Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, was arrested for allegedly soliciting a 16-year-old girl for prostitution, prompting calls for his resignation from Senate Republicans and raising serious concerns among colleagues and constituents.
Clay Masters | MPR News
Minnesota State Senator Justin Eichorn was arrested on Monday evening in Bloomington for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. near the 8300 block of Normandale Avenue, according to police records.
Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, was taken into custody without incident outside his vehicle by uniformed officers. The Bloomington Police Department reported that their detectives had communicated with Eichorn, who believed he was conversing with a 16-year-old female, leading to the arrangement of a meeting.
Following the arrest, Senate Republicans, along with Republican Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, swiftly called for Eichorn’s resignation from his post.
Eichorn, 40, is described in his Senate biography as an entrepreneur and a family man with four children. He has served in the Senate since his election in 2016.
Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, a Democrat from St. Paul, expressed her concern, stating that the felony allegations against Eichorn are “deeply disturbing” and raise significant questions that need to be addressed by both the courts and his constituents.
On social media, fellow Republican Minnesota House Representative Elliott Engen called for Eichorn to “resign in disgrace” and face prosecution.
Eichorn’s arrest occurred just hours after he, along with four other Republican senators, introduced legislation aimed at designating “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a mental illness.
