Walz's 'freedom' message clashes with record on COVID school closures, indoor mask mandates

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Tim Walz accused of being 'anti-parent' candidate: 'Slap in the face to the American people'

Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice and Minnesota Parents Alliance Executive Director Cristine Trooien joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss why Walz is under fire for his 'anti-parent' record as teachers' unions celebrate his candidacy. 

Democratic vice-presidential nominee for the 2024 election Gov. Tim Walz's message celebrating individual freedom clashes with his track record during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The Minnesota governor offered sharp criticism of the Republican Party on Tuesday during his campaign debut at a rally in Philadelphia with Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.

"Some of us are old enough to remember when it was Republicans who were talking about freedom," Walz told the crowd. "It turns out now what they meant was the government should be free to invade your doctor’s office."

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US Vice President and 2024 Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris applauds as her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, speaks at Temple University's Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the first day of their "Battleground State Tour". (Matthew Hatcher/AFP via Getty Images)

He continued, "In Minnesota […] there’s a golden rule: mind your own damn business."

Conservative activists have pushed back on Walz's self-characterization, pointing to his track record on issues such as COVID-19 lockdowns, parental rights, and more.

"He should take some of his own advice, because during COVID not only did he lock down schools and mask children, he encouraged neighbors to snitch on each other if they were taking their kid to the playground," said Tiffany Justice, Moms for Liberty co-founder.

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Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris greets the crowd during her presidential campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Critics point to Walz's memorandum mandating indoor masking during the coronavirus pandemic, which he enacted in 2020 and ended in 2021. 

The Upper Midwest Law Center sued, calling the mandate unconstitutional, but an appellate court ultimately sided with Walz.

In 2020, Walz set up a COVID-19 hotline that allowed Minnesota residents to inform authorities about suspicions their neighbors may be violating lockdown measures.

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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks during the hometown heroes showcase at St. Paul Union Depot in Saint Paul, Minnesota. (Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports)

"From overseeing the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country, to asking neighbors to tattle on one another for violating lockdown mandates, to forcing hospitalized COVID patients back in their nursing home facilities…" House Majority Whip Tom Emmer told the New York Post. "Tim Walz proved during the pandemic he does not have the competency to lead in times of crisis."

Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo, Michael Lee, and Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.