Topline
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and several other Democratic leaders in the state have been issued subpoenas by the federal government, according to multiple reports, the latest in a series of federal actions involving Minnesota under the Trump administration as its crackdown on immigration enforcement continues.
Several Democratic officials in Minnesota, including Gov. Tim Walz, were issued federal subpoenas.
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Key Facts
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was also subpoenaed, as was St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, the New York Times reports.
CNN reported the investigation is into “possible obstruction of federal officers during recent protests” in the state after the killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
Ellison said the subpoena isn’t toward himself, but rather for records and documents related to immigration enforcement.
The subpoena sent to Frey’s office “requests guidance and policies related to immigration enforcement in Minnesota” and communication regarding immigration policies.
Walz and Frey have been referred to as terrorists by Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, who said without evidence the Democratic leaders were “encouraging violence against law enforcement.”
Chief Critics
Minnesota officials have condemned federal authorities, with the governor saying in a weekend statement “weaponing the justice system … is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” while calling for an investigation into Jonathan Ross, the officer who killed Renee Good earlier this month in Minneapolis. Frey said he would “not be intimidated” by the federal probe, calling it an “obvious” intimidation attempt. Ellison called the probe “highly irregular,” saying in a statement the subpoena came after his office sued the Trump administration over its actions in the state.
Tangent
Earlier Tuesday when he was issued the subpoena, Walz invited Trump to Minnesota, hoping a visit from the president could “restore calm and order” in the state. He referred to the Department of Justice investigation as “political theater” and a “partisan distraction,” which he said residents will not be distracted by: “Minnesotans are more concerned with safety and peace rather than with baseless legal tactics aimed at intimidating public servants standing shoulder to shoulder with their community.”
Key Background
Trump has threatened to use the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, which would allow him to deploy the military on U.S. soil. The law was used most recently in 1992 during the Los Angeles riots, but it has not been invoked without a state governor asking the president to use it since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s. Frey told NBC News on Sunday invoking the act “would be a shocking step,” saying, “We don’t need more federal agents to keep people safe. We are safe.”
