Scott Johnson at the PowerLine blog has been the conservative movement's resource on all things Ilhan Omar, so it was only right that he would comment on the Minneapolis Star Tribune endorsing Omar's most plausible Democrat replacement in Congress, Antone Melton-Meaux.
Understand that the Star Tribune sits squarely in Omar’s district. As she has become an intergalactic superstar, the Star Tribune has served mostly as her media adjunct. The exception is the Star Tribune’s most read story of 2019 [on her strange marriages], still worth reading in 2020.
Despite its tactful approach to her, Omar wouldn’t talk to the reporters for that story or for its most recent story on her campaign spending. She nevertheless interviewed with the editors for their endorsement.
Note the twisted silence and count the dogs that don’t bark in this sentence of the endorsement editorial: "Omar’s 2018 victory launched her into the national spotlight as the first Muslim woman and first refugee elected to Congress. But her time has been marred by missteps, including remarks on Israel widely regarded as anti-Semitic, an outsized number of missed votes, and campaign-finance issues."
This represents an utter failure of nerve consistent with the Star Tribune’s coverage of Omar over the past four years.
The Strib editorial skips over all the marital messes, and only mentions the new white husband's consulting firm in a vague passage:
Interestingly, the DFL [Democrat-Farmer-Labor] Party has chosen to make an issue of Melton-Meaux’s finances, filing a late complaint that his campaign used “shadow” companies for his bid, a step the campaign told supporters was necessary because the Democratic Party blacklists companies that work for the challenger to an incumbent.
That gave Lee Hayes, a spokesman for Melton-Meaux’s campaign, a chance to note that Omar has sent more than $1.6 million to her husband’s D.C. political consulting firm, E Street Group, and is herself the target of a Federal Election Commission complaint regarding travel expenses.
It is just these kinds of ethical distractions that the Fifth District could do without.
The next sentence is the most amusing: "In the Editorial Board interview, Omar took little responsibility for her rocky start, instead largely blaming her critics and saying her failing was perhaps in not realizing what a 'special unicorn' she would be in Congress."
She's "special" alright.
So what we have here is a leftish Democrat newspaper that's tried to paper over many Omar controversies, but resents having to do it. They clearly prefer the Biden approach over the Bernie approach, socialism on a slower march, and they are not fans of her divisive style, and the vicious anti-Semitism in a district with a sizable Jewish population.
The editorial concluded by touting the opponent's background as a mediator: "Melton-Meaux fully grasps the needs of the diverse constituency he hopes to represent, and, if given a chance, is the kind of leader who could unite a fractured district."
PS: Also check out Johnson's big-picture blog on the 5th District primary race.
