State Senator Nicole Mitchell (Becker County Jail)
St. Paul, MN – Democratic Senator Nicole Mitchell, through her attorney, repeatedly “took the Fifth” last night (May 8th) during a Minnesota Senate ethics hearing prompted by felony burglary charges she faces.
The panel could only agree to meet again two days after Mitchell’s June 10th court hearing to assess status.
The committee repeatedly deadlocked, Republicans asking for a probable cause finding and investigation; Democrats saying make no decision until criminal proceedings are complete.
Winona Republican Jeremy Miller argued “We are not here to be judge and jury. We are here today to determine if a member of our body… violated the rules of the Minnesota State Senate.”
But Minneapolis Democrat Bobby Joe Champion said, “we will not get as much information in that investigation that we need, especially if the main subject of the investigation is not able to, or is unwilling to, give information because there is another criminal proceeding that’s going forward.”