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Justice Dept. enters new territory with probe of Minnesota officials
The Washington Post ^ | January 17, 2026 at 6:00 a.m. EST | Patrick Marley and Yasmeen Abutaleb

Posted on 01/17/2026 5:05:17 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

President Donald Trump’s Justice Department crossed a new threshold with its criminal investigation of top Democratic elected officials in Minnesota, targeting vocal critics during a moment of crisis in which protesters and federal agents are clashing on icy city streets.

The Twin Cities have been a tinderbox for more than a week since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a woman in her vehicle, with residents confronting ICE agents. Trump has raised the prospect of sending U.S. troops into the state, and the Justice Department escalated tensions Friday as it prepared to send subpoenas to Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, two of Minnesota’s highest-profile Democrats.

The pair have loudly disparaged ICE’s presence in the state and the way Trump and his administration have defended the officer and sidelined state officials in an investigation into the shooting. The subpoenas the Justice Department is preparing to send suggest the agency is looking at whether Walz’s and Frey’s public statements about the administration’s actions amount to illegal interference with law enforcement.

The administration has pursued numerous other Democrats and perceived adversaries, fulfilling Trump’s promises to prosecute his foes. However, the administration had not taken such forceful action against elected officeholders at a volatile moment when public safety was at issue — until now.

To Trump’s allies, the latest investigation should serve as a warning to critics who they argue are inflaming matters with their rhetoric. Former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon said he believes Walz and Frey hit Trump’s “trip wire” with their heated comments and expects “intense prosecution.”

“Walz and Frey should listen when the president says, ‘No games,’” he said.

Trump’s critics warned in stark terms that he was crossing a dangerous line.

“This is what totalitarianism looks like,” said Sen. Chris Murphy...


(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: bondibashing; bondiwhiners; bondiwhining; compost; considerthesource; crime; debbiedownersoffr; democrats; eeyorerepublic; eeyoresoffr; epsteindistraction; epsteinpimpingtroll; fraud; habitualcomplainers; malcontentsoffr; minnesota; patrickmarley; perpetualcarping; theusualcomplainers; washingtonpost; yasmeenabutaleb

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It's "new territory" because the "probe of Minnesota officials" has nothing to do with the $25,000,000,000 they "disappeared."
1 posted on 01/17/2026 5:05:17 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Probe their a$$e$, waterboard them and then toss them in Gitmo for treason.


2 posted on 01/17/2026 5:09:09 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Yep. Clown News. “targeting vocal critics during a moment of crisis”

LOL! I’m not sure it’s possible to hate these people enough.


3 posted on 01/17/2026 5:09:40 PM PST by Freedom4US
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

The Compost sounds scared as they report this. Perhaps they should be. Perhaps the DOJ should focus attention on the media lies, disinformation and support of seditious acts.


4 posted on 01/17/2026 5:11:16 PM PST by Responsibility2nd (Import the third world. Become the second world.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Is this new territory leftists taking responsibility for their actions? If so then yes, this is new territory.


5 posted on 01/17/2026 5:12:27 PM PST by 556x45
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
It's the Compost so a correction is needed.

"targeting vocal critics criminals"

6 posted on 01/17/2026 5:15:05 PM PST by DAC21
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To: Responsibility2nd

From the people whose motto is “Democracy Dies in Darkness”.


7 posted on 01/17/2026 5:19:44 PM PST by dowcaet
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Funny, I don’t recall the Washington Post being upset when the Biden administration did this. I recall the Biden administration going after people exercising their Second Amendment rights, in a very illegal fashion, not to mention their persecution of President Trump and his allies.


8 posted on 01/17/2026 5:25:11 PM PST by marktwain (----------------------)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

It’s a refreshing change to see a Republican administration play hardball against Demonrat kleptocrats for a change. Will it last? The arc of precedent says no. But I’ll remain optimistic that it will.


9 posted on 01/17/2026 5:25:57 PM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
“New territory” huh?
What's new about it?
10 posted on 01/17/2026 5:28:29 PM PST by SmokingJoe
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To: marktwain
A "probe" is NOT justice.

Cuffs, perpwalks, released mugshots are Justice.

Talk is cheap, especially Trump/Bondi's talk. Trump FLP FLOPPED on ARRESTING HILLARY, and BONDI LIED ABOUT EPSTEIN FILES RELEASE.

Only ARRESTS matter, anything less is just LIES!!

11 posted on 01/17/2026 5:29:57 PM PST by SENTINEL (Kneel down to God. Stand up to tyrants. STICK TO YOUR GUNS !)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
...targeting vocal critics...

Targeting potentially criminal activities is more like it, but hey, let's not let that get in the way of trying to establish a good narrative.

12 posted on 01/17/2026 5:30:50 PM PST by philman_36 (Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty and supped with infamy. Benjamin Franklin)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“ fulfilling Trump’s promises to prosecute his foes. ”

Really lost me there


13 posted on 01/17/2026 5:31:12 PM PST by zeebee
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

But they want Trump impeached.


14 posted on 01/17/2026 5:31:34 PM PST by Williams (Thank God for the election of President Trump!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I have had about enough of this. It’s “new territory” to enforce laws democrats don’t like. It’s “new territory” to catch democrats breaking the law. As a matter of fact, it’s “new territory” to not just give in to democrats and give them whatever they want.

Defund ICE, defund the police. Legalize democrat illegality. Media poll to follow indicating everyone supports whatever the democrats are for and have suddenly changed their minds about electing Trump.

When they are in power it’s absolute, when they aren’t in power, they still are in power and it’s absolute.

DEMOCRACY, YAY!!


15 posted on 01/17/2026 5:38:14 PM PST by FlipWilson
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To: Williams

They always want Trump impeached or dead.


16 posted on 01/17/2026 5:38:50 PM PST by doc maverick
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To: Freedom4US
I’m not sure it’s possible to hate these people enough.

it isn’t. No matter how much you hate them you can’t hate them enough because they want you dead. Conservatives are to Democrats what Jews were to Nazis. They want you disarmed, dead, and your property taken to fund their insane socialist fantasy.

17 posted on 01/17/2026 5:40:30 PM PST by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problemq)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Vocal critics”

No WashCompost. They are calling for an insurrection against the federal government and violence against federal law enforcement officials.


18 posted on 01/17/2026 5:44:40 PM PST by Organic Panic ('Was I molested. I think so' - Ashley Biden in response to her father joining her in the shower)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
The administration has pursued numerous other Democrats and perceived adversaries, fulfilling Trump’s promises to prosecute his foes.

Lie

19 posted on 01/17/2026 5:45:16 PM PST by hole_n_one
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Still no probe on the fraudulent 2020 election.


20 posted on 01/17/2026 5:51:59 PM PST by roving
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