Minnesota state senator guilty of burglary after home break-in
July 19 (UPI) -- A state senator from Minnesota has been found guilty of burglary and breaking into her stepmother's home after a week-long trial.
A jury this week convicted State Sen. Nicole Mitchell of felony counts of burglary and possession of burglary or theft tools.
The 50-year-old lawyer and former Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard had claimed she was entering the home of her former stepmother Carol Mitchell with permission and was conducting a welfare check.
Detroit Lakes Police Department officers arrested Mitchell in April 2024 at the home in Becker Country, Minn., which is located 49 miles east of the state's border with North Dakota.
Mitchell was carrying tools and a flashlight covered with a sock at the time of her arrest, which took place around 5 a.m. CDT after her stepmother called 911.
The former TV meteorologist testified in her own defense at trial, claiming she was conducting a wellness check on her stepmother Carol Mitchell, who is 72.
That story differed from the one she told police the night of the arrest when she said she was looking to retrieve items belonging to her father Roderick Mitchell who died in March 2023.
Mitchell was also dressed in all black and told police at the time "clearly I'm not good at this," after officers found her.
"The defense has repeatedly classified this as a welfare check. You've seen all the evidence, the time of night, the outfit, the tools. What does your reason and common sense tell you?" Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald said during his closing address to jurors.
Mitchell is from Woodbury, Minn. and still lives there, where she represents the state's District 47 after being elected in 2022.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a fellow Democrat, has not weighed in publicly since the verdict.
A felony conviction in Minnesota does not exclude a person from holding political office.
Republicans in the narrowly-divided state senate have previously called for Mitchell to resign and attempted to expel her from the legislature.
A sentencing date has not been announced but the felony convictions do come with the possibility of a prison sentence.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 minutes ago
- New York Post
Trump rips ‘second tier' Sen. Josh Hawley over his PELOSI Act congressional stock trading ban
President Trump lashed out at Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) Wednesday for forging ahead with his proposed ban on congressional stock trading, accusing the senator of enabling Democrats to target him. Hawley's Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act cleared the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in an 8–7 vote, with the Missouri Republican joining all Democrats. 'Very much like SABOTAGE! The Democrats, because of our tremendous ACHIEVEMENTS and SUCCESS, have been trying to 'Target' me for a long period of time, and they're using Josh Hawley, who I got elected TWICE, as a pawn to help them,' Trump groused on Truth Social. Advertisement 'I don't think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the 'whims' of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!' Hawley chafed with Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a key Trump ally during the committee's hearing earlier in the day Wednesday. 4 Sen. Josh Hawley banded together with Democrats to advance the PELOSI Act out of committee without the chairman's blessing. AP Advertisement 4 President Trump accused Sen. Josh Hawley of backstabbing him with the PELOSI Act. x/Acyn 'This idea that we are going to attack people because they make money is absolutely wrong,' Scott, the wealthiest member of the Senate, argued during the hearing. 'I think it's disgusting what's going on here. But I completely agree with you, we've got to stop people from trading stocks but this [bill] is way different.' Scott also asked how one could sell an illiquid asset under the Hawley proposal. Advertisement 'You're concerned about the illiquid asset provision? It's the same one you voted for last year,' Hawley shot back. The PELOSI Act restricts lawmakers from owning individual stocks or trading them. Due to opposition from Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Hawley needed to get Democrats on board and reportedly agreed to tack on language ensuring that the president and vice president would face the ban as well. 4 Sen. Rick Scott publicly tangled with Sen. Josh Hawley over the bill to ban congressional stock trading. Getty Images Advertisement Trump seemingly caught wind of that. 'I wonder why Hawley would pass a Bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with — He is playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats. It's a great Bill for her, and her 'husband,' but so bad for our Country!' the president fumed on Truth Social. 'Why would one 'Republican,' Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi's Stock Trading over the last 25 years.' Hours before the Truth Social post, Trump conveyed open-mindedness to the proposal but cautioned that he would need to dive deeper into the details of it. 'I like it conceptually and you know Nancy Pelosi became rich by having inside information. She made a fortune with her husband, and I think that's disgraceful,' he told reporters Wednesday. 'I study these things really carefully, and this just happened. So I'll take a look at it.' 'What I do think is Nancy Pelosi should be investigated.' Paul Pelosi, the California Democrat's venture capitalist husband, has amassed a fortune through investments he's made over the decades. Pelosi's estimated net worth is $262 million, according to Quiver Quantitative. Advertisement Critics, particularly Republicans, have argued that Paul's activities pose conflict of interest concerns given that his wife is one of the most influential Democrats on Capitol Hill. 4 Rep. Nancy Pelosi has been dogged by concerns for years about her husband's stock trading. Bryan Dozier/NurPhoto/Shutterstock 'Speaker Pelosi does not own any stocks, and she has no prior knowledge or subsequent involvement in any transactions,' Pelosi spokesperson Ian Krager told The Post when asked about Trump's comments. The Post reached out to a Hawley spokesperson for comment.
The Hill
3 minutes ago
- The Hill
Trump goes off on Josh Hawley over insider trading bill
President Trump on Wednesday went off on one his closest allies in Congress, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) over voting in committee on a bill that would ban stock trading by lawmakers, presidents and vice presidents, arguing that Hawley teamed up with Democrats to advance the measure. The bill would ban congressional lawmakers and their spouses from trading stocks as well as presidents and vice presidents, but the latter would only apply to future administrations. Still, Trump, in a social media post, went off on Hawley claiming that he was being used by Democrats to target the president. He also questioned Hawley being the lone Republican on the panel to vote with Democrats 8-7 to advance the bill out of committee. 'Why would one 'Republican,' Senator Josh Hawley from the Great State of Missouri, join with all of the Democrats to block a Review, sponsored by Senator Rick Scott, and with the support of almost all other Republicans, of Nancy Pelosi's Stock Trading over the last 25 years. The information was inappropriately released just minutes before the Vote — Very much like SABOTAGE!' Trump said on Truth Social. It was a change of tune from earlier in the day when Trump was asked what he thought of the bill, to which he replied he liked it 'conceptually' before launching into an attack on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over unfounded claims of insider trading. 'I'll take a look at it. But conceptually I like it,' Trump said. 'And what I do think is Nancy Pelosi should be investigated because what she has the highest return of anybody practically in the history of Wall Street save a few. And how did that happen?' Pelosi has come under attack from Republicans for stock trading done by her husband, though there is no evidence of wrongdoing. The former Speaker shortly after Trump's remarks and the Senate Committee vote was taken expressed support for the measure. Before the vote, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) pressed Hawley to work with him to improve the bill. But, Hawley and Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) expanded the ban to apply to the president and vice president for future administration before the vote, while also opting to drop the name that referred to Pelosi from the bill name. Trump, in lashing out at Hawley, said the Missouri Republican was playing into Democrats' 'dirty hands.' 'The Democrats, because of our tremendous ACHIEVEMENTS and SUCCESS, have been trying to 'Target' me for a long period of time, and they're using Josh Hawley, who I got elected TWICE, as a pawn to help them,' he said. 'I wonder why Hawley would pass a Bill that Nancy Pelosi is in absolute love with — He is playing right into the dirty hands of the Democrats. It's a great Bill for her, and her 'husband,' but so bad for our Country!' 'I don't think real Republicans want to see their President, who has had unprecedented success, TARGETED, because of the 'whims' of a second-tier Senator named Josh Hawley!' he said.
The Hill
3 minutes ago
- The Hill
Swalwell challenges Gutfeld to bench press contest
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) challenged Fox News's Greg Gutfeld to a bench press contest on Wednesday after Gutfeld mocked him on his show the prior night. 'Here's a deal for @Gutfeldfox. (Never heard of him til he spent 8 mins criticizing what I bench press),' Swalwell said in a post on the social platform X, highlighted by Mediaite. *The deal: if tough guy benches more than me for 10 reps I'll leave Congress. If not, he leaves Fox News. I'll give Greg 48 hrs to accept, then I'm calling him GUTLESSfeld,' he added. On Gutfeld's show the prior night, also highlighted by Mediaite, he played videos that Swalwell had posted of himself online doing athletic activities such as swimming, tossing a baseball and lifting. During the videos, Swalwell said that he 'should be working right now.' 'I should be working right now. I should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit. Instead, Republicans sent us home because they would rather stand up for Donald Trump than release the Epstein files and stand up for victims,' Swalwell said in one video he posted to X on Sunday. 'We could be in Washington, D.C., lowering your health care costs, lowering your grocery costs, and restoring your rights. I should be working right now. Instead, I'm pumping iron at the gym,' he added. Gutfeld, while replying to the video of Swalwell lifting, said 'With a bench press like that, no one will mind if you use the women's locker room.'
