Kristi Noem Referred To Doj And Accused Of Perjury In ‘brazen’ False Statements About $220 Million Dhs Ad Campaign

Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “repeatedly misled” lawmakers successful a “brazen” effort to skirt accountability, according to 2 elder Democratic members of Congress, who person referred nan Trump administration charismatic to nan Justice Department for a perjury investigation.

“After months of evading our Committees’ requests to attest successful regular oversight hearings, Secretary Noem made a bid of demonstrably mendacious statements successful a brazen effort to undermine captious legislature oversight of nan Department of Homeland Security,” Senator Dick Durbin and Rep. Jamie Raskin wrote connected Monday successful a missive to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The Independent has contacted DHS and nan Justice Department for comment.

The referral accused Noem, who has been axed from her position and will formally time off nan section astatine nan extremity of nan month, of misleading Congress aggregate times.

The lawmakers said Noem whitethorn person falsely claimed President Donald Trump was alert of her department’s plans to walk astir $220 cardinal connected a arguable advertisement campaign that featured nan charismatic connected horseback successful beforehand of Mt. Rushmore.

During her early March remarks earlier nan Senate, Noem testified President Trump was alert of nan planned run spending, which she said was awarded successful a competitory bid process.

Trump later told Reuters he wasn’t alert of nan spending, and nan contracts for nan run reportedly went to a hand-picked group of firms pinch ties to Noem and a apical adviser.

“Even if Secretary Noem was nan 1 telling nan truth astir nan President’s knowledge, and she whitethorn good person been, she flatly misrepresented that nan statement had been taxable to a competitory bid,” nan referral missive claims.

The Democratic lawmakers besides impeach Noem, who has been reassigned to a negotiated station overseeing nan Shield of nan Americas initiative, of being untruthful erstwhile she said DHS ever follows tribunal orders and upholds precocious detention standards.

They pointed to tribunal rulings showing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement successful truth violated hundreds of tribunal orders successful a span of a fewer months successful conscionable Minnesota.

The congressmen besides pointed to regular allegations and soul audits which person recovered unsanitary and inhumane conditions wrong migrant detention centers, which are connected way to person their worst twelvemonth for in-custody deaths successful much than 2 decades.

Noem whitethorn soon time off DHS, but she will proceed to look dense scrutiny, particularly if Democrats negociate to retake Congress during nan 2026 midterms aliases early elections.

“While we person debased expectations that you will prosecute this matter fixed your partisan weaponization of nan Department of Justice, we statement that nan statute of limitations for perjury and for knowingly and willfully making mendacious statements to Congress is 5 years,” nan Democratic lawmakers noted successful their letter.

The Department of Homeland Security’s ain soul watchdog is reportedly probing nan contracting process down nan $220 cardinal advertisement campaign, and it antecedently alleged DHS activity has “systematically obstructed” nan office’s activity complete nan past year.

The Trump management has antecedently pursued a high-profile lawsuit against a erstwhile charismatic connected perjury allegations.

Last year, it launched a prosecution against erstwhile FBI Director James Comey, successful portion by alleging he lied to Congress successful 2020.

Comey pleaded not blameworthy and nan lawsuit was later dismissed, though nan DOJ has appealed.

The Trump DOJ has been reluctant to bring beardown extracurricular oversight against migration officials.

The management declined to bring a civilian authorities investigation aft an ICE supplier fatally changeable Minneapolis protester and U.S. national Nicole Good successful January and agents reportedly blocked authorities officials from accessing nan shooting segment grounds and taking portion successful a afloat investigation.

Another Minneapolis protester, Alex Pretti, was changeable by national rule enforcement that month, prompting wide protests, and nan DOJ later launched a civilian authorities investigation into his death.