Garage Logic — Ep. “Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino Lied to Us”

Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Joe Soucheray (“The Mayor”) with Chris Reivers, Kenny Olson, John Height, and Matthew

Episode Overview

This episode of Garage Logic focuses on the aftermath of a high-profile law enforcement shooting in Minneapolis and the subsequent public and official responses. Joe Soucheray opens the discussion with strong accusations against Kristi Noem, Greg Bovino, and state authorities for making misleading public statements. The Garage Logic crew dives into the events surrounding the shooting of Alex Preddy, ICE operations in Minnesota, increasing distrust in government narratives, and the polarization of society. The show also explores broader themes around law enforcement, political leadership, civil unrest, and media coverage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Tone: Distrust in Official Narratives

• Joe Soucheray issues a blunt opening:

  “Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino are liars. Flat out liars. And I don’t like to be lied to by the state.” (01:42)

• He draws a parallel to Orwell’s 1984, where people are told to ignore the evidence of their own eyes and ears.

2. Reconstructing the Shooting

• The sequence of events surrounding Alex Preddy’s death is broken down:
  • Preddy, legally carrying a firearm, is described as “not impeding anybody... waved a car through, had a cell phone up, as did many people on the scene.”

    “He wasn’t fighting back... The gun he had, he didn’t have when he was shot.” (07:34–08:13)

  • Discussion of cell phone videos showing a lack of resistance and an agent walking away with Preddy's gun just before he is shot.

3. Government & ICE Messaging: Contradictions & Accountability

• Soucheray criticizes Noem and Bovino’s statements branding Preddy as a terrorist and refusing to answer follow-up questions:

  “You just told me everything you want me to believe. And now when I try to follow up... you have nothing to say.” (04:37)

• Both Noem and Bovino are accused of using excessive rhetoric while hiding behind “ongoing investigation” to dodge scrutiny.

4. Minneapolis as “Ground Zero” for Civil Unrest

• The hosts reflect on how Minnesota—and Minneapolis in particular—becomes a flashpoint for national unrest:

  “It seems like twice now in the last five years... stuff that’s happening here has fomented unrest around the rest of the country.” (10:29 – Matthew)

• Discussion includes the cultural tendency in the Twin Cities to distrust law enforcement, fueled since George Floyd’s murder.

5. ICE Operations and Police Conduct

• Hostility toward ICE presence is discussed, with Joe positing a near-impossible environment for lawful, measured enforcement:

  “ICE has stepped into an environment where it's entirely expected... people will go out onto the street and complain of their presence.” (12:49)

• ICE is criticized for being “clumsy, sloppy, not professional,” and the hosts suggest they should “regroup, get a better plan... trained mightily to ignore [protesters].” (16:11)
• The lack of proper restraint in crowd control and the handling of protestors is highlighted.

6. Conspiracies, Escalation, and “Low-Level Insurgency”

• Matthew raises the idea that both political sides might be tacitly fueling unrest:

  “Do you think... we are pawns in some sort of organized low-level insurgency? And this is the fight both sides have been looking for?” (25:00)

• Soucheray reads from a Fox News investigation claiming organized agitators and sophisticated social media mobilization, expressing skepticism and wariness of outright conspiracy narratives.

7. Guns, Rights, and Civil Liberties

• The issue of legal carry at protests is debated:
  • “If you have a gun, you shouldn’t be going to a protest... But these are the same people who say, ‘I want to take my gun to church, to the movies.’” (06:46)
  • Matthew gives technical details about the Sig Sauer P320 and safety questions following eyewitness video of an agent's gun possibly discharging accidentally during the incident.

8. Community, Business, and Minnesota’s Financial Health

• The MN Chamber of Commerce and business leaders call for de-escalation and cooperative governance in light of the unrest and economic decline.
• Soucheray sharply critiques state governance and its impact on Minnesota's financial attractiveness:

  “Minnesota is in serious financial distress... this is not a place to invest.” (17:42)

9. Polarization, Media, and the Battle for Reality

• Extended reading of a social post by Dylan Allman on the collapse of shared reality and the dangers of ideological partisanship.

  “We are living through a moment where a group of people do not just disagree, they do not even acknowledge a shared fundamental reality.” (42:47)

• The hosts lament how politics has transformed knowledge into a partisan weapon and how this escalates social divisions.

10. Listener Emails: Cooperation and Disillusionment

• The lack of cooperation between law enforcement and community is highlighted by a listener drawing contrasts between successful and failed responses to local crimes.
• Disillusionment with state and national leadership is echoed, with warnings of ongoing polarization and fear of civil conflict.

11. Government, Sanctuary States, and Accountability

• Soucheray asserts:

  “There should be no such thing in this country as a sanctuary state. No... There should be no sanctuary state in the United States.” (59:34)

• John Height summarizes a major Star Tribune op-ed from former US Attorney Andrew Luger, slamming Operation Metro Surge as based on a false narrative and eroding law enforcement collaboration.

12. Gun Groups and Rights Reaction

• Gun owners’ groups and the NRA publicly criticize the government’s initial shooting narrative, emphasizing that legal carry is not criminal and that protest shouldn’t negate Second Amendment rights.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Soucheray’s opening salvo:

  “Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino are liars. Flat out liars... It’s too eerie. It’s too frightening. It’s too Orwellian.” (01:42, 04:37, 04:56)

• ICE/Police conduct:

  “Every ICE briefing should start with these three words: Don’t shoot anyone.” (08:13 – Kenny Olson)

• On witness confusion and information opacity:

  “We have cell phone videos from 45 different angles, and yet, we don’t have the facts.” (06:46 paraphrased)

• On social division:

  “They can watch the same video from multiple angles and walk away convinced they saw a completely different event.” (42:47 - Dylan Allman, read by Soucheray)

• On the economy:

  “The current political leadership has not produced any dynamics that would encourage capitalists to set up shop here... Minnesota will continue its downward spiral.” (17:42)

• On the need for leadership:

  “We will either plunge into a civil war led by ideological extremists, or we will step back from the ledge to find common ground.” (41:28 – Listener email)

Key Timestamps

• 01:42 — Soucheray’s statement on Noem and Bovino (“liars”)
• 04:37 — Critique of officials’ evasive responses
• 08:13 — Kenny’s “Don’t shoot anyone” refrain
• 12:49–13:45 — Joe outlines Minnesota’s unique protest culture and law enforcement challenges
• 17:42 — MN Chamber of Commerce statement and state economic critique
• 25:00–25:54 — Matthew’s query on insurgency & organized agitation
• 42:47–46:54 — Dylan Allman’s social commentary on polarization and truth
• 59:34 — Soucheray’s stance on “sanctuary states”
• 66:12 — NRA and gun owners criticize initial government statements
• 69:29 — Former MN Sen. Nicole Mitchell released from jail (quick news update)

Tone and Style

Garage Logic maintains its characteristic mix of irreverence, skepticism, and folksy common sense. The crew is blunt, skeptical about official statements, and often animated in their disagreements with government and media narratives. Humor and camaraderie are sprinkled throughout, particularly in the banter about unrelated news and advertisements.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a deep dive into the aftermath of a controversial law enforcement killing in Minneapolis, exposing the deep rifts between officials’ narratives and public perception. The hosts’ frank criticism of government officials, analysis of the shooting, discussion of legal and civil rights, and exploration of Minnesota’s culture and politics make for a thought-provoking discussion. The ongoing theme: a plea for independent thought, transparency, cooperation, and a rejection of binary, hyper-partisan explanations.

For further highlights, see:

• 01:42–10:51: Main shooting / official narrative discussion
• 17:42–21:14: Economic fallout & business reaction
• 25:00–31:27: Conspiracy theories and organized agitation
• 42:47–48:10: Guest reading on partisan reality breakdown
• 59:34–66:12: Sanctuary states, serious policy analysis, and gun owner rights