MINNEAPOLIS — Documents filed in Hennepin County show Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has filed for divorce from her husband.
A case file dated Oct. 4 shows that the 37-year-old Omar filed for a dissolution of her marriage to Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi, citing an "irretrievable breakdown" of the relationship. The documents state that Omar and Hirsi were married on Jan. 5, 2018, and are parents to three children ages 16, 13 and 7.
In the petition Omar is requesting:
- Granting a dissolution of the marriage herein;
- Granting the parties joint legal and physical custody of their minor children;
- Awarding each party such marital property of the parties as the court may deem just and equitable;
- Determining child support as will serve the minor children’s best interests;
- Denying spousal maintenance to each party; and...
- Awarding such other relief as the Court deems just and equitable.
Jaime Driggs, Omar's divorce attorney, issued the following statement:
"Ilhan has filed for divorce from her husband Ahmed. As with all marriages, this is intensely personal and a difficult time for their family. For years, Ilhan and Ahmed have been the object of speculation and innuendo from political opponents and the media. This has taken a significant toll on Ilhan, Ahmed, and their three children. Just like any other family navigating this kind of transition, Ilhan wishes to have their privacy respected for themselves and their children and will not be commenting any further."
A recent divorce filing by the wife of a political consultant who works with Omar accuses the congresswoman of having an affair with her husband. Beth Mynett, wife of Tim Mynett, says her husband confessed his "devastating and shocking declaration of love" for Omar this past April. Both Tim Mynett and Omar have denied the accusation.
A complaint filed with the FEC says Omar's campaign committee, Ilhan for Congress, reported payments totaling nearly $223,000 to Tim Mynett's consulting firm between August of 2018 and June of 2019. The documents state that another $7,000 was dispersed to Tim Mynett himself. In court documents Mynett's wife alleges that his travel expenses were less about business and more about the affair she says he was having with Omar. "Defendant's more recent travel and long work hours now appear to be more related to his affair with Rep. Omar than his actual work commitments," the documents read.
The complaint, filed by the National Legal and Policy Center, maintains that Omar violated the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 by failing to itemize certain expenses, and by claiming campaign related travel expenses were actually personal.
At this point there is no word on whether the FEC will respond to the complaint and launch an investigation into the allegations.