State Senator Caught in Prostitution Sting Resigns

Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn resigned on Thursday, less than an hour before colleagues could vote on expelling him. Lawmakers from both parties said they were ready to expel the Republican, who was arrested in an underage prostitution sting on Monday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, a Republican, said the charge "is so severe" and the charging documents "so damning" that an unprecedented expulsion from the chamber was warranted, MPR News reports. According to federal charging documents, Eichorn communicated with an undercover detective he believed was a 17-year-old girl—initial reports said 16—and said her age was not an issue.

Charging documents state that the 40-year-old lawmaker, who is married with four children, contacted a number in an online ad that undercover detectives had placed in an operation targeting attempted sexual exploitation of minors, MPR News reports. The documents state that Eichorn asked about prices and sexual services—and asked for explicit photos. When the undercover detective texted: "I am 17 … like I said don't want any drama but wanna be upfront cause one guy got hella mad at me," Eichorn allegedly replied: "Why was he so mad? I think age of consent is 17 when do ya turn 18?" He was arrested after he arranged a meetup in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis.

Eichorn, who has been jailed since his arrest, was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Wednesday, the Guardian reports. On Thursday, a judge ordered his release to a halfway house with GPS monitoring when a space opens up. His access to the internet will be restricted, and he will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors. In a resignation letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz read in the Senate chamber Thursday, Eichorn said, "I must focus on personal matters at this time." On Monday, hours before his arrest, Eichorn was one of five Republicans who introduced a bill to classify "Trump derangement syndrome" as a mental illness. (More Minnesota stories.)