Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz (D) requested $16 million in federal aid to help with the widespread damage done in Minneapolis caused by rioters protesting the death of George Floyd, the African-American man killed by police on May 25.
Late Friday a spokesman for Walz confirmed that aid request was denied.
“The Governor is disappointed that the federal government declined his request for financial support,” spokesman Teddy Tschann said. “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.”
Minneapolis city officials, including Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey, let the rioting, destruction and looting continue unabated for days, even ordering law enforcement officials to stand down.
The Minneapolis City Council has also backed proposals calling for the city police department to be defunded.
On Thursday, Congressman Tim Emmer (R-MN), sent a letter to President Trump calling for a thorough review of how Minnesota state officials handled the rioting.
“If the federal government is expected to assist in the clean-up of these unfortunate weeks, it has an obligation to every American — prior to the release of funding — to fully understand the events which allowed for this level of destruction to occur and ensure it never happens again,” wrote Emmer.
“Current damage estimates are now five times their original projections, but the extent of the destruction cannot be calculated solely in dollars and cents,” continues Emmer’s letter. “Thousands of livelihoods have been permanently disrupted, future economic development plans have been derailed as businesses reconsider investing in and around the Twin Cities, and numerous public lifelines for the community have been cut leaving Minnesotans searching for alternative means of care for their families.”
“To date there have been no federal analysis of the actions that were – or were not – taken by local and state officials to prevent one of the most destructive episodes of civil unrest in our nation’s history.”