Weekend Quotables
NRA suddenly forgets the 2nd Amendment.
Critical voices, including Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez and Keith Olbermann, had publicly urged Walz or Senate Democrats to “activate the National Guard” to stop ICE or even “arrest the ICE agents.” But under U.S. law, a governor cannot direct the National Guard to confront, detain, or arrest federal agents acting under the cover of federal authority, even if those agents are causing chaos, using excessive force, or creating a public‑safety crisis. If they did, President Trump could instantly place the Minnesota Guard under federal command, nullifying Walz’s orders.
Only State and local police can legally investigate and charge ICE agents for crimes committed outside the scope of their duties, and there’s no evidence that the MPD is willing or able.
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Governor Tim Walz has activated the National Guard. Once the shooting of Alex Pretti occurred, Walz’s posture shifted from readiness to full activation and deployment. This activation is framed around public safety, crowd control, and stabilizing the city—not resisting ICE.
Walz issued the following statement in response to ICE’s execution-style shooting of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who treated veterans:
“The federal occupation of Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state. And today, that campaign claimed yet another life. As I told the White House in no uncertain terms this morning, the federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation. The state will handle it. Period.
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Just hours after federal agents shot and killed Pretti, Trump administration officials called him a “would-be assassin” and blamed Democrats for siding with “terrorists.” “A would-be assassin tried to murder federal law enforcement, and the official Democrat account sides with the terrorists,” deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller wrote on X Saturday.
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The NRA has forgotten all about the 2nd Amendment. Now they won’t say anything critical about big government gunning down legal gun owner, Alex Pretti, because doing so would require contradicting the hand that feeds them. Instead, they’re blaming Walz. Great irony here, especially because the NRA defended right-wing killer Kyle Rittenhouse. The National Rifle Association tweeted text from the Second Amendment, and the Gun Owners of America (GOA) called him a “warrior for gun owners.”
Pretti’s handgun was discovered only after he was taken to the ground: It was strapped to his back on his waist. His hands were on the ground. He did not appear to reach for the firearm. He was shot after he was disarmed: An agent removed Pretti’s gun. One of the officers yelled, “Gun!” Pretti was then shot to death by federal agent(s).
Weekend Quotables
AOC
“Americans are being killed in the street by their government. Our Constitution is being shredded, and our rights are dissolving. Resist,” she wrote. “Senate Dems should block ICE funding this week. Activate the National Guard. We can and must stop this.” — @AOC
Keith Olbermann
“Governor, you have the Minnesota National Guard troops. Deploy them. Arrest the ICE agents. Enforce the laws and defend your people against Trump’s Terrorists,” wrote Olbermann in response to Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz, Saturday. — @KeithOlbermann
The Pretti Family
“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand, and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed,” the family statement said. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.” — Statement
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
"We cannot allow Trump's militarized masked police force to continue to kill innocent people with impunity," Johnson wrote. "Chicago stands in solidarity with the people of Minneapolis confronting this tyranny. We need ICE and CBP out of our cities now." — Statement
MN Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar
Rep. Omar focused her anger on ICE, posting on social media: “This appears to be an execution by immigration enforcement. I am absolutely heartbroken, horrified, and appalled that federal agents murdered another member of our community.” — X
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara
“People have had enough. This is the third shooting in less than 3 weeks. The MPD went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn’t shoot anyone ... this is not sustainable.” — Face the Nation
I was glad to hear Chief O’Hara draw a line between MPD and the ICE killers. But he fails to mention the sordid, violent history of his own MPD and the killing of George Floyd. I guess he means to say, “you can’t pin this one on us.”
Greg Bovino (Col. Lockjaw)
We will never tell you which agents killed Alex Pretti— and they will keep working the streets. — Bovino’s on‑camera remarks to reporters
Jonathan Rauch at The Atlantic
