Welch secures commitment from Noem to provide answers about compensation her “special advisor” may have received as a result of taxpayer-funded DHS contracts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, today grilled Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi for bypassing a competitive bidding process to award a $220 million ad campaign to firms with which she and her senior advisers have personal ties. The advertising campaign featured Noem on a horse in Mount Rushmore.
Sen. Welch: This is on a U.S. government website that says that contract for $143 million was a no-bid contract. Public documentation says the contract of $143 million went to the Safe America company, created [7] days before they got an award. That company then subcontracted with the strategy group, and you are familiar with many of the principles in the strategy group, correct?
Sec. Noem: I know one of them.
Sen. Welch: Mr. Yoho—let me show you a photograph: that’s Mr. Yoho standing next to you, correct?
Sec. Noem: Yes.
Sen. Welch: Now, Mr. Yoho is also the husband of your former spokesperson, is that correct?
Sec. Noem: Correct.
Sen. Welch: Tricia McLaughlin—so, your former Assistant Secretary and her husband are the ones that got the subcontract from Safe America? That’s what the record shows—any dispute about that?
Sec. Noem: No.
The Senator previously called on the Inspector General of DHS in November to investigate the legality of Secretary Noem’s use of a “national emergency” to issue these taxpayer-funded contracts.
Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below:
The Senator also pressed and received a commitment from Noem that Secretary Noem would provide answers about whether Corey Lewandowski, President Trump’s former campaign manager and current adviser to Noem, profited from taxpayer-funded DHS contracts:
Sen. Welch: So, I have a question: did Mr. Lewandowski receive any compensation, directly or indirectly, from Safe America or from the Strategy Group?
Sec. Noem: Senator, I don’t have any information to that. I can’t speak to that.
Sen. Welch: Would that be of interest for you to find out?
Sec. Noem: Sure.
Sen. Welch: Well, so will you ask Mr. Lewandowski: did he get any compensation directly or indirectly from these contracts?
Sec. Noem: Are you asking me to go ask him?
Sen. Welch: Yes, I am. Ask your “special” government adviser.
Sec. Noem: I can do that.
Sen. Welch: And you’ll get back to us?
Sec. Noem: Yes, absolutely.
Sen. Welch: We will want that.
…
Senator Welch has been outspoken in his opposition of Secretary Noem’s leadership of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Senator called for Noem’s resignation in July, citing her mishandling of FEMA and management of President Trump’s cruel and illegal mass deportation campaign. In January, Senator Welch led his colleagues in demanding that if Noem does not resign, she should be fired or impeached by Congress.
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