Minnesota
Minnesota Senate ethics panel delays action on complaint against Sen. Nicole Mitchell until after next court date
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The ethics panel weighing a complaint against DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell, who faces a felony charge, moved to delay action and meet again following her June court appearance after an hours-long and at times heated hearing Tuesday.
At issue was a complaint alleging Mitchell violated Senate rules on conduct, betraying the public trust and bringing the chamber into “dishonor or disrepute” with the allegations and her comments disputing the details laid out by police in the criminal complaint.
Mitchell is charged with first-degree burglary for breaking into her stepmother’s home two weeks ago to retrieve her late father’s ashes and other items, investigators say; Mitchell said she was trying to check in on her loved one whose health was a concern.
“We are not asking you to serve as the court of law. We are asking you to uphold the integrity of this institution and restore public trust,” said Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, one of the Republicans who filed the complaint. “We’re asking you to look at the Senate rules and ask yourself, truly, is it the norm of the Senate to be caught red-handed engaged in a burglary?”
The Minnesota Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct consists of two Republicans and two Democrats who convene—usually infrequently — to hear complaints about members.
Mitchell did not speak during the entirety of the meeting Tuesday. She looked on before joining her attorney, Bruce Ringstrom Jr., who answered questions and made statements on her behalf. He urged the committee to delay action until after the criminal proceeding and argued acting sooner would violate her right to due process.
“The term witch hunt is thrown around a lot around in politics these days and it is often misused,” Ringstrom said. “A witch hunt is premised on the idea of the side being on someone’s guilt built without regard to the evidence in the case without allowing the person to defend themselves. But here the term fits.”
He continued: “Conducting an ethics investigation after the criminal case seems appropriate. By conducting an ethics investigation before the criminal case, you are participating in the witch hunt.”
Housley and Sen. Eric Lucero, R-Saint Michael, detailed their allegations against Mitchell, demanding the bipartisan panel “to take decisive action” to protect the Senate’s “reputation and uphold its commitment to Minnesotans.”
In response to many questions, Ringstrom said Mitchell invoked the Fifth Amendment, or her right against self-incrimination.
After a robust debate, the panel made several motions on how to proceed with the ethics complaint, but all the attempts ended in stalemate — the two Republicans and two Democrats divided on party-lines — until after the committee retreated to a private meeting out of public view.
Members returned and approved a delay, with plans to return June 12 after Mitchell’s next court appearance on June 10 — barring any new information “of substance,” explained Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, that would prompt them to meet sooner.
“Your fact finding capacity cannot be as expansive as if there were no pending criminal case. And to be clear–if we didn’t think this hearing had potential negative implications on Sen. Mitchell’s rights in her criminal case, we wouldn’t be here,” Ringstrom said earlier.
Lawmakers on the panel took turns grilling each other and Mitchell’s attorney and the debate often fell on party-lines — GOP members of the panel pointedly questioned Mitchell’s attorney while DFL Sen. Bobby Joe Champion did the same for the Republicans who filed the complaint in the first place.
The discussion at times grew tense.
“I’ve sat through a lot of hearings this session and the last couple of years and that might’ve been one of the more inflammatory ones I’ve heard,” said Sen. Eric Mathews, R-Princeton.
Ever since the charges were filed following her arrest on April 22, the issue has loomed large in the Minnesota Senate, where Republicans have demanded Mitchell’s resignation and swift action on the ethics complaint, though her attorney said she intends to stay in office.
Her presence is essential for Democrats in charge of the chamber to move their agenda — she is the deciding vote on major pieces of legislation for their razor-thin, one-seat majority. Mitchell has voted in recent days on bills brought to the floor.
The next meeting scheduled for the ethics panel will be after lawmakers adjourn for the year. The constitutional deadline to end is May 20, less than two weeks away.
The Portland Trail Blazers tamed the Minnesota Timberwolves Monday night, 111-84, in NBA Summer League action. Center Yang Hansen made a heroic return after missing the last game due to an illness, while two-way guard Chris Youngblood turned in a much needed all-around performance to pace Portland. With the Blazers 0-2 in summer league, the team came out with a sense of urgency to put a complete game together and grab their first win in Las Vegas.
After a slow start against Minnesota, Yang really took command in the second half, imposing his will on both ends of the floor. He finished the game with 18 points on 7-8 shooting, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 turnovers (3 in the first half). He still has a ways to go, but when he gets into a comfortable rhythm, good things happen. Youngblood poured in 20 points on an efficient 5-11 shooting, to go with 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Donovan Williams led Minnesota with 21 points. Center Rocco Zikarsky finished with 18 and 6 rebounds. G league point guard Zyon Pullin scored 16 and dished out 10 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. He was the only Minnesota starter with a positive plus/minus.
Yang got off to both a good and bad start, recording 2 points, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, a rebound, and an assist in the first 3 minutes of the game. That sent him to the bench early. His center counterpart for the T-Wolves, 7’3”, 20-year-old Australian Rocco Zikarsky came out on fire. He scored 10 points in the first quarter, including two shots behind the arc. Youngblood provided a much needed good shooting start, while newly signed former lottery pick point guard Kira Lewis Jr. came off the bench with instant offense – 5 points in 4 minutes. The Blazers ended the first quarter up 24-17.
Youngblood, one of the Blazers on a two-way contract, has a reputation as a sharpshooter. However, coming into tonight’s game he was 1/13 from three through the first two games. He put together another solid run in the second quarter to lead Portland with 17 points, while helping double their lead at the half, 58-44.
The Blazers continued to dominate the third quarter. Yang punished Minnesota when they went to a smaller lineup. When Yang gets comfortable in the flow of a game, his confidence level rises. You can see the wheels turning in real time when he makes plays. He tries to parlay that into as much production as possible. He even impressed with his ability to bring the ball across half court a few times. He feasted in the paint and on the boards, registering 10 points in the third quarter alone. Blazers guard Quincy Olivari heated up with 9 points in the quarter.
The fourth quarter started with the Yang Hansen Show. He made a couple of impressive passes and drove the lane for a rim-rocking dunk! He was gassed after stuffing the stat sheet in the second half. He was subbed out with 6 minutes left and began pounding the Gatorade on the bench. After a tough start, Yang regrouped to play a very disciplined game.
The Blazers (1-2) get a couple days off, then return to action on Thursday when they take on the Denver Nuggets at 7 p.m. PDT. That game will be available Prime Video, BlazerVision and KUNP.
(FOX 9) – Minnesota is joining a legal challenge targeting the largest media merger in history, arguing that it would ultimately be a bad deal for customers.
AG Ellison joins lawsuit to block Warner Bros.-Paramount merger
What we know:
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has joined a coalition of 11 other attorneys general, filing a lawsuit to stop the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance Corporation.
The suit alleges the merger would violate antitrust laws by creating a media conglomerate that would control nearly one-third of all U.S.-based theatrical movies.
The combined company would control about 27% of the market for wide-release theatrical films and basic cable channels. Only three distributors would control 75% of wide-release films, and four — including Disney, Universal, and Sony — would control 86%, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit also points out that Warner Bros. is currently the second largest and Paramount the third largest in licensing basic cable channels, and together they would control 27% of that market. The merger would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and two of the five major basic cable companies, eliminating competition and harming movie theaters, cable distributors and consumers.
What they’re saying:
“Minnesotans deserve a fair and competitive marketplace, not one where a handful of giant corporations control what we watch, what we pay, and what choices we have,” AG Ellison said in a statement. “This would be the largest merger in media and entertainment history. It will raise prices, limit innovation, and reduce the variety of voices in media and entertainment. I’m taking action because this goes too far in consolidating power with a few at the expense of the public.”
What’s next:
The coalition has asked Warner Bros. and Paramount not to close the merger until after the judicial process concludes. If the companies refuse, the attorneys general plan to file a temporary restraining order to halt the deal.
The Source: Information provided in a statement from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
WASHINGTON (7News) — The debate over the National Guard presence in the nation’s capital is intensifying after the Pentagon told 7News the Guard mission connected to President Donald Trump’s crime initiative could continue through Inauguration Day 2029 unless it is ended sooner by the president.
The development comes as one governor has decided to withdraw troops from Washington, while D.C. leaders are urging other states to do the same.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is pulling his state’s National Guard members out of the District earlier than originally planned.
Walz’s office says its mission to support America 250 celebrations has concluded. The decision follows concerns about whether some Guard members were being used beyond the security mission tied to those events.
RELATED | Pentagon to keep National Guard activated in D.C. through Inauguration Day 2029
The D.C. Council is also pressing other states to reconsider their deployments.
All 13 councilmembers signed letters to the governors of Michigan and the U.S. Virgin Islands asking them to withdraw their National Guard troops from the District. Council leaders argue those service members were deployed to support the nation’s 250th anniversary events—not a broader federal public safety mission.
“They’re just doing their job, but it still hurts the city. It hurts our image. It creates resentment,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said.
SEE ALSO | 13-year-old boy shot and killed in Northeast DC home
“The letters were sent to two states that we were surprised when they decided to send the guard. Now, they sent the guard, as I understand it, to support the America 250 events. So it would be nice if they just kind of go back home,” Mendelson added.
According to the Joint Task Force overseeing the deployment, more than 5,100 National Guard members are currently assigned to the District, including troops supporting Freedom 250 events and other summer activities.
While Minnesota is ending its deployment, governors in states including Georgia and Mississippi have said their Guard members will remain in Washington to support the president’s mission.
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