“ICE Barbie”
accused of BLOCKING watchdog probe into $220 million ad deal linked to
political allies.
Kristi Noem’s
tenure at the Department of Homeland Security just got even messier.
A federal
watchdog investigating Noem’s staggering $220 million “self-deportation” ad
campaign is now raising alarms that her department may be blocking
investigators from accessing key evidence — sparking accusations of retaliation
and possible corruption.
The Department of Homeland Security’s
inspector general has been digging into the massive ad buy for weeks, trying to
determine how taxpayer money was handed out to a network of politically
connected firms. And the details are raising serious eyebrows.
One of the
biggest contracts — worth $143 million — reportedly went to a company that had
been incorporated less than two weeks earlier, with no office, no website, and
no history of federal contracting.
Another $77
million contract went to a firm tied to Republican strategist Jay Connaughton,
who previously worked with longtime Trump political operative Corey Lewandowski
— a top Noem adviser and rumored romantic partner. Meanwhile, subcontracted
work flowed to a company linked to the husband of Noem’s own DHS spokesperson.
You can see why investigators want answers.
But according to
the inspector general, his office has faced “systematic obstruction” from DHS
leadership while trying to pursue multiple investigations — including the probe
into Noem’s ad campaign. The watchdog even warned Congress that the department’s
actions could undermine critical oversight during a time of major national
security concerns.
Inside DHS, some officials now fear the
obstruction is retaliation — potentially aimed at slowing down investigations
that could implicate Noem or her close political circle.
Lawmakers on
Capitol Hill are already demanding documents from the companies involved. And
the controversy reportedly played a major role in Donald Trump’s decision to
remove Noem from her post, with her departure expected by the end of the month.
In other words, the questions surrounding this
$220 million taxpayer-funded ad blitz are only getting louder. Because when
huge government contracts start flowing to political allies, campaign
operatives, and personal associates — and watchdogs say they’re being blocked
from investigating it — Americans deserve to know exactly what’s going on.
