Despite his long career in both national politics and the military, the title of choice during Tim Walz’s introduction as Kamala Harris’ vice presidential pick was neither his military rank nor political office, but instead, Coach. “In 91 days, the nation will know Coach Walz by another name: Vice President of the United States,” Harris said during the Philadelphia rally where she introduced Walz as her running mate.
The Harris-Walz campaign has continued to leverage the Minnesota governor’s previous job since the announcement, with Walz frequently leaning on his on-field experience as a high school football coach during campaign events.
A viral online post, however, has called Walz’s coaching credentials into question. “Dang! So Tim Walz has been bragging about coaching a high school state championship team. Turns out he coached the ninth grade team—but lost that job when he got a DUI. Just like he lies about the ‘weapons of war’ he used in Iraq,” the post—which had more than 39,000 shares as of September 3—says.
The post is false. Walz helped coach a varsity high school football team, and he was not fired from the job because of a DUI.
Prior to his almost two-decades-long career in politics, Walz worked at Mankato West High School in Mankato, Minnesota, where he taught social studies and helped coach the school’s varsity football team. In 1999, while Walz was the team’s defensive coordinator, Mankato West won the Minnesota AAAA Prep Bowl, beating Cambridge-Isanti High School 35-28. Walz was not fired from his teaching and coaching roles at Mankato West because of a DUI charge: He stepped back from the positions in 2006 to pursue his career in Congress.
Walz, however, was arrested for drunk driving prior to being hired at Mankato West. In September 1995, a Nebraska state police officer pulled over Walz, then 31 years old, for traveling at 96 mph in a 55 mph zone. According to a police report, the officer detected a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage … emitting from Mr. Walz breath and person,” after which Walz failed both a field sobriety test and breath test. The officer transported Walz to a local hospital where a blood test confirmed his intoxication, and then booked him at the Dawes County Jail. Walz pleaded guilty in court six months later to a reduced charge of reckless driving, for which he received a $200 fine.
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