A federal judge has quashed subpoenas targeting Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other officials, saying there was \u201cno doubt\u201d the subpoenas were issued to harass President Donald Trump\u2019s political opponents and coerce them into taking official action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz wrote that \u201cthe evidence that the challenged subpoenas were issued for unlawful reasons is overwhelming\u201d and that the Trump administration \u201cstruggled \u2014 without success \u2014 to identify a single plausible investigatory justification for the subpoenas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The record is \u201creplete with direct evidence of the Trump administration \u2014 including the highest-ranking officials of the Department \u2014 threatening and attempting to punish states and localities that have adopted \u2018sanctuary\u2019 policies, as well as attempting to coerce those states and localities to devote resources to assist federal immigration enforcement,\u201d wrote Schiltz, a George W. Bush appointee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Justice Department spokesperson said in a statement after the ruling that the Justice Department \u201ctakes the unlawful obstruction of federal law enforcement operations extremely seriously and will continue to act in full compliance with the law to investigate these matters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The subpoenas were served in January while the administration was carrying out \u201cOperation Metro Surge,\u201d ramping up immigration efforts in the state. During protests spurred by the flood of immigration agents, two protesters were killed, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The subpoenas were served shortly after Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was slain by an ICE officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The state and the city sued after the shooting, challenging the surge. Trump then complained on social media about the state\u2019s lack of cooperation with immigration officers and warned, \u201cTHE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The subpoenas were served about a week later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The judge wrote that the sequence of events in and of itself \u201cestablishes beyond reasonable dispute that the subpoenas were a part of a broader campaign to coerce state and local officials in Minnesota to assist the Trump administration in its enforcement of immigration laws.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Department has launched a significant incursion into matters that the Constitution reserves to sovereign states, and one would expect that the Department would not have done so unless it was aware of compelling evidence of criminal or at least suspicious behavior,\u201d Schiltz wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe fact that connections between the information sought in the subpoenas and any possible criminal violation range from extremely weak to nonexistent only adds to the overwhelming evidence that these subpoenas were not issued to investigate, but to harass, coerce, and retaliate,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, said on X that the ruling was \u201ca victory for the rule of law and our democracy,\u201d adding that the investigation was \u201cpolitically motivated, unconstitutional, and meritless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, also a Democrat, said on X that he was \u201cgrateful\u201d for the court\u2019s ruling. He said the Justice Department \u201cinvestigation was never about justice, law and order, but the absence of it. Subpoenaing political opponents because they spoke on behalf of their constituents violates the core tenets of our democracy and human decency.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n