Rep. Ilhan Omar has pulled the plug on her marriage amid rumors that she was having an extramarital affair.
Omar filed for divorce from Ahmed Hirsi on Friday in Hennepin County District Court, according to reports. She submitted the divorce papers on her 37th birthday, citing an ”irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship.”
Omar is accused of having an affair with Tim Mynett, a prominent Democratic political consultant, whose estranged wife alleged in a divorce filing that he had been in a monthslong relationship with the Minnesota Democrat.
The allegation of the affair brought added scrutiny to Omar’s own marriage. She has faced repeated questions over her marital history after allegations surfaced that she married her brother and committed immigration fraud.
The freshman congresswoman married Hirsi in 2002 during a faith ceremony but did not legally marry until years later. Omar and Hirsi had two children before they separated in 2008. The next year, Omar legally married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. The two split in 2011, the same year Omar and Hirsi reconciled, but did not legally divorce until 2017. Meanwhile, Omar and Hirsi had a third child in 2012 and legally married in early 2018.
Omar has denied allegations of an affair. When asked in August whether she had separated from Hirsi or was dating anyone else, Omar said, “No I am not.”
“I have no interest in allowing the conversation about my personal life to continue, and so I have no desire to discuss it,” she said.
Mynett, 38, filed a legal response in September pushing back on the allegations made by his estranged wife, Beth Mynett. Beth Mynett, 55, said her political consultant husband told her in April he was in a relationship with Omar.
“Mr. Mynett denies that he told Ms. Mynett he was leaving the marriage for Representative Ilhan Omar or that he was in love with her,” his response said.
Jaime Driggs, Omar’s attorney, said in a statement Monday, “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.”
Driggs’ statement also said the “speculation and innuendo from political opponents and the media” had “taken a significant toll” on Omar’s family.
Omar is seeking joint legal custody of their children, ages 16, 13, and 7.
Omar’s first year in Congress has been dogged by controversy, including allegations of anti-Semitism for statements she has made about Israel. In 2012, Omar tweeted that Israel had “hypnotized the world” to hide its “evil doings.” This year she came under fire for saying U.S. politicians only support Israel because of financial support.
In August, Omar and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib were barred from entering Israel over their support for a boycott of the country.
