Tipsheet

There's Been an Update on Minnesota State Sen. Arrested for Burglary

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  April 23, 2024 8:30 PM

Early on Monday morning, as we covered, state Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Minnesota Democrat, was arrested for first degree burglary. Mitchell, who represents Woodbury, was arrested in Detroit Lakes, an area over 200 miles and three and a half hours away. We now know that complaint states she broke into her late father's home. She's now been charged with a felony charge of 1st degree burglary and was scheduled for her first court appearance on Tuesday morning. 

According to the complaint, "While being detained, Mitchell stated to the Victim something to the effect of, 'I was just trying to get a coupl of my dad's things because you wouldn't talk to me anymore.'" While speaking to an Officer Wothe, she stated she had "just gotten into the house" and that "clearly I'm not good at this."

Mitchell also spoke to officers after being read her Miranda rights, stating "I know I did something bad." What followed was an exchange about her and her stepmother, who she said "had ceased all contact with her and other family members," and that "she wanted various items of her late father's and that Victim refused to give them to her." The complaint also mentions Mitchell "stated that she previously got into an argument with Victim and they stopped talking."

Alpha News' Liz Collin shared the complaint in a post on Tuesday morning post. 

Collin also shared another post later on Tuesday, drawing a contrast between Mitchell's own Facebook post from Tuesday afternoon in which she claimed the matter had to do with having "a close relative" who she says has Alzheimer's. "Unfortunately, I startled this close relative, exacerbating paranoia, and I was accused of stealing, which I absolutely deny," her post mentioned in part. "Over the weekend, I learned of medical information which caused me grave concern and prompted me to check on that family member. I entered a home I have come and gone from countless times in the past 20 years, where my son even once had his own room," it had also raid.

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"This has been a true tragedy for our family and my hope is it can return to being a private matter," the post closed with.

Andrew Wagner, the executive director for Minnesota House Republicans, had been posting local news coverage of the arrest on Monday, and also reposted Pari Glessing, who shared the explanation in the Facebook post "is totally insulting given what we know from the police report."

As mentioned in previous coverage, Mitchell's arrest was particularly noteworthy given that Democrats only have a one-seat majority in the state Senate following the 2022 election, though they do also have control of both the state House of Representatives and governorship. 

That narrow majority doesn't look to be in danger, though, at least not yet. The Star Tribune's Ryan Faircloth said he spoke with Mitchell's attorney, Bruce Ringstrom Sr., who said he's advised his client not to resign from the state Senate. His post also notes he "doubts Majority Leader Erin Murphy will ask her to," and even that "he expects Mitchell to return to the State Capitol on Wednesday."

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson had meanwhile said "she needs to resign from the Senate immediately."