6.18.2020

Good morning. It's Thursday, June 18, and we're covering charges in Atlanta, a proposal to change a major internet liability law, and police reform in the Senate. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Atlanta Officer Charged

A former Atlanta police officer, who shot and killed a black man during a DUI arrest last weekend, has been charged with 11 offenses, including felony murder. A second officer on the scene was charged with four counts, including aggravated assault and three counts of violation of oath.

The former officer, Garrett Rolfe, originally approached 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks Friday night after responding to calls of an inebriated driver at a Wendy's drive-thru. A struggle ensued when officers attempted to take Brooks into custody after he failed a Breathalyzer test, with Brooks grabbing one of the officer's Taser. According to investigators, Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at officers while fleeing. You can see police body camera footage here (warning: content may be disturbing).

District Attorney Paul Howard said Rolfe kicked Brooks while on the ground, with Officer Devin Brosnan standing on Brooks' shoulder. Attorneys for Rolfe said he feared for his safety, and reacted to the sound and flash of the Taser. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has said she did not feel the use of deadly force was justified, though some experts framed the shooting as "lawful but awful" under Georgia law, saying the case could be hard to prosecute.

An unconfirmed number of Atlanta police officers reportedly held a sick out Wednesday night to protest the charges. The incident has forced the resignation of Police Chief Erika Shields and galvanized anti-police brutality protests already underway after the death of George Floyd.

Section 230 Proposal

The Justice Department revealed a proposal yesterday limiting the scope of liability protections for internet tech companies from user-posted content. The reforms would remove protections from platforms that facilitate content violating federal laws concerning child exploitation, cyber-stalking, and terrorism. It would also push platforms to be more transparent about content moderation decisions.

The plan targets Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (see 101). Credited with catalyzing the growth of the modern internet, the law effectively treats online companies as publishing intermediaries, not responsible for specific content posted by individual users. The law also protects companies from editing or deleting content—if done in good faith—even if otherwise protected by the First Amendment. Critics say the new proposal (read here) would require sites to enact wide-ranging moderation to avoid legal ramifications.

Separately, studies suggest social media's real bias is toward increased polarization.

Senate Unveils Police Reform Bill

Senate Republicans unveiled a major police reform package yesterday, developed in the wake of nationwide protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd three weeks ago. The bill was led by Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and was introduced on the fifth anniversary of a white supremacist attack on a Charleston church that killed nine African American congregants. Scott, a friend to a pastor slain in the shooting, was moved to tears (w/video) recounting the incident during a floor speech yesterday.

The bill would narrow the use of chokeholds and require de-escalation training, but leave aside the issue of legal protections for officers known as qualified immunity (see 101). A procedural vote is expected on the bill next week, though it is unclear whether there is enough support from Democrats—who previously introduced their own package—to surpass the 60-vote threshold needed to begin debate.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> English Premier League resumed yesterday as players wore "Black Lives Matter" uniforms and knelt at kickoff (More) | US Olympic 100-meter favorite Christian Coleman receives temporary ban for missing doping tests (More)

> Kim Kardashian West signs deal with Spotify to produce and host new exclusive podcast likely to focus on criminal justice reform (More)

> “That '70s Show” actor Danny Masterson charged with three counts of rape, faces up to 45 years in prison (More) | Comedian Chris D’Elia accused of sexually harassing underage girls (More)

Science & Technology

> MIT unveils its annual Innovators under 35 list, spotlighting the top young inventors, entrepreneurs, and visionaries from around the world (More)

> New research says the first non-avian dinosaurs laid soft-shelled eggs, contradicting previous theories, with hard-shelled eggs evolving independently at least three separate times (More)

> Physicists announce what may be the first direct evidence of axions; the hypothesized subatomic particle is a candidate for dark matter, the mysterious mass that comprises 85% of the universe (More)

Business & Markets

> PepsiCo to change Aunt Jemima pancake brand image and name, long criticized as being based on racial stereotypes; Conagra to review Mrs. Butterworth’s and Uncle Ben’s brands (More)

> Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and wife Patty Quillin make $120M pledge to support historically black colleges and universities (More)

> Google announces pledge to increase hiring of underrepresented groups in leadership roles by 30% over next five years (More, $$, WSJ)

Politics & World Affairs

> In new book, former national security adviser John Bolton alleges President Trump sought to boost reelection chances by asking the Chinese to buy more agricultural products (More) | Trump rejects claim, calls Bolton a liar; Justice Department sues to prevent release on national security grounds (More) | See Bolton excerpt in The Wall Street Journal (More, $$)

> Florida, Texas, and Arizona each set daily highs for new coronavirus cases (More) | US has reported 2.16 million total cases, with 117,717 deaths, as of this morning; see three-day moving average here (More)

> Senate passes sweeping land conservation bill that includes billions to address maintenance backlogs at national parks across the country (More)

IN-DEPTH

The American Press is Destroying Itself

Taibbi/Substack | Matt Taibbi. The award-winning journalist Matt Taibbi sparked a lively debate this week with this article, arguing that newsroom revolts in recent years have pushed media companies away from free press principles and toward greater censorship. (Read)

'This Is Just F--king Unbelievable!'

Vanity Fair | William Cohan. Like many in the travel industry, rental car company Hertz was hit hard by the pandemic. Now bankrupt, with shareholders likely to walk away empty-handed, something strange is happening—thousands of speculative investors are causing its stock price to surge. (Read)

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ETCETERA

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... and Facebook will let you turn off political ads.

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Use this website to determine whether you're a future "Karen."

The 2021 Ford Bronco is set to be unveiled—on OJ Simpson's birthday.

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Historybook: US declares war against Great Britain as War of 1812 begins (1812); HBD Paul McCartney (1942); HBD Blake Shelton (1976); Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space (1983); Rapper XXXTentacion murdered (2018).

"Imagination grows by exercise, and contrary to common belief, is more powerful in the mature than in the young."

- Paul McCartney

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