BLOOMINGTON, MN — Minnesota Republican state senator Jason Eichorn is facing mounting calls to resign from both parties following his arrest for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution.
According to the Bloomington Police Department, Eichorn, 40, of Grand Rapids, was taken into custody without incident Monday evening after communicating online with an undercover detective posing as a 17-year-old girl. He was booked into the Hennepin County Jail and, as of Tuesday evening, was awaiting formal charges.
Eichorn, currently serving his third term in the state senate after first being elected in 2016, has not issued a public statement, nor has his office responded to inquiries.
Senate leadership on both sides of the aisle swiftly condemned the allegations and urged Eichorn to step down.
A statement from the Senate Republican caucus on Tuesday read: “We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family.”
Eichorn, according to his official Senate website, is married with children.
Minnesota DFL executive director Heidi Kraus Kaplan was even more direct, stating: “No one who solicits children belongs anywhere near public office or the State Capitol. The facts presented by the Bloomington Police Department make it clear that Senator Eichorn is an immediate danger to the public and must resign immediately.”
Eichorn’s arrest comes amid another ethics controversy in the Minnesota Senate. DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell of Woodbury was charged with burglary last year after being found in a family member’s home without permission. Despite calls for her resignation, Mitchell has remained in office and recently appeared before the state Senate ethics committee, though no action was taken. Her attorneys have requested her criminal case be delayed until the legislative session concludes.
Eichorn was vocal about Mitchell’s case, posting on social media on April 23, 2024: “Sen. Mitchell’s premeditated actions are disturbing. They do not align with the values Minnesotans expect of their elected leaders, and she needs to resign from the Senate.”
Prior to his arrest, Eichorn had drawn media attention for co-sponsoring a controversial bill that sought to classify “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) as a state-recognized mental illness. He was one of five Minnesota senators backing the measure, which was widely criticized as political theater.
