New information allegedly reveals that Minnesota State Rep. Ilhan Omar, now a congressional candidate, used state resources to conduct her personal business.
According to a Thursday press release from Rep. Steve Drazkowski, Omar has used “state resources and state staff time to conduct her private business activities.”
“As we learn more about Representative Omar’s activity as a member of the Minnesota House, we continue to find more troubling violations of House Rules, and in this case, Minnesota law,” Drazkowski commented.
The findings are a result of a data practices request filed by Drazkowski’s office, which had previously been investigating Omar’s acceptance of speaking fees from organizations that lobby at the Minnesota Legislature. Omar admitted to the finance violations, and agreed to return the $2,500 she collected.
In the latest round of documents provided to Drazkowski, it is shown that Omar accepted an additional $250 payment from Minnesota State University, Mankato for appearing on a February 9 panel, claiming that she was not an employee of the State of Minnesota.
Based on the emails, Drazkowski also has reason to believe that Omar has “used state resources and state staff time to conduct her private business,” which he claims is a violation of state law.
“Once again, Rep. Omar has put the House in disrepute through her actions and has not accepted responsibility for them,” Drazkowski said, demanding that Omar “apologize to the state and her constituents for her repeated misconduct.”
Drazkowski has also speculated that Omar used campaign finances to help pay for her divorce, noting that she paid $2,250 to Kjellberg Law offices, which specializes in divorce law and was used by Omar during her 2017 divorce.
In another case, Omar filed her mandatory financial disclosure forms nearly six months late, earning herself $100 in late fees and $1000 in civil penalties.
Drazkowski’s findings, however, have gone largely uncovered by Minnesota media, prompting the lawmaker to ask, “where’s the rest of Minnesota’s media?” Most outlets have instead been fixated on Omar’s historic run as a Somali-American lawmaker, who is seeking to replace Keith Ellison in Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District.
