Rep. Ilhan Omar is back on Capitol Hill, but her answers about the federal scrutiny surrounding her did not exactly clear things up.

The Minnesota Democrat was pressed on what investigators took, what they returned, and whether she is dealing with one federal probe or more than one.

Watch the exchange for yourself:

Fox News Digital reports that Omar said she had received “most” of the items seized during the October search of her Washington home. When Ballasy asked whether Homeland Security and the Justice Department were conducting separate investigations, Omar said she was not sure and suggested the reporter probably had more details.

Later, when he asked whether federal authorities had told her exactly what she was under investigation for, Omar said they had not.

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That is a remarkable amount of uncertainty from a sitting member of Congress whose home was searched under a federal warrant and whose devices were taken by investigators.

It is also important to keep the record straight: Omar has not been charged with a crime.

She has denied wrongdoing and accused the Trump administration of targeting a political opponent. After winning re-election, Omar argued that Minnesota voters had rejected President Trump’s attacks on her:

CBS News reported that Homeland Security Investigations executed the search warrant as part of a federal criminal investigation involving possible fraud and false statements in immigration paperwork. Agents seized Omar’s personal cellphone, and some of her relatives received grand jury subpoenas before the search.

The warrant went through an extended review after a magistrate judge raised concerns about protecting Omar’s legislative privileges under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause.

Her lawyers later alleged that agents failed to follow parts of the court-ordered protocol and called the investigation politically motivated. The Justice Department disputed that account, saying law enforcement complied with the court’s orders and legal obligations.

The public record also shows why Ballasy asked whether more than one investigation is underway.

The Associated Press reported that federal authorities seized Omar’s phone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including subpoenas to relatives. The AP also reported that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said there were “several investigations going on” and that her office was examining issues involving Omar’s financial disclosures.

The political defense of Omar is getting scrutiny too. This current clip examines House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ carefully worded response to the allegations:

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Pirro’s remarks do not establish that charges are coming, and federal agencies have not publicly laid out a complete roadmap of every investigative track. They do show that the questions are broader than a single device or one brief encounter in a Capitol hallway.

Omar may believe the press knows more than she does. After this exchange, plenty of Americans will be wondering how that could possibly be the case.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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