Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) struggled during a TV interview when asked to explain how fraud in Minnesota’s Somali community spiraled “so out of control.”
It comes after federal officials announced a sweeping investigation into a multimillion-dollar network of Somali organizations that stole over $1 billion in taxpayer funds tied to the state’s pandemic fraud scandal.
During her appearance on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Omar gave a halting, vague explanation when asked why fraud became so rampant under Minnesota’s Democrat leadership.
Omar: Rapid Taxpayer-Funded Programs Lacked “Guardrails”
Pressed by Tapper to account for the scale of the scandal, Omar responded:
“I think what happened, um, is that, you know, when you have these, kind of new programs that are, um, designed to help people, you’re oftentimes relying on third parties to be able to facilitate.
“And I just think that a lot of the Covid programs that were set up — they were set up so quickly that a lot of the guardrails did not get created.”
Omar did not address her home state’s unique concentration of fraud cases, nor the extensive allegations of government negligence surrounding Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic Party’s failed 2024 vice-presidential nominee.
WATCH:
Tapper Attempts to Shield Omar, Attacks President Trump Instead
After Omar’s unsteady answer, Tapper pivoted to criticizing President Donald Trump, claiming he made “shockingly bigoted” statements about Omar and Minnesota’s Somali community.
In remarks earlier Wednesday, President Trump told reporters:
“These Somalians have taken billions of dollars out of our country.
“They’ve taken billions and billions of dollars.
“They have a representative, Ilhan Omar, who they say married her brother.
“She should be thrown the hell out of our country.”
He continued:
“Most of those people, they have destroyed Minnesota.
“She should not be — and her friend shouldn’t be allowed — frankly, they shouldn‘t even be allowed to be Congress people, okay?
“They shouldn’t even be allowed to be Congress people, because they don’t represent the interests of our country.”
Tapper then asked Omar for her reaction.
Omar Claims Trump Is “Deflecting” from His Own Failures
Omar dismissed Trump’s comments:
“I’m not shocked, because we know that the president oftentimes resorts to very bigoted, xenophobic, Islamophobic, racist rhetoric when he is trying to scapegoat and deflect from the actual failures that he has himself.”
She claimed the Trump administration has “not fulfilled the majority of the promises that they’ve made,” citing cost-of-living issues, tariffs, and even alleging “possible war crimes” by the Secretary of Defense.
Omar concluded with:
“We are Americans. We’re not going anywhere, and we will continue to be in this country.”
SBA Announces Federal Investigation Into Somali Fraud Network
Omar’s defensive interview came just one day after the Small Business Administration formally launched a federal probe into Somali-linked nonprofits and executives implicated in Minnesota’s massive fraud scandal.
The investigation focuses on pandemic-era programs abused under Gov. Walz’s watch, including PPP loans and state-administered nutrition programs.
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced:
“Numerous individuals and nonprofits indicted in the $1 billion Minnesota Covid fraud scandal, including Feeding Our Future, received SBA PPP loans in addition to other state and federal funding.
“I have ordered an investigation into the network of Somali organizations and executives implicated in these schemes.”
She added:
“Despite Governor Walz’s best efforts to obstruct, SBA continues to work to expose abuse and hold perpetrators accountable, full stop.”
An SBA spokesperson confirmed the probe, noting the agency is reviewing citizenship status, nonprofit legitimacy, and other eligibility requirements for every individual and organization tied to the criminal schemes.
Minnesota’s Somali Fraud Crisis Continues to Grow
The scandal, one of the largest pandemic-era fraud cases in the country, has already produced dozens of indictments, almost all involving Somali-run nonprofits or community groups.
Whistleblowers have accused Gov. Walz’s administration of ignoring warnings, retaliating against staff who raised concerns, and failing to conduct basic audits.
As the Biden-era narrative collapses and federal agencies dig deeper, Omar and her allies continue to evade direct accountability for the systemic failures in Minnesota’s Democrat leadership.
READ MORE – Ilhan Omar Melts Down Over Trump Calling Her ‘Garbage’
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