Walz’s ‘freedom’ message clashes with record on COVID school closures, indoor mask mandates
Democratic vice-presidential nominee for the 2024 election Gov. Tim Walz’s message celebrating individual freedom clashes with his track record during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minnesota governor offered sharp criticism of the Republican Party on Tuesday during his campaign debut at a rally in Philadelphia with Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Some of us are old enough to remember when it was Republicans who were talking about freedom,” Walz told the crowd. “It turns out now what they meant was the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office.”
He continued, “In Minnesota […] there’s a golden rule: mind your own damn business.”
Conservative activists have pushed back on Walz’s self-characterization, pointing to his track record on issues such as COVID-19 lockdowns, parental rights, and more.
“He should take some of his own advice, because during COVID not only did he lock down schools and mask children, he encouraged neighbors to snitch on each other if they were taking their kid to the playground,” said Tiffany Justice, Moms for Liberty co-founder.
Critics point to Walz’s memorandum mandating indoor masking during the coronavirus pandemic, which he enacted in 2020 and ended in 2021.
The Upper Midwest Law Center sued, calling the mandate unconstitutional, but an appellate court ultimately sided with Walz.
In 2020, Walz set up a COVID-19 hotline that allowed Minnesota residents to inform authorities about suspicions their neighbors may be violating lockdown measures.