1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I'm a constituent, and I'm writing about a principle that protects candidates of every party: the Justice Department's long-standing practice of avoiding overt investigative steps against candidates close to an election. On October 12, Homeland Security Investigations agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington-area home under a judicially authorized warrant, and the Justice Department said it was part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Sources tell ABC News it relates to her immigration paperwork. Omar denies wrongdoing and has not been charged. I am not asking you to prejudge her guilt or innocence. Everyone, including a member of Congress, is presumed innocent, and if the evidence is strong it will still be there after the election. My concern is the timing and the surrounding context. The Justice Department's practice has been to advise prosecutors against overt investigative steps involving members of Congress or candidates within 60 days of an election. This election is 22 days away, and early voting in Minnesota starts later this week. The department's inspector general noted in 2018 that this rule appears in no written policy and described it as a general practice meant to keep the executive branch from interfering in elections. Late last month, the inspector general recommended that department leaders give agents and prosecutors clear guidance on overt investigative steps and public actions that could foreseeably affect an impending election. The public record also shows calls for this investigation well before any charge. In January, the president wrote that Omar should be investigated and that the investigation should start "NOW." The vice president later confirmed at a White House briefing that DOJ was pursuing her. When officials announce the conclusion first, even a lawful investigation invites doubt about its motives. Many Republicans have argued, for good reason, that federal agencies must never be used against political opponents. If you would object to this happening to a Republican candidate three weeks before an election, the same standard has to apply here. The rule only has value if it holds regardless of who benefits. I respectfully ask that you: 1 Publicly state that this election-season principle should apply to candidates of both parties. 2 Ask the Justice Department to explain why it departed from its long-standing practice here. 3 Ask the department to issue the election-timing guidance its inspector general recommended. I would appreciate a written response with your position. Thank you for your time and service.