MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Star Tribune has obtained a copy of Representative-elect Ilhan Omar’s complaint to the Washington D.C. Department for For-Hire Vehicles. Omar, who was in D.C. for a legislative conference, gained national attention when she reported that a cab driver verbally harassed her, called her “ISIS” and threatened to take off her hijab.
The report states that the cab was called at 8 p.m. EST to pick her and her sister up from the Omni Shoreham Hotel on the night of December 6th. The cab company named in the complaint was Hilltop. It was during the cab ride that the driver allegedly verbally harassed her and called her “ISIS”.
According to the Star Tribune, the complaint does not identify the driver. The driver’s name was redacted by the agency that released the complaint under a records request.
Omar has remained elusive to local Minnesota media, refusing to conduct interviews with the Star Tribune and Alpha News.
The incident was originally posted to Omar’s Facebook page on December 7, 2016. The post went viral and was subsequently deleted soon after. In it, Omar makes no mention of her sister being with her on the trip.
While making an appearance with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Omar states that the cab driver was East African with a thicker accent and tried to appeal to his cultural values. Omar makes no mention of her sister being attacked, verbal or otherwise, by the cab driver.
Omar, who previously said she would file a report once back in Minnesota, backtracked stating that she “did not want to criminalize hate.” Instead, she filed reports with D.C.’s Office of Human Rights and the Department for For-Hire Vehicles.
The Office of Human Rights in D.C. sent Alpha News this statement:
“The Office of Human Rights can never confirm or deny that a complaint has been filed with our office. Additionally, all information contained in a complaint file is confidential and only the parties to the case may request documents in the file, after a final resolution of the case, by submitting a FOIA request.”
MPR reports that Omar has already secured status within the DFL leadership. It was announced that the House DFL Caucus elected Representative-elect Omar to be an assistant minority leader.
Preya Samsundar
Preya Samsundar was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities this Spring with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, with a minor in Strategic Communications. Preya has previously worked on several State Campaign Races.
