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By Brad Reed for Common Dreams
An explosive report published by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday shed fresh light on what critics have described as “outrageous corruption” by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Among other things, the Journal report highlighted Noem’s relationship with top adviser Corey Lewandowski, whom sources said is romantically involved with the Trump Cabinet official despite both of them being married.
Of particular note, the Journal wrote, is the way Lewandowski has taken over the contracting process at the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) despite being classified as a special government employee whose service is supposed to be capped at a maximum of 130 days per year.
“Given Lewandowski’s continuing business interests in the private sector, his role in awarding contracts has raised alarm bells inside the White House and DHS,” reported the Journal. “Several officials inside the department said contracts and grants are being awarded in an opaque and arbitrary manner, and some are being held up without explanation.”
The report also claimed that Noem and Lewandowski have been flying around the country together on a luxury 737 MAX jet, complete with a private cabin.
DHS has been leasing the plane, although the Journal’s sources said it is in the process of buying it for $70 million, which “would be double the cost of each of seven other commercial planes the department is also buying at the pair’s direction to carry out deportations.”
Additionally, the report outlined allegedly abusive behavior by Noem and Lewandowski toward DHS staff members, as sources said they “frequently berate senior level staff, give polygraph tests to employees they don’t trust, and have fired employees,” including one incident where “Lewandowski fired a US Coast Guard pilot after Noem’s blanket was left behind on a plane.”
The report generated fierce reaction from critics on social media.
“Noem and Lewandowski are like the most toxic couple you have ever met,” wrote New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, “given full rein of a government agency.”
Veteran foreign policy journalist Laura Rozen described Noem and Lewandowski as “the most vile scumbags on Earth” after reading the report, highlighting the details about the pair flying on the luxury jet as particularly egregious.
Investigative journalist Sarah Posner found herself floored by the conduct outlined in the Journal’s report.
“There is so much crazy shit, outrageous corruption, and naked, ham-fisted ambition in this WSJ piece about Noem, Lewandowski, and DHS,” she wrote. “Read and take note of the of eye-popping number of sources who have knives out for Kristi and Corey.”
Former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) argued the report showed Noem and Lewandowski “are wholly unqualified and a disaster at DHS,” and have been “been very effective in driving [President Donald] Trump’s ratings into the ditch.”
Ron Filipkowski, editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch, expressed disbelief at how much power Lewandowski had accumulated despite only being a special government employee.
“How the fuck is Corey Lewandowski in any position to fire a Coast Guard pilot?” he asked. “What is his title? What is his job? What is his official position in the US government? If you are Kristi Noem’s boyfriend you get to fire Coast Guard officers?”
Brad Reed is a staff writer for Common Dreams.
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