Project Veritas has released a new undercover video that claims to feature several associates of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in starring roles. Could this turn out to be the most damaging digital sleuthing in the 2020 election sprint to the finish to date? It’s “all about the Benjamins, baby,” as ballots are allegedly being harvested on the streets for a quiet payout.

The recently released 17-minute video highlights individual testimony from “whistleblowers” and Minneapolis residents detailing how the Omar campaign is allegedly — and, if so, most certainly illegally — taking ballots from elderly Somali immigrants for cash. Or so the report claims. More damning than the illegal activity is that Omar seems to be caught up in the shenanigans — at least according to several people captured on the digital record.

One community leader in Minneapolis, Omar Jamal, said: “She [Ilhan Omar] will do anything that she can do to get elected, and she has hundreds of people on the streets doing that.” Whatever “that” is, whether a hard-driving campaign or a seedy activity, Jamal claims it is “an open secret” that cash-for-ballots is part of the 2020 strategy.

James O’Keefe, Project Veritas founder, calls his latest “gotcha” a crime on camera. And, of course, the big reveal sparked a frenzy in President Trump, who tweeted:

“This is totally illegal. Hope that the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota has this, and other of her many misdeeds, under serious review??? If not, why not??? We will win Minnesota because of her, and law enforcement.”

So far, Omar has not directly responded to the allegations, although a spokesperson said there is “zero” truth to Omar’s involvement.

(Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)

There Is No Smoking Gun – It’s Politics

Once upon a time, America had regular elections: Oh, sometimes they were corrupt, but we didn’t have social media to spread the ugly day in and day out. The point is, American politics is never as simple as black and white. Instead, there are a million shades of gray and not many pleasant hues.

Other folks implicated Omar’s campaign, not anyone personally involved with Omar. None of her staffers appear on the Project Veritas recording and for sure not the congresswoman herself. It’s he said/she said. But it should motivate the Minneapolis authorities to dig in to the accusations.

In film date-stamped July 1, 2020, a campaign worker for a local city council member bragged about ballot harvesting. Liban Mohamed, the brother of Councilman Jamal Osman, proudly showed off the ballots he was collecting:

“Just today, we got 300 for Jamal Osman. I have 300 ballots in my car right now. Numbers don’t lie. You can see my car is full. All these here are absentee ballots. Look, all these are for Jamal Osman.”

Jamal may have some explaining to do. But as for Omar, simply having council and congressional elections on the same day is circumstantial. Sure, it gives one pause. Sure, the local or state authorities should follow up on every allegation. But until then, Omar and her campaign seem intact.

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Read more from Sarah Cowgill.