The Harris campaign has explaining to do. Americans are shocked by this news.
Because Gov. Walz is embarrassed by these disturbing photos surfacing.
A new political controversy has surfaced involving one of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s cabinet-level appointees, Commissioner Ida Rukavina. Appointed in 2022 to lead Minnesota’s Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, Rukavina is now facing intense scrutiny after a social media post revealed that she had decorated her home with posters of infamous communist dictators.
The controversy began when a Minnesota resident discovered a December 2021 Facebook post showing a picture of Rukavina’s dog, with the images of Mao Zedong and Che Guevara clearly visible in the background. The photo, which appears to have since been deleted, has sparked outrage, raising questions about her political sympathies and fitness for public office.
Mao Zedong, one of the leaders featured in Rukavina’s home decor, was the communist dictator of China from the late 1940s until his death in 1976. Mao’s policies, including the infamous “Great Leap Forward” and “Cultural Revolution,” are widely blamed for causing the deaths of tens of millions of Chinese citizens.
A poster of Mao in the photo reportedly contained the slogan “Revolution is not guilty,” a phrase associated with the ruthless purges and repressive campaigns that defined Mao’s rule. Alongside the poster of Mao, the photo also revealed an image of Che Guevara, a central figure in the Cuban Revolution, who is known for executing political dissidents and spreading revolutionary communist ideology throughout Latin America. A book on Guevara’s life was also seen in the photo, further intensifying the criticism directed at Rukavina.
Fox News Digital reached out to both Rukavina and Governor Walz’s campaign for comment but had not received a response as of the time of publication. The absence of a public statement from either party has only fueled speculation about Rukavina’s political leanings and raised concerns among critics of the Walz administration.
Rukavina’s appointment to her current role is especially significant given the strategic importance of the region she oversees. As commissioner of the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation, Rukavina is responsible for managing the economic development of northeastern Minnesota, home to one of the world’s largest untapped copper-nickel reserves. The area’s nickel deposits are particularly crucial as the United States faces a growing trade deficit in raw nickel, which reached $79.4 million in 2024, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Nickel is a key component in the production of batteries and other technologies critical to the energy transition, making Rukavina’s role essential to both the state and national economy. Her leadership over such valuable resources has added another layer of concern, as critics worry about the potential influence of her apparent admiration for communist leaders.
This incident has also reopened questions about Governor Walz’s own political connections. Walz, who is now vying for the vice presidency, has come under fire for his long-standing ties to communist China. By his own admission, Walz has traveled to China multiple times, including a 1993 trip that was financed by the Chinese government.
Tim Walz’s Questionable Teaching Career
As a former social studies teacher, Walz often took students along on these trips, one of whom described him as “Maoist to the core,” a comment that has now gained renewed attention. Critics argue that Walz’s past connections to China, coupled with his appointment of officials with controversial political views, raise concerns about his judgment and foreign policy stances.
Adding to the political firestorm, it was revealed that Ida Rukavina is the daughter of the late Minnesota Democratic state representative Tom Rukavina, who was known for his communist and socialist sympathies. Tom Rukavina was a prominent figure in Minnesota politics for decades and was well-known for his Left-leaning views.
🚩 Tim Walz’s Troubling Ties to China
• Lived, visited 30 times, and held senior-ranking security clearance in China
• Founded a company for US student travel to China
• Married June 4, anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre
• Honeymoon in Chinapic.twitter.com/j528ZnsIKn— Jane Adams (@iLoveJaneAdams) September 30, 2024
During his tenure in the state legislature, he reportedly referred to himself as “the last socialist in the Minnesota legislature.” Republican Congressman Tom Emmer, who once served alongside him, humorously referred to him as “Tommy the Commie” during his eulogy, highlighting the late lawmaker’s unapologetic embrace of socialist ideas.
The revelations about Rukavina come on the heels of another controversy involving a different appointee of Governor Walz. According to a report by the Daily Caller News Foundation, Chang Wang, a Minnesota-based attorney and a member of China’s third-largest political party, was appointed by Walz in 2020 to serve on the Minnesota Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans.
This council advises the governor, state agencies, and the legislature on issues affecting the Asian Pacific community. Notably, Wang’s political party has pledged to “rally closely around” the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, raising concerns about its loyalty to Beijing’s authoritarian regime. Wang, who is now the vice chair of the council, is set to complete his term in January 2025, but his ties to China’s political system have attracted criticism, particularly in light of Walz’s past connections with China.
These controversies have raised questions about the potential influence of communist ideology within Governor Walz’s administration and the wider implications for Minnesota’s political future. With Walz positioning himself as a key national figure, critics argue that these issues could impact his political trajectory and erode public trust in his leadership, particularly among those wary of foreign influence and far-Left political affiliations.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
