Freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) may finally pay a price for allegedly filing joint tax returns with her partner and the father of her children when she was still legally married to another man.
Minnesota State Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), a longtime critic of the Somali-American lawmaker, is calling for a federal ethics investigation to look into allegations of tax and immigration fraud.
“Minnesota deserves better,” he said. “America demands more.”
Investigating a sham marriage
Drazkowski previously led a state Campaign Finance Board inquiry that concluded earlier this month. Investigators determined that Omar ran afoul of state campaign finance laws and ordered her to pay back over $3,000 in fines and restitution.
The probe also discovered that Omar married a man named Ahmed Hirsi in 2014 and 2015, while she was legally married to another man, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. According to public records, Omar applied for a marriage license with Hirsi in 2002, although the couple never finalized the application and only married in their “faith tradition.”
Omar and Hirsi split in 2008, and the Muslim congresswoman married Elmi, a man reputed to be her brother, ostensibly so that he could attain U.S. citizenship. Omar’s office has repeatedly denied that Elmi is her sibling and has called the reports of immigration fraud unsubstantiated.
Potential fraud and perjury
Hosting a press conference on Tuesday, Drazkowski alleged that Ms. Omar May have committed various forms of fraud and perjury related to her marriage.
Divorce documents show that the congresswoman swore under penalty of perjury that she had no way of contacting Elmi following their separation since he had allegedly moved back to London. However, a July 2012 eviction notice on Elmi’s home shows that he may have lived less than three miles from Omar’s listed residence at the time.
Drazkowski called on U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN), to initiate a federal ethics investigation in Congress, as well as to remove Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. When asked why he chose Craig, who doesn’t service on the House Ethics Committee, Drazkowski said that she is his congresswoman.
“The people of Minnesota and the people of America can find answers to what appears to be a sham marriage,” the state legislator declared.
Dismissive Democrat
Rep. Craig, who is also a freshman congresswoman, didn’t seem to take Drazkowski’s call to action seriously. “This letter is a political stunt,” she said.
“The people I talk to want me to focus on reducing the price of healthcare and prescription drugs, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Omar’s office has so far refused to comment on Drazkowski’s press conference. The congresswoman has previously expressed that she will not comment on the allegations, because doing so gives them credibility.
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