Latest news with #DFL-Woodbury
CBS News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday will move to expel Sen. Justin Eichorn, charged with seeking sex from a minor
Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday will make a motion to expel their colleague Sen. Justin Eichorn following a federal criminal charge that he solicited sex from someone he thought was 17 , but turned out to be an undercover officer. Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, is charged with attempted coercion or enticement of a minor. Prosecutors said he answered an online ad that was part of an operation targeting sex trafficking by Bloomington police and other law enforcement. The fallout at the state Capitol was swift following his arrest. Senate Republicans called on him to resign, as did other lawmakers across party lines in both chambers. The GOP caucus reiterated that call on Wednesday afternoon. But on Wednesday night, Senate GOP Leader Mark Johnson said they wouldn't wait for his resignation to act and that they would make a motion to remove him from the chamber during the Senate's floor session Thursday. "There is no question that these charges merit expulsion," Johnson said in a statement. "We owe it to the public to hold our members to the highest standards, and this violation of the public trust is so severe we must act. It is my hope that this quick resolution gives Senator Eichorn time to focus on his family." Republicans will need Democrats to join them to clear the two-thirds vote hurdle in order to expel someone. That means 45 members will need to vote yes; Republicans have 33 members and Democrats have 34 members. The GOP has previously tried to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, who is charged with felony burglary in state court for allegedly breaking into her stepmother's home last April . She has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in June and she has resisted calls to step aside. Those efforts didn't advance to a final vote due to procedural setbacks. It is unclear how Democrats will vote on such a motion Thursday. DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy called the allegations against Eichorn "deeply disturbing" but she stopped short of calling for his resignation. According to court documents, he texted the number posted in an online ad placed by law enforcement and inquired about sex acts and the cost. Days after initial contact, police arrested him Monday during an arranged meeting between Eichorn and a purported teenager, during which officers found $130 cash and a condom in his car. The criminal complaint said Eichorn in one text exchange was alerted of the person's supposed age and replied "It's [sic] says age of consent is 16." If Eichorn resigns or is expelled, the balance of power in the chamber would remain unchanged — Democrats will still have their one-seat majority. This story will be updated.
CBS News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday will move to expel their own member charged with seeking sex from a minor
Minnesota Senate Republicans on Thursday will make a motion to expel their colleague Sen. Justin Eichorn following a federal criminal charge that he solicited sex from someone he thought was 17 , but turned out to be an undercover cop. Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, is charged with attempted coercion or enticement of a minor. Prosecutors said he answered an online ad that was part of an operation targeting sex trafficking by Bloomington Police and other law enforcement. The fallout at the state capitol was swift following his arrest. Senate Republicans called on him to resign, as did other lawmakers across party lines in both chambers. The GOP caucus reiterated that call on Wednesday afternoon. But on Wednesday night, Senate GOP Leader Mark Johnson said they wouldn't wait for his resignation to act and that they would make a motion to remove him from the chamber during the Senate's floor session Thursday. "There is no question that these charges merit expulsion," Johnson said in a statement. "We owe it to the public to hold our members to the highest standards, and this violation of the public trust is so severe we must act. It is my hope that this quick resolution gives Senator Eichorn time to focus on his family." Republicans will need Democrats to join them to clear the two-thirds vote hurdle in order to expel someone. That means 45 members will need to vote yes; Republicans have 33 members and Democrats have 34 members. The GOP has previously tried to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, who is charged with felony burglary in state court for allegedly breaking into her stepmother's home last April . She has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in June and she has resisted calls to step aside. Those efforts didn't advance to a final vote due to procedural setbacks. It is unclear how Democrats will vote on such a motion Thursday. DFL Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy called the allegations against Eichorn "deeply disturbing" but she stopped short of calling for his resignation. According to court documents, he texted the number posted and inquired about the sex acts and the cost. Days after initial contact, police arrested him Monday during an arranged meeting between Eichorn and the purported teenager, during which officers found $130 cash and a condom in his car. The criminal complaint said Eichorn in one text exchange was alerted of the person's age and replied "It's [sic] says age of consent is 16." If Eichorn resigns or is expelled, the balance of power in the chamber would remain unchanged—Democrats will still have their one-seat majority. This story will be updated.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ethics panel deadlocks on complaints against senator charged with felony — again
A Republican push to oust a Democratic-Farmer-Labor state senator accused of felony burglary has stalled once again in the Senate's ethics committee. At a Thursday hearing, the Senate Subcommittee on Ethics deadlocked 2-2 on partisan lines on two new complaints against Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, who was arrested last April in Detroit Lakes on suspicion of breaking into her estranged stepmother's home. The committee will take up the matter again after Mitchell's trial. Mitchell has faced calls to resign since her arrest — including from members of her own party — but Republican efforts to remove her from office have failed in the Senate, where Democrats currently have a one-seat majority. Republicans filed an ethics complaint against Mitchell last year and renewed their efforts in February after prosecutors filed an additional felony charge against the senator. One of the two new complaints includes the additional charge. In a second complaint, Republicans argue Mitchell had a conflict of interest when she voted to block a Senate motion that would have opened the path to an expulsion vote. When that motion came up in January, the Senate was tied 33-33 between the parties following the death of Minneapolis DFL Sen. Kari Dziedzic. If Mitchell didn't vote, Republicans would have prevailed 33-32. However, if that motion did succeed, an expulsion vote still required backing from 45 of the Senate's 67 members to pass. It's unlikely 12 DFLers would vote with Republicans to deprive themselves of a majority. DFLers argue Mitchell should face due process, and that there shouldn't be any action on Mitchell until her trial is complete. Right now that's scheduled for June — after the legislative session ends. It was originally scheduled for January but Mitchell's attorney's obtained a delay because state lawmakers can postpone trials if it coincides with the legislative session. While prospects of Mitchell's removal remain remote, the GOP continues to push for discipline. The four members of the Senate ethics committee — two DFLers and two Republicans — heard hours of testimony Thursday from Mitchell and Republican senators on the new complaints. A measure to find probable cause that Mitchell violated Senate ethics rules and another to investigate Mitchell further failed on party lines. Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, argued Mitchell had a conflict of interest while voting on her own fate in the senate. 'There can be no greater conflict of interest than the threat of losing one's job in its entirety,' he said, noting the pay, benefits and other privileges that come from serving in office. 'She had everything to gain from casting her decisive vote on Jan. 27 and everything to lose.' Mitchell, meanwhile, argued Senate rules specifically apply to measures where a member has a financial interest such as ownership of a company or stocks, not employment. 'We all vote on things that impact ourselves because we are also citizens of Minnesota,' Mitchell told the committee, using bonding bills funding district projects as an example. Further, Mitchell said she did not vote on her expulsion, but a procedural vote which would have opened that possibility. If an expulsion vote happened, Mitchell said she would excuse herself. Politics | DFL candidate wins special election, returning Minnesota House to tie Politics | Former Minnesota Sen. Melisa López Franzen to run for U.S. Senate in 2026 Politics | Control of Minnesota House depends on Roseville area special election Tuesday Politics | Economic 'uncertainty' drives down Minnesota's surplus, grows projected future deficit Politics | Minnesota lawmakers assess possible impacts of congressional Republican budget plan
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Senate Republicans unsuccessfully attempt to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell
Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, on the Senate floor on May 1, 2024. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer. Minnesota Senate Republicans tried to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, from the chamber Monday, arguing that her felony burglary charge restricts her from adequately representing her constituents and that the nature of the allegations are unbecoming of a Minnesota senator. Mitchell's trial for the burglary charge was scheduled to begin Monday, but lawyers for Mitchell successfully delayed it until after the Legislature adjourns on May 19. In their motion to delay, Mitchell's lawyers cited a 2007 appellate ruling stating that legal proceedings involving legislators should be delayed until after the legislative session to ensure constituents still receive representation. Mitchell was arrested last spring at her stepmother's house by Detroit Lakes officers responding to a burglary call. Officers searched the basement and found Mitchell dressed in black clothing and a black hat. Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, who offered the motion to expel, said doing so would restore integrity to the Senate. 'We don't need the results of a criminal trial to know Sen. Mitchell's conduct fails to meet the standards of ethical behavior that we expect from senators,' Rasmusson said. 'We shouldn't be complicit in delaying justice for the victim of a crime by allowing Sen. Mitchell to use her membership in this body to shield herself from criminal consequences.' The Senate is currently tied 33-33 between Republicans and Democrats after Sen. Kari Dziedzic, DFL-Minneapolis, died of cancer last month. The Senate has been operating under a power-sharing agreement since the session began on Jan. 14. The special election to fill Dziedzic's seat is Tuesday, and the blue-leaning district is expected to elect a Democrat. The winner of the special election will likely be seated next week. The move by Senate Republicans to expel Mitchell likely ended the warm feelings that have suffused the proceedings during the first two weeks of session. Members of both parties shared encomiums to Dziedzic on the first day and have seemed to revel in the comity that has eluded the Minnesota House, where the two parties are locked in a heated battle for control. Sen. Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato, asked Senate President Bobby Joe Champion to rule the expulsion motion out of order. After conferring with Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, and the leaders from both caucuses — as required by the power-sharing agreement — Champion ruled the expulsion motion out of order. Members appealed Champion's decision, and senators voted 33-33 to uphold it. Mitchell cast the deciding vote in favor of herself, and a tie vote to uphold the ruling. The vote to appeal failed and Champion's decision that the expulsion motion was out of order was upheld. Rasmusson, after his expulsion motion was ruled out of order, told reporters that he brought the motion forward Monday because it was supposed to be Mitchell's first day of her trial, and he wanted to make sure Mitchell's charge and impending trial wouldn't 'distract from (the Senate's) important work.' Prominent Democrats, including DFL Chair Ken Martin and Gov. Tim Walz, have sought to force Mitchell to resign. Her Senate DFL colleagues have banned her from their caucus meetings and stripped her of committee assignments, though Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, has said Mitchell is owed due process on her legal case before the Senate begins proceedings to expel her. 'I would love this issue to be behind us, but it's not,' Murphy told reporters Monday. Mitchell told a police officer that her father died and her stepmother had stopped all contact with her and other family. Mitchell said 'I know I did something bad,' according to the charging document. And, while being arrested Mitchell said something to the effect of, 'I was just trying to get a couple of my dad's things because you wouldn't talk to me anymore.'
