Federal filings show that Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar’s campaign cash to consultants dropped by millions of dollars after she removed her husband’s firm from her payroll.
Previously, Omar paid millions of dollars from her campaign to the E Street Group, a political consulting firm co-owned by her husband, Tim Mynett, during the 2020 election cycle. However, after facing criticism, Omar cut ties with her husband’s firm, leading to her expenses towards similar services falling by around $2 million.
During the 2022 election cycle, Omar’s campaign only paid around $1 million to a handful of firms for those same services, according to a review of Federal Election Commission filings.
Similarly, the House Office of Congressional Ethics found there is “substantial reason to believe” that New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might have violated federal law when she accepted “impermissible gifts” linked to her 2021 attendance at the Met Gala.
Takeaways:
- Rep. Omar’s campaign expenses decreased by approximately $2 million after cutting ties with her husband’s consulting firm.
- Omar paid millions of dollars to her husband’s consulting firm during the 2020 election cycle.
- Federal filings reveal that Omar only paid around $1 million to a handful of firms for the same services during the 2022 election cycle.
- The House Office of Congressional Ethics found “substantial reason to believe” that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez violated federal law by accepting “impermissible gifts” linked to her attendance at the 2021 Met Gala.
- Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s spokesperson denies any violation of House rules and argues that the matter will be dismissed.
Commentary:
The recent revelations about Reps. Omar and Ocasio-Cortez highlight the need for transparency and accountability in political campaigns.
It is concerning that Rep. Omar paid millions of dollars to her husband’s consulting firm during the 2020 election cycle and only cut ties after facing criticism.
Similarly, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s attendance at the Met Gala and acceptance of “impermissible gifts” raises questions about her commitment to ethical standards.
While the Congresswoman denies any wrongdoing, the Office of Congressional Ethics concluded that she may have violated House rules, standards of conduct, and federal law.
It is essential that lawmakers uphold ethical standards and maintain the trust of their constituents. Voters deserve transparency and accountability from their elected officials, and it is incumbent upon them to hold their representatives accountable for their actions.