- State Sen. Justin Eichorn was removed from the Minnesota Senate on Thursday following his resignation letter. His resignation comes after he was arrested for allegedly soliciting sex with a minor.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and fellow lawmakers were prepared to expel Eichorn from his position if he didn’t resign.
- A sting operation caught Eichorn allegedly attempting to meet with a minor after responding to an online advertisement.
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Minnesota State Sen. Justin Eichorn resigned from his position representing the Grand Rapids district after being arrested in a Bloomington Police Department operation targeting illegal commercial sex involving minors.
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State Sen. Eichorn submits his resignation
Eichorn, a Republican lawmaker, submitted his resignation letter to Gov. Tim Walz. In the resignation letter, Eichorn states the need to “focus on personal matters,” according to The Associated Press. The resignation follows an undercover operation on Monday, March 17, during which local authorities focused on combatting sex crimes involving minors.
Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark T. Johnson confirmed Eichorn’s resignation came just before lawmakers were set to vote on removing him from office.
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In a joint statement, Minnesota Senate Republicans said, “Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign. While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.”
Senate Minority Leader Johnson further stated that the allegations against Eichorn are supported by strong evidence and involve serious charges.
Undercover operation focused on commercial sex involving juveniles
During the undercover operation, Bloomington Police said Eichorn believed he was communicating with a 17-year-old girl, but the individual on the other end of the conversation was a detective.
The department alleges Eichorn attempted to meet with the alleged teenage girl after responding to an online ad that exchanged sex for money.
Eichorn was arrested on the day of the scheduled meet-up. Eichorn is facing federal charges, including enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution and coercion.
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A Minnesota judge has ordered Eichorn to remain at a halfway house, wear a GPS ankle monitor and have no unsupervised contact with minors. The AP also said he’s limited in his use of technology.
A special session will be held to fill his vacant seat in the Minnesota State Senate.
[Kalé Carey]
A MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR RESIGNS AFTER POLICE ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT HIM ASKING A MINOR FOR SEX.
REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER JUSTIN EICHORN HAS STEPPED DOWN FROM HIS ROLE REPRESENTING THE GRAND RAPIDS DISTRICT AFTER SUBMITTING A RESIGNATION LETTER TO GOVERNOR TIM WALZ.
ACCORDING TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, EICHORN INFORMED WALZ ON THURSDAY THAT HE NEEDED TO “FOCUS ON PERSONAL MATTERS.”
IT COMES AFTER AN UNDECOVER OPERATION ON MONDAY–WHERE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WERE FOCUSED ON ILLEGAL COMMERCIAL SEX INVOLVING MINORS.
MINNESOTA’S SENATE MINORITY LEADER STATED THAT EICHORN’S RESIGNATION CAME JUST BEFORE LAWMAKERS WERE SET TO VOTE HIM OUT.
IN A JOINT STATEMENT MINNESOTA HOUSE SENATORS SAID, “Given the seriousness of the charges, Senator Eichorn should resign. While he is entitled to due process, we must hold legislators to a higher standard.”
JOHNSON ADDED THAT THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM ARE BACKED BY STRONG EVIDENCE AND A SERIOUS CHARGE.
DURING THE COVERT OPERATION. BLOOMINGTON POLICE SAY EICHORN THOUGHT HE WAS COMMUNICATING WITH A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL BUT ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE IT WAS A DETECTIVE.
THE DEPARTMENT ALLEGES EICHORN ATTEMPTED TO SET UP MEETING WITH THE TEENAGER AFTER RESPONDING TO AN ONLINE AD THAT EXCHANGED SEX FOR MONEY.
THE DETECTIVE INFORMED EICHORN OF HER AGE AND LATER INQUIRED ABOUT THE COST OF SEXUAL SERVICES AND WHERE SHE WAS LOCATED.
EICHORN WAS ARRESTED ON THE DAY OF THE ‘MEET UP’. HE IS FACING FEDERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING ENTICEMENT OF A MINOR TO ENGAGE IN PROSTITUTION AND COERCION.
THE AP SAYS A MINNESOTA JUDGE ORDERED EICHORN TO STAY AT A HALFWAY HOUSE, WEAR A GPS ANKLE MONITOR AND HAVE NO UNSUPERVISED CONTACT WITH MINORS.
A SPECIAL SESSION WILL BE HELD TO FILL THE VACANCY IN THE MINNESOTA STATE SENATE.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KALÉ CAREY.
FIND MORE FACT BASED NEWS RIGHT NOW ON THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 22%
Center 28%
Right 50%
Bias Summary
Bias Comparison
Media outlets on the left
frame the Minnesota state senator’s resignation by emphasizing the severity and exploitative nature of the alleged crime, using terms like “soliciting a minor for prostitution,” explicitly identifying him as “GOP,” and highlighting damning details from the criminal complaint, such as text exchanges and items found in his car.
Media outlets on the right
acknowledge the “very concerning offense,” but de-emphasized specific details, focusing more on logistical aspects like the time of his court appearance, his family, and his pending transfer to a halfway house.
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Bias Distribution
22 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
22
Leaning Left
4
Center
5
Leaning Right
9
Last Updated
1 day ago
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MN senator resigns after minor-involved sex sting arrest
