Inspector normal trying into Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski’s dealing with of DHS contracts | EUROtoday

The Department of Homeland Security’s inside watchdog is launching an investigation into how contracts had been solicited and dealt with beneath former Secretary Kristi Noem, together with her de facto chief of workers, Corey Lewandowski’s involvement, sources informed CNN.

The division’s Office of Inspector General, which audits and evaluations packages to forestall waste, fraud, and abuse, is reportedly trying into the contracting insurance policies beneath Noem that had been topic to scrutiny by lawmakers.

That may embody her coverage requiring her sign-off on something $100,000 or extra, the contracting of a $220 million advert marketing campaign and whether or not Lewandowski, Noem’s high unpaid aide, performed any position in approving.

The inquiry is reportedly separate from a congressionally-mandated “Audit of DHS Grants and Contracts Awarded by Any Means Other Than Full and Open Competition during Fiscal Year 2025,” CNN reported.

A spokesperson for the DHS Inspector General’s Office mentioned it has a longstanding coverage to neither verify nor deny the existence of any particular investigation. It additionally doesn’t present particulars about particular ongoing initiatives.

The CNN report on the existence of an investigation into contracts beneath Noem and Lewandowski comes after the inspector normal, Joseph Cuffari, despatched a letter to Congress accusing the secretary of “systematically” obstructing its makes an attempt to analyze allegations.

Shortly earlier than President Donald Trump fired Noem, members of Congress had grilled the previous secretary on her dealing with of contracts – particularly relating to a $220 million advert marketing campaign that prominently featured Noem. Members of Congress raised considerations with stories claiming an organization tied to Noem’s spokesperson managed to safe a profitable authorities contract.

But the drama over the multi-million-dollar advert marketing campaign was solely the most recent in a sequence of controversies over DHS contracts and grants.

Last yr, stories emerged accusing Noem of holding up mandatory FEMA funding by requiring her direct approval of any contract or grant value $100k or extra – which most DHS contracts surpass.

Some information stories then claimed Noem had delegated a few of that authority to Lewandowski, a former particular authorities worker who had no official position within the administration

A lawyer for Lewandowski has denied allegations that his consumer had any position in contract evaluation, approval or administration.

After her ousting, NBC News reported that some contractors for the division had been requested to pay Lewandowski in trade for influencing its authorities contracts.

“Mr. Lewandowski adamantly denies ever demanding any payment or compensation from any potential, former, or current government contractor—such allegations are not supported by a single piece of evidence (because there is none) and instead stem from almost entirely anonymous sources, save one person with a well-known axe to grind,” Adam Trigg, Lewandowski’s lawyer, mentioned in a press release.

Congressional Democrats have additionally launched investigations into Noem, Lewandowski’s position in contracting and the businesses that acquired contracts.

Noem and Lewandowski have vehemently denied ideas that they’d an affair, with the previous beforehand describing the rumors as “tabloid garbage” at a House listening to. Noem has additionally described the accusations as a “disgusting lie.”