(St. Paul, MN)- On Monday, Governor Walz commented on Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s claims of hesitation to send in the National Guard to Minneapolis on May 27 with this statement, “I don’t think the mayor knew what he was asking for…I think the mayor said, ‘I request the National Guard, whew, this is great. We’re going to have massively trained troops.’ No. You’re going to have 19-year-olds who are cooks.”

Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch) responded with the following:

“State leadership should have the highest regard for the men and women serving in every military branch.  Their jobs are often thankless, their families worried, and their motivation is selfless.

“Governor Walz’s comments are no less than appalling. Many of these ‘19-year-old cooks’ have served oversees under harrowing circumstances; those who haven’t are still expected to undergo continual high-quality training to protect the citizens of this country.

“During the riots, the Guard was the group that pulled through when the city needed them. They restored peace and offered relief from the many nights of mayhem. Governor Walz using them as a scapegoat to escape blame for his lack of action is not only outright insulting – it’s ironic.”