New Lieutenant Governor Missing From Job’s Duties

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Minnesota's new Republican lieutenant governor has missed at least two of her office's duties since assuming the role.

Longtime GOP Sen. Michelle Fischbach automatically became lieutenant governor in January when Gov. Mark Dayton appointed her predecessor to the U.S. Senate.
Fischbach is keeping her state Senate seat and maintains she can perform both jobs.

Fischbach was absent during a Thursday meeting of the state Executive Council,
one of the lieutenant governor's duties set in law. Soon after ascending to the job in January, she attended but did not participate in a committee hearing to discuss Capitol security.

Fischbach says she was busy with legislative work Thursday. She says her only constitutional obligation is to be in line to succeed Dayton.

Democrats are trying to remove Fischbach from the Senate.