Walz: No special session if Malcolm’s job is at risk

The political heat over the COVID pandemic turned up a notch today, as Gov. Tim Walz said he’d fight back against Republican efforts to fire his health commissioner over vaccination efforts in the state.

Walz went so far as to say he may rethink plans to call a much-anticipated special legislative session next month.

Sen. Jim Abeler, Anoka-R, said Saturday at an anti-vaccine rally at the Capitol that he would like the GOP-controlled Senate to oust Jan Malcolm, the Walz administration's senior advisor on COVID.

Abeler and other Republicans have been critical of Walz's emergency powers and public health restrictions.

Walz spoke during a National Guard band concert at the State Fair.

"... In the middle of a spike of the delta variant, at a time when school is starting, the absurdity and recklessness and quite honestly the dangerous talk that you would get rid of the state's top health advisor and leader makes no sense. So I'm not going to put her in that position."

Republicans have already ousted a labor and industry commissioner, a commerce commissioner and the head of the state’s pollution control agency.

"She's highly respected here in Minnesota. She's done an incredible job and saved lives. The numbers support that." Walz said. "And so this is why its hard to get people to do public service. This is just kind of reckless talk to a crowd that doesn't make any sense."

Walz also said claims by Abeler that vaccines had killed hundreds of Minnesotans were unfounded and untrue.