Federal prosecutors resign over political pressure to portray Renee Good as an attacker
Prosecutors’ resignations signal a crisis in the rule of law and justice system
Minnesota officials condemn Trump’s attempts to replace nonpartisan professionals with sycophants
Source: UCG / Getty
Minneapolis, Minnesota, is standing on ten toes behind the unwarranted killing of Renee Nicole Good by federal ICE agents who have been deployed to cause chaos in the community under the guise of immigration enforcement. As BOSSIP has previously reported, Good’s death, along with the fatal shooting of people like Keith Powers Jr., has sparked massive protests all over the country.
According to AP News, Good’s family has hired the same law firm, Romanucci & Blandin, that George Floyd’s family hired to push the police department and the city for transparency and answers. The U.S. Justice Department under Donald Trump has already announced that they don’t see any reason to investigate civil rights violations in the case, so, the family is left to their own devices to achieve justice.
This case has been so politicized by the right that six federal prosecutors in Minneapolis resigned from their posts due to pressure to publicly present Renee Good as an attacker who was trying to harm the ICE agents. Additionally, multiple Civil Rights Division supervisors handed in resignations due to pressures associated with the case. According to CBS News, one of those who quit their job is Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who was personally appointed by Trump back in June. Harry Jacobs, Melinda Williams, Thomas Calhoun-Lopez, Ruth Schneider, and Tom Hollenhurst joined him in leaving their posts.
Former U.S. Attorney Doug Kelley says this type of mass quitting makes the office look weak and perhaps even compromised by the Trump agenda.
“I’ve been practicing federal criminal law in this state for 51 years and this is the darkest day in 51 years as far as I can see for the rule of law in Minnesota,” Kelley said. “If they feel the need to resign because of orders they have gotten that will violate their consciouses, to me it’s a great statement on their part that this is not tolerable by them.”
Minnesota Governor and former Kamala Harris running mate Tim Walz took to Twitter to voice similar concerns saying:
“It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants,”
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar added her voice to the chorus of critics emphasizing these prosecutors importance to the justice system
“…”these career public servants have served our state through multiple tragedies and critical investigations. We cannot allow prosecutors to be driven by politics. The family and loved ones of Renee Good deserve justice, not political attacks.”
This is a s**t show that only stands to get worse as Trump continues to ratchet up the political tension and the tension among Americans.
