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Records of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s birth year changed to 1982 after a request from her staff

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 5 outlets, all right-leaning.

7 articles in total, 2 of them opinion. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Just the News, The Daily Wire, The Western Journal, Breitbart News, Townhall, RedState and the Daily Mail report that Minnesota Legislative Reference Library records changed Rep. Ilhan Omar’s listed birth year from 1981 to 1982 in May 2019. According to an email from the library’s director quoted in the coverage, Omar’s congressional staff asked for the change. Omar has said she was 17 when she became a U.S. citizen in 2000; the outlets say the earlier 1981 date would have made her 18 or 19. The outlets also report that federal agents searched her Washington residence this week and that federal subpoenas were issued to her family.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library records changed Omar’s listed birth year from 1981 to 1982 in May 2019.

    One side only: the rightReported byRight1Far Right5See the outletsHide the outlets
    Right
    Daily Mail
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Daily Wire, The Western Journal, Breitbart News, RedState

  2. The library’s director said in an email that Omar’s congressional staff asked for the change.

    One side only: the rightReported byFar Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Right
    Just the News, Breitbart News, RedState

  3. Omar has said she was 17 when she became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

    One outletJust the News· Far Right

  4. Under the earlier 1981 birth year, Omar would have been 18 or 19 when she became a citizen, according to reports.

    One outletJust the News· Far Right

  5. Federal agents searched Omar’s Washington residence this week, according to reports.

    One side only: the rightReported byFar Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Right
    The Western Journal, Townhall

  6. Federal subpoenas were issued to Omar’s family, according to a report.

    One outletDaily Mail· Right

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • Omar misstated her age to obtain U.S. citizenship.

    Coverage raises concerns that she did. Omar has said she was 17 when naturalized in 2000, while the outlets say the earlier 1981 record would make her 18 or 19 at the time.

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every outlet presented reports that Minnesota records list Omar’s birth year as 1982 after a 2019 change requested by her congressional staff. Right-side coverage presents the change as a possible cover-up of citizenship fraud, with the sharpest headlines saying her citizenship may be fraudulent.

  • the left

    No coverage yet

    No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    5 outlets · 2 opinion

    Headlines frame the change as a possible cover-up of citizenship fraud; Far Right outlets are sharpest, saying her citizenship “may be fraudulent”, while Just the News reports it plainly.

    Sensational language“Cover-Up”Calls the request a cover-up, an accusation of concealment that the supplied coverage does not establish.More neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year changeDisagree with this highlight?? Staff Emails Show Ilhan Omar’s Office Requested Birth Year Change Absolutist framing“to Fit Citizenship Story”States a motive for the request as settled, while the article itself reports only that emails show the request.More neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year change, which the article links to her citizenship accountDisagree with this highlight?
    RedStateFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left

    Has not covered this story.

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right11

    amid concernsraidedrumors in circulationominous

In the outlets’ own words

  • Vague attribution

    amid concernsMore neutral: after some questioned

    The concerns are not attributed to any named person or source.

    The revelation comes amid concerns that the congresswoman misrepresented her age to secure American citizenship.

    Used byJust the News (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    raidedMore neutral: searched

    Describes the search with a term that implies force or wrongdoing; other outlets use the neutral term searched.

    Ilhan Omar’s residence was raided by federal agents.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Vague attribution

    rumors in circulationMore neutral: speculation

    Refers to unnamed speculation without identifying who is making it.

    …was raided (there is a separate financial investigation into Omar, as well), rumors in circulation almost uniformly returned to one major theory: her immigration status.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    ominousMore neutral: new

    Adds a sense of foreboding to the report that the supplied facts do not establish.

    And now, an ominous report from the New York Post is pouring gasoline onto that fire.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

Show 7 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Sensational language

    Her Citizenship May Be FraudulentMore neutral: Report questions how Omar obtained citizenship

    Raises a fraud charge in the headline while the supplied coverage shows only a report and critics’ contention.

    Breaking: Ilhan Omar's Staff Changed Her Birthdate on Official Records, Her Citizenship May Be Fraudulent - Report

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Vague attribution

    calls of fascism from the LeftMore neutral: Some critics on the left described the search as fascist.

    It attributes a charged accusation to an unnamed group without identifying who made it.

    Ilhan Omar (D-MN) this week, prompting calls of fascism from the Left.

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    which only shows the evidence must be damningMore neutral: The judge approved the warrant, but the evidence behind it has not been made public.

    It presents an inference about evidence the writer has not seen as settled.

    Democrats, which only shows the evidence must be damning.

    Used byTownhall (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Cover-UpMore neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year change

    Calls the request a cover-up, an accusation of concealment that the supplied coverage does not establish.

    Cover-Up?

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    to Fit Citizenship StoryMore neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year change, which the article links to her citizenship account

    States a motive for the request as settled, while the article itself reports only that emails show the request.

    Staff Emails Show Ilhan Omar’s Office Requested Birth Year Change to Fit Citizenship Story

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    bombshellMore neutral: new

    The adjective adds drama that the report itself does not need to convey what it says.

    …in official state records months after she won her seat in 2018, according to a bombshell new report.

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    cover-upMore neutral: change request

    The word presents an allegation of concealment as established, while the reporting describes emails and requests.

    Somali-born Ilhan Omar's birthday 'cover-up' laid bare as Jeanine Pirro digs into her millions and feds subpoena her family

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

5 outlets · 2 opinion

Leads with

  • possible citizenship fraud
  • staff role in changing records
  • cover-up allegations
  • federal searches and subpoenas
See the 7 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Daily MailRight

    Somali-born Ilhan Omar's birthday 'Absolutist framing“cover-up”The word presents an allegation of concealment as established, while the reporting describes emails and requests.More neutral: change requestDisagree with this highlight?' laid bare as Jeanine Pirro digs into her millions and feds subpoena her family

    Ilhan Omar's congressional staff pushed to change the Minnesota Democrat's birthdate in official state records months after she won her seat in 2018.

    Read at Daily Mail (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar Right

    Sensational language“Cover-Up”Calls the request a cover-up, an accusation of concealment that the supplied coverage does not establish.More neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year changeDisagree with this highlight?? Staff Emails Show Ilhan Omar’s Office Requested Birth Year Change Absolutist framing“to Fit Citizenship Story”States a motive for the request as settled, while the article itself reports only that emails show the request.More neutral: Staff emails show Ilhan Omar’s office requested birth year change, which the article links to her citizenship accountDisagree with this highlight?

    Staff emails reportedly show that Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (MN-05) congressional office contacted the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library in May 2019 and requested that her listed birth year be changed from 1981 to 1982.

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)
  • Breitbart NewsFar Right

    Report: Ilhan Omar’s Staff Had Her Listed Birth Year Changed After She Was Elected

    Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) congressional staff asked Minnesota officials to change her listed birth year from 1981 to 1982 in May 2019, according to emails reviewed by the New York Post.

    Read at Breitbart News (opens in a new tab)
  • The Daily WireFar Right

    Ilhan Omar’s Staff Altered Her Birthdate After She Was Elected — Here’s Why That Matters

    Staffers for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) reportedly assisted her in changing her birth date on official records shortly after she began her first term in the U.S. House, according to a New York Post report. …

    Read at The Daily Wire (opens in a new tab)
  • Just the NewsFar Right

    Dem Rep. Ilhan Omar's team got birthdate changed in public records after she was elected to House

    The revelation comes Vague attribution“amid concerns”The concerns are not attributed to any named person or source.More neutral: after some questionedDisagree with this highlight? that the congresswoman misrepresented her age to secure American citizenship.

    Read at Just the News (opens in a new tab)
  • TownhallFar RightOpinion

    Hey, Ilhan Omar's Staff, You Know You Can't Do That, Right?

    Drip. Drip. Drip. Federal agents raided the D.C. residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) this week, prompting Vague attribution“calls of fascism from the Left”It attributes a charged accusation to an unnamed group without identifying who made it.More neutral: Some critics on the left described the search as fascist.Disagree with this highlight?. It wasn’t, even though the judge who signed off on the warrant was a Democrat appointed by D.C. …

    Read at Townhall (opens in a new tab)
  • The Western JournalFar RightOpinion

    Breaking: Ilhan Omar's Staff Changed Her Birthdate on Official Records, Sensational language“Her Citizenship May Be Fraudulent”Raises a fraud charge in the headline while the supplied coverage shows only a report and critics’ contention.More neutral: Report questions how Omar obtained citizenshipDisagree with this highlight? - Report

    On Monday, progressive Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar’s residence was raided by federal agents. While all sorts of speculation has circulated about why Omar was raided (there is a separate financial

    Read at The Western Journal (opens in a new tab)

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    The Daily Wire, Oct 13, 1:52 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Daily WireFar RightOct 13, 1:52 PM EDT
  2. Breitbart NewsFar RightOct 13, 10:06 PM EDT
  3. RedStateFar RightOct 14, 7:15 AM EDT
  4. Daily MailRightOct 14, 9:42 AM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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