Legal group files Hatch Act complaint over Omar search

A watchdog group filed a Hatch Act complaint Tuesday against several federal agencies following the search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) home.

Democracy Defenders Fund called for an investigation the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its secretary, Markwayne Mullin, Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department (DOJ) and Joseph Edlow, the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The group referred to the raid and its timing as “outrageous.”

“This unprecedented raid occurred a mere four days before general early voting begins in Minnesota and appears to be timed to influence voters in the upcoming midterm election,” the complaint states.

In a post on the social platform X, Democracy Defenders Fund co-founder and executive chair Norm Eisen described the search of Omar’s home as a “textbook” case of authorities using “criminal power to affect an election.” The nonprofit filed the complaint alongside former President George W. Bush’s chief ethics lawyer, Richard Painter

The post featured a letter to Charles Baldis, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) special counsel, in which the group asks him to investigate the raid for any potential Hatch Act violations — naming Mullin, Edlow and Blanche, as well as any other DHS and DOJ employees that may have been involved.

The Hatch Act bans federal employees from taking part in political activity while on duty or on federal property.

On Monday morning, federal agents searched Omar’s home as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Homeland Security Investigations agents carried out the search, a DOJ spokesperson told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network.

“This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,” the Justice Department said in the statement.

Omar blasted the raid on social media, referring to it as “political intimidation.”

“I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement,” she wrote on X. “For ten years, [President] Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation.”

Omar is seeking reelection Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, where she’s facing off against Republican John Nagel. Nonpartisan election forecaster Decision Desk HQ sees the district as a “safe” Democratic victory, with Omar leading Nagel by almost eight points as of Oct. 10.

DHS and the DOJ did not immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the complaint.