Corey Lewandowski/Reuters
US Department of Justice prosecutors are examining allegations of possible kickbacks linked to contracting at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with investigators awaiting findings from an internal watchdog probe, according to people familiar with the matter. The investigation involves Corey Lewandowski, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump who served as a senior adviser to former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem .
One point of controversy involved a $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured Noem.
She said Trump knew about the campaign. Lewandowski became a prominent figure at DHS during Trump’s second term, serving as Noem’s chief adviser. He was initially appointed as a special government employee, a designation intended for people serving the government for a limited number of days.
Noem’s management of DHS contracts was among the issues that contributed to her departure earlier this year.
Washington, DC, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro had told officials in her office in recent months that she wanted investigators to examine claims of kickbacks connected to DHS contracts, according to a source familiar with the investigation cited by the outlet. Prosecutors have been waiting for the results of an inquiry by the DHS inspector general, another person familiar with the matter said. The referral comes amid questions about the Trump administration’s handling of allegations involving its own officials. Critics have accused the Justice Department of pursuing the president’s political opponents while failing to subject administration allies to similar scrutiny. It remains unclear which US Attorney’s office is leading the investigation.