Minnesota state Sen. Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat, has just been convicted of felony burglary for sneaking into her estranged stepmother’s home like a character out of a bad spy flick.
According to the New York Post, in a nutshell, Mitchell, a first-term senator from Woodbury, was found guilty of first-degree burglary and possession of burglary tools after breaking into a residence in Detroit Lakes on April 22, 2024.
This saga began in the early hours of that fateful day when Mitchell, dressed head-to-toe in black and wielding a flashlight shrouded with a sock, was caught red-handed inside the home of her stepmother, Carol Mitchell.
Bodycam footage played for the jury captured Mitchell admitting to police, “I know I did something bad.” Well, that’s one way to state the obvious, Senator, but it hardly excuses turning a family feud into a criminal escapade.
Mitchell later told officers she was after sentimental items from her late father, who passed in 2023 after nearly four decades of marriage to Carol—think ashes, photos, and even a flannel shirt. If only family heirlooms came with less drama and more dialogue, we might not be here.
Fast forward to the trial, and Mitchell’s story shifted faster than a politician’s promises—she testified she had no intent to steal, claiming instead she was worried about her stepmother’s memory issues and paranoia. Color me skeptical, but checking on someone’s well-being doesn’t usually involve breaking at the crack of dawn.
During her testimony, Mitchell insisted she just wanted to avoid upsetting her stepmother by questioning her competency rather than asking for her father’s keepsakes outright. That’s a noble spin, but most folks would opt for a heartfelt chat over a midnight mission. Becker County Attorney Brian McDonald didn’t mince words, telling jurors to use “reason and common sense” when weighing Mitchell’s conflicting accounts. If her bodycam confession of intent to steal holds water, as McDonald argued, then this isn’t just a misunderstanding—it’s a crime, plain and simple.
Defense attorney Bruce Ringstrom Jr. countered with, “Nicole did not steal anything.” Nice try, but explaining away her actions as mere “white lies” in a “terrible mess” feels like putting lipstick on a pig—it’s still a mess, and the jury saw through it after just three hours of deliberation.
The guilty verdict on Friday left Mitchell stone-faced in court, and with a first-degree burglary charge tied to an occupied dwelling, she’s staring down a mandatory minimum of six months behind bars if intent to steal is confirmed. The lesser felony of possessing burglary tools adds insult to injury, though it carries no mandatory time.
Now, let’s talk politics—Mitchell’s seat in the Minnesota Senate, where Democrats cling to a razor-thin one-seat majority, makes her vote a linchpin for progressive agendas many conservatives find misguided. Republicans have been banging the drum for her resignation or expulsion since her arrest, and they’re not wrong to demand accountability over party loyalty.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy noted Mitchell had pledged to step down if convicted, adding, “I expect her to follow through.” Here’s hoping honor still means something in St. Paul, because clinging to power after a felony rap isn’t the look any party needs.
If Mitchell does resign, Gov. Tim Walz would call a special election in her heavily Democratic district, likely keeping the seat blue. But until the Senate reconvenes in February, Republicans lack the votes to force her out, leaving this scandal to fester like an open wound in an already tense chamber.
Relations between Democrats and Republicans have been frosty since Mitchell dug in her heels post-arrest, refusing to step aside. It’s a stark reminder that personal failings can ripple into public trust, eroding faith in a system already burdened by partisan gridlock.
At the end of the day, Mitchell’s tale—whether driven by grief, desperation, or something else—serves as a cautionary note about the boundaries of personal and public life. A former
