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Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem misled Congress on Tuesday in regards to the powers of her controversial high aide Corey Lewandowski, based on information reviewed by ProPublica and 4 present and former DHS officers.
Lewandowski has an uncommon function at DHS, the place he isn’t a paid authorities worker however is nonetheless performing as a high 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 inside DHS information reviewed by ProPublica contradict Noem’s Senate testimony. The information present Lewandowski personally permitted a multimillion-dollar gear contract on the company final summer time.
That was not a one-off. Lewandowski has permitted quite a few contracts at DHS and sometimes must log out on giant ones earlier than any cash goes out the door, the present and former division staff mentioned.
Final yr, Noem imposed a brand new coverage that consolidated her and her high aides’ energy over all spending at DHS, requiring that she personally evaluation and approve all contracts above $100,000. Earlier than the contracts attain Noem, they should be permitted by a sequence of political appointees, who every signal or preliminary a guidelines typically referred to internally as a routing sheet. Sometimes, the final title 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
Beneath federal legislation, it’s a crime to “knowingly and willfully” make a false assertion to Congress. However in follow, it’s not often prosecuted.
In a press release, 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 folks.” Lewandowski didn’t reply to a request for remark.
A number of information retailers, together with Politico, have beforehand reported on features of Lewandowski’s involvement in contracting at DHS.
There have been widespread experiences of delays attributable to the brand new contract approval course of on the company, which has tasks spanning from immigration enforcement to catastrophe reduction to airport safety. DHS has asserted that the evaluation course of saved taxpayers billions of {dollars}.
An analogous sign-off course of exists for different coverage choices at DHS. One of many checklists, about rolling again protections for Haitians within the U.S., emerged in litigation final yr. It featured the signatures of a number of high DHS advisers. Beneath 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 exterior jobs. (Originally of the Trump administration, Elon Musk was one, too.) Particular authorities staff should abide by solely a number of the identical ethics guidelines as regular officers and are permitted to have sources of outdoor revenue.
Lewandowski has declined to reveal whether or not he’s being paid by any exterior firms and, if that’s the case, who.
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