UPDATE: Five U.S. senators and two representatives have urgently called for a formal investigation into a $220 million advertising contract awarded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to a firm closely associated with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. The demands come just days after a shocking ProPublica report revealed that the Strategy Group, a Republican consulting firm, secretly played a significant role in the ad campaign featuring Noem herself.
The lawmakers, including Senators Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), are requesting immediate access to documents from DHS to determine whether federal laws were violated. They express concern that taxpayer dollars are being misused to benefit Noem and her associates.
“It is imperative that the public knows government officials are not using taxpayer dollars to enrich themselves and their friends,” the senators stated in a letter to the DHS inspector general. They are particularly alarmed by the bypassing of the normal competitive bidding process, which raised red flags about potential ethics violations.
The Strategy Group has longstanding ties to Noem, and its CEO, Ben Yoho, is married to Noem’s chief spokesperson at DHS, Tricia McLaughlin. This relationship has led to accusations of self-dealing, as the majority of the $220 million was funneled to a Delaware LLC that was formed just days before the contract was finalized. Notably, the Strategy Group is not listed in public documents related to the deal, raising further suspicion.
House representatives Bennie Thompson and Robert Garcia, leaders in the House homeland security and oversight committees, are also demanding transparency. They seek all communications between Noem, her aides, and anyone linked to the Strategy Group or the Delaware LLC. Their letter accuses Noem of “lining your friends’ pockets at the taxpayer’s expense.”
The fallout from this scandal has escalated, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling for Noem’s resignation. “This is what corruption looks like,” said Representative Jasmine Crockett during a recent congressional hearing, emphasizing the impact on the American public.
The ad campaign in question featured Noem on horseback at Mount Rushmore, delivering messages aimed at immigrants. This high-profile visibility raises questions about the ethics and motivations behind these contracts. Federal contracting experts have previously indicated that the connections between DHS leadership and the Strategy Group suggest serious violations of ethics rules.
When approached for comment, McLaughlin claimed she did not know the details of the Strategy Group’s subcontracting arrangements due to her conflict of interest and stated that she had fully recused herself from the decision-making process. DHS has maintained that it conducts its contracting “by the book” and has not yet addressed the calls for an investigation by the inspector general.
As this investigation unfolds, the potential implications for Noem and DHS are significant. This developing story continues to capture national attention, raising critical questions about ethics and accountability in government spending.
Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available on this urgent and evolving situation.
