Democrats fear “more October surprises” after “bullshit” raid on Ilhan Omar’s home

Por Andrew Solender — Axios

Congressional Democrats’ private text chains lit up with fear and anger on Monday after Department of Homeland Security agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) home in Washington, D.C.

Why it matters: The search came less than a month before the midterms, immediately setting off alarm bells among Democrats that “more October surprises” could be coming, as one senior Democrat told Axios.

Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told Axios: “We expect more of this kind of thing.”

Driving the news: Homeland Security Investigations “executed a judicially authorized search warrant” on Omar’s home as part of an ongoing immigration probe, the Justice Department said in a statement.

DOJ has not detailed the scope or subject of the search warrant.
Fox News reported the investigation concerns Omar’s immigration paperwork. She came to the United States in 1995 as a 12-year-old refugee from Somalia.
Omar’s office and Democratic House leadership quickly denounced the action as an “abuse of power,” with a spokesperson for Omar saying she “has done nothing wrong.”

What we’re hearing: “People are outraged. … [This is] what authoritarian tyrants and dictators do,” said the senior House Democrat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to relay colleagues’ private conversations.

Another House Democrat told Axios “the chatter on texts” is that “folks are irate.”

Zoom out: Democrats allege the raid fits into a broader pattern of Trump using federal resources to boost Republicans and target his political opponents.

DHS became embroiled in controversy just last week after a statement targeting Pennsylvania Democrat Janelle Stelson, which critics said violates federal laws restricting partisan activities by federal officials.
Trump has also come under fire for using taxpayer funds to run campaign-style television ads touting him and his administration in the run-up to the midterms.

What they’re saying: “President Trump will keep trying to intimidate and bully Americans ahead of the midterms,” said Balint, adding, “We suspect he will try anything to stay in power and in control.”

Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said that “of course there will” be more like the Omar raid, saying Trump is “the pettiest, worst human being” and “can’t help himself.”
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios: “This is some serious hate-baiting bullshit. This administration is just despicable.”
Asked whether he expects more, Huffman said, “Of course.”

The other side: One congressional Republican cheered the raid on Omar, who has long been the target of right-wing attacks on her immigration status.

“If the fraud is proven, she should be denaturalized and deported,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) wrote in a post on X, also comparing Monday’s raid to the 2022 FBI search of Mar-a-Lago.
The White House, DOJ and DHS did not respond to a request for comment.

What to watch: House Democratic leaders are already signaling plans to wrap this into their oversight agenda if they retake the majority.

“We will deliver full accountability for the rogue abuse of power from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his deputies said in a statement.
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said in a statement: “We will be demanding transparency and accountability as to who authorized this abusive search and who carried it out.”

Fonte: Axios