Democrats have chosen their first big target before they even return to power in Congress. Corey Lewandowski, the alleged lover of Kristi Noem, has been told by Sen. Maggie Hassan to save his records because investigators are coming.
What Democrats want to examine about Kristi Noem’s alleged lover
Hassan, a New Hampshire Democrat, will likely lead the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. She sent Lewandowski a letter this week. The senator asked the latter to keep every record from his time in the Trump administration. She also signaled that she will not hesitate to force the issue. “I intend to use the committee’s full authorities — including where necessary compulsory process — to expose corruption and waste,” Hassan wrote.
Democrats take control of Congress in a few weeks after their midterm landslide. They plan to scrutinize President Donald Trump’s current and former allies. So, Lewandowski, Donald Trump’s first 2016 campaign manager and, since then, a loyalist, advised Noem, who ran the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The New York Times reported that he shaped hiring, contracts, and daily operations there. His role in handing out federal contracts worried several DHS officials.
Hassan wants to know whether he asked contractors for personal payments in exchange for favorable deals. In March, shortly after Trump removed both him and Noem, NBC News reported that he sought payments from GEO Group. The firm is a major private prison company. Industry sources and a senior DHS official told the network the money was meant to protect the firm’s DHS business. They added that it was also intended to expand those contracts.
The Justice Department, where Trump’s former personal lawyer Todd Blanche serves in senior leadership, is also investigating whether Lewandowski profited from his DHS post. Investigators and media reports have also pointed to additional allegations against him. He allegedly offered extra government services to Middle Eastern countries for personal gain. Reports further claim he was “shaking down” federal contractors for “kickbacks.”
Earlier this year, before the midterm elections, Lewandowski’s lawyers turned down Hassan’s initial requests for his records. They argued he had no legal obligation to hand them over. That legal posture may face a much tougher test once the 120th Congress convenes in January. At that point, Democrats will gain subpoena power on the committee.
