14 US attorneys have left Minnesota’s office

An article in The Minnesota Star Tribune by Jeffrey Meitrodt, Sarah Nelson and Deena Winter offers evidence that Homeland Security and the Justice Department are getting in each others’ way with their heavy and ham handedness. The title and subtitle are as follows: “Another wave of departures in Minnesota’s U.S. Attorney’s Office – 14 attorneys have left this year, which prosecutors are calling unprecedented.”

Here are a few paragraphs that highlight the story: “Another eight lawyers have left or announced their intentions to leave the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.

The departures add turmoil to an office already reeling from last month’s mass resignation of six veteran prosecutors because of recent directives from the U.S. Department of Justice.

That included the department’s refusal to initiate a civil rights investigation into the killing of Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross. They have been asked to defend immigration enforcement actions that are growing unpopular with the public.

Former government lawyers said the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota has never lost 14 attorneys in the span of a single month before. Since 2022, more than 40 assistant U.S. attorneys have quit or retired, bringing total staffing in the criminal division to fewer than 20 attorneys, according to an analysis of the office’s staffing totals by the Minnesota Star Tribune.

In prior years, people familiar with the office’s operations said, there were often at least 50 attorneys working on criminal cases.”

To me, this shows clearly that he-who-shall-not-be-named has put in motion poorly thought out and executed tactics led by not the most competent or trained personnel. No due process, rash and belligerent actions, and masking of identities – what could go wrong? Top that off with yes-people doing the bidding of a person who does not care about the law like he should or promised. With his track record, high turnover has long been a part of the equation.

Response from Senator Thom Tillis

I emailed and later called Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska thanking them for speaking about the need for an investigation of the Alex Pretti shooting and calling for the firing of Homeland Security director Kristi Noem. Here is a Response from Senator Tillis as I live in his state:

”Dear Mr. Wilson:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate hearing from you.

The recent death of Alex Pretti after an officer-involved shooting on the sidelines of a U.S. Customs and Border and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Minneapolis is tragic. Mr. Pretti was shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent who was present in a supporting role during the operation. This incident has understandably raised serious questions and concerns.

As a strong supporter of law enforcement, I believe when officers use force in the course of their duties, these situations must be approached with seriousness and restraint. Such incidents carry lasting consequences for everyone involved and warrant full and thorough investigation to ensure accountability and fairness. Too often, judgments are made before all the facts are known, which undermines due process and the integrity of law enforcement.

I have made clear my concerns regarding the current leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, and I am glad that President Donald Trump has decided to place Tom Homan, a career professional, in charge of the ongoing limited operations in Minneapolis. From my understanding, after conversations between President Trump as well as the Mayor of Minneapolis and Governor of Minnesota, the federal presence in Minneapolis will soon be reduced.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over these issues, please know that I am actively monitoring this situation and associated investigations closely.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about other important issues.”

Note Tillis and Murkowski were singled out afterwards with the usual childish name calling from the incumbent president. It is my belief any time law enforcement actions result in a death, true leaders step up and call for an immediate investigation. They owe it to Americans to get to the bottom of this. And, I would not, top of mind, use leader to describe Trump, Vance, Noem or Miller.