"Throughout the hearing, numerous senators confronted Noem about the $220 million that DHS spent on an ad campaign in which she stars. The ads focused on the department's deportation efforts in the country. According to a November 2025 report by ProRepublica, one of the beneficiaries of that ad deal was the Republican firm Strategy Group. The firm, the report continued, played a central role in her 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign."
"The lion's share of the deal went to a Delaware-based company called Safe America Media. It was founded just days before it was awarded the contract. When Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) was given time to question Noem, he honed in on that potential conflict of interest, noting that this contract went to a company that didn't exist two weeks before they got the contract."
"Sen. Schiff questioned: 'are you saying it's just a coincidence, it's just a happy circumstance, it's just a fortuitous event that $143 million of that went to a subcontractor that you worked with extensively as governor in South Dakota or during your campaign that that is just coincidental?' Noem responded that the same process was followed for this media contract as any other media contract with the Department of Homeland Security."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding a $220 million Department of Homeland Security ad campaign featuring deportation efforts. The campaign benefited Republican firm Strategy Group, which played a central role in Noem's 2022 South Dakota gubernatorial campaign. Corey Lewandowski, Noem's adviser, also worked extensively with the firm. The majority of the contract, $143 million, went to Delaware-based Safe America Media, founded days before receiving the award. Senator Adam Schiff questioned whether this represented a conflict of interest, highlighting that the primary contractor did not exist two weeks before obtaining the contract. Noem maintained the process followed standard DHS procedures.
#government-contracting #conflict-of-interest #dhs-advertising-campaign #congressional-oversight #political-connections
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