A report in the Minnesota Reformer on Thursday says that an advocacy group called Public Record Media has “repeatedly asked the administration of Gov. Tim Walz for emails” from a private email address used by the governor but received no response.
In a letter sent to the administration, the group has asked for three public records of correspondence. Emails related to public safety and the unrest following the death of George Floyd, all emails following the state’s initial shutdown after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020, and emails related to the trial and civil unrest before, during and after the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
The request includes the inboxes of all emails addresses the group says Governor Walz is using including an email the governor uses for “executive branch communications".
Walz, who talked to WCCO Political Analyst Blois Olson for an appearance on “Sunday Take”, says there is no second email address.
“My administration has been the most transparent there,” Walz says. “And I'm going to set this straight, as a journalist, there is no second email address. I manage my own. We have a place where folks can write into me because I get constituents mail and need to handle it.”
Walz went on to say that his inbox is open to the public for search.
“I also have an email where I get my schedule,” the Governor told WCCO. “I get notices that the heat is being turned off to manage this in the building, all of those things. Those are all open to public search and we provide all of them to them. There has been no indication that that has not happened.”
According to the Minnesota Reformer, the group’s request asks for correspondence from the address tim.mankato@state.mn.us and they asked the administration to confirm it is preserving data from that account.
There is at least one legislator has vocally critiqued the administration as well. State Rep. Peggy Scott, R-Andover, also has demanded transparency from the Walz administration.
Walz says he is all for transparency and would like to see more legislation passed in Minnesota when it comes to the sharing of public records. Currently, Minnesota representatives and senators do not have to share email correspondence like the governor does.
Friday on the WCCO Radio Morning News, Olson told Steve Simpson that some media has been frustrated trying to get information from the governor’s office.
“He’s pretty bullish to talk about how he’s been a big transparency advocate,” Olson says. “He says the legislature should also be subject to these rules.”
Walz says while in Congress his record is clear in how he voted for transparency.
“I would just note, I passed the Stock Act in Congress,” Walz shares. “I passed the Office of Congressional Ethics Act in Congress and I would like to see in Minnesota, the legislature have to produce their data just like the governor's office does.”
The Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act prohibits members and employees of Congress from using "any nonpublic information derived from the individual's position ... or gained from performance of the individual's duties, for personal benefit".
The Office of Congressional Ethics, established by the House of Representatives, is an independent, non-partisan entity charged with receiving and reviewing allegations of misconduct concerning House members and staff and, when appropriate, referring matters to the Committee on Ethics.
You can hear Governor Walz' full conversation with Blois Olson Sunday morning at 9:00a.m. during the Sunday Take on News Talk 830 WCCO or streaming on the Audacy App.
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