The Wall Street Journal - 11.03.2020

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. **** Wednesday, March 11, 2020 |A

increased condo values 11.9%.

After Mayor Dan Gelber was

elected in 2017, he invited sev-

eral organizations to examine

the city’s approach to resil-

iency, including the nonprofit

Urban Land Institute, which

largely praised it. Last year,

the city hired Jacobs Engineer-

ing Group.

Not all of the firm’s sugges-

tions are controversial. Some

of them involve “blue-green

infrastructure,” which mimics

natural defenses against flood-

ing risks. They include “bio-

swales,” or vegetated channels

along streets, and a new park

with ponds—proposals aimed

at collecting and cleaning

storm water.

The recommendations that

have proved most divisive are

those involving elevated roads

in single-family neighbor-

hoods.

Some residents argue that

by raising the street above the

level where houses sit, storm

water will flow down and in-

undate properties—a claim the

city disputes. That, in turn,

will depress real-estate values,

they say.

“We’re under siege,” said

Bob Kunst, who lives in the af-

fluent Lakeview area in the

middle of Miami Beach. “The

city’s approach to this has

jeopardized everybody.”

Nearly two years ago, when

the city first proposed elevat-

ing streets in the Lakeview

area, Mr. Kunst and other resi-

dents formed an organization

to fight the effort. They bat-

tled a rival neighborhood

group that supported the road-

raising plan. The city ended up

postponing the project.

U.S. NEWS

WASHINGTON—President
Trump’s acting intelligence
chief, Richard Grenell, didn’t
appear before Congress on
Tuesday for a closed briefing
on election threats from for-
eign sources, as some Demo-
crats expressed frustration
about the administration’s
communication on election-se-
curity matters.
Administration officials and
lawmakers alike were sur-
prised to learn Tuesday that
Mr. Grenell, who is seen as an
ardent Trump loyalist,
wouldn’t attend, people famil-
iar with the matter said. His
name previously had been
listed among the expected
briefers—alongside Federal
Bureau of Investigation Direc-
tor Christopher Wray, National
Security Agency Director Paul
Nakasone and others—in no-
tices sent to lawmakers on
Monday and on Feb. 27, one of
the people said.
Maura Beard, a spokes-
woman for the Office of the
Director of National Intelli-
gence, said the agency “did
not communicate to Congress
at any point that ADNI Grenell
would participate in election
security briefings” Tuesday.
“FBI and DHS are the lead
in charge of securing our elec-
tions,” Ms. Beard said.
Bill Evanina, a veteran in-
telligence official who leads
the National Counterintelli-
gence and Security Center, ap-
peared in lieu of Mr.
Grenell. That agency is part of
the intelligence office of which
Mr. Grenell is the acting head.
“There’s no explanation,”
said Sen. Mark Warner of Vir-
ginia, the top Democrat on the
Senate Intelligence Committee,
of Mr. Grenell’s absence, while
adding: “I’m not sure what ex-
pertise he would have to add.”
CNN earlier reported Mr.
Grenell wouldn’t appear for
the briefing.
Some House Democrats
were visibly frustrated after
their briefing. Rep. Dan Kildee
(D., Mich.) said briefers
weren’t forthcoming, and oth-
ers said they didn’t get
enough information.
“It was a big waste of
time,” Rep. Kathleen Rice (D.,
N.Y.) said.
Republicans and other
Democrats were more positive
about the administration’s ef-
forts.
“We’ve got detection equip-
ment on systems in every
state,” said Sen. Richard Burr
(R., N.C.), the chairman of the
Senate Intelligence Committee.
“There’s a level of cooperation
that didn’t exist in ’16 that ex-
ists with everybody in ’20, and
it’s been tested in ’18,” he said.
Mr. Trump last month said
he intended to nominate Rep.
John Ratcliffe (R., Texas) as
his director of national intel-
ligence, reviving a selection
that foundered last year over
concerns about his qualifica-
tions and fears he would po-
liticize the nation’s spy appa-
ratus. The nomination reset
the six-month clock for an
acting intelligence chief to
serve in the role, which had
nearly expired.
Mr. Grenell became acting
director of national intelli-
gence last month, after serv-
ing as the U.S. ambassador to
Germany. He replaced Joseph
Maguire, a retired Navy vice
admiral, who was also serv-
ing in the role in an acting
capacity.
Mr. Trump has long dis-
puted the assessment of U.S.
intelligence agencies that Rus-
sia interfered in the 2016 elec-
tion to support his campaign
and denigrate his Democratic
opponent, Hillary Clinton.
“There is another Russia,
Russia, Russia meeting today,”
Mr. Trump tweeted Tuesday.
“It is headed up by corrupt
politician [House Intelligence
Committee Chairman] Adam
“Shifty” Schiff, so I wouldn’t
expect too much!”
In response, Mr. Schiff said
on Twitter: “Mr. President, you
are wrong. As usual. Today’s
briefing for all House Mem-
bers focuses on the threat of
foreign interference in our
election. The briefers are
agency heads and senior offi-
cials. They are your own peo-
ple. We will insist on the truth,
whether you like it or not.”
—Natalie Andrews
contributed to this article.

BYDUSTINVOLZ

Spy Chief

Skips

Election

Hearing

“Until we’ve figured out

how to keep private properties

dry, we should not be spending

a fortune on raising streets in

the entire city,” said resident

Hal Phillips.

In 2014, the city embarked

on a plan to address more fre-

quent and intense downpours

by installing bigger storm-wa-

ter pipes and new pump sta-

tions to push rainwater out to

sea. It also began elevating sea

walls and raising roads in the

lowest-lying areas to address

sea-level rise. The roughly $

billion program is funded by a

combination of sources, in-

cluding bonds and residential

and business utility fees.

The Sunset Harbour neigh-

borhood, which overlooks Bis-

cayne Bay and often flooded

during the highest tides, was

the first commercial and

condo area where these mea-

sures were implemented.

Since January 2017, after

the project was completed, the

area has avoided 85 flooding

incidents that would have oc-

curred without the changes,

said Roy Coley, the city’s pub-

lic works director.

A January study commis-

sioned by the city and led by

consulting firm ICF Interna-

tional Inc. estimated that rais-

ing roads in the neighborhood

Some call the plan

an intrusion and a

potential drag on

property values.

Miami Beach

Miami

NorthBay

Village

195

1

Miami

1995

Source: Miami Beach Public Works Department (roads, pump stations);

Miami Beach Rising Above (raised roads information)

Dylan Moriarty/THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Fla.

Areaof

detail

Elevated Roads

Between2017and

2019, 48,662 feet of

roads were raised,

primarily in Sunset

Harbour, Palm Island

and Hibiscus Island

Permeable Surface

Used for parking spaces, it allows

water to seep through, helping

drain the street into pipelines that

carry the water back to the ocean.

Sloped surface

A gentle angle prevents

fender damage to

vehicles entering and

leaving homes.

Raised Roads

Road-elevation plans include features to remove stormwater and

protect nearby homes and businesses.

Walls

Barriers protect

storefronts from

water flowing along

elevated roads.

MACAR

THUR

CAUSE

WAY

Less than 3.7 feet above a

benchmark sea elevation

Roads

Pump Stations

3.7feetormoreabovea

benchmark sea elevation

Elevated roads

Miami Beach is guarding against sea-level rise and stronger

downpours with a $1 billion plan to raise roads to 3.7 feet

elevation, lift sea walls and install new pump stations to drain

stormwater.

Coastal Defense

Current Planned

VENETIAN

CAUSEWAY

1km

1 mile

sexual encounter.

During the seven-week trial,

his attorneys tried to cast

doubt on the multiple accusers’

motivations for coming for-

ward, describing the women as

young actresses seeking the

fame and fortune that Mr.

Weinstein could easily facili-

tate.

For the dozens of women

who leveled sexual-misconduct

allegations against Mr. Wein-

stein, his sentencing repre-

sents validation after two

years of uncertainty. Mr. Wein-

stein’s case ignited the #Me-

Too movement in 2017, and

Wednesday’s court proceeding

underscores that “we made a

loud noise,” said Ms. Wulff.

“Just seeing someone like

Harvey Weinstein, who was so

powerful, spending a year, even

a day in prison, is still shock-

ing,” said Dawn Dunning, a cre-

ative director and designer who

testified that Mr. Weinstein put

his hand up her skirt and tried

to trade film roles for a three-

some with his female assistant.

Ms. Dunning said she wants

to see Mr. Weinstein get the

maximum sentence allowed, 29

years. Ms. Wulff said she

would like to see a sentence on

the higher end of the range.

Ms. Dunning and Ms. Wulff

were among six women who

testified at Mr. Weinstein’s

trial, accusing him of sexual as-

sault. Ms. Dunning and Ms.

Wulff won’t be a formal part of

Mr. Weinstein’s sentencing be-

cause prosecutors didn’t charge

him with wrongdoing in either

accuser’s case. Their testimony

was intended to show a pattern

of behavior by Mr. Weinstein.

In sentencing him, New York

Supreme Court Justice James

Burke will consider the evi-

dence from trial as well as let-

ters and sentencing recommen-

dations submitted by the

prosecution and defense teams,

and a report on Mr. Wein-

stein’s life compiled by the

state’s probation department.

Two accusers—Ms. Haley and

Ms. Mann—whose allegations

led to criminal charges are al-

lowed to give statements about

the impact of the crimes.

In their letter to the court,

prosecutors recommended the

judge impose an onerous

prison term but have yet to

ask for a specific number.

They called him a man who

“consistently advanced his

own sordid desires” and “dis-

played a staggering lack of

empathy” for his entire adult,

professional life.

Mr. Weinstein’s defense

team—citing his years of char-

itable endeavors, unmatched

fall from grace, acquittal on

the most serious counts, and

his age and health—asked for

the minimum: five years.

Even a relatively brief

prison term may serve as a

functional life sentence for Mr.

Weinstein, whose health has

visibly deteriorated since the

allegations emerged. The pro-

ducer was taken to Bellevue

Hospital Center after the ver-

dict, where he underwent

heart surgery. He remained

there for 10 days before his

transfer to the city’s Rikers Is-

land jail facility last week.

For Ms. Dunning, Mr. Wein-

stein’s conviction and impend-

ing prison term offset the har-

rowing experience of testifying

in court and enduring an ag-

gressive cross examination.

Donna Rotunno, the pro-

ducer’s lead lawyer, confronted

Ms. Wulff with substantive

gaps in her memory, which she

recovered after more than 50

sessions with a sexual-trauma

clinician. Defense attorney Ar-

thur Aidala quizzed Ms. Dun-

ning about why she didn’t tell

prosecutors that Mr. Weinstein

assaulted her until weeks be-

fore the trial.

“Nobody wants to be the

poster person for sexual as-

sault,” Ms. Dunning said.

Those who came forward

feared Mr. Weinstein, who hired

private investigators and law-

yers to deter women from tell-

ing their stories. Many of the

women said that after Mr. Wein-

stein was convicted and ordered

into jail, they finally didn’t have

to fear him anymore.

When Harvey Weinstein is

sentenced Wednesday in a

Manhattan courtroom, some

of his accusers plan to be

there. They hope to watch him

escorted in shackles to the de-

fense table to learn that he

will spend years in prison.

“People talk about closure—

and I’m ready to see that,”

said Tarale Wulff, a model who

testified at trial that the Hol-

lywood producer raped her.

Mr. Weinstein, 67 years old,

faces between five and 29

years in prison after a jury

found him guilty Feb. 24 of a

first-degree criminal sexual act

against Miriam Haley, a for-

mer production assistant, and

the third-degree rape of one-

time aspiring actress Jessica

Mann. He was acquitted of the

charges carrying the most se-

vere penalty of life in prison—

two counts of predatory sexual

assault—but that the once-

powerful Mr. Weinstein even

stood trial marked a departure

from cultural norms.

Mr. Weinstein says he has

never had a nonconsensual

BYDEANNAPAUL

Weinstein to Be Sentenced Today

Creative director Dawn Dunning, left, and model Tarale Wulff were among the six women who testified against Harvey Weinstein.

SARAH BLESENER FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Even a brief prison

term may serve as a

functional life

sentence.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla.—Ten-

sions are coming to a head as

this city prepares for new in-

frastructure projects designed

to fortify the low-lying island

against increased flooding and

sea-level rise.

Climate experts praise Mi-

ami Beach—a diverse, interna-

tional city in South Florida

with wealthy sections—for de-

voting $1 billion to tackle the

problem, and other coastal

communities look to it as a

model. But some residents say

plans to raise roads as much

as about 5 feet above sea level

and add storm-water pumps

with generators the size of

vans are an unsightly intrusion

and a potential drag on prop-

erty values.

The conflict presents the

mayor and city commissioners

with a dilemma: How far can

they go in accommodating

homeowners’ concerns without

undercutting the city’s long-

term viability?

“We will have to have the

political will to make unpopu-

lar decisions,” said City Com-

missioner Ricky Arriola. “De-

spite the overwhelming

scientific evidence and engi-

neering solutions proposed,

there is going to be a group of

our citizens who want us to do

nothing.”

Cities around the U.S., in-

cluding New York, Norfolk, Va.,

and Charleston, S.C., confront

similar challenges. Because

Miami Beach is farther along

than many of them in feeling

the effects of climate change

and trying to respond, its ex-

perience could hold lessons.

Lying an average of about 4

feet above sea level on porous

limestone, Miami Beach is es-

pecially vulnerable. Sea levels

are projected to increase as

much as 21 inches by 2040 and

54 inches by 2070, according

to the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration.

Jacobs Engineering Group

Inc., an engineering firm hired

by Miami Beach to review its

climate-adaptation strategy, is

expected to release its final

recommendations in the next

few weeks after a yearlong

study. When the firm offered a

preview of its proposals for

road-raising and other projects

at a recent public meeting,

homeowners balked.

BYARIANCAMPO-FLORES

Flood Prevention Drives

A Wedge in Miami Beach

A restaurant in Sunset Harbour, a Miami Beach neighborhood where

projects have prevented an estimated 85 flooding incidents.

SCOTT MCINTYRE FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

wsj_20200311_a003_p2jw071000_4_a00300_1____xa2020.crop.pdf 1 11-Mar-20 06:05: