Another accusation of misrepresentation against Walz was made in a letter: "Remove any reference."

In 2006, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce's chief sent a scathing letter to Walz.

Another accusation of misrepresentation against Walz was made in a letter: "Remove any reference."
Another accusation of misrepresentation against Walz was made in a letter: "Remove any reference."

Another accusation of misrepresenting his background has been directed at Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, following the resurfacing of a 2006 letter from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce.

In 1993, Walz received an award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce for his work with the business community, as stated in a 2006 Post Bulletin article.

Despite being informed of the award in a letter from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce president, Barry L. Kennedy, he never received it.

The letter to Walz on Nov. 1, 2006, confirms that he has not received any award from the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce after thorough research.

Tim Walz takes the stage on Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Aug. 21, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

Kennedy stated that he would not draw a conclusion about the individual's intentions by including a line in their biography. However, he respectfully requested that any reference to their organization be removed as it could be perceived as an endorsement of their candidacy. It was noted that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce had endorsed the individual's opponent, Congressman Gil Gutknecht, for their support of small business issues.

Last week, Alpha News, a Minnesota outlet, discovered the letter after the controversy gained traction locally in 2006.

In 2006, the Post Bulletin, a Minnesota newspaper, reported that Walz's congressional campaign updated its website to reflect that Walz had won an award from the Nebraska Junior Chamber of Commerce, known as the Jaycees, but not a Nebraska Chamber of Commerce award, which was initially stated. The then-campaign manager dismissed the issue as a "typographical error."

The Harris-Walz campaign stated that Walz often speaks candidly without filtering his words.

The campaign stated that Governor Walz communicates in a way that is authentic and candid, just like regular people. The public admires Gov. Walz's honesty and contrasts his approach with that of Donald Trump, who is known for being a pathological liar and occasionally making mistakes.

U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Minnesota Governor Tim Walz hold a campaign rally in Milwaukee
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, hold a campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Aug. 20, 2024. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

A history of accusations against Walz of misrepresenting himself and his military career exists, with many veterans making this claim.

From 2005 to 2019, Walz served as a member of the U.S. House representing Minnesota after retiring from the Army National Guard, where he had served for 24 years.

Walz has been criticized by veterans for allegedly exaggerating his military service after being named Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.

In 2004, Walz was promoted to the command sergeant major rank after a deployment to Italy, but he did not complete the coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy to maintain the rank in retirement. As a result, Walz retired as a master sergeant, one pay grade below command sergeant major.

Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain and Republican Virginia Senate candidate, criticized Walz for lying about deploying to Iraq and retiring as a command sergeant major for 20 years.

Tim Walz speakimg
Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz speaks during a campaign rally at Temple University on Aug. 6, 2024, in Philadelphia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The commander of Walz's former National Guard unit in Minnesota issued a critical statement about Harris' running mate's portrayal of himself as a "retired Command Sergeant Major" earlier this month.

"John Kolb, a former lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery from 2005 to 2007, wrote on social media this month that it is an affront to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps that he continues to use the title of E9 despite not earning it or completing any assignments as such. He argued that simply sitting in the cockpit of an airplane does not make someone a pilot, and that when the demands of service and leadership at the highest level became real, he chose another path."

Earlier this month, the Harris campaign changed Walz's biography on their website to reflect that he served as a command sergeant major, despite previously promoting the "retired Command Sergeant Major" rank.

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and exclusive interviews from the 2024 campaign trail at our Planet Chronicle Digital election hub.

by Emma Colton

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