(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)