January 17, 2026

[ST. PAUL, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today released the following statement after reports of an alleged investigation by the Department of Justice.

“Two days ago it was Elissa Slotkin. Last week it was Jerome Powell. Before that, Mark Kelly. Weaponizing the justice system and threatening political opponents is a dangerous, authoritarian tactic.

“The only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good is the federal agent who shot her.”

The office of the Governor has not received any notice of the investigation.

The Governor has repeatedly, unequivocally, called for peace and a lowering of the temperature. He has made that appeal directly to the President.

Federal forces have stormed the state, shooting two people and killing Renee Good. The Department of Justice drove six federal prosecutors – including the longtime career prosecutor leading the charge to investigate and eliminate fraud in our state’s programs – to quit their jobs rather than go along with this assault on the United States Constitution. Leaders of the Republican Party have called for impeachment, for the Governor to be put in cuffs, for a day of retribution.

We trust Minnesotans to see past this projection.