← The Briefing with Jen Psaki
The Briefing with Jen Psaki
Trump's anti-immigrant overreach backfires; 'It looks bad,' says advisor
00:41:40
As courts rebuke ICE violence in Minneapolis, and Donald Trump doubles down on corrupting the Justice Department by opening investigations into Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Americans are watching everything that is taking place and are not liking what they see. Jen Psaki looks at how the tide has turned on Trump after his obnoxious handling of what used to be his strongest issue, immigration.
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- [00:01]
Jen Psaki
Department of rejected Dreams.
- [00:03]
Mayor Melvin Carter
If you had a dream rejected, IKEA can make it possible. So I always dreamed of having a.
- [00:07]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Man cave, but the wife doesn't like it. What if I called it a woman cave?
- [00:12]
Angie Hicks
Okay, so let's not do that, but.
- [00:14]
Mayor Melvin Carter
Add some relaxing lighting and a comfy IKEA hofburg ottoman.
- [00:17]
Jen Psaki
And now it's a cozy retreat. Nice. A cozy retreat, man.
- [00:20]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Cozy retreat, sir.
- [00:22]
Jen Psaki
Okay. Find your big dreams, small dreams, and.
- [00:25]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
Cozy retreat dreams in store or online.
- [00:27]
Jen Psaki
At ikea.us dream the possibilities.
- [00:30]
Angie Hicks
Hi, I'm Angie Hicks, co founder of angie, and one thing I've learned is that you buy a house, but you make it a home. Because with every fix, update and renovation, it becomes a little more your own. So you need all your jobs done. Well, for nearly 30 years, Angie has helped millions of homeowners hire skilled pros for the projects that matter, from plumbing to electrical roof repair to deck upgrades. So leave it to the pros who will get your jobs done. Well, I hire high quality pros.
- [00:58]
Jen Psaki
At Angie.com we have a fire hose of breaking news to tell you about tonight. And I want to start with the good news. And I just referenced this with Chris, so let me give you a little bit more description and I'll say it a little bit slower. So tonight, a federal judge in Minnesota has blocked ice, cbp, other federal agencies assisting them from impeding the free speech rights of protesters or using force against them unless they are interfering with with enforcement activities. Now, it's always how they define that, but this is certainly good, big news from a ruling tonight. This was a lawsuit, of course, that was brought all the way back in December by six protesters on behalf of anyone who records, Observes and protests ICE's ongoing operations in Minnesota. The judge even said that ICE is not entitled to stop and search protesters in their cars solely because they are safely following ICE and other federal law enforcement at an appropriate distance. And again, we are still digesting this ruling. As I mentioned to Chris, it just came out. It's a whole lot of pages. We're looking through it, we're combing through it. But one thing is very clear. It is bad news for the Trump administration and good news for the people exercising their First Amendment rights in Minnesota. Which brings me to the other piece of breaking news we are following tonight. Emma Snow reported that the Department of Justice has opened a federal criminal investigation into Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. And that, to state the freaking obvious, is no coincidence. I mean, these two elected officials have been the most outspoken and the most passionate voices about the horror ICE is wreaking on the city of Minneapolis. And because they are actual leaders, we've all been watching them and not malicious man children like the current occupant of the White House and his hateful posse of Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, Greg Bevino. I could go on. They have actually called for calm from the moment an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good last week. I mean, both Mayor Fry and Governor Walz have consistently and repeatedly called for their residents not to take the bait, to protest, but do so peacefully so as to not give the Trump administration justification to increase its already massive federal presence in the state. And as we've all watched, residents in Minneapolis being pulled from their cars by ICE agents, school communities being terrorized, pepper spray raining down on protesters. The city of Minneapolis have largely been. All the citizens that we've seen have largely been doing what the governor of their state and the mayor of their city has been asking them to do. I mean, peacefully supporting their neighbors who are being attacked and targeted by ice. But somehow this new federal criminal investigation revolves around the allegation that Fry and Walls obstructed federal immigration enforcement. Now, just a couple of notes on that tonight. Legal experts point out that the crime of impeding federal agents requires physical force speaking out publicly against the way ICE is terrorizing the people of Minnesota. A fact is not a crime, no matter how much Donald Trump wishes it was. I should also note that this very bogus, obviously political investigation is being run out of the same U.S. attorney's office where just this Tuesday, six federal prosecutors resigned over the Justice Department's handling of the investigation into Renee Goode's killing. As Governor Walls pointed tonight into. Tonight in the response to this investigation into him, the only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Goode is the federal agent who shot her. Just let that sit with you for a moment because that is a fact. Now, a short time ago, Mayor Fry posted a response of his own, saying, quote, this is an obvious attempt to intimidate me for standing up from Minneapolis, local law enforcement and residents against the chaos and danger this administration has brought to our city. I will not be intimidated. We're also gonna speak with his counterpart. I mentioned her to Chris earlier, the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, and also later in the show with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar about that and everything else happening in Minnesota in just a moment. But in the midst of this incredibly upsetting and chaotic week of news, though, I did start the show with some good news. I Would note, I want to tell you that if you are angry, if you are outraged, if you are absolutely beside yourself about what Donald Trump is doing to our country right now, you are far from alone. You are definitely not alone. New polling out today from CNN shows that the majority of Americans call the first year of Trump's new term a failure. Back in Trump's first term, the lowest his approval rating on the economy got was negative five. Now CNN has him underwater by 22 points. A new NPR Marist poll also has Trump underwater by 21 points on the economy. The poll also has Trump 19 points underwater on foreign policy. Another CNN poll shows that Americans think that ICE enforcement actions are making cities less safe rather than more Safe by a 20 point margin, which how could you not think that if you've been watching what's happening in the city of Minneapolis? A poll from Yahoo found that Americans believed ICE raids were doing more harm than good by yet again, a 20 point margin. But the issue where this administration stands is the most underwater. Is there justification for the killing of Renee Nicole Good? Polling from CNN shows that 56% of American adults said that ICE agents use of force in the killing of Good was inappropriate, compared to just 26% who said it was appropriate. I want to know who those people are. But 26%, that is a whopping 30 point margin. And today, Axios reported that Trump's team recently reviewed private GOP polling that showed support for his immigration policies is falling. No kidding. A top Trump adviser told Axios that while Trump himself isn't concerned about the policy, it's not a policy wonk, remember? Meaning he isn't actually concerned about ICE brutality either, which there's that. But what he doesn't want is what people are seeing. He doesn't like the way it looks. It looks bad. That's from an advisor, if nothing else. I guess the man can read a poll. Yes, it does look bad, because it is bad. And a lot of America is watching. I mean, polling from Quinnipiac earlier this week showed that 82% of registered voters said they had watched the video of Renee Nicole Goode being shot. 82%. And as hard as it is to watch a lot of what we are seeing in Minnesota and everywhere, all around the country where ISIS surged, clearly showing the world what the Trump administration is doing here is moving the needle. And I know that a lot of what I'm about to show you and tell you about is pretty rough, tough to watch. And that has been the case of a lot of what we've been showing over the last week and a half. And I know we have all been consuming a lot of these videos of Minneapolis. But it's clearly important that we don't look away. It's clearly important that we see what is happening with clear eyes. And we also spread it as far and wide as possible. Now, on Wednesday night, we brought you the news of yet another shooting by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. And after that shooting on Wednesday night, federal agents clashed with huge crowds of protesters. In the midst of that chaos was a young couple and their six kids driving home from a kid's basketball game. The couple, Sean and Destiny Jackson, say that they saw the clash and were just trying to drive away, but they were quickly surrounded by federal agents. Now here's how they described what happened next to the local news outlet career. All we heard was boom. And every airbag deployed.
- [08:29]
Bubba Wallace
They say a flashbang went off near their car as tear gas enveloped them.
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Jen Psaki
Then I was screaming to my other, my oldest son, Shawn. I'm like, get out. Get out. Like, I can't mom and I can't breathe.
- [08:38]
Bubba Wallace
Destiny says bystanders pulled her into a home to check on her as she screamed that her six month old child was still in the car.
- [08:44]
Jen Psaki
He was just like, lifeless, like he had like foam like around his mouth and you can. He had tears coming out his eyes. I was getting it mouth to mouth and I remember stopping and I said, I will give you all my breath till you get yours back because nobody wants to see that.
- [09:03]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Kids like that.
- [09:06]
Jen Psaki
I mean, that's hard to watch. Destiny says that multiple members of her family had to be hospitalized and luckily they are all now okay. That is the good news. Dhs, of course, though, responded to that incident by saying that their agents never targeted this family or their children. The agency says that the family was, quote, the victim of rioters and agitators. But that claim just sounds pretty impossible to square with the fact that their agents appear to have tear gassed a car full of kids. Now, the day before that incident on Tuesday, federal agents dragged this woman, a US Citizen, from her car. We showed this video. I'm sure you've seen this video. She screams at them that she's trying to get to a doctor's appointment, but they pull her from her car, cut her seatbelt and drag her away. And DHS called her an agitator who ignored multiple commands and say they arrested her for obstruction. And Ms. Now has obtained the woman's statement about what happened to her next. And she says, quote, I asked for A doctor repeatedly when I was in ICE custody. They ignored me and took me to the detention center instead. It was not until I lost consciousness in my cell that I was finally taken to a hospital. No wonder the vast majority of Americans think that ICE enforcement actions are making America less safe, not more safe. There's a very clear dynamic happening here. The more the American public sees what the Trump administration immigration agents are actually doing, the more the American public despises it. And that shift in public opinion could be key to driving change here today. Members of Congress and state and local officials from Minnesota held a field hearing in St. Paul titled Kidnapped and Trump's Deadly Assault on Minnesota. They heard from witness after witness who shared their stories about of what living in Minnesota during this ICE surge has been like.
- [10:52]
ICE Protest Witness
I was not running. I was just walking away because I did not want to talk to him. I knew that ICE agents had been targeting people that look like me. I immediately started repeating over and over again, I'm a citizen. I'm a citizen. I'm a citizen. But the agent did not stop to look at my id. As second ICE agent entered the restaurant to there. They dragged me outside and put me into a headlock on the ground. I repeated, I'm a citizen. I have an id. The agent kept saying, that don't matter. That don't matter.
- [11:26]
Jen Psaki
That's just a taste of the flavor of the tenor of this hearing today from witness after witness. The hearing also featured leaders from the community, like State Attorney General Keith Ellison and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry and St. Paul Mayor Kohli. Her spoke directly to the members of Congress and to the public about the terror the Trump administration has brought upon her state. Here was how the mayor described the situation today.
- [11:51]
Mayor Melvin Carter
We are ground zero for Trump's war on America. A war on our democracy, on our freedoms, on our rights as Americans. It is in our backyard today, and it is only a matter of time before it is in yours. We've received reports of federal law enforcement officers going door to door asking people where the Asian people live right in our very own city. I myself have received advice to carry my passport with me because they may try to target me based on what I look like as well. That is the America that we are living in right now, where people cannot access food, they cannot access health care, they cannot access their basic needs because of the terror, because our cities are under siege. We need your help, whatever it may be.
- [12:34]
Jen Psaki
Joining me now is the woman you just heard speaking there, the mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, Cully her. Thank you so much. For being here. That has stuck with me since I watched it today, what you had to say in that hearing. And I'm so grateful you could join us tonight. I wanted to just start with the news we got tonight about the mayor of Minneapolis and the governor of Minnesota, A criminal investigation being launched into them. It feels so completely baseless on its face. I've just talked about this, but what do you make of it?
- [13:06]
Mayor Melvin Carter
I mean, it's purely intimidation tactics, Jen. I mean, this is Trump further not getting his agenda met. And so then what does he do? He turns around and attacks individual people who are standing up against him.
- [13:18]
Jen Psaki
No question about that. We've seen that over and over and over again as legal. A lot of legal experts pointed out, and I pointed this out, too, but it's worth repeating. The crime of impeding federal agents requires physical force. And so their theory of the case seems to be that public objections to what ICE is doing amounts to some kind of illegal interference. And I just, I wonder how that sits with you. I mean, given you've been speaking out, you spoke out incredibly powerful today, powerfully today. How does that aspect sit with you?
- [13:49]
Mayor Melvin Carter
You know, it's so interesting, his perception of what is happening here in ours. I mean, you know, we have been calling him peaceful protests. We have been working with our community groups like the Immigrant Defense Network, who's been teaching constitutional observer training, which means that in that training, you know, Never interfere with ICE's operations. You use recording to protect the people who are being attacked. And so, you know, we have been making sure that we are supporting each other as communities, but allowing ICE to move forward with their own operations. And so, you know, I am really disappointed at what we're seeing and how Trump is targeting us and continuing to target us.
- [14:26]
Jen Psaki
Do you think about. You're a very public elected official now in a state that is being targeted by the federal government, as you said today. Do you think about what would happen if they target you? Do you worry about that?
- [14:38]
Mayor Melvin Carter
I do, actually. I think about the scenario of, like, what happens if somebody forcibly takes you or restrains you. I thought about what would I say to them. And clearly telling them that you're an American citizen doesn't matter. As you saw testimony from individuals who have been targeted who have encountered ice. So I do think about that scenario, but I also think about my own children. I have two adult children, young adult children who live with me, and I worry about that because they take public transportation. They are waiting at train stations and bus stops, and I don't know when they'll be approached either. So it's not just a fear for myself, but for my own family members and my children.
- [15:15]
Jen Psaki
You took office. I think it's important for everybody watching to know. Two weeks ago. So you've been there two weeks, and this administration has essentially been terrorizing your community for the totality of the time you've been office. Help people out there watching. Right now, we've been trying to show as many videos as possible and tell the stories of what's happening on the ground, but you're there. What is happening in St. Paul right now.
- [15:40]
Mayor Melvin Carter
You know, for as much as he's been trying to terrorize us, the community is sticking together. But it is not lost upon me that everywhere that I go, I see ICE vehicles. That as I'm working with our local immigrant businesses and I'm helping open and close doors, lock and unlock doors for customers to come to ensure that it is customers and not ICE that I'm seeing and constant, even down the blocks from the places that I'm supporting and helping out, ICE vehicles, people being detained, people being grabbed off the streets, that I'm witnessing these things myself. Just last Sunday, when I was helping at one of our mercados here, one block down, ICE had an individual, and our protesters had to walk down there to ensure that they could see what was happening. And ICE finally let that individual go after they saw that there was a group of people starting to force. Like this is an everyday occurrence. And we are constantly getting notification from our community members that they see ICY vehicles, that they saw somebody get taken. And this isn't just hearsay. They're sending us pictures and they're sending us evidence so that we can actually look into it and send law enforcement over to have eyes on the situation. And so this is a complete overtake of our city, a siege of our city.
- [16:47]
Jen Psaki
I'm sure you're getting even in just two weeks. A lot of people calling and asking, what should they do? How should they engage with ICE officers? What do they do if somebody comes to their door? What are you telling people in your community to do in this moment? I know you're saying peacefully protest, but what else are you telling them to do?
- [17:03]
Mayor Melvin Carter
We are telling people that they do have rights and that to the. To the best of their ability, we are sending out our ability. We are sending out information to our residents if they are in their homes, that they do not have to open the doors. We are giving them procedures as to what they can request from ICE to see and how they can provide their documentation. But we are also letting people know where it is that they can go in order for them to have individuals who might be there to protect them. We know that there are certain locations that we have constitutional observers who are ready to support and to document. We are also informing people that if you are scared and you are worried, call 911. Our local law enforcement will show up. And so that is the best that we can do is continue to provide the best information as possible and to keep each other safe. But that means that requires our communities to continue to show up for each other as well. And they have heard our call and community is showing up.
- [17:59]
Jen Psaki
Mayor Cullihar, I just have to emphasize for people, I know a lot of people who've been newly in office, they're not often given the plate you've been given. And you have a tremendous amount of strength, poise, grace. And Steve Paul is incredibly lucky to have you. Thank you for being here with us tonight. I really appreciate it.
- [18:17]
Mayor Melvin Carter
Thank you for having me, Jen.
- [18:19]
Jen Psaki
Okay, we have to sneak in a very quick break, but Minnesota Congressman Ilhan Omar is standing by with her reaction to all of this breaking news tonight, the investigation into Governor Walz and Mayor Fry, and also this new ruling from a federal judge in Minneapolis blocking federal agents from arresting or retaliating against peaceful protesters. Congresswoman Omar joins me after a very quick break.
- [18:43]
Angie Hicks
Hi, I'm Angie Hicks, co founder of angie and one thing I've learned is that you buy a house, but you make it a home. Because with every fix, update and renovation, it becomes a little more your own. So you need all your jobs done well. For nearly 30 years, Angie has helped millions of homeowners hire skilled pros for the projects that matter, from plumbing to electrical roof repair to deck upgrades. So leave it to the pros who will get your jobs done well. Hire high quality pros@angie.com Bubba Wallace here from 2311 Racing.
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Congressman Ro Khanna
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- [20:20]
Jen Psaki
While Donald Trump does everything he can to intimidate the people of Minnesota, his administration is also trying to scare off any of the state's Democratic lawmakers working to hold them accountable. I mentioned at the top of the show that we learned tonight that the Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry for allegedly, in their words, obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Now, that's total bs. This comes just days, of course, after the president posted on social media demanding Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar be thrown out of the country. But just like the people of Minneapolis who continue to take to the streets fearlessly, those lawmakers are not backing down either. Today, Congresswoman Omar took part in a field hearing in the state capitol of St. Paul, where she called out her Republican colleagues for looking the other way as Trump terrorizes their state.
- [21:12]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
It is appalling for our Republican colleagues to be okay for there to be cell detentions in ICE for American citizens. It is appalling for them to be okay for there to be checkpoints in American cities where people are asked for their papers. Those of us who escaped places like that, the one place where we thought we would never experience this is the US Goddamn states.
- [21:44]
Jen Psaki
Joining me now is Minnesota Democratic Congressman Ilhan Omar. That was an incredibly powerful moment, among a number of incredibly powerful moments, that field hearing, a number of which we've and I want to talk to you about that. There's also just been so much news tonight that relates to your state, impacts your state. So let me just start with what I think is some good news. But I want to get your take on it, because just before we got on the air, we got news that a federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking federal agents from interfering with peaceful protesters. I am sure, unless you are a speed reader, and you may be, you have not read through this entire thing quite yet. But to what, you know, what's your reaction to that? What do you think it means for the situation in your city right now, which is so difficult?
- [22:26]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
It means that this is a testament to what we have all been saying for so long that the residents of Minneapolis and in Minnesota who have been out in the streets recording and peacefully documenting the actions of ICE agents that have been unconstitutional and unlawful have all been right all along. ICE has no authority to arrest anyone for exercising their First Amendment. And the fact that it has been because they've been thick skinned, thin skinned, I should say, by the whistles or the horns or, you know, what they might consider insults that their own legal team had to say, you know, the legal refresher is for you to be okay with those things. And now this district judge has affirmed that we Minnesotans have the right to peacefully protest the lawful actions that we are seeing by these federal agents.
- [23:35]
Jen Psaki
It's a piece of good news in several days of really challenging circumstances on the ground there. Also, as I know you saw, I'm sure you saw, of course, this investigation launched into Mayor Fry and Governor Walz. What do you make of that? And do you worry you are no stranger to political targeting? Do you worry that you could be the next target of one of these bogus investigations? You think about that?
- [24:01]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
Well, we in Minnesota are very proud of the fact that we have rejected Trump as the president in all of the three times he's been on the ballot. And he is very angry about that. That is why he has promised to attack us, to send his goons to our cities to terrorize us and now go after our leaders that are protecting the rights of residents in Minnesota. I know that Minnesotans are strong. We are resilient. We know that the Constitution is on our side. And the lawful actions and the intimidation that is coming from this lawless administration is not going to stop us from knowing that we have the Constitution on our side.
- [24:54]
Jen Psaki
I played part of your what you said at the hearing today. We started the show by playing part of what others have said at the hearing. Tell us more about the stories you heard at the hearing. We've been trying to tell as many stories as we can, but we only know what we know from video and from excellent reporting. So what did you hear today at that hearing and what was it like? Share that with our viewers.
- [25:16]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
Well, one, I want to thank my incredible colleagues, 28 of them who came from 18 states across the country, who came to hear from our constituents to understand what this occupation by federal law enforcement has meant for our state. It was a beautiful and heartbreaking testimony where we heard from two American citizens who were detained first, handcuffed, shoved into ICE, unmarked cars, detained in Whibley Federal Building, and then shackled by the ankles and left there for hours without any medical attention. We also Heard from advocates who described the level of terror people are experiencing not just in Minneapolis and St. Paul, but throughout the the state where they're being detained, where they're being asked for papers, where they're being stopped as they try to go to work. We heard about this little boy, six months old, whose family's car was tear gassed, who is hospitalized. We've heard testimony from ucla, who is filing a lawsuit in defending the constitutional and civil liberties of the residents of Minneapolis. We also heard from the mayor of St. Paul, the mayor of Minneapolis, and our incredible Attorney General, Keith Ellison, who all described the ways in which law enforcement, local and state, are being impeded in the work that they have worked so hard to accomplish. People enforcement being afraid to be able to utilize their unmarked cars. Law enforcement seeing cars that are left on without a person driving, cars that have now become to be known, common in being abandoned at gas stations where their occupants have been disappeared. Calls for help in, you know, what supposedly might be a kidnapping case. And, you know, I will tell you, Jen, my biggest fear is that when the dust settles, because we know that many of our community members are being disappeared by masked members, is that some of these things might actually turn out to be real kidnappings. And we know law enforcement always says the first 48 hours are crucial, and so some of these cases may never be solved. And it is heartbreaking.
- [28:06]
Jen Psaki
It is so chilling to hear about this and so important for people to hear. Let me ask you, I mean, just last night we were talking about the president threatening to invoke the Insurrection act in Minneapolis. And since then, he seems to have walked it back, I guess you could say to me, and maybe I'm looking for signs of hope here, it feels like it's a sign that the pushback is working. But how do you see it and how do the people of Minnesota keep the pressure up to get ICE out? I know how strong they are, but how did they keep it up?
- [28:43]
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
I mean, this, we've always said, was a testing ground. They thought that, you know, they could intimidate Minnesotans, that we would react with riots, burn down our city, and that he would have the license to invoke the Insurrection act, send the mobilize the military against U.S. citizens. And we have shown up with compassion, with care, with real resilience, with understanding of our constitutional rights, and, you know, what the rights and the wrongs are. And we've shown the country what real resistance looks like. And he knows that ICE is losing ground in popularity in the unlawful actions that they are carrying out. And the American people are on our side because no one has signed up for American citizens to be brutalized in the way Minnesotans have been.
- [29:40]
Jen Psaki
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, thank you for being here. I really appreciate you sharing all the stories that you heard today as well. Thank you again. Thank you. Coming up, we are all staying. We're staying on this. Breaking news tonight out of Minneapolis and the Trump Justice Department. A lot to continue to dig into and cover. Congressman Ro Khanna joins me here at the table when we come back.
- [30:06]
Angie Hicks
Hi, I'm Angie Hicks, co founder of angie. One thing I've learned is that you buy a house, but you make it a home. And for decades, Angie's helped millions of homeowners hire skilled pros for the projects that matter. Get all your jobs done well@angie.com Bubba.
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Jen Psaki
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- [31:25]
Jen Psaki
Tonight. We are continuing to digest the news that Donald Trump's Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Minnesota Governor Tim Walls and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry over claims they obstructed federal agents. Basically, they have opened an investigation because Trump doesn't like that they are criticizing him. That is what's happening, everyone, just to state it very clearly. Joining me now is Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He's a member of the House Oversight Committee. I was just saying to you during the break, and we'll get to a lot of this, that earlier in the day we were like, we're gonna talk to you about all sorts of things. And now there's just all this news that dumped in this evening. Let me just start by asking you, when you saw the news that Governor Walz and Mayor Fry of Minneapolis were going to be investigated, this is a week where also Senator Alyssa Slotkin, Congressman Jason Crow are also being investigated, what do you make of this? As you look at the totality of.
- [32:18]
Congressman Ro Khanna
This, you know, we're laughing at the silliness, but it's dangerous.
- [32:22]
Jen Psaki
Yes. I don't mean to be laughing, to be clear. It is dangerous. Yeah.
- [32:26]
Congressman Ro Khanna
All Tim Wolf said, Governor Wolf said is let's de escalate. Let's figure out how you don't have ICE deployed in Minnesota, where, by the way, a tenth of the entire agency is in Minnesota.
- [32:38]
Jen Psaki
Yeah.
- [32:39]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Even though they have only 1% of those who are undocumented. And he's saying let's de escalate. And Donald Trump is saying, I'm going to open criminal investigations. Basically, he's opening criminal investigations against his political opponents who are criticizing him. And that's what happens in authoritarian countries. And I'm not one to use words like that. I'm usually very careful. But going after your political opponents criminally is exactly what authoritarian governments do.
- [33:07]
Jen Psaki
One of the questions, I mean, you and many of your colleagues have been very aggressive, and you're not in control of the House. Right. You don't control committees, and that has not stopped you from being aggressive. One of the questions I have, and a lot of people ask me, is what happens if you take control of the House. Are you gonna remember, like, do you have a list somewhere of Gregory Bevino and Tom Homan and all of these people? And are you gonna is holding them to account at the top of your priority list?
- [33:36]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Absolutely. It's gonna be accountability and people who are not complying with the Epstein law, people who cut US Aid and had people die in Africa, people who have threatened universities, people who are arresting American citizens or shooting American citizens without due process. All of them are going to be investigated and hauled before Congress. Look, I am for bringing this country together and reconciliation. But you're not going to have reconciliation without accountability. And my colleagues in the Democratic House share that. These committees are going to be active. They're going to be seeking justice.
- [34:10]
Jen Psaki
There's a long way to go before November, to be clear, for everybody watching. And a lot of things that need to happen, I mean, Cook Political Report, who's a pretty good gauge, just flipped about 18 seats this week.
- [34:20]
Congressman Ro Khanna
That was a big deal.
- [34:20]
Jen Psaki
That was a big deal. Not Insignificant. I just started the show by talking about a lot of things, but including some of the polling we've seen, it feels a little bit like the horrors of what we've seen in Minneapolis and how people are digesting it out there. Thanks to excellent local reporting, excellent national reporting, incredible citizens who are proudly holding up their cameras and sharing video is a bit of a turning point on this issue. But how do you, I don't want to be, you know, jump. Be too rosy. How do you see is a turning point?
- [34:51]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Because look, Americans wanted a secure border, but people are fair. And they don't want ICE agents out there shooting and killing Americans. They don't want ICE agents going through Americans cars, pulling out, someone disabled, going to a doctor's office and detaining her. They don't want people knocking on doors of immigrants who are paying taxes. And they're just saying what is going on. There is something that is fundamentally snapped in the Trump administration where people are seeing that he's violating freedoms, he's violating constitutional rights.
- [35:23]
Jen Psaki
One of the topics that I feel like there's just there should be more time and attention paid to, and you've really been trying to focus on is of course, the Epstein files. And we try to talk about it a lot, too. We ended the show the other night by giving a counting clock of how many days it's been since they've released the documents. They're violating the law here. Just to repeat to everybody, you and Republican Thomas Massie, who knew this was gonna be your partner in governing for a while, have called for a special master to be appointed to compel the DOJs to release the full Epstein files. I guess, what is your level of confidence that can be done and what other steps could you take? What else is in your pocket as you're working with him on what could be done here?
- [36:05]
Congressman Ro Khanna
Well, first of all, Jen, this is broken throw, right? You have a factory worker in Michigan confronting the president and what does he say you're protecting pedophiles.
- [36:12]
Jen Psaki
Pedophile protector.
- [36:14]
Congressman Ro Khanna
And this is why it's gotten under President Trump's skin, cuz he knows it's broken through with his own MAGA base. Pam Bondi, when you talk to the Republican colleagues, almost no one has confidence in her. And today she just filed with the Southern District of New York, groveling, saying, we're releasing them, Judge, we're releasing them. Please give us some more time. I'm hearing that on the 20th we're going to get more documents released. But the judge has been terrific. He is filled with integrity. Judge Engelmayr, he's ordered the Department of Justice to discuss why they're not having the documents, what documents they're going to produce. He's considering having a special master. I do believe we're going to get the files, but it's going to be a fight. And unfortunately, it shouldn't be a fight with the law. The law is very clear. But it's gonna be a fight. And by the way, let me say this, they're distracting with the Clintons. No one should buy that the President Clinton has called for the release of these Epstein files. Hillary Clinton has called for the release of the Epstein files. There's one person, there's one person who has that power, Pam Bondi. And the distractions aren't going to work and they shouldn't.
- [37:15]
Jen Psaki
And there are so many incredible survivors out there who've been waiting for so long. I know that you've been fighting for too. Congressman Rukhanna, thank you for being here. Okay. Coming up, it is never hard to tell when a regime is living in fear of a popular uprising by its people. And my next guest no. Know that better than anyone. We're back after a quick break. The protests we have seen in Iran over the last few weeks are a reminder to everyone that the fight for freedom is a very global one. Millions of people have taken to the streets to protest the oppression of Iran's regime. And over the last few weeks, the regime has killed thousands of protesters and silenced dissent by shutting down communications inside the country. What's happening in the United States is obviously not the same. We remain a democracy as long as we can keep it. We have a free press as long as we keep demanding it. And people in this country have the right to peacefully protest this ruling. Tonight is a reminder of that. But some of the tactics the Iranian regime has used, the obsession with silencing people, government agencies putting out information that is patently untrue, doing everything possible to cut off access to accurate information. Those tactics, they strike a chord for me. I mean, they strike a chord in a heartbreaking moment like this. And as I was thinking about this week, in this moment, there were two people whose viewpoints felt uniquely helpful here and insightful because 10 years ago today, today Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian was released from Evan prison after 544 days of being jailed by the Iranian regime. His wife Yegi was also jailed alongside him and spent months advocating for her husband after her early release. And both Jason and Yegi Rezion join me here now. And I have, I'll just say I remember that day so well. I remember the first time I met both of you and you continue to inspire, inspire so many of us, including myself. So it's just a pleasure to be sitting here with you. Jason, I was struck you wrote this Washington Post piece this week and we'll share it with people who follow us as well, where you talked about after everything you've been through and today's the anniversary of what you have been through, wishing you could be in Iran to witness what is happening and really expressing this hope that you may be able to go back there one day. And that is so incredible to hear. But tell us why you feel that way and why you think that.
- [39:50]
Jason Rezaian
Jen, this is a very bittersweet moment for us. Every year on the 17th of January we celebrate the fact that we got our freedom back at the same time. It was a moment of huge loss, loss for me personally for the place where I chose to work and live and fell in love with, but more for Yegi. She's a person of that place and like so many of her compatriots, she was really jettisoned and thrown into exile simply for her desire to live a freer and more open life and for marrying an American. Right. It was a very heartbreaking thing for me and continues to be that she can't go back. This week was the first time I thought to myself we might be able to go back someday and I don't think it'll be any day soon. But the fissures with inside this regime are clear. The demands of the people in Iran are incredibly clear. And I just have to put my faith in their resilience, bravery and commitment to the destiny that they've been driving towards for years and believe that that day will come.
- [41:06]
Jen Psaki
Yegi, I had the pleasure of getting to know you a little bit over the last several years and I know you still have family there, you still have friends there. As Jason said, those, many of those are your people. And I just wonder what it has been like for the past couple of weeks as you're watching protesters killed, as communications is cut off, as information isn't even available for you and how your family and friends are doing now.
- [41:33]
Yegi Rezaian
Well, Jen, thank you first of all for having us. It's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking to see the bloodshed that civilians empty handed came to the streets just because they wanted to be heard. And then their peaceful protests was met by violence and brutality and live ammunition. Many, many have been killed. I Think many, many have been arrested. It will take years and years to know the exact numbers and the exact reality of what has happened on the ground, unfortunately. And this cutting off all kinds of communications, ways of Internet and even people's cell phones lines and texting, unfortunately, is not a new tactic. The government has been doing that at least for the past 10 years. There were ongoing protests since 2017 that I left the country. 2018, 2019. In 2020, many were dying due to their mismanagement of COVID And I'm sure you very clearly remember 2022 and the woman life freedom movement. This is not a sudden, was not a sudden protest. And just because people are dissatisfied over one particular issue, such as economy, this has been ongoing. People are really tired to their bones by this regime.
- [43:23]
Jen Psaki
I can't even imagine, as I just said in the introduction here, obviously what's happening here is very different. But there are tactics. And you made this point too, Jason, I think it's fair to say, or you tell me there are tactics. I mean, the silencing that we're seeing, that we see happen in regimes like what the Iranian regime is doing in Iran, we're seeing versions of that here. We're seeing in Minneapolis force being used. We're seeing oppression of journalists and the freedom of press. How are you digesting what's happening in the country that you now are living with your wife, with your son you're raising, and how it compares to what you see in oppressive regimes?
- [44:05]
Jason Rezaian
Let me tell you this, Chan. I am a product of the United States of America, born in the bicentennial year. I'll be 50 in a few weeks.
- [44:11]
Jen Psaki
Yeah.
- [44:13]
Jason Rezaian
The America that I see right now, I was telling Yegi earlier today, when I see the images coming out of Minnesota, I have to kind of do a double take because at first I think I'm looking at images from Iran. You know, I have to read the bottom of the screen to know what I'm looking at. And this is not the America that you and I grew up in.
- [44:36]
Jen Psaki
Yeah.
- [44:37]
Jason Rezaian
I hope that just like the Islamic Republic of Iran, it's a blip in the long history of that country and that the scenes that we're experiencing right now are a blip. But to your point, we still have democracy in this country. We still have freedom of expression. And I, as someone who has lost those rights and regained them, have a sort of special attachment to those things now. And I hope that all of your viewers and everybody across this great country feels the same way.
- [45:08]
Jen Psaki
Jason Yeagy, thank you for being here. And we're so grateful that you've been out for 10 years and you're able to use your voice in that time. We'll be right back. That does it for me tonight.
- [45:23]
Angie Hicks
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