
A Revoked Presidential Order
The public outcry that episode ignited over what many saw as the militarization of police forces prompted President Obama to sign a executive order in 2015 that authorized a recall of transferred military equipment such as tracked armored personnel carriers, grenade launchers and bayonets. It also prohibited any more distribution of such items.
The restrictions that measure imposed on the 1033 program were opposed by the Fraternal Order of Police, and in August 2017 President Trump fulfilled a campaign promise to that police organization by rescinding Obama's executive order.
Trump's revocation enabled the 42-member police force of Cottage Grove, a fast-growing St. Paul suburb, to receive 39 bayonets in December from the Defense Logistics Agency, which administers the 1033 program. The DLA had previously recalled 1,623 bayonets issued to local law enforcement agencies.
The bayonets were part of a much larger windfall for that police department. No Minnesota law enforcement agency has received more military surplus during the Trump administration than that of Cottage Grove, whose population of approximately 37,000 inhabitants is 80% white, has above-average household incomes, and boasts a violent crime rate 81% below the state average.
Since Cottage Grove received its first military equipment in November from the 1033 program — six night vision viewers, each valued at $10,427.10 — it has acquired 461 other types of surplus gear whose total listed value exceeds $1 million.
War Vehicle Makes Local Debut At Minnesota Protest
Sgt. Brad Petersen, who supervises Cottage Grove's participation in the Pentagon program, says the chief reason his police department joined that decades-old initiative was to get a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP, armored personnel carrier.
"We witnessed other communities getting MRAP's through the 1033 program, and we enrolled in 2019 to explore that opportunity," Petersen recalls.
It worked. Like many other police departments in the Twin Cities metropolitan region, Cottage Grove now has an MRAP of its own — or at least in its possession.
The vehicle, originally designed for forces fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and meant to withstand improvised explosive device blasts, technically remains controlled property of the Department of Defense, as does all equipment transferred to law enforcement agencies that is of a strictly military nature.
"We went through pretty great lengths to remove all the military hardware and soften its image, make it appear and function more like a civilian armored vehicle," Petersen says of the MRAP, which was delivered in March. "We were really careful of how we were going to use it, because we were sensitive to the militarization issue, and obviously we saw what happened in Ferguson six years ago and that's been part of the narrative since then."
Cottage Grove's MRAP, with a list value of $705,421, was kept off the streets until protests erupted over the police killing of George Floyd.
"We rushed it back into service when things started to go sideways here," says Petersen, who is also a commander on Washington County's 36-member SWAT team. "The first time we used it was the week of civil unrest."
Members of the Cottage Grove police force joined other law enforcement teams in Oakdale, a St. Paul suburb, at protests outside a house owned by Derek Chauvin, the now-fired Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck.
Cottage Grove's MRAP was used to transport about a half dozen local SWAT team members to a staging area in Oakdale "just as a contingency," according to Petersen. "We were there to respond if there was an active shooter or a high risk situation, never to directly engage any of the protesters."
Other items on Cottage Grove's wish list for the 1033 program suggest its police department had been girding for a possible face-off with demonstrators.
According to DLA records, a request from its police for four "riot control kits," worth $35,000 each, was made in February for "crowd control operations" but was rejected on the grounds the department had not submitted required paperwork.
Bayonets Deemed Knives
Petersen says the bayonets his force recently received through the Pentagon program were intended to be used as utility knives rather than mounted on rifle barrels.
Knives in the possession of uniformed agents have proven problematic during Minnesota's protests.
Video recordings show law enforcement officers from Anoka, another Twin Cities suburb, stabbing knives into tires of parked cars in the midst of Minneapolis demonstrations.
A press release from the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, which participates in the 1033 program, acknowledges that some of that agency's officers "deflated the tires" of two "illegally abandoned" vehicles during the street protests "in order to preserve order, life and safety of both the protestors and law enforcement that were present at this location."
The knives used are not listed among the $377,654 worth of Pentagon-controlled military items that DLA records indicate the Anoka County Sheriff's Office has received through that program since 2017.
Return to Sender
As for the bayonets transferred by the DLA to Cottage Grove, Petersen says while they are "nice" to have, none have been issued to individual officers.
"My bosses' viewpoint is different — they're more sensitive to the perception that it's militarization of police or whatnot," says the Cottage Grove police sergeant in a phone interview. "In fact, [the bayonets] are sitting in a box and they're going to be returned to the DLA."
There has been no indication that Trump might be reconsidering his revocation of Obama's executive order banning the transfer of such items as bayonets.
At a White House signing Tuesday of an executive order for safe policing Trump accused Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden of having done nothing to fix policing problems.
The 45th president made no mention of the military gear now going to police in places like the Twin Cities suburbs that his predecessor had restricted.


npr--2020-06-16--Navy Calls 1,629 Reservists To Shipyards Left Shorthanded By COVID-19 Pandemic

The Navy is mobilizing 1,629 reservists to support aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance at its four public shipyards starting next month , officials said .
The mobilization will help reduce the maintenance backlog that has developed because of the COVID-19 pandemic .
In March , Naval Sea Systems Command authorized weather and safety leave for shipyard personnel who fell under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's `` high risk '' category for extreme complications tied to the COVID-19 virus .
With up to 25 % of the production workforce unable to report to their duty location , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle all their work and have a backlog that , if left unchecked , would result in delays in returning ships to the fleet , officials said in a release .
The Navy says all the reservists will be on-site by September .
They will be on one-year mobilization orders which may be extended or curtailed should circumstances change .
The shipyards include Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery , Maine , Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth , Va. , Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton , Wash. , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam , Hawaii .

Navy Calls 1,629 Reservists To Shipyards Left Shorthanded By COVID-19 Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Robert F. Bukaty/AP Robert F. Bukaty/AP
The Navy is mobilizing 1,629 reservists to support aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance at its four public shipyards starting next month, officials said.
The mobilization will help reduce the maintenance backlog that has developed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March, Naval Sea Systems Command authorized weather and safety leave for shipyard personnel who fell under the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "high risk" category for extreme complications tied to the COVID-19 virus.
With up to 25% of the production workforce unable to report to their duty location, the shipyards have not been able to handle all their work and have a backlog that, if left unchecked, would result in delays in returning ships to the fleet, officials said in a release.
The Navy says all the reservists will be on-site by September. They will be on one-year mobilization orders which may be extended or curtailed should circumstances change.
The shipyards include Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Va., Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton, Wash., and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.


npr--2020-06-16--University Of Virginia Changes Athletics Logo Due To Reference To Slavery

University Of Virginia Changes Athletics Logo Due To Reference To Slavery The University of Virginia says the school 's athletic program will change its logo because it contained a reference to the university 's history with slavery .
The logo was updated this year to include curves on the handles of sabres that crossed below a prominent `` V , '' for Virginia .
The university said then that the `` detail was added to the grip of the sabres that mimics the design of the serpentine walls found on Grounds . ''
However , many in the community were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walls on the school 's grounds were originally designed to hide enslaved people from public view .
Students and professors decried the new design when it was revealed in April , according to the student-run The Cavalier Daily .
`` After the release of our new logos on [ April 24 ] , I was made aware of the negative connotation between the serpentine walls and slavery , '' Athletic Director Carla Williams said in a statement from the athletic department .
`` I was not previously aware of the historical perspective .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ harm , but we did , and for that I apologize to those who bear the pain of slavery in our history . ''
When the logo was initially unveiled , media studies professor Meredith D. Clark was among those who spoke out against the design .
She said the university 's promotion of the curved handles that mimicked the walls was a bad metaphor and called it `` ahistorical . ''
`` There are ways to promote UVA , to develop stellar branding , and to honor/acknowledge the history of this place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these Grounds , '' Clark said .
The new logo will have smooth sabre handles instead of curved ones .

University Of Virginia Changes Athletics Logo Due To Reference To Slavery
The University of Virginia says the school's athletic program will change its logo because it contained a reference to the university's history with slavery.
The logo was updated this year to include curves on the handles of sabres that crossed below a prominent ''V," for Virginia. The university said then that the "detail was added to the grip of the sabres that mimics the design of the serpentine walls found on Grounds."
However, many in the community were quick to point out that the serpentine walls on the school's grounds were originally designed to hide enslaved people from public view. Students and professors decried the new design when it was revealed in April, according to the student-run The Cavalier Daily.
"After the release of our new logos on [April 24], I was made aware of the negative connotation between the serpentine walls and slavery," Athletic Director Carla Williams said in a statement from the athletic department. "I was not previously aware of the historical perspective. ... There was no intent to cause harm, but we did, and for that I apologize to those who bear the pain of slavery in our history."
When the logo was initially unveiled, media studies professor Meredith D. Clark was among those who spoke out against the design. She said the university's promotion of the curved handles that mimicked the walls was a bad metaphor and called it "ahistorical."
"There are ways to promote UVA, to develop stellar branding, and to honor/acknowledge the history of this place that don't include integrating ahistorical depictions of these Grounds," Clark said.
The new logo will have smooth sabre handles instead of curved ones.


npr--2020-06-16--House Democrats, Aiming To Make A Point, Plan Vote On D.C. Statehood

The House has scheduled a vote next week on a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st state , marking the first time since 1993 that Congress will have voted on the issue .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer , D-Md.
, announced the June 26 vote alongside Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , and D.C. officials on Tuesday morning .
The bill , sponsored by D.C. 's nonvoting delegate , Eleanor Holmes Norton , has over 220 co-sponsors and would place the new state of `` Washington , Douglass Commonwealth '' on `` equal footing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to elect two senators and one representative .
The Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to concur , meaning the measure probably wo n't become law — but it will enable Pelosi and Democrats to make a political point about what they call the unfair status of the District .
D.C. currently has over 700,000 residents , a number that trumps the populations of both Wyoming and Vermont .
`` I have n't asked them personally , but I 'm sure that when I ask them , 'Do you want to be like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two senators and a member of the House because you 're so small ?
, ' they would say , 'Hell no , ' `` Hoyer said .
Hoyer also called statehood a civil rights issue because approximately 46 % of the District 's residents are black .
Pelosi said what she called the disenfranchisement of D.C. residents is a `` historic injustice . ''
`` This deprivation of statehood is unjust , unequal , undemocratic and unacceptable , '' she said .
Norton , who has long advocated for statehood , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family .
`` My great-grandfather , who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation , Richard Holmes , made it as far as the District of Columbia .
A walk to freedom — but not to equal citizenship , '' she said .
Her bill was approved in February by the House Oversight and Reform Committee in a 21-16 vote .
Partisan politics have long made D.C. statehood an uphill battle , but Democrats say they want to capitalize on renewed energy following actions taken by the Trump administration during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have rocked the United States .
`` Senate Republicans insisted on treating D.C. as a territory , not a state , for the purpose of allocating emergency coronavirus response funding under the CARES Act , '' Hoyer said .
`` If D.C. were a state , it could not be short changed as it was . ''
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the need for autonomy is greater than ever , pointing to the Trump administration 's recent use of federal troops stationed in the District to police Black Lives Matter protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ advancing against Americans .
And there very definitely should n't be soldiers stationed around our city waiting for the go to attack Americans in a local policing matter , '' she said .
Bowser has recently been given a larger microphone with which to advance calls for statehood , including in interviews with Lil Wayne and James Corden of The Late Late Show .
While the passage of the bill , HR 51 , is all but guaranteed in the Democratic-controlled House , any progress in the Senate is very unlikely , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , told TV host Laura Ingraham last year that any Democratic push for D.C. or Puerto Rico statehood is `` full-bore socialism on the march in the House . ''
`` As long as I 'm the majority leader of the Senate , none of that stuff is going anywhere , '' McConnell promised .
President Trump has also echoed that sentiment , scoffing at statehood efforts during a May interview with The New York Post .
`` D.C. will never be a state , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two more Democratic — Democrat senators and five more congressmen ?
No , thank you .
That 'll never happen . ''
That is a marked shift from Trump 's pre-presidency stance .
When asked in 2015 on NBC 's Meet the Press whether D.C. should become a state , Trump said he `` would like to do whatever is good for the District of Columbia because I love the people . ''
Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes McConnell will `` care enough about our democracy '' to at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate , saying the nature of the legislation should rise above partisan politics .
`` This is about who we are as a country , '' Hoyer said .
`` Do we believe in 'one man , one vote , ' 'one woman , one vote ' ?
Do we believe in equal representation ?
Was the Boston Tea Party message forgotten over the years that we can not be taxed without representation ? ''

House Democrats, Aiming To Make A Point, Plan Vote On D.C. Statehood
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harnik/AP Andrew Harnik/AP
The House has scheduled a vote next week on a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st state, marking the first time since 1993 that Congress will have voted on the issue.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced the June 26 vote alongside Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and D.C. officials on Tuesday morning.
The bill, sponsored by D.C.'s nonvoting delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has over 220 co-sponsors and would place the new state of "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth" on "equal footing with the other states," providing residents with the right to elect two senators and one representative.
The Republican-controlled Senate is unlikely to concur, meaning the measure probably won't become law — but it will enable Pelosi and Democrats to make a political point about what they call the unfair status of the District.
Taxation without representation
D.C. currently has over 700,000 residents, a number that trumps the populations of both Wyoming and Vermont.
"I haven't asked them personally, but I'm sure that when I ask them, 'Do you want to be like the District of Columbia and not have two senators and a member of the House because you're so small?,' they would say, 'Hell no,' " Hoyer said.
Hoyer also called statehood a civil rights issue because approximately 46% of the District's residents are black.
Pelosi said what she called the disenfranchisement of D.C. residents is a "historic injustice."
"This deprivation of statehood is unjust, unequal, undemocratic and unacceptable," she said.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Owen Byrne/Flickr Owen Byrne/Flickr
Norton, who has long advocated for statehood, said the bill holds personal meaning to her family.
"My great-grandfather, who escaped as a slave from a Virginia plantation, Richard Holmes, made it as far as the District of Columbia. A walk to freedom — but not to equal citizenship," she said.
Her bill was approved in February by the House Oversight and Reform Committee in a 21-16 vote.
Building momentum
Partisan politics have long made D.C. statehood an uphill battle, but Democrats say they want to capitalize on renewed energy following actions taken by the Trump administration during the coronavirus pandemic and protests over racial injustice that have rocked the United States.
"Senate Republicans insisted on treating D.C. as a territory, not a state, for the purpose of allocating emergency coronavirus response funding under the CARES Act," Hoyer said. "If D.C. were a state, it could not be short changed as it was."
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the need for autonomy is greater than ever, pointing to the Trump administration's recent use of federal troops stationed in the District to police Black Lives Matter protests.
"There shouldn't be federal forces advancing against Americans. And there very definitely shouldn't be soldiers stationed around our city waiting for the go to attack Americans in a local policing matter," she said.
Bowser has recently been given a larger microphone with which to advance calls for statehood, including in interviews with Lil Wayne and James Corden of The Late Late Show.
Republican opposition
While the passage of the bill, HR 51, is all but guaranteed in the Democratic-controlled House, any progress in the Senate is very unlikely, because of Republican opposition.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told TV host Laura Ingraham last year that any Democratic push for D.C. or Puerto Rico statehood is "full-bore socialism on the march in the House."
"As long as I'm the majority leader of the Senate, none of that stuff is going anywhere," McConnell promised.
President Trump has also echoed that sentiment, scoffing at statehood efforts during a May interview with The New York Post.
"D.C. will never be a state," he said. "Why? So we can have two more Democratic — Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No, thank you. That'll never happen."
That is a marked shift from Trump's pre-presidency stance.
When asked in 2015 on NBC's Meet the Press whether D.C. should become a state, Trump said he "would like to do whatever is good for the District of Columbia because I love the people."
Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes McConnell will "care enough about our democracy" to at least allow a vote on this bill in the Senate, saying the nature of the legislation should rise above partisan politics.
"This is about who we are as a country," Hoyer said. "Do we believe in 'one man, one vote,' 'one woman, one vote'? Do we believe in equal representation? Was the Boston Tea Party message forgotten over the years that we cannot be taxed without representation?"


npr--2020-06-16--Study Exposes Russia Disinformation Campaign That Operated In The Shadows For 6 Years

Study Exposes Russia Disinformation Campaign That Operated In The Shadows For 6 Years For the past six years , an obscure disinformation campaign by Russian operatives has flooded the Internet with false stories in seven languages and across 300 social media platforms virtually undetected , according to new report published on Tuesday by social media researchers .
The operation , named `` Secondary Infektion '' by researchers , has sought to spread pro-Russian propaganda around the globe by sharing fake tweets from U.S. elected officials and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus .
And it attempted to interfere in the 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely try to spread falsehoods tied to the November election , too .
Ben Nimmo , director of investigations at Graphika , the research firm that conducted the study , said in an interview that the specific culprit within Russia remains elusive .
`` We do n't know whether it was run by the government , or associated with the government , or a group who wanted to support the government , '' Nimmo said .
`` But the overall tone and context makes it clear that this was an operation which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack and undermine its critics . ''
Security officials at Facebook first identified the campaign last May , and since then , the tech giant and other platforms have been working to block the campaign .
But it is so decentralized that it is still operating , though researchers say since it was exposed , the group 's activity has slowed .
It is the latest contribution in a growing body of research about how disinformation is created and spreads online , as social media platforms debate how best to control potentially damaging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisions and causing chaos around national crisis or elections .
Nimmo said one thing stands out about the Secondary Infektion campaign : It almost never worked .
Researchers , working with security teams at Facebook , Twitter and other tech companies , identified more than 2,500 pieces of disinformation tied to the same Russian actors .
Just about every fake story it tried to spread fizzled fast , indicating that the group was likely driven more by a quota than by online impact .
`` Which is an important reminder : Yes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but just because it 's false , does n't mean it 's going to go viral , '' Nimmo said .
There is one exception , however .
Somehow , in October 2019 , the hackers got ahold of leaked trade documents between the U.S. and Britain and the disclosure dominated the U.K. news cycle for days , yet Nimmo says that is the only example of the disinformation campaign ever gaining any traction .
`` Everything else they posted pretty well flopped , '' he said .
`` But it shows that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come through , and they could actually have a big impact . ''
The research also showcases new tactics for disinformation , Nimmo said .
Instead of focusing on a handful of popular platforms and building up a large following , Secondary Infektion took the opposite tack : creating so-called burner accounts , spreading one piece of false information on Twitter , Facebook , Reddit or some other social media network and then completely abandoning the accounts and never returning to them .
`` We 've never seen a operation that used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` That means for the operation , it was always going to be hard to build an audience . ''
The content focused mostly on discrediting Ukraine and bolstering Russia .
Some posts attempted to link Hillary Clinton to murder or tried to disparage German Chancellor Angela Merkel as an alcoholic .
The campaign also worked to spread other baseless rumors , like that the U.S. was attempting to stoke a revolution in Azerbaijan .
The accounts also created forged documents purporting to be written by congressional committees and fake Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appears as if U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is accusing British authorities of spying on President Trump .
`` Sometimes they would n't even spell the politician 's name right , '' Nimmo said .
`` They did n't seem to be very good at creating viral content . ''
The researchers dubbed the operation `` Secondary Infektion , '' a nod to the Soviet-era `` Operation Infektion '' that accused the U.S. of creating the virus that causes AIDS .
Nimmo said Secondary Infektion appears to have paid tribute to the past by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide range of deadly diseases , including the bogus theory that the novel coronavirus was manufactured in a Kazakhstan lab by American authorities .
While attention often focuses on the tactics of major disinformation campaigns by the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency and the Russian military intelligence agency , Nimmo said Tuesday 's study demonstrates that it is but one slice of the false and distorted content coming out of Russia .
`` Those are two parts of the puzzle , but there 's a whole other piece of the puzzle , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex , and that is Secondary Infektion , '' Nimmo said .
`` As we look ahead to the election , our report shows there 's all sorts of malicious activity we need to look out for , including burner accounts and forged documents that tries to interfere with peoples ' thinking , '' he said .

Study Exposes Russia Disinformation Campaign That Operated In The Shadows For 6 Years
Enlarge this image toggle caption Graphika Graphika
For the past six years, an obscure disinformation campaign by Russian operatives has flooded the Internet with false stories in seven languages and across 300 social media platforms virtually undetected, according to new report published on Tuesday by social media researchers.
The operation, named "Secondary Infektion" by researchers, has sought to spread pro-Russian propaganda around the globe by sharing fake tweets from U.S. elected officials and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus. And it attempted to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Researchers say it will likely try to spread falsehoods tied to the November election, too.
Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, the research firm that conducted the study, said in an interview that the specific culprit within Russia remains elusive.
"We don't know whether it was run by the government, or associated with the government, or a group who wanted to support the government," Nimmo said. "But the overall tone and context makes it clear that this was an operation which was trying to support the Russian government and attack and undermine its critics."
Security officials at Facebook first identified the campaign last May, and since then, the tech giant and other platforms have been working to block the campaign. But it is so decentralized that it is still operating, though researchers say since it was exposed, the group's activity has slowed.
It is the latest contribution in a growing body of research about how disinformation is created and spreads online, as social media platforms debate how best to control potentially damaging and harmful false content aimed at exploiting divisions and causing chaos around national crisis or elections.
Nimmo said one thing stands out about the Secondary Infektion campaign: It almost never worked.
Researchers, working with security teams at Facebook, Twitter and other tech companies, identified more than 2,500 pieces of disinformation tied to the same Russian actors. Just about every fake story it tried to spread fizzled fast, indicating that the group was likely driven more by a quota than by online impact.
"Which is an important reminder: Yes, there is disinformation on the Internet, but just because it's false, doesn't mean it's going to go viral," Nimmo said.
There is one exception, however.
Somehow, in October 2019, the hackers got ahold of leaked trade documents between the U.S. and Britain and the disclosure dominated the U.K. news cycle for days, yet Nimmo says that is the only example of the disinformation campaign ever gaining any traction.
"Everything else they posted pretty well flopped," he said. "But it shows that all it takes is for one thing to come through, and they could actually have a big impact."
The research also showcases new tactics for disinformation, Nimmo said. Instead of focusing on a handful of popular platforms and building up a large following, Secondary Infektion took the opposite tack: creating so-called burner accounts, spreading one piece of false information on Twitter, Facebook, Reddit or some other social media network and then completely abandoning the accounts and never returning to them.
"We've never seen a operation that used burner accounts so consistently," Nimmo said. "That means for the operation, it was always going to be hard to build an audience."
The content focused mostly on discrediting Ukraine and bolstering Russia. Some posts attempted to link Hillary Clinton to murder or tried to disparage German Chancellor Angela Merkel as an alcoholic. The campaign also worked to spread other baseless rumors, like that the U.S. was attempting to stoke a revolution in Azerbaijan. The accounts also created forged documents purporting to be written by congressional committees and fake Twitter messages, including a fabricated tweet that appears as if U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is accusing British authorities of spying on President Trump.
"Sometimes they wouldn't even spell the politician's name right," Nimmo said. "They didn't seem to be very good at creating viral content."
The researchers dubbed the operation "Secondary Infektion," a nod to the Soviet-era "Operation Infektion" that accused the U.S. of creating the virus that causes AIDS.
Nimmo said Secondary Infektion appears to have paid tribute to the past by falsely accusing the U.S. of creating a wide range of deadly diseases, including the bogus theory that the novel coronavirus was manufactured in a Kazakhstan lab by American authorities.
While attention often focuses on the tactics of major disinformation campaigns by the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency and the Russian military intelligence agency, Nimmo said Tuesday's study demonstrates that it is but one slice of the false and distorted content coming out of Russia.
"Those are two parts of the puzzle, but there's a whole other piece of the puzzle, which is just as a big and just as complex, and that is Secondary Infektion," Nimmo said.
"As we look ahead to the election, our report shows there's all sorts of malicious activity we need to look out for, including burner accounts and forged documents that tries to interfere with peoples' thinking," he said.