>> ERIC: JUST OVER A WEEK LEFT IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND THE BIGGEST INTRIGUE REMAINS AFTER THE FELONY ARREST OF A DFL STATE SENATOR WHO FACED HER FIRST ETHICS COMMITTEE THIS WEEK.

LONGTIME "ALMANAC" POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER GIVES US SOME CONTEXT ON THE ETHICS PROCESS AND HISTORY.

>> I AM CABLING TO ORDER THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ETHICS.

>> Mary: THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE MET MORE THAN ONCE THIS WEEK.

THE SECOND TIME WAS TO SETTLE A CASE OF A SENATOR SENDING AN EMAIL LINKING TO GRAPHIC CONTENT ON THE LINE.

>> THERE'S BEEN ROBUST DISCUSSIONS HAPPENING AMONGST THE COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO TRY TO FIND A PATH FORWARD AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE.

>> Mary: THE DECISION S THE SENATOR WILL HAVE TO BE INSTRUCTED BY LEADERSHIP HOW TO DELIVER EMAIL IN THE FUTURE BUT NO FURTHER ACTION.

>> THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

>> THIS COMMITTEE DEADLOCKED 2-2 ON THAT ISSUE.

I PRETTY FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S NO PROBABLE CAUSE.

>> Mary: IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING, THE ACCUSED SENATOR SPOKE UP.

>> IT'S A MEDICAL TRAINING VIDEO, OKAY?

AND I CONSIDER IT TO BE A GOOD RESOURCE FOR FELLOW SENATE MEMBERS TO COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE BILL WE WERE GOING TO BE VOTING ON.

>> ANY TIME I'M USING THE WORD EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND DISTURBING, I'M QUOTING SENATOR GRUENHAGEN IN MISS OWN EMAIL BECAUSE WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE VERY, VERY CLEAR, NOT ONLY WAS IT GRAPHIC IMAGERY AND WHAT WAS SAID IN THE EMAIL TO BE IMAGERY OF CHILDREN'S GENITALIA BUT SELF-DESCRIBED BY THE SENATOR AS EXTREMELY DISTURBING AND GRAPHIC AND EPICENTER ITWAY.

>> Mary: THAT WASN'T THE PART OF THE MEETING THAT GOT THE ATTENTION.

THE SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE MET INTO THE NIGHT ON THE FELONY BURGLARY CHARGES AGAINST SENATOR NICOLE MITCHELL.

>> YOU DO SWEAR THE EVIDENCE YOU WILL GIVE RELATIVE TO THE CAUSE UNDER CONSIDERATION SHALL BE THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HEN YOU GOD, CORRECT?

>> SENATOR MITCHELL WILL BE ANSWERING NO QUESTIONS, PERIOD.

>> Mary: MITCHELL NEVER SPOKE AND HER ATTORNEY EMPLOYED THE FIFTH FOR HER AND SPOKE IN AN AGGRESSIVE COURTROOM MODE.

>> THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE MORE INFLAMMATORY ONES I'VE HEARD WITH ALLEGATIONS OF OUR PLIGHT CALL MOTIVATIONS, WITH DEMANDS OF WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO.

>> THE SEVERITY OF THE CRIMINAL CHARGES CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ETHICAL CONDUCT AND THE SENATE AS A WHOLE.

>> THE 9-1-1 CALL TELLS US Mrs. MITCHELL WAS ALONE AND FRIGHT INDEPENDENT BY AN INTRUDER SHE COULDN'T IDENTIFY.

>> WE ARE NOT HERE TO BE JUDGE AND JURY.

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DETERMINE IF A MEMBER OF OUR BODY VIOLATED THE RULES OF OUR BODY.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DEFER THESE PROCEEDINGS UNTIL THE CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

>> I AM GOING TO RENEW A MOTION FOR US TO RETURN ON JUNE 12th.

>> Mary: THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON ETHICS IS UNIQUE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

FIRST, IT'S ONE OF THE SMALLEST COMMITTEES AT THE CAPITOL BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE'S NO CLEAR POLITICAL MAJORITIES.

WITH TWO DEMOCRATS AND TWO REPUBLICANS, IT OFTEN RESULTS IN DEADLOCK.

>> THERE IS A SAYING THAT SAYS IF YOU'RE NOT AT THE TABLE, THEN YOU'RE ON THE MENU.

MY PARENTS MIGRATED FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH.

I WAS BORN IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS.

I WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE.

I JUST WANTED TO BE THE BLACK PERRY MASON.

>> Mary: THE SENATE PRESIDENT, WHO'S AN ATTORNEY, CHAIRS THE ETHICS COMMITTEE WHICH MEETS INFREQUENTLY.

SOMETIMES THEY GATHER A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR AND IN OTHER INSTANCES, IT'S BEEN YEARS BETWEEN SESSIONS.

>> I DID NOT BULLY, THREATEN OR FORCE THE MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT -- >> Mary: CHAMPION WAS THE SUBJECT OF N ETHICS COMPLAINT BACK IN 2014 RELATED TO A CONTRACT THAT ALLEGEDLY BENEFITED HIS FRIENDS BUT THE COMMITTEE TOOK NO ACTION ON THE COMPLAINT FILED BY MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE PARTY, ONE OF WHOM IS CURRENTLY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR WHO'S CALLING FOR SENATOR MITCHELL'S RESIGNATION.

>> IT'S NOT HARD TO GET SETTLED.

>> Mary: MAYBE THE MOST MEMORABLE ETHICS COMPLAINTS ALMOST TWO DECADES AGO WAS AGAINST FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DEAN JOHNSON, FOR SAYING A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SHARED INFORMATION WITH HIM ON THE ISSUE OF SAME SEX MARRIAGE WHICH HE HAD TO APOLOGIZE FOR LATER.

>> I SIMPLY APOLOGIZED FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

>> Mary: ANOTHER GROUP CALLED FOR