An ongoing investigation into the Department of Homeland Security has hit a snag as a crucial contract has gone missing.
A Federal Emergency Management Agency appointment made by "chief of staff" Corey Lewandowski under DHS head Kristi Noem has sparked a wider search. It was revealed in a report that outsider Kara Voorhies had been allegedly paid $19,000 a week for her role within the department. Documentation of this is yet to surface, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The appointment of Voorhies has left investigators concerned, with an internal watchdog at the DHS flagging the appointment as potentially a matter for criminal prosecution. Tarini Parti, Josh Dawsey, and Michelle Hackman wrote, "It isn’t clear exactly what Voorhies was hired to do, but contractors like her aren’t typically involved in awarding contracts and making spending decisions on behalf of federal agencies, department officials say.
"Her role in those decisions raised alarm bells for the inspector general as well as for lawmakers. The investigation is in its early stages, and it is unclear if the inspector general will refer the matter for criminal prosecution. The office doesn’t have the authority to bring criminal charges."
The ongoing investigation is set to look into "any potential improprieties in the contracting process" and any evidence of "personal enrichment of top officials", according to the report.
But a probe into Voorhies' contract is proving difficult as the watchdog cannot locate the files. "FEMA officials have been unable to locate her contract and investigators are still seeking it, according to people familiar with the matter," the WSJ reported. "Senior FEMA officials were told that Voorhies was getting paid as much as $19,000 a week, some of the people said, which would amount to roughly $1 million a year.
"It is unclear when Voorhies, who officials say was brought into the department by Lewandowski, started at FEMA. She was at the department for most of Noem’s tenure and left this month.
"People close to Lewandowski, who remains on contract as a special government employee, said that he has told them he expects the president would pardon him in the event of a criminal case stemming from the inspector general’s probe." Adam Trigg, a representative for Lewandowski, said his client denies any wrongdoing.
