During a campaign event in 2018, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz praised Imam Asad Zaman, a Muslim cleric and leader in the Muslim community, who has a history of sharing antisemitic content on social media platforms.
The video footage, recently revealed by the Washington Examiner, shows Walz speaking at an event hosted by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota during his first gubernatorial campaign. In the video, Walz refers to Zaman as a 'master teacher' and acknowledges their shared history.
Zaman's controversial social media activity includes sharing a link to a neo-Nazi propaganda film in 2015 that portrayed Adolf Hitler in a positive light. Additionally, in 2016, he shared a Hamas press release mourning the death of a Muslim politician in Bangladesh who was executed for war crimes.
Following the October 7 attacks by Hamas in Israel, Zaman posted anti-Israel content on social media, expressing solidarity for Palestinians and condemning Israel's actions. He also shared a post advocating for Palestine's right to self-defense.
In response to the controversy, a spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, Lauren Hitt, clarified that Governor Walz and Zaman do not have a personal relationship. Hitt emphasized that Governor Walz strongly condemns Hamas terrorism.
The appearance of Governor Walz alongside Imam Asad Zaman at multiple events in recent years has raised concerns due to Zaman's history of sharing controversial and antisemitic content on social media platforms.
