Press Release

Welch, Blumenthal Demand Answers from Companies on Potential Corruption in $220 Million Taxpayer-Funded DHS Ad Campaign 

Mar 6, 2026

The Strategy Group Company, Safe America Media LLC, and People Who Think LLC were awarded millions in no-bid, taxpayer-funded contracts by DHS or benefitted as subcontractors on those contracts 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, today demanded answers from The Strategy Group Company, Safe America Media LLC, and People Who Think LLC about potential corruption and conflicts of interest stemming from their involvement in no-bid contracts awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The contracts, which totaled more than $220 million in taxpayer dollars, were awarded to produce an advertising campaign featuring recently-ousted Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. Some of the firms involved have deep ties to Secretary Noem and her inner circle. 

The letters to executives of all three companies come days after a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in which the Senators grilled Noem for bypassing a competitive bidding process to award contracts to firms with which she and her senior advisers have personal ties. The Senators also pressed and received a commitment from Noem that she would provide answers about whether Corey Lewandowski, President Trump’s former campaign ousted manager and adviser to Secretary Noem, profited from taxpayer-funded DHS contracts. 

On February 13, 2025, Safe America Media signed a no-bid contract worth $143 million to produce an advertising campaign for DHS. On the same day, People Who Think was awarded a separate $77 million no-bid contract to work on the same advertising campaign.  

Strategy Group has confirmed that it received a subcontract to work on the no-bid ad campaign awarded to Safe America Media. According to public reporting, Strategy Group—and its CEO Benjamin Yoho—have a long relationship with former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and her Chief Adviser Corey Lewandowski. The Secretary confirmed at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026, that the firm managed the ad campaigns for her 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Mr. Lewandowski reportedly brought the company in to work on that campaign. 

•••

In their letter to Michael McElwain regarding Safe America Media, the Senators wrote, “According to public records, Safe America Media is registered to your home address and was incorporated just seven days before it signed a non-competitive contract worth $143 million for the production of several advertisements starring former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. As far as we can tell, Safe America Media has no office, no website, and no social media presence.” 

The Senators also highlighted the relationships between Safe America Media executives and outgoing DHS Secretary Noem: “In 2023, Mr. Yoho attended then-Governor Noem’s inauguration and sat next to Mr. Lewandowski. Between 2023 to 2024, Strategy Group was awarded an $8.5 million contract to produce a series of commercials starring then-Governor Noem pretending to perform various jobs. According to public reporting, Mr. Lewandowski also hired Mr. Yoho to provide services for the press campaign related to Secretary Noem’s memoir in 2024. Most recently, Strategy Group received a subcontract from Safe America Media to help produce DHS’s ad campaign while Mr. Yoho’s wife, Tricia McLaughlin, served as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs.” 

Senators Welch and Blumenthal requested the following answers and documents from Safe America Media by March 13, 2026: 

  1. A copy of [Safe America Media’] subcontract agreement with the Strategy Group LLC. 
  2. A list of any other subcontracts, along with copies of those subcontracts, awarded under the $143 million contract between Safe America Media and DHS. 
  3. Any invoices from the Strategy Group—or other subcontractors—connected to the DHS ad campaign, pursuant to the subcontract agreement or otherwise.  
  4. Any communication(s) between [Michael McElwain] or any agent of Safe America Media and any subcontractors, or agents thereof, related to the production of the DHS ad campaign. 
  5. Any communication(s) between [Michael McElwain] or any agent of Safe America Media and any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Secretary Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 

In addition, they requested detailed responses to the following questions: 

  1. When did Safe America Media first communicate with DHS about the potential of a contract? 
  2. [Does Michael McElwain] or Safe America Media have any contractual, lobbying, or other relationship with Corey Lewandowski regarding this contract? If so, please provide any documentation regarding that relationship. 
  3. Did Safe America Media directly or indirectly compensate—financially or otherwise—any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Special Government Employees, in connection with the DHS ad campaign? 
  4. Please identify all individuals and firms that Safe America Media compensated—financially or otherwise—in connection with performing the contract for the DHS ad campaign. 
  5. Has Safe America Media received any other contracts or subcontracts for services connected to or solicited by DHS? If so, please identify the projects and provide a description of Safe America Media’s involvement.   
  6. Does Safe America Media intend to pursue additional contracts or subcontracts related to DHS or any other federal agency?  
  7. Does Safe America Media have a conflict of interest policy? If so, please provide the policy. If it does not maintain such a policy, explain why not.   
  8. How many individuals were employed by Safe America Media at the time of DHS’s award of the $143 million contract? Please identify personnel and their roles at the company.  
  9. How many individuals are currently employed by Safe America Media? Please identify personnel and their roles at the company.  
  10. What is [Michael McElwain’s] role at Safe America Media? 

Read and download the Senator’s full letter to Safe America Media LLC. 

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In the Senators’ letter to The Strategy Group Company’s CEO Benjamin Yoho—the husband of Secretary Noem’s Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs—the Senators emphasized The Strategy Group’s and Mr. Yoho’s longtime relationship with Secretary Noem and her Chief Adviser Corey Lewandowski: “Secretary Noem confirmed at a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026 that your firm managed the ad campaigns for her 2022 gubernatorial campaign. Mr. Lewandowski reportedly served as the intermediary that facilitated your company’s work on that campaign. In 2023, you attended then-Governor Noem’s inauguration and sat next to Mr. Lewandowski. Between 2023 to 2024, The Strategy Group was awarded an $8.5 million contract to produce a series of commercials starring then-Governor Noem pretending to perform various jobs.” 

According to public reporting, Mr. Lewandowski also hired Mr. Yoho to provide services for the press campaign to promote Secretary Noem’s memoir in 2024. Most recently, The Strategy Group received a subcontract from Safe America Media to help produce a DHS ad campaign while Mr. Yoho’s wife, Tricia McLaughlin, served as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs. And this week, Secretary Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that she knows both Mr. Yoho and The Strategy Group. 

Senators Welch and Blumenthal continued: “Despite your wife’s recent social media statement that neither you nor The Strategy Group ‘have ever had a contract with DHS,’ The Strategy Group confirmed this week that it did receive a subcontract to work on the no-bid ad campaign awarded to Safe America Media, that it was paid ‘$226,137.17 total for 5 film shoots, 45 produced video advertisements and 6 produced radio advertisements.’ It is not clear why Safe America Media, a company that was incorporated seven days before it received the $143 million contract, was awarded such a large sum on an uncompetitive basis to perform work it has no proven record of undertaking. Safe America Media is registered to the personal address of Mike McElwain, a longtime Republican political operative.” 

Senators Welch and Blumenthal requested the following answers and documents from The Strategy Group by March 13, 2026: 

  1. A copy of [The Strategy Group’s] subcontract agreement with Safe America Media. 
  2. Any invoices to Safe America Media connected to the DHS ad campaign, pursuant to the subcontract agreement or otherwise.  
  3. Any communication(s) between [Benjamin Yoho] or any agent of your firm and Safe America Media, or any agent thereof, related to the production of the DHS ad campaign. 
  4. Any communication(s) between [Benjamin Yoho] or any agent of your firm and any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Secretary Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 

In addition, please provide detailed responses to the following questions: 

  1. When did The Strategy Group first communicate with Safe America Media about the potential of subcontracting for DHS? 
  2. Did The Strategy Group directly or indirectly compensate—financially or otherwise—any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Special Government Employees, in connection with the DHS ad campaign? 
  3. Please identify all individuals and firms The Strategy Group compensated—financially or otherwise—in connection with performing the subcontract for the DHS ad campaign. 
  4. Has The Strategy Group received any other contracts or subcontracts on any projects involving DHS? If so, please identify the projects and provide a description of The Strategy Group’s involvement.   
  5. Does [Benjamin Yoho] intend to pursue additional contracts or subcontracts related to DHS or any other federal agency?  
  6. Does The Strategy Group have a conflict of interest policy? If so, please provide the policy. If it does not maintain such a policy, explain why not. 

Read and download the Senators’ full letter to The Strategy Group. 

•••

In the Senators’ letter to People Who Think’s Managing Partner Jay Connaughton, the lawmakers highlighted Mr. Connaughton’s deep ties to DHS political leadership: “According to public reporting, you and Corey Lewandowski, Chief Advisor to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, worked together on Louisiana Governor Jeff Landy’s 2023 campaign. You also previously served as a campaign advisor for President Trump.” 

Senators Welch and Blumenthal requested the following answers and documents from People Who Think by March 13, 2026: 

  1. A copy of [People Who Think’s] contract agreement with DHS. 
  2. A list of any other subcontracts, along with copies of those subcontracts, awarded under the $77 million contract between People Who Think and DHS. 
  3. Any invoices to and contracts with entities or individuals People Who Think worked with in connection with the DHS ad campaign, pursuant to a subcontract agreement or otherwise.  
  4. Any communication(s) between [Jay Connaughton] or any agent of [his] firm, or any agent thereof, related to the production of the DHS ad campaign. 
  5. Any communication(s) between [Jay Connaughton] or any agent of [his] firm and any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Secretary Noem, Corey Lewandowski, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. 
  6. When did People Who Think first communicate with DHS about the potential of a contract? 
  7.  [Does Jay Connaughton] or People Who Think have any contractual, lobbying, or other agreement with Corey Lewandowski regarding this contract? If so, please provide any documentation regarding that relationship. 
  8. Did People Who Think directly or indirectly compensate—financially or otherwise—any DHS personnel, including but not limited to Special Government Employees, in connection with the DHS ad campaign? 
  9. Please identify all individuals and firms that People Who Think compensated—financially or otherwise—in connection with performing the contract for the DHS ad campaign. 
  10. Has People Who Think received any other contracts or subcontracts on any projects involving DHS? If so, please identify the projects and provide a description of People Who Think’s involvement.   
  11. Does People Who Think intend to pursue additional contracts or subcontracts related to DHS or any other federal agency?  
  12. Does People Who Think have a conflict of interest policy? If it does not maintain such a policy, explain why not. 

Read and download the Senators’ full letter to People Who Think LLC. 

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