Midwest
Walz waited until legislative session wrapped to demand resignation from Dem lawmaker accused of burglary
Vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz waited to call on an embattled Democratic state lawmaker charged with burglary to resign until after the Minnesota legislative session ended in May and her critical vote was no longer needed.
State Sen. Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury was arrested at her stepmother’s home on April 22 and is charged with felony first-degree burglary for allegedly breaking in to get her late father’s ashes and some of his personal belongings. Mitchell has denied the allegations and sought to have her charges dismissed.
The arrest prompted the Minnesota Senate to remove Mitchell from her committee assignments and caucus meetings. Republicans were quick to demand that she immediately resign, but Democratic leaders, including Walz, did not follow suit until after the legislative session ended nearly a month later, on May 19.
GOP leaders say the episode demonstrated how Walz did what was politically expedient as governor rather than what was right.
DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR’S OWN PARTY CALLING FOR HER RESIGNATION AFTER BURGLARY CHARGE
Democratic state Sen. Nicole Mitchell, 47, was booked into the Becker County Jail on suspicion of first-degree burglary. (Becker County Jail)
“Democrats in Minnesota turned a blind eye to the criminal actions of their colleagues for one simple reason: to maintain power,” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“Just like when he passed off blame for nearly a billion dollars of taxpayer money being lost to fraud, Tim Walz will pass the buck on doing what’s right unless it benefits him and his far-left agenda. He has no business being VP and will put his own agenda and reckless pursuit of power over the needs of Americans if he makes it to Washington.”
Democrats held a 34-33 majority at the time, making Mitchell’s vote crucial to enacting key legislation. Minnesota Democratic-Farmor-Labor Party Chairman acknowledged as much in his statement calling for Mitchell to resign, which noted her constituents “had full representation through the end of the legislative session.”
“The Minnesota DFL believes that all elected officials should be held accountable, including members of our own party. While Sen. Mitchell is entitled to her day in court, her continued refusal to take responsibility for her actions is beneath her office and has become a distraction for her district and the Legislature,” Martin said in a May 30 statement, ten days after the session closed.
“Now that her constituents have had full representation through the end of the legislative session, it is time for her to resign to focus on the personal and legal challenges she faces.”
911 CALL TRANSCRIPT DETAILS DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR’S ALLEGED BURGLARY AT STEPMOTHER’S HOME
Mitchell was elected to represent Minnesota’s Senate District 47 in 2022. (Minnesota State Senate)
Walz told FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul he agreed with Martin’s statement and that Mitchell should resign.
In comments to MPR News, the governor called the allegations facing Mitchell “disturbing” and said that “public servants need to be held to a higher standard.”
Republicans slammed the delayed response from Democratic leaders at the time.
“Without new evidence or information in the accusations against Sen. Mitchell, this statement from DFL Chair Ken Martin is a clear admission Democrats were so desperate to pass their highly partisan agenda they were willing to use votes of an alleged burglar to do it,” Johnson said in response to Martin’s statement.
DEMOCRATIC MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR CLAIMS SHE WAS CHECKING IN ON ILL LOVED ONE DURING ALLEGED BURGLARY
Democratic presidential candidate, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appear on stage together during a campaign event at Girard College on August 6, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Harris ended weeks of speculation about who her running mate would be, selecting the 60-year-old midwestern governor over other candidates. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
“Democrats abused their political majority and embraced Sen. Mitchell because it served their political purposes instead of working in a bipartisan way for Minnesotans. Anyone paying attention could see this coming – now that they no longer need her vote, they are ready to cast her aside.
“This shameless pursuit of political power is not what Minnesotans deserve from their elected leaders.”
The Harris-Walz campaign and the office of Gov. Walz did not respond to requests for comment.
According to a criminal complaint, Mitchell acknowledged that she entered through a window and told investigators she was trying to get her late father’s ashes, photos, a flannel shirt and other items of sentimental value, claiming her stepmother had stopped speaking to her after her father’s death and refused to give her the items.
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Mitchell appeared in front of an ethics panel on May 7, but invoked her Fifth Amendment rights and refused to speak.
Mitchell, of Woodbury, Minnesota, has represented District 47 since she was elected to the state Senate in 2022. She was previously a meteorologist for KSTP-TV and Minnesota Public Radio and serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.
A hearing for Mitchell’s case has been delayed to Aug. 30 in Becker County District Court, the Detroit Lakes Tribune reported.
Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
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MADISON – When Alie Bisballe committed to the Wisconsin women’s basketball program during the summer of 2023, she had an scholarship on the table from Michigan State.
After the 6-foot-4 forward entered the transfer portal last month, the Spartans came calling again. This time she accepted their offer.
Bisballe announced her commitment to the Spartans May 5. The move puts her about two hours from her hometown of Lake City, Michigan.
She has two years of eligibility remaining.
Bisballe, who announced the news on Instagram, played in 36 games for Wisconsin in two seasons and averaged 1.3 points per game. She averaged one point and 0.8 rebounds per game this past season.
At Michigan State, she’ll joined another former Badger. Carter McCray, who played for UW in 2024-25, is transferring to Michigan State after one season at West Virginia.
Four Wisconsin players entered the portal last month. Rising senior Kyrah Daniels withdrew her name, but guard Breauna Ware signed with Wake Forest. Jovana Spasovski, a 6-0 wing with two years of eligibility remaining, has not announced a commitment.
Scott Harris introduces Framber Valdez to Detroit Tigers after signing
President of baseball operations Scott Harris introduced left-hander Framber Valdez to the Detroit Tigers on Feb. 11, 2026, in Lakeland, Florida.
Detroit Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez was ejected from his start Tuesday, May 5, against the Boston Red Sox before recording an out in the fourth inning.
The 32-year-old was ejected by third-base umpire and crew chief Dan Iassogna for hitting Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story with a first-pitch 94.4 mph four-seam fastball – immediately after giving up back-to-back home runs.
The hit-by-pitch appeared to be intentional, especially because the pitch registered as the only four-seam fastball that Valdez has thrown in the 2026 season.
The Red Sox scored 10 runs off Valdez, including two in the fourth inning on home runs from Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, both with bat flips. That’s when Valdez hit Story, who absorbed the pitch with his back.
Players and coaches from both teams’ benches and bullpens poured onto the field at Comerica Park.
Valdez stood near the mound during the skirmish, all while his teammates and coaches exchanged words with players and coaches from the Red Sox.
There was no brawl.
Before benches and bullpens cleared, Story stared down Valdez from near home plate, and Valdez took several steps in front of the pitching mound.
The two never came close to a fight.
Afterward, the umpires gathered, discussed what had happened and ejected Valdez. He didn’t protest the ejection, simply walking off the mound and into the clubhouse.
Both teams were warned not to retaliate.
Valdez – a two-time All-Star in his nine-year MLB career – allowed 10 runs (seven earned runs) on nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts across three-plus innings, throwing 45 of 60 pitches for strikes.
He generated six misses on 34 swings for a below-average 17.6% whiff rate, while the Red Sox averaged an above-average 93.3 mph exit velocity on 16 balls in play.
Valdez has a 4.57 ERA in eight starts.
The Tigers – led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris – signed Valdez in early February to a lucrative contract that will be worth three years, $115 million if he exercises his player option for the third season.
The deal set the MLB record for the highest average annual value guaranteed to a left-handed pitcher, at $38.3 million.
So far, the results have been disappointing.
The hit-by-pitch in Tuesday’s meltdown didn’t help.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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