{"id":2325238,"date":"2024-08-15T16:32:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T20:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fast-tracked-lawsuit-aims-to-ban-police-body-cameras-with-alleged-ties-to-china-ahead-of-dnc-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-15T16:37:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T20:37:06","slug":"fast-tracked-lawsuit-aims-to-ban-police-body-cameras-with-alleged-ties-to-china-ahead-of-dnc-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fast-tracked-lawsuit-aims-to-ban-police-body-cameras-with-alleged-ties-to-china-ahead-of-dnc-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Fast-tracked lawsuit aims to ban police body cameras with alleged ties to China ahead of DNC &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffast-tracked-lawsuit-aims-to-ban-police-body-cameras-with-alleged-ties-to-china-ahead-of-dnc-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2325238&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A \u200dnew\u200d lawsuit \u200chas been filed aiming \u200cto ban \u2063the\u200b use of specific police body cameras, \u2064particularly\u2064 Axon&#8217;s\u2063 Body 4 models, from political events linked to the \u200c2024 presidential election, \u2064due to \u200cconcerns about their alleged vulnerabilities to Chinese espionage. The lawsuit, initiated by GovernmentGPT\u2014a law enforcement tech startup\u2014was \u200bexpedited by a federal\u2064 judge ahead of the Democratic National \u2062Convention (DNC) in Chicago. The lawsuit claims that the chips \u2064in these cameras, sourced from the \u2064Chinese company Quectel, could allow for real-time \u2062surveillance and data interception by foreign adversaries, posing\u2062 a &#8220;grave threat to national \u200csecurity.&#8221; The Chicago \u200cPolice Department currently uses Axon 2 cameras, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/video-unruly-man-subdued-after-allegedly-trying-to-enter-plane-cockpit\/\" title=\"VIDEO: &#039;Unruly&#039; Man Subdued After Allegedly Trying to Enter Plane Cockpit\">additional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">law enforcement agencies<\/a><\/a> are expected to assist at the DNC.\u200c This legal action comes amid growing concerns from elected officials about potential ties between the \u200ccamera technology and Chinese governmental entities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Fast-tracked lawsuit aims to ban police body cameras with alleged ties to China ahead of DNC<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1726559\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A new lawsuit is challenging the use of some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/police\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>police<\/a> body cameras in an effort to ban one of the country&rsquo;s most popular police body cameras from all political events related to the 2024 presidential election cycle due to alleged vulnerabilities to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/china\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Chinese<\/a> espionage.<\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-judge-rules-to-redact-information-in-ghislaine-maxwell-criminal-case\/\" title=\"Federal judge rules to redact information in Ghislaine Maxwell criminal case\">federal judge agreed<\/a> to expedite the case ahead of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic National Convention<\/a> in Chicago and, if successful, would ban the use of those police body cameras in and near the convention. GovernmentGPT, a competing law enforcement tech startup, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/arizona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Arizona<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These chips allow for potential real-time surveillance, GPS tracking, and data interception by foreign adversaries, compromising the security of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/justice-department-to-change-body-camera-policy\/\" title=\"Justice Department To Change Body Camera Policy\">law enforcement operations<\/a> and high-profile events,&rdquo; GovernmentGPT alleged in its court filing.<\/p>\n<p>The company believes Axon&rsquo;s cameras could be breached by Chinese espionage because the chips used in the body cameras come from a Chinese company called Quectel. The lawsuit includes an emergency motion to ban Axon&rsquo;s Body 4 cameras at events pertaining to the 2024 election, including next week&rsquo;s DNC.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3084494\/chicago-law-enforcement-confidence-security-dnc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Chicago Police Department<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/home.chicagopolice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/S03-14_BWC_DRAFT_16NOV22.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>uses<\/a> Axon 2 body cameras, but other law enforcement agencies are expected to come to the city to help secure the event. More than 14,000 law enforcement agencies use Axon cameras.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit cites a &ldquo;grave threat to our national security&rdquo; because the Chinese chips used in the latest model of the Axon body cameras allow for real-time streaming from the cameras to police headquarters. The chips are also internet-connected, similar to smart doorbell cameras and smart thermostats.<\/p>\n<p>Before the lawsuit, elected officials expressed concerns about the company&rsquo;s possible ties to China. Former Rep. Mike Gallagher, who was the chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and ranking member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) urged the&nbsp;secretaries of the Treasury and defense to denote Quectel as a &ldquo;Chinese Military Company,&rdquo; which would effectively restrict Americans from investing in it.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have obtained information about Quectel that raises questions about whether Quectel may meet the legal requirements to be added to the lists, and accordingly respectfully request to be briefed on this matter,&rdquo; a <a href=\"https:\/\/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov\/media\/letters\/letter-treasury-and-defense-secretaries-chinese-military-company-quectel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>letter<\/a> from Gallagher and Krishnamoorthi reads.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The House select China committee sent a prior <a href=\"https:\/\/selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov\/media\/letters\/letter-fcc-chair-chinese-internet-connectivity-modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>letter <\/a>to the Federal Communications Commission in August 2023 regarding Quectel&rsquo;s ties to the Chinese government.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Tackling [Chinese] cellular IoT modules is a natural next step for the FCC, in consultation with appropriate national security agencies,&rdquo; the letter reads. &ldquo;For one, Quectel and Fibocom supply companies whose equipment is already on the FCC&rsquo;s Covered List. The equipment on this list poses a national security threat to the U.S. and may not receive authorization for importation or sale in the U.S. Similar scrutiny should be considered for any [Chinese] cellular IoT modules in this equipment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1726559\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1726559\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A rapidly advancing lawsuit seeks to prohibit the use of certain police body cameras, claiming they have potential connections to China, in light of the upcoming Democratic National Convention (DNC). The case targets one of the most widely used police body cameras in the U.S., arguing that it poses risks related to Chinese espionage. A federal judge has agreed to expedite proceedings before the DNC in Chicago, and if successful, this lawsuit could prevent these body cameras from being utilized at or near the event. The lawsuit was initiated by GovernmentGPT, a rival law enforcement technology startup, filed in Arizona&#8217;s U.S. District Court.<\/p>\n<p>According to GovernmentGPT&#8217;s court documents, &#8220;These chips enable possible real-time surveillance, GPS tracking, and data interception by foreign adversaries,&#8221; which could jeopardize law enforcement operations and significant events&#8217; security. The company contends that Axon&#8217;s cameras are vulnerable due to their reliance on chips manufactured by a Chinese firm named Quectel. An emergency motion is included in the lawsuit seeking an immediate ban on Axon\u2019s Body 4 cameras during events associated with the 2024 election cycle.<\/p>\n<p>While Chicago Police currently utilize Axon 2 body cameras, other law enforcement agencies are anticipated to assist with security for the DNC. Over 14,000 law enforcement agencies across America employ Axon camera technology. The suit highlights a &#8220;serious threat to our national security,&#8221; as these latest model chips allow for live streaming from police body cameras directly back to headquarters and are internet-connected like smart home devices.<\/p>\n<p>Prior concerns about potential links between Quectel and China were raised by elected officials such as former Rep. Mike Gallagher and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), who urged Treasury and Defense secretaries to classify Quectel as a &#8220;Chinese Military Company&#8221;\u2014a designation that would limit American investments in it. Their letter expressed interest in information regarding whether Quectel meets criteria for such classification.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, earlier correspondence from a House select committee on China was sent to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding Quectel\u2019s connections with the Chinese government; they suggested that addressing issues surrounding Chinese cellular IoT modules should be prioritized alongside national security considerations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2325239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/police-body-camera.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38264,38262,38263],"class_list":["post-2325238","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-china-connections","tag-fast-tracked-lawsuit","tag-police-body-cameras"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/police-body-camera.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325238","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2325238"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2325238\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2325239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2325238"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2325238"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2325238"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}