Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, demanded answers from GEO Group after new NBC News reporting alleged Corey Lewandowski, a Special Government Employee at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), attempted a pay-to-play scheme with the private prison company over DHS contracts. Lewandowski allegedly demanded kickbacks based on the value of GEO Group’s new or renewed contracts with DHS. After Lewandowski rejected GEO Group’s counteroffer to put him on retainer, Lewandowski allegedly told a senior DHS official not to award the corporation any more contracts in an apparent act of retaliation.
“Corey Lewandowski appears to have engaged in deep-rooted corruption at the Department of Homeland Security, and this massive pay-to-play scheme should concern all Americans. We need answers directly from any companies Lewandowski was soliciting. Oversight Democrats are going to root out this corruption at DHS, and we won’t stop until there’s accountability,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.
In the letter to GEO Group Chairman and CEO George Zoley, Ranking Member Garcia wrote, “Mr. Lewandowski may have used his position in the Trump Administration and close relationships to President Trump and Secretary Noem to enrich himself while serving as a special government employee (SGE). If true, these allegations of Mr. Lewandowski shaking down contractors for kickbacks represent a clear violation of the law and a serious breach of public trust by DHS. We ask for your cooperation in our investigation.”
This letter is an escalation of Oversight Democrats’ investigation into Corey Lewandowski’s role at the Department of Homeland Security. This month, Ranking Member Garcia joined Rep. Rick Larsen, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, to demand an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General into Corey Lewandowski’s employment. Additionally, the Ranking Members wrote directly to DHS and demanded all communications and internal records regarding Corey Lewandowski’s involvement in DHS personnel and contracting decisions.
In August, Ranking Member Garcia wrote to then-Secretary Kristi Noem regarding Corey Lewandowski’s employment as a Special Government Employee, demanding a complete accounting of his service days (including records and logs), assessment on whether he has exceeded his 130 day limit as an SGE, all documents and communications regarding his role in personnel decisions (firing/hiring) and grant approvals in FEMA operations, and all documents and direct communications between Lewandowski and any lobbying firm, lobbyist, or government contracting consultant.
In September, Ranking Member Garcia wrote to the Office of Government Ethics and to then Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the public release of Corey Lewandowski’s financial disclosures, which they have illegally failed to produce. Lewandowski meets the qualifications to be a public filer, meaning that legally, his financial disclosures must be made public.
###