A distinguished Minnesota Democrat is breaking ranks with his get together over Rep. Ilhan Omar — declaring allegations that she married her brother are “almost certainly true” and warning that questions about her funds aren’t going away, either.

Joe Randinovich, a former Minnesota state consultant and well-connected Democratic operative, delivered the evaluation in a sequence of posts on X Thursday, difficult the congresswoman’s longstanding denials and the get together’s efforts to dismiss the allegations as a right-wing conspiracy.

Joe Randinovich is a former Minnesota state consultant and well-connected Democratic operative. X / Joe Radinovich

“Democrats should understand that the allegation is almost certainly true — whatever conclusions they draw from that point could vary — and her denials calling it a right-wing, Islamophobic or racist conspiracy are almost certainly not,” Radinovich wrote.

The feedback come as federal investigators proceed to look into Omar’s immigration historical past and funds, with the Minnesota Democrat suggesting his get together should cease reflexively defending the embattled congresswoman.

“And then I’d very, very careful about how I qualified on allegations around her finances — where her defense looks similar and where no meaningful questions have been answered publicly, and where any objective look at the evidence doesn’t look…great,” he added.

Radinovich’s feedback rapidly sparked confrontation with Briana Rose Lee, a Minneapolis Democratic activist who beforehand labored in Omar’s marketing campaign operation.

Homeland Security officers carry bins from the Washington residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., during a search on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

“Joe. You aren’t stupid. You know this is a baseless and manufactured witch hunt. I’m actually surprised to see this from you,” Lee wrote. “It’s a new low.”

However, Randinovich didn’t back down.

“You’re right. I’m not stupid,” he responded, acknowledging that he has little confidence in President Trump’s Justice Department, and questioning the timing of the federal raid on Omar’s Washington DC residence.

Here’s the newest on the ongoing immigration investigation of Rep. Ilhan Omar

“Though it’s pretty notable that a DC judge signed off on it,” he added, before declaring that he’s “pretty confident this specific allegation is true.”

In a separate submit, Radinovich doubled down on his stance, arguing that anyone who believes Omar’s denials must be ignoring a rising physique of proof.

“Vibes is what it would take to believe her at this point,” he wrote. “There’s plenty of evidence and sourcing available if you don’t dismiss it out of hand.”

A wedding license software is stuffed out by Ilhan Omar and Ahmed Elmi. State of Minnesota

A wedding license software is stuffed out by Ilhan Omar and Ahmed Elmi. State of Minnesota

The public break is significantly notable, due to Radinovich’s ties to the Minnesota Democratic institution.

Radinovich served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015, managed Democrat Rick Nolan’s 2016 congressional marketing campaign and ran Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s profitable 2017 marketing campaign. He later served as Frey’s chief of workers.

Ilhan Omar’s <em>relative </em>timeline

Significant dates into Rep. Ilhan Omar’s previous relationships, which level to a potential sham marriage with her brother.

He also performed a position in two unsuccessful Democratic major challenges against Omar, working with Don Samuels in 2022 and 2024.

Omar, who represents Minnesota’s closely Democratic fifth Congressional District, has repeatedly denied allegations that she married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009 as half of an alleged immigration fraud scheme. 

British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, brother of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, seems in an undated Facebook picture posted by Jan. 26, 2020.

The controversy has surrounded the congresswoman for almost a decade, but has resurfaced amid new federal scrutiny over her immigration historical past.

Homeland Security Investigation brokers raided Omar’s Washington D.C. dwelling on Oct. 12, seizing her passport, cellphone and laptop.

Federal investigators are analyzing whether Omar or her late father, Nur Mohamed, fraudulently supplied data on citizenship paperwork a long time in the past. The investigation could probably have penalties for her citizenship standing. 

During former President Barack Obama’s administration, feds opened an investigation into the alleged marriage scheme in 2016. The probe was open until 2021, but was closed by the Biden administration.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., speaks during a information convention forward of the State of the Union handle at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 24, 2026. Bloomberg via Getty Images

No prison costs have been filed against Omar over the allegations, and her workplace continues to dismiss the claims as “politically motivated smears.”

Omar’s marketing campaign responded to Radinovich’s claims to Fox News Digital on Friday.

“Joe is a deeply troubled individual whose demons have sadly manifested as an irrational obsession with Congresswoman Omar after managing two losing campaigns against her,” the marketing campaign said to the outlet.

“His claims are false, biased, and without any evidence. While he was once seen as a rising star within the party, Joe is now widely recognized as a shill for Republican and Corporate money.”