'A good man': George Floyd's brother supports Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for VP
As Minnesota governor, one of Tim Walz's defining moments was his handling of the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing riots, events that sparked global outrage.
Now that Walz has been tapped as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, he has come under fire from some Republicans over what they say was his slow response to the riots.
But the brother of the man who was at the center of the crisis says he's putting his full support behind Walz.
"What I took from him was a good man," George Floyd's brother, Philonise Floyd, said in a phone interview with ABC News. "You don't meet a lot of people like him."
Floyd praised Walz's handling of his brother's murder and pushed back on criticisms that the governor did not do enough in the aftermath of George Floyd's death.
"Governor Walz, he did a lot of good things," Philonise told ABC News, saying he was "glad" Harris tapped him for the VP spot. "I think he's a genuine person. He has a good heart. To me, some people are built to be in office, and some people are not."
George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by Officer Derek Chauvin on Monday, May 25, 2020, during an arrest in Minneapolis. Chauvin was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison after being found guilty on three counts, including second-degree unintentional murder.
Philonise Floyd, speaking to ABC News, praised Walz for his work in ensuring "some kind of accountability" for his brother, pointing to Walz's decision to appoint Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to oversee the prosecution instead of the county prosecutor.
"We have Gov. Walz to thank for doing what he did," Philonise Floyd said. "He believes in people and helping people. And I have to show gratitude for a lot of things he did."
Critics have accused Walz of delaying the mobilization of the National Guard to quell rioters who, in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, set fire to 1,500 buildings, caused some $500 million in property damage, and were linked to at least three deaths.
Walz, himself a 24-year veteran of the National Guard, ultimately summoned more than 7,000 guardsmen to the Twin Cities -- but the decision came 18 hours after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey initially asked the governor to activate military personnel.
"This hesitation cost Minnesotans their lives, communities, and livelihoods," according to an investigative report compiled by Republicans in the Minnesota state Senate.
At the time, Walz condemned the Republicans' report -- which was published just weeks before his 2022 reelection -- as a political hit job that was "unhelpful." More recently, Walz brushed aside scrutiny of his handling of the protests, telling reporters. "I simply believe that we try to do the best we can."
Philonise Floyd also defended Walz against that criticism, telling ABC News he believed the governor's actions reflected his understanding of the pain among the community.
"People are always going to have criticism," he said. "He knew what people were going through, and he had a heart."
ABC News' Lucien Bruggeman and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.
