Democratic operative says allegations against Omar appear credible
Former Minnesota state representative Joe Radinovich, who managed Jacob Frey’s successful 2017 Minneapolis mayoral campaign and later served as his chief of staff, publicly said he considers allegations against Rep. Ilhan Omar credible. His comments have exposed disagreement among Minnesota Democrats over the scrutiny facing the congresswoman.
Radinovich wrote on October 29 that the allegations were “almost certainly true,” while warning that Omar’s denials should not be accepted without question. He also said questions about her finances remained troubling. When Minneapolis DFL activist Briana Rose Lee called the claims a manufactured “witch hunt,” Radinovich replied that he distrusted the Trump Justice Department and questioned the timing of a search, but still believed the specific allegation.
Federal investigators searched Omar’s Washington home on October 12 and seized her passport, phone and computer. The inquiry is examining whether Omar or her late father submitted false information in citizenship paperwork. Investigators have also examined claims that Omar’s 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi was part of an immigration scheme. Omar’s office has denied the allegations and described renewed scrutiny as a political vendetta. No criminal charges have been filed against her.
A federal inquiry into the marriage allegation began during the Obama administration in 2016 and remained open until 2021, when the Biden administration closed it. Investigators believed the statute of limitations for a possible offense had expired. The current federal probe has brought the long-running claims back into public debate, while Radinovich’s comments show that some Democrats are publicly questioning Omar’s denials.
Omar allegations remain unproven as Trump-era scrutiny intensifies
A prominent Minnesota Democrat’s public doubts about Rep. Ilhan Omar’s denials give fresh political cover to a federal investigation whose credibility he himself questioned. Joe Radinovich said he considers a specific allegation likely true, but also said he has little confidence in the Trump Justice Department and questioned the timing of its search of Omar’s home.
Radinovich, a former state representative and Jacob Frey’s former campaign manager and chief of staff, said on October 29 that allegations concerning Omar’s immigration history were almost certainly true. He also raised concerns about questions surrounding her finances. Minneapolis DFL activist Briana Rose Lee called the claims a manufactured witch hunt; Radinovich maintained his position while criticizing the administration conducting the probe.
Investigators searched Omar’s Washington home on October 12 and took her passport, phone and computer. The inquiry concerns whether she or her late father submitted false information in citizenship paperwork, as well as allegations about her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. Omar’s office denies immigration fraud and has called the renewed scrutiny a political vendetta. No charges have been filed against her.
The marriage allegation was investigated beginning in 2016 and that inquiry was closed in 2021 after investigators believed the statute of limitations had passed. Those unresolved allegations do not establish guilt. The public debate now also raises questions about whether political figures are treating an investigation as proof before charges or a court finding.
Democratic insider says allegations against Omar are likely true
A well-connected Minnesota Democrat has publicly rejected the reflexive defense of Rep. Ilhan Omar, saying allegations about her immigration history are likely true and that questions about her finances deserve scrutiny. Joe Radinovich’s comments show the claims are no longer being dismissed by every Democrat as partisan fabrication.
Radinovich served in the Minnesota House and later ran Jacob Frey’s mayoral campaign and worked as his chief of staff. On October 29, he said he distrusted the Trump Justice Department and questioned the timing of a search of Omar’s home, but still considered the specific allegation credible. Minneapolis DFL activist Briana Rose Lee denounced his view as a manufactured witch hunt; he stood by it.
Federal investigators searched Omar’s Washington home on October 12, taking her passport, phone and computer. Their inquiry includes whether Omar or her late father supplied false information in citizenship paperwork, and claims about her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. Omar’s office denies immigration fraud and calls the renewed attention a political vendetta. No criminal charges have been filed.
The marriage allegation was also investigated beginning in 2016, before the inquiry was closed in 2021; investigators believed the statute of limitations had expired. Those facts do not amount to a finding of guilt. But with an active federal probe and a prominent Democrat publicly questioning Omar’s account, demands for clear answers are harder for her political allies to brush aside.
Reported by Twitchy, Fox News, Hot Air.
