To say the relationship between Governor Tim Walz and House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt is fractured would be an understatement. That is if you take Daudt's word for it.
The former House speaker who often butted heads with Governor Mark Dayton, was a guest of WCCO's Chad Hartman Tuesday. He says Governor Walz has refused to answer his questions, and lied about Daudt's stance to reporters earlier this year.
Daudt, who is currently the House Minority Leader, said flatly he “cannot trust Governor Walz”.
“Three months ago, he did a press conference and lied to the press about me. We've had a very, very fractured relationship,” Daudt told Hartman. “And as of right now, I would say we don't have a relationship. I do not think he's doing a good job with the state budget. I think it's very irresponsible what he's doing, his interaction with the Legislature is shameful. Frankly, I don't trust him.”
Walz has extended his emergency powers through the pandemic several times since March, something some in the legislature has become uncomfortable with.
Republican lawmakers have sought to strip away the peacetime emergency declaration that went into effect on March 13. The governor on that day put into place strategies like social distancing requirements and the closing of businesses where COVID-19 could easily spread.
During both special sessions, the GOP-controlled Senate has voted in favor of the proposal, only to have it die when the DFL-led Minnesota House voted it down.
Daudt has been clear in saying he would like the governor's peacetime emergency powers to come to an end. This is where Daudt says the governor lied in July.
“He said to the press that they had reached out to me six times to meet with me and that I refused to meet with them, which is an outright lie,” said the Minority Leader. “I met with them every time. In fact, every time, not maybe not every time, but almost every time I initiated the meeting, so when you're actually working towards an end goal, uh, and working in good faith. And then somebody kind of slaps you across the face and tells the lies to the press about it.”
Daudt says even though he clashed with Governor Mark Dayton, he preferred that relationship over his current one with Governor Walz.
“It really damages a relationship, and whether you like it or not, you know, I may not agree with him on everything, but I still believe having a good relationship is important. You asked about Mark Dayton. I'd take Mark Dayton back in a heartbeat, and I very rarely agreed with Mark Dayton on anything. But the difference is I could trust him. He wouldn't go to the press and he wouldn't lie about you. He wouldn't twist stuff around. He was an honest operator. And you could have honest disagreements with him. And right now, I do not have that relationship with Governor Walz.”
Daudt told Chad Hartman he spoke to Governor Walz on Monday, and brought up the press conference where he says the governor lied.
“He didn't ask me more about it, and he didn't say, well, gosh I'm sorry, didn't mean to do that, I didn't realize I did it, whatever,” Daudt said. “He didn't say any of that. He just basically said, Well, I think we've got a different viewpoint. I basically ended the conversation by saying, you know governor right now we don't really have a relationship. Ball’s in your court. If you feel like you want to repair that, if you don't, I understand. And that was the end of the conversation.”
