Republican Sen. Justin Eichorn submitted his resignation letter Thursday morning—which was announced just moments before the Minnesota Senate was expected to vote to expel him.
“I am resigning my seat in the Minnesota Senate for District 6 effective immediately. I must focus on personal matters at this time. It has been an honor to serve in the Minnesota Senate,” Eichorn said in his resignation letter to Gov. Tim Walz, which was read out loud by the secretary of the Senate during Thursday’s floor session.
Eichorn was federally charged this week after he allegedly attempted to solicit a minor for prostitution.
Within hours of his arrest being announced, Minnesota House and Senate Republican leaders called for his resignation. On Wednesday evening, they announced they would move to expel him from the Senate.
“There is no question that these charges merit expulsion,” Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said Wednesday. “We owe it to the public to hold our members to the highest standards, and this violation of the public trust is so severe we must act. It is my hope that this quick resolution gives Senator Eichorn time to focus on his family.”
The Senate DFL then announced Thursday morning that it would support a motion to expel Eichorn.
“The details of these charges are inexcusable, and the Senate DFL Caucus calls for Senator Eichorn’s immediate resignation,” the caucus said in a statement. “We are prepared to expel Senator Eichorn if he does not resign.”
Senate Democrats have blocked multiple attempts by the GOP to expel Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat from Woodbury who is facing felony burglary charges.
Eichorn is from Grand Rapids and has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2017. He is married with four children, according to his Senate biography.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
