Rep. Angie Craig declined to refer Ilhan Omar for ethics probe in 2019
In 2019, Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn. declined a request from then-state representative Steve Drazkowski to formally refer Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. to the House Committee on Ethics. Instead, Craig directed Drazkowski to the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) complaint process. The request followed Drazkowski's allegations regarding Omar's tax filings and campaign finance practices, which had previously been the subject of a Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board investigation.
Key points
- Rep. Angie Craig advised Steve Drazkowski to submit his own complaint to the Office of Congressional Ethics in 2019.
- Drazkowski had requested that Craig formally refer his concerns about Omar to the House Ethics Committee.
- The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board previously found Omar improperly used $1,500 in campaign funds for personal tax services.
- Drazkowski reported that he later brought his allegations to the FBI after finding the congressional ethics process unresponsive.
What happened
In 2019, then-Minnesota state representative Steve Drazkowski contacted Rep. Angie Craig to urge her to initiate a formal ethics investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar. According to correspondence obtained by Fox News Digital, Craig responded by directing Drazkowski to the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), noting that the agency is the independent entity responsible for reviewing misconduct allegations against House members.
Craig stated in her letter that the OCE accepts information from members of the public, advocacy organizations, and members of Congress. Drazkowski subsequently submitted his own complaint to the OCE and the House Ethics Committee, though he later expressed frustration with the process, stating he did not receive a substantive response.
Context
Drazkowski's 2019 request was rooted in allegations that Omar filed joint tax returns with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2014 and 2015 while not legally married to him. These claims were linked to a broader investigation by the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board.
On June 6, 2019, the state board issued findings that Omar had improperly used $1,500 in campaign funds for personal tax-related services and required her to repay funds used for travel. Omar stated at the time that she was glad the process concluded and noted the board did not find her guilty of personal use of funds as initially alleged.
What happens next
Drazkowski reported that after receiving no response from the congressional ethics process or Craig's office, he brought his allegations to the FBI's Minneapolis office. He stated he provided investigators with names and phone numbers but did not receive a meaningful response. The House Ethics Committee and the FBI declined to comment on the matter.
Why it matters
The correspondence highlights the procedural path for congressional ethics complaints and the limitations lawmakers face when seeking investigations into their peers.
What we know
- Rep. Angie Craig directed Steve Drazkowski to the congressional ethics complaint process in 2019 after he requested she refer Ilhan Omar for an investigation.
- The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board found in 2019 that Ilhan Omar improperly used $1,500 in campaign funds for personal tax-related services.
What remains unclear
- Steve Drazkowski alleged that Ilhan Omar filed joint tax returns with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2014 and 2015 while not legally married to him.
- The effectiveness or status of the complaints Drazkowski submitted to the FBI and the House Ethics Committee remains unclear.
