RJC Denounces Democrats’ VP Nominee Tim Walz for Championing Hitler-promoting Cleric

Washington, DC (August 13, 2024) – The Republican Jewish Coalition released the following statement in response to reporting from the Washington Examiner that Kamala Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, called a Muslim cleric who promoted a pro-Adolf Hitler film a “master teacher” who offered Walz lessons over the time they spent together.

RJC CEO Matt Brooks said:

It is an outrage to the American Jewish community that Tim Walz would champion Hitler-promoting cleric Asad Zaman of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota.

On October 7th, 2023, as Israel was suffering the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Mr. Zaman disgustingly asserted that he “stands in solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli attacks.” Appallingly, under Tim Walz, Minnesota has awarded over $100,000 in funding to Zaman’s Israel-hating organization.

This is not surprising for Tim Walz - this is the same Tim Walz whose best friends include vicious antisemite Ilhan Omar.

Even worse, Kamala Harris’s campaign lied about Walz’s relationship with Zaman, saying he does not “have a personal relationship” with him.

At a time of spiking antisemitism here at home and as Israel faces an existential war for survival, it is essential for the American Jewish community to have confidence in our leaders - and it is clear that we cannot trust Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Their priorities are not our priorities, and the American people will reject their radicalism and extremism in November.