Ilhan Omar offers odd excuse for deleting tweet that raised new questions about her marriage

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was forced to release a statement about the deletion of a tweet that many said raised more questions about the controversy surrounding her marriages.

The tweet from June 2013 was a simple Father's Day greeting to "Nur Said," who she identifies as her father.

Critics of the Democratic lawmaker said that the tweet offered proof to substantiate suspicions that Omar had committed immigration fraud. They point to rumors that Omar married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in order to sidestep immigration restrictions.

A spokesperson for Omar responded to questions about the deleted tweet on Tuesday.

"Rep. Omar and her family are subject to constant threats. When people write vile things on posts about people she loves — including posting disturbing doctored images of her father — she takes them down," the statement read.

"Nur Said means 'Happy Light' and it's been her dad's nickname since he was a kid. He has a public page with the same name," the statement explained.

"She isn't deleting it for the disturbing and hateful reasons that are being implied by conspiracy theorists and legitimate media outlets shouldn't be spreading conspiracy theories," it concluded.

Omar, who is a freshman member of Congress, has also has to defend statements that critics saw as containing anti-Semitic tropes.

Here's more about Omar's deleted tweet:

NEW Twitter evidence shows Ilhan Omar likely married her brotherwww.youtube.com