The Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is in hot water for past comments praising a Muslim cleric who has since shared anti-Semitic content.
The Washington Examiner reported On Tuesday, Walz called Asad Zaman of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota a “master teacher” when they met in 2018, during Walz’s first gubernatorial race.
Zaman has since celebrated Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel and promoted a film glorifying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
“I’m a teacher, so when I see a master teacher, I know,” Walz said of Zaman at a 2018 campaign rally. “One of the things I’ve had the privilege of doing in the time we’ve spent together is seeing things in life through the eyes of a master teacher, to try to understand them.”
The Examiner also reported that Zaman had been hosted by the Minnesota governor at least five times over the years, although the Harris-Walz campaign has opposed this.
Asad Zaman (left) of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota has become a political problem for the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (right)
“The governor and he have no personal relationship. Governor Walz strongly condemns Hamas terrorism,” Lauren Hitt, spokesperson for the Harris-Walz campaign, told the Examiner.
Still, the Republican Jewish Coalition went after Walz because of the association.
The group called it a “disgrace,” noting that Zaman “disgustingly” claimed he “stands in solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli attacks” after October 7.
The RJC also attacked Walz, saying one of his “best friends is the violent anti-Semite Ilhan Omar,” a Democratic congresswoman representing a district in Minneapolis.
“At a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise here at home and Israel faces an existential struggle for survival, it is essential that the American Jewish community has confidence in our leaders — and it is clear that we cannot trust Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” a statement said. of the Republican Jewish Coalition said“Their priorities are not ours, and the American people will reject their radicalism and extremism in November.”
The criticism comes as Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Walz face a difficult political landscape within their own party over the war in Gaza.
Progressives were pleased with Harris’s choice of Walz because he had never accepted campaign contributions from AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobby.
Harris has sought to crack down on Israel over widespread condemnation from the political left over the way Israel is waging a war against Hamas to reclaim the country’s hostages – killing thousands of Palestinian civilians.
But now that the race looks tight, Democrats can’t afford to lose support among Jewish Americans. This group traditionally votes Democratic, but former President Donald Trump believes he can steal their support if Democrats align themselves too closely with the Palestinian cause.
Trump himself has also had scandals with anti-Semites.
During Thanksgiving in 2022, Trump dined with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and rapper Kanye West, who has made a number of anti-Semitic statements.
Trump was reportedly “very impressed” with Fuentes, but later claimed he had no idea the young man was a white supremacist.
“Last week Kanye West called me to come to dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly after, he showed up unexpectedly with three of his friends, none of whom I knew,” the ex-president said on Truth Social.
“We had dinner on Tuesday night with many members present on the back patio. Dinner was quick and without any problems. Then they left for the airport.”