Minnesota GOP lawmakers call on Walz to resign after he drops re-election bid
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Minnesota’s Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced Monday that he is canceling his re-election campaign for another term because of the state’s massive fraud scandal, but Republican lawmakers in Minnesota are calling the move a futile move.
Minnesota State Senator Mark Koran said in a statement to Fox News Digital after Walz’s retirement, “Do not confuse Governor Walz’s retirement with responsibility.” Monday announcement.
“This is an attempt to avoid that. Republicans will continue to blame ALL elected Democrats for the fraud mess in Minnesota, spend every dollar of the $18 billion surplus, and raise taxes by $10 billion.”
Walz’s responsibility, some Republican lawmakers say, includes him resigning as governor, and most agree. was called in recent months.
Critics Warn MINNESOTA LAW NOW IN EFFECT IS PREPARING THE ‘NEXT BILLION DOLLAR FRAUD’
GOP lawmakers in Minnesota are not giving up their calls for his resignation, even though he announced Monday that he is dropping his reelection bid. (Getty Images)
“The governor is taking the easy way out, but that’s not good enough,” State Sen. Michael Holmstrom said in a statement. “Minnesotans deserve and demand an IMMEDIATE resignation.”
“Governor Walz couldn’t stand the heat of FRAUD, so he’s coming out of the kitchen, but I will continue to hold ALL Democrats responsible for Minnesota’s fraud mess, distribute the entire $18 billion surplus, raise taxes by $10 billion, and make life less affordable for all Minnesotans while rejecting Republican efforts to stop fraud. I will continue to expose these failures and hold Democrats accountable for what they did to Minnesotans.”
Walz launches bid for third four-year term Governor of Minnesota In September, but in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has faced a barrage of political fire from Republicans and some Democrats over large-scale theft in a state that has long prided itself on good governance.
HOW DID THE FEAR OF BEING LABLED ‘RACIST’ HELPED ‘BROKE UP’ THE FRAUD SCANDAL THAT BREAK UP IN MINNESOTA?
The sun is shining on the Minnesota State Capitol. (Steve Karnowski/Associated Press)
More than 90 people, mostly from Minnesota’s large Somali community, have been charged in what has been described as the nation’s largest Covid-era scheme since 2022. It still tabulates how much money was stolen through money laundering operations involving fraudulent food and housing programs, daycares and Medicaid services. But the U.S. attorney in Minnesota said the scope of the fraud could exceed $1 billion. It will rise up to 9 billion dollars.
GOP state Sen. Rich Draheim accused Walz of “putting the blame on others” and “blaming Republicans for his failures” with his “retirement” announcement.
Minnesota Republican state Sen. Andrew Lang echoed his state party’s message in a statement concluding that “retirement does not mean responsibility.”
“He’s the one trying to clean his hands of the fraud mess. But ALL elected Democrats own it. They fought against Republican efforts to stop the fraud, failed to hold Walz’s agencies accountable, and allowed Minnesotans’ tax dollars to be sucked away by fraudsters.”
Walz met with Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota on Sunday to discuss his decision to drop his re-election bid, a source familiar confirmed to Fox News’ Alexis McAdams.
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Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. (Bloomberg/Getty)
News of the meeting came amid speculation that Klobuchar, a former Hennepin County attorney who was elected and re-elected to the U.S. Senate four times, may now run to replace Walz.
“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want Tim Walz to be our governor,” Minnesota Republican state Senator Andrew Mathews said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “But instead of switching Democratic gubernatorial candidates, I want to FIX the damage Governor Walz has done: He missed an $18 billion surplus, He raised taxes by $10 billion, He oversaw one of the largest fraud scandals in the country, He ran Minnesota for months chasing a failed VP bid, Now he has decided to leave office.”
“That’s not responsibility. It’s avoiding it.
Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
