In a fiery and often angry press conference on Tuesday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz bypassed the state legislature to sign executive orders targeting gun owners, dismissing concerns over constitutional rights as “bullshit” and threatening insurance companies that fail to comply with his demands.
The aggressive move comes as the Walz administration faces intensifying scrutiny over a massive $1 billion welfare fraud scandal and allegations of “systemic” retaliation against state employees who tried to blow the whistle on the scheme.
Walz, visibly agitated, directed his ire at Republicans in the legislature who have blocked his attempts to ban commonly owned semi-automatic firearms. He characterized the defense of the Second Amendment as a defense of violence, claiming Minnesota has become the “murder gun capital of the planet.”
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“It’s time to start reporting that it is all bulls**t,” Walz snapped at reporters, attacking those who view his proposed bans as an infringement on freedom.
The executive orders signed Tuesday seek to circumvent legislative gridlock by creating a new “safety council” and mandating that private insurance companies hand over data regarding firearms. Walz framed the data collection as a tool to treat gun ownership as a “public health crisis,” a tactic often used to justify stricter regulations without passing new laws.
He issued a direct threat to insurers who might resist the data dragnet: “I encourage those insurance companies to get your lawyers… but I can tell you, this thing is rock solid and you’re going to provide it.”
Critics argue the governor is using the orders to deflect from the massive fraud scandal engulfing his administration. State employees have accused Walz’s team of punishing whistleblowers who warned about the misuse of over $1 billion in taxpayer funds intended for welfare programs.
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The governor’s renewed push for gun control follows several violent tragedies in the state, details of which have raised uncomfortable questions for Democrats.
On August 27, a shooter opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two children. The suspect, a biological male identifying as transgender, had posted videos online displaying firearms etched with messages calling for the death of President Donald Trump.
Additionally, the state is still reeling from the June murder of Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortmann. The accused killer, a former political appointee of Walz, allegedly claimed in a letter to the FBI that he was acting on the governor’s behalf—a claim that has added a bizarre and disturbing dimension to the case.
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Walz also faced renewed criticism regarding his technical knowledge of the firearms he seeks to ban. During his unsuccessful 2024 vice-presidential bid, Walz was criticized for claiming he carried “weapons of war” in combat, a statement disputed by veterans who noted he never saw active combat.
Gun rights advocates, including the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), continue to push back on the governor’s use of the term “assault weapon,” noting that the semi-automatic rifles targeted by Democrats function with one trigger pull per round, unlike the actual fully automatic military firearms Walz referenced.
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