Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly faced another intense round of questioning on Capitol Hill Wednesday as lawmakers pressed her on a variety of issues during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee. Sitting directly behind her for much of the hearing was her husband, Bryon Noem, who made a rare public appearance in support of the cabinet secretary.
Bryon Noem’s presence marked the second consecutive day he attended congressional hearings alongside his wife. The previous day, Kristi Noem testified before the Senate, where she also faced tough questions about her leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Noem paused briefly to acknowledge her husband’s support.
“I also want to take a personal privilege and thank my husband for being here too,” Noem told lawmakers. “He’s going to have to go catch a flight in a few hours, but I’m glad he could be here today.”
Bryon Noem did not return to the hearing room after lawmakers took a break roughly two hours into the proceedings.
The appearance was notable because Bryon Noem, who runs an insurance company in Bryant, South Dakota, rarely appears in public alongside the secretary during official government events.
The hearings themselves were contentious, with lawmakers questioning Noem about her tenure leading the Department of Homeland Security as well as other issues surrounding the agency.
One line of questioning centered on Corey Lewandowski, a longtime political strategist for President Donald Trump who currently serves as a special government employee at DHS.
Lewandowski did not appear at either of the hearings, but his name came up repeatedly during questioning.
At one point, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) asked Noem directly about allegations regarding a personal relationship with Lewandowski.
“Have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?” the congresswoman asked.
Noem strongly rejected the premise of the question.
“I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” Noem said. “What I would tell you is that he is a special government employee.”
Kamlager-Dove pressed further, telling Noem she should want to answer the question.
“It is garbage,” Noem replied.
The issue resurfaced again when Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) revisited the topic during his questioning. Moskowitz suggested that Noem should simply deny the allegations directly.
“I really think you need to say the word no into the record so that you can clear that up,” Moskowitz said.
Noem again dismissed the line of questioning.
“I think the ridiculousness of this and the tabloids that you are quoting and referencing are insane,” she responded.
The hearing also included questions from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, who raised an incident involving a Coast Guard pilot.
According to Raskin, the pilot was reportedly fired after leaving behind a blanket belonging to Noem when she had to change government planes.
Raskin referenced Lewandowski while discussing the incident.
“Apparently, when your special blanket, your blankie, was left on one of the government jets and not transported over the new one, your special government employee, Corey Lewandowski, chivalrously stepped forward,” Raskin said as Noem and her husband listened.
Lewandowski, 49, was President Trump’s first campaign manager during the 2016 presidential race and is widely credited with helping engineer Trump’s victory in the New Hampshire primary that year.
However, Lewandowski’s prominence later diminished after he was accused of manhandling Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields following a Trump press conference in March 2016.
In addition to his current role as a special government employee, Lewandowski also previously served as a volunteer adviser to Noem when she was governor of South Dakota.
Kristi Noem and her husband Bryon have been married since 1992.
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