DHS defends McLaughlin after allegations husband's company profited millions from ad contracts: 'Baseless'

By Fox News · Fox News

EXCLUSIVE: Newly obtained financial statements shed light on claims that former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin’s husband’s company profited millions as a result of a DHS advertising campaign. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem faced intense questioning during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., specifically called out the agency for contracting a public relations firm headed by McLaughlin’s husband, Benjamin Yoho. "I have personally reviewed the allegations against Ms. McLaughlin and I find them to be baseless," DHS General Counsel James Percival told Fox News Digital. "Nothing illegal or unethical occurred with respect to these contracts. Ms. McLaughlin was not involved in selecting any subcontractors. "She is, however, a superstar in the public affairs world, so I am not surprised that she married a successful businessman whose services were attractive to these outside firms." DHS DEFENDS AD BLITZ AMID SENATE SCRUTINY, SAYS CAMPAIGN DROVE 2.2M SELF-DEPORTATIONS AND SAVED TAXPAYERS $39B Kennedy alleged that Yoho’s firm, The Strategy Group, "got most of the money" out of what the Louisiana Republican senator says was a $220 million in "television advertisements that feature [Noem] prominently." "I'm sorry," Kennedy said. "Safe America Media was a company formed 11 days before you picked them. And that the Strategy Group got most of the money. And the head of that is married to your former spokesperson." "It's just hard for me to believe knowing the president as I do, that you said, 'Mr. President, here's some ads I've cut and I'm going to spend $220 million running them that he would have agreed to that,'" Kennedy explained. "I don't think Russ Vought at OMB [Office of Management and Budget] would have agreed to that." 'YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!': PROTESTER DRAGGED FROM KRISTI NOEM'S SENATE HEARING The Strategy Group is a conservative advertising agency in which Yoho serves as CEO. Figures obt…