LINO LAKES, Minn. – Simmering schisms in the Minnesota Republican Party have opened with the arrest of big-time donor Anton Lazarro in a sex ring scandal and also the related arrest of campus-level GOP leader Gisela Castro Medina. The assistant State Senate majority leader, Senator Roger Chamberlain , R-Lino Lakes, called on state party chair Jennifer Carnahan to resign. Carnahan has been connected with Lazarro through the party for years. Said Chamberlain: “I find it impossible to believe she didn’t know about his activities.” Another prominent state senator, Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, also called for Carnahan to step down. Both Chamberlain and Benson have been in the Senate since 2011. Also calling for Carnahan to leave: State Senator Michelle Benson, R- Han Lake, whose Republican political ties run deep. She is daughter-in-law to former U.S. Senator Nick Coleman. Within hours, seven other legislators also called for Carnahan’s resigation. These included House members:
> Steve Drazkowski, R Mazeppa. in office since 2007.
>Tim Miller, R-Prinsburg, since 2015.
> Cal Bahr, R-East Bethel, since 2017.
> Jeremy Munson, R-Lake Crystal, since 2018.
They signed a two-page letter that outlined their disgust with recent headlines and hinted at other rumors of impropriety that have swirled around Carnahan in recent years. They also called for an audit into Republican state financial activities.
Chamberlain. State GOP chair must have known about seediness.