{"id":118911,"date":"2026-01-29T15:04:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T20:04:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/?post_type=news&#038;p=118911"},"modified":"2026-01-29T15:04:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T20:04:13","slug":"dhs-assistant-secretarys-husband-benefited-from-a-multi-million-dollar-dhs-advertising-contract","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/dhs-assistant-secretarys-husband-benefited-from-a-multi-million-dollar-dhs-advertising-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"DHS Assistant Secretary\u2019s Husband Benefited from a Multi-Million-Dollar DHS Advertising Contract"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">WASHINGTON, D.C. &#8212;\u00a0Tricia McLaughlin, the chief spokesperson for Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, is named in official documents obtained by Public Citizen as the point person for a $220 million DHS anti-immigration advertising buy that,\u00a0in part,\u00a0went to her husband\u2019s company.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/person\/tricia-mclaughlin\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">McLaughlin<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0is listed \u2013 as \u201cTraci McLaughlin Assistant Secretary for Public\u00a0Affairs\u201d \u2013\u00a0on\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/publicfiles.fcc.gov\/tv-profile\/KTVU\/political-files\/2025\/non-candidate-issue-ads\/us-department-of-homeland-security\/1a063032-c879-3f0d-7aff-18e5b82ff64f\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">records<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0filed with the FCC by\u00a0a Fox\u00a0Television Station as the DHS official\u00a0for the\u00a0sponsor\u00a0of\u00a0the anti-immigration ad campaign.\u00a0\u00a0McLaughlin is also listed on the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/leadership\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">DHS website<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0top\u00a0official in\u00a0the office that\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usaspending.gov\/award\/CONT_IDV_70RDA225D00000004_7001\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">contract<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usaspending.gov\/award\/CONT_AWD_70RDA225FR0000013_7001_70RDA225D00000003_7001\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">documents<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0show funded the ads.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0stunning\u00a0example of\u00a0a\u00a0self-serving\u00a0public\u00a0official.\u00a0\u00a0Having a top government\u00a0official\u00a0in any way connected to\u00a0a\u00a0multi-million\u00a0dollar\u00a0contract that\u00a0their\u00a0spouse\u2019s\u00a0company benefits\u00a0from\u00a0is\u00a0an abuse of taxpayer money and\u00a0a breach of\u00a0the public trust,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Public Citizen Democracy Advocate Jon Golinger.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In November, a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.propublica.org\/article\/kristi-noem-dhs-ad-campaign-strategy-group\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">ProPublica story<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0revealed that\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsgco.com\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">The Strategy Group,<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0an advertising agency run by McLaughlin\u2019s husband CEO Ben Yoho, worked on one of the Noem ads filmed at Mount Rushmore.\u00a0\u00a0A series of\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/dhsgov\/albums\/72177720329612544\/with\/54845950139\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">photos<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0on the official DHS\u00a0Flickr account document the Mount Rushmore ad shoot in October 2025 and show\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsgco.com\/specialists\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">top officials<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0at Yoho\u2019s company\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/dhsgov\/54845950179\/in\/album-72177720329612544\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">together with Noem<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0at Mount Rushmore.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As House impeachment proceedings against\u00a0Noem\u00a0gain\u00a0steam,\u00a0the\u00a0alleged financial self-dealing\u00a0involving McLaughlin and her husband\u2019s firm\u00a0is\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-resolution\/996\/text\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">specifically cited<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0in the\u00a0impeachment resolution as one of\u00a0three Articles in support of\u00a0Noem\u2019s\u00a0impeachment.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cNoem\u00a0has\u00a0turned\u00a0a law\u00a0enforcement agency into a\u00a0lawless one.\u00a0This\u00a0stunning\u00a0revelation\u00a0of\u00a0self-enrichment\u00a0by\u00a0her\u00a0top\u00a0staff is\u00a0more\u00a0evidence\u00a0she\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0impeached and\u00a0removed by\u00a0Congress\u00a0immediately,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Public Citizen\u00a0Co-President Lisa Gilbert.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-118911","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","tax_topic-ethics-lobbying-reform","tax_topic-protecting-democracy","tax_news-press"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ 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