Justice Department Opens Inquiry Into Former DHS Adviser Corey Lewandowski Over Contract Allegations

The Justice Department has opened an inquiry into Corey Lewandowski, a former adviser to ex-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to a report Friday attributed to CNN. The probe reportedly stems from a referral by the DHS inspector general and concerns allegations of contract misconduct, including whether he benefited financially from his DHS role. Lewandowski's attorney said he has not been contacted by the Justice Department and denies wrongdoing. Lewandowski was a Trump campaign manager in 2016, and he and Noem left the department in March. The inquiry is one of the rare cases of a Trump ally being investigated in the president's second term. Speaking Thursday on the South Lawn, President Donald Trump said he wants his people to be honest and that dishonest ones must be prosecuted, though he said he did not know the specifics.

Alternative coverage from NewsNation leads with a source confirming the Justice Department is reviewing allegations about Lewandowski's DHS tenure and possible profit. Left-leaning outlets, Rolling Stone and The New York Times, stress the rarity of such a probe and, in Rolling Stone's case, add Wall Street Journal reporting on his influence and conduct. Right-leaning outlets split: the Washington Examiner centers Trump's remarks, while Newsmax focuses on improper contracting at DHS.