Federal Judge Quashes Justice Department Subpoenas to Minnesota Officials

A federal judge in Minnesota has quashed six subpoenas issued by the Justice Department in May targeting Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and other state and local officials. U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz issued the 29-page order, which was unsealed on Monday.

The subpoenas sought materials from Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, and the boards of commissioners for Ramsey and Hennepin counties. The Justice Department stated the materials could help prevent interference with future immigration enforcement actions.

Schiltz wrote that the only question was whether the subpoenas were issued for a forbidden purpose and concluded they were. He described initiating a criminal investigation to harass opponents or coerce official action as a “blatantly unlawful and unethical use” of the grand-jury process. The judge rejected the department’s stated rationale regarding immigration enforcement.

Walz described the ruling as a victory for the rule of law. He said the Justice Department is pursuing criminal investigations into the President’s political opponents.

The order does not detail the specific documents or information the subpoenas requested. The Justice Department has not issued a public statement on the ruling as of the date of the unsealed order.