Minnesota Senate returns following senator’s arrest; Republicans file ethics complaint

ST. PAUL, Minn. (GRAY) – Senate Republicans have filed an ethics complaint against Senator Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) following her arrest on Monday morning. The senate resumed activities following its Passover recess, convening for the first time Wednesday since Mitchell’s arrest. Mitchell is being charged with first-degree felony burglary.

Originally, the senate body was scheduled to debate three bills, but that discussion was postponed. Instead, Republicans spent the session motioning an immediate review by the ethics subcommittee.

Senator Eric Lucero (R-Saint Michael) argued that his motion would simply begin the process of an ethic review immediately. Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul) indicated that the subcommittee has no intent to delay those proceedings.

“There’s been a complaint filed,” said Murphy, “I just learned it was filed today. That starts that clock [and the committee] has up to 30 days.”

Ultimately, Lucero’s motion failed along party lines with a 33-33 vote. Mitchell was the only absent vote.

Republican leadership believes the senator from Woodbury ought to resign, and Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said the situation is impeding Senate proceedings.

“Senator Mitchell is having an impact on the business of the Minnesota Senate. We no longer have bills on the floor today or tomorrow, and committees are being canceled,” he said.

Murphy said she intends to get things back up and running quickly, but was vague regarding a specific timeline.

“We will work in due haste, taking measured steps to be clear about what it is that we’re doing so we can complete the work that we came here to do for the people of Minnesota in an orderly fashion. And we welcome [Republican] participation,” Murphy said.

Murphy believes that Mitchell deserves a right to due process, and until then should be considered a duly-elected member of the body. Without her present, several DFLers worry her constituents would not be represented.

“The ethics subcommittee in either body is put in place for situations like this, and it is a committee that has been used repeatedly over time in order to take up and render conclusion and a recommendation to the full senate,” Murphy said.

The ethics committee has up to 30 days to make a decision on the complaint, but with less than 30 days remaining in the legislative session, and a slim one-vote majority by the DFL, action may wait until session adjourns.