Editors Note: This article was updated to include relevant information about the Minnesota Election Law at the heart of Project Veritas’ ballot harvesting investigation.
President Trump is calling for a “review” of Rep. Ilhan Omar following reports of alleged “ballot harvesting” in the Minnesota congresswoman’s district.
The New York Post reports that Project Veritas, the controversial undercover video production company, claims to have uncovered a scheme in which hundreds of ballots are being illegally harvested from elderly Somali immigrants.
“Numbers don’t lie,” says one of the individuals captured on video as he displays a large number of envelopes on his car’s dashboard.
He asserts that they are for Minneapolis City Council member Jamal Osman.
“You can see my car is full. All these here are absentee ballots … Look, all these are for Jamal Osman,” he continues.
The Post states under Minnesota law, no individual can be the “designated agent” for greater than three absentee voters.
However, skeptics of the video have pointed out that the law was enjoined by a District Court on April 29 until its eventual reinstatement by the State Supreme Court on September 4.
The video has not been verified and the claims made within yet to be proven.
The director of the FBI is saying there’s no voter fraud.
The journalists all desperately try to attack @Project_Veritas.
The entire system is broken.
But that doesn’t prevent us from exposing this and getting it everywhere: “MY CAR IS FULL OF BALLOTS.” pic.twitter.com/cB2Bz31mSY
— James O’Keefe (@JamesOKeefeIII) September 28, 2020
RELATED: New Poll Shows Americans Favor Confirming Amy Coney Barrett To The Supreme Court
Trump Wants Investigation Into Ballot Harvesting Benefitting Ilhan Omar
President Trump shared several stories about the alleged ‘ballot harvesting’ scheme on Twitter.
“This is totally illegal,” he tweeted. “Hope that the U.S. Attorney in Minnesota has this, and other of her many misdeeds, under serious review.”
He demanded to know, “If not, why not?”
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. Saved Minneapolis & Iron O Range! https://t.co/yete31P680
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 28, 2020
Two people in the Project Veritas investigation claim one of the ballot harvesters is associated with Omar.
“It’s an open secret,” whistleblower Omar Jamal alleged.
“She will do anything that she can do to get elected and she has hundreds of people on the streets doing that.”
Another person identified only as a ‘former political worker’ accuses Omar’s campaign deputy district director, Ali (Isse) Gainey, of having “perfected this system” of harvesting ballots from the elderly.
Neither of these individuals’ claims has been substantiated.
Trump Campaign to Refer Ilhan Omar Voter Fraud Allegations to FBIhttps://t.co/pAdKm6s8kE
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) September 28, 2020
RELATED: Report: Colorado Clarifies Why Voter Registration Postcards Received By Non-Citizens, Dead People
Controversy Follows Omar
President Trump’s reference to Omar’s “many misdeeds” could be driven by several other controversies that have surrounded the Congresswoman.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) records have shown that Omar’s campaign committee has paid nearly $1 million to her husband’s consulting firm since they were married.
Omar announced that she and Tim Mynett had married earlier this year, after spending months initially denying accusations from his former wife and the media that the two were having an affair.
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s total campaign payments to her husband’s consulting firm now exceed seven figures after reporting additional funds paid to the company in the second quarter of 2020.
Read More: https://t.co/v0LXz8X7Nd pic.twitter.com/HOeTvX8p64
— Alpha News MN (@AlphaNewsMN) July 20, 2020
Last year, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported on documents raising questions as to whether she previously married her own brother as a means to “skirt immigration laws.”
In January, Fox News correspondent Trace Gallagher indicated investigations involving Omar were being conducted by the Department of Education and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Some of the alleged misdeeds involved allegations of “perjury, immigration fraud, tax fraud, student loan fraud, and possibly bigamy.”
I hope this wipes that stupid, disgusting smile off @IlhanMN face. pic.twitter.com/eQSw1X0rII
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) January 17, 2020
Jeremy Slevin, Senior Communications Director for Omar, denied the Project Veritas story.
“The amount of truth to this story is equal to the amount Donald Trump paid in taxes of ten out of the last fifteen years: zero,” Slevin suggested.
“And amplifying a coordinated right-wing campaign to delegitimize a free and fair election this fall undermines our democracy.”
In Senate testimony last week, FBI Director Christopher Wray stated, “We have not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election.”
