Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) slammed the Trump administration Monday for what he called the political use of the Justice Department after California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said federal investigators were targeting him and his wife.
Walz Accuses Trump Of Misusing Justice Department
“The Justice Department is not a tool for the President to investigate his political opponents. Welcome to the BS investigations club, Governor Newsom. You’re in good company,” Walz wrote on X, reacting to a video posted by Newsom.
Newsom said he had landed on President Donald Trump’s political “hit list,” claiming Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The California Democrat said Trump was not targeting him over “mean tweets, but because I am considering running for president.”
Newsom, who has raised his national profile through clashes with Trump and is widely viewed as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential contender, wrote, “Today, my wife & I joined Donald Trump’s hit list. He has directed his Department of Justice to investigate us.”
Newsom Says Agents Targeted Family And Records
In a nearly five-minute video, Newsom said federal agents had “knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees. Not because they’ve found a crime, but because they’re trying to find one.” He said investigators demanded records and “random documents.”
Newsom did not address the substance of the probe but defended his wife, calling her a public servant who has “done nothing wrong” beyond advocating for her beliefs. “If they can’t intimidate me, they’ll go after the mother of our children. Donald Trump picked the wrong target. We have nothing to hide,” he said.
“You can subpoena my records. You can investigate me. You can harass me,” Newsom said. “Put my name on every and any enemy’s list you have, but leave my wife and family out of your personal vendetta.”
According to an NBC News report, aides said more than a dozen people were contacted by FBI and IRS agents about the Newsoms. The aides said some questions concerned financial transactions, suggesting investigators had subpoenaed business records or credit card statements.
Benzinga reached out to the Justice Department, IRS and FBI for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Trump Critics Face Wider Justice Department Scrutiny
The Justice Department has investigated several Trump critics. Judges dismissed cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James after finding that the prosecutor was serving improperly.
Comey was later indicted in North Carolina over a social media photo showing seashells arranged to read “86 47.” The department has also pursued a criminal investigation into former CIA Director John Brennan.
Photo Courtesy: Sheila Fitzgerald on Shutterstock.com
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