Democratic State Senator Nicole Mitchell of Minnesota, who was convicted last week on two felony charges, announced Monday she will resign—but not until August 4, prompting outrage from Republicans who say she’s milking taxpayers for one last paycheck.
“Nicole Mitchell was convicted of felony burglary last week,” said Minnesota GOP Chair Alex Plechash.
“Instead of doing the right thing and stepping down immediately, she now plans to stick around for another two weeks — just long enough to collect another taxpayer-funded paycheck.”
Convicted of Breaking into Her Stepmother’s Home
Mitchell, 51, was found guilty on July 18 of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools after being caught breaking into her estranged stepmother’s home in April 2024.
Police found Mitchell dressed in black, inside the home of Carol Mitchell, her stepmother, claiming she was there to retrieve her deceased father’s ashes and personal items. Mitchell had previously claimed her stepmother, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, refused to hand them over.
During her trial, Mitchell argued that she trespassed only to check on her stepmother’s wellbeing. The jury took just three hours to convict.
Her sentencing is scheduled for September 10 and carries a mandatory minimum of 180 days in jail.
Republicans: She Should Have Been Expelled Months Ago
Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R-MN) blasted the delay and called out Democrats for shielding Mitchell to protect their slim majority.
“Sen. Mitchell was convicted of two felonies; she doesn’t get to give the Senate two weeks’ notice,” Johnson said.
“Democrats shielded Mitchell for 15 months… but a jury needed just three hours to confirm what was already clear: she shouldn’t be a senator.”
Mitchell was arrested on April 22, 2024, but remained in office for more than a year despite the felony charges—giving Democrats a one-seat edge in the Minnesota Senate.
Mitchell Says She’s Staying for “Health Insurance” and “Staff”
In her resignation statement, Mitchell claimed she needs time to keep health insurance coverage for her son, help her staff transition, and complete “constituent service” work before leaving.
Her lawyer, Dane DeKrey, admitted there was no plan to resign unless she was convicted.
“It didn’t make sense to resign in advance because that would essentially be admitting you might lose,” DeKrey said.
