Reporter's Notebook: Omar’s long history of controversy keeps her in the spotlight

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is one of the most controversial members of Congress.

Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., are the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. Along with Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., they form the original members of the Squad, a team of progressive women who entered Congress simultaneously in 2019.

The quartet is visible. They’re outspoken. And they, like many other lawmakers, are often the targets of threats or even violence itself.