ST. PAUL, MINN. – Senate Republicans have filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Nicole Mitchell (DFL – Woodbury) after her arrest and first-degree burglary charge. During a Senate floor session, Sen. Eric Lucero (R – Saint Michael) attempted to expedite the ethics investigation, but Democrats argued for due process. The motion failed on a party-line 33 to 33 vote, as Republicans needed a two-thirds majority. Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R – East Grand Forks) stated, “This is not something we take lightly,” citing the lack of action by Senate Democrats. He emphasized the need to protect the integrity of their work and the reputation of the legislature. With the Minnesota DFL holding just a one-seat majority, Mitchell’s potential absence could jeopardize many bills. Mitchell is accused of breaking into her stepmother’s home at night, dressed in black and holding a flashlight wrapped in a black sock. She claimed she was retrieving her father’s ashes but has denied wrongdoing, attributing the incident to her stepmother’s Alzheimer’s-related paranoia.