- Federal agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar's home as part of criminal investigation
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Federal agents searched Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar?s home on Monday as part of a criminal investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The search was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents, said the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. More details about the investigation and its focus were not immediately clear, though Vice President JD Vance last May signaled that the Trump administration would investigate Omar for immigration fraud allegations, which she has denied.
An email seeking comment was sent Monday to a representative for Omar.
The Justice Department said in a statement Monday that HSI agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the department in the Washington, D.C., area but provided no other details.
?This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,? the department said.
A message left with the Department of Homeland Security, of which Homeland Security Investigations is part, was not immediately returned.
Omar, 44, represents Minnesota?s 5th District, including Minneapolis. She was first elected to the House in 2018 and has been known as a member of what's called The Squad of female lawmakers known for their progressive views and pointed opposition to the Republican president.
Republicans have raised questions about Omar's past since before she was even elected, including asserting that she had married her brother and committed immigration fraud. Omar has broadly denied the allegations as ?disgusting lies.?
?It certainly seems like something fishy is there, but everybody's entitled to equal justice under the laws,? Vance told reporters in May. ?So we're going to investigate it. We're going to take a look at it. If we think there's a crime, we're going to prosecute that crime.?
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Associated Press writers Eric Tucker in Washington, Kathy McCormack in Concord, N.H., Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pa., contributed.
This article originally appeared on Associated Press at https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/federal-agents-searched-minnesota-rep-121754172.html
- Mike Johnson says he has no plans to step aside if Republicans lose the House
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he intends to serve as GOP leader if Republicans lose their House majority in November ? but he remains bullish about the party's chances despite significant headwinds.
"In the unlikely scenario where we lost the majority, I would expect my colleagues would ask me to continue leading this conference, even if we have divided government," Johnson told CBS News' Robert Costa in an interview near Johnson's hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana.
Johnson, who has led House Republicans as speaker since 2023, has repeatedly pushed back on questions about his plans if the GOP loses the majority in the lower chamber in November. Known for his optimistic outlook, the speaker has expressed confidence that Republicans will hold on to the chamber, or even grow their narrow majority. But midterm dynamics traditionally boost the party opposing the party in control of the White House, and the unpopular war in Iran, high gas and diesel prices and other controversial Trump administration policies have added to those challenges for the GOP.
Last week, a comment Johnson made to Fox News on his plans for his future fueled speculation that he could retire from politics, as he suggested that he could go back to his hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn business if the GOP loses the House majority.
"It's just hilarious," Johnson said of the interest the comment spurred, telling Costa that the remark was "tongue in cheek."
"What I was trying to say to them is that throughout my whole life, my number one objective is to be of my highest and best use to God and to my country, and that's always what I've thought," Johnson said. "And I was trying to make the point that if God has a different design, then we'll follow that. But what I believe is, I'm going to be the speaker of the House for at least two more years."
But Johnson added, "If, heaven forbid, we lost the majority, I would expect my colleagues would call upon me to continue to lead the conference in divided government."
"My intention is to stay and serve, and that's what I've been doing, as best I can," he said.
Johnson has been campaigning heavily in recent weeks, with plans to hit 40 districts in 22 states before polls close on Election Day. He made a case for his continued leadership ? whether in the majority or the minority ? pointing to the millions of dollars he's brought in for Republicans this cycle, his busy travel schedule, and his work to corral a sometimes volatile GOP majority in this Congress.
"I'm not sure what the case would be for any alternative," he said. "I intend to stay and lead."
When pressed by Costa on whether he has it in him to be a tough, combative minority leader in the current political environment, Johnson pointed to his time on the House Judiciary Committee and his defense of President Trump during his two impeachment trials.
"I was a litigator in my past life ? constitutional law attorney. We can be tough, but we can be happy warriors," he said. "That's what Ronald Reagan was. That's what I fashioned myself as."
But Johnson was clear: he has "no intention other than winning this majority and serving as speaker."
"That is what's going to happen," Johnson said. "And I'm telling you, I'm leaving it all in the field to do it."
This article originally appeared on CBS News at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mike-johnson-republican-leader-midterms-2026/
