Politics
WATCH: Walz Doubles Down On ‘Civil War’ Claim, Likens Minneapolis Chaos To Battle Of Gettysburg
While speaking at a press conference on the ongoing unrest in Minneapolis on Thursday — which erupted after a federal immigration officer shot a woman who was attempting to run him over — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz once again claimed that his administration is “at war” with the federal government, this time likening the chaos to the Battle of Gettysburg.
Walz first made a number of inflammatory comments during yesterday’s press conference, where he suggested that Minnesota National Guard personnel would be deployed against the federal government. Such a move would likely spark a constitutional crisis, as the chief executive can deputize a state National Guard for a number of purposes, including quelling unrest.
“Well, I said this yesterday, we’ve never been at war with our federal government,” Walz said. “I think in this case, the National Guard is their main mission. They have a dual mission.”
The comments came hours after a 37-year-old woman was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer during a large scale enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. Footage of the incident shows the woman, identified as Renee Nicole Good, accelerating towards the officer before he was forced to open fire,
During Thursday’s press conference, Walz drew parallels to the involvement of Minnesota units in the American civil war.
“When things looked really bleak, it was Minnesota’s first that held that line for the nation. On that July 3rd, 1863. And I think now we may be in that moment,” Walz said, bizarrely comparing the unrest to the Battle of Gettysburg. “That the nation’s looking to us to hold the line on democracy.”
Immediately after the shooting, Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey recklessly claimed that there was no reasonable claim to self-defense for the agent. Frey rushed to a press conference about an hour after the shooting where he labeled self-defense claims as “bull****” and told ICE to “get the f*** out of Minneapolis.”
Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and countless other Democratic Party leaders have chimed in to claim they “saw the video” before accusing ICE of murder. Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan echoed this sentiment while speaking with CNN, adding that Minnesota could seek to bring state charges against the officer.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem definitively slapped down these threats at a press conference of her own Thursday, stating that the officer has immunity and will not be charged.
