Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's obsession with tracking down leakers in her department has led to an exodus of employees who would rather quit than listen to threats or be subjected to intrusive polygraph tests.
According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the polygraphs that began back in February have continued unabated as she and top adviser Corey Lewandowski have personally singled out employees in numbers that one former official labeled "unprecedented."
With the Journal's Michelle Hackman and Tarini Parti labeling what is going on behind closed doors at the agency as a "fishing expedition," they reported, "... many have said the seeming randomness has created a chilling effect inside the department."
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The report notes that some interrogations that have taken place "in a small interrogation room in Virginia with a one-way mirror," have lasted up to four hours and that has helped lead to an exodus from the department.
"Some employees have been placed on administrative leave following their polygraphs, while others have resigned rather than take the exams, according to people familiar with the dynamics inside DHS," the report states while also noting that Noem confidante Madison Sheahan, the No. 2 official at ICE, "... routinely threatens to subject employees to polygraphs in meetings."
As for the uptick in polygraphs becoming more commonplace in Donald Trump's administration, Tom Devine, legal director for the Government Accountability Project, stated, "These things for years would be anecdotal. And now it’s the rule rather than the exception.”
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