Various reports in the press have alleged that Noem and top adviser Corey Lewandowski are engaged in a romantic relationship. Both are married and have denied the accusation, which has appeared in The Atlantic and the Wall Street Journal in recent weeks.
Democratic Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California raised the issue during the hearing.
“Secretary Noem, at any time during your tenure, as director of Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?” she asked.
“Mr. Chairman, I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” Noem responded. “And ma’am, one thing that I will tell you is he is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of them in the federal government and, as an adviser, [he] has no authority to be making any decisions.”
“You should be able to answer the question clearly and without any hesitation if someone is asking if you or any federal official is sleeping with their subordinate,” Kamlager-Dove said as the two spoke over one another.
Noem said “that is garbage” and called the implication “offensive.”
Kamlager-Dove argued that because Noem is charged with protecting the homeland, her judgment, and the judgment of her senior staff, “can be the difference between life and death.”
“Why then, is the question, have you made Corey Lewandowski, your de facto chief of staff, who possesses an unchecked level of power at DHS?” Kamlager-Dove asked.
The California Democrat continued, saying “DHS has critical agency components, like the Secret Service, FEMA, Border Patrol, cybersecurity.”
“So does Corey Lewandowski have national security experience, military experience, law enforcement experience? No,” she said. “He is a lobbyist, a failed campaign manager, which is causing my constituents who are waiting for their FEMA dollars and me to wonder what are his qualifications for this job.”
In another exchange, Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz of Florida followed up on the question. Noem said “this has been something that I’ve refuted for years and I continue to do that.”
“This is what you do,” Noem said. “The socialist, liberal left, is you go off and you attack conservative women and you say that we’re either stupid or we’re sluts. That’s what you do. And I will tell you sir, I will tell you sir, I am neither of those.”