Congressional Democrats asked the Justice Department on Monday to investigate whether departing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem committed perjury by telling lawmakers President Trump knew about her $220 million contract for a self-deportation ad campaign.
Ms. Noem told senators in testimony earlier this month that the president knew she would issue the contract. She said she’d even run the idea by him before she took office.
Mr. Trump, though, told Reuters he “never knew anything about it.”
Ms. Noem said the contracts were competitively bid, but Democrats allegedly presented evidence to the contrary.
“A number of her statements appear to violate criminal statutes prohibiting perjury and knowingly making false statements to Congress,” they wrote in a letter referring the matter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Democrats, in addition to the contract dispute, also cited Ms. Noem for saying her department complies with court orders, for saying DHS doesn’t “detain American citizens” in the immigration context, and asserting that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities meet high standards.
Democrats say they have proof that wasn’t always the case.
If Democrats worked as hard at coming up with great ideas for the country, we would be in great shape.
