Overview
- Democratic senators released subcontract invoices Monday that show $286,137 in production costs for Kristi Noem’s Mount Rushmore ad, including a $60,000 signing bonus, $20,000 for a horse rental, nearly $4,000 for hair and makeup, and other vendor fees including a $500 magic store charge.
- House Oversight Democrats opened a new inquiry into Corey Lewandowski on Monday by seeking GEO Group’s records of his contacts after reports he sought payments tied to DHS contracts, which he denies.
- President Trump removed Noem earlier this month after her testimony on the ads, and on Tuesday Markwayne Mullin was sworn in as Homeland Security secretary while Noem shifts to a special envoy role.
- The ad push topped $200 million in DHS spending with a $143 million no-bid award to Safe America Media, which hired The Strategy Group led by the husband of Noem’s former spokesperson, and the firm says it only worked as a subcontractor and disputes how critics describe the costs.
- The DHS inspector general’s next steps remain unclear, though the Daily Mail reported preservation notices for a wide probe, and coverage from NBC to USA TODAY centers on contracts, invoices, and possible conflicts that could draw further referrals if investigators find misconduct.