Noem dismisses question about relationship with Lewandowski as "tabloid garbage"
Various reports in the press have alleged that Noem and top adviser Corey Lewandowski are engaged in a romantic relationship. Both are married and have denied the accusation, which has appeared in The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal in recent weeks.
Democratic Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California raised the issue during the hearing.
"Secretary Noem, at any time during your tenure, as director of Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?" she asked.
"Mr. Chairman, I am shocked that we're going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today," Noem responded. "And ma'am, one thing that I will tell you is he is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of them in the federal government and, as an adviser, [he] has no authority to be making any decisions."
"You should be able to answer the question clearly and without any hesitation if someone is asking if you or any federal official is sleeping with their subordinate," Kamlager-Dove said as the two spoke over one another.
Noem said "that is garbage" and called the implication "offensive."
Kamlager-Dove argued that because Noem is charged with protecting the homeland, her judgment, and the judgment of her senior staff, "can be the difference between life and death."
"Why then, is the question, have you made Corey Lewandowski, your de facto chief of staff, who possesses an unchecked level of power at DHS?" Kamlager-Dove asked.
The California Democrat continued, saying "DHS has critical agency components, like the Secret Service, FEMA, Border Patrol, cybersecurity."
"So does Corey Lewandowski have national security experience, military experience, law enforcement experience? No," she said. "He is a lobbyist, a failed campaign manager, which is causing my constituents who are waiting for their FEMA dollars and me to wonder what are his qualifications for this job."
In another exchange, Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida followed up on the question. Noem said "this has been something that I've refuted for years and I continue to do that."
"This is what you do," Noem said. "The socialist, liberal left, is you go off and you attack conservative women and you say that we're either stupid or we're sluts. That's what you do. And I will tell you sir, I will tell you sir, I am neither of those."
Noem says DHS has funds for one more paycheck for Coast Guard amid shutdown
Asked by GOP Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina about the toll of the partial government shutdown on DHS amid the conflict with Iran, Noem said Democrats are "choosing not to fund those individuals that are at war."
"We have one more paycheck ability in Coast Guard to pay them," Noem said.
She said DHS has been using "extraordinary measures" to take care of members of the Coast Guard and their families, but with the decision not to fund DHS without reforms, she said Democrats have "chosen to not fulfill their paychecks."
Rep. Balint tells Noem: "Americans will get accountability for the damage that you have done"
Rep. Becca Balint, a Vermont Democrat, questioned Noem about her agents complying with court orders and allegations that people who work under Noem have lied to federal judges.
"This conduct alone is impeachable, and I want you to know that Americans will get accountability for the damage that you have done, for the lawlessness of aspects of DHS, for killing innocent Americans, for terrorizing children," Balint said. "They will get accountability."
Balint said "you're the secretary of DHS — for now."
"And you think you're immune from accountability. But I promise you this — one day, he is not going to be president anymore," Balint said. "He is not going to be in charge. And when that day comes, we will still be here. And we will still be seeking accountability. And in hearings like this, we are going to continue to prove your guilt."
Neguse confronts Noem over contract for ad campaign
Rep. Joe Neguse, a Colorado Democrat, picked up on a line of questioning that came up during Noem's Senate hearing Tuesday on a $220 million ad campaign where she's featured prominently. Neguse said part of Noem's testimony before the Senate was "untrue," specifically her assertion that the contract for the ads went out to a competitive bid.
"The reason we know it's untrue is because under federal law your agency is required, whenever the agency is required to skip competitive bidding, to file a notice with the public explaining why," Neguse said. "And in this case, your agency filed a notice."
Neguse read the notice, titled, "justification and approval for other than full and open competition."
"Your agency made a decision not to proceed with competitive bidding, and one of the contractors that got the award was this Safe America media company," Neguse said.
Neguse outlined that the media company is affiliated with a former political director of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He said it's registered to a political operative in Virginia and was incorporated eight days before the contract went out.
"You want the American people to believe that this is all above board?" Neguse said. "That $143 million of taxpayer money just happened to go to this one company that doesn't have a headquarters, doesn't have a website, has never done work for the federal government before, and is registered, apparently, or attached to a residence from a political operative. And of course, one of the subcontractors of that contract, as you know, is a political firm that's tied to you back when you were governor of South Dakota."
Neguse said eventually the facts will become public, suggesting that there are "serious laws implicated."
Noem replied that it was "all done correctly, all done legally." She added that the campaign was "overwhelmingly effective."
Noem says ICE isn't creating a database of protesters
Questioned by Democratic Rep. Lou Correa of California about whether ICE is creating a database of protesters, Noem said, "No, we are not creating a database."
Correa referred to a video that showed a federal agent telling an individual that they were collecting their information for a database. He also referred to comments by the White House border czar Tom Homan on Fox News in January, when he said he wanted to create a database of people who are arrested for interfering with the immigration operations.
"I don't know why he said that, we're not creating a database," Noem said.
Correa responded, "but he did say it. He works for you.""He doesn't work for me, he works for the president," Noem replied.
Jayapal says Noem must "resign, be fired or be impeached"
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat, argued that Noem must be ousted from her job.
"DHS is supposed to be protecting our residents and upholding constitutional protections but you've turned that on the head," Jayapal said. "You have actually turned the United States government against its own residents and you've had multiple chances to take accountability, to apologize to these folks and others across the country, but you have failed to do it."
The comments came after Jayapal presented four individuals in the audience who she said were detained by ICE "simply for legally protesting or monitoring ICE activity."
