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Why is DOJ investigating Tim Walz and Jacob Frey? Minneapolis Mayor calls out ‘obvious attempt to intimidate’ him
The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey amid escalating tensions in the state.
The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey amid escalating tensions in the state, sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The two men are reportedly being investigated over possible obstruction of federal law enforcement amid escalating tensions in Minnesota.
A person familiar with the matter told the outlet that grand jury subpoenas had been issued for both Frey and Walz as part of the investigation. However, as of Friday evening, January 16, neither office had received any notice.
This comes after both Walz and Frey’s open criticism of the surge of federal activity in Minneapolis. After the death of Renee Nicole Good, Frey even delivered a public message for federal agents to “get the f**k out of Minneapolis.”
What Jacob Frey and Tim Walz are saying
Frey shared the CNN article about the investigation, writing on X, “This is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up for Minneapolis, local law enforcement, and residents against the chaos and danger this Administration has brought to our city. I won’t be intimidated.”
Walz has not confirmed the investigation. However, he accused the federal government of “weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents,” which he called a “dangerous, authoritarian tactic,” per the outlet.
“The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her,” Walz added.
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was gunned down by federal agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, a shooting that the Trump administration claimed was carried out in self-defense as she allegedly struck him with her vehicle. Minneapolis has been seeing unrest and various anti-ICE protests in the aftermath of the incident.
Read More | Minneapolis anti-ICE protesters turning up with firearms? Viral photos, videos spark alarm
Donald Trump even threatened to use the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces, which is a federal law that gives the president the power to deploy the military or federalize National Guard troops inside the US to be able to quell domestic uprisings.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty US soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota amid widespread anti-ICE protests, the Washington Post reported. The army placed the units on prepare-to-deploy orders should violence escalate, the outlet said, citing unnamed defense officials. However, it is unclear whether any of them will be sent.
