Minnesota Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in MN

Scandal Categories

Minnesota Republican U.S. Congress Member & Candidate Scandals

  • Danielle StellaDanielle StellaFmr. U.S. Rep Nominee [R-MN]Instagram icon10k
    Instagram icon10k  
    7/26/19
    Stole an eye-popping 279 items totaling $2,327.97 from a Target store and $40 worth of cat food from a local grocery store mere months apart from each other
    According to a charging documents filed by local police
    7/25/19
    Drove under the influence of alcohol, tried to flee when police attempted to pull her over and was arrested for DUI
    According to court records first reported by The Guardian

Minnesota Republican Judge Scandals

  • Michelle MacDonaldMichelle MacDonaldFmr. Justice Nominee [R-MN]
       
    11/12/14
    Rebuffed police commands to exit her vehicle and refused to submit to a breathalyzer and field sobriety test after getting pulled over for speeding and suspicion of driving under the influence and lied about being a "reserve cop" to the arresting officer in an attempt to get out of trouble
    According to charging documents filed by local police

Minnesota Republican State Legislator Scandals

  • Amy KochAmy KochFmr. State Senator [R-MN]
       
    3/15/12
    Had an extramarital affair with the MN Senate Republican caucus spokesperson while also being married with a young child
    According to a report by local publications
  • Jeff DotsethJeff DotsethState Representative [R-MN]
       
    9/18/24
    Punched and kicked his family's 14-year-old dog on Christmas in front of his wife and young daughter who was yelling for him to stop
    According to a court affidavit filed by his then-wife
    9/16/24
    Threw his then-wife to the floor, pushed her against a wall and restrained her with his body weight, chocked her, slapped her, forced her head between his legs and squeezed them together and routinely assaulted her over a fifteen-year period until she finally had enough and reported him to the police
    Allegedly according to reporting from credible media outlets
  • Tara MackTara MackFmr. State Representative
       
    9/15/15
    Made out with fellow state rep Tim Kelly with her pants down inside a parked car at a local park while being married to a pastor and having two kids and later falsely accused the park ranger who caught them of lying in an attempt to cover it up
    According to a report filed by the park ranger who caught them
  • Tony CornishFmr. State Representative
       
    11/09/17
    Propositioned a lobbyist for sex over numerous text messages -- once asking if she'd be scared if he said he was only interested in "good times good wine good food and good sex" -- over a yearslong period
    11/09/17
    Told a lobbyist to "look down" at his crotch because "I have a giant erection" which she later said he clearly did following a meeting in his office
    According to allegations made by the lobbyist reported by local media
    11/09/17
    Sent unsolicited sexualized text messages to fellow state rep Erin Maye Quade to playfully complain that he got reprimanded for gawking at her on the house floor over a number of messages she interpreted as a solicitation for a sexual rendezvous
    According to allegations made by the lawmaker reported by local media
  • Matt GrossellState Representative [R-MN]
       
    2/17/23
    Swerved in and out of his lane at 2:30am while going nearly 20 mph over the speed limit and was found to have a BAC of over twice the legal limit after police pulled him over and then unsuccessfully tried to exploit his personal relationship with the arresting officer to get out of trouble, which is especially egregious as he was a former sheriff's deputy who served on his legislature's "Public Safety" committee
    According to a police report filed by local officials
    6/26/19
    Shoved and threw a hotel security guard to the ground and was taken to the hospital by police because he was so drunk he couldn't answer basic questions and later was arrested for refusing to leave the hospital after doctors discharged him
    He struck a plea deal to complete a five-month alcohol diversion program in exchange for his charges being dropped

Minnesota Republican City Official Scandals

  • David MartinezDavid MartinezFmr. City Council Nominee
       
    7/16/18
    Grabbed his wife by the neck and threw her against a shelving unit
    According to court records reported by local media
    7/16/18
    Posted nude images of his wife on the internet without her consent in retaliation for a restraining order she filed against him for domestic violence
    According to charging documents filed by local police
    7/16/18
    Screamed "f*ck you!" to multiple library staff so loudly that he could be heard in the children's area on the other side of the building then refused a police officer's order to leave after staff called them for assistance resulting in him being banned from city libraries for one month
    According to a police report filed by local officials and reported by local media
    7/11/18
    Thrusted his body into a security guard who ordered him to leave a professional baseball game then had to be subdued by several security guards and police officers before being handcuffed and escorted away resulting in him being banned from the ballpark for one year
    According to a video of the incident reported by local media