On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “OutFront,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) defended people barging into a church in St. Paul as “First Amendment activity” and also said, “I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened. I can only tell you that the president is causing all of this.”
Host Erin Burnett asked, “I just want to start with that protest at the church in St. Paul, which is now getting so much coverage. And, of course, now, the DOJ, you heard Todd Blanche just speaking out moments ago about it, the Deputy Attorney General, do you think the DOJ has any case against any of the protesters there?”
Ellison answered, “Well, we live in the age wherein people like Jerome Powell are under investigation, Tish James, James Comey, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Sen. [Elissa] Slotkin (D-MI), the list goes on and on. Under this DOJ, wrongdoing has nothing to do with whether they’re going to focus [on] or investigate you. So, I wish — in a normal time, I would say, no, I’d say this is First Amendment activity, in a time like this, it’s just really difficult to say, because…only one thing is clear, if Trump likes you, you can do no wrong. If he doesn’t, he’s going to use every weapon he can against you, including our criminal justice system.”
He added, “This situation is 100% because of Operation Metro Surge. This escalation, unjustified, irrational, [un]constitutional is why this is happening. I urge all people to obey the law, to try to do everything they can to not be provoked. But the reality, he’s trying to provoke us. And I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened. I can only tell you that the president is causing all of this.”
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