The FBI is reportedly leading the investigation into the Jan. 27 assault on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Anthony James Kazmierczak, charged with forcibly assaulting and interfering with Omar while she conducted an official town hall meeting in Minneapolis, will appear in court today (Feb. 3).
Video footage showed Kazmierczak rising from his front-row seat, quickly approaching her, and spraying her with what was later identified as apple cider vinegar. Authorities say the liquid landed on Omar’s clothing and skin.
Videos of the incident from several angles circulating on X showed Omar rushing toward Kazmierczak and raising her fists instead of backing away. She continued the meeting, refusing to seek medical attention. Her reaction has drawn criticism – and skepticism – from many online observers, podcasters, and public figures.
On Jan. 28, former candidate for Arizona governor and US Senate Kari Lake wrote on X:
“Think about the timing: The day fraud investigation news breaks, a front-row guy sprays her with a thankfully non-threatening liquid perfectly framed within the camera. She keeps going like nothing happened, then rushes to blame Trump. It smelled like a straight-up ‘Jussie Somalia’ moment.”
President Donald Trump reportedly told an ABC reporter in a telephone interview on the night of the attack: “I think she’s a fraud. She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.”
Former Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino, a fierce critic of Omar, posted on Facebook a clip of podcaster Hayley Caronia’s analysis. Bongino wrote: “This ‘attack’ on Rep. Ilhan Omar is raising ALL the red flags … Hayley Caronia breaks down the evidence frame by frame.”
Caronia said: “Fists raised … Why would you lunge toward the man lunging at you? … this slow-motion video shows that Ilhan Omar looks directly at this man before he lunges at her … it’s almost like right on cue.”
The day before the attack, President Trump posted on Truth Social that Omar’s net worth was under investigation:
“[A] major investigation is going on with respect to the massive 20 Billion Dollar, Plus, Welfare Fraud that has taken place in Minnesota, and is at least partially responsible for the violent organized protests going on in the streets. Additionally, the DOJ and Congress are looking at ‘Congresswoman’ Ilhan Omar, who left Somalia with NOTHING, and is now reportedly worth more than 44 Million Dollars. Time will tell all.”
Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, discussed his investigation on FOX News’ Jesse Watters Prime Time. Comer, who reportedly worked in banking before public service, said he had never seen such rapid growth of net worth in a year, as in the case of Omar and her husband, Tim Mynett. The chairman says the Ethics Committee investigates members of Congress, but because the business is in Omar’s husband’s name, Oversight can investigate him. Comer said:
“We’re, as you know, in the middle of this Minnesota welfare fraud. And there’s been a lot of accusations about a circle of influential Somali Americans that are benefitting from these financial scams in Minnesota. Her name is on the list. Now, she’s going to get due process. I don’t know if she’s guilty, but what I know is she went from zero to anywhere between $6 and $30 million in a year and she won’t even answer a simple question like you saw there: ‘What did you do?’”
Weeks before Comer’s announcement, White House Border Czar Tom Homan told Newsmax’ Rob Schmitt on Dec. 8 that he asked a Homeland Security Investigations fraud investigator about Omar’s immigration file:
“(An investigator) says, you know, there was immigration fraud involved. The statute of limitation became an issue in the last four years when this was first brought up. Who was president? Who [ran the] DOJ? [We’re] pulling records now, pulling the files and we’re looking at it.”
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform held its first hearing — Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota — on Jan. 7. A second hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 4.
Omar’s frequent response to questions on these issues is to attack the mental health or the intelligence of those asking how she immigrated to the United States, or how she responds to the alleged large-scale welfare fraud in her state — involving primarily members of the Somali community.
LindellTV reporter Alison Steinberg asked Omar on Jan. 13 if she were concerned about a formal investigation that could lead to her deportation. Omar answered, “You’re one of those people … Do I look concerned?” When Steinberg continued to press the congresswoman about her absence from the Oversight Committee’s hearing on the Minnesota fraud and allegations of her complicity in it, Omar shot back:
“Do you just ask stupid questions. Is this your thing? … $9 billion? … like, your brain has told you that it is possible for half of the resources for our public service to like, half disappear… Just think about that for a second … Please read.”
Steinberg returned with the receipts the following day, and Omar came out swinging at the reporter and Comer.
“That’s what Comer believes ‘cause he’s as smart as you are … There’s absolutely no God-d*mn way you can have that … Ma’am I think you need to get examined because your brain has been fried in some way. And it’s not ok … You and the Republicans here … Maybe you need one of those learning centers.”
On Jan. 16, Omar led a “shadow” hearing, a public meeting held by a minority party, at the Minnesota Senate Building in St. Paul, titled Kidnapped and Disappeared: Trump’s Deadly Assault on Minnesota. Omar denounced the administration’s immigration enforcement in a raised voice:
“Those of us who escaped places like that, the one place where we thought we would never experience this is the US God d*mn States.”
That’s a tremendous amount of hostility unloaded on President Trump, Republicans, journalists, and the United States. The FBI, the Department of Justice, and congressional investigations will uncover the truth about Omar’s wealth, immigration file, and Kazmierczak’s alleged attack.
