OMAR’S MARRIAGES AND TAXES
2002: Omar applies for license to marry Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi, then named Ahmed Abdisalan Aden, according to Hennepin County records. Records show a marriage certificate wasn’t issued, and Omar has said they didn’t pursue a civil marriage but instead married in their Muslim “faith tradition,†according to the AP.
2008: Omar and Hirsi end their relationship, according to Omar. They had two children by this time.
2009: Omar marries Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, according to a Hennepin County marriage certificate. Elmi, a British citizen, is the person some conservative media have alleged to be Omar’s brother as part of an immigration scheme. Omar has strongly denied this. Last year, the AP extensively looked into this allegation.
2011: Omar and Elmi end their relationship and divorce in their faith tradition, according to Omar, but they take no legal action to end the marriage until 2017.
2012: Omar and Hirsi reunite and have a third child, according to Hennepin County records.
2014: Omar and Hirsi file joint tax returns, according to the Campaign Finance Board.
2015: Omar and Hirsi again file joint tax returns, according to Campaign Finance Board report.
During both these years, Omar remains legally married to Elmi and not legally married to Hirsi, although she and Hirsi are together. It’s not known whether they filed jointly for any other years. State and federal laws appear to say that Omar and Hirsi should not have been allowed to file jointly during these years. The Campaign Finance Board does not possess the actual tax filings, and the Pioneer Press was unable to review them.
2016: Attorney Carla Kjellberg is hired by Omar’s campaign as part of a “crisis committee†to address issues related to her marital and immigration status and history. Kjellberg hires accounting firm Frederick & Rosen to review Omar’s financial records. Frederick & Rosen review Omar’s 2014 and 2015 tax filings and report that something in Omar’s tax filings needs to be corrected, according to the Campaign Finance Board. In a recent interview with campaign finance officials, Kjellberg describes it as “correcting something that could have been detrimental to Ms. Omar.â€
In November, Omar is elected to the Minnesota House — the first time she has held elected office.
2017: Omar files for divorce from Elmi. Kjellberg serves as her divorce attorney. Kjellberg was not paid for the divorce work by Omar’s campaign.
2018: Omar’s marriage to Elmi legally ends in divorce early in the year. A month later, she legally marries Hirsi. In November, Omar is elected to Congress.