Tim Walz's campaign previously bragged about Nebraska Chamber of Commerce award he never received, letter shows

Gov. Tim Walz, running mate of Kamala Harris, is once again fending off accusations of lying about his record after an old letter resurfaced that indicated he had once promoted on campaign materials an award he had never actually received.

Back in 2005, around the time he retired from the Minnesota National Guard just months before his unit deployed to Iraq, Walz launched a campaign for Congress.

A spokesperson for Walz's campaign blamed the embellishment on a "typographical error," according to an old article from the Post Bulletin.

The following year, Walz claimed in his campaign biography that he was "named the Outstanding Young Nebraskan by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce for his service in the education, military, and small business communities," according to an archived version of a website associated with Walz's campaign.

However, Walz never received this accolade, and Barry Kennedy, who was president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce at the time, issued a scathing letter to Walz in November 2006 about the apparent misrepresentation.

"We researched this matter and can confirm that you have not been the recipient of any award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce," Kennedy wrote.

"I am not going to draw a conclusion about your intentions by including this line in your biography. However, we respectfully request that you remove any reference to our organization as it could be considered an endorsement of your candidacy," the letter continued.

The letter also indicated that the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce had actually endorsed Walz's opponent in the race, incumbent Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.).

The campaign eventually did correct Walz's biography, noting he had received an award from the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce, commonly referred to as the Jaycees.

A spokesperson for Walz's campaign blamed the embellishment on a "typographical error," according to an old article from the Post Bulletin. Walz ultimately unseated Gutknecht in the race.

The old letter spread around social media over the weekend, though Kennedy denied knowing who had unearthed it. "I've received several emails," he told KETV. "And I have no idea how it resurfaced."

"I did feel that at that time, it was important to set the record straight, if you will, and make sure that the integrity of the awards ... that the Nebraska Chamber ... gives was protected," Kennedy added.

When asked about the incident, the Harris-Walz campaign claimed, "Governor Walz speaks the way real people speak – openly and off the cuff. The American people appreciate that Gov. Walz tells it like it is and doesn’t talk like a politician, and they appreciate the difference between someone who occasionally misspeaks and a pathological liar like Donald Trump."

The campaign did not clarify how a written statement included in a biography could be considered speaking "off the cuff."

While the campaign may accuse Trump of being a "pathological liar," Walz has faced numerous accusations of lying about his record ever since Harris tapped him to join her atop the 2024 Democratic ticket earlier this month, as Blaze News previously reported.

Most notably, members of his former unit in the Minnesota Army National Guard have accused Walz of engaging in stolen valor for retiring early when a deployment in Iraq loomed large, for falsely claiming he "carried" weapons "in war" even though he never served in a combat zone, and for using the rank of command sergeant major when he actually retired at the lower rank of master sergeant.

Lauren Hitt, another spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, claimed that Walz "misspoke" when he referenced carrying weapons into battle.

Kerry Greeley, who was affiliated with Walz's first run for Congress, also apparently misrepresented details about a DUI arrest nearly 30 years ago after he was pulled over for driving nearly 100 mph in a 55-mph zone.

Greeley denied that Walz was "drunk" when he was arrested in September 1995, even though at least one test showed he had a blood alcohol level of .128. Greeley also blamed much of Walz's behavior that night, including his "balance issues," on "deafness" rather than inebriation.

"He couldn’t understand what the officer was saying to him," Greeley insisted.

Greeley also claimed without evidence that the judge in Walz's case reprimanded the arresting officer for his insensitivity to Walz's hearing loss.

A full transcript of Walz's subsequent court appearance is still publicly available. Walz pled guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving, admitted that he "drove a vehicle in a manner as to indicate an indifference or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property," and paid a $200 fine plus court costs. His license was also suspended for 90 days.

The transcript does not include any reprimand of the trooper by the judge or make any reference to Walz's hearing issues. Walz did have surgery to repair damaged ear bones sometime in 1995.

Finally, Walz has repeatedly indicated that he and his wife, Gwen, conceived their two children through in vitro fertilization. An envelope for a Walz campaign letter sent back in April even included the phrase, "My wife and I used I.V.F. to start a family."

However, the Walzes actually used intrauterine insemination, a much less invasive and less expensive process, not IVF.

Once again, the Harris-Walz campaign claimed Walz merely used common parlance so as not to confuse people. "Governor Walz talks how normal people talk. He was using commonly understood shorthand for fertility treatments," campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said.

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