WASHINGTON — President Trump called for his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to “pay a price” if he wasn’t “honest” while serving as de facto chief of staff of the Department of Homeland Security — following reports that the Justice Department was investigating him.
The DOJ is reviewing a criminal referral from the DHS inspector general, CNN and the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday afternoon.
“I heard something about it, but I don’t know exactly what it is. All I know is I want my people to be honest, and if they’re not going to be honest, they have to be prosecuted,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“I view it as if people are not honest, they’re stealing from me as president, they’re stealing from me. So I want my people to be honest, and if they’re not honest, I’ll have my DOJ go and do whatever they have to do.”
Trump added that “I have no idea what he did,” but that “I want the people who work for this administration to be 100% honest.”
“If he’s honest, that’s good. If he’s not honest, you have to pay a price,” the president went on.
“If somebody is dishonest, I consider them not only against the country, I consider that dishonest against me. So I will never do anything to stop a prosecution if somebody is dishonest.”
Lewandowski was swept out of DHS following Trump’s firing of Secretary Krisit Noem in March. The president ousted Noem after she claimed in congressional testimony that Trump approved $220 million in ads starring herself and struggled to answer whether she and Lewandowski were having an affair.
Allegations of misconduct involving Lewandowski’s role in DHS contracting have swirled in Washington for more than a year, including reported instances involving alleged solicitations to foreign officials and the Geo Group that operates private prisons.
He ruled the roost without fear at the department. He explained to a Post source: “I’m not worried. I do whatever the f–k I want. DJT will pardon me.”
Lewandowski has denied wrongdoing. His lawyer, Adam Trigg, said Thursday: “Mr. Lewandowski has not been contacted by the Justice Department regarding any investigation, and he denies any wrongdoing when he was proudly serving his country in a voluntary capacity.”
