Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz Donated $100,000 to Controversial Muslim Cleric Who Praised Hitler and Hamas
Governor Tim Walz has reported ties to a Muslim cleric who praised Adolf Hitler online and praised Hamas for attacking innocent Israelis on Oct. 7.
I voted. On the first day.
We are #ClaimingOurVoices to create a MN that works for all of us across race, religion, and region. Some politicians want to silence us because they know just how much power we have when we work together toward a shared vision for our state. #WeMakeMN pic.twitter.com/0J61JyB7nd— Imam Asad Zaman (@ImamAsadZaman) November 3, 2020
These troubling associations raise serious questions about Walz’s judgment and priorities as a candidate for vice president of the United States. Critics argue that his connections to controversial figures could undermine national security and potentially jeopardize Americans’ safety.
In the last few years, Imam Asad Zaman has used his Facebook page to share official Hamas press releases, blog posts from antisemitic sites and a 2015 link to a pro-Hitler film, “The Greatest Story Never Told.” Released in 2013, the propaganda film is antisemitic and popular among fringe groups, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
Walz’s administration has also donated over $100,000 to Zaman’s group, Muslim American Society of Minnesota, according to state records reviewed by the Washington Examiner. Federal prosecutors have described the Muslim American Society as “founded as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in the U.S.,” according to court records, the outlet first reported.
Designated a terrorist group by the United Arab Emirates in 2014, the Muslim group faced criticism in 2019 when a video emerged of children at a Philadelphia chapter event calling for Jews to be killed.
In reaction to Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., condemning the Oct. 7 attack a day later, Zaman asked if she would “reaffirm the right of Palestinians to defend themselves.” Zaman’s Muslim group in a statement on Oct. 7 declared it “reaffirms its unwavering support for the Palestinian people in their struggle against the Israeli occupation.”
In May 2023, Zaman attended a mosque security meeting with Walz’s gubernatorial office.
According to the Examiner, Zaman participated in a Ramadan event organized by Walz in May 2019. In addition, the Washington Free Beacon reported that Walz attended an event in 2019 featuring a scholar with antisemitic views and support for terrorism against Israel.
Zaman, originally from Bangladesh, expressed solidarity with Palestinians for the Hamas-initiated Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israelis. He also shared a Palestinian flag image on Facebook in support of a post criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for its stance on Israel.
The imam reportedly participated in a May 2020 event with Walz to advocate for peaceful protests during the Black Lives Matter riots in Minnesota following George Floyd’s death. Previously, in April 2019, Zaman delivered an invocation at Walz’s state address and had called for an end to a government shutdown alongside Walz in January 2019, the Washington Examiner first reported.
As concerns about Walz’s associations continue to mount, voters must question whether his leadership aligns with the values that uphold American security and integrity.
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