(I read his statement as "I'm lawyering up because my ass is in serious
trouble."

From: https://shorturl.at/ZMdDF (oann.com)

===
Tim Walz drops his re-election bid, will no longer run for a third term as
Minn. governor

   OAN Staff Sophia Flores
   10:57 AM - Monday, January 5, 2026

   Amid escalating controversy surrounding the massive welfare and
   childcare fraud scandals on his watch, estimated by federal prosecutors
   to exceed billions in taxpayer losses, Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim
   Walz announced that he is abandoning his 2026 re-election campaign and
   will forgo a third term.

   On Monday, Walz (D-Minn.) made the surprise announcement from the state
   Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota. In his speech, Walz claimed that he was
   leaving the race in order to focus on "defending the people of
   Minnesota."

     "But as I reflected on this moment with my family and my team over
     the holidays, I came to the conclusion that I can't give a political
     campaign my all," he said. "Every minute I spend defending my own
     political interests would be a minute I can't spend defending the
     people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity
     and the cynics who prey on our differences."

     "So I've decided to step out of the race and let others worry about
     the election while I focus on the work," Walz said.

     Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D): "The buck does stop with me...I can't
     give a political campaign my all. Every minute that I spend
     defending my own political interest would be a minute I can't spend
     defending the people of Minnesota...So, I've decided to step out of
     this race..." pic.twitter.com/sckyjbmJbV
     -- CSPAN (@cspan) January 5, 2026

   The Democrat also took to X to share a statement addressing his
   now-void re-election bid.

     Minnesota has to come first - always.
     Today, I'm proud of the work we've done to make Minnesota the best
     place to live and raise kids.
     I've decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the
     election while I focus on the work. pic.twitter.com/AYbvcOzyPI

      -- Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 5, 2026

   This decision follows renewed scrutiny sparked by independent
   journalist Nick Shirley, whose late-2025 viral investigation uncovered
   a number of "inactive" Somali-owned daycare centers in Minneapolis that
   had collectively received over $110 million in state and federal
   childcare assistance funds, raising even more allegations of widespread
   fraud in Minnesota's social services programs during Walz's
   administration.

   As a result, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not
   only paused federal childcare funding to Minnesota, but also to every
   U.S. state that refuses to present evidence of legitimate spending.

   HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon told ABC News last week that states will
   receive the funds "only when states prove they are being spent
   legitimately." Future payments now require prior justification,
   receipts, or photo evidence to verify legitimate spending before funds
   are released.
===

-- Sean

... I'm not afraid of death. I'm afraid of voting Democrat after my death.
--- MultiMail/Linux
 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (618:618/1)