Lawmakers Demand Probe After Firm Linked to Kristi Noem Secretly Earns $220M in DHS Ads
A firm closely tied to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem quietly received money from a $220 million DHS advertising contract, and lawmakers are now demanding answers. The revelation matters because it raises questions about federal contracting transparency and potential ethics violations.
Multiple members of Congress have called for an Inspector General investigation after a ProPublica investigation found that the Strategy Group, a Republican consulting firm with deep connections to Noem and her senior aides, was a secret subcontractor on a DHS ad campaign.
Publicly filed contracting documents list the main award as going to a newly created Delaware LLC, but ProPublica reporting shows the Strategy Group was involved in the work, including producing ads featuring Noem, without disclosure. The CEO of the Strategy Group is married to Tricia McLaughlin, Noem’s chief spokesperson at DHS, and the firm played a central role in Noem’s 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign.
The ad contracts were awarded under a claimed “national emergency” at the U.S. southern border, which allowed DHS to bypass standard competitive bidding rules. Federal contract experts say the extensive personal ties raise potential violations of ethics and procurement laws.
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“It’s corrupt, is the word,” said a federal contract law expert, describing the arrangement.
The issue matters because it touches on how federal agencies allocate large sums of taxpayer dollars and whether officials adhere to competitive and impartial contracting requirements. It also adds to ongoing scrutiny of DHS practices under Noem’s leadership.
Lawmakers are pressing DHS for documents and questioning whether Noem or her aides directly influenced contract awards. A formal investigation by the DHS Inspector General has been requested but not confirmed.
What happens next…
Congressional committees may hold hearings or move to subpoena internal communications to determine if procurement laws were violated.
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