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DOJ probe in Minnesota
The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over possible obstruction of federal law enforcement, and CNN reports that grand jury subpoenas were issued for both men as part of the inquiry.
“grand jury subpoenas had been issued for both men”
CNN says neither office had received any notice as of Friday evening, and the Justice Department declined to comment when asked.
The dispute is tied to unrest in Minnesota over the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, with President Donald Trump suggesting he might invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to the city to quell any violence.
Frey told CNN in a statement the investigation is “an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, our local law enforcement, and our residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our streets,” while Walz accused the federal government of “weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents.”
Subpoenas, lawsuits, and clashes
As the Minnesota and Twin Cities tensions escalated, the state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities sued the Trump administration this week, arguing the immigration operation amounts to a “federal invasion” and accusing the Trump administration of violating the Tenth Amendment.
CNN reports that around 1,000 additional US Customs and Border Protection agents were expected to deploy to Minneapolis this week, alongside an earlier deployment of about 2,000 federal agents to the area, according to two federal law enforcement sources.
The unrest followed the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE officer, and CNN quotes Walz saying, “The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.”
In response to the probe and the broader conflict, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X that he met with the US attorney’s office in Minneapolis on Friday and visited federal officers, adding, “We support those performing their lawful duties to protect public safety and will PROSECUTE anyone attacking or obstructing them.”
Newsom joins the fight
In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday that the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife, accusing President Donald Trump of directing the probe as he considers running for president.
““Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list. He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us,””
NBC Los Angeles reports Newsom said, “Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list. He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us,” and it adds that agents knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees.
Newsom also accused the investigators of demanding records “not because they’ve found a crime, but because they’re trying to find one,” and the Justice Department declined to comment, according to NBC Los Angeles.
The Washington Post similarly frames Newsom’s accusation as retaliation, with the paper reporting that Newsom accused Trump of weaponizing the Justice Department against his family because he is considering running for president.
