Simon, whose office oversees the state’s elections and voter processes, called the attorney general’s request to access citizens’ private data “outrageous.”
MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon released a statement Sunday saying the federal government told state officials in a letter that it would “bring an end to chaos in Minnesota” if they abide by three of its requests, including giving it access to Minnesota’s voter information.
According to Simon’s office, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent the letter to Gov. Tim Walz on Saturday, the same day 37-year-old Alex Pretti became the second U.S. citizen to be shot and killed in Minneapolis by federal officers. Renee Good, also 37, was killed earlier this month.
Simon, whose office oversees the state’s elections and voter processes, called the attorney general’s request to access citizens’ private data “outrageous.”
“The answer to Attorney General Bondi’s request is no,” Simon wrote.
“Her letter is an outrageous attempt to coerce Minnesota into giving the federal government private data on millions of U.S. Citizens in violation of state and federal law. This comes after repeated and failed attempts by the DOJ to pressure my office into providing the same data.”
The letter, also acknowledged by Walz in a press conference Sunday morning, requested to allow the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice to access Minnesota’s voter rolls. Bondi also requested the state hand over its records regarding Medicaid and Food and Nutrition Service programs, in addition to repealing its “sanctuary policies.”