Federal - Executive Branch
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from the U.S. Executive Branch, covering all aspects of the Obama administration including cabinet departments, federal agencies, regulatory and independent agencies.
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U.S. Secret Service and Partners Conduct EBT Fraud and Card Skimming Outreach Operation
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Secret Service issued the following news release:
The U.S. Secret Service and state and local law enforcement partners conducted a payment card skimming and Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud outreach operation Sept. 5 in Birmingham, Ala., and the surrounding area.
Personnel from the U.S. Secret Service, Birmingham Police Department, Alabaster Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Hoover Police Department, Vestavia Hills Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Office visited more than 151 businesses in the greater
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Secret Service issued the following news release:
The U.S. Secret Service and state and local law enforcement partners conducted a payment card skimming and Electronic Benefit Transfer fraud outreach operation Sept. 5 in Birmingham, Ala., and the surrounding area.
Personnel from the U.S. Secret Service, Birmingham Police Department, Alabaster Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Hoover Police Department, Vestavia Hills Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Office visited more than 151 businesses in the greaterBirmingham area to check for and remove illegal skimming devices from ATMs, gas pumps and point-of-sale terminals.
Three skimming devices were recovered during the operation. In total, more than 1,400 point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs were inspected.
Teams also distributed educational materials about EBT fraud and card skimming to help businesses better identify the warning signs of illegal skimming devices in their point-of-sale terminals, gas pumps and ATMs.
"The number of illegal skimming devices and cases of EBT fraud continue to be an issue in the Birmingham area," said Patrick Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service's Birmingham Field Office. "Our proactive approach not only identifies and removes skimmers, but also provides businesses with useful information to help them protect customers from falling victim to this crime."
This is the first time an outreach operation such as this has been conducted in the state of Alabama by the U.S. Secret Service.
"The Birmingham Police Department is thankful for the U. S. Secret Service's efforts in combatting EBT Fraud and illegal skimming devices," said Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmond. "This is a crime that effects all of us and these efforts will save millions of dollars."
"We would like to thank the Secret Service for their efforts in making sure our citizens are not targeted by illegal skimming operations that often steal money to be used for illicit activities," said Alabaster Police Chief Curtis Rigney.
"We appreciate the opportunity to work with our federal partners to target criminals who take advantage of people who are simply trying to go about their business, often times not realizing they've been victimized until days later," said Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis. "I applaud the efforts of the United States Secret Service in their quest to educate the public and business community on this crime."
"I am pleased that the U.S. Secret Service outreach operation, which included local law enforcement agencies, was a great success," Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway said. "We are honored to be a part of such a robust and collaborative approach that targeted those who would commit fraud against our consumers. The safety of our citizens is my top priority."
"I'm incredibly grateful for the partnership between the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Secret Service, and all the other agencies involved in this joint operation," Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego said. "While our efforts to locate and dismantle these devices are crucial, the most important aspect is educating the public on how to avoid becoming victims. By raising awareness and empowering individuals with knowledge, we can significantly reduce the impact of this type of fraud."
"In a joint effort to safeguard our community against financial crimes, the Vestavia Hills Police Department is thankful to have partnered with the United States Secret Service and many other local law enforcement partners to dismantle an EBT Fraud and Card Skimming Operation," said Vestavia Hills Police Chief Shane Ware. "I would like to express my gratitude for this successful collaboration, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to protect our citizens."
EBT information and other payment card numbers are stolen when criminals install an illegal skimming device to the point-of-sale terminal in order to capture card information. They then encode the stolen data onto another card with a magnetic strip, such as a gift card or hotel key. It is estimated that skimming costs consumers and financial institutions more than $1 billion each year.
Law enforcement agencies have seen a nationwide increase in skimming over the past 18 months, particularly targeting EBT cards. EBT fraud targets the nation's most vulnerable communities. Each month, money is deposited into government assistance accounts intended to help families pay for food and other basic items. This enables criminals who steal card information to time their fraudulent withdrawals and purchases around the state government's monthly deposits.
There are several precautions consumers can take to protect themselves:
* Inspect ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and other card readers before using. Look for anything loose, crooked, damaged, or scratched. Don't use a card reader if you notice anything unusual.
* If you use a debit card at a gas station, run it as a credit card instead of entering a PIN. That way, the PIN is safe, and the money isn't deducted immediately from your account. If that's not an option, cover they keypad with your hand when entering your PIN. Scammers sometimes use tiny pinhole cameras, situated above the keypad area, to record PIN entries. Use ATMs in a well-lit, indoor location, which are less vulnerable targets.
* Be alert for skimming devices in tourist areas, which are popular targets.
* Utilize debit and credit cards with chip technology. In the U.S., there are fewer devices that steal chip data versus magnetic strip data.
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Original text here: https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2024/09/us-secret-service-and-partners-conduct-ebt-fraud-and-card-skimming
Reminder: President Biden Announces Members of the CDFI Fund's Advisory Board Communities
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund issued the following news on Sept. 6, 2024:
Today, President Joe Biden announced the private citizens who will serve on the Community Development Advisory Board (the Advisory Board), a 15-person federal advisory committee to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). The function of the Advisory Board is to advise the CDFI Fund's Director on the policies regarding the activities and programs of the CDFI Fund.
"I am pleased to
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund issued the following news on Sept. 6, 2024:
Today, President Joe Biden announced the private citizens who will serve on the Community Development Advisory Board (the Advisory Board), a 15-person federal advisory committee to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund). The function of the Advisory Board is to advise the CDFI Fund's Director on the policies regarding the activities and programs of the CDFI Fund.
"I am pleased tocongratulate and welcome this esteemed group of professionals who share the CDFI Fund's vision of an America in which all people and communities have access to the investment capital and financial services they need to prosper," said CDFI Fund Director Pravina Raghavan.
The next meeting of the Advisory Board will be on Thursday, September 19, 2024, which will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the CDFI Fund.
The President announced the following four private citizens who are new to the Advisory Board:
* Manuel Chinea, Executive Vice President and COO, Popular Bank at Popular, Inc., New York, NY
* Janie Simms Hipp, J.D., LL.M., Founding Chief Executive Officer, Native Agriculture Financial Service, Fayetteville, AR
* Mark Kaufman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Neighborhood Impact Investment Fund, Baltimore, MD
* Susan Chapman Plumb, Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Local Bank, Hulbert, OK
The President also reappointed the following five private citizens who have served on the Advisory Board since September 2021:
* Seema Agnani, Executive Director, National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development, Washington, DC
* Marla Bilonick, President and CEO, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders Washington, DC
* Harold Pettigrew, Jr., President and CEO, Opportunity Finance Network, Washington, DC
* Michael Swack, Director, Center for Impact Finance, Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
* Darrin L. Williams, CEO, Southern Bancorp, Inc., Little Rock, AR
They join the following federal designees on the Advisory Board:
* Kathryn Frost, Associate Administrator for Capital Access, U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, DC
* Wizipan Garriott, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC
* Dr. Basil Gooden, Under Secretary for Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC
* Ben Page, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer, Economic Development Administration, Washington, District of Columbia
* Laurie Schaffer, Acting Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC
* Julienne Joseph, Senior Counselor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
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Original text here: https://www.cdfifund.gov/news/599
Pepper Assumes U.S. Army Security Assistance Command
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Army Security Assistance Command issued the following news:
By Adriane Elliot
Brig. Gen. Allen J. Pepper assumed command of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command during a Sept. 6 ceremony at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
Lt. Gen. Christopher Mohan, deputy commanding general and acting commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, hosted the ceremony and addressed attendees by explaining USASAC's strategic advantage to America's fighting forces and U.S. national security.
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"It's imperative that our partners are equipped with
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Army Security Assistance Command issued the following news:
By Adriane Elliot
Brig. Gen. Allen J. Pepper assumed command of the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command during a Sept. 6 ceremony at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.
Lt. Gen. Christopher Mohan, deputy commanding general and acting commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command, hosted the ceremony and addressed attendees by explaining USASAC's strategic advantage to America's fighting forces and U.S. national security.
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"It's imperative that our partners are equipped withwhat we need them to have, and they are trained to the standards we need them to hold," said Mohan. "That makes the alliance strong. It promotes stability and deters aggression ... and if that fails, it helps win wars."
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USASAC's security assistance mission strengthens U.S. alliances and partnerships, and supports Combatant Commander engagement strategies, and according to Mohan, Pepper is exactly what USASAC needs at this critical moment in time.
Mohan described several assignments that prepared Pepper to lead USASAC, including key roles in the reposturing of U.S. peacekeepers in the United Nations mission in Mali, providing Washington and Combatant Commanders with a clear understanding of French and Congolese defense priorities while serving as the attache in both countries, and actions that set the stage for a transition of Operation Inherent Resolve and a stronger relationship with the Iraqi military.
Pepper thanked Mohan for the introduction and acknowledged the USASAC team for their warm welcome. He said USASAC's mission is at the forefront of world events right now and he has watched from afar, "over the years, whether it was working with a SATMO team in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo ... or seeing the Office of Security Cooperation in Baghdad working with USASAC" to develop capabilities for the Iraqi Security Forces.
Pepper said he is honored, after 31 years of service, to now lead the command that is known as the "Army's Face to the World."
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"Thanks to the leaders of various sister organizations for coming out to support USASAC this morning," said Pepper. "I look forward to working with you in the months ahead. Finally, thanks to all who have welcomed us so warmly here---we are excited to contribute to this wonderful community."
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USASAC leads the AMC Security Assistance Enterprise and develops and manages security assistance programs and foreign military sales (FMS) cases for the U.S. Army. The command currently executes a $281 billion FMS portfolio with more than 136 nations and 11 agencies. For more information on USASAC's security assistance mission, visit http://www.army.mil/usasac.
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Original text here: https://www.army.mil/article/279472/pepper_assumes_usasac_command
New Approach to Readiness: AI-Powered Religious Affairs Training
KEESLER AFB, Mississippi, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Air Force Keesler Air Force Base (81st Training Wing) issued the following news:
By Airman 1st Class Kurstyn Canida, 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
The 81st Training Group is embracing innovative training methods to better prepare its Religious Affairs students for the challenges they may face in the field. Previously six weeks long, the expanded eight-week Religious Affairs course is utilizing virtual reality to give students hands-on experience in crisis intervention and counseling.
"This career field is unique, in that it's very people-oriented,"
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KEESLER AFB, Mississippi, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Air Force Keesler Air Force Base (81st Training Wing) issued the following news:
By Airman 1st Class Kurstyn Canida, 81st Training Wing Public Affairs
The 81st Training Group is embracing innovative training methods to better prepare its Religious Affairs students for the challenges they may face in the field. Previously six weeks long, the expanded eight-week Religious Affairs course is utilizing virtual reality to give students hands-on experience in crisis intervention and counseling.
"This career field is unique, in that it's very people-oriented,"said Tech. Sgt. Alfred Perkins, 335th Training Squadron religious affairs instructor. "It is very feelings oriented, where we're dealing with people that are sometimes in the darkest place they have ever been and are looking for our help."
Before implementing VR training, the Religious Affairs course depended on instructors to act out crisis scenarios for students. This hands-on approach allowed learners to practice their counseling and intervention skills, with the instructors playing the role of individuals in distress; however, this method relies on the instructors' acting abilities and the inherent relationship between the student and teacher.
The introduction of artificial intelligence-powered VR has transformed this training model.
Students can now interact with fully customizable AI avatars within a simulated environment, allowing them to navigate complex situations without the presence of a familiar instructor. This detachment forces the students to quickly build trust and rapport, mirroring the challenges they may face when responding to a crisis for the first time in the field. By practicing with these AI-driven personas, which can exhibit a wide range of emotions and backstories, the Airmen gain invaluable experience that better prepares them for the realities they will encounter operationally.
"It can be challenging to interact with people and know how to approach those in distress," said Perkins. "Us using virtual reality training is going to give us the upper hand at understanding the types of crises that we can handle and give students the opportunity to practice before it's real world."
The Religious Affairs course's transition to VR training represents a significant step forward in preparing Airmen for the high-stress, people oriented work they will encounter in the field. This allows the learners to hone their crisis intervention skills, build trust with individuals in distress, and gain confidence in their ability to provide effective support - all before facing these challenges for the first time in a real-world setting.
Recognizing the broader applications of this technology, Perkins believes virtual reality training could be leveraged to enhance preparedness across multiple career fields.
"I think that we're going to have the opportunity to do a lot of cross-talk with other career fields and share how we can make it better for everybody," said Perkins.
As the Air Force continues to cultivate a culture of continuous improvement, the integration of VR is proving to be a valuable tool for developing the next generation of versatile, mission ready service members.
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Original text here: https://www.keesler.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3898094/new-approach-to-readiness-ai-powered-religious-affairs-training/
Mike Pflugrath Selected Assistant Principal of Department of Defense's Education Activity Virtual High School
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Education Activity issued the following news release:
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is excited to welcome Mike Pflugrath as the new Assistant Principal of the DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS), effective immediately. Mr. Pflugrath joins the DoDEA family following his retirement as Principal of Osbourn High School, where he led the school for the past five years.
Mike Pflugrath's career is distinguished by his dedication to education and leadership, marked by significant achievements at Osbourn High School.
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ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Sept. 7 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Education Activity issued the following news release:
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is excited to welcome Mike Pflugrath as the new Assistant Principal of the DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS), effective immediately. Mr. Pflugrath joins the DoDEA family following his retirement as Principal of Osbourn High School, where he led the school for the past five years.
Mike Pflugrath's career is distinguished by his dedication to education and leadership, marked by significant achievements at Osbourn High School.Under his guidance, Osbourn saw its graduation rate increase from 78% to 90%, the highest on-time graduation rate in the school's history, while the dropout rate decreased from 18% to 7.8%. His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic ensured a smooth transition to online learning and facilitated 485 individual graduation ceremonies, underscoring his commitment to student success.
Before his tenure at Osbourn, Mr. Pflugrath's career in education began after his service as an Army officer from 1992 to 1996. He served as a Platoon Leader and was deployed to Cuba, Panama, and Somalia, where he earned awards for valor in combat. Inspired by his high school coach and chemistry teacher, Tom Casey, Mr. Pflugrath transitioned into education, starting as a history teacher and boys' basketball coach at Woodson High School in Fairfax County. His coaching excellence earned him district and region Coach of the Year honors, and his team won the district championship in 2005.
He continued his career at South County High School as a history teacher and basketball coach, later moving into administration as Director of Student Activities and Assistant Principal. His exceptional leadership earned him the title of Virginia Assistant Principal of the Year in 2018.
In his new role as Assistant Principal of DVHS, Mr. Pflugrath will bring his passion for innovative education and student-centered leadership to the virtual learning environment. He is eager to support the academic and personal growth of DVHS students, ensuring they have access to the resources and opportunities necessary to succeed.
"Mr. Pflugrath is a fantastic addition to our school. He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and a passion for students with him." said Terry Marshall, Principal of DVHS. "We look forward to Mike's leadership as we continue to provide a high-quality, flexible learning environment for our students."
Mr. Pflugrath holds a master's degree in educational leadership and a bachelor's degree in history. He is joined by his wife Erika and their two sons, Noah and Dylan, as they transition to this new chapter in his career. In addition to his work with DVHS, Mr. Pflugrath looks forward to finding ways to support military families, drawing on his own experiences and understanding of the unique challenges faced by military children.
Please join us in welcoming Mike Pflugrath to the DoDEA Virtual High School. We are confident that his leadership will greatly contribute to the ongoing success of our students and staff.
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Original text here: https://www.dodea.edu/news/press-releases/mr-mike-pflugrath-selected-assistant-principal-dodea-virtual-high-school
Md. U.S. Attorney: Five Russian GRU Officers and One Civilian Charged for Conspiring to Hack Ukrainian Government
GREENBELT, Maryland, Sept. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland issued the following news release on Sept. 5, 2024:
In an indictment unsealed today, a grand jury in Maryland charged six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian already
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GREENBELT, Maryland, Sept. 7 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland issued the following news release on Sept. 5, 2024:
In an indictment unsealed today, a grand jury in Maryland charged six computer hackers, all of whom were residents and nationals of the Russian Federation (Russia), with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud conspiracy. Five of the defendants were officers in Unit 29155 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The sixth individual was a civilian alreadyunder indictment for conspiracy to commit computer intrusion who is now also charged with wire fraud conspiracy.
The indictment alleges that these GRU hackers and their co-conspirators engaged in a conspiracy to hack into, exfiltrate data from, leak information obtained from, and destroy computer systems associated with, the Ukrainian Government in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Defendants did so in order to sow concern among Ukrainian citizens regarding the safety of their government systems and personal data in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Defendants' targets included Ukrainian Government systems and data with no military or defense-related roles. Later targets included computer systems in countries around the world that were providing support to Ukraine, including twenty-six NATO countries.
"Today's superseding indictment underscores our commitment to using all the tools at our disposal to pursue those who would do us and our allies around the world harm," said United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron. "Cyber intrusion schemes such as the one alleged threaten our national security, and we will use all the technologies and investigative measures at our disposal to disrupt and track down these cybercriminals."
"The GRU's WhisperGate campaign, including targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure and government systems of no military value, is emblematic of Russia's abhorrent disregard for innocent civilians as it wages its unjust invasion," said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the National Security Division. "Today's indictment underscores that the Justice Department will use every available tool to disrupt this kind of malicious cyber activity and hold perpetrators accountable for indiscriminate and destructive targeting of the United States and our allies."
"Through strokes on a keyboard, the accused criminals used computers to cross into countries, hunting for weaknesses and seeking to harm. The FBI and our law enforcement partners, both national and international, will collectively defend against Russia's aggressive and illegal actions," said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. "We are united in identifying, prosecuting, and protecting against future crimes and vow to relentlessly hunt down and counter these threats."
"The FBI and its international partners are relentless in our commitment to thwarting GRU attacks across the globe and bringing to justice those responsible for these criminal acts," said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate. "Our work protecting against cyber threats in a rapidly evolving landscape continues, including deployment of all tools in our arsenal to defend our infrastructure and impose costs on those who target it."
"Since July 2021, the U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of any person who, while acting at the direction or under the control of a foreign government, participates in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act," said DSS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Threat Investigations and Analysis Paul Houston. "Under this reward offer, the RFJ program is seeking information leading to the location of these individuals, GRU's malicious cyber activity, or associated individuals and entities."
The defendants charged in the indictment are: Yuriy Denisov [View characters in the link at bottom.] a colonel in the Russian military and a commanding officer of Cyber Operations for Unit 29155; four lieutenants in the Russian military assigned to Unit 29155 who worked on cyber operations: Vladislav Borovkov [View characters in the link at bottom.], Denis Denisenko [View characters in the link at bottom.], Dmitriy Goloshubov [View characters in the link at bottom.], and Nikolay Korchagin [View characters in the link at bottom.]; and a civilian co-conspirator, Amin Sitgal [View characters in the link at bottom.]
According to court documents, in January 2022, the Defendants conspired to use a U.S.-based company's services to distribute malware known in the cybersecurity community as "WhisperGate" to dozens of Ukrainian government entities' computer systems and destroy those systems and related data in advance of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The United States government previously joined with allies and partners in May 2022 to attribute this cyber-attack to the Russian military and to condemn the attack and similar destructive cyber activities against Ukraine.
On January 13, 2022, the Defendants attacked multiple Ukrainian government networks, including the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Treasury, the Judiciary Administration, the State Portal for Digital Services, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Energy, the Accounting Chamber for Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the State Forestry Agency, and the Motor Insurance Bureau. The Defendants infected computers on these and other networks with the WhisperGate malware, which was designed to look like ransomware. However, as the indictment alleges, WhisperGate was actually a cyberweapon designed to completely destroy the target computer and related data.
In conjunction with these attacks, the Defendants compromised several of the targeted Ukrainian computer systems, exfiltrated sensitive data, including patient health records, and defaced the websites to read: "Ukrainians! All information about you has become public, be afraid and expect the worst. This is for your past, present and future." That same day, the Defendants offered the hacked data for sale on the internet.
In August 2022, the Defendants also hacked the transportation infrastructure of a Central European country that was supporting Ukraine. Beginning in August 2021, the Defendants also probed a variety of protected computer systems including those associated with twenty-six NATO member countries, searching for potential vulnerabilities. The indictment further alleges that from August 5, 2021 to February 3, 2022, the Defendants leveraged the same computer infrastructure they used in the Ukraine-related attacks to probe computers belonging to a federal government agency in Maryland in the same manner as they had initially probed the Ukrainian Government networks.
This indictment is part of an international effort, OPERATION TOY SOLDIER, to combat the malicious cyber activity by Unit 29155 of the GRU.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Barron, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Barron and Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen commended the FBI's Baltimore Field Office for its outstanding work and thanked the FBI's Milwaukee and Boston Field Offices for their support in the case. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Robert I. Goldaris, who are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the National Security Division's National Security Cyber Section.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/five-russian-gru-officers-and-one-civilian-charged-conspiring-hack-ukrainian-government
Court of Appeals Issues Opinion, Judgment in National Republican Senatorial Committee Vs. FEC
WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The Federal Election Commission issued the following news release on Sept. 6, 2024:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an en banc Opinion and Judgment in National Republican Senatorial Committee, et al. v. FEC, et al. (Case Nos. 22-639/24-3051) yesterday, affirming that the limits on coordinated campaign expenditures of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), do not violate the First Amendment.
Under the Act, a national party committee and state party committee may make expenditures in connection with the general election campaigns
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 -- The Federal Election Commission issued the following news release on Sept. 6, 2024:
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an en banc Opinion and Judgment in National Republican Senatorial Committee, et al. v. FEC, et al. (Case Nos. 22-639/24-3051) yesterday, affirming that the limits on coordinated campaign expenditures of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, as amended (the Act), do not violate the First Amendment.
Under the Act, a national party committee and state party committee may make expenditures in connection with the general election campaignsof federal candidates that are coordinated with those candidates.
These coordinated party expenditures do not count against the contribution limits but are subject to a separate set of limits. These limits are based on the office sought and the relevant voting-age population, and are adjusted annually for inflation.
Plaintiffs argued in their constitutional challenge that limiting the expenditures a party may make in coordination with its nominees unconstitutionally abridged the party's First Amendment rights.
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Original text here: https://www.fec.gov/updates/court-of-appeals-issues-opinion-and-judgment-in-national-republican-senatorial-committee-et-al-v-fec-et-al/
