Minnesota senator behind 'Trump derangement syndrome' bill arrested
Category: News & Politics
Via: hal-a-lujah • one week ago • 6 commentsBy: Fernando Cervantes Jr. (USA TODAY)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Republican Sen. Justin Eichorn was arrested after Bloomington police detectives say he arranged to meet up with a 16-year-old girl. A county attorney's office say no charges have yet been filed.
Fernando Cervantes Jr.USA TODAYHear this story
A Minnesota state senator who was one of the authors of a bill wanting to define "Trump derangement syndrome" as a mental illness was arrested on Tuesday on charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Bloomington police arrested Republican Sen. Justin Eichorn, 40, after detectives say they communicated with him over the phone. Police said Eichorn believed he was talking with a 16-year-old girl.
On Monday, the detective talking to the senator arranged to meet with him. Police then said that on Tuesday morning, Eichorn was seen arriving to the arranged location in his truck. He was subsequently arrested without incident.
"As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone's child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up," Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said in a news release.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office told USA TODAY that the case had not been submitted to them for official charging as of Tuesday afternoon.
Eichorn's legislative assistant did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Tuesday.
Minnesota politicians react
In a news release posted to Facebook, the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus demanded that Eichorn resign.
"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," the release said.
Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, a Democrat, told WCCO-TV that the allegations against Eichorn are "disturbing."
"The felony allegation against Senator Eichorn is deeply disturbing, and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents," she said.
Eichorn proposed 'Trump derangement syndrome' bill
Eichorn and four other state senators gained national attention this week after proposing a bill that would add "Trump derangement syndrome" to the state's definition of mental illness.
The bill described the "syndrome" as "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of (Trump)." Moreover, the bill described symptoms of the syndrome as "verbal expressions of extreme hostility" against the president, as well as acts of aggression and violence toward his supporters and symbols.
Contributing: Kinsey Crowley
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
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You can’t make this shit up. Maybe he needs to start thinking up names for the syndromes he’s going to experience in prison as a pedophile.
I'm sure he'll be safe if he's put in the mackerel snapper prison wing, if there's any room left ...
Wow....that never happens in DC. The republicans revel in their bad comrades
the maga interns all sign loyalty pledges and non-disclosure agreements ...
I’m waiting for Trump to weight in on how the radical left has arrested a conservative family man for merely wanting to meet an adult woman for coffee.
... she's got at least 5 years on the virgin mary, so wtf?