Ben Crump Breaks Silence on Tim Walz and Aftermath of George Floyd’s Death
Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney for the families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright, told Newsweek that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is a “strong choice” as Kamala Harris’ Vice Presidential running mate.
Walz joined Harris for his first campaign appearance Tuesday in Philadelphia. Harris officially introduced Walz, a former high school social studies teacher, football coach, and army veteran, as “the kind of vice president America deserves.”
“I gained personal respect for him in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, when he reached out to the Floyd family on multiple occasions – and later to the family of Daunte Wright, and used his position to advocate for passage of police reform legislation,” Crump said.
Floyd was killed by Derek Chauvin when he kneeled on Floyd’s neck for several minutes on May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, leading to Black Lives Matter protests in the city and throughout the country. The then-president Donald Trump criticized the governor for the protests.
Walz, a retired guardsman who served for 24 years, has acknowledged that by deploying the National Guard the city’s response to protests in the Twin Cities was an “abject failure.” He did however push back on pressures from the White House to deploy federal forces in Minneapolis.
At a May 2020 news conference, Walz said he understood the protests were because of “Minnesotans’ inability to deal with inequalities, inequities and quite honestly the racism that has persisted.”
A year later, Walz said he was praying for the family of Daunte Wright, who died after being shot by a police officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center. Wright was shot after being pulled over. The scene of Wright’s death was around 11 miles from Floyd’s.
“Time and again, he has championed legislation that is important to our community, from safeguarding voting rights and establishing a task force to uncover what happened to missing and murdered Black women to creating protections for families separated in foster care and passing the CROWN Act,” Crump said. “He understands the needs and struggles of everyday working Americans who aspire to greater participation in the American Dream.”
In the years following the deaths of Floyd and Wright, Walz signed legislation on police reforms, such as banning chokeholds, and offered public safety support like mental health responses teams.
Now, as Harris’ VP running mate, he has been praised for his track record on issues like education, health care and gun control. Harris pointed out at the rally in Philadelphia Tuesday that Walz is a gun owner but “like many gun owners do” believes in additional background checks.
“With VP Harris, Gov. Walz will prioritize the economic needs of Americans who have been marginalized and help them achieve real gains,” Crump said.
