Rep. Ilhan Omar's campaign has faced scrutiny over thousands of dollars spent on lavish hotels and private transportation in areas far from her home district, according to a review of Federal Election Commission records. The congresswoman's campaign dropped over $6,000 on high-end hotels and private transportation between April and June.
The payments, covering April 1 through June 30, included $2,131.90 to a luxury hotel in Times Square, $1,613.23 to a hotel with sweeping views from the Hollywood Sign to downtown Los Angeles, $1,143 to a luxury transportation service, $926.80 to a boutique desert hotel, and $682.41 to a luxury resort overlooking the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains.
The luxury hotels and resorts where Omar's campaign spent thousands of dollars include the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, the Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs, and W New York in Times Square. These establishments offer exclusive amenities such as private pools, fitness centers, and spas.
Omar is not the only high-profile democratic socialist to face scrutiny over campaign spending. Other politicians, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, have also faced criticism for their campaign expenses, which some have characterized as "champagne socialism."
Additionally, Omar's campaign has faced questions over millions of dollars paid to her husband's consulting firm during the 2020 cycle, and she has revised a disclosure that listed millions of dollars in assets tied to her and her husband down to at most $125,000.
