Subsidized Film about Ilhan Omar: Liberals are good at capturing tax dollars to advance their agenda.

Here is another instance in which liberals have captured tax dollars to advance their political agenda while denying that is what they are doing.  And another example of why taxpayer subsidies of First Amendment activities like film, art and other speech is a bad idea. NPR should not funded, films should not be funded.

The “legacy” amendment was a bad idea for the same reason. Taxpayers are now funding the left-leaning “arts” community. Liberals are very good at this; conservatives are not. If people want to speak, they should not get public dollars. Period.

The Star Tribune reported today that Rep. Marion O’Neill (R-Maple Lake) is objecting to taxpayers subsidizing a movie about Rep. Ilhan Omar. Omar is expected to replace Congressman Keith Ellison in Congress to represent the 5th Congressional District. The film, “Time for Ilhan”  has been playing at festivals in Minneapolis and is playing at the Walker (the 5th district). The filmmaker has contributed cash to Omar’s campaign but denies she is advancing Omar’s political career. And now taxpayers, too, have contributed about $11,852 to Omar, as well.

Good for you, Rep. O’Neill. Thanks for looking out for taxpayers and not just ignoring corruption of the film subsidy program.  Suggested next step? Get rid of the program. 

Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Maple Lake, said Thursday that she submitted a data request to the Minnesota Film and Television board seeking information about a 20 percent “Snowbate” incentive received by the producers of the documentary “Time For Ilhan.”

O’Neill said the rebate is expected to offset $11,852 of expenses associated with the film, which has played at multiple film festivals and is now playing at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. She said she filed a state Data Practices Act request Thursday after recently seeing receipts associated with the rebate.

The film’s producers successfully applied for the rebate in March 2017 and were awarded the maximum reimbursement afforded to documentaries filmed in the state.

On Thursday, O’Neill questioned the state’s approval of funds for what she called a “promotional film” about a sitting state lawmaker who has a vote on the rebate program’s funding and who is also now running for a U.S. House seat.

“I don’t have issues with Rep. Omar — I don’t think she had much control over what happened,” O’Neill said in an interview Thursday. “I have issues with how the tax dollars are being used.”

Melodie Bahan, executive director of Minnesota Film and Television, said “The rules of the program are fairly straightforward, and there has been nothing about this project that raised any issues…”

Right.

[Photo from Star Tribune article]