Ilhan Omar Pleads the Fifth 113 Times on Whether Her Husband Is Her Brother
WASHINGTON — Rep. Ilhan Omar invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 113 times on Wednesday when asked whether her husband is her brother.
The questions were posed during a closed-door interview with congressional investigators. According to a partial transcript released later in the day, Omar was asked variations of the same query regarding the identity of her spouse and his possible familial relation to her. In each instance she declined to answer on Fifth Amendment grounds.
“I am exercising my constitutional rights,” Omar said after the session. She did not address the substance of the questions.
Investigators said the repetition was necessary because earlier responses had been limited to the same invocation. A committee aide noted that the member was given the opportunity to clarify the relationship in writing or through counsel. Both options were declined.
Omar’s office issued a statement describing the interview as a “partisan exercise” and affirming that she had complied with all legal requirements. The statement did not include a direct answer to the underlying question. A spokesman added that further inquiries on the topic would be referred to counsel.
Legal observers said repeated invocations of the Fifth are permissible and do not, by themselves, establish any particular fact. One attorney familiar with congressional procedure said the number of times the right was asserted was higher than average for a single line of questioning but remained within established practice.
The committee has not announced whether it will issue a subpoena for additional testimony or documents. Omar’s husband did not respond to a request for comment. No public records resolving the question were entered into the interview record.
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