Ilhan Omar Holds Maternal Health Town Hall Amid Controversy, Threat
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – With controversy swirling and a publicized death threat, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar held another public town hall meeting Thursday at the University of Minnesota.
The FBI confirms it is investigating the threat against Omar.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley, another member of the so-called 'squad,' joined Omar during the roundtable focused on maternal health disparities.
The squad consists of the four freshman congresswomen who President Donald Trump famously told to go back to the countries from which they came.
For Omar, the event provided a break to focus on a key issue.
"Black women are up to four times more likely to die in pregnancy or childbirth than their white peers," Omar said.
Amid tight security, the Omar was repeatedly thanked for hosting an event focusing on an often-overlooked topic.
This week, a D.C. woman said in a divorce filing that the Congresswoman is having an affair with her husband, political consultant Tim Mynett. In a one-on-one interview, Omar denied the affair and declined to comment further. She is up for reelection in 2020.
Because the 5th Congressional District is overwhelmingly Democratic, the person who wins the Democratic primary is a shoo-in to win the general election. The primary is Aug. 11, 2020, less than a year away. No major Democrat is running against her.
Her supporters remain enthusiastic.
"I am so proud of Congresswoman Omar, and she is focusing on exactly what we need to and she is talking about the issues we care about," Sara Kettering said.
On Friday, Omar will be hosting forums all day with four members of the Congressional Black Caucus ending with a community discussion of black mental health at the Guthrie at 5:30 p.m.
