Axios PM: Justice sues Google — The invisible antifa — Joint call for civility

1 big thing: The invisible antifa | Tuesday, October 20, 2020

View in browser   Presented By Facebook   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Oct 20, 2020 Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 487 words, a 2-minute read. 🗓 The Senate will vote to confirm Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett this upcoming Monday, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Go deeper.     1 big thing: The invisible antifa Protesters demonstrate as a Salt Lake City police vehicle burns on May 30. Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP   Antifa may be a focus on the right, but it's hard to find in the court system. Why it matters: Very few of the people charged in this summer's protests and riots appear to be affiliated with highly organized extremist groups, reports AP. In thousands of pages of court documents reviewed by AP, the only apparent mention of antifa is in a Boston case in which authorities said an FBI Gang Task Force member was investigating "suspected ANTIFA activity associated with the protests" when a man fired at him and other officers. Authorities have not claimed that the man accused of firing the shots is a member of antifa, the umbrella term for leftist militant groups. The big picture: More than $1 billion in damage was estimated after the uprisings following the death of George Floyd, as Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson reported last month. That property damage was accompanied by violence, including wounded police officers, looting and arson. But many of those charged had no previous run-ins with the law and no apparent ties to antifa, AP notes. Between the lines: Many of those charged are young people from the suburbs. By the numbers: More than 40% of those facing federal charges are white, AP reports. At least a third are Black, and about 6% Hispanic. Most are men. More than 2/3 are under 30. More than 1/4 have been charged with arson, which if convicted means a five-year minimum prison sentence. More than a dozen are accused of civil disorder, and others are charged with burglary and failing to comply with a federal order. The bottom line: FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress earlier this year that antifa is a "real thing" but it's hard to track because it's "not a group or an organization. It's a movement or an ideology."     2. Pic du jour Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images A first draft script of "The Godfather" on display ahead of an auction in Beverly Hills, California.     A message from Facebook We support updated internet regulations     At Facebook, we continue to take steps to improve our platforms such as tripling our safety and security teams, building privacy tools, and more. Updated internet regulations will set standards for addressing today's toughest challenges. Read why we support updated internet regulations.     3. Catch up quick Antitrust action: The Justice Department and 11 states filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google, accusing the company of using anticompetitive tactics to illegally monopolize the online search and search advertising markets. The search giant called the case "deeply flawed." Go deeper. Confirmed in court: White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Trump's tweets authorizing the disclosure of classified documents "were not self-executing declassification orders." Go deeper. General Motors said it will invest $2 billion to renovate a Tennessee factory for electric vehicle production, starting with the Cadillac Lyriq in 2022. Go deeper. "Like a wildfire": Florida activist Desmond Meade said restoring felon voting rights has caught on nationwide. Go deeper. 🎧 Axios Re:Cap goes deeper into China's economy, including its increased focus on domestic demand. Listen here.     4. 1 hopeful thing Screenshot: Spencer Cox/Twitter You don't see this often: The two candidates for Utah governor put out a joint ad calling for civility and a peaceful transition of power. Democratic nominee Chris Peterson: "We can debate issues without degrading each other's character. ... Win or lose, in Utah, we work together." Republican nominee Spencer Cox: "We can disagree without hating each other. ... So let's show the country that there's a better way." Video.     A message from Facebook We support updated internet regulations     We support new regulations that hold companies, including Facebook, accountable on issues including: Combating foreign election interference. Protecting people's privacy. Enabling safe and easy data transfer between platforms. Read why we support updated internet regulations.     Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: