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Justice Department pursues politically sensitive cases before midterms, critics say

Associated Press reports critics call the Justice Department's pre-midterm cases politically motivated, which the department disputes.

Updated Oct 29, 2026 · 20:34 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • The Justice Department has run a rapid series of high-profile actions and cases ahead of the midterm elections.[Associated Press]
  • Federal agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's home and seized her phone during an immigration-paperwork investigation.[Associated Press]
  • Attorney General Todd Blanche denies the department's investigative decisions are political, and Comey's lawyers call the prosecution's tactic invalid.[Associated Press]
  • Comey's lawyers are asking a judge to dismiss the case, and the reporting does not yet show an outcome.[Associated Press]

Key facts

  • Federal agents searched the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar and seized her phone in an investigation related to her immigration paperwork.[Associated Press]
  • Attorney General Todd Blanche has denied that the department's investigative decisions are political.[Associated Press]
  • Blanche said the decision to seek a search warrant for Omar's home had nothing to do with events in November.[Associated Press]
  • The Justice Department said it is following the facts and the law, not anyone's political timetable.[Associated Press]
  • Comey's legal team has described the prosecution's legal tactic as legally invalid and politically motivated, and is asking a judge to dismiss it.[Associated Press]
  • David Laufman, a former senior Justice Department official, said there has never been such a brazen disregard for norms in politically sensitive investigations in the department's modern history.[Associated Press]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether the timing and targets of the cases were politically motivated is disputed; critics say yes and the department says no.[Associated Press]
  • The reporting does not establish the outcome of the Omar investigation or whether a judge will dismiss the Comey prosecution.[Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.