<\/p>\n
There was a moment during Kristi Noem<\/strong>\u2018s March 4 House Judiciary Committee hearing that cut through everything else. Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove<\/strong> had just finished running through a litany of misconduct allegations against Corey Lewandowski<\/strong> \u2014 battery, sexual harassment, illegal lobbying \u2014 before arriving at the one question the entire room was waiting for.<\/p>\n \u201cHave you had sexual relations with Corey Lewandowski?\u201d<\/p>\n Noem\u2019s husband, Bryon, had been sitting directly behind her at the start of the hearing. He\u2019d already slipped out by the time Kamlager-Dove asked the question. What followed was not a denial. It was a performance.<\/p>\n \u201cI am shocked that we\u2019re going down and peddling tabloid garbage in this committee today,\u201d Noem said. She called Lewandowski a \u201cspecial government employee who works for the White House\u201d and said there were thousands like him across the federal government.<\/p>\n Kamlager-Dove cut back in. It was okay for Noem to be offended, she said. But if someone asks whether a federal official is sleeping with their subordinate, that should be the easiest question in the room. \u201cYou should be wanting<\/em> to answer that question,\u201d she told Noem. \u201cBecause it is not about your sex life. It is about your judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n