Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin tore into Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with a blistering series of criticisms to her face on Wednesday.
The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee accused Noem of using billions of dollars given to DHS as a “personal slush fund” for her glitzy ad campaign, luxury jet travel, and more.
“You budgeted an astonishing $220 million for media consultant contracts so you can star in self-promoting photo shoots and lavish ad campaigns featuring the Lifestyles of Rich and Famous Cabinet Secretaries, like this one of you on horseback at Mount Rushmore, which was shot during last year’s government shutdown,” Raskin said.
As he spoke, a massive poster showing Noem, smiling and in a cowboy hat while sitting on a horse in front of Mount Rushmore, was displayed behind him.
But Raskin was not done with his brutal takedown, moving on to her department and spending $172 million on a pair of private luxury jets, as reported last year.
“And now you’re using taxpayer funds to lease a third jet, a $70 million luxury 737 Max with a queen-size bedroom in the back, a deluxe serving bar, and four flat screen TVs,” Raskin said. “A big, beautiful jet paid for by the Big Beautiful Bill.”
On Tuesday, Noem was also fiercely grilled by senators on Capitol Hill about the purchase of the luxury aircraft. She insisted that the plane was being refurbished and argued the purchase of planes would save taxpayers millions and would be used not just by her and other administration officials but also for deportations.
Raskin was not buying it and brought posters showing the inside of the luxury jet, equipped with a bedroom, as well as a deportation plane.
“But wouldn’t it be cheaper just to buy a deportation plane in the first place?” he asked. “It’s like buying a Rolls-Royce to turn into a Metrobus?”
The Maryland Democrat proceeded to bring up a bizarre report on how a pilot was fired because the DHS secretary left behind a “blankie” on a plane, calling it “an airborne episode of entitlement, arrogance, and contempt that I could hardly believe.”
“Apparently, when your special blanket, your ‘blankie,’ was left on one of the government jets and not transported over to the new one, your ‘special government employee’ Corey Lewandowski chivalrously stepped forward to fire the pilot,” Raskin said. ”But then he had to be rehired immediately because there was no one else who could fly the two of you back home on the rest of the journey back home.”
The firing of the pilot over a blanket and then being rehired was reported by the Wall Street Journal last month.
The Daily Mail later reported the freakout was not just about the blanket but Noem’s bag being left behind, raising questions about what was in it.
Lewandowski is Noem’s rumored lover, who has been jetting across the country with her as a “special government employee.”
Both of them are married to other people, but their alleged relationship has been called one of the worst-kept secrets in Washington.
Noem’s husband, Bryon, was in attendance for the hearing on Wednesday and was seated behind her as Lewandowski’s name was brought up. He also attended on Tuesday when she faced repeated questions about her “special government employee” and their private jet travel in the Senate.
“Secretary Noem, you’re flying high now, maybe even a little too close to the sun, but with all these free planes and houses and pilots, you’ve travelled a long distance from your actual job and the things you should be doing as Head of Homeland Security,” Raskin admonished.
After Raskin’s scathing opening statement, Noem insisted that the accusations lobbed against her were false.
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