Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are intensifying their inquiry into how the Trump administration handled bribery allegations involving White House border czar Tom Homan, according to new information obtained by Axios.
The controversy stems from claims that Homan accepted a $50,000 bribe in exchange for government contracts—an allegation he and the White House have repeatedly denied. Democrats are using the case to strengthen their broader anti-corruption narrative against President Trump and his administration.
During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Attorney General Pam Bondi was pressed by Democrats about the case. Bondi said the Justice Department had found no evidence of wrongdoing but did not clarify whether Homan ever returned the alleged payment, according to Axios reporter April Rubin. Homan, for his part, has strongly rejected the accusations, telling Fox News that he “did nothing illegal” and calling the reports “bullsh*t” during an interview with NewsNation. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended him, stating that Homan “never took the $50,000.”
The investigation has been reignited by a letter sent to Associate Attorney General Edmund Woodward from several House Democrats led by ranking member Jamie Raskin of Maryland. In it, lawmakers criticized Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel for failing to respond to their initial inquiry about Homan. “We are following up to demand answers to basic questions,” the letter reads. “Who knew about the Homan bribery allegations, when did they learn of them, and why was he appointed ‘Border Czar’ despite such serious concerns?”
The White House dismissed the inquiry as politically motivated. Spokesperson Abigail Jackson said, “This partisan investigation, which has already found no evidence of illegal activity, is another attempt by the Biden administration to target President Trump’s allies instead of focusing on real criminals and the millions of illegal aliens entering our country.” Jackson added that Homan “has no role in contract decisions and has spent his life serving the public with integrity.”
The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter.
Democrats also pointed out that Edmund Woodward, who helped vet potential appointees for Trump’s 2024 transition team, should have been informed of the bribery allegations under standard FBI protocol. They suggested that if those procedures were followed, both the DOJ and the transition team would have been aware of the claims before Homan’s appointment.
The letter concluded with seven detailed questions about how the administration handled the investigation, including whether Trump appointed others to public office who were subjects of ongoing criminal inquiries.