Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz walks back COVID "after action" report plans

In mid-March, as COVID-19 cases fell to some of the lowest levels in months, Gov. Tim Walz touted plans for a COVID "after action" report.

• The findings, which he said could be released by the end of the month, would serve as a "playbook for future administrations and future Minnesotans" for how to respond to future waves.

Yes, but: After Axios followed up and asked for an update or copy of the report, aides walked back the claims and said there isn't a "specific document."

What they're saying now: "Work to review the State's COVID response and prepare for a future surge is ongoing," Walz press secretary Claire Lancaster wrote in an email. "State agencies are constantly assessing what has worked and what hasn't. This is an ongoing process, rather than a specific document."

Worth noting: It's not the first time the governor has had to revise on-the-record comments. In the days following George Floyd's murder, he falsely claimed that 80% of protesters were from out of state.

• Walz's allies, and the governor himself, have downplayed premature or false statements as the DFL lawmaker "getting over his skis."