Donald Trump speaking at the RNC.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

A consistent theme of Donald Trump’s campaign speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night was rising crime.

But his message doesn’t align with crime data, which shows a gradual decline for more than two decades.

So how does his campaign explain the “law and order” message?

Trump’s campaign manager, Paul Manafort, claims the FBI’s annual data on crime isn’t reliable.

“The FBI certainly is suspect these days for what they just did with Hillary Clinton,” Manafort told CNN.

Manafort provided no evidence that the numbers were wrong.

By Chris Bing
FedScoop.com

The FBI should restructure how it prioritizes and catalogues cybersecurity investigations, according to a new report from the Justice Department inspector general.

Rather than relying on instinct and experience to determine the severity of a cyber threat and then allocating resources based on that assessment to solve cases, Inspector General Michael Horowitz recommends the Bureau move towards more data-driven decision making — supported by custom data analytics software.

The FBI’s current, primary cybersecurity case assessment procedure is known as Threat Review and Prioritization, or TRP. The TRP provides guidance, annually, for the FBI’s operational divisions and field offices to reference when defining the level of threat and deciding on resources available to address a case.

The OIG audit, however, concludes that TRP is “subjective and open to interpretation” because, among other things, it does not define specific targets. For example, under TRP, what constitutes a “small business” is up for an agent to decide.

Because TRP is only updated annually the OIG believes this approach is not agile enough to respond to the rapidly changing threat landscape of the cyber arena. The current approach does not use “an algorithmic, objective, data-driven, reproducible and auditable” process, the report reads.

To read more click here. 

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

While Apple was battling the FBI in court over unlocking an iPhone, the technology giant was quietly helping the FBI on another investigation.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that Apple provided the FBI with records of the world’s largest torrent site.

Apple’s role led to the arrest of Ukranian national Artm Vaulin, who was charged with copyright infringement and money laundering.

“Apple’s involvement in the arrest of Vaulin shows its willingness to cooperate with the government on certain matters, particularly because Apple is a heavyweight in the music industry, even while holding the line against violating the security of millions of its consumers,” The Christian Science Monitor wrote. 

Slain Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas Jr

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Border Patrol agents participated in a 68-mile relay run Thursday to honor fallen Agent Robert Rosas, who died in the line of duty on July 23, 2009, San Diego Patch reports. 

It was the seventh annual relay to honor Rosas of the Campo Border Patrol station.

The relay race requires 22, 2.55-mile legs.

Rosas was often referred to as the “Mayor of El Centro” because of his “popularity and his friendly, witty demeanor,” Patch wrote.

Rosas was shot and killed while responding to suspicion activity near Campo.

Four people were arrested and have pled guilty for their role in the killing.

Maria Abi-Habib pictured on the left, via Facebook.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Federal agents detained a Wall Street Journal reporter and confiscated her two cell phones at a Los Angeles airport.

Maria Abi-Habib, who covers the Middle East, wrote in detail about the incident on Facebook.

“My rights as a journalist or US citizen do not apply at the border, as explained above, since legislation was quietly passed in 2013 giving DHS very broad powers (I researched this since the incident),” the reporter wrote on Facebook. “This legislation also circumvents the Fourth Amendment that protects Americans’ privacy and prevents searches and seizures without a proper warrant.”

She said the agents wanted her cell phone to “collect information.”

“That is where I drew the line,” Abi-Habib wrote. “I told her I had First Amendment rights as a journalist she couldn’t violate and I was protected under.”

A federal agent provided a document that shows the government has a right to confiscate phones within 100 miles of U.S. borders.

Other Stories of Interest

• FBI Investigates Internet Threat Against Law Enforcement
• RNC Protesters Decry FBI No-Knock Raid at Home
• Justice Department Sues Pennsylvania Town for Rejecting Mosque
• FBI Joins Search for Missing Florida Teen, 14, in Washington State
• FBI: More Sexual Predators Using Social Media to Lure Children