Corey Lewandowski, one of Donald J. Trump’s longtime allies and Kristi Noem’s side piece, wielded extraordinary power inside the Department of Homeland Security despite holding no official leadership position there.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Lewandowski pretty much operated as a shadow secretary alongside then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, becoming deeply involved in the department’s spending and contracting decisions.
Lewandowski served as an unpaid “special government employee,” and that status allowed him to work for the government while retaining the ability to conduct private business under certain circumstances. The arrangement became particularly striking because, while he held significant authority at DHS, he also pursued opportunities to make money by offering his services to foreign governments. Sounds sus!
According to people familiar with the matter, Lewandowski approached senior officials in Qatar and proposed working for the country on the side. He reportedly suggested that, for a fee, he could help Qatar navigate issues involving DHS, including visas. He also made a similar approach to officials in the United Arab Emirates. Neither government appears to have taken him up on the offers.
The possible conflicts were especially troubling because Lewandowski had enormous influence over matters that could affect the interests of foreign governments and private companies. His responsibilities at DHS included involvement in major procurement decisions worth billions of dollars.
One example involved Palantir, the technology company that holds extensive government contracts. Lewandowski was involved in negotiations over a proposed $2.7 billion DHS contract and pushed to reduce it to roughly $1 billion. He also became involved in dealings with GEO Group, a major private prison and detention-services company that does business with DHS.
The WSJ reports that Lewandowski’s influence stretched well beyond simply advising Noem. He and Noem installed allies in powerful positions and sometimes bypassed normal government procedures. In one case, DHS awarded a $2.3 million terrorism-prevention grant without the usual competitive process.
Lewandowski’s unusual position had already attracted scrutiny. Earlier reporting and congressional investigations found that he was involved in DHS contracting, even though Noem told Congress he had no role in approving contracts. Internal DHS records showed that Lewandowski had personally approved multimillion-dollar contracts and was often the final political appointee to sign off before contracts reached Noem.
The new WSJ report introduces an additional layer: investigators are examining whether Lewandowski improperly used his government position for personal or political benefit. DHS investigators have reportedly been looking into potentially improper contract awards and whether Lewandowski retaliated against people or companies that did not cooperate with him.
The investigation also touches on Noem’s own activities and the unusual way the department was run under her leadership. Noem imposed a system requiring senior political officials to review large numbers of contracts, giving her inner circle extraordinary control over routine government spending. Congressional investigators have separately raised concerns about Lewandowski’s possible financial interests and alleged attempts to benefit himself or political allies through DHS contracts.
Lewandowski denies the allegations. His representatives say he never solicited or received compensation from companies seeking DHS business and that he helped the department identify waste and save taxpayers billions of dollars. (That part made me snort-laugh so hard.) He also denies aiming for personal financial benefits from his government position.
But questions about his conduct are now serious enough that investigators are considering whether the matter warrants a criminal referral to the Justice Department. House Democrats are preparing additional oversight, while the Justice Department. House Democrats are preparing additional oversight, while the DHS investigation continues.
In short, the WSJ’s reporting paints a picture of an unofficial swampy DHS power broker who influenced billions of dollars in government spending while also investigating ways to turn his government connections into private business opportunities. His lack of an official cabinet-level title did not prevent him from exercising what amounted to extraordinary authority inside the department.
Why wasn’t DOGE all up in that? Speaking of that, I’m still waiting for my $5,000 DOGE check. Did y’all get yours?