Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz once lauded a radical Muslim imam who extolled Adolf Hitler and wouldn’t rebuke the Oct. 7 Hamas terror raid.
Newly unearthed 2018 video, found by The Washington Examiner, shows Mr. Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, at an event hosted by Asad Zaman’s group, the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, during his first gubernatorial campaign.
The Harris campaign released a statement saying Mr. Walz and Mr. Zaman “do not have a personal relationship. Governor Walz strongly condemns Hamas terrorism.”
Mr. Walz, in the video, commended Mr. Zaman.
“I would like to, first of all, say thank you to imam. I am a teacher, so when I see a master teacher, I know it,” he said. “Over the time we’ve spent together, one of the things I’ve had the privilege of is seeing the things in life through the eye of a master teacher to try and get the understanding, listening today to the stories and what it means.”
Mr. Walz added, “I have pushed back through my whole career on the demonization of Islam, on the demonization of immigrants. In this space, Imam Zaman is right on this, there is Islamophobia, there is a hatred that is being stirred.”
Before then, a 2015 Facebook post showed Mr. Zaman promoting a neo-Nazi propaganda film that praised Hitler.
Mr. Zaman also posted a Hamas press release in 2016 lamenting the death of a Bangladeshi Muslim politician, who was executed after being found guilty of war crimes.
Following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in Israel, Mr. Zaman expressed solidarity with Palestinians “against Israeli attacks.” He also posted a statement from the Muslim American Society of Minnesota condemning “Israel’s recent unprovoked attacks.” He went on to say, “Palestine has the right to defend itself.”
Mr. Walz also appeared publicly with Mr. Zaman in 2019 and 2023.
Additionally, Mr. Zaman delivered an invocation with other religious leaders before the governor’s State of the State address last year.
According to reports, the governor routinely hosted Mr. Zaman and gave over $100,000 to his Muslim nonprofit in recent years.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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