For the second day in a row, DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell was in the political crosshairs of Senate Republicans. They made a motion to have senators vote to ask Mitchell to resign. 

“This is serious members,” said Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater. “We are dealing with an unprecedented case of a senator who was arrested in the dark of night while breaking into her stepmother’s home… We as a body need to uphold the integrity of the institution and we need to act now.”

Democrats defeated the motion 34-33, with Mitchell voting with the majority against the motion asking her to resign.

“I ask you to respect the principles of due process and I’d ask you to be reminded of the principle in our United States Constitution of presumption of innocence,” said Sen. Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato.

Meanwhile, other legislative business continued in the Minnesota House with work on the $980 million bonding bill, an E-12 education bill and other legislation.

House Republicans also continued their criticism of a $730 million expansion of the State Office Building across from the Capitol. They planned to make a motion to pause that project that is unlikely to pass the House, where Democrats have a six-seat majority.

“Those are taxpayer dollars that would be better spent other ways,” said Republican House Minority Leader Rep. Lisa Demuth.

It’s likely too late to stop the project, with the state scheduled to make the next $11 million payment for the building on May 1.