Democrat Meltdown: Walz Torches, Then Praises Prosecutor Amid Scandal Storm

Paul Riverbank, 1/15/2026Governor Walz’s dramatic flip-flop spotlights scandals, resignations, and intensifying state-versus-federal power struggles.

Look a bit deeper, and it’s not only the governor feeling the squeeze. The spotlight turned harsh on Joe Thompson—the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota. Thompson wasn’t just another face in the crowd; as the deputy chief in the region’s federal prosecutor’s office, he had his fingerprints all over key fraud investigations in the state. But things went sideways when news broke that he and several DOJ colleagues had turned in their resignations after an ICE agent’s shooting in Minneapolis. The Department of Justice tried to douse the fire with a statement: apparently, “three people applied for early retirement the day before the shooting,” while a fourth was already heading out the door weeks earlier. This didn’t exactly clear things up—more like stirring mud in already cloudy water.

Governor Walz, on January 6, didn’t mince words. Looking straight at the cameras, referring to Thompson, he declared, “You saw a US attorney stand up, which has been released by ... would have been let go by any other administration speculating about things with no factual information.” He tacked on: “That’s defamation, and that’s coming from the U.S. attorney. We are under assault like no other time in our state’s history.” His tone was pointed, verging on angry.

Fast forward a week. A noticeably different Walz surfaced, this time singing Thompson’s praises on social media. “Joe is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state. It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants.” It was whiplash for anyone paying close attention.

The internet didn’t need long to pounce. Critics lined up with snapshots of Walz's back-and-forth. One commenter had it nailed: “Walz accused Joe Thompson of defamation last week and called for him to be fired because of the work Thompson had done in uncovering the massive amounts of fraud going on in Walz’s Minnesota.” Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, never one to miss an opportunity, piled on: “Look at what he said about the same guy a week ago.”

So, is Joe Thompson the dedicated public servant Walz is suddenly lauding, or was he the rogue official the governor wanted out? The switch seems political, timed right as Walz faces mounting pressure, and eyes are scanning for someone to blame as the administration’s troubles deepen. Many see it as a naked attempt to recast the players—to saddle Trump with the ousting of career DOJ folks, and to paint Thompson as a casualty of the current national climate.

But the battles between federal and state power aren’t isolated to Minnesota. Look toward Illinois, where Governor JB Pritzker and the state’s Democrats recently celebrated a Supreme Court ruling that blocked Trump’s attempt to send the National Guard in for immigration enforcement. The DOJ has now hinted at possible settlement talks. “As a matter of law,” Illinois lawyers argued, the Supreme Court decision has more or less closed the door on the idea that a president can federalize and deploy the Guard in Illinois just by executive fiat. The justices wrote: “the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.” For now, Guard units are cooling their heels at Fort Bragg.

Back in Minnesota, the standoff mirrors Illinois in its own way. A judge there shut down the request to halt ICE operations, saying the facts weren’t solid enough yet, and the state’s lawsuit against Homeland Security trundles on. Both Minnesota and federal officials have to file responses soon. The air is thick with legal posturing.

Take a step back and the pattern emerges: Line after line, state versus federal. Investigations, resignations, courtroom showdowns—it’s a messy business, all on public display. For Minnesotans, folks in Illinois, and plenty of others across the country, the take-home is that the push-pull between governance and politics isn’t letting up anytime soon. Trying to tell the difference between sincere leadership and artful spin? That’s getting tougher, not easier.

If you blinked, you might have missed the storm that swept Minnesota politics at the start of January. Governor Tim Walz, who’s no stranger to drama, found himself at the center of it—a fraud scandal exploded on his watch, and that was just the first domino. Pretty soon after, Walz did what few expected: he yanked the plug on his own reelection campaign, almost overnight. That caught a lot of people off guard, especially as federal investigators from the Justice Department started sizing up his administration, and Congress wasted little time summoning him to testify.Look a bit deeper, and it’s not only the governor feeling the squeeze. The spotlight turned harsh on Joe Thompson—the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota. Thompson wasn’t just another face in the crowd; as the deputy chief in the region’s federal prosecutor’s office, he had his fingerprints all over key fraud investigations in the state. But things went sideways when news broke that he and several DOJ colleagues had turned in their resignations after an ICE agent’s shooting in Minneapolis. The Department of Justice tried to douse the fire with a statement: apparently, “three people applied for early retirement the day before the shooting,” while a fourth was already heading out the door weeks earlier. This didn’t exactly clear things up—more like stirring mud in already cloudy water.Governor Walz, on January 6, didn’t mince words. Looking straight at the cameras, referring to Thompson, he declared, “You saw a US attorney stand up, which has been released by ... would have been let go by any other administration speculating about things with no factual information.” He tacked on: “That’s defamation, and that’s coming from the U.S. attorney. We are under assault like no other time in our state’s history.” His tone was pointed, verging on angry.Fast forward a week. A noticeably different Walz surfaced, this time singing Thompson’s praises on social media. “Joe is a principled public servant who spent more than a decade achieving justice for Minnesotans. This is a huge loss for our state. It’s also the latest sign Trump is pushing nonpartisan career professionals out of the justice department, replacing them with his sycophants.” It was whiplash for anyone paying close attention.The internet didn’t need long to pounce. Critics lined up with snapshots of Walz's back-and-forth. One commenter had it nailed: “Walz accused Joe Thompson of defamation last week and called for him to be fired because of the work Thompson had done in uncovering the massive amounts of fraud going on in Walz’s Minnesota.” Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, never one to miss an opportunity, piled on: “Look at what he said about the same guy a week ago.”So, is Joe Thompson the dedicated public servant Walz is suddenly lauding, or was he the rogue official the governor wanted out? The switch seems political, timed right as Walz faces mounting pressure, and eyes are scanning for someone to blame as the administration’s troubles deepen. Many see it as a naked attempt to recast the players—to saddle Trump with the ousting of career DOJ folks, and to paint Thompson as a casualty of the current national climate.But the battles between federal and state power aren’t isolated to Minnesota. Look toward Illinois, where Governor JB Pritzker and the state’s Democrats recently celebrated a Supreme Court ruling that blocked Trump’s attempt to send the National Guard in for immigration enforcement. The DOJ has now hinted at possible settlement talks. “As a matter of law,” Illinois lawyers argued, the Supreme Court decision has more or less closed the door on the idea that a president can federalize and deploy the Guard in Illinois just by executive fiat. The justices wrote: “the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois.” For now, Guard units are cooling their heels at Fort Bragg.Back in Minnesota, the standoff mirrors Illinois in its own way. A judge there shut down the request to halt ICE operations, saying the facts weren’t solid enough yet, and the state’s lawsuit against Homeland Security trundles on. Both Minnesota and federal officials have to file responses soon. The air is thick with legal posturing.Take a step back and the pattern emerges: Line after line, state versus federal. Investigations, resignations, courtroom showdowns—it’s a messy business, all on public display. For Minnesotans, folks in Illinois, and plenty of others across the country, the take-home is that the push-pull between governance and politics isn’t letting up anytime soon. Trying to tell the difference between sincere leadership and artful spin? That’s getting tougher, not easier.