Omar Challenger Claims Congresswoman Has ‘Deep, Deep Ties’ to Fraud Scandal [WATCH]

Republican challenger John Nagel, who is running against Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, said the congresswoman bears responsibility for the massive welfare fraud scandal unfolding in her district, which has drawn national attention.

“Where did this actually start?” Nagel told Fox News Digital. “She passed legislation. Her legislation actually started and it allowed people to get into Feeding Our Future. If you look at where the fraud is, it’s primarily her [5th Congressional District], the district that I’m running in against her. And it’s really odd to think that you know all the fraud just happened in a particular area, and it was a bill that she, you know, particularly put together.”

Nagel was referring to allegations that the free meal programs at the center of the scandal were enabled by the 2020 MEALS Act, legislation introduced by Omar and passed with bipartisan support. He said the public deserves greater transparency about who helped craft the bill.

Nagel also alleged that individuals within Omar’s inner circle personally profited from the nearly $1 billion welfare fraud scheme, which has placed her Somali constituency under increased scrutiny from the White House.

He pointed to Safari Land, a Minneapolis restaurant named in the fraud case, saying Omar held events there, knew one of its now-convicted owners, and employed a staffer who was later convicted.

“If you look at the Safari Land restaurant, if you’re gonna be in politics, you need to go through the people at the Safari Land restaurant,” Nagel said. “They kind of control the politics. She had all of her fundraising things. I mean, that was sort of her hangout. That’s where she spent money, got donations.”

Nagel also cited Guhaad Hashi Said, sometimes described as an “enforcer” for Omar’s campaign, who is among more than 70 people indicted in connection with the Feeding Our Future case.

Nagel said the relationship raises further questions about what Omar knew and when.

“There’s a lot of really deep, deep ties,” he said.

“I think time will tell with the investigation. But again, there’s just too much circumstantial evidence to look at this and say, she had to have known something, or what staff member knew something?”

Watch the clip above.