In unusual move, Republican chairman scrutinizes companies tied to husband of Rep. Ilhan Omar

In an unprecedented move, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has requested financial records related to businesses partially owned by the husband of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, marking a rare instance of congressional scrutiny directed at a fellow lawmaker’s spouse.

The Kentucky Republican issued a letter Friday to Timothy Mynett, Omar’s husband and former Democratic political consultant, seeking documentation for two companies that reportedly experienced significant value increases between 2023 and 2024 according to the Minnesota congresswoman’s financial disclosures.

“There are serious public concerns about how your businesses increased so dramatically in value only a year after reporting very limited assets,” Comer wrote in his letter. The inquiry focuses on a winery called eStCru and an investment firm named Rose Lake Capital, which reportedly increased in value by at least $5.9 million during the period in question.

This investigation represents a departure from traditional committee practice. Historically, the House Oversight Committee has concentrated its investigative powers on government officials outside Congress, while matters involving sitting lawmakers and their families typically fall under the purview of the House Ethics Committee, a bipartisan body designed to operate above partisan politics.

Omar’s office swiftly condemned the investigation as politically motivated. “This is a political stunt” designed to “fundraise, not real oversight,” said Jackie Rogers, Omar’s spokesperson, in a statement. “It is disgusting that our tax dollars are being used to malign her.”

Since her historic election in 2018 as one of the first Muslim women to serve in Congress, Omar has frequently been the target of conservative criticism. She has consistently dismissed allegations regarding her finances as “misleading” and based on conspiracy theories.

The congresswoman has pointed out that despite the reported value increase in these companies, her husband’s actual reported income from the winery was between $5,000 and $15,000, with no income reported from Rose Lake Capital. The exact value increase remains unclear, as congressional financial disclosure forms require reporting assets within dollar-amount ranges rather than precise figures. The forms also do not specify Mynett’s ownership stake in either company.

The investigation gained additional attention when President Donald Trump claimed last month that the Department of Justice was examining Omar’s finances. In response, Omar wrote on social media that Trump was “panicking” due to “collapsing” support, adding that “Years of ‘investigations’ have found nothing.”

While no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented, Comer’s willingness to investigate a fellow lawmaker’s spouse reflects his broader approach to expanding the traditional parameters of the Oversight Committee’s jurisdiction. In a separate high-profile investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, Comer has enforced subpoenas requiring both former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton to appear for depositions—marking the first time a former president will be compelled to testify before Congress.

Political observers note that this investigation comes amid a contentious election year, where congressional investigations have increasingly become tools for partisan messaging. Government ethics experts have expressed concern about the precedent this sets, suggesting that targeting lawmakers’ spouses could represent a significant expansion of congressional oversight power that might be used by either party to target political opponents.

For Omar, who has faced numerous politically charged attacks since taking office, this investigation represents the latest in a series of challenges to her tenure in Congress as she continues to serve Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, one of the most Democratic-leaning districts in the country.