Senator Mark Koran (R–North Branch) released the following statement in response to the guilty verdict in the felony burglary trial of Sen. Nicole Mitchell (D‑Woodbury):

“I’m glad it took the jury just a few hours to see what Nicole Mitchell was really doing when she broke into her stepmother’s home last year. Republicans saw it immediately, which is why we have been clear from the start in calling for her resignation. But Democrats protected her at every turn despite knowing her behavior was far beneath the standards of this institution, only because she gave them a one‑seat advantage in the Senate. A soon‑to‑be convicted felon cast the deciding vote on some of the most consequential and extreme policies Democrats pushed through.

Now she says she’ll resign in August but we’ll believe it when we see it. It shouldn’t take a judge and a jury to tell Senate Democrats what the right thing to do is. But even after this verdict, they want to wait two more weeks. The people in her district, and all Minnesotans, deserve a senator who is fully engaged and working with others to get things done for their constituents. Nicole Mitchell hasn’t been able to do that for more than a year, and it’s a shame she brought such disgrace to the Senate while leaving her district without the representation they deserve.”