UPDATE: Ethics Complaint Against Michel Remains Unresolved

Following more than five hours of debate—stretched over two separate hearings—over whether there was probable cause to proceed with an investigation into the ethics complaint against Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina), the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct elected to recess without any sort of resolution.

Subcommittee members were on every motion to come before them during the hearing. Rules dictate the subcommittee could either make a finding of no probable cause, vote to defer action until a certain time or proceed with its investigation. They could not agree on any of the three potential outcomes.

When it became clear nothing was going to be resolved prior to the regular Senate session starting at noon, the group voted 3-1 to recess until Tuesday evening, April 17.

They reconvened Tuesday night for a couple of hours, but were still unable to reach any sort of consensus. They finally voted 3-1 to adjourn "to the call of the chair." Chair Michelle Fischbach indicated she would reconvent the committee if anything changed.

Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) claimed there was nothing compelling in the complaint other than a "question in management style," but said he wanted to put the issue to rest so legislators can move forward.

"I'd like to reconvene this subcommittee and stay here until midnight and we get it done," Ingebrigtsen said. "I'm willing to stay here for the duration until this is resolved."

stems from Michel's knowledge of an alleged affair between former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and a staffer. Sen. Sandra Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) said Michel violated Senate Permanent Rule 56 by failing to swiftly address the matter upon learning about it and mislead the public through contradictory statements.

Michel, who has long held the ethics complaint has more to do with political games than any sort of ethical conduct issues, was on hand for the proceedings.

"I continue to believe this isn't even about ethics, that this is about politics," Michel said.

Bob Maher, Michel's attorney, at one point asked the subcommittee if anything would prevent Pappas from withdrawing her complaint at this point.

Sen. Kathy Sheran (DFL-Mankato) admitted while nothing prevented Pappas from withdrawing her complaint, similarly nothing prevents Michel from offering to make an apology on the Senate floor in exchange for a withdrawal of the complaint.

"If it resulted in a withdrawal of the complaint, it would terminate this meeting," Sheran said.

Michel said he appreciated Sheran's comments, but indicted he would have preferred Pappas voice her concerns to him in person rather than filing an ethics complaint in the first place. He mentioned sitting down with Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-Minnetonka) and Sen. Ron Latz (DFL-St. Louis Park) over coffee to talk about the issue rather than bringing it to the subcommittee.

"I think we need to be approachable and open to each other," he said.

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