Todd Blanche’s refusal to promise an independent Justice Department carries particular weight in Minnesota, where the department has already faced repeated questions over transparency and cooperation with state investigators. After federal agents fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti during the immigration crackdown, Minnesota officials said federal authorities blocked them from accessing key evidence, including body-camera footage and physical evidence. The state ultimately sued the Trump administration over the withholding, and federal prosecutors did not turn over major portions of the requested evidence until months later. The DOJ also subpoenaed Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesota officials over their opposition to federal immigration enforcement. A federal judge later quashed those subpoenas, finding that the DOJ had offered little evidence of criminal wrongdoing and that the demands were instead aimed at harassing, coercing and retaliating against state and local officials.
