Political consultant denies allegation of Omar affair
Updated: 6:50 p.m. | Posted: 3:24 p.m.
A nationally known political consultant is denying a divorce filing claim by his wife that he was romantically involved with Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and that his business profited from it.
Beth Mynett had alleged that her estranged husband Timothy Mynett had an extramarital affair with Omar while being paid to work on her campaign and that he’d left her for Omar.
In a court filing of his own, Timothy Mynett denied the allegation, saying he "had not engaged in any physical or sexual relationship with any other woman” and that Beth Mynett is trying to ruin his career and is using his high-profile clients for legal leverage.
Timothy Mynett admits that he took his teenage son to “a casual dinner” with Rep. Omar as the boy “had done with every member of Congress with whom Mr. Mynett has worked.” He denies Beth Mynett’s allegations that their son was put in danger because of death threats against Omar.
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The DFL congresswoman has denied claims that she was seeing someone outside her marriage. During a recent interview with WCCO-TV, Omar said, “No, I’m not,” when asked if she was separated from her husband and dating someone.
A conservative group has filed a campaign finance complaint against Omar, alleging she misused campaign funds. An attorney for Mynett's firm has called the allegations of financial impropriety false and unfounded.
Omar’s campaign reported to the Federal Election Commission it has paid Mynett’s Washington, D.C.-based firm, E Street Group, more than $160,000 since the first of the year with nearly $22,000 of that total spent on travel expenses.
Omar has become a political lightning rod since her 2018 election to Congress and a rhetorical target of President Trump.
Some critics have also charged Omar improperly wed her brother as part of an immigration scheme. Omar has called that allegation “false.”
In an interview last week with MPR News, Omar said she was done responding to controversies surrounding her personal life and finances.
“It doesn’t matter how often I deny it and what I do, people will still ask for more or insinuate more things,” she said. “And so, I have made a decision not to give it any more air and have it stay in the garbage where it belongs and continue to focus on representing the beautiful district that I represent, giving back to the country that has given me so much.”
In a statement Wednesday Omar’s office said again that it “does not comment on the congresswoman’s personal life."
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include additional details about Timothy Mynett’s court filings.