Minnesota Report
The Senate Ethic Committee convened yesterday later than anticipated, but did address two complaints. One against Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL-57, Woodbury) for her alleged felony burglary of her stepmother’s home and another for Sen Glenn Grunehagen (R-17, Glencoe) for sending a video of the medical procedures involved in gender reassignment surgery to all of his fellow senators.
The Rules and Administration Subcommittee Ethics Conduct is Chaired by Senate President Bobby Jo Champion (DFL-59, Minneapolis) and is equally weighted with members from both party’s. Sens Mary Kunesh (DFL-39, New Brighton), Andrew Mathews (R-27, Princeton) and former Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R-26, Winona).
During the Mitchell proceeding, the senator remained quiet and allowed her attorney Bruce Ringstrom Jr, who, on her behalf pleaded the Fifth Amendment and expressed the legal argument “This case belongs in court, then it can be dealt with by this subcommittee.” At this point in time, her focus seems clearly to be on the court proceeding and the political issues will remain secondary.
DFL Senate Director of Media/Communications Marc Kimball advanced a simple fact of which is, neither the House or Senate have acted on an ethics complaint before a court case has been resolved in at least 40 years.
Standing in judgment over a fellow senator is not an enviable position to have, since all understand the personal impact, and not all matters make it to a formal complaint and these are also not addressed in all deliberate speed. The complaint again Grunehagen was filed by Sen Erin Maye Quaid (DFL-56, Apple Valley) on April 20, 2023.
The subcommittee agreed to reconvene on the Mitchell matter on June 12th, unless any new information comes to light.