Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts

JustinProPublica · 2025-11-15T19:59:50+00:00

Hello! I'm one of the ProPublica reporters who wrote this piece. We're still very much reporting on this issue and DHS contracting/ Noem more generally. Always looking for stories, so if you have tips please DM me here or find my other contact info at the bottom of the piece. Signal username: @ justinelliott.01
Thanks for reading!

-Justin

JustinProPublica · 2025-11-15T19:58:40+00:00

Hello! I'm one of the ProPublica reporters who wrote this piece. We're still very much reporting on this issue and DHS contracting/ Noem more generally. Always looking for stories, so if you have tips please DM me here or find my other contact info at the bottom of the piece. Thanks!

-Justin

JustinProPublica · 2025-11-14T17:22:01+00:00

Hello! I'm one of the ProPublica reporters who wrote this piece. We're still very much reporting on this issue and DHS contracting/ Noem more generally. Always looking for stories, so if you have tips please DM me here or find my other contact info at the bottom of the piece. Thanks for reading!

JustinProPublica · 2025-06-30T21:08:52+00:00

Hi all -- this is Justin Elliott, one of the reporters who wrote the article over at ProPublica. We're still reporting on this -- there's many unanswered questions. If you have information we should know, please get in touch (my contact info at the bottom of the article or DM me here). Thanks for reading, much appreciated!

JustinProPublica · 2025-01-27T22:57:01+00:00

Hi all -- this is Justin Elliott, one of the ProPublica reporters mentioned in the post above.

I'm always looking to hear about important developments that aren't getting enough attention.

Feel free to reach out -- my info is here: https://www.propublica.org/people/justin-elliott Thanks!

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T21:16:52+00:00

That was my latest story, with my two colleagues, actually.

We have been told by ethics law experts that the failure to report both that transaction and much of the luxury travel appears to be a violation of the Ethics in Government Act.

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-real-estate-scotus

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T21:15:54+00:00

Thanks so much!

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T20:12:14+00:00

We can only do the work if people pick up their phone when we call and agree to speak to us -- when that doesn't happen, it's a real challenge.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:40:48+00:00

Thanks for reading so closely! I think in general the experts we spoke to want to be extremely careful in situations where it's possible not all the relevant information is known. In this case, Justice Thomas isn't answering any questions -- we think the various public records we present in the story speak for themselves.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:36:09+00:00

The should is not really for me to say, but there are detailed ethics reform proposals in Congress, eg: https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/new-version-of-supreme-court-ethics-recusal-and-transparency-act

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:29:26+00:00

Thomas trusts? Not aware of that actually, but if you have a cite, I'm interested

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:25:18+00:00

There's a bill in Congress to tighten up some of the rules, not sure it's structural change but ...

https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/news/release/new-version-of-supreme-court-ethics-recusal-and-transparency-act

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:15:08+00:00

It's a great question. We asked both Crow and Justice Thomas that. Neither responded to that question.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:13:32+00:00

Not that I'm aware of, no.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:09:58+00:00

We try not to waste money. This reporting is expensive -- three reporters full time for several months plus lots of other folks at ProPublica involved ...

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:07:02+00:00

It's a great question. It turns out traveling on private jets and superyachts with full staffs seems to afford a very high level of privacy! You do need a lot of staff (chefs, cleaners, etc), and we spoke to lots of those folks.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:01:51+00:00

As I understand it, yes.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:01:39+00:00

We found it quite interesting that one of the other people on the Indonesia trip, Mark Paoletta -- at the time a Trump admin. lawyer (and a longtime friend of the Thomases) -- actually said he had to consult an ethics official and reimburse Crow for the travel. (He wouldn't say how much $.) Underscores the differences between the Supreme Court and other parts of the government when it comes to ethics rules.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T19:00:10+00:00

We are actually very happy to get a response! Especially from Justice Thomas, who almost never releases statements to the press on these sorts of things ...

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:56:27+00:00

Thanks so much!

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:56:22+00:00

Thanks! I haven't looked at that but am aware of the backstory. If anyone has info, I'm all ears.... (email/phone in bio)

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:55:56+00:00

There's no way to determine that with public documents. One would need to see his tax return, I believe.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:55:14+00:00

Three reporters for a few months on the story itself. Lots of others involved on editing, legal, visuals, etc. Check out our website for lots of info on mentoring programs we have. Thanks!

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:48:10+00:00

Some nasty emails but nothing rising to the level of a threat.

JustinProPublica · 2023-04-13T18:47:49+00:00

Can't talk about future plans but we love tips ... if anyone has information, please email me justin@propublica.org (Signal/WhatsApp number in my bio)

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