Dems Still Calling for Investigations of Fired DHS Sec Kristi Noem

But ultimately Trump removed Noem from her DHS post after Republican criticism. She will not be leaving the administration entirely, however, and Democratic appetites for an investigation into Noem have not yet abated. They allege that she made false statements to Congress while under oath.

The president named the former South Dakota governor as his special envoy to the “Shield of the Americas,” a new program set to be announced this weekend and aimed at increasing cooperation between North and South America.

Asked if the push to investigate Noem after her firing would continue, a spokesperson for Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin pointed RealClearPolitics to statements made by the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier in the day.

“The secretary’s testimony was not just evasive or troubling, she repeatedly made false statements under oath. This should concern every member of this committee, Republican and Democrat alike,” Durbin said Thursday morning. “This committee has an obligation to hold the secretary accountable. I look forward to discussing this with you and other members of the committee [about] what our recourse is.”

Democrats claim that Noem was untruthful when answering questions about the approval of government contracts. Asked if longtime aide Corey Lewandowski had any role in that process, the former secretary said no during her Tuesday hearing. A close friend of Trump, Lewandowski serves as a special government employee at DHS but has reportedly expanded the scope of his own power, acting as a de facto chief of staff.

Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent the secretary a letter less than 24 hours later, alleging that she had given false testimony to Congress.

“Evidence suggests that your testimony was false. Internal DHS records show that Mr. Lewandowski has personally approved contracts at DHS, including, but not limited to, a multimillion-dollar contract,” according to a letter Blumenthal sent to Noem on Wednesday. “And current and former DHS employees have stated that Mr. Lewandowski's signature is a green light for money to be transmitted to contractors.”

When asked if she would like to amend her Tuesday answer during a subsequent Wednesday hearing in the House Judiciary Committee, Noem told Florida Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz that “what I would say is that he is an adviser to the Department of Homeland Security.”

The former secretary is not likely in any immediate legal jeopardy as Republicans control both chambers of Congress. That could change if Democrats retake the House and Noem remains within the administration. Grumbled one senior Republican Senate aide, “She will never be out of the woods.”

Trump and Noem maintained a friendly relationship despite and throughout controversy stemming from deportation operations. Sources close to the president say he credited her with ending the flow of illegal immigrants across the southern border. The secretary lost his confidence, however, when she claimed that he had signed off on a glitzy $220 million ad campaign that starred herself.

Republicans, not Democrats, raised the issue that led to her dismissal.

“The president approved ahead of time you spending $220 million running TV ads across the country in which you are featured prominently?” asked Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy. Replied the secretary, “Yes, sir. We went through the legal processes, did it correctly.”

This was news to the president. “I never knew anything about it,” Trump told Reuters in a phone interview early Thursday morning. Hours later, Noem had been given the boot.

Trump announced that he intends to nominate Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to the open position.