Ethics Complaint Filed Against Ilhan Omar Over Ex-Somali PM’s Campaign Involvement
A conservative watchdog group, the American Accountability Foundation (AAF), has filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Ilhan Omar, alleging that her participation in an event featuring former Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire violated the Federal Elections Campaign Act. The complaint claims that Khaire’s involvement in stumping for Omar and encouraging voter turnout may constitute illegal campaign activity by a foreign national.
Khaire, who served as Somalia’s Prime Minister from 2017 to 2020, attended the event to support Omar’s re-election campaign. According to the AAF, this involvement went beyond permissible volunteer activities and involved prohibited decision-making. The foundation is urging the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate the incident, citing concerns that Omar knowingly accepted Khaire’s services in her campaign.
The AAF’s complaint references a translation of Khaire’s remarks during the event, where he urged attendees to vote for Omar and mobilize their community in her support. This call to action, the foundation argues, is a form of campaign service that foreign nationals are prohibited from providing under U.S. election laws.
In response, Omar’s campaign counsel, David Mitrani, dismissed the complaint as a smear attempt by far-right groups. Mitrani asserted that Omar’s campaign had no involvement in coordinating Khaire’s appearance or remarks, and therefore, no laws were violated.
Additionally, the AAF alleged that Khaire’s travel and lodging expenses might have been sponsored by a nonprofit organization, which could further violate campaign finance laws. They cited a report suggesting that the nonprofit group Ka Joog might have facilitated Khaire’s trip to the U.S. However, this claim has not been confirmed, and The Post was unable to reach Khaire or Ka Joog for comment.
This complaint comes as Omar faces a challenging primary race against former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels. The primary is set against a backdrop of broader tensions within the Democratic Party, particularly over the Israel-Hamas conflict, where Omar has been a vocal critic of Israel’s actions, occasionally drawing accusations of antisemitism.
Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and granted asylum in the U.S. as a teenager, Omar represents a district with a significant Somali population. She is one of the first two female Muslim-Americans elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and has been a prominent member of the progressive “Squad” in Congress.
The Office of Congressional Ethics, which oversees conduct in the House, will review the complaint and determine if it warrants a referral to the House Ethics Committee for further investigation.
