WASHINGTON, D.C.—Democracy Defenders Fund (DDF), in cooperation with public interest law firm, Free Information Group, filed two lawsuits today against the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security challenging the agencies’ failure to release records related to allegations that Tom Homan accepted a bribe.

In February 2026, DDF submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Justice seeking investigatory records, video recordings, and audio recordings related to the FBI’s reported investigation into Tom Homan. That request followed reporting alleging that Homan received $50,000 from undercover FBI agents in exchange for helping them secure future government contracts.

DDF also submitted a separate FOIA request to the Department of Homeland Security seeking records related to Homan and other federal contractors who may have engaged in unlawful and unethical conduct related to millions of dollars of agency contracts. That request takes on added urgency in light of recent scrutiny over Kristi Noem’s costly and potentially unlawful advertising contract.

“The federal government should not be hiding records that could reveal corruption involving a senior government official,” said Virginia Canter, chief counsel and director of ethics and anti-corruption at Democracy Defenders Fund. “The public has a right to know whether federal law enforcement properly investigated these allegations. Government contracts are not for sale, and Tom Homan is not above the law. If these allegations have merit, they should be fully investigated.”

“Tom Homan’s alleged pay-to-play bribery scheme may only be the tip of the iceberg. The public has a right to know whether millions of dollars of taxpayer-funded contracts are being funneled to contractors with unlawful and unethical conflicts of interest,” said Ginger Quintero-McCall, co-founder and partner at Free Information Group.

The lawsuits ask the court to order the government to produce the requested documents. They were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Democracy Defenders Fund previously filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s Federal Bureau of Investigation for the agency’s refusal to release the records. They also sent two formal letters to the Office of Government Ethics. The first requested an investigation into whether Homan falsified his required public financial disclosure report by failing to disclose the $50,000 payment. The second urged OGE to broaden its review after reports indicated that Homan took part in detention-services contract discussions involving several former clients.

The lawsuits can be found here and here.

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Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.