The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Corey Lewandowski, President Donald Trump’s first campaign manager and the man who served as Kristi Noem’s top adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, over accusations that he personally profited from his role at the agency.
The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal both reported the investigation Thursday, citing officials with knowledge of the situation. CNN separately reported that federal prosecutors are examining alleged contract misconduct at DHS, including Lewandowski’s role.
A referral from DHS’s own watchdog
According to the reports, the inquiry was triggered by a criminal referral from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general, which has been examining how contracts were handled at the department during Noem’s tenure. CNN first reported in March that the inspector general had launched a sprawling investigation into DHS contracting, including the involvement of Noem and Lewandowski.
The Times described the case as one of the rare instances in which an ally or appointee of Trump’s has been investigated for potential wrongdoing during his second term. CNN called the referral an unusual step for an administration that has been hesitant to pursue criminal investigations of its own people.
CNN also reported that Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro told officials in her office she wanted investigators to examine claims of kickbacks linked to DHS contracting. It remains unclear which U.S. attorney’s office is leading the investigation, and the Justice Department declined to comment to CNN.
An “unpaid adviser” with enormous power
Lewandowski joined DHS early in Trump’s second term in what was supposed to be a limited, part-time role as a special government employee. But according to the Times, he wielded power far beyond that title, serving as Noem’s top aide and confidant, hosting meetings in her office without her present, grilling agency officials and issuing orders.
The Times reported that he built an expansive portfolio with wide influence over personnel, contracts and department operations, as well as over Trump’s efforts to detain and deport millions of immigrants. Homeland Security officials came to see him as Noem’s gatekeeper, CNN reported.
Earlier this year, The Wall Street Journal reported that DHS investigators had found evidence suggesting Lewandowski may have improperly influenced the awarding of government contracts, and that people familiar with the approvals said he personally signed certain contracts despite not being a full-time federal official.
Noem’s fall
Lewandowski left DHS after Trump fired Noem in March. Her handling of department contracts was one of the main reasons for her ouster. One notable episode involved her claim, made under oath to Congress, that Trump had approved a roughly $220 million advertising campaign that prominently featured her.
During her tenure, Noem also required every DHS contract and grant worth more than $100,000 to go to her personally for approval, a policy several department officials considered unusual and unnecessary, according to CNN.
Lewandowski denies wrongdoing
Lewandowski’s lawyer, Adam Trigg, pushed back hard. “Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity,” Trigg said in a statement.
No charges have been filed. But with the midterms less than two weeks away, the investigation puts a fresh spotlight on how one of Trump’s closest political operatives ran one of the most powerful agencies in the federal government.