House Judiciary Committee Democrats are demanding a federal investigation into President Donald Trump’s decision to hire “border czar” Tom Homan, despite an ongoing FBI bribery probe.
On Wednesday, the committee’s Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, sent a letter to Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who led the effort to vet Trump’s candidates earlier in the year.
“Who knew about the Homan cash bribery scandal, when did they know it, and why was Mr. Homan appointed ‘Border Czar’ even in the face of such damning evidence of his taking bribes for government contracts?” the letter says.
The inquiry follows up Attorney General Pam Bondi’s effort to stonewall on the issue, dodging questions from Democratic senators during a hearing on Tuesday. Bondi was asked about the $50,000 that Homan reportedly received as part of a sting operation after he allegedly agreed to help undercover FBI agents get border security contracts.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
“You're welcome to talk to the FBI,” Bondi told Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
As attorney general, Bondi oversees the FBI and should have been able to provide an answer.
Before Trump’s second term, Homan received thousands in payments from companies wanting border-related work. Homan is one of the most high profile figures in Trump’s inner circle, having served in his first administration and being an outspoken advocate of racist, thuggish, anti-immigrant policies.
He’s been in a prime position of influence, and his recommendations wield considerable weight. Companies that chose to invest with Homan stood to earn even more than their initial payments once Trump’s second term began.
For instance, it was reported in May that Homan was a paid consultant for the Geo Group, which went on to become a key contractor executing Trump’s mass deportations.
The FBI’s probe of possible bribery involving Homan was conveniently shuttered when Trump took office and installed conservative activist and Trump fan-fiction author Kash Patel as director of the agency.
Trump is no stranger to criminal activity, having been convicted of 34 felonies and accused of numerous other crimes himself. The Homan bribery saga just adds another layer of criminality to an already scandal-ridden White House.
