Luxe jets, blankies, Lewandowski: Noem’s Day 2 hearing left little to imagination

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vigorously defended her department’s immigration enforcement strategies on Wednesday against scrutiny from Democratic lawmakers. This occurred during an intense and often personal House Oversight Committee hearing.

This marks the second consecutive DHS oversight hearing, focusing on the agency’s immigration enforcement actions and Noem’s leadership. It unfolds amidst a congressional impasse over fully funding the vast federal agency.

Here are the notable moments from the eventful hearing.

Democrats scrutinize Lewandowski, ‘blankies,’ and private jets

Certain Democrats on the panel directed their attention to the duties Corey Lewandowski has undertaken as a special adviser for the Department of Homeland Security. Rep. Sydney Kalmager-Dove, D-Calif., referenced a Wall Street Journal report from the previous month, which claimed President Donald Trump reportedly denied Lewandowski’s request to become Noem’s chief of staff “due to reports of a romantic relationship” between them.

Both Noem and Lewandowski have refuted allegations of an affair.

Kalmager-Dove directly questioned Noem about the nature of their association. “This individual lacks any experience managing an entity akin to the Department of Homeland Security, or even advising someone in your role,” Kalmager-Dove stated, pointing out that his position as a special government employee has exceeded the “allowed 130-day” period.

“He is unfit, which has led my constituents and me to question why he holds such a senior position,” she elaborated.

“So, Secretary Noem, at any point during your tenure as Director of the Department of Homeland Security, have you engaged in sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?”

Noem briefly turned to address House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan before replying. “Mr. Chairman, I am astonished that we are delving into and spreading tabloid gossip in this committee today,” she remarked.

To Kalmager-Dove, she stated: “Madam, I would inform you that he is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of such employees in the federal government.”

Raskin suggests Noem is ‘flying too close to the sun’

Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the panel’s top Democrat, sought more information from Noem regarding Lewandowski’s role at DHS, connecting it to the department’s controversial use of “luxury jets.” Noem had defended the jet usage in her Senate testimony the day before, explaining they served for both executive travel and mass deportations.

Raskin admitted on Wednesday that he had almost accepted her explanation. “And then I learned of an airborne incident involving arrogance, entitlement, and contempt that I found almost unbelievable.”

“Apparently, when your special comfort item — your ‘blankie’ — was left on one government jet and not transferred to the next, your special government employee, Corey Lewandowski, gallantly intervened to dismiss the pilot, mid-flight,” Raskin recounted.

“A distinguished U.S. Coast Guard commander and 2003 Coast Guard Academy graduate… [who then] had to be immediately rehired because no one else was available to fly the two of you for the remainder of the journey back home,” Raskin added. “Secretary Noem, you are currently soaring, perhaps a little too close to the sun.”

The exchanges were notably tense, exacerbated by the continuous presence of Noem’s husband in the gallery during the hearing.

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Swalwell, Noem confrontation

Later in the hearing, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., challenged Noem regarding the situation of Miguel Lopez, a migrant who had resided illegally in the U.S. for approximately 30 years before his deportation last year. Lopez is married to a U.S. resident. “I visited Miguel in Mexico,” Swalwell informed Noem. “He has no employment… and struggles to communicate” after being absent from his birth country for roughly three decades.

Noem interjected: “Did he possess a criminal record?”

Swalwell conceded that Lopez had pleaded guilty to a “lesser nonviolent offense” in 1995 but urged Noem to acknowledge “the suffering” caused by the administration’s overarching deportation policy.

“The suffering?” Noem retorted. “And I wish individuals would adhere to proper procedures. If they lack legal status in this nation, they can return home. We will cover their return expenses.”

Regarding Lopez, she commented, “I hope he collected the $2,600 he could have” by opting for self-deportation.

‘Worst of the Worst’

The most pointed exchange occurred when Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., pressed Noem on the Trump administration’s repeated commitment to target “the worst of the worst” offenders in its removal operations.

“Detail these ‘worst of the worst’,” Cohen demanded.

Noem retorted: “The worst of the worst have already been dealt with. I believe you have offended the families behind me today with that remark.”

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Cohen responded that he did not mean to cause offense and stated that Noem was wrong to imply he had. However, Noem reiterated her position, asserting that critics were downplaying the repercussions of illegal immigration.

“I was commenting on the fact that these individuals are not violent offenders, and you continue to assert that these individuals who are in this country unlawfully do not harm families,” she said.

Cohen pointed out that undocumented immigrants are statistically “less prone” than native-born U.S. citizens to commit crimes.

Noem then gestured towards family members positioned behind her, recalling accounts of children lost to fentanyl overdoses and fatal vehicle accidents involving undocumented drivers.

“The vast majority of these people behind me lost their children due to narcotics, overdoses from drugs that crossed the southern border,” Noem stated. “They died because their children were struck in accidents on roads by illegal drivers.”

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Cohen acknowledged the tragedies but maintained they did not address his primary argument. “While all of that is true,” he said. “You claim to be pursuing only the worst of the worst, yet you are not.”

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