Kristi Noem was cornered into admitting the ICE agent involved in the fatal shooting of Renee Good was being investigated per protocol.
The Department of Homeland Security Secretary was confronted by CBS News’ Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan about whether the agent Jonathan Ross’ conduct was being reviewed after the shooting in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
“We are following the exact same investigative and review process that we always have under ICE and under the Department of Homeland Security and within the administration. The exact same policy that the Biden administration used,” Noem said during the interview Sunday.
Brennan interruped: “So his actions are being reviewed?”
Noem ignored the cut-in and continued: “We haven’t changed any of that.”
She then rejected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s accusation that Ross was the “only person not being investigated for the shooting of Renee Good.”
“I would not listen to Governor Walz. He has a very bad track record,” Noem said.
Earlier in the conversation, Noem had been more reluctant to confirm whether Ross had been subject to the standard three days of administrative leave.
“Is he back at work? Did you give him his three days of suspension?” Brennan asked.
Noem was silent for a moment before responding: “We followed the exact same protocols that we always have for years as to investigations into these situations.”
Brennan, who had earlier noted that Ross was released from the hospital the same day as the shooting, asked again: “Three days of administrative leave?”
“I’m not going to talk about his medical records,” Noem said, before adding that her concern was for law enforcement officers to be able to work with the knowledge that “they can do so safely and that the media and people aren’t going to attack them for standing up for what’s right.”
Brennan asked Noem her question again, this time framing it around Walz, who claimed that Ross’ actions were not officially looked into.
Using Minnesota fraud concerns as a reason to dismiss Walz’s claim, Noem stated: “He certainly doesn’t have good judgment in these types of situations and I’m not going to be taking any advice from him in how we implement the law and protect people.”
The DHS head has repeatedly blamed “the liberals” for their treatment of Ross, and minutes after Good’s shooting—and before any potential investigation could have taken place—branded the mother of three a “domestic terrorist” and claimed that she had been trying to hit Ross with her car.
Video evidence disputes the Trump administration’s version of events.
