(Congress of the limiter! grates 20515 Director Gina Haspel Central Intelligence Agency 2430 St NW Washington, DC 20037 Director Christopher Wray Federal Bureau of Investigation 935 Ave, NW . Washington, DC. 20535-0001 July 14, 2020 Dear Directors Haspel and Wray, Over the past few months, localized misinformation about apparently nonexistent Antifa gatherings and ?invasions? has proliferated in communities throughout the United States, sowing social and political division.1 The undersigned are inquiring about any de?nitive evidence gathered, or ongoing investigations, by federal authorities regarding the identities or nationalities of individuals originating and promoting these falsely advertised Antifa gatherings. To date, the misinformation about Antifa gatherings has spread through Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, and NextDoor.2 These posts usually cite text messages which appear to be variations of template messages claiming active duty military personnel or members of local police departments provided the information. State and local authorities in the majority of these communities deny any involvement on the part of their department.3 In most cases, no individuals identifying as Antifa arrive at the locations identi?ed in social media posts or template text messages; however, heavily armed counter protestors have arrived on several occasions. The apparent similarities in the dissemination methods to previously identi?ed disinformation campaigns ?'om foreign nationals and designated hate groups merit ?lrther investigation. Below are exhibits of social media posts and template text messages regarding falsely advertised Antifa gatherings in Fayette County, Idaho, and Fayetteville, North Carolina. In the instances of misinformation that spread through both Fayette County and Fayetteville, the primary source of Seitz, Amanda. ?False claims of antifa protesters plague small US. cities." AP News. 1 9c0e2f0de54a (622.620) 2 Collins, Ben. Zadrozny, Brandy- ?Antifa rumors spread on local social media with no evidence" NBC News 1222486 (632520) 2? Seitz, Amanda- ?False claims of antifa protesters plague small US. cities." AP News. l9c0e2i0de54a (692.?20) the information is dif?cult to identify. The only identities of primary sourcing were supposed ??'iends? and ?coworkers? with connections to police departments and the U.S. military. Fayette County Sheriff?s Office A The Fayette County Sheriff?s Office has been rnort toring social mer?a posts that have stated FALSE Infant-tattoo The onginal post truth false information) states. Family and friends in Idaho We were told by our Congressman that Antita has sent a plane load of their people Into Boise and three bus loads horn Seattle into the rura: areas. The sheriff In Fayette has already spotted some of them. We were warned to lock our doors and our guns. Wethink they will stay In the larger communes but it is best to be prepared-? 1! 1 .3 arms: mamxiligg?algxl Boise and surrounding areas. Be ready for attacks downtown and residential areas. At Sheriff's Of?ce not given speci?c Earnings lo our citizteyns least a dozen males got off the plane in Boise from Seattle, dressed head to toe in about Antifa or other ?gamut,? The iniormation In this social black Backpacks only One had a tattoo that said Antifa America on his arm. There media post is not accurate. are people watching and will keep us informed. Heads on a swivel. Watch your 6 and .. carry heavy. If you want to share this and make fun of it. go ahead and show your 4 213 common: ?l childish att:tudes. in. Comment 5) Share 3 94 Comments 3.7K Shares Fayette County, Idaho: The left image is from the Fayette County Sheriff?s Facebook page, containing a quoted template message about Antifa arriving in the Idaho by the ?plane load." This message was shared widely over social media and direct text messaging platforms. [Left Exhibit Indexi] The right image is from a redacted individual user sharing a template message warning about ?attacks" being imminent in Boise, Idaho. The template post is recommending individuals maintain the possession of ?rearms, and around 40 to 50 armed individuals subsequently arrived in downtown Boise on June 1, 2020. No individuals identifying as Antifa were on scene. [Right Exhibit Indexi] Back Message - Got this from a friend; A was lOld that nttfa May be heading into Here?s what I know th':s far All of the wealth . the hotels at exit 49 are booked by - "alghborhOOdS protesters from out of state. The tonight to take What should word is the group that was here be theirs did Saturday that caused all the trouble FIB want to was in Greenv':ile last night. It got [308 On so bad there last night that hysteria I and create mass Greenuille PD requested assistance wanted you and from all agencies within a 100 mile Your fEMlly to be aware SO radius They are coming back here you can be tonight. There is a group currently . at Westwood shopping center Sending prayers for safety. protesting. We have credible Intel . Take care that they are going to attack 3 FPO stations. Get home and stay home. Fayetteville, North Carolina: The left image is a message sent on Facebook messenger containing falsi?ed rumors about the Greenville Police Department requesting support from surrounding agencies to deal with an in?ux of 4 Blanchard, Nicole, Brown, Ruth. ?Police: No, antifa not sending ?a plane load of their people? to Idaho to incite riots." Idaho Statesman. (6r'1r'20) 5 [Redacted Individual]. Facebook. (June 1, 2020) individuals identifying as Antifa. Greenville PD denied any such request.? [Left Exhibit IndexT] The right image is a text message falsely stating that individuals identifying as Antifa were heading to ?wealthy neighborhoods" in Fayetteville, North Carolina. [Right Exhibit Indexg] Unlike the misinformation shared in Fayette County and Fayetteville, a supposed Antifa gathering in that was set to occur on July 4, 2020, had an identi?able source on Facebook and Twitter. The social media accounts for ?Left Behind purporting to be representative of Antifa, posted explicit details of a ?ag-burning event at National Cemetery. When the identity of the administrator for the ?Left Behind accounts was inquired on by a national media outlet, the name ?Alan effs? was provided. According to the media outlet, there no known public records for this individual in the United States.9 Antifa operatives did not show up on July 4, 2020, to National Cemetery, but hundreds of heavily armed counter protesters did arrive at the scene. At one point, the armed counter protestors surrounded and aggressively questioning a man in a ?Black Lives Matter? shirt visiting an ancestor?s grave.10 On several occasions, falsely advertised Antifa gatherings have been strategically placed at the same time and location as Black Lives Matter protests. Documented instances of armed individuals counter protesting a falsely advertised Antifa gathering but then encountering individuals peace?illy protesting at Black Lives Matter include occurrences in Michigan' Montana,12 and Oregon?. Below are exhibit images of the posts on the ?Left Behind Facebook and Twitter accounts. 6 Specht, Paul. ?Fact check: Raleigh text messages say Antifa planned to raid rich neighborhoods." PoliriFact fact-check-ralei h-text-messa es-sa lanned-to-raid-rich- neighborhoods/19131889/ (6/5/20) 7 Provided by Stand Up Republic [Sourcing Pending] a Specht, Paul. ?Fact check: Raleigh text messages say Antifa planned to raid rich neighborhoods." PolitiFact 9 hung. Fend-it-from-a- phantg lea-86:35? 3b9b3863273b storv.html '0 Bennett, Dalton. Boburg, Shawn. ?Militias ?ocked to to foil a supposed antifa flag burning, an apparent hoax created on social media? Washington Post fend-it-from'a; ea-86d5- 3b9b3863273b (W420) Agar, John. ?Antifa ad on Craigslist for Fourth of July training in West Michigan likely hoax, police say." MLive. (731.520) '3 Mabie, Nora, Rispens, Skylar. ?'People want justice': Great Falls residents rally against police brutality, racism.? Great Falls Tribune. ht mews/2020/06/05/montana- reat-falls-black? 16109400 If (635x20) ?3 Zandrozny, Brandy, Collins, Ben. ?In Klamath Falls, Oregon, victory declared over antifa, which never showed up.? NBC News. which-never-showed-n 1 22668 I Pinned Tweet gamma-neon nu - In: Peaceful Flag Burning to Resist Left Behind usn [EILeltBehlndUSA 1n: t. Police Sponsored by Antlfa mus INDEPENDENCE can I :Irhrs- turn! JOIN US AS WE Fr THE STUPID U5 :3 a ,9 To PROTEST hunted doing more Han 293 going an interested 3.5x shares 3 Public Hosted by Left Behind LISA 9 Of?ine Event this Dheunlm mm: mum? new: Liven-nailing; . . a 13 15 .1. The above images are Facebook and Twitter posts by the account ?Left Behind advertising a false Antifa sponsored flag burning event on July 2020. The account has been suSpended on both platforms and the name of the individual supposedly administrating both accounts is not available in public records.'4 [Left Exhibit Reference's] [Right Exhibit Reference'?] The proliferation methods of misinformation on Antifa activities in June and July of 2020 are similarly structured to the disinformation deployed in the United States during the early stages of the pandemic. In both cases, template messages and social media posts were being sent under the false pretext of government, military, and local police authorities sharing this information with the sender or poster. In April 2020, several template messages and social media posts started to circulate regarding a false rumor that the federal government would invoke the Stafford Act in a given time frame, thus implementing a national ?mandatory quarantine?? Below are exhibit template text messages that were shared widely in April 2020. Bennett, Dalton. Boburg, Shawn. ?Militias flocked to to foil a supposed antifa flag burning, an apparent hoax created on social media" Washington Post -to-defend-it-from- 3b9b3863273b storv. (7/4/20) '5 Wise, Jenna. ?Dozens, some armed, come to to guard against rumors of Antifa violence" The Patriot- News of-antifa-violence.html (7i4i20) ?Gordon, James. ?Right-wing militias descend on after falling for online hoax that Antifa was planning to burn American ?ags at the Civil War battleground? The Daily Mail 17 ?Huge text message campaigns spread coronavirus fake news.? Financial Times. Fromafriend of mine: My Client?, military staff just got out Within 48 to 72 Hows the ?fa Z'hm" ??72 president will evoke what is hours the President will issue a nationwide 2 week mandatory called the Stafford act. Just got quarantine under the Stafford off the phone with some of my Act. Make sure we have 2 . . . . weeks of necessities on hand_ military friends In DC who had a two hour briefing. The Elia?? Stay safe and president will order a two week mandatory quarantine for the Task Forcejust announced that nation. Stock up on whatever advanced guidelines will go out $59 to the public tomorrow, you guys need to make sure you have a two week supply of everything. is c. friend of yours in the n'iitnry? Stafford Act Hoaxes: The above images are examples of template text messages shared during the early stages of the pandemic and warn of a pending lockdown to be enforced by the federal government. Both cite a military source, state that the Stafford Act will be invoked, and give the 48 to 72 hours timeline. [Exhibit Left Index's] [Right Exhibit Index'g] Twitter Inc. has stated that white supremacist groups have contributing to some of the localized disinformation campaigns around Antifa gatherings?; however, US. intelligence of?cials reportedly determined that Chinese operatives carried out the misinformation campaigns around lockdowns.21 The practice of foreign nationals falsely advertising events to stoke political and social division between different groups in the United States is a procedure identi?ed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations?, the Of?ce of Special Counsel Robert Mueller?, the Senate Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence?, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligencezs. '8 ?Huge text message campaigns Spread coronavirus fake news." Financial Times. I: f-il 21:19-60 ti 5 804 30049 '9 Puckett, Jason, Tregde, David1 Spry Jr, Terry. Text messages about national quarantine and 'Stafford Act' are fake." 3" Kates, Graham. ?Twitter says fake "Antifa" account was run by white supremacists.? CBS News. 2? Wong, Edward, Rosenberg, Matthew, Barnes, Julian. ?Chinese Agents Helped Spread Messages That Sowed Virus Panic in U.S., Officials Say.? New York Times. china-disinfonnation.html (4522520) 23 Federal Bureau of Investigation. 33 Mueller. Robert. ?Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election." 3" ACTIVE MEASURES CAMPAIGNS AND INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016 U.S. VOLUME 2: USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WITH ADDITIONAL Senate Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Yolamelpiif 35 ?Exposing Russia?s Effort to Sow Discord Online: The Internet Research Agency and Advertisements." House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressional authorities are requesting the following information ?'om the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Central Intelligence Agency: 1.) Does the FBI or the CIA have any information regarding foreign nationals managing Antifa misinformation campaigns within the United States? 2.) Does the FBI or the CIA have knowledge of active duty military officials or state and local police of?cers that are sharing misinformation on falsely advertised Antifa events? 3.) Are federal authorities investigating the identity of the Facebook account ?Left Behind that promoted a ?ag burning event in where an armed militia arrived on July 4, 2020? a. Are federal authorities investigating the veracity of the identity for the individual, Alan Jeffs, who claimed to be managing the ?Left Behind social media page but has no known publicly available records in the United States? b. Are federal authorities investigating the sophisticated cross-posting by Left Behind USA on Twitter, Facebook, and Change.org?? 4.) Are federal authorities investigating the actions of the white supremacist groups Identity Evropa and American Guard, that both Twitter and Facebook claim to include the creation of multiple social media accounts posing as part of the Antifa movement? 5.) Do federal authorities have the identities of the individuals, organizations, or groups that promoted the Antifa gatherings in the following locations: Toms River, New Jersey. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Payette County, Idaho. Klamath, Oregon. Milan, Michigan. Yucaipa, California. Locust, North Carolina. Forks, Washington. Snohomish, Washington. Sparta, Illinois ?r'r'e?tts rap $1.0 Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Congressman Peter Welch, members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, request answers to the above questions by July 22, 2020, and thank you both for your attention to this important matter. @6 a i . Sincerely, Raja Krishnamoorthi Peter Welch Member of Congress Member of Congress