Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem misled Congress on Tuesday concerning the powers of her controversial prime aide Corey Lewandowski, in keeping with data reviewed by ProPublica and 4 present and former DHS officers.
Lewandowski has an uncommon position at DHS, the place he isn’t a paid authorities worker however is nonetheless performing as a prime official, serving to Noem run the sprawling company. For months, members of Congress have requested the company to element the scope of his work and authority.
At a Senate Judiciary Committee listening to on Tuesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., requested Noem whether or not Lewandowski has “a job in approving contracts” at DHS. Noem responded with a flat denial: “No.”
However inner DHS data reviewed by ProPublica contradict Noem’s Senate testimony. The data present Lewandowski personally accredited a multimillion-dollar tools contract on the company final summer time.
That was not a one-off. Lewandowski has accredited quite a few contracts at DHS and sometimes must log off on massive ones earlier than any cash goes out the door, the present and former division staff mentioned.
Final 12 months, Noem imposed a brand new coverage that consolidated her and her prime aides’ energy over all spending at DHS, requiring that she personally evaluate and approve all contracts above $100,000. Earlier than the contracts attain Noem, they have to be accredited by a collection of political appointees, who every signal or preliminary a guidelines generally referred to internally as a routing sheet. Usually, the final identify on the guidelines earlier than Noem’s is Lewandowski’s, the DHS officers mentioned.
Noem Denies That Lewandowski Has “a Position in Approving Contracts” at DHS
Below federal regulation, it’s a crime to “knowingly and willfully” make a false assertion to Congress. However in follow, it’s hardly ever prosecuted.
In an announcement, a DHS spokesperson reiterated Noem’s declare. “Mr. Lewandowski does NOT play a job in approving contracts,” the spokesperson mentioned. “Mr. Lewandowski doesn’t obtain a wage or any federal authorities advantages. He volunteers his time to serve the American individuals.” Lewandowski didn’t reply to a request for remark.
A number of information shops, together with Politico, have beforehand reported on elements of Lewandowski’s involvement in contracting at DHS.
There have been widespread stories of delays attributable to the brand new contract approval course of on the company, which has duties spanning from immigration enforcement to catastrophe reduction to airport safety. DHS has asserted that the evaluate course of saved taxpayers billions of {dollars}.
The same sign-off course of exists for different coverage selections at DHS. One of many checklists, about rolling again protections for Haitians within the U.S., emerged in litigation final 12 months. It featured the signatures of a number of prime DHS advisers. Below them was Lewandowski’s signature, after which Noem’s.
Lewandowski is what’s often called a “particular authorities worker,” a designation traditionally used to let consultants serve in authorities for restricted durations with out having to surrender their outdoors jobs. (At first of the Trump administration, Elon Musk was one, too.) Particular authorities staff need to abide by solely among the similar ethics guidelines as regular officers and are permitted to have sources of outdoor earnings.
Lewandowski has declined to reveal whether or not he’s being paid by any outdoors corporations and, in that case, who.
