A watchdog referral and a widening inquiry
Corey Lewandowski, once a political adviser to Donald Trump and a senior aide at the Department of Homeland Security, is now the subject of a criminal investigation into whether he gained financially from his government work, according to three US officials and a fourth person briefed on the matter who spoke to Reuters on Thursday. The inquiry traces back to a criminal referral sent to the Justice Department by the internal watchdog at DHS, the four people said. The DHS inspector general's office had been examining Lewandowski's role in the handling of particular government contracts, one DHS official among the group said.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
So far prosecutors have not issued subpoenas or made other formal legal demands in the criminal case, one of the people said. All four described the situation only on condition that they not be named. Adam Trigg, a lawyer for Lewandowski, did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported the investigation and quoted the lawyer as saying his client rejects every allegation of misconduct.[S1]
Contracts, authority and a fired secretary
According to the DHS official, Lewandowski put his signature on some department contracts even though his legal authority as a special government employee was open to question. Two of the people, both DHS officials, said certain grants and contracts, including some tied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, were paused on his instruction.[S1]
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Lewandowski had worked as a top aide to Kristi Noem while she led DHS as its secretary. Trump dismissed Noem in March following months of turmoil, among it the fatal shooting of two US citizens by federal officers in Minneapolis and questions from lawmakers about a $220m advertising contract promoting Noem that was awarded without the usual competitive bidding.[S1]
A rare inquiry close to the president
The Justice Department under Trump has pursued several high-profile critics of the president, among them former FBI director James Comey and New York attorney general Letitia James. Investigations touching people near Trump, by contrast, have been uncommon. The department has also sought to drop a number of pending cases involving Trump allies, including backers charged over the 6 January 2021 assault on the US Capitol.[S1]
When reporters asked Trump about media accounts of the inquiry, he said he was unaware of its details but added that he expects honesty from those who work for him. He went on to say that if they are not honest, he will have the Justice Department act as it sees fit. Lewandowski's earlier roles include managing Trump's first presidential campaign in 2016 and advising his 2024 campaign.[S1]
