Oversight Committee probes ‘no-bid’ DHS contract to law firm to handle Mayorkas impeachment efforts

Initial ON FOX: The Home Oversight Committee is investigating a “no-bid” Division of Homeland Security agreement of up to $3 million awarded to a private law firm to help Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas with prospective impeachment proceedings — with Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer warning that this sort of contracts place taxpayer cash at “serious chance of squander and abuse.”

“The Biden Administration’s self-inflicted border crisis has price tag taxpayers hundreds of thousands and thousands of dollars and the American men and women are demanding accountability. Not only have the Biden Administration’s insurance policies exacerbated the border disaster, but it also seems the Administration is exploiting the predicament to reward its political allies and protect up Secretary Mayorkas’ disastrous conclusions,” Rep. Comer, R-Ky., stated in a statement to Fox News Electronic.

Comer has prepared to Mayorkas contacting for facts about a probable $1.5 million deal with Debevoise & Plimpton on Jan. 26 that will disburse funds based on their do the job. Authorities information clearly show that the award runs right up until early January 2025 and could achieve up to $3 million.

In the letter, Comer claims that the deal is a no-bid, sole supply deal, meaning it was awarded right relatively than by a aggressive bidding procedure. These types of an award is allowed only if thanks to an “unusual or compelling urgency.”

DHS TAPPED Left-LEANING Business FOR Probable MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT Efforts Around SOUTHERN BORDER Disaster

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., prepares for a television job interview in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 12, 2023.  (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Phone, Inc by using Getty Photos)

“DHS justified its final decision not to use honest and open up competitors in procuring authorized companies by citing ‘unusual and powerful urgency,’” Comer wrote. “We are involved the alleged “strange and compelling urgency” justification is to stay away from congressional scrutiny and oversight.”

DHS tapped the New York-based mostly law organization to “aid ensure the department’s very important mission is not interrupted by the unparalleled, unjustified and partisan impeachment endeavours by some associates of Congress, who have currently taken ways to initiate proceedings,” a DHS spokesperson advised Fox News Digital before this month.

Republicans, including Dwelling Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have raised the possibility of impeaching the secretary more than his managing of the ongoing disaster at the southern border. Several associates have also introduced posts of impeachment versus him.

“DHS will carry on prioritizing its do the job to protect our country from terrorism, answer to natural disasters, and secure our borders although responding properly to the more than 90 Congressional committees and subcommittees that have oversight of DHS,” the spokesperson ongoing.

Fox Information Digital noted earlier this thirty day period that the firm’s staff members give overwhelmingly to Democratic will cause, like President Biden’s previous candidacy. All through the 2022 election cycle, folks at the organization donated $289,000 of their nearly $310,000 in political contributions — or 95 p.c — to liberal campaigns and committees, in accordance to data compiled by OpenSecrets. David O’Neil, a Debevoise & Plimpton husband or wife, will guide Mayorkas’ protection team if needed, Legislation.com described. O’Neil beforehand aided Property Democrats in their impeachment initiatives from former President Donald Trump.

ICE Put in $17M OF NO-BID Agreement TO Home MIGRANTS IN Lodges THAT WENT Mainly UNUSED: DHS WATCHDOG 

Republicans on the committee have formerly expressed concern about the Biden administration’s use of no-bid contracts. Previous year, when in the minority, Comer wrote to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) about an $87 million agreement with a business to dwelling migrants crossing the border.

The deal was notably controversial as the organization had ties to a Biden transition adviser. A DHS Workplace of Inspector Common reviewed the deal and found that ICE was not justified in making use of a no-bid agreement and that a great deal of the area was remaining unused as the deal expected ICE to spend for up to 1,239 beds no make a difference how a lot of ended up used. ICE disagreed with that report.

In the assertion to Fox Electronic on Wednesday, Comer stated the use of no-bid contracts was getting to be a sample for DHS.

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“DHS has a clear sample of awarding sole supply, no-bid contracts really worth hundreds of thousands of bucks and this pattern is placing taxpayer resources at severe threat of waste and abuse. DHS leadership has unsuccessful to sufficiently justify the department’s conclusion to bypass standard agreement competitiveness and looks to be prioritizing political expedience,” he said. 

“As Chairman, I made it my mission to defend taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. Oversight Republicans entirely expect DHS to provide the Committee all information and facts associated to these no-bid contracts.”    

The letter requests a copy of the contract, as perfectly as paperwork and communications connected to the contract and deliberations over the award of the agreement — together with legal analysis and any acceptance documents.