We have generally stayed away from commentary on Ilhan Omar’s tangled personal life, except as it relates directly to potential criminal and ethical issues. But we would perhaps be remiss if we failed to note this New York Post story: “My husband dumped me for Ilhan Omar, DC mom says in divorce filing.”

A Washington, DC, mom says her political-consultant husband left her for Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to a bombshell divorce filing obtained by The Post.

Dr. Beth Jordan Mynett says her cheating spouse, Tim Mynett, told her in April that he was having an affair with the Somali-born US representative and that he even made a “shocking declaration of love” for the Minnesota congresswoman before he ditched his wife, alleges the filing, submitted in DC Superior Court on Tuesday.

There are more lurid allegations at the link, but the story is not only of prurient interest. There are at least two reasons why it is worth noting. First, this:

The 37-year-old congresswoman and mom of three paid Tim Mynett and his E. Street Group approximately $230,000 through her campaign since 2018 for fundraising consulting, digital communications, internet advertising and travel expenses.

Omar has already been found guilty of improperly using campaign funds to pay her own personal expenses, including legal fees for one of her divorces. [UPDATE: My memory was at fault here. See update below.] Mrs. Mynett’s divorce pleading alleges:

Beth Mynett is seeking primary physical custody of her and her husband’s son in part because of Tim Mynett’s “extensive travel” with Omar, the document says.

“Defendant’s more recent travel and long work hours now appear to be more related to his affair with Rep. Omar than with his actual work commitments,” the court papers state.

If the $230,000 that Omar’s campaign has paid to Mynett includes travel costs relating to romance rather than political consulting, or if the fees charged were inflated for the joint personal benefit of Mynett and Omar, it would represent another violation on Omar’s part. An appropriate agency should investigate the appropriateness of the funds paid by Omar’s campaign to Mynett.

Second, Minnesota’s dominant news organization, the Star Tribune, has treated Ilhan Omar with kid gloves throughout her career. While belatedly and minimally referring to the controversies that have engulfed Omar, the local paper has consistently had its thumb on the scale on behalf of a fellow Democrat. There can be no doubt that if a scandal along the lines that Ilhan is now experiencing with her soon-to-be third divorce involved a Republican, the Star Tribune would be all over it. Will it share the news of Omar’s dubious business and personal relationships with one of the chief beneficiaries of her campaign with its readers? We will see. So far, the Star Tribune apparently has never mentioned Tim Mynett’s name: