US Justice Department launches criminal investigation of Minnesota governor

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz claims to have been wrongly excluded from the investigation into Renee Good’s killing by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officer. Photo / Dustin Franz, The Washington Post

The Justice Department has issued subpoenas for Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey as part of an investigation alleging the two Democratic leaders are impeding federal law enforcement officers’ abilities to do their jobs in the state, two people familiar with the matter confirmed Saturday.

The subpoenas, which are without recent precedent, escalate an already bitter political battle between the Trump administration and state officials after the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officer last week. That shooting happened amid a surge of federal immigration officers in the state ordered by US President Donald Trump.

One of the people familiar with the case confirmed the plan was to serve the subpoenas this week. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an open investigation. Neither Walz nor Frey had been served with a subpoena by Saturday, spokespeople for the officials said.

Walz and Frey have claimed they have been wrongly excluded from the investigation into Renee Good’s killing and have publicly said they fear the Justice Department is not conducting a fair and robust probe. In turn, Trump administration officials have said Minnesota’s Democratic leaders are corrupt and can’t be trusted to handle an investigation.

Minnesota’s Attorney-General this week sued the federal Government over the surge, saying it amounted to an unconstitutional “federal invasion”.

The subpoenas suggest the Justice Department is examining whether Walz’s and Frey’s public statements disparaging the surge of officers and federal actions have amounted to criminal interference in law enforcement work. The law under which they are investigating the two officials, a federal statute on conspiracy to impede a federal investigation, is similar to the charges filed against protesters whom federal officials allege have attempted to block immigration officers as they do their work.

On Wednesday, a man was shot in the leg by an Ice officer in Minneapolis. Officials said the incident began when the officer attempted to stop the man, who then tried to flee, with the officer getting into an altercation outside with the man, who was joined by two housemates.

The family of the man shot in the leg disputed that official account and said the shooting happened at the door of the man’s house as he let his housemate inside, rather than out in the street during a scuffle.

Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche responded to the incident on social media, forcefully placing the blame on Walz and Frey for the upheaval in the city.

“Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It’s disgusting,” Blanche posted Wednesday. “Walz and Frey – I’m focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It’s a promise.”

Early in the Trump administration, the Justice Department directed federal prosecutors nationwide to investigate and potentially bring criminal charges against state and local officials who did not co-operate with the President’s plans to carry out mass deportations. A memo sent to Justice Department employees said the supremacy clause of the Constitution that places federal laws above conflicting state laws “require state and local actors to comply with the Executive Branch’s immigration enforcement initiatives”.

Minnesota officials anticipated more aggressive federal action after Trump threatened on Thursday to invoke the Insurrection Act – a federal law that gives the President power to deploy the US military, including National Guard troops, on US soil. Trump had said such measures could be needed to quell protesters in the state.

“Weaponising the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” Walz said in a statement Saturday. “The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.”

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