Growing list of Minnesota GOP officials call for state party chair’s resignation

A meeting was underway Sunday night with members of the Republican Party of Minnesota executive board to discuss accusations that one of its donors and a University of St. Thomas student were involved in a sex trafficking ring.

Anton “Tony” Lazzaro was charged last week in connection with a child sex trafficking ring and 19-year-old Gisela Castro Medina was subsequently arrested in Florida on suspicion of aiding in a child sex trafficking conspiracy. The Republican Party of Minnesota said Castro Medina’s had ties to Lazzaro.

Castro Medina was recently elected chair of the University of St. Thomas College Republicans. The Minnesota GOP stated it has no control over Republican groups on campuses of universities or colleges.

Lazzaro, 30, is a prominent fundraiser and donor within the state Republican party and has close ties to Minnesota Republican Party Chair Jennifer Carnahan. That association has some Republican lawmakers calling for Carnahan to step down as state party chair.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he signed a letter with several other legislators calling for Carnahan to step aside.

“We’re struggling, and I think as a party now for a while, with ethical leadership at the top and we really need to restore integrity in the top part of our party in Minnesota,” Drazkowski said. “And it is my understanding the party chair had some members of the executive board sign non-disclosure agreements, and that is really, really problematic for me.”

Carnahan disputed those characterizations in a Facebook post.

“Leaders in our party are now using guilt by association to demand my resignation and the party and its leaders cannot be held responsible for the actions of donors and unofficial persons," she wrote.

State Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, also told KSTP she supports efforts to encourage Carnahan to resign.

“The Republican State Executive Board needs to have an opportunity to hire an outside auditor to review finances, to free the staff of non-disclosure agreements and to review human resources policies to make sure that staff and volunteers are protected,” Benson said. “The party chair has resisted such actions and needs to step down for the good of the GOP.”

Lazzaro is expected to make his first court appearance soon, and Castro Medina is expected to be charged when she returns to Minnesota from Florida.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect that Anton “Tony” Lazzaro will not appear in court on Monday as his appearance was canceled. His initial court appearance has yet to be scheduled as of Monday morning.