Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is facing renewed scrutiny after her campaign spent thousands of dollars in donor funds on luxury hotels and private transportation far from her Minnesota district, according to a Fox News Digital review of Federal Election Commission records.
Campaign finance filings covering the period from April 1 through June 30 show Omar’s campaign paid more than $6,000 for upscale lodging and transportation during the second quarter. The expenditures included stays at luxury hotels in California and New York, along with payments for a premium chauffeur service.
According to the filings, the campaign paid $2,131.90 to the W New York in Times Square, $1,613.23 to The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, $926.80 to the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs, and $682.41 to the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage. The records also show a payment of $1,143 to Blacklane Transportation, a luxury chauffeur service.
Overall, Omar’s campaign reported more than $28,000 in travel expenses during the three-month reporting period, as well as more than $23,000 in food, beverage and catering expenses.
The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage promotes itself as a luxury resort overlooking the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains. The property advertises amenities including an exclusive Club Lounge, concierge service, spa, salon, fitness center, a main pool, an adults-only Vista Pool and a whirlpool.
The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood highlights its rooftop pool and lounge with views stretching from the Hollywood Sign to downtown Los Angeles. The Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs describes itself as a boutique desert hotel offering two pools, a spa, a nightclub, a stargazing deck and guest rooms equipped with vinyl turntables and organic mattresses.
Meanwhile, the W New York in Times Square advertises panoramic city views, luxury suites, multiple dining options, in-room dining and a cocktail bar featuring DJ performances.
The campaign also paid Blacklane Transportation, which markets itself as a professional chauffeur service offering business- and first-class vehicle options, including Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Cadillac models. According to the report, Omar’s campaign has spent more than $5,000 on Blacklane’s services since she joined Congress.
Fox News Digital said it contacted Omar’s representatives for comment but did not receive a response before publication.
Natalie Baldassarre, national press secretary for the Republican National Committee, criticized the spending in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“Ilhan Omar is just another champagne socialist who wines and dines at luxury resorts while supporting policies that would make her constituents live in squalor,” Baldassarre said.
The spending questions come as Omar has faced scrutiny over other financial matters. Fox News Digital previously reported that the congresswoman revised a financial disclosure that had originally listed millions of dollars in assets connected to her and her husband, later reducing the reported amount to, at most, $125,000.
Her campaign has also previously faced questions over millions of dollars paid during the 2020 election cycle to the consulting firm owned by her husband, Tim Mynett.
Omar is not the only prominent democratic socialist to draw attention over campaign spending. Fox News Digital previously reported that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spent more than $53,000 on luxury hotels in 2025, including expenses tied to a venue rental at a Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico, amid criticism over her rhetoric on gentrification and working-class issues.
More recently, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed also faced criticism after his tax returns showed an income that was reported to be ten times the median income in his state, prompting similar accusations of “champagne socialism.”
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