Friends and neighbors,
It’s been a busy week at the Capitol, and notably, my Senate Republican colleagues and I announced our “Minnesotans First” agenda! This agenda aims to help Minnesotans with inflationary costs, rein in government spending, hold government accountable to fraud, keep Minnesotans safe, strengthen families, and protect children.
In the coming month, Senate Republicans will introduce legislation dedicated to the following priorities:
- Helping Minnesotans with the high cost of living
- Reining in runaway wasteful spending and stopping tax increases
- Holding government accountable for waste, fraud, and abuse
- Keeping our communities safe
- Putting students first, strengthening families, and protecting children
I invite you to read more about our plan at www.mnsenaterepublicans.com/minnesotans-first.
Senate Republicans move to expel Senator Nicole Mitchell
On Monday, January 27, Senate Republicans introduced a motion to expel Senator Nicole Mitchell (DFL-Woodbury) from the Senate. Unfortunately, our motion failed in a procedural vote, as every Democrat voted to rule it out of order and protect Mitchell.
As a reminder, Mitchell was arrested at her stepmother’s home in Detroit Lakes last spring and subsequently charged with first-degree felony burglary. Her trial was set to begin on January 27, but she requested a delay until the conclusion of the 2025 legislative session, allowing her to continue serving as a senator while her legal case is pending.
Last year, the motion to expel Mitchell failed on a party-line vote. Mitchell retained her voting privileges on the floor and cast the deciding vote on nearly every piece of legislation during the 2024 session. After the 2024 session was concluded, Governor Tim Walz, DFL Party Chair Ken Martin, and four Senate Democrats publicly said that Mitchell should resign.
We have seen, however, that when it really matters, Democrats will shield Mitchell from consequence because they need her vote.
Constituents at the Capitol
This week was filled with a lot of great visits from members of our community! I had the opportunity to meet with constituents from Buffalo and Chatham townships during Townships Day at the Capitol, where we discussed local issues and the impact of state policies on rural communities.
I also had the pleasure of meeting with Barb Christensen from Buffalo for North Star Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Day at the Capitol. We had a productive conversation about the current and proposed laws affecting employers in Minnesota, and how they can better support our workforce.
Additionally, I enjoyed connecting with members of A.B.A.T.E., the Association of Bikers for Awareness, Training, and Education. We talked about motorcycle safety and other legislative matters important to the biking community.
My office is always open to constituents, and I invite you to stop by the next time you’re in St. Paul! Your input is invaluable as we work together to address the issues that matter most to our community.
Contact Me
I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. You can contact my office at Sen.Bruce.Anderson@mnsenate.gov or 651-296-5981.
Sincerely,
Bruce Anderson