Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is facing a new accusation of misrepresenting his background after a Nebraska Chamber of Commerce letter from 2006 resurfaced during his campaign for vice president. Walz had previously claimed on his campaign website that he received an award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce in 1993 for his work with the business community. However, it was revealed that he never received such an award, as confirmed in a letter from the president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Barry L. Kennedy. The letter requested that Walz remove any reference to their organization, as it could be seen as an endorsement of his candidacy. The controversy surrounding this issue gained traction in 2006 and was recently brought to light by a Minnesota outlet, Alpha News.
The Post Bulletin reported in 2006 that Walz’s campaign updated its website to clarify that he did not win a Nebraska Chamber of Commerce award, but instead had won an award from the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce, known as the Jaycees. The campaign manager at the time dismissed the situation as a “typographical error.” Responding to the recent controversy, the Harris-Walz campaign stated that Walz speaks openly and off the cuff, claiming that the American people appreciate his candid communication style. This accusation is just the latest in a series of claims that Walz has misrepresented himself and his history, including allegations from veterans regarding his military career.
Walz served 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring in 2005 and launching a successful congressional campaign. He served in the U.S. House representing Minnesota from 2007 to 2019. Following his selection as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Walz has faced criticism from veterans who accuse him of misrepresenting his military service. Specifically, there have been claims that Walz falsely identified himself as a retired “Command Sergeant Major.” While Walz was promoted to that rank, he did not complete the necessary coursework to retain it in retirement and instead retired as a master sergeant.
The accusations against Walz have prompted backlash from veterans and military personnel, with some calling his actions blatant lies. The battalion commander of Walz’s former Minnesota Army National Guard unit took to social media to denounce the governor’s portrayal of himself as a “retired Command Sergeant Major.” The commander stated that Walz did not earn the rank or successfully complete any assignment as an E9, and that it is disrespectful to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps for him to continue using that title. The Harris campaign initially promoted the “retired Command Sergeant Major” rank for Walz, but later updated his biography to reflect that he “served as a command sergeant major.”
The controversy surrounding Walz’s misrepresentations continues to grow, with critics calling for him to be honest about his military record. Republican Senate candidate Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain, accused Walz of deploying false claims about his military service, such as deployment to Iraq and retirement as a Command Sergeant Major. The campaign for the 2024 election is heating up, with accusations and controversy surrounding political candidates like Walz and the need for transparency and truthfulness in their representations of themselves and their backgrounds.
