DEMOCRAT BREAKS RANKS: Ex-Lawmaker Says Allegation Against Ilhan Omar Is…

A former Minnesota Democratic lawmaker with deep connections to the state’s political establishment is publicly challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar’s denials about her controversial former marriage, declaring that the longstanding allegations involving the Minnesota congresswoman are “almost certainly true.”

Joe Radinovich, a former Minnesota state representative who previously managed campaigns for prominent Democratic politicians, made the remarks in a series of posts on X on October 29.

His comments attracted national attention because they came from someone with a lengthy history inside Minnesota Democratic politics rather than from a Republican official.

Radinovich served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2013 until 2015 as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Minnesota’s Democratic Party affiliate.

He later worked in congressional and municipal politics, including managing campaigns connected to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

Radinovich also participated in Democratic primary campaigns challenging Omar, giving him a history of political opposition to the congresswoman within his own party.

His latest statements concern allegations that Omar entered into a fraudulent marriage with Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British citizen whom some critics have alleged was her brother.

The allegation has circulated for years but has not been established through a criminal conviction or publicly verified documentation conclusively demonstrating a sibling relationship.

Nevertheless, Radinovich said the available information had persuaded him that the underlying allegation deserved serious consideration.

He wrote, “Democrats should understand that the allegation is almost certainly true.”

The former lawmaker also suggested that the explanations previously offered concerning the allegations had failed to resolve important questions.

His remarks followed renewed reporting about federal investigations into Omar’s marriage and immigration history.

On October 29, The New York Times reported that the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations had examined allegations concerning Omar’s marriage as early as 2016.

That investigation began during Barack Obama’s administration, before Omar entered Congress.

According to officials familiar with the earlier inquiry, federal investigators examined whether the marriage had been entered into for immigration-related purposes.

Investigators reportedly uncovered evidence suggesting possible marriage fraud, although the case did not result in criminal charges.

The earlier investigation eventually closed, with questions about applicable statutes of limitations among the reported obstacles to prosecution.

Radinovich’s statements came as those historical details received renewed national attention.

The former Democratic lawmaker also raised concerns about separate questions involving the reported value of businesses connected to Omar’s current husband, Timothy Mynett.

Those financial questions concern Omar’s congressional disclosures and business interests associated with a California winery and an investment company.

Earlier financial filings reported substantial increases in the estimated values of those interests, prompting congressional scrutiny.

Subsequent amended disclosures substantially reduced the reported values.

Radinovich suggested that the financial questions also deserved closer examination.

He cautioned observers to be careful about dismissing allegations concerning Omar’s finances before the underlying records had been fully evaluated.

The financial disclosure controversy is separate from the allegation involving Omar’s former marriage.

Neither issue automatically establishes wrongdoing in the other.

The latest comments have nevertheless attracted attention because they bring together two matters that federal and congressional investigators have examined independently.

The Trump administration has also pursued a broader investigation involving Omar’s immigration records.

Federal agents executed a search warrant at her Washington, D.C., residence on October 12.

According to reporting on the operation, investigators seized electronic devices and other materials relevant to the inquiry.

The existence of the search warrant indicates that judicial authorization was obtained for the search, but it does not establish that Omar committed a crime.

The current federal investigation reportedly includes questions involving family identity records, immigration documentation, and possible false representations.

Radinovich’s statements do not constitute newly discovered documentary proof.

They represent the assessment of a former Democratic political figure who says he believes the allegations warrant greater attention.

The former lawmaker has also questioned aspects of the current federal investigation, including the credibility of the Justice Department and the timing of its actions.

His position is therefore not equivalent to a blanket endorsement of the administration’s investigative decisions.

The significance of his remarks lies in the fact that he publicly expressed confidence in a specific allegation despite his background in Democratic politics.

The New York Post reported his comments on October 30, bringing the dispute to a national audience.