Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., forcefully denied Vice President JD Vance's claim that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating her for alleged fraud and immigration violations, dismissing the remarks as politically motivated.
"That is not something that is happening. That man is delusional," Omar told Fox News Digital.
Vance claimed on Tuesday that the DOJ is looking into allegations involving Omar's immigration history and financial disclosures, including longstanding accusations that she married a man alleged to be her brother as part of a scheme to obtain U.S. citizenship. The vice president said the administration's anti-fraud task force is focusing resources on probing these claims.
"I don't think they are using any resources," Omar said. "They're just saying stupid stuff."
What the Right Is Saying
Vice President Vance and Republican lawmakers have stood by their assertions that the DOJ is actively examining Omar's case. The allegations center on questions about her immigration history and financial disclosures.
"If we think that there's a crime, we're going to prosecute that crime," Vance said. "And that's something the Department of Justice is looking at right now."
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., raised concerns over Omar's finances after her amended disclosure forms showed dramatic changes in reported net worth.
"Comer hasn't investigated anything," Omar said when asked about Comer specifically. "He hasn't done anything. He hasn't referred me to anybody. He's just saying that so he can get TV interviews."
Republicans have pointed to the discrepancy between Omar's original and revised financial disclosures as warranting further examination, with some suggesting the probe could expand beyond Minnesota.
What the Left Is Saying
Omar and her Democratic allies have characterized the investigation claims as a politically motivated attack designed to undermine her credibility and distract from other issues. She said House Republicans promoting these allegations are doing so primarily to secure media interviews.
"There's nobody looking into anything," Omar said when asked about Republican probes into her net worth. "They're just saying those things to get interviews with you guys. There's nothing really happening."
The Minnesota congresswoman stated she has not been informed of any formal investigation being pursued against her and expressed confidence that no wrongdoing would be found.
"No," she said when asked if she was made aware of any investigation. "Because there's nothing to investigate."
Omar's office has maintained that claims about her past marriage arrangements are part of a pattern of attacks designed to target her as one of the most visible Muslim women in Congress.
What the Numbers Show
The controversy centers on significant changes in Omar's congressional financial disclosure forms filed last month. Her reported net worth dropped from an estimated range of $6 million to $30 million to a revised figure between $18,004 and $95,000.
The dramatic reduction drew immediate scrutiny from the GOP-led House Oversight Committee, which earlier this year requested business records from her husband Tim Mynett's company.
Omar's family was granted asylum after arriving in the U.S. from Somalia in 1995, and she became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000.
Records show Omar was in a religious marriage with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002 while legally married to British citizen Ahmed Elmi starting in 2009. Omar and Elmi divorced in 2017 but had been separated since 2011. She married Mynett in 2020.
The Bottom Line
The exchange between Vance and Omar highlights a deepening political dispute over alleged financial and immigration irregularities involving the Minnesota congresswoman. While Republicans point to discrepancies in her financial filings as justification for scrutiny, Omar maintains these claims are baseless and politically motivated.
Omar has denied being contacted by any federal investigators regarding her finances or immigration history. Whether the DOJ opens a formal investigation remains to be seen, but both sides appear dug into their positions with no indication of backing down.
The controversy adds to ongoing debates about the scope of congressional oversight authority and the use of DOJ resources for politically sensitive investigations.