Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home searched by federal agents in ongoing criminal probe

Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington, D.C., Monday morning, according to two people familiar with the investigation.

Homeland Security Investigations, part of the Department of Homeland Security that conducts criminal investigations, “executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice,” a DOJ spokesperson said in a statement. “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”

The statement did not specify that the warrant was related to Omar and did not provide further information about the nature of the investigation.

A spokesperson for Omar, D-Minn., did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment on the search, which was first reported by Fox News.

The timing puts the search under added scrutiny: There are 22 days until the midterm elections. Omar is running for re-election in Minnesota. There’s longstanding Justice Department practice that tells prosecutors to be especially careful about actions near an election that could appear to help or hurt a candidate.

There is no blanket rule barring the department from acting within 60 days before an election, but that’s long been an unwritten practice. The written policy says prosecutors and agents cannot time investigative steps or public statements to…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business