2 Minnesota lawmakers to resign amid misconduct allegations

Two Minnesota lawmakers facing sexual misconduct allegations say they’ll resign less than two weeks after they were accused of misdeeds that ranged from groping colleagues to unwanted sexual advances.

Democratic Sen. Dan Schoen and Republican Rep. Tony Cornish announced their resignations hours apart Tuesday. Cornish said he would step down by Dec. 1.

Schoen has scheduled a Wednesday news conference. His attorney, Paul Rogosheske, indicated Schoen would dispute parts of the allegations against him.

A lobbyist who says she was sexually harassed by Cornish went public Tuesday evening. Sarah Walker tweeted a statement that said the problem of sexual harassment in state Capitols nationwide is “a nonpartisan problem that requires a nonpartisan solution.”

Walker told Minnesota Public Radio that Cornish had propositioned her for sex dozens of times over several years.