Prof. Amy Sweasy ’95 Interviewed by Star Tribune About Issuing Summonses in Metro Surge Church Demonstration Investigation

Professor Amy Sweasy ’95 was interviewed by the Minnesota Star Tribune about the federal government’s investigative methods stemming from the demonstration at Cities Church in St. Paul during Operation Metro Surge. Legal scholars say it is a part of a broader trend by the Trump administration to test the bounds of law enforcement and investigative norms by bringing cases against those the president deems political enemies. And they question whether such prosecutions will ultimately fall apart. Attorneys for the church demonstrators took aim at the Department of Homeland Security’s use of administrative summonses, after charges against the demonstrators were made, in order to obtain information about phone records, airlines, rental cars, and social media. Prof. Sweasy said it is unusual for investigators to issue summonses after charges are filed. She said, “A prosecutor wants, generally, as much information as possible before she issues a criminal complaint and wants to present as much information as possible to a grand jury before you ask for an indictment.” She said there are occasional exceptions to that, but for the crimes alleged in the church protest case, she said those exceptions are not apparent.