ST PAUL, MN – Lawmakers from across the region are reacting after a jury found Senator Nicole Mitchell guilty.
Mitchell faced two counts related to first-degree burglary and the possession of burglary tools. The charges are related to a April 2024 break-in at her stepmother’s Detroit Lakes, Minn., home.
“The convictions in the burglary trial of Nicole Mitchell prove that her actions were illegal and wrong. Felony burglary and traumatizing an elderly relative are severe violations of the Senate’s ethical standards,” Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) said in a statement. “It is an embarrassment that so many pieces of legislation were passed in the last two sessions with Sen. Mitchell as the deciding vote. Sen. Mitchell should immediately resign, and if she fails to do so, Senate Democrats should join Republicans in voting to expel Sen. Mitchell at the earliest opportunity.”
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson also issued a statement Friday afternoon.
“I applaud the jury and the prosecution for their diligent work to deliver justice in this case. The verdict only confirms the fact that Sen. Mitchell’s actions on the night of April 22, 2024 failed to meet the level of ethical behavior we expect from elected officials, and her continued participation in the Minnesota Senate leaves the body with a stain on its record for every time her vote was the deciding vote in passing legislation,” he said. “Senate Republicans have been clear since day one that this conduct is unbecoming of a Senator and we expect her immediate resignation from the Senate. If she is unwilling to resign, she must be expelled as soon as possible to protect the integrity of the Senate.”
There’s no word on whether or not Mitchell plans to resign her seat.
