Rep. Nancy Mace has asked the House Oversight Committee to open a formal investigation into Corey Lewandowski over allegations he solicited payments from contractors while serving at DHS. The accusations, detailed in an NBC report, include a claim involving GEO Group's founder. The DHS inspector general has opened a probe and several senators have sought preservation of Lewandowski-related communications. Lewandowski denies the allegations and his attorney has threatened legal action against NBC.
Mace Calls for Congressional Probe of Corey Lewandowski After NBC Allegations of Bribery and Extortion
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Rep. Nancy Mace has formally asked the House Oversight Committee to investigate Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem’s former chief adviser, amid serious allegations that he used his DHS role for personal gain.
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What Mace Is Asking
In a two-page letter sent to House Oversight Chairman James Comer, Mace urged a formal probe into Lewandowski's conduct while serving as a "special government employee" at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). She cites potential violations of four federal criminal statutes, including bribery, the Hobbs Act (extortion), extortion by federal officers, and acts affecting a personal financial interest.
Nancy Mace's letter to the Oversight Committee regarding allegations of corruption at DHS involving Corey Lewandowski. / X
Allegations and Reporting
The allegations follow an NBC News report claiming Lewandowski leveraged his influence at DHS to demand payments from private contractors in exchange for protecting or securing federal contracts. The most prominent allegation involves GEO Group: founder George Zoley reportedly told NBC that Lewandowski sought compensation for safeguarding and expanding GEO's federal contracts, a request Zoley says he refused.
The graphic Nancy Mace used to accompany her letter to the Oversight Committee regarding allegations of corruption at DHS involving Corey Lewandowski. / X
Official Inquiries and Requests
CNN reported that the DHS Office of the Inspector General has launched a broad investigation into how contracts were solicited and handled under Secretary Kristi Noem and Lewandowski. Separately, Senators Adam Schiff, Peter Welch, and Richard Blumenthal have asked DHS-linked firms to preserve all communications with Lewandowski.
Noem was dubbed “ICE Barbie” for her love of cosplaying in various uniformed roles. / U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images
Responses and Denials
Lewandowski has strongly denied wrongdoing. Asked whether he received any money tied to contracts he signed off on, he told NBC, "Zero, not one penny." His attorney, Adam Trigg, threatened to sue NBC for defamation and called the reporting "patently false." The NBC story remains available online. Lewandowski, who is married, has also publicly denied rumors of a romantic relationship with Noem.
GOP Rep. Nancy Mace is running to be governor of South Carolina. / Andrew Harnik / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Political Context
Mace, who is running for South Carolina governor, has positioned herself as a party enforcer and has previously pushed for action against other Republican colleagues. In her letter she described Lewandowski's conduct as a "slap in the face to every American taxpayer and every dedicated DHS employee" and warned that investigators must hold him accountable if the allegations are substantiated.
"It appears Lewandowski was emboldened by the belief that no matter what he did, he would not be held accountable. This Committee must prove him wrong," Mace wrote.
The Daily Beast and NBC News were contacted for comment; NBC's reporting is public and the DHS Inspector General's probe is ongoing.
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