Minnesota senators move to seek public ethics opinion after news reports about Senator Champion

Senators on the Minnesota Senate floor on April 7 discussed an advisory opinion request and temporary leadership change after weekend news reports raising alleged conflicts of interest involving Senator Champion.

Senator Murphy, who leads the Committee on Rules and Administration, told the chamber that Senator Champion submitted a request under the Senate’s rules 55.2 asking the subcommittee on ethics for an advisory opinion and that he asked the opinion to be public. "These are alleged conflicts of interest," Murphy said, adding that the rules committee acted "to replace Senator Champion, temporary, with Senator Pappas to lead the subcommittee on ethics," so the review could proceed publicly.

Why this matters: an advisory opinion from the Senate ethics subcommittee can clarify whether a member’s outside activities or prior actions conflict with Senate rules; making the request public and temporarily changing subcommittee leadership signals an expedited, transparent review.

Senator Johnson questioned whether seeking an advisory opinion after relevant decisions have already been made is adequate. "One nuance that's different with this advisory opinion . . . typically one would get an advisory opinion prior to action. However, the action has already taken place," Johnson said, urging consideration of additional steps while the advisory review proceeds.

The exchange in the chamber made three points explicit: Senator Champion requested a public advisory opinion under Senate rules 55.2; the rules committee arranged a temporary replacement so the ethics subcommittee can convene and consider the request publicly; and at least one senator raised concern about the timing of an after-the-fact advisory opinion.

No roll-call vote or formal sanction was recorded on the Senate floor during the discussion. Murphy said she consulted with Leader Johnson before the rules committee acted to make the temporary replacement. The transcript records that Senator Champion voluntarily asked for the advisory opinion and stepped down as chair of the subcommittee on ethical conduct; the rules committee appointed Senator Pappas to lead the subcommittee while the matter is pending.

The matter is now in the hands of the Senate subcommittee on ethics, which Murphy said "will be convened soon, and they will deal and offer an advisory opinion." Senator Johnson said he "beg[s] to differ" with allowing an advisory opinion after the fact and suggested further action may be needed depending on that opinion.

The chamber moved on to other business after the exchange. No additional details about the alleged conflicts, specific contracts, funding decisions, or timelines for the ethics subcommittee were provided on the record during the April 7 session.

The advisory request and the committee leadership change are procedural steps; any formal findings or actions by the ethics subcommittee would be reported separately by that body.