Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar has a duty as an elected official to prove "she can still serve" amid an ongoing federal immigration investigation, her Republican opponent said Thursday. John Nagel, a former state trooper vying to unseat Omar in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, called for transparency from the four-term lawmaker as federal authorities probe potential fraud in her immigration paperwork. "She is an elected representative," Nagel told Newsweek during an interview.
"It is her obligation to show the public that she can still serve us. All she would have to do is release her files — her immigration files — do a typical DNA test, and she can put all of this stuff behind her. If I were her and I had all of these things going on, and I was innocent, I'd be saying: 'Hey, I want to take care of this, I want to put it behind me, so I can prove to the people of Minnesota that I'm here representing them.'" Nagel, a 30-year veteran of the Minnesota State Patrol, said Omar faces what he described as "very serious allegations" following a raid by federal agents at her Washington home earlier this month.
"We're all going to find out in the next few months," Nagel said of the investigation into Omar. Her office did not respond to multiple requests for comment Thursday. Nagel, 70, acknowledged that Omar enjoys the same rights as any other American, including the right to remain silent, as the controversy swirls just days ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, which will determine control of the House and Senate.
"She hasn't been charged with anything yet, OK?" he said. "She hasn't been convicted of anything or charged, and that's why in my opinion, if she were me, I would be sitting there going, 'Hey guys, here's everything you need to know about me because I want you to investigate me and I want to get this behind me so I can go back to Washington and actually focus on the needs of Minnesota.'" Nagel argued the federal probe is diverting attention away from the concerns of voters. "Because right now, she's not focusing on the needs of Minnesota," he told Newsweek.
If elected, Nagel, a lifelong resident of St. Louis Park, vows to restore "safety, sanity and service" to Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis. "He is running because working families are being squeezed while our streets grow less safe," Nagel's website reads.
"The current Democrat trend toward socialist policies rooted in Marxist ideals is dangerous and must be reversed. John is running because Minnesotans deserve a representative who puts people before politics." Nagel, a married father of two who won a GOP primary in August, centers his life around "faith, family and public service," according to the site. "Throughout his life, John has made tough calls in high-stakes environments," Nagel's website reads.
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