While the United Auto Workers (UAW) are close to reaching a deal with auto company General Motors (GM), the workers will continue to strike until the deal is voted on, Reuters reports.

ADVERTISEMENT

The proposed deal on the table would reportedly give full-time workers higher pay and provide better benefits for temporary workers, but would allow GM to close three plants in the U.S.

The 48,000 striking workers have until Oct. 25 to vote on the deal.

UAW spokesman Brian Rothenberg said at a press conference Thursday in Detroit, “Our members will make this decision. It is their contract. It is in their hands.”

GM, which has lost an estimated $2 billion since the strike started in September, hopes that the deal is voted on quickly.

“We encourage the UAW to move as quickly as possible through the ratification process, so we can resume operations and get back to producing vehicles for our customers,” the auto manufacturer said in a statement.

The ongoing strike is the longest against a Detroit carmaker since 1970.

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e) and Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills)

 

GIVE ME THAT GREEN LIGHT: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday voted along party lines to approve the $26 billion merger between T-Mobile and Sprint, the final move needed for the deal to secure the U.S. government’s full blessing. 

Two sources familiar confirmed to The Hill that the merger has been approved, with the three Republicans on the commission voting in favor and the two Democrats dissenting. 

ADVERTISEMENT

But the merger is still facing a significant obstacle as a group of 17 state attorneys general forge ahead in their lawsuit to block the deal. The multistate lawsuit, announced over the summer, claims that the combined telecom giant would ramp up prices for consumers and result in significant job losses. 

Democrats publicly oppose it: Both Democratic FCC commissioners, Jessica Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks, said Wednesday that they voted against the deal, arguing that the merger will come at a steep price to consumers.

“In short, I believe that T-Mobile and Sprint have not proven that their merger will benefit the public interest,” Starks said in a statement. “I hope for the sake of consumers that I am wrong. I fear that we will one day look back at this decision and recognize it as a moment that forever changed the U.S. wireless industry, and not for the better.”

In an Atlantic op-ed on Wednesday morning, Rosenworcel announced her vote against the deal, saying she believes it will “end a golden age in wireless that helped bring to market lower prices and more innovative services.” 

When we’ll see the order: The FCC order has not yet been released publicly. According to a source familiar with the process, the commissioners still have time to finalize their statements and put together the final draft, meaning the order may not come out for another few weeks.

Read more on the merger here.

 

IS LIBRA SEASON OVER: Facebook’s ambitious plan to launch a global virtual currency is faltering under growing skepticism from business partners, politicians and financial regulators.

As the founders of Project Libra move toward a planned 2020 launch, crucial financial industry backers have bailed on the cryptocurrency system as Facebook faces rising threats from Washington.

Facebook’s critics across the political spectrum were elated after Mastercard, Visa, eBay, Stripe and PayPal all pulled out of the virtual currency project this month. The crushing departures occurred just days before the Libra Association formalized its structure in Geneva on Monday.

Several Trump administration officials and lawmakers have grown increasingly concerned with Facebook’s immense market power and global reach. The project has also raised alarms among financial regulators, who urged the company to tread carefully or risk a federal crackdown.

While Libra’s founders insist they will wait for Washington’s green light before launching, the company’s critics are pouncing to stop the project in its tracks.

Read more on the future of Libra here.

 

ZUCKERBERG ON FOX: Facebook CEO and founder Mark ZuckerbergMark Elliot ZuckerbergHouse investigators receive initial documents from top tech companies Hillicon Valley: Warren turns up heat in battle with Facebook | Instagram unveils new data privacy feature | Advocacy group seeks funding to write about Big Tech Warren turns up heat over Facebook’s ad rules MORE will appear on Fox News on Friday for an interview amid calls from Democrats for his platform to pull ads created by the Trump campaign targeting former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Five takeaways from the Democratic debate in Ohio New study: Full-scale ‘Medicare for All’ costs trillion over 10 years MORE.

Fox News representatives confirmed in a press release Wednesday evening that the Facebook CEO would make his first appearance on the network, where he is expected to address criticism of Facebook’s policy allowing politicians to run ads on the platform that are found to be misleading.

More on Zuckerberg here.

 

SECTIONED OFF: Bipartisan lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday hit the Trump administration for including language from legal liability protections for internet companies in trade negotiations.

The protections from Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which gives platforms legal immunity for content posted by third-party users while also giving them legal cover to take good-faith efforts to moderate their platforms, have been included in some way in both the U.S-Mexico-Canada trade agreement and pact with Japan signed earlier this month.

“I want to talk a bit about injecting 230 into trade agreements,” Rep. Jan SchakowskyJanice (Jan) Danoff SchakowskyHillicon Valley: Google, Reddit to testify on tech industry protections | Trump joins Amazon-owned Twitch | House to vote on bill to combat foreign interference Congress must get pharma out of NAFTA 2.0 Reddit, Google to testify before House panel on tech’s legal protections MORE (D-Ill.) said during the hearing. “It seems to me that we’ve already seen that now in the Japan trade agreement and there is a real push to include that now in the [USMCA]. There is no place for that.”

Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) said he was “disappointed” U.S. trade representative (USTR) Robert LighthizerRobert (Bob) Emmet LighthizerOn The Money: Economy adds 164K jobs in July | Trump signs two-year budget deal, but border showdown looms | US, EU strike deal on beef exports Chinese, US negotiators fine-tuning details of trade agreement: report The Trump economy keeps roaring ahead MORE refused to participate in Wednesday’s hearing.

Read more on the hearing here.

 

TAKING DOWN ONLINE EXTREMISM: Dozens of Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday pressed the State Department to designate three white supremacist groups as foreign terrorist organizations, arguing that reclassification could help the U.S. seriously confront the escalating crisis of white extremist violence.

In a letter led by Rep. Max RoseMax RoseBottom Line The Hill’s 12:30 Report — Presented by USAA — Ex-Ukraine ambassador testifies Trump pushed for her ouster Dem lawmaker rips O’Rourke: ‘I don’t think losing is cool’ MORE (N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee’s counterterrorism subpanel, the 39 lawmakers asked the State Department why they have not placed Ukraine’s Azov Batalion, Finland’s Nordic Resistance movement or the United Kingdom’s National Action on the U.S. list of “foreign terrorist organizations” (FTOs). 

“Today, if an American citizen swears allegiance to the Islamic State (or another Foreign Terrorist Organization on the list) and spreads their message of terror, there are several resources available to the federal government to counter the threat,” their letter reads.

“However, if that same American citizen swears allegiance to a violent white supremacist extremist group based overseas and spreads their message of terror, the Federal government does not have access to the same tools,” it continues.

 

Removing neo-Nazis online: In a phone interview with The Hill, Rose said that designating more neo-Nazi groups as FTOs could help social media companies commit to driving them off the platform with the endorsement of the government.

“Right now, if you look at the way in which [the social media companies] measure their ability to remove terrorist content from their platforms, they are looking at the FTO list,” Rose said. “So for us to put this on that list, I think takes a bold step forward in expanding what is expected of them.” 

Shootings in Poway, Calif., and El Paso, Texas, over the past several months have also been perpetrated by extremists with anti-immigrant views, which they cultivated online. 

Rose called the letter a “first step” to dedicating the full breadth of government and private sector resources toward combatting the rise of white extremism. 

Read more on the effort here.

 

DRONING ON: Sen. Mike LeeMichael (Mike) Shumway LeeA decade of policymaking failures is to blame for new Syria crisis Zuckerberg defends meetings with conservative politicians, pundits GOP requests update on criminal referrals prompted by 2018 Kavanaugh probe MORE (R-Utah) on Wednesday introduced a bill to transfer authority over low-flying drones from the federal government to states, cities and Native American tribes.

The Drone Integration and Zoning Act would create a framework for drones up to 200 feet above the ground where local authorities determine what drones do in airspace over state- or local-owned land and property owners do the same over their own land.

“The FAA cannot feasibly or efficiently oversee millions of drones in every locality throughout the country,” Lee said in a statement.

Read more here.

 

DEMS GO DEEP ON TECH AT DEBATE: The top Democratic presidential candidates on Tuesday night wrangled over their differing views on how to take on the unprecedented power of Big Tech, marking the first time the contenders have been asked to discuss the issue on the debate stage. 

Most of the candidates drew a contrast between their own views and those of Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Five takeaways from the Democratic debate in Ohio New study: Full-scale ‘Medicare for All’ costs trillion over 10 years MORE (D-Mass.), a top-tier hopeful who has called for breaking up top tech companies including Facebook, Google and Amazon. 

Walking a fine line: While other candidates, including former Rep. Beto O’RourkeBeto O’RourkeWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Warren leads in speaking time during debate Democrats wrangle over whether to break up Big Tech in debate first MORE (D-Texas), Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy Jean KlobucharWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Five takeaways from the Democratic debate in Ohio Warren leads in speaking time during debate MORE (D-Minn.) and tech entrepreneur Andrew YangAndrew YangWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Warren leads in speaking time during debate Democrats debate in Ohio: Who came out on top? MORE, agreed the government should take on the large tech firms, they said they don’t believe “breaking up” the companies will properly address issues including how they protect user data and consolidate market power.

Warren’s defense: Warren defended her “break up Big Tech” plan, which was one of the first she offered after announcing her presidential candidacy and which quickly become one of her signature issues. She presented breaking up tech companies as one of the most powerful tools the government has for taking them on.

“I’m not willing to give up and let a handful of monopolists dominate our economy and our democracy,” Warren said. “It’s time to fight back.” 

Read more on the Big Tech debate here.

 

HARRIS GOES AFTER WARREN AFTER TWITTER STANCE: Sen. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Five takeaways from the Democratic debate in Ohio Warren leads in speaking time during debate MORE (D-Calif.) on Tuesday night went after fellow 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) over her failure to get behind Harris’s effort to pressure Twitter into deleting President TrumpDonald John TrumpWarren defends, Buttigieg attacks in debate that shrank the field Five takeaways from the Democratic debate in Ohio Democrats debate in Ohio: Who came out on top? MORE‘s account.

Over the past several weeks, Harris has launched a public campaign urging Twitter to delete Trump’s controversial account, which the president regularly uses to lambast his critics and promote misinformation. Last week, Warren, one of the top tech antagonists in the Democratic presidential race, declined to back Harris’s call. 

“I was surprised to hear that you did not agree with me that on this subject around what should be the rules on corporate responsibility,” Harris said directly to Warren at the Democratic primary debate in Ohio. “When I called on Twitter to suspend Donald trump’s account … you did not agree.”

“I would urge you to join me,” Harris added. 

Warren retorted she doesn’t agree with Harris’s approach to taking on Big Tech. “I don’t want to push Donald Trump off Twitter,” Warren said. “I want to push him out of the White House.” 

Read more here. 

 

Meanwhile on Twitter: Twitter is detailing its policies for world leaders as Democrats press the social media giant to take a tougher stance on President Trump’s tweets.

In a statement Tuesday, Twitter said that tweets from leaders “are not above our policies entirely.”

“When it comes to the actions of world leaders on Twitter, we recognize that this is largely new ground and unprecedented. We understand the desire for our decisions to be ‘yes/no’ binaries, but it’s not that simple,” the company said. “The actions we take and policies we develop will set precedent around online speech and we owe it to the people we serve to be deliberate and considered in what we do.”

Read more on Twitter’s rules here. 

 

ELECTION SECURITY AT THE DEBATE: Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang on Tuesday night said that the U.S. has “tampered with other elections” in calling for action to be taken to deter Russia from interfering in the 2020 election.

“We have to let Russia know, look, we get it, we’ve tampered with other elections, you’ve tampered with our elections, and now it has to stop, and if it does not stop we will take this as an act of hostility against the American people,” Yang said during the Democratic primary debate.

Yang described Russian hacking efforts ahead of the 2016 U.S. elections as “an illustration of the 21st century threats” such as cybersecurity and climate change, vowing to help “pull us forward” in addressing these issues.

Democratic candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), one the main Senate Democrats to push for action on election security over the past several months, pushed back strongly against Yang’s assertion that the U.S. and Russia were equal in terms of election interference against other nations.

“I don’t see a moral equivalency between our country and Russia,” Klobuchar said, adding that Russian interference in 2016 was “much more serious” than “meddling,” and that Russia’s actions constituted an “invasion” of U.S. elections.

Read more here.

Click Here: Fjallraven Kanken Art Spring Landscape Backpacks

 

AN EYE FOR AN EYE: The U.S. hit Iran with a secret cyberattack after a September strike on two Saudi oil facilities that Washington and Riyadh both blame on Tehran, according to Reuters.

Two U.S. officials told the news service that the operation, which took place late last month, targeted Tehran’s ability to spread “propaganda.” One of the officials said the attack hit physical hardware, but declined to provide further information. 

“They must have dreamt it,” Iranian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi responded, according to Iran’s Fars news agency.

The U.S., Saudi Arabia, Britain, France and Germany have all publicly blamed the Sept. 14 strike against Saudi oil facilities on Iran, which denied any involvement in the attack. The Iran-aligned Houthi rebel group in Yemen claimed responsibility.

The Pentagon responded to the attack by sending thousands of additional troops and equipment to Saudi Arabia to help reinforce its defenses. 

Neither the White House nor the National Security Council immediately responded to requests for comment from The Hill regarding the cyberattack. 

Read more here. 

 

SUBPOENA AVERTED (FOR NOW): House lawmakers tasked with investigating the country’s largest tech companies on Tuesday said they have received an initial round of documents from Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Google’s parent company Alphabet to aid their probe.

The announcement came on Oct. 15, the deadline lawmakers had set to receive the slew of documents they requested from the companies last month.

“We have received initial submissions from Alphabet, Amazon, Apple and Facebook as part of our investigation,” the lawmakers – including the top Democrat and Republican on the House Judiciary Committee – said in the statement.

The statement came from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold NadlerJerrold (Jerry) Lewis NadlerBarr to speak at Notre Dame law school on Friday The 13 House Democrats who back Kavanaugh’s impeachment Ignore the hype — this is not an impeachment inquiry MORE (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Rep. Doug CollinsDouglas (Doug) Allen CollinsHouse investigators receive initial documents from top tech companies US, UK sign agreement allowing British authorities to quickly obtain data from tech giants Joe Lieberman’s son running for Senate in Georgia MORE (R-Ga.) as well as the leaders of the panel’s antitrust subcommittee, Reps. David CicillineDavid Nicola CicillineHouse investigators receive initial documents from top tech companies Celebrating the LGBTQ contribution to progress in business The Memo: Trump’s rage may backfire on impeachment MORE (D-R.I.) and Jim SensenbrennerFrank (Jim) James SensenbrennerHouse investigators receive initial documents from top tech companies Here are the lawmakers who aren’t seeking reelection in 2020 Republicans pour cold water on Trump’s term limit idea MORE (R-Wis.).

“The committee will review all of the information received from the companies in order to help inform next steps,” they said. “We will hold additional hearings, discussions and roundtables as our investigation continues.”

The House Judiciary Committee also requested documents from more than 80 other companies as part of its probe into the digital marketplace, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill. The committee has also asked for those documents by this week.

Read more here.

 

A LIGHTER CLICK: Every single night.

 

AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: Exporting US internet laws will help startups thrive.

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

How a Facebook ad scam made billions (BuzzFeed News)

Accused Capital One hacker had as much as 30 terabytes of data, feds say (CyberScoop)

Fully automated ship being built to trace the voyage of the Mayflower (BBC News)

Zuckerberg meets with Rep. Maxine Waters ahead of hearing. (The Information)

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson formally applied for an extension to the country’s October 31 deadline to leave the European Union (EU) on Saturday after parliament handed him a defeat and voted to delay approval of his agreement to leave the EU.

The New York Times reported that Johnson submitted a formal request for an extension to EU officials even after declaring just last month that he rather be “dead in a ditch” than do so.

ADVERTISEMENT

His letter comes just hours after members of parliament, led by an ex-member of Johnson’s Conservative Party who was expelled by the prime minister, voted to delay approval of Johnson’s Brexit plan until parliament passes legislation to enact it. It also required Johnson under the law to request an extension from EU officials.

“The Government must ask for an extension of Article 50 under the Benn Act and set out how it intends to proceed,” tweeted the House of Commons on Saturday.

How that negotiation will proceed is unclear, as Johnson said immediately following the vote, according to CNN: “I will not negotiate a delay with the EU, and neither does the law compel me to do so.”

“Further delay will be bad for this country,” Johnson added Saturday.

British politics have been mired in Brexit negotiations for months following a referendum on the issue which passed more than 2 years ago. Former Prime Minister Theresa MayTheresa Mary MayU.K.’s Boris Johnson reverses, requests extension of Brexit deadline Boris Johnson urges UK parliament to approve Brexit deal Boris Johnson says Brexit deal between UK, EU reached MORE, Johnson’s predecessor and fellow Conservative, resigned earlier this year after her own plan for Britain to leave the EU was defeated by parliament.

The U.K. is currently set to leave the European Union (EU) on October 31, even if a deal addressing issues such as a customs union and the U.K.-Ireland border is not passed.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

President TrumpDonald John TrumpPelosi arrives in Jordan with bipartisan congressional delegation Trump says his Doral resort will no longer host G-7 after backlash CNN’s Anderson Cooper mocks WH press secretary over Fox News interview MORE, erstwhile businessman and “Art of the Deal” author, casts himself as a master negotiator. But experts say Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan got the best of Trump in negotiations over Syria.

A cease fire deal being hailed as a victory by Trump and Vice President Pence gave Erdoğan something he’s wanted for years — a zone in Syria that Turkey will have control over, essentially extending the Turkish border 20 miles south.

“I don’t understand what the Turks gave up, and I don’t think they gave up anything,” said Eric Edelman, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey under the George W. Bush administration. 

ADVERTISEMENT

From the moment Trump decided to pull U.S. troops from northern Syria after a call with Erdoğan, paving the way for Turkey to move forward with its long-threatened offensive against Syria Kurdish forces, experts say Erdoğan outmaneuvered Trump.

 

After the call, but before Erdoğan launched the operation, Trump sent him a letter saying, “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool!” according to a copy revealed this week.

 

A senior adviser to Erdoğan told NPR the letter was “absolutely irrelevant.” Former Turkish ambassador to the U.S. Namik Tan on Friday tweeted a New Yorker cartoon mocking Trump’s letter to Erdoğan with a similar letter to Santa Claus.

 

Erdoğan himself was more serious, saying Friday that the letter violated “political and diplomatic courtesy” and ominously warning that “when the time comes, we would like it to be known that we will take the necessary steps” to respond.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

 

Bulent Aliriza, director of the Turkey Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Trump lost his leverage to negotiate with both the Turks and the Kurds after the withdrawal and then the letter.

 

“In buttoning your shirt, if you start out wrong, it’ll be wrong at the end,” Aliriza said. “They’re denying it strenuously within the administration, but everything that happened, happened because of the phone call on the 6th.”

 

Amid fierce backlash against Trump’s withdrawal, including from GOP lawmakers typically seen as close allies, Trump dispatched Pence and Secretary of State Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoErdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Graham: I’m seeking to make Trump successful ‘but not at all costs’ Ex-Watergate prosecutor says evidence in impeachment inquiry ‘clearly’ points to Trump MORE to negotiate a cease-fire with Erdoğan.

After hours of negotiation in Ankara on Thursday, Pence emerged to announce a deal. The Turks would stop their onslaught for 120 hours in order to allow a Kurdish force known as the YPG to evacuate. Once the evacuation is complete, Pence said, Turkey would maintain a “permanent cease-fire.”

Trump hailed the agreement as “a great day for civilization.”

But the criticism was swift.

Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioWhite House staggers after tumultuous 48 hours Erdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Hillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship MORE (R-Fla.) tweeted that it “looks like [Erdoğan] got everything he wanted,” while Sen. Mitt RomneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyErdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Trump tweets ad hitting Romney as ‘Democrat secret asset’ Overnight Defense — Presented by Boeing — Trump insists Turkey wants cease-fire | Fighting continues in Syrian town | Pentagon chief headed to Mideast | Mattis responds to criticism from Trump MORE (R-Utah) on the Senate floor said the agreement was “far from a victory.”

Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerTrump touts Turkey cease-fire: ‘Sometimes you have to let them fight’ Mattis responds to Trump criticism: ‘I guess I’m the Meryl Streep of generals’ Democrats vow to push for repeal of other Trump rules after loss on power plant rollback MORE (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiPelosi arrives in Jordan with bipartisan congressional delegation Trump says his Doral resort will no longer host G-7 after backlash Scrap House defense authorization provision benefitting Russia MORE (D-Calif.) called the cease-fire a “sham” in a joint statement, and Senate Armed Services Committee ranking member Sen. Jack ReedJohn (Jack) Francis ReedErdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Senators fear Syria damage ‘irreversible’ after Esper, Milley briefing This week: Congress returns to chaotic Washington MORE (D-R.I.) said in his own statement that “we appear to have given Erdoğan everything he wants while continuing the betrayal of our partners in the fight against ISIS.”

On the other side of the Atlantic, European Union Council President Donald Tusk said the agreement is “not a cease-fire.”

“The so-called cease-fire is not what we expected. In fact, it’s not a cease-fire, it’s a demand of capitulation of the Kurds,” he said.

According to a fact sheet given to reporters in Ankara, the so-called “safe zone” from which the YPG is expected to evacuate will be “primarily enforced” by Turkish forces. Defense Secretary Mark EsperMark EsperErdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Overnight Defense — Presented by Boeing — Trump insists Turkey wants cease-fire | Fighting continues in Syrian town | Pentagon chief headed to Mideast | Mattis responds to criticism from Trump NATO ministers need to have difficult conversations to keep everyone honest MORE confirmed to reporters Friday that U.S. forces would not be involved in enforcing the safe zone.

ADVERTISEMENT

That means, critics say, Erdoğan won what he wanted all along.

“The Turks themselves are saying they got what they wanted,” Aliriza said.

Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamErdoğan got the best of Trump, experts warn Graham: I’m seeking to make Trump successful ‘but not at all costs’ The Memo: Trump’s sea of troubles deepens MORE (R-S.C.), a typical Trump ally who has been leading the charge against his Syria withdrawal, called the agreement a “military occupation.”

“A buffer zone is acceptable to the Kurds but a military occupation that displaces hundreds of thousands is not a safe zone. It is ethnic cleansing,” Graham tweeted Friday after speaking with Gen. Mazloum Abdi, who commands the YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkish officials were reportedly surprised at the ease with which the United States agreed to the deal. 

“We got everything we wanted,” an unnamed adviser to the Turkish Foreign Ministry told The Washington Post.

Amid the criticism that Trump was rolled, administration officials have defended the deal as saving lives.

“The United States said we were going to take down the violence, we want to save lives, we want to protect the Kurds from the threat from these Turkish forces,” Pompeo said in an interview with Politico on Friday. “And if we’re ultimately able to get the cease-fire implemented, we will have successfully achieved that.”

Following reports that the cease-fire was being broken Friday, Trump said Erdoğan told him the skirmishes were “quickly eliminated.”

“He very much wants the ceasefire, or pause, to work,” Trump tweeted about Erdoğan.

In a briefing after the deal was struck, Trump’s special envoy to Syria, James Jeffrey, said the administration thought the cease-fire would be “better for trying to get some kind of control over this chaotic situation” because it was the administration’s “assessment that [the YPG] had no military ability to hold onto these areas.” 

Former ambassador Edelman argued Jeffrey “gave the game away” by saying “we didn’t think the SDF could hold this territory anyway, so we basically agreed to let the Turks get what they wanted.”

And while the administration is arguing the cease-fire stops the bloodshed, Edelman warned that it doesn’t address “the issue of how do we repair the damage that had been done.”

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow the cyber team, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and the tech team, Emily Birnbaum (@birnbaum_e) and Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills)

 

GOP OFFERS ELECTION SECURITY BILL: A group of House Republicans introduced legislation Friday to reduce foreign interference in U.S. elections, including by making online political ads more transparent. 

Rep. Rodney DavisRodney Lee DavisHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship GOP lawmakers offer new election security measure House panel pushes forward election security legislation MORE (R-Ill.), the top Republican on the House Administration Committee and the primary sponsor of the bill, told The Hill in a statement that he was putting forward the legislation due to the “unacceptable” nature of Russian misinformation efforts in the lead-up to the 2016 elections. 

ADVERTISEMENT

“We may never be able to prevent criminal activity, whether that’s in our elections or in our day-to-day lives, but we can provide our law enforcement with the best tools and resources available,” Davis said. “It’s imperative that our elections systems are free from foreign influence, and I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will support this legislation and put the needs of the American people first.” 

What the bill does: The Honest Elections Act would expand the prohibition on foreign nationals contributing to campaigns to include state and local initiatives and referendums.

It would also codify existing Federal Election Commission guidance to require that all online political advertisements include a disclosure of who paid for them, such as with a “click-through” option, where the individual could click to a second page for information on who purchased the ad. 

The context: The bill’s introduction comes on the heels of a heated debate between Davis and Democratic members of the House Administration Committee over the SHIELD Act earlier this week. That legislation, which the committee approved in a 6-1 vote, required that political ads on social media platforms be subject to the same rules that those on television or radio are. 

Davis pushed back against the SHIELD Act during the committee markup, describing it as “unfixable in its current form.” 

Read more on the bill here. 

 

WATERS GETTING CHOPRA-Y: Rohit Chopra, a Democrat on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), on Friday testified before a House panel that he is concerned the U.S. government is “too often captured” by the country’s largest tech companies.

Chopra made the comments during a hearing about data privacy before the House Judiciary Committee’s antitrust subcommittee, which has been investigating whether the top technology firms wield their power in the marketplace.

“All too often, the government is too captured by those incumbents that use their power to dictate their preferred policies,” Chopra said, discussing his concerns around the unprecedented power and strength of Big Tech. He did not name any specific agency or company.

Chopra, a Democratic official who formerly helped Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sanders seeks spark from Ocasio-Cortez at Queens rally On The Money: Supreme Court takes up challenge to CFPB | Warren’s surge brings scrutiny to wealth tax | Senators eye curbs on Trump emergency powers MORE (D-Mass.) establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in recent months has aggressively dissented to the FTC’s record-breaking settlements with large tech companies including Facebook and Google’s YouTube, claiming the agency is not using the full breadth of its authority to take on some of the most powerful companies in the world.

At the hearing, Chopra said he’s concerned that the massive troves of data held by companies like Amazon and Facebook allow them to elbow out smaller players, harming competition and stinging small businesses.

“Under-enforcement [of antitrust] can really kill innovation and kill entry because when it’s harder and harder to break in, that’s just bad for small business and it’s bad for all of us,” he told lawmakers. 

Click Here: kenzo online españa

After the hearing, Rep. David CicillineDavid Nicola CicillineHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship FTC Democrat raises concerns that government is ‘captured’ by large tech companies Democrats want Mulvaney to testify in Trump impeachment probe MORE (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the panel, told reporters that he shares Chopra’s “serious” concerns about the influence of tech companies over the regulatory and legislative process. 

“I think there’s great concern that the large technology companies have a disproportionate influence over the regulatory process,” he said. “When you have these tremendous concentrations of economic power, it’s followed by tremendous concentrations of political power.” 

“I think that’s something that we should look at,” he said. 

Read more on the hearing here. 

 

THE BLIZZARD CONTINUES: A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Friday sent letters to two tech giants over accusations that they were censoring pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong to protect business interests in China.

Members of the House and Senate panned both Apple and Acitivison Blizzard over actions they said suppressed “criticism of the Chinese government in hopes of gaining higher profits.”

Apple has come under fire for its decision to remove from its app store HKMap.live, a volunteer-run crowdsourced app that tracks the protests in Hong Kong.

Activision Blizzard has also drawn criticism for suspending Hong Kong-based player Chung Ng Wai from competing in esports for a year and revoking his prize money after he endorsed the pro-democracy demonstrations in a post-game interview. 

“Apple’s decisions last week to accommodate the Chinese government by taking down HKMaps is deeply concerning,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook. “We urge you in the strongest terms to reverse course, to demonstrate that Apple puts values above market access, and to stand with the brave men and women fighting for basic rights and dignity in Hong Kong.” 

In a separate letter to Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick, lawmakers wrote: “As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and promote American values—like freedom of speech and thought—or to give in to Beijing’s demands in order to preserve market access. We urge you in the strongest terms to reconsider your decision with respect to Mr. Chung.”

Sens. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Hillicon Valley: Zuckerberg defends handling of misinformation in political ads | Biden camp hits Zuckerberg over remarks | Dem bill would jail tech execs for lying about privacy | Consumer safety agency accidentally disclosed personal data MORE (D-Ore.), Tom CottonThomas (Tom) Bryant CottonHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Lawmakers set to host fundraisers focused on Nats’ World Series trip MORE (R-Ark.), Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Youth climate activists get Miami Beach to declare climate emergency MORE (R-Fla.) and Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters The Hill’s Morning Report — Trump’s impeachment jeopardy deepens MORE (R-Texas) and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sanders seeks spark from Ocasio-Cortez at Queens rally Biden endorsed by former Connecticut senator, 51 Massachusetts leaders MORE (D-N.Y.), Mike GallagherMichael (Mike) John GallagherHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters On The Money: Fed officials saw rising risk of recession | Ocasio-Cortez, Cruz blast NBA for ‘outrageous’ response to China | Prospects dim for trade breakthrough with China MORE (R-Wis.) and Tom MalinowskiThomas (Tom) MalinowskiHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Testimony from GOP diplomat complicates Trump defense MORE (D-N.J.) all signed onto the letter to Apple, while Wyden, Rubio, Ocasio-Cortez, Gallagher and Malinowski also signed onto the letter to Activision Blizzard.

Read more here.

 

GO GAO: Sen. Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sen. Hassan calls for look into federal government support for entities hit by ransomware attacks Hillicon Valley: Senate passes bill to boost cyber help for agencies, businesses | Watchdog warns Energy Department failing to protect grid | FTC sues Match for allegedly conning users MORE (D-N.H.) this week urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into how the federal government is supporting state and local governments that have been hit by debilitating cyberattacks over the past few months.

In a letter sent to GAO on Thursday, Hassan noted that “ransomware is a serious and growing threat to government operations at the federal, state, and local level,” and asked that GAO review and issue a report on current federal efforts to assist state and local government entities to protect their systems against ransomware attacks.

These attacks, which have been increasingly widespread across the country this year, involve a malicious actor or group gaining access to a network, encrypting it, and then asking the user to pay a ransom in order to gain back access. 

Hassan asked that the GAO give evaluating ransomware assistance its “prompt attention,” and noted that is an area of “great concern” to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on which Hassan serves. 

“If successfully executed, cyberattacks can have far-reaching consequences from exposing personal information to shutting down nursing home systems to causing widespread power outages,” Hassan said in a separate statement Friday. “The federal government must do more to help state and local governments prevent and respond to cyberattacks, and this report will give us a key tool to identify how the federal government is doing in this task, and what more can be done.”

Read more on Hassan’s ask here.

 

TESTING, TESTING, 123: Pennsylvania will launch a pilot of an election security audit in Philadelphia and Mercer County after the November elections, the Pennsylvania Department of State announced this week. 

The risk-limiting audit is designed to check the accuracy of election outcomes. 

It will use security measures new to the state and much of the country, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

“This pilot project will allow us to explore audit procedures that will further strengthen Pennsylvania’s election security profile and provide confidence to the voters that their votes are being counted accurately,” acting Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar (D) said in the announcement. 

The state department will work with local officials to conduct the audit using new paper-based voting systems in Mercer County and Philadelphia. 

The Pennsylvania Department of State last year directed all counties to switch to voting machines that produced a paper record to increase election security.

Read more here.

 

A lighter click: Gone bowling. 

 

An op-ed to chew on:  Social media shouldn’t be a ‘sanctuary city’ for child pornographers. 

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:  

U.S. border patrol eyeing facial recognition for body cams. (Reuters) 

On Facebook’s live stream, Zuckerberg’s free speech lecture got a big thumbs up. (The Washington Post)

The most important right-to-repair hearing yet is on Monday. (Motherboard)

Mark Hurd, co-chief executive of Oracle, is dead at 62. (The New York Times) 

Student loan company Sallie Mae flew more than 100 sales team employees to Hawaii earlier this year to celebrate $5 billion in student loans, as the student debt crisis has reached $1.6 trillion.

In August, Sallie Mae brought the employees to Maui’s luxury Fairmont resort on Wailea beach as it celebrated a record-high year in sales, NBC News reports.

The $5 billion in student loans went to 374,000 borrowers, totaling nearly $13,400 per person.

“We said, ‘Hey, look, Maui is a pretty nice spot.’ And so if you wanted to stay a few days or want to bring your family, that’s up to you,” Sallie Mae CEO Ray Quinlan told NBC News.

He added that the venture was not an “incentive trip” but instead a “sales get-together for all of our salespeople.” The company has taken similar retreats since it was founded in the 1970s, NBC News reports.

ADVERTISEMENT

When it was founded, Sallie Mae offered federal education loans, but it has since split into two parts, with Sallie Mae Bank servicing private loans. These private loans often give money to people who probably can’t pay it back — an issue that mostly affects minority students and students of color.

Social media users blasted the news, with one person tweeting that Sallie Mae’s borrowers were being “exploited by the terms of student loans.”

Another knocked the company, tweeting, “this bitch, sallie mae, needs to get slapped.”

Student loan debt and the cost of college have continued to climb, leading to lawmakers and advocates pushing for solutions to the crisis.

2020 Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth Ann WarrenHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sanders seeks spark from Ocasio-Cortez at Queens rally On The Money: Supreme Court takes up challenge to CFPB | Warren’s surge brings scrutiny to wealth tax | Senators eye curbs on Trump emergency powers MORE (D-Mass.) and Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersSanders seeks spark from Ocasio-Cortez at Queens rally On The Money: Supreme Court takes up challenge to CFPB | Warren’s surge brings scrutiny to wealth tax | Senators eye curbs on Trump emergency powers Biden seeks to fundraise off fact he’s running out of money MORE (I-Vt.), have pushed for proposals that would allow for tuition-free college.

In a recent poll, a majority of voters reported that they support the idea of free state college and canceling student debt.

Click Here: Cheap FIJI Rugby Jersey

Sen. Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sen. Hassan calls for look into federal government support for entities hit by ransomware attacks Hillicon Valley: Senate passes bill to boost cyber help for agencies, businesses | Watchdog warns Energy Department failing to protect grid | FTC sues Match for allegedly conning users MORE (D-N.H.) this week urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to look into how the federal government is supporting state and local governments that have been hit by debilitating cyberattacks over the past few months.

In a letter sent to GAO on Thursday, Hassan noted that “ransomware is a serious and growing threat to government operations at the federal, state, and local level,” and asked that GAO review and issue a report on current federal efforts to assist state and local government entities to protect their systems against ransomware attacks.

These attacks, which have been increasingly widespread across the country this year, involve a malicious actor or group gaining access to a network, encrypting it, and then asking the user to pay a ransom in order to gain back access. 

Hassan asked that the GAO give evaluating ransomware assistance its “prompt attention,” and noted that is an area of “great concern” to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on which Hassan serves. 

“If successfully executed, cyberattacks can have far-reaching consequences from exposing personal information to shutting down nursing home systems to causing widespread power outages,” Hassan said in a separate statement Friday. “The federal government must do more to help state and local governments prevent and respond to cyberattacks, and this report will give us a key tool to identify how the federal government is doing in this task, and what more can be done.”

Hassan’s letter was sent after more than 20 government entities, including small town governments, in Texas were hit by a coordinated ransomware attack in August, while Louisiana declared a statewide emergency after the systems at multiple school districts were locked down.

Meanwhile, the school district in Flagstaff, Ariz., canceled classes for two days in September while it worked to bring its systems back online.

Click Here: Cheap FIJI Rugby Jersey

The city governments of Atlanta and Baltimore were also been hit by crippling ransomware attacks over the past year, with both governments opting to pay millions to replace and recover systems rather than pay the much lower ransom amount. 

In response to these attacks, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have issued alerts detailing the severity of the attacks, and steps to take to avoid them or to recover. 

Hassan has also been involved in the response to ransomware attacks, with the Senate in September passing legislation primarily sponsored by Hassan that would require DHS to maintain cyber expert teams that could be deployed to both private companies and federal agencies that are hit by cyberattacks. 

The House previously passed this legislation in June, and must approve changes made by the Senate before it can be sent to President TrumpDonald John TrumpFlorida GOP lawmaker says he’s ‘thinking’ about impeachment Democrats introduce ‘THUG Act’ to block funding for G-7 at Trump resort Kurdish group PKK pens open letter rebuking Trump’s comparison to ISIS MORE for signature.

A top executive from a private equity firm under investigation by a House panel in a dispute over how best to address “surprise” medical bills defended the company’s work.

The letter, from Wayne Berman, head of global government affairs for the private equity firm Blackstone, is in response to an investigation launched in September by the bipartisan leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

ADVERTISEMENT

The committee is investigating private equity firms, including Blackstone, that own doctor staffing companies, blaming them for sending massive “surprise” bills to patients when they get care at emergency rooms or other locations from doctors outside their insurance networks. 

In the letter obtained by The Hill, Berman defended the practices of the doctor staffing company that Blackstone owns, called TeamHealth, saying that it very rarely sends surprise bills to patients.

He also wrote that his company supports a legislative solution to protect patients from surprise medical bills, saying that Blackstone just opposes the approach that the Energy and Commerce Committee is proposing to cap such bills, which he warned would lead to damaging cuts to payments to doctors and hospitals. 

Backers of the Energy and Commerce Committee legislation have attacked private equity firms for lobbying against their proposal, saying that they are only interested in protecting their profits so they can keep sending surprise bills to patients. 

The lobbying has helped stall efforts by Congress to move forward on action to cut down on surprise billing, despite both parties wanting to reach a solution.  

TeamHealth, along with another company owned by a private equity firm, Envision Healthcare, have helped bankroll millions of dollars in ads against the leading surprise billing fixes in Congress, which has drawn the ire of the Energy and Commerce Committee. 

The House launched its investigation shortly after discovering that private equity firms were behind the ad campaign against the legislation.

“TeamHealth has a longstanding policy against balance billing,” Berman wrote, referring to the practice of sending massive bills to patients when an insurance company will not pay. He said less than 0.16 percent of all claims from the company result in balance bills. 

Some experts note that even just the threat of sending large surprise bills to patients, though, can provide leverage for doctors to win higher payment rates from insurers. 

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

The Energy and Commerce Committee asked for a range of data on the company’s revenues from out-of-network billing and other information, which the letter from Berman does not appear to provide. 

ADVERTISEMENT

A committee official dismissed the letter from Blackstone. “It’s not an actual response, it’s a PR document,” the person said. “The Chairman and Ranking Member expect full compliance with the Committee’s oversight requests and they will be following up.”

Berman denounced the approach that the Energy and Commerce Committee is using in its legislation to solve the problem. That bill, as well as one from the Senate Health Committee, would essentially set the payment rate that insurers pay doctors after the patient is protected, based on the median payment rate that insurers have already negotiated in that geographic area. 

Doctors groups argue this approach gives too much power to insurers and would lead to damaging cuts to their payment rates. 

“This effort by insurers to maximize profits at the expense of doctors and patients endangers those who rely on TeamHealth for critical care,” Berman wrote. “In rural America, which already faces serious access challenges, insurers’ actions could effectively shutter the only hospitals or medical practices available in those communities.”

Berman instead proposed an alternative solution, backed by many doctors groups, that would allow an outside arbiter to help set the payment rate. 

Backers of the Energy and Commerce and Senate Health Committee bills have criticized this approach as preserving artificially high payment rates for doctors, which could be passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums.  

Last month, The Hill obtained internal polling from President TrumpDonald John TrumpDemocratic senator rips Trump’s ‘let them fight’ remarks: ‘Enough is enough’ Warren warns Facebook may help reelect Trump ‘and profit off of it’ Trump touts Turkey cease-fire: ‘Sometimes you have to let them fight’ MORE’s campaign pollster warning that swing-state voters oppose the bipartisan legislation meant to protect patients from surprise medical bills they receive when going out-of-network for emergency care

The survey of voters in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania conducted by Tony Fabrizio, the president’s campaign pollster, found that a majority of voters in three battleground states believe that health insurers should be on the hook when patients receive surprise medical bills for out-of-network emergencies.

Trump has advocated fixing the problem of surprise medical bills, but has not weighed in on the specific approach to use. 

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Friday sent letters to two tech giants over accusations that they were censoring pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong to protect business interests in China.

Members of the House and Senate panned both Apple and Acitivison Blizzard over actions they said suppressed “criticism of the Chinese government in hopes of gaining higher profits.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Apple has come under fire for its decision to remove from its app store HKMap.live, a volunteer-run crowdsourced app that tracks the protests in Hong Kong.

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey

Activision Blizzard has also drawn criticism for suspending Hong Kong-based player Chung Ng Wai from competing in esports for a year and revoking his prize money after he endorsed the pro-democracy demonstrations in a post-game interview. 

“Apple’s decisions last week to accommodate the Chinese government by taking down HKMaps is deeply concerning,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook. “We urge you in the strongest terms to reverse course, to demonstrate that Apple puts values above market access, and to stand with the brave men and women fighting for basic rights and dignity in Hong Kong.” 

In a separate letter to Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick, lawmakers wrote: “As China amplifies its campaign of intimidation, you and your company must decide whether to look beyond the bottom line and promote American values—like freedom of speech and thought—or to give in to Beijing’s demands in order to preserve market access. We urge you in the strongest terms to reconsider your decision with respect to Mr. Chung.”

Sens. Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Hillicon Valley: Zuckerberg defends handling of misinformation in political ads | Biden camp hits Zuckerberg over remarks | Dem bill would jail tech execs for lying about privacy | Consumer safety agency accidentally disclosed personal data MORE (D-Ore.), Tom CottonThomas (Tom) Bryant CottonHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Lawmakers set to host fundraisers focused on Nats’ World Series trip MORE (R-Ark.), Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Youth climate activists get Miami Beach to declare climate emergency MORE (R-Fla.) and Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters The Hill’s Morning Report — Trump’s impeachment jeopardy deepens MORE (R-Texas) and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Sanders seeks spark from Ocasio-Cortez at Queens rally Biden endorsed by former Connecticut senator, 51 Massachusetts leaders MORE (D-N.Y.), Mike GallagherMichael (Mike) John GallagherHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters On The Money: Fed officials saw rising risk of recession | Ocasio-Cortez, Cruz blast NBA for ‘outrageous’ response to China | Prospects dim for trade breakthrough with China MORE (R-Wis.) and Tom MalinowskiThomas (Tom) MalinowskiHillicon Valley: GOP lawmakers offer election security measure | FTC Dem worries government is ‘captured’ by Big Tech | Lawmakers condemn Apple over Hong Kong censorship Lawmakers condemn Apple, Activision Blizzard over censorship of Hong Kong protesters Testimony from GOP diplomat complicates Trump defense MORE (D-N.J.) all signed onto the letter to Apple, while Wyden, Rubio, Ocasio-Cortez, Gallagher and Malinowski also signed onto the letter to Activision Blizzard.

Neither company immediately responded to requests for comment from The Hill.

Cook has defended Apple’s decision to remove the HKMap.live app from its store, saying in an email to staffers obtained by The Verge that “the app was being used maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present.”

Blizzard Entertainment, which is owned by Activision Blizzard, said it will would reduce Chung’s suspension to six months and let him keep the prize money.

Protesters in Hong Kong have enjoyed bipartisan support on Capitol Hill during their months-long demonstrations. 

The protests have again been thrust into the spotlight over the NBA’s handling of a now-deleted tweet from Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressing solidarity with pro-democracy protesters and its statements expressing regrets to any offended Chinese fans and condemning Morey.