Taxpayer millions went to a company that subcontracted with another firm operated by her spokesperson’s husband, records show

Kristi Noem’s $220 million ad spending blitz came under intense scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans across two days of congressional hearings this week, with the secretary unable to explain how a company connected to her own spokesperson landed a lucrative taxpayer-funded project.

Last year, DHS hired a little-known firm to help produce a campaign that prominently featured Noem herself, including one ad filmed during the government shutdown with the secretary on horseback in front of Mount Rushmore. “Break our laws, we’ll punish you,” Noem says in the ad.

Most of that money — $143 million — went to a company that was created just 11 days before it was awarded the contract. On Thursday, after lawmakers grilled her for answers, Donald Trump said he did not sign off on the campaign.

In her testimony to the House Judiciary Committee, Noem said she doesn’t know where the contractor is based, if the company has even done work for the government before DHS hired it, or how the company ended up subcontracting a firm with direct ties to Noem’s office.