Overview
- Federal prosecutors began an early-stage criminal investigation after the DHS Office of Inspector General sent a referral about contracting irregularities tied to Kristi Noem’s tenure.
- Reporting says investigators are examining whether Lewandowski, who served as an unpaid special government employee and de facto chief adviser, solicited payments from private contractors and sought foreign work while influencing DHS contracts.
- The inspector general’s review expanded from scrutiny of a roughly $220 million ad contract to broader contracting practices and found evidence that led to the criminal referral.
- Lewandowski’s lawyer says he has not been contacted by the Justice Department and denies any wrongdoing, and DOJ officials have declined public comment as prosecutors await more IG materials.
- The probe is politically sensitive because it targets a longtime Trump ally and could signal how the Justice Department will handle public-corruption referrals involving people close to the president.