Noem Refuses to Apologize for Linking Renee Good and Alex Pretti to Domestic Terrorism

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified on Capitol Hill Tuesday. She was grilled about the killings by federal agents of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, but she refused to apologize for linking them to domestic terrorism. She was questioned by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. Sen. Dick Durbin: “Can you explain why you decided to brand these victims, that we all saw on video, who were out protesting the activities of your agency and were killed as a result of it — how did you think that calling them domestic terrorists at that scene was somehow going to calm the situation?” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: “You know, Senator, we are working in those situations where there’s a tragic loss of life and that there is something that our agents are involved in that we continue to deliver information” — Sen. Dick Durbin: “Is it so hard to say you were wrong?” Senator Amy Klobuchar questioned Noem about armed, masked agents in St. Paul, Minnesota, battering down the door of a home of a U.S. citizen from Laos — even though the agents didn’t have a warrant. Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “Do you agree that it is unacceptable for your agents to ram into someone’s door and drag someone out in their underwear in below-zero temperatures when they have the wrong guy?” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: “Our officers conduct targeted operations and utilize the law processes that are given to them and the tools” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “You will not answer that you think that’s wrong?” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem: “They needed to identify that individual. And that individual” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar: “They couldn’t identify him by looking at his identification? Instead, they had to drag him out, throw him in a car and drive him around for an hour?”