Dhs Contractors Were Told They Had To Pay Corey Lewandowski In Contracting Process: Report

Corey Lewandowski, nan apical adjutant of outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, sought payments from companies seeking contracts pinch nan Department of Homeland Security, according to a report.

Lewandowski, who is besides expected to time off DHS this period aft President Donald Trump fired Noem, had aggregate tense meetings pinch George Zoley, nan laminitis of nan backstage situation institution GEO Group, sources told NBC News.

GEO Group stood to use from Trump’s hardline deportation agenda, but saw its authorities contracts shrink aft Zoley and Lewandowski disagreed astir nan second receiving payments successful speech for increasing GEO’s contracts, which already totaled complete $1 cardinal per year.

Zoley rejected Lewandowski’s bid to beryllium paid based connected nan company’s caller aliases renewed contracts pinch DHS twice, according to nan report.

But Lewandowski, who served arsenic Noem’s de facto main of staff, “wanted payments — what immoderate group would telephone a occurrence fee,” 1 of nan sources said.

In nan months that followed, nan magnitude of 2 of GEO Group’s national contracts shrank. Company leaders judge nan lesser contracts were nan consequence of their not agreeing to Lewandowski’s solicitations, a root said.

Within weeks of Lewandowski’s 2nd gathering pinch Zoley, Lewandowski told a elder DHS charismatic not to grant immoderate much contracts to GEO Group, nan charismatic told NBC.

Lewandowski has antecedently denied making money disconnected immoderate DHS contracts, and denied nan allegations successful a connection a spokesperson provided to NBC.

“This is perfectly mendacious and did not hap — Mr. Lewandowski ne'er demanded immoderate costs aliases compensation from nan Geo Group, astatine immoderate time,” nan spokesperson said.

Lewandowski had already been facing disapproval complete his outsized domiciled arsenic a typical authorities worker astatine DHS.

Noem was questioned astir some her and Lewandowski’s domiciled successful authorities contracts during a legislature proceeding earlier this month.

While testifying, Noem claimed Trump had signed disconnected connected a $220 cardinal advertisement run that featured her connected a equine successful beforehand of Mount Rushmore. The president later told Reuters, “I didn’t cognize thing astir that,” and later fired Noem.

Lewandowski, who has technically been moving arsenic an unpaid authorities worker nether Trump, has been wrong nan president’s orbit for complete a decade. He worked arsenic a main adjutant during Trump’s 2016 run and was arrested for grabbing nan limb of a female newsman during a property conference. Those charges were later dropped.

There person been allegations that Noem and Lewandowski, some of whom are married, are romantically linked.

However, erstwhile asked astatine a House Judiciary Committee proceeding if she ever had “sexual relations” pinch Lewandowski, Noem accused lawmakers of spreading “tabloid garbage.”

“Mr. Chairman, I americium shocked we are going down and peddling tabloid garbage successful this committee today,” she said past Wednesday, which was besides attended by her hubby Bryon Noem.

However, according to nan Wall Street Journal, "officials person said they do small to hide their narration wrong nan department.”

It went on: "The brace person lately been utilizing a luxury 737 MAX jet, pinch a backstage compartment successful back, for their recreation astir nan country."

The Independent has contacted DHS for comment.