On Thursday, Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said Mitchell failed to disclose she had a clear conflict of interest before voting on the matter because, as a Senate member, she draws a $51,750 salary, about $10,000 per diem, and health and retirement benefits.
“Members are expected to abstain from votes for which they have a financial interest,” Drazkowski said. “Sen. Mitchell did not disclose her conflict and did not abstain from a procedural vote that stood in the way of the Senate conducting a vote on her expulsion.”
Mitchell responded that she saw no need to declare any financial interests because the vote was procedural.
Ryan Faircloth of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.