Ilhan Omar says she and Hasan Piker ‘look really good on their screens’, and the state Democratic Party distances itself from the event

Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar sat down with streamer Hasan Piker for a livestream on Oct. 26, just before an event in Minneapolis put on by state Sen. Omar Fateh. The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party stated that it didn’t sanction the event.

According to Daily Mail, Piker told Omar that the media likes to highlight everything they do and asked why. Omar replied that the two of them “look really good on their screens.” In a statement, DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom stated, “This is not a DFL-sanctioned event.” He added that the party’s candidates are busy talking to voters about the cost of living. He also condemned “this individual’s comments that divide us.”

Republican John Nagel, who’s running against Omar, posted on X that her appearance with Piker was “not outreach.” He asked state Democrats to disavow it. Lisa Demuth, the Republican candidate for governor, called Piker a “vile anti-American left-wing radical.” Rep. Angie Craig, a Democrat, stated that embracing Piker as a party “is a mistake.”

More groups respond to the event

Critics have also pointed to past comments Piker made about the Sept. 11 attacks. He has stated that he apologized for them. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan stated that she wasn’t involved and wouldn’t attend. The American Jewish Committee stated that Piker “should not be platformed.” A spokesperson for Sen. Amy Klobuchar stated that she believes “a number of his comments are reckless.”

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas stated that it was “appalled” by Omar’s appearance alongside Piker. Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura defended Piker’s right to speak. He stated, “The First Amendment is there not to protect popular speech.” The event, called “I’m the Host Now,” was held at Theatre in the Round and streamed on Twitch.

Tickets were gone within minutes of the announcement. Omar and Piker talked for 20 minutes or more. Once Omar left, Fateh spoke with Piker for roughly 50 minutes. Omar, a Somali refugee, urged people to vote and stated, “Minnesota does not come after their refugees; they send one to Congress.”

Federal agents reportedly seized Omar’s passport and other property when they searched her home in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 12. Her attorneys, Amy Jeffress and Joshua Matz, sent a letter afterward asking for the items back. Justice Department spokesperson Emily Covington stated that the letter was “riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies.” The attorneys called the investigation “politically motivated.” Reports haven’t mentioned any charges, and they state that authorities are looking at her immigration records and finances.

In her first interview since the federal search of her home, Omar responded when asked if there is any truth to claims she married her brother, stating, “Not to my knowledge.”