The governor reappointed Boelter to an advisory board in 2019, but one member says the board is bipartisan. A friend of Boelter’s called him a strong supporter of President Donald Trump. Questions and misinformation have spread on social media and other platforms about the political views of the man suspected of assassinating Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman. One question centers on any connection the alleged gunman had to Gov. Tim Walz. Police also have named Vance Boelter as a suspect in the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman. Boelter was arrested by authorities late Sunday evening in Sibley County, according to a high-ranking state official. Here’s what we know: Was the alleged gunman close to Walz? Boelter was appointed to a state advisory board by Walz. Some on social media have claimed he had longstanding ties to the Minnesota’s DFL governor or was an associate of his. Benny Johnson, a right-wing YouTuber, referred to Boelter as a “left-wing Tim Walz appointee.” It’s true that Walz reappointed Boelter in 2019 to a workforce development advisory board, one that Hoffman also served on at the time. But the governor did not know Boelter, a source in his office said, and emphasized these are not appointments to a position in the governor’s office or Cabinet. Boelter was first appointed to the board in 2016 by then-Gov. Mark Dayton. Boelter’s friend and roommate David Carlson told reporters on Saturday that Boelter voted for President Donald Trump and was a “strong supporter” of the president but was “hardly ever talking about politics lately.” Data released by the Minnesota DFL Party on Sunday showed Boelter voted in last year’s presidential primary election, but not as a Democrat. The Republican Party of Minnesota declined to share its presidential primary election voter data on Boelter, with a spokesman saying the party considers that data to be private under current law.
via startribune: Fact check: Did suspect in Minnesota shootings have close ties to Gov. Tim Walz? No.