3/21/2025 -- MN Senator Arrested

🌡 In case you haven't noticed, Minnesota's winters are warming 2-3x faster than summers.

Politics

Minnesota State Senator Resigns Following Arrest for Soliciting Minor

The Summary: Justin Eichorn, a Republican state senator from Grand Rapids, has resigned following charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. The resignation came on Thursday, just before the Senate could vote on his expulsion.

Arrest and Charges: Eichorn was arrested on Monday in Bloomington during an undercover operation targeting commercial sex involving juveniles. He faces federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution.

Political Fallout: Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson expressed relief at Eichorn's resignation, stating that decisive action was necessary. The Republican caucus was prepared to vote for expulsion had Eichorn not resigned. Governor Tim Walz will need to call a special election to fill the now-vacant seat.

Implications for the Senate: With Eichorn's departure, Senate Democrats now hold a two-seat majority. The incident has also reignited discussions about Senator Nicole Mitchell, a Democrat facing separate legal troubles.

Business

Feeding Our Future Defendants Found Guilty On All Counts 👩‍⚖️

The Summary: Aimee Bock, founder of Feeding Our Future, and Salim Said, a restaurant co-owner, were found guilty on all counts in the $250 million meal fraud scheme.

Charges and Convictions: Bock was convicted on 7 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and federal programs bribery. Said was convicted on 21 counts, including wire fraud, federal programs bribery, and money laundering.

Immediate Detention: Judge Nancy Brasel ordered both defendants to be detained immediately, citing flight risk and public safety concerns. Their attorneys argued against detention, but the judge disagreed.

Reactions to the Verdict: Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick called Bock and Said "thieves." Lead prosecutor Joe Thompson described the scheme as a "brazen and corrupt" fraud that has become "the shame of Minnesota." Governor Tim Walz expressed gratitude for the verdict, calling Bock the "ringleader."

Impact and Future Oversight: The verdict has sparked conversations about preventing future fraud and increasing oversight of government programs. The state is now working to recover the stolen funds.

What Else We’re Reading…

Median Home Price Increased By 6.2% In The Twin Cities Metro 🏠

Metro home prices in the Twin Cities continued to rise in February 2025, with the median sale price reaching $380,000, a 6.2% increase from the previous year. Despite this increase, new listings dropped 5.3% in the metro area and 7.2% statewide, reversing a five-month trend of growth. Realtors are preparing for potential impacts of upcoming tariffs on building materials, which could increase the cost of new home construction by $7,500 to $10,000 per single-family home.

Sports 🏀

🏀 The Gopher Women’s Basketball team defeated the Toledo Rockets in the first round of the WBIT tournament.

🏀 The Minnesota Timberwolves lost their last two games after having won eight straight games. They are currently the 8 seed in the Western Conference.

🏒 The Minnesota Wild shut out the Seattle Kraken by a score of 4-0 on Wednesday evening.

🏈 The Minnesota Vikings are no longer pursuing Aaron Rodgers according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero

Quick hits

Headlines From Around The Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota ✔

❯ A Kwik Trip employee was stabbed 43 times outside the gas station in Mankato (Fox9)

❯ Members of the St. Paul City Council are looking to end rent control for new construction (Pioneer Press)

❯ St. Paul is asking for $384M to help with renovations to the Xcel Energy Center (Kare11)

❯ Minneapolis spent $330k clearing encampments during last half of 2024 (MPR)

The Final Word: Some Good News 🏃‍♂️

The Boston Marathon is about a month away and two Minnesota brothers are preparing to push their father who has ALS across the finish line.

-Patrick