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Brian Bakst
St. Paul

Unions, corporations are among top Walz inaugural donors

Two men raise their hands and smile
Gov. Tim Walz, right, is sworn in by Judge Johnathan Judd, Seventh Judicial Circuit, during his inauguration for his second term on Jan. 2 in St. Paul.
Abbie Parr | AP

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Labor unions, a tribal nation and an education software company were among big donors to Gov. Tim Walz’s inauguration events, according to an initial look at financial activity.

The committee charged with staging Walz inaugural celebrations raised almost $300,000 in December, according to a filing it made recently with the Internal Revenue Service. The One Minnesota Inaugural Committee reports its finances there because of how it is structured.

The roster of events as the DFL governor began a new term was more muted than the first Walz inaugural in 2019.

Still, 13 entities gave at least $10,000 to his inaugural committee. The Laborer’s District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota donated $50,000, as did Blaine-based software provider Infinite Campus. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community wrote a $25,000 check.

Unlike campaign committee accounts, inaugural committees face no restrictions in Minnesota law on which donors can give or how much. Some states have considered legislation to regulate inaugural committees but few do.

As a candidate, Walz couldn’t accept corporate donations. But the inaugural committee could and did take corporate contributions — from BNSF Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad Co., Lumen, CVS Health, Summit Carbon Solutions and Motorola to name a few.

Six other unions, lobbying and public relations firms, energy companies and an organization that represents pharmacy benefit managers — the Washington-based PCMA — were also among the top givers. The Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves supplied $5,000 each.

The committee spent more than $237,000 in 2022. Of that, $138,000 went toward rent of U.S. Bank Stadium for an inauguration party days after Walz took his oath. Additional expenses included $47,000 for catering and about $17,000 for performers, artwork and other visuals.

The Walz inaugural committee will file another report this summer that will detail more fundraising and spending that occurred in 2023.

For the first Walz inaugural, more than $700,000 was raised in large increments as well.