DHS IG opens broad contract probe tied to Noem and Lewandowski

The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general has launched a wide-ranging investigation into how contracts are solicited and handled, with former Secretary Kristi Noem and her de facto chief of staff Corey Lewandowski reportedly involved. The probe appears separate from an earlier audit of DHS grants and contracts and has led to record-preservation orders for dozens of DHS staff. DHS would not confirm the investigation; Noem, now a State Department envoy, and Lewandowski have faced scrutiny over contracting decisions and a policy requiring Noem's sign-off on contracts above $100,000, amid broader concerns about advertising spending during the Trump era.