Todd Blanche warns Americans 'should be worried' about Minnesota protests after church disruption
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche warned that Americans "should be worried" amid escalating protests in Minnesota, including the disruption of a St. Paul church service, saying these demonstrations are "being encouraged by local officials."
The Justice Department served grand jury subpoenas Tuesday to Minnesota offices, including the governor’s office, the attorney general’s office and the Minneapolis mayor’s office, Fox News Digital previously reported.
"We said for the past two weeks that the federal government and this administration would not tolerate local officials doing what they were doing and have been doing," Blanche said Tuesday on "The Ingraham Angle."
Renee Good, 37, was shot and killed Jan. 7 during a confrontation with an ICE agent. Activists have since used her death to protest immigration enforcement in Minnesota, with some demonstrations leading to confrontations with federal agents.
Blanche said federal authorities warned local leaders before launching the probe. He said local leaders are accused of encouraging rioters and impeding federal officers.
"You didn’t see the governor or the mayor reacting in horror at what happened in that church," Blanche said.
"You saw a feigned claim by them that they wanted peaceful protest, and that should worry every single American."
RENEE GOOD’S FORMER FATHER-IN-LAW SAYS DEADLY SHOOTING WAS RESULT OF 'BAD CHOICES'
Gov. Tim Walz responded to a headline about the subpoenas in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system against your opponents is an authoritarian tactic.
"The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her," Walz said.
The Department of Homeland Security defended the agent’s actions, saying Good attempted to "weaponize her vehicle" against officers. Minnesota state officials have disputed that account and announced a separate investigation, independent of the federal probe.