A CNN legal expert flagged what she described as "very unusual" signs in the Trump Department of Justice's raid of a Democratic lawmaker's home Monday.
Federal agents searched the Washington, D.C. residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) as part of a criminal investigation, although the scope of that probe is unclear, the AP reported. MAGA figures like podcaster Katie Miller, who is married to White House aide Stephen Miller, celebrated the raid while Omar forcefully rebuked it as a symbol of Trump's ongoing "campaign of political intimidation" against her in a post on X later that day.
Katelyn Polantz, CNN crime and justice correspondent, flagged a couple of details about the raid that made it "very unusual," even in an ongoing criminal matter.
"What's atypical here isthat this is a sitting member ofCongress who is running forreelection," she told CNN's Kasie Hunt on "The Arena." "She's on the ballot as a Democrat in Minnesota, running again for her congressional seat this November. We're only a couple of weeks away from that."
Omar has been a frequent target of Trump's attacks. He has accused her of marrying a relative in a citizenship scheme, although no evidence has been presented in court to support that claim.
The raid's timing also seemed suspect because of the upcoming midterm elections, Polantz noted.
"It is very unusual to see the Justice Department take such an obvious investigative step at this time, so close to an election," she said. "There had always been a long-standing DOJ policy that they shouldn't be taking steps like that within 60 days; though, all it needs to overcome that is the sign-off from Justice Department leadership. As we know, they havegotten [it]. Sources have told usthat."