Democrats on Capitol Hill are defending Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) after the Justice Department (DOJ) accused him of obstructing federal law enforcement's operations in the North Star State.
DOJ issued subpoenas for Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Friday, more than a week after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a Minneapolis woman, sparking protests across the state and a brief threat by President Trump to send troops to the city.
"Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic," the governor wrote on social platform X, responding to an article. "The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her."
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar responded to the subpoenas, calling them "an assault on our democracy and the rule of law."
"Speaking out against what our government is doing is not a crime in America -- not now, not ever," she wrote on X.
Minnesota Reps. Betty McCollum (D) and Angie Craig (D) also expressed their support for the governor, taking a swing at the Trump administration's actions.
McCollum wrote online that the country "deserves justice" and "not President Trump's use of DOJ as a weapon against his perceived enemies."
Craig called the move "even more proof that this has never been about making Minnesota safer."
"It has always been about political retribution for President Trump and his allies," the lawmaker wrote in a post on X. "I'm standing with @GovTimWalz and @MayorFrey."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also condemned the news, referencing the administration's previous investigations into New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey.
"First it was Tish James and James Comey. Now it's Senators, Governors, and the Fed Chair," Schumer posted to X, also referring to an investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. "In Donald Trump's America you get a bogus investigation for doing your job. Americans reject this kind of totalitarian bullying. Where are Republicans? Hiding."
Tensions between federal law enforcement and protesters were escalated after 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7 and a second shooting last week when a Venezuelan migrant was injured when he attempted to escape arrest.
A federal judge ordered on Friday that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must limit the tactics ICE uses against protesters in Minnesota. In her order, U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez wrote that the officials cannot retaliate against, arrest or detain "persons who are engaging in peaceful and unobstructive protest activity."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) echoed Walz's comments, blasting Trump for investigating the Minnesota officials "instead of seeking justice for Renee Good."
"We will not stand by silently and be bullied into submission," the Massachusetts Democrat wrote on X.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who is also under investigation by the administration over his and other lawmakers' decision to appear in a video advising members of the U.S. military not to obey "illegal" orders, called the DOJ's subpoenas of Walz and Frey "un-American."
"With each passing day, more and more of Donald Trump's political opponents are finding themselves targeted by his Justice Department," Kelly wrote online. "It's not by accident. This is un-American, and we cannot allow it to continue."
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said in a video posted to his X account that "Congress plays a big role here," citing the upcoming vote on DHS's budget.
"Especially given the escalation that is happening in Minnesota today, we should not be approving that budget unless there are constraints on Donald Trump's illegality," he said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a post on X after news of the DOJ probe broke, wrote, "A reminder to all those in Minnesota: No one is above the law."
Frey called the investigation "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 will not be intimidated," he added. "My focus remains where it's always been: keeping our city safe."
The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment.