Tim Walz Says ‘There’s No Guarantee To Free Speech,’ Wants Government ‘Pushback’ On ‘Hate Speech’

Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) says that there is “no guarantee to free speech” when it comes to “misinformation or hate speech,” and argued on MSNBC that there needed to be some “pushback” on those things.

Walz made the comments during a December 2022 appearance on MSNBC’s “The Reidout,” where he spoke about possible repercussions for spreading “misinformation” with regard to elections in the United States.

WATCH:

“I think we need to push back on this. There’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech, and especially around our democracy,” Walz said in the clip that circulated on social media on Wednesday, just 24 hours after Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s 2024 presidential nominee, chose him to be her running mate.

Critics responded to Walz’s comment, noting that the First Amendment of the United States Constitution begged to differ.

“I’d probably die if a Democrat understood what our rights are and how they work,” Frank Fleming posted.

I’d probably die if a Democrat understood what our rights are and how they work. https://t.co/JEZIecx7sU

— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) August 7, 2024

“There is, actually, it’s called the First Amendment,” another posted.

There is, actually, it’s called the First Amendment. https://t.co/eJxLnCoSKi

— Ramesh Ponnuru (@RameshPonnuru) August 7, 2024

“Uh, yeah there is. Misinformation and hate speech are literally protected by the First Amendment,” Noah Smith pointed out.

WATCH BEN SHAPIRO’S ‘SCAMALA: KAMALA HARRIS UNMASKED’ ON DAILYWIRE+

Uh, yeah there is. Misinformation and hate speech are literally protected by the First Amendment. https://t.co/YPhoG7ikXa

— Noah Smith ???????????????????? (@Noahpinion) August 7, 2024

“Dude’s a straight up communist. An actual communist,” Trump adviser Stephen Miller commented.

Dude’s a straight up communist. An actual communist. https://t.co/LHJ6HGqmBE

— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) August 7, 2024

“Walz couldn’t be more wrong in suggesting ‘there’s no guarantee to free speech’ when it comes to anything progressive Democrats might label ‘misinformation’ or ‘hate speech.’ Don’t trust this man with power,” Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) added.

Walz couldn’t be more wrong in suggesting “there’s no guarantee to free speech” when it comes to anything progressive Democrats might label “misinformation” or “hate speech.”

Don’t trust this man with power. https://t.co/HWv5xdXKF9

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 7, 2024

During the same interview, Walz referenced previous instances in which “insidious” efforts at spreading “misinformation” had harmed the American people — namely during the COVID-19 pandemic and after January 6th — but he suggested that Democrats were fully engaged in stopping said “misinformation” rather than spreading it.

WATCH the full interview here: