Who is Corey Lewandowski? Kristi Noem grilled over ‘sexual relations’, accuses House of ‘peddling tabloid garbage’

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was grilled over her “sexual relationship” with top aide Corey Lewandowski during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday.

Democratic Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove asked Noem, who was under oath during the dramatic testimony before Congress, if she and Lewandowski were having an affair.

Noting Lewandowski's “unchecked” and “unconfirmed” power, Kamlager-Dove asked, “At any time during your tenure as director of the Department of Homeland Security, have you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?”

Noem dodged the question a couple of times, without denying the affair.

Kamlager-Dove pushed back, saying, “It’s the easiest. You should be wanting to answer that question. It’s about your judgment and decision making," she said. “It is about conflict of interest. It’s about a national security risk.”

Noem refused to answer the question directly and accused the House of “peddling tabloid garbage”.

“I am shocked that we’re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,” Noem said, calling the questioning offensive and said Lewandowski does not have decision-making authority.

“I would tell you is that he is a special government employee who works for the White House. There are thousands of them in the federal government,” she said about Lewandowski.

‘Is that no?’

The Democrats didn’t let up on the topic and Representative Jared Moskowitz pushed Noem to say the word “no” to deny the allegation. However, Noem again refused to deny the alleged affair in clear words.

“I really think you need to say the word ‘no’ into the record so that you can clear that up,” Moskowitz said.

“I think the ridiculousness of this and the tabloids that you are quoting and referencing are insane,” Noem said. “This is a thing I have refuted for years.”

“Is that no?” Moskowitz said.

“This is what you do,” Noem said, blasting him as a member of the “liberal left.”

“You say conservative women are stupid or sluts. I am neither,” she added.

Who is Corey Lewandowski?

Corey Lewandowski is a special US government employee and one of the secretary's top advisers.

Lewandowski was Donald Trump’s first campaign manager in 2016 and was long one of his most vocal supporters. However, in March 2016, following a Trump press conference, he was accused of manhandling Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields.

He later became a key Noem supporter when she was governor of South Dakota, helping her gain access to Trump’s political orbit.

When Noem took the position at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Lewandowski became a special government employee. This position is supposed to limit the number of days that he’s allowed to work at the department.

But he’s been a constant presence at Noem's side, raising questions about how many days he's actually working and about the nature of the pair's relationship.

Lewandowski has been married to Alison Hardy since 2005.

Is Kristi Noem married?

Kristi Noem married Bryon Noem in 1992 in South Dakota. They have three children. Byron runs an insurance company in Bryant.

He was also present at the hearing.

(With agency inputs)