Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell's arrest delays votes, but DFL should keep majority despite Republican ethics probe push

Sen. Eric Lucero, R-St. Michael, said Mitchell had violated the public trust, and he introduced a resolution to speed up the process to potentially remove her.

“We must have a swift examination of this serious felony charge to ensure the integrity of this institution and the state of Minnesota is upheld,” he said.

The measure failed on a on a 33-33 party-line vote. If it had succeeded, the Senate Ethics Committee would have been required to start its investigation.

Actual removal requires a two-thirds majority in order to succeed, and it’s evident DFLers had no interest in signing off on ending their majority.

Murphy told reporters she’d consider allowing Mitchell to vote remotely for the rest of the session.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said the Senate needs to act on the ethics investigation of Mitchell with urgency because her arrest already led to the cancellation of committee hearings and floor votes on Wednesday and Thursday.

“What you’re seeing now is the DFL kicking that down the road 30 days later,” he said. “Already, today and tomorrow, Senator Mitchell is having an impact on the business of the Minnesota Senate.”

Other lawmakers criminally charged

Several other sitting Minnesota lawmakers have been charged with a crime while in office, and none have stepped down. Most of them were for driving while intoxicated, and none have faced felony charges.

Sen. John Jasinski, R-Faribault; Sen. Tou Xiong, DFL-Maplewood; Rep. Brion Curran, DFL-Vadnais Heights; and Rep. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud, have all pleaded guilty in DWI cases.

Northwest Minnesota Rep. Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, pleaded guilty to DWI in 2023, and was arrested for misdemeanor trespassing after refusing to leave a hospital he ended up at after being drunk and disorderly and shoving a security guard at a hotel near the state Capitol.

In 2021, House DFLers expelled St. Paul Rep. John Thompson from their caucus due to allegations of domestic abuse and misconduct. Thompson didn’t get expelled or resign, but he eventually lost a primary challenge and left office at the end of his first and only two-year term in 2023.

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