The Morning Briefing: Rep. Ilhan Omar Has Some Tax, Campaign Finance Problems

Good Friday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president and first lady depart Shannon, Ireland, en route to Washington, D.C.

Ilhan Omar has some campaign finance problems, joins Black-Jewish congressional caucus

Well, well, well. Minnesota campaign officials ruled Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) violated campaign finance rules when she used her campaign treasure chest to fund personal travel and to pay her tax bill.

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board decided Thursday that Omar’s use of campaign funds for personal out-of-state travel and to pay for her tax returns violated state campaign finance rules, according to The Associated Press.

The board ruled that Omar must reimburse her former campaign committee nearly $3,500 and pay the state a civil penalty of $500 for using campaign money to travel to Florida.

“I’m glad this process is complete and that the Campaign Finance Board has come to a resolution on this matter. We have been collaborative in this process and are glad the report showed that none of the money was used for personal use, as was initially alleged,” Omar said in a statement her campaign released to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

And take a look at this, from David Steinberg. The report on Omar appears to indicate she filed fraudulent tax forms for at least two years related to her overlapping marriages. Read the whole twitter thread.

BREAKING — Important Ilhan Omar thread on just-released campaign finance investigation conclusions:

The report’s finding that @IlhanMN committed SIX campaign finance violations is, amazingly, not the report’s key takeaway.

(1/x)

— David Steinberg (@realDSteinberg) June 6, 2019

Read the Fox News story on Steinberg’s discovery.

Omar also joined the “bipartisan” Black-Jewish caucus and then immediately objected to the Jewish part of the caucus.

Just to be clear, my endorsement of the caucus and willingness to unite our communities against the threats of White supremacy isn’t an endorsement of Zeldin’s bigotry!

Linda’s point still remains valid but my hope here is that Zeldin can learn and grow. https://t.co/2Fp6znt353

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) June 6, 2019

Raise your hand if you think this caucus is going to end well. Anyone? Omar has a solid history of anti-Israel, anti-Semitic comments and plays the victim when she is called out for it. Why would she even bother to join the caucus when she knows there are also Jewish representatives in the group? Probably to keep it sufficiently anti-Israel.

Mike Flynn changes lawyers, FBI interview notes released

Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, who was forced to admit to a process crime by Mueller team vultures, is changing attorneys before he is sentenced.

In Thursday’s filing, Kelner and Anthony said Flynn had fired them and they asked to withdraw as his lawyers, a move that must be approved by the court.

“As only sentencing remains in this case … and General Flynn has already retained new counsel, withdrawal at this time would not be prejudicial to any of the parties or otherwise inconsistent with the interests of justice,” they wrote.

Flynn’s new counsel has not been disclosed.

Also on the Flynn front, the transcripts of his interviews with the FBI were released on Thursday. The media is giddy, headlining this “revelation” because the transcripts show that the RUSSIAN ambassador tried to set up a video call between Trump and Putin the day after the inauguration. SO WHAT? Really, are you kidding me? Why is this a big deal? Get the Drudge siren running because the president is going to have a call with the leader of a foreign country.

U.S. and Russian officials have never confirmed that a conversation took place between Trump and Putin on Jan. 21, 2017, though the White House on Jan. 28 of that year offered a readout of a “congratulatory call” from the Russian leader that happened that day.

“The positive call was a significant start to improving the relationship between the United States and Russia that is in need of repair,” the White House said at the time, describing a conversation lasting about one hour and involving issues including Syria and fighting Islamic terrorism.

In addition, the audio of Trump lawyer John Dowd’s voicemail to Flynn’s attorney was released on Thursday. Mueller’s people edited the transcript in the Mueller report, to make the call look more ominous and sinister. No surprise there.

Trump calls Pelosi a ‘nasty, vindictive, horrible person’

Hmmm: Mike Flynn fires lawyers before sentencing

Voicemail from Trump’s attorney to Flynn’s lawyer released

Russian Ambassador Who Flynn Lied About Tried to Set Up Trump-Putin Video Call After the Election

Democrats worry the forthcoming IG report could undercut their Trump investigations

Devin Nunes: James Comey, Andrew McCabe make J. Edgar Hoover ‘look like a saint’

Man arrested for plot to throw explosives at tourists in Times Square

A man was arrested after authorities learned he was planning on throwing explosives at visitors to Times Square. The unnamed man is described as a “lone wolf,” but they always are, aren’t they?

The suspect, whose name has not been released, was arrested after the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force — which includes NYPD officers — caught wind of his queries into buying grenades, sources said.

Investigators described the suspect as a lone wolf, and do not believe he was part of a larger plot, sources said.

Developing…

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