Feds Reject Minnesota Gov's Request for Help with $500M in Riot Damages
Gov. Tim Walz asked Trump admin for help after cities' officials cheered on protests
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The federal government has rejected Minnesota's liberal Gov. Tim Walz's request for funds following an estimated $500 million in damages resulting from the Black Lives Matter riots.
Walz asked the feds for help to rebuild North Star State following the wide-scale destruction in the Twin Cities in the wake of George Floyd's death.
The governor's spokesman Teddy Tschann confirmed a report in The Minneapolis Star Tribune that the request for federal aid was denied.
"As we navigate one of the most difficult periods in our state's history, we look for support from our federal government to help us through," Tschann said in a statement.
"The Governor is disappointed that the federal government declined his request for financial support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help Minnesota rebuild after civil unrest damaged public infrastructure and caused extensive fire damage in the wake of George Floyd's death," Tschann added.
On July 2, Walz petitioned President Donald Trump to declare parts of Minnesota as a "major disaster" due to the extent of the damage to public infrastructure caused by the violent rioting.
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Gov. Walz's office claims that nearly 1,500 businesses in the Twin Cities were damaged from looting, fires, and vandalism, according to The Blaze.
Walz's administration estimates that there was $15 million in damages from fires, and the total damage losses exceed $500 million.
The destruction arrived in the weeks of riots in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd, who died while in the custody of Minneapolis police.
During the George Floyd riots in late May, vandals torched blocks of retail locations in Minneapolis.
Rioters were able to take over the third precinct police station after Minneapolis police fled the scene.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) openly admitted that city leaders allowed rioters to capture the Minneapolis Police Department's third precinct building and instructed the police force to retreat.
In June, the Minneapolis City Council voted to disband its police department and replace it with a "community safety" model.
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Walz has asked President Trump to help his state by declaring a disaster in the wake of the riots.
“We need to come together to ensure Minnesotans who were victims of this destruction have access to critical infrastructure they need so they can go to the grocery store, pick up their medication, and live their lives,” Walz said in a statement last week.
“Together, we will rebuild,” he added.
Walz also requested financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help cover the cost of debris removal, damage to public buildings and equipment, and emergency measures.
“We’re asking our federal partners to step up and help our communities recover,” the governor said.
