On Wednesday, Senator Mark Koran (R-North Branch) joined 10 of his colleagues in signing an ethics complaint against Sen. Nicole Mitchell (D-Woodbury) following her arrest and subsequent charge of first-degree burglary on Monday, April 22. Senate Democrats refused to ask for her resignation or remove her from committee positions, forcing Sen. Koran and Senate Republicans to defend the integrity of the Senate, as an institution, and seek answers for the public.

“This is unprecedented, and Minnesotans cannot be properly represented by someone who has failed to uphold the values her constituents expect. Sen. Mitchell is a licensed attorney, State Senator, and Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard, all of which require her to adhere to a much higher ethical standard than that of the general public,” Sen. Koran stated.

“We have not heard a single plan from the Democrats to bring this issue to resolution, and now, we are looking at a full week of work lost in the Senate – work we were elected to carry out on behalf of the people of this state,” Sen. Koran finished.

The complaint was filed with Senate President Bobby Joe Champion (D-Minneapolis) shortly before session on Wednesday. It documents three different rules Sen. Mitchell has violated:

56.1 Members shall adhere to the highest standard of ethical conduct as embodied in the Minnesota Constitution, state law, and these rules.

56.2 A member shall not publish or distribute written material if the member knows or has reason to know that the material includes any statement that is false or clearly misleading, concerning a public policy issue or concerning the member’s or another member’s voting record or position on a public policy issue.

56.3 Improper conduct includes conduct that violates a rule or administrative policy of the Senate, that violates accepted norms of Senate behavior, that betrays the public trust, or that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor or disrepute.