Latest news with #JustinEichorn
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Topline: The end of the line?
Get a load of these guys. I wrote a lot about wolves, apparently. (Getty Images) Welcome to The Topline, a weekly roundup of the big numbers driving the Minnesota news cycle, as well as the smaller ones that you might have missed. This week: the bottom line. Well Reformers, this is it: the final Topline. Call it the Bottom Line? As this is my last day here, I thought I'd do something a little more self-indulgent than usual and look back at my time at the Reformer, by the numbers. I started at the Reformer on July 18, 2022, making my tenure just a hair under three years. My first story was about wolf attacks, and how they benefit far-right politicians. I published 309 stories in total, including this one, which works out to about one byline every 3.4 calendar days. The most widely-read story I worked on was this one from March about then-Sen. Justin Eichorn's arrest in an underage prostitution sting, although if I recall correctly Michelle Griffith actually did most of the work on it. My most-read solo piece was a November 2023 story about how wolves weren't responsible for that year's disappointing deer hunt. Judging by the state of my inbox at the time, many of those pageviews were hate-clicks from angry guys looking for any excuse to go shoot a wolf. Journalism's not just about the hate-clicks, of course: You're also trying to change things for the better. To that end, my stories inspired three pieces of legislation in St. Paul this year. The first was a bill providing grant money to help solve non-fatal shootings in the state. This came about after I wrote last year about data showing more than half of violent crimes in Minnesota go unsolved. The second would have reformed how so-called 'drug free zones' can be policed after I reported on the aggressive and frankly bizarre drug charging practices used by a prosecutor in Polk County (and basically nowhere else). The third, and the only signed into law this term, was the bill that finally decriminalized bong water in the state. It was inspired by my reporting on Jessica Beske of Fargo, who was staring down the barrel of a 30-year prison term after cops alleged they'd found a bong used to smoke methamphetamine in her car. That case, incidentally, also came out of Polk County. Some very strange things happening up there! It's also worth noting that these stories didn't just arise out of a vacuum. The Reformer had done extensive work on violent crime clearance rates long before I showed up. And Jessica Beske reached out to us only because she had read Deena Winter's prior reporting on drug paraphernalia reform at the legislature. One of the things that drew me to the Reformer in the first place was editor Patrick Coolican's characterization of it as a newsroom that would tell the stories other news organizations can't or won't tell. I got a first-hand taste of this shortly after I started, with a piece about former Republican Rep. Donald Raleigh of Blaine, whose name had turned up on a leaked membership roster of the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group. Raleigh's defense was that he never actually agreed with the Oath Keepers' ideology, and had only signed up for their email list as part of 'market research' he was doing for a veteran's organization he founded. He also told us that other news outlets, like the Star Tribune and Buzzfeed, had looked into his ties to the group and decided they weren't worth doing a story on. The implication was that we shouldn't be reporting on it either. I strongly disagreed, and Patrick backed me up on this. Raleigh's story was plausible enough, and that's how we framed our piece. But by the time Raleigh had signed up for their newsletter, the Oath Keepers had a well-established reputation as a fringe group with violent tendencies, and they had been the subject of countless media stories. As a voter, I'd want to know if one of my elected officials was signing up to receive communications from extremist groups, for 'market research' or any other purposes. Especially in the post-January 6 era. We ran the story, and Raleigh lost his seat two months later (although that was due more to the effects of the state's recent redistricting than anything else). I'm delighted with my reporting on Senate President Bobby Joe Champion's ethically questionable ties to the Rev. Jerry McAfee for two reasons. The first, and most journalistically obvious reason, is that it shined a light on Minnesota's extremely lax conflict-of-interest laws, and it got a number of lawmakers to acknowledge that they should maybe try to avoid funneling boatloads of grant money to individuals they have professional relationships with outside of the Legislature. It also sparked a Senate ethics inquiry into Champion's actions, which went nowhere given the even balance of power in that body. But the other reason I love this story is how I stumbled across it in the first place: by wasting time on social media. I was hanging out one morning on Twitter (I will never call it 'X'), avoiding whatever story I was supposed to be working on, when I saw some Minneapolis folks making offhand comments about Champion being McAfee's lawyer. It was a jarring moment, as these people were casually discussing the fact as if it were common knowledge, despite it not having been reported anywhere. A quick visit to Minnesota's court records system confirmed what they were saying, and we were off to the races from there. There are two reporting lessons here, I think. The first is that what passes for common knowledge in some communities will come as a shocking revelation to others. The second: Never log off.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP's Heintzeman wins Senate District 6 special election to replace Justin Eichorn
The Brief Republican Keri Heintzeman has defeated Democrat Denise Slipy in a special election for Senate District 6 in Minnesota, representing areas such as Brainerd and Grand Rapids. The special election was held to fill a seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn after his prostitution arrest. BRAINERD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Republican Keri Heintzeman will represent Minnesota's Senate District 6 after a special election was held to replace the spot resigned by Justin Eichorn. According to Minnesota's Office of the Secretary of State's results, Heintzeman has edged challenger Denise Slipy (the DFL's candidate) by a 60.27% to 39.59% margin - or 12,751 to 8,376 votes. Dig deeper Heintzeman is the wife of Rep. Josh Heintzeman, the Minnesota House rep for the Brainerd area. She previously worked as a district director for the Trump 2024 campaign and owns a recreational rental business in Nisswa. The backstory The two candidates faced off for the seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned after being charged as part of a prostitution say Eichorn attempted to solicit a teen girl for sex but was really texting with an undercover police officer in Bloomington. He was arrested when he allegedly showed up to meet with the girl and is now facing federal charges in the case. He resigned days after his arrest. By the numbers Before Eichorn, the Senate District 6 seat was held by DFLer David Tomassoni for more than two decades until his death in 2022 after being diagnosed with ALS. Senate District 5, which previously covered much of the new District 6, was last won by a Democrat in 2012. Eichorn won the seat in 2016 by a narrow margin and easily earned re-election in 2020.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Republican wins special election in Senate seat vacated by Justin Eichorn
Minnesota's 6th Senate District will remain in the Republican column after a Tuesday special election to fill the seat vacated following the arrest and resignation of Sen. Justin Eichorn. With all 80 precincts reporting in the north-central Minnesota district, Republican Keri Heintzeman defeated Democrat Denise Slipy 60% to 40%. Heintzeman, a business owner and the wife of House District 6B Rep. Josh Heintzeman, R-Nisswa, easily won an eight-candidate GOP primary on April 15. Slipy, an environmental health and safety professional from Breezy Point, ran unopposed in the DFL primary. The outcome of Tuesday's special election won't affect the balance of power in the Senate, where Democrats currently have a two-vote majority. District 6, which stretches from Brainerd and Baxter north to Grand Rapids, has shifted Republican but Democrats had hoped political winds might be shifting. Eichorn resigned last month after he was charged with attempting to solicit a minor in what turned out to be an underage sex sting operation in Bloomington. The Grand Rapids resident recently pleaded not guilty to a federal charge of attempted enticement of a minor for prostitution. Small tornado confirmed in southern Minnesota after Monday's severe weather Remains of woman missing since 2016 are found in St. Cloud area U.S. Rep. Angie Craig joins the race for retiring Sen. Tina Smith's seat Letters: St. Paul Council should delay vote on rent-control amendments Francois Nguyen: 50 years since the fall of Saigon: a reflection
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Special election for Justin Eichorn's senate seat happening Tuesday
The Brief A special election to fill the seat vacated by Justin Eichorn is happening Tuesday. Republican candidate Keri Heintzeman is squaring off against DFL candidate Denise Slipy. Eichorn resigned from his Minnesota Senate seat after an arrest for alleged soliciting a child prostitute. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - We should know by Tuesday night who is replacing Justin Eichorn in Minnesota Senate District 6. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the seat that represents Brainerd, and stretches to areas north including Grand Rapids. DFL candidate Denise Slipy is squaring off against Republican Keri Heintzeman. The seat is open after Eichorn resigned due to his arrest in an alleged child prostitution sting. What we know Keri Heintzeman defeated seven other candidates, earning a whopping 46.7% of the vote, to earn the GOP nomination. Denise Slipy was the only DFL candidate running and will represent the party. Dig deeper Heintzeman is the wife of Rep. Josh Heintzeman, the Minnesota House rep for the Brainerd area. Heintzeman previously worked as a district director for the Trump 2024 campaign and owns a recreational rental business in Nisswa. Her opponent, Slipy, is an environmental health and safety professional who lists a number of public service roles on her website, including working as a CPR instructor, reserve police officer, a first responder in Crow Wing County, OSHA outreach instructor, and a volunteer firefighter. The backstory The two candidates will face off for the seat left vacant by Sen. Justin Eichorn, who resigned after he was reportedly caught up in a prostitution sting. Police say Eichorn attempted to solicit a teen girl for sex but was really texting with an undercover police officer in Bloomington. He was arrested when he allegedly showed up to meet with the girl and is now facing federal charges in the case. He resigned days after his arrest. He resigned from his Minnesota Senate seat on March 20, before state lawmakers could file a motion to expel him.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former MN Senator Justin Eichorn pleads not guilty in federal court
The Brief Former Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon in St. Paul federal court to charges that he attempted to solicit an underage sex worker last month. Eichorn was arrested last month in Bloomington as part of a prostitution sting. Eichorn resigned from the Minnesota Senate hours before lawmakers were going to have him expelled. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Former Minnesota Senator Justin Eichorn appeared in St. Paul federal court Monday afternoon, during which he entered a not guilty plea as he's accused of trying to solicit an underage sex worker last month. Before the court hearing, Eichorn had filed a request to have the conditions of his release from a Duluth halfway house eased to have contact with his four children. His legal team withdrew that motion on Monday. His current conditions don't allow him to have contact with children under 18 years old. Timeline Eichorn will have a motions hearing at 2 p.m. on June 18. The backstory Bloomington police announced last month Eichorn had been arrested as part of a prostitution sting. According to the charges, Eichorn is accused of texting an undercover officer he believed was a 17-year-old girl. Police say Eichorn tried to negotiate rates, asked how much not to use a condom, and arranged a meet-up time. However, when Eichorn allegedly showed up to meet with the teen, police say he was arrested. What we know Eichorn, a Republican, faced calls from both sides of the aisle to resign after his arrest in March. The Senate GOP brought forth a motion to expel him from the chamber, but Eichorn ultimately resigned hours before the motion could be heard. After initially being charged in Hennepin County Court, the case was moved to federal court where Eichorn faces charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. In the days following the arrest, Eichorn's wife also filed for divorce. Why you should care Eichorn resigned from his Minnesota Senate seat on March 20, just hours before state lawmakers were going to make a motion to expel him. A special election to fill Eichorn's seat is set for April 29. Republican Keri Heintzeman and Democrat Denise Slipy are set to face off in the race for Senate District 6.
