Noem handpicked contractors to lead a $100 million ICE recruitment campaign, sources say
1d 5h ago by lemmy.world/u/MicroWave in politics from www.nbcnews.com
Noem decided the contracts instead of allowing a competitive bidding process for the jobs, according to three administration officials and internal communications reviewed by NBC News
Kristi Noem handpicked contractors to lead a $100 million campaign to recruit Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers instead of allowing competitive bidding for the jobs, according to three administration officials and internal communications reviewed by NBC News.
Typically, multiple companies are allowed to bid on a contract and officials who handle government procurement — not the leaders of departments — decide based on who can do the best job for the lowest price.
Donald Trump announced in a social media post Thursday that Noem would leave office effective March 31. Her place in the administration became increasingly unstable following the killing of U.S. citizens during immigration operations in Minneapolis; her fraying relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard, the only branch of the military under her command; and her comments this week in a Congress hearing that rankled Trump.
The most damning evidence I heard was a company called Safe America Media that didn't exist until 8 days before they were awarded the contract.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/noem-t-explain-why-she-211859818.html
Yep, this is the best thing that could've happened to Noem. In a healthy government, that alone would start an investigation and no doubt uncover criminal self-dealing.
Imagine being so corrupt, that even Donald Trump wants to distance himself from you.
I don't think it's that impressive. He'd do anything to help himself. Most of the people around him would, too.
I assumed it was more that she brought him into it by name dropping him instead of letting him have the first word on it
It was also what she was trying to do. She was trying to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to some unnamed political operative, that she personally chose for the job...and he started the company that was going to be running the ad campaign, like a week before getting the contract.
The whole thing was so shady that even Republicans were calling her out on how obviously shady it was. That's why they were asking her if Donald Trump knew about it...and more specifically, did he actually sign off on it. She lied of course, and said that he knew, when apparently he didn't...and that's how she got fired.
The entire project was just one giant embezzlement scam. It might have produced some ads, highlighting mostly herself...but it seems like the entire thing was set up so that she could just funnel hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, to a friend of hers.
Embezzlement isn't as much of a concern, I don't think. Considering how much trump has been funneling into his own coffers
That's what I meant when I said she was so corrupt, even Trump had to get rid of her. It's not really about the fact that she was doing it, but more how obvious she was being about it. Not only was she already being called out for hundreds of millions in "expenses" since she took the job, but this latest scam was too much for even Republican lawmakers to ignore.
For all his own obviously corrupt behavior, Trump still tries to "appear" like he's not. And not firing her, would make that just that much more difficult for him. It's easier to just throw her under the bus, than it is to try and explain why he's once again looking the other way, when someone near him is caught with their hand in the cookie jar.
I'm actually surprised he kept her this long, given all the negative press she's brought in, over the last few months. I guess this was the straw that finally broke the camel's back.
He is far more corrupt. She was loud and stupid about it and from his point of view his is automated by children lackies and yesmen. So in his eyes she is stupid and loud and needs to go. Its just more mafia shit.
I think you hit the nail square on the head, with that analysis.
And nothing will happen to any of them because if it, nor will anything be done to prevent it in the future.
Exactly, everyone points fingers but is there a SINGLE politician proposing new anti corruption laws with real criminal consequences?
Just waiting for their turn at the trough.
She lied under oath multiple times, did she not?
I seem to recall so many cons wanting to stand on principle so hard when it came to Clinton - checks notes - lying about a BJ.