Walz has brought nothing but problems to the Kamala Harris campaign. Troubles seem to constantly follow him at every step.
And Tim Walz was rocked by a threat he’ll never be able to come back from.
In April 2023, Shannon Owen, widow of Pope County sheriff’s deputy Josh Owen, made a bold statement to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, warning him to stay away from her husband’s funeral.
Her husband, an Iraq war veteran, was k*lled in the line of duty on his 44th birthday while responding to a domestic violence call.
In a recorded phone conversation, Shannon expressed her anger toward Walz for his treatment of law enforcement, making it clear he was not welcome at the service.
“You have never been a supporter of the police, and I’d just appreciate it if you just don’t come anywhere near my town,” Shannon told Walz in the conversation, which was later shared with The Telegraph.
She explained that her husband “did not like him at all,” citing Walz’s role in defunding the police and his stance on law enforcement reforms following the death of George Floyd. Shannon warned that if Walz did attend the funeral, she would “escort [his] a** out.”
Governor Walz, appearing somewhat caught off guard, responded, “I totally understand and respect your rights. Our officers are here to support you in any way you need,” before the call abruptly ended, according to The Telegraph. True to her wishes, Walz did not attend the funeral.
Shannon’s frustration with the governor runs deep. She feels that Walz, now the Democratic candidate for vice president, is using a “nice guy” persona to win over voters while his actions tell a different story.
“I don’t like the way he is with the cops’ situation, the military situation. I just feel he is a puppet right now,” she told The Telegraph. Her late husband, who had served a two-year tour in Iraq, had also been disillusioned by Walz’s handling of police matters.
Josh Owen was k*lled just as he was planning to leave the force, having grown frustrated with the new restrictions placed on law enforcement.
Josh had become especially upset with the reforms introduced after George Floyd’s m*rder, which he believed made the job of law enforcement officers more dangerous.
These included bans on chokeholds, mandated reporting for excessive force by fellow officers, and a state investigation unit for police misconduct. Shannon felt that Walz’s reforms “went too far,” leading to a climate that was “against the cops.”
Although Walz had signed these reforms into law, he had not fully embraced the “defund the police” movement, a fact that leaves him in a complicated position.
While some Republicans criticize him for not doing enough to support police, others on the progressive side believe he didn’t go far enough in addressing police brutality.
As for Josh, his untimely death has left a grieving family, including Shannon and their 10-year-old son, Rylan. When they were informed of his passing, Shannon recalled the devastation: “I just screamed.”
Despite the pain, she remains vocal about her late husband’s disapproval of the governor and stands firm in her belief that Walz has no place in their community.
While Walz’s office released a statement after Josh’s death, hailing him as a “hero,” Shannon’s view of the governor remains unchanged.
To her, Walz’s track record on law enforcement and the military disqualifies him from being a credible vice-presidential candidate.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
