As Democrats have chosen Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the ticket for the upcoming November election, conservatives are eager to highlight what they see as significant flaws in Walz’s record as an elected official.
One of the more controversial aspects of Walz’s past involves his military service, with accusations that he has repeatedly exaggerated his rank. However, a recent report from CNN has brought to light another troubling episode from Walz’s history—a 1995 DUI arrest.
On September 23, 1995, Walz, then a 31-year-old high school teacher and coach, was pulled over for driving 96 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone in Chadron, Nebraska. The state trooper who stopped him detected the smell of alcohol and took Walz to a hospital, where he underwent a field sobriety test. Walz’s blood alcohol level was .128, exceeding the legal limit of .1.
In March 1996, Walz appeared in court and admitted to drinking and driving. He eventually pleaded guilty to reckless driving as part of a plea deal.
The controversy lies in how Walz and his campaign handled the situation when it resurfaced during his 2006 run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota’s first district. After a blog post revealed details of the DUI, Walz’s campaign responded by suggesting that his poor hearing, allegedly a result of his military service, had caused him to misunderstand the arresting officer during the field sobriety test.
Meredith Salsbery, the communications director for Walz’s campaign, defended him by stating, “He couldn’t understand what the trooper was telling him during the field sobriety test, and the trooper refused to speak up.” She also claimed that the DUI charges were dismissed because they lacked merit, and that Walz had driven himself to the police station and back home, implying that the trooper didn’t view him as a significant threat.
However, court records and statements from the Nebraska State Police contradict this narrative. Walz’s 1996 court testimony included a claim that he sped up because he believed he was being pursued, only realizing it was a state trooper when the officer turned on his lights. Additionally, a copy of the ticket indicates that Walz was under the influence, and a Nebraska State Police spokesman clarified that under their procedures, a person suspected of impaired driving would not have been allowed to drive themselves.
While Walz has since admitted to the facts surrounding his DUI and has described that night as a life-changing event, the way he and his campaign initially handled the situation raises concerns about his honesty. Critics argue that while overcoming past mistakes is commendable, transparency is essential, especially for someone seeking high office.
As Walz steps into the national spotlight as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, this incident, along with more recent controversies, paints an unflattering picture of how he might conduct himself as vice president.