Republicans throughout Minnesota are condemning DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison’s decision to pardon Tou Lue Vang, a convicted child sex offender. Vang, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is an illegal alien.
“Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison owe Minnesotans an explanation for why they thought it was acceptable to pardon a man convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl,” Rep. Harry Niska said in a statement.
According to DHS, Vang is a criminal illegal alien from Laos who first came to the United States in 1994. In 2006, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl. Last month, Vang was pardoned by the Minnesota Board of Pardons.
That three-person board is comprised of Walz, Ellison, and Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Natalie Hudson. The board voted unanimously to pardon Vang. According to multiple news outlets, the victim was supportive of the pardon and Vang was remorseful.
After Vang was pardoned, DHS released a statement that said Vang was issued a final order of removal after his conviction in 2006. The federal agency also said the pardon “could thwart” Vang’s removal from the country.
“Governor Tim Walz’s decision to pardon an illegal alien convicted child rapist so he can remain in our country is disgusting,” DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said. “These are the criminal illegal aliens he and his Minnesota sanctuary politicians are protecting.”
After news of the pardon broke, Minnesota Republicans issued strong condemnations.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lisa Demuth released a campaign statement which said she “condemns in the strongest manner possible the pardon of a convicted child rapist by Tim Walz and Keith Ellison.”
“Under my leadership, nobody who commits horrific abuses against children will be pardoned,” Demuth said. “Minnesota can’t afford four more years of Democrats’ soft on crime policies. Law and order returns when I’m governor.”
Another GOP candidate for governor, Kendall Qualls, slammed the pardon, saying it was “another example where the leadership of the Democrat socialist party is more concerned about illegal immigrants than they are about the average Minnesotan.”
U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said he was “sickened by the decision of Tim Walz to pardon the illegal alien who was convicted of sexually abusing a 10 year old little girl.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota Republican Party Chairman Alex Plechash called on U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar to make her thoughts known on the subject. Klobuchar is the presumptive DFL nominee for governor of Minnesota.
“Governor Walz made his choice,” Plechash said. “Now Senator Klobuchar needs to tell Minnesota parents whether she stands with victims and children, or with Tim Walz and the radical Democrats who continue to put criminals first.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
