As Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz steps into the national spotlight, renewed attention is being paid to a 1995 drunk driving incident that has resurfaced in light of his current high-profile candidacy.
The controversy traces back to Walz’s 2006 congressional campaign, where his team made several disputed claims about his arrest for driving under the influence in Nebraska. According to court and police records, Walz was apprehended for speeding at 96 mph in a 55 mph zone. During his arrest, Walz admitted to having been drinking. A blood test revealed his blood alcohol level was 0.128, significantly above Nebraska’s legal limit of 0.1 at the time.
Despite these facts, Walz’s 2006 campaign asserted that he had not been drinking. They attributed his failed field sobriety test to alleged hearing difficulties from his National Guard service and incorrectly claimed he had driven himself to jail.
The police report from the night of the arrest confirms that Walz was transported to a local hospital for blood testing and later taken to Dawes County Jail by a state trooper. Nebraska State Patrol spokesman Cody Thomas confirmed that the procedure was standard.
In 2006, the Walz campaign’s communications director insisted that the DUI charge was baseless and that Walz had been allowed to drive himself home after his arrest. These claims were later refuted by the police report and official statements.
Walz’s 1995 arrest occurred on September 23, when he was a 31-year-old high school teacher. Following the incident, he pled guilty to reckless driving and used the experience as a teachable moment for his students. In a 1996 court hearing, Walz acknowledged his actions and expressed regret, emphasizing the dangers of impaired driving.
Fast forward to his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, Walz openly admitted to the facts of the 1995 incident, acknowledging his past mistakes and stating that he had since given up alcohol.
The campaign’s conflicting narratives have now come under renewed scrutiny, with recent interviews, including one with the arresting state trooper, reinforcing the original account of Walz’s behavior that night.
The Harris-Walz campaign has yet to comment on these revelations.