Two Minnesotans were in the spotlight Wednesday during a congressional hearing that investigated the “consequences of soft-on-crime policies.”
Jim Schultz, a former Republican nominee for Minnesota attorney general and current president of the Minnesota Private Business Council, was among the witnesses who testified before the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance.
His comments focused specifically on the record of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who was selected last month as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate on the Democratic ticket.
“Tim Walz’s record on crime has left Minnesota in crisis. During his tenure, the state has become a place where criminals run free, law enforcement is assailed, and families are without the safety and security they deserve,” Schultz said.
Schultz hammered Walz for his leadership failures during the George Floyd riots of 2020, saying the governor “allowed violence to escalate unchecked.”
“Those terrible days demonstrated that Tim Walz has at least mastered one skill: the art of standing idly by while his state spirals into chaos,” Schultz said. “Fast forward to today, violent crime is Tim Walz’s legacy. Homicides have surged by 75%, and gunshot victims have doubled.”
Former Minnesota AG candidate Jim Schultz: 'If Tim Walz can't protect his own backyard, how could we possibly trust him to protect the entire nation?' pic.twitter.com/0UM3pQp7H8
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) September 11, 2024
Minnesota chef and restaurant owner Brian Ingram spoke about the impact of crime on his businesses.
“I moved to Minnesota in 2012 from New York. In those first five or six years, I had one burglary that happened. Since 2019 and beyond, I know we’re north of 12 burglaries,” said Ingram.
He also told the story of his business partner, who was sitting directly behind him during Wednesday’s hearing.
“His son, Johnny, died of a fentanyl overdose above our restaurant. His drug dealer, we had all of his information. We gave it to the police. That drug dealer was never arrested and he is still on our streets today,” Ingram explained.
Minnesota restaurant owner Brian Ingram speaks out on rise in crime at congressional hearing: 'This happens day in and day out in our community and nothing is being done about it.' pic.twitter.com/zcatjJMnGA
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) September 11, 2024
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., said Ingram and Schultz “gave a voice to every Minnesotan who has been a victim of the Tim Walz crime wave.”
“Under Gov. Tim Walz’s failed leadership, criminals and fraudsters are running wild in Minnesota,” Emmer said. “Thank you to my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee for holding this important hearing, allowing Brian and Jim to share their stories and call for action.”
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
