Republican Rep. Randy Fine of Florida is reportedly considering forcing a House vote to expel Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
Fine told Axios on Wednesday that he is actively weighing the move. He cited allegations that Omar married her brother, along with what he described as her general embrace of Muslim terror. “I don’t think she should be a citizen, let alone a member of Congress,” Fine told the outlet.
The comments followed a fundraising email from Omar’s campaign
Calling for Fine to be expelled from Congress over past remarks in which he said Muslims should be “destroyed.”
Fine responded that he would not use fundraising emails for the issue. “If I’m going to do that, you will see me bring the piece of paper. And I am actively considering that,” he said.
Axios noted that expelling a member of the House requires a two-thirds vote. With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, at least 85 Democrats would need to support the effort for it to succeed.
Omar has also faced renewed scrutiny in recent weeks related to
Fraud tied to the Somali community in her Minnesota district. The controversy centers on the Minnesota “Feeding Our Future” program, which authorities have linked to approximately $250 million in fraud connected to the MEALS Act passed during COVID lockdowns. Omar supported the legislation and has defended her role.
When asked by Fox News whether she regretted pushing for the MEALS Act, Omar replied, “Absolutely not, it did help feed kids.”
President Donald Trump has also sharply criticized Omar in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Trump referred to the congresswoman as “garbage” and raised broader concerns about large-scale migration from Third World nations such as Somalia.
Republican challenger John Nagel is accusing Rep. Omar of being
Closely linked to the $1 billion Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, which is based in her Minneapolis congressional district. Nagel claims that legislation introduced by Omar contributed to the circumstances that allowed the fraud to take place.
Omar introduced the Maintaining Essential Access to Lunch for Students Act, known as the MEALS Act, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill allowed states to provide free meals to children during school closures through alternative methods. Omar has denied any wrongdoing. The legislation was passed by Congress with bipartisan support.
Nagel further alleged that individuals connected to Omar’s political circle financially benefited from the fraud scheme. He said Omar held campaign events at Safari Restaurant, a business tied to the Feeding Our Future investigation.
The developments reflect ongoing political tensions surrounding
Omar and her district.