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The Administration's Response

If there is one thing this administration does on pure instinct, it is attempting to bury things that are adverse to its interests (see, e.g., insurrection, 1/6). This does not mean that the administration is particularly good at this (beyond the fact that the MAGA cultists will believe whatever they are told to believe). But it certainly is the instinctive response of Donald Trump, and of those who surround him.

It would not be too far wrong to say that the cover-up of the shooting began almost instantaneously. When a person has been shot, the first thing that is wanted is medical assistance, right? Well, when a physician who happened to be on-site attempted to help, he was rebuffed, and told by ICE officers that "We have our own medics." However, no "ICE medics" were seen by bystanders, and there is no record of ICE having any sort of medical staffing.

When ambulances arrived on the scene, they were temporarily blocked by ICE personnel and vehicles. Eventually, something like 15 minutes after the shooting, firefighters were able to remove victim Renee Good from her vehicle, and shortly thereafter paramedics were able to begin treatment. Good's life was not saved, of course, and probably could not have been saved, even with immediate intervention. However, what plausible explanation is there for keeping anyone (even a physician who was able to identify himself) from trying to render treatment as rapidly as is possible? We can only think of two answers to that question. The first, which is rather dark, is that ICE wanted time to somehow "sanitize" the scene, and to remove problematic evidence. The second, which is even darker, is that they believed Good might be able to survive, and a living victim was something they did not want, under any circumstances.

The cover-up continued thereafter. Initially, the investigation of the shooting was going to be a joint effort by the federal government and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). However, the FBI promptly declared that it would handle the matter on its own, and that no information whatsoever would be shared with the BCA. This decision was apparently the handiwork of United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel Rosen, who is yet another Trumpy U.S. Attorney with zero experience as a prosecutor (Rosen's specialty is eminent domain).

With Rosen, and FBI Director Kash Patel, calling the shots, one cannot seriously believe that there will EVER be a finding adverse to ICE, or to the officer responsible for the shooting. Either the FBI investigation will whitewash the whole thing, or else will make sure that the report never sees the light of day. Heck, just ask the same basic question we raise in the above paragraph: What purpose can it serve to freeze out BCA? The only answer we can think of is: To have total control over the narrative. That said, Donald Trump DID provide an alternate answer to that question. He claims it is because Gov. Tim Walz (DFL-MN) is "a stupid person." Uh, huh.