♪♪ >> Eric: YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THAT A FEDERAL SEX TRAFFICKING STING CAUGHT A STATE SENATOR EARLIER THIS WEEK.

IT RESULTED IN A FLURRY OF ACTIVITY AT THE CAPITOL, INCLUDING PLANS TO TAKE UNPRECEDENTED ACTION AGAINS THE SITTING LAWMAKER.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER HAS THE SCOOP ON WHO MIGHT BE RUNNING TO REPLACE THE SENATOR AS SHE PUTS IT ALL IN CONTEXT.

>> I AM RESIGNING MY SEAT IN THE MINNESOTA SENATE PER DISTRICT 6 EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

SINCERELY, JUSTIN EICHORN.

>> THE RESIGNATION CAME MINUTES BEFORE THE MINNESOTA SENATE WAS SET TO TAKE THE UNUSUAL STEP OF EXPELLING ONE OF THEIR OWN AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED FOR SOLICITING A MINOR.

>> THE MOST UNUSUAL YEAR I'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE AND THESE LAST TWO DAYS HAVE BEEN THE MOST DISGUSTING, DISAPPOINTING AND DIFFICULT DAYS.

>> IT'S REALLY A SAD, A SAD THING.

WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS HERE.

WE DID THAT AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD FROM HERE ON OUT.

>> HE OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT THIS WAS OKAY.

HE LEFT THIS BUILDING AND WENT OVER TO ARRANGE ALLEGEDLY TO HAVE SEX WITH A CHILD.

THAT EQUIRES A WHOLE LOT MORE PERMISSION THAN JUST A RANDOM THOUGHT ON A MONDAY.

>> FORMER SENATOR EICHORN ELIMINATED FELLOW FEMALE SENATOR KARI RUUD WHEN HE CHALLENGED HER AFTER REDISTRICTING.

AT THE CAPITOL THIS WEEK SHE TOLD ME SHE'S CONSIDERING RUNNING AGAIN AND SOURCES SAY SO IS OUSTED PARTY CHAIR JENNIFER CARNAHAN, RECENTLY ELECTED NISSWA MAYOR.

>> I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO BE A PART OF A CAUCUS WITH AJORITY WOMEN.

I THINK OUR VOICES ARE IMPORTANT IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

WE HAVE A MAJORITY OF WOMEN, THE SENATE CAUCUS HAS ONLY THREE WOMEN SERVING IN THEIR BODY AND PERHAPS ANOTHER WOMAN WOULD BE A GOOD THING.

>> THE ENATE HAD THE VOTES TO EXPEL SENATOR EICHORN AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY THE FIRST TIME TO EVER HAPPEN IN STATE HISTORY.

THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY CONFIRMS THEY HAVE NO INSTANCES OF A SUCCESSFUL EXPULSION, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY ATTEMPTS.

>> THE CHARGE THAT HE'S BEEN ACCUSED OF ARE SO SEVERE AND THE TRANSCRIPT BASED ON THE REPORTS ARE VERY DAMNING.

EVEN THOUGH THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE, EXPULSION HAS NOT BEEN DONE ON THE FLOOR BEFORE WE FELT THAT THE CHARGES WARRANTED THAT TODAY.

>> IT WOULD BE THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS BODY AS TAKEN THE ACTION TO EXPEL A MEMBER, DULY ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE.

WE TAKE THAT VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.

>> BLOOMINGTON POLICE SAY THE 40-YEAR-OLD FROM GRAND RAPIDS THOUGHT HE WAS MEETING UP WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHEN E WAS BROUGHT INTO CUSTODY.

EICHORN WAS LISTED IN HIS SENATE BIOLOGY RAFFY AS HAVING A WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN.

HE UNSEATED A DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR TO THE FIRST GET TO THE CAPITOL IN 2016.

>> OUR CANDIDATES FOR TONIGHT'S DEBATE ARE TOM SAXHOG, AND JUSTIN EICHORN FROM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> I THINK THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY, A REAL TIME FOR CHANGE NOT ONLY IN THE COUNTRY BUT IN SENATE DISTRICT 5 AND IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> BLOOMINGTON POLICE CHIEF BOOKER HODGES SAID, QUOTE, AS A 40-YEAR-OLD MAN, IF YOU COME TO THE ORANGE JUMP SUIT DISTRICT LOOKING TO HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE'S CHILD, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT WE ARE GOING TO LOCK YOU UP.

ADDING, WE NEED OUR STATE LEGISLATURE TO TAKE THIS CASE AND HIS TYPE OF CONDUCT MORE SERIOUSLY.

HODGES KNOWS POLITICS.

HE'S A FORMER ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

>> THIS IS WHERE THE TRAFFICKING ISSUE COMES IN.

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE PREYING ON CHILDREN, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS CRIME.

>> THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP YOU GOD.

>> THE SENATE HAD A ONE-VOTE MARGIN FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW TWO.

AND REPUBLICANS HAD BEEN PUSHING ETHICS CHARGES AND EXPULSION FOR D.F.L.

SENATOR NICOLE MITCHELL AFTER HER FELONY ARREST FOR BURGLARY AT HER STEP MOTHER'S HOME.

>> I'M GOING TO NOT ANSWER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

>> WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF HIS QUICKLY AND BE DONE WITH THIS, DO THE RIGHT THING AS A CAUCUS AND I'M VERY PROUD OF OUR CAUCUS FOR BEING VERY TOGETHER ON THIS ONE, UNANIMOUS ON THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE THROUGHOUT AND WE GOT THAT DONE.

>> SENATE REPUBLICANS CALLED FOR SENATOR MITCHELL AND SENATOR EICHORN TO STEP DOWN.

THE LATEST NEWS GOT ATTENTION ONLINE ACROSS THE GLOBE.

>> JUSTIN EICHORN, SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA, HE IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO SAID LET'S MAKE TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME A MENTAL ILLNESS SO WE CAN LOCK UP PEOPLE FOR HAVING IT.

>> MAYBE INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT CATEGORIZING THER PEOPLE AS BEING MENTALLY ILL YOU TAKE A LONG LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

>> THIS SENATOR OPPOSED A BILL THAT WAS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE