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Republican state lawmakers reported Omar to the IRS in 2019
Ten Minnesota Republican state lawmakers reported Representative Ilhan Omar to the IRS in August 2019, asking it to review her tax filings after a state campaign finance board raised questions about joint returns. The request followed findings that Omar had filed joint returns in 2014 and 2015 with Ahmed Hirsi while legally married to another man; the article does not establish whether the IRS investigated.
The tax returns surfaced during a board inquiry into campaign spending, including a $1,500 payment for accounting services to obtain and review the returns. The board said Omar’s campaign had not shown that the expense benefited the campaign and ordered her to repay it, while rejecting a separate allegation that the payment covered her divorce proceedings. A lawyer for Omar said the tax issue needed correcting regardless of her candidacy, and one lawmaker said the IRS never responded to the request.
In short
- Minnesota Republicans asked the IRS to review Omar’s tax filings in 2019.
- The request followed questions about joint returns filed in 2014 and 2015.
- A state board ordered Omar to repay a $1,500 campaign expense.
Explained simply
Ilhan Omar is a US politician who represents Minnesota in Congress. State campaign finance rules govern how candidates spend and report money raised for elections, and a state board can review those records and order repayments.
Tax returns filed by spouses may show income and other financial details for both people. Omar’s returns became relevant during a board inquiry into campaign spending; questions were raised about returns filed with Ahmed Hirsi while she was legally married to someone else.
The episode brought together questions about tax filings and the proper use of campaign funds. The board examined whether campaign money paid for a service that benefited Omar’s campaign, a separate issue from whether her tax filings required correction.