Reporter's Notebook: Omar’s long history of controversy keeps her in the spotlight
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is one of the most controversial members of Congress.Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. Along with...
By Fox News · Fox News
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is one of the most controversial members of Congress. Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. Along with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., they form the original members of the Squad, a team of progressive women who entered Congress simultaneously in 2019. The quartet is visible. They’re outspoken. And they, like many other lawmakers, are often the targets of threats or even violence itself. OMAR SHOUTS 'YOU ARE A MURDERER' AND 'LIAR' AT TRUMP DURING STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS Authorities charged a man in 2019 for threatening to kill Tlaib. Omar has received menacing voicemails — even suggesting she had something to do with 9/11. A Texas man faced charges for wanting to assassinate Ocasio-Cortez in 2021. The same year, the House voted to censure Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., for posting an animated video that depicted him killing a character resembling the New York Democrat. A man lunged at Omar during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis a few weeks ago, spraying her with what appeared to be apple cider vinegar from a syringe. "We must abolish ICE for good. And DHS Secretary Kristi Noem must face impeachment," declared Omar at the meeting. That’s when Anthony James Kazmierczak sprang at Omar, spraying her with a stinky, brown liquid. "It smells terrible!" exclaimed someone in the crowd. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! It’s all over the place!" an aide shouted. "We need you to get checked!" hollered someone else. But Omar maintained her composure and continued the town hall meeting. "Just give me ten minutes, I beg you," said Omar, worried that her aides might cancel the rest of the meeting. "Please don’t let them have the show. Here is the reality that people like this ugly man don’t understand. We are Minnesota strong, and we will stay resilient in the face of whatever they might throw at us." TRUMP RIPS 'CROOKED' ILHAN OMAR AS HOUSE RAMPS UP INVESTIGA…