{"id":2490348,"date":"2025-09-24T06:09:02","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T10:09:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/homan-bribery-allegations-based-on-weak-evidence-experts-say\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T06:12:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T10:12:13","slug":"homan-bribery-allegations-based-on-weak-evidence-experts-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/homan-bribery-allegations-based-on-weak-evidence-experts-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Homan bribery allegations based on weak evidence, experts say"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhoman-bribery-allegations-based-on-weak-evidence-experts-say%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2490348&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses bribery allegations against tom Homan, former Immigration and Customs Enforcement director and border czar under the Trump administration. In September 2024, before officially joining the administration, Homan was allegedly handed $50,000 in cash by what he thought were immigration contractors, but who were actually undercover FBI agents.The ensuing examination by the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Biden administration was later closed after President Trump returned to office in January 2025, with DOJ officials stating there was no credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p>Legal experts across the political spectrum have raised doubts about the strength of the case, noting that Homan was not a public official when the alleged payment occurred and that <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal bribery laws require clear proof<\/a> of an &#8220;official act,&#8221; which the evidence reportedly lacked. Some Democrats in Congress have criticized the Trump administration for closing the investigation, calling for openness and the release of FBI recordings, but face limitations due to Republican control in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>The White House and Homan deny any wrongdoing, with Homan stating he did not accept the money nor commit any illegal acts. Additionally,the DOJ is reportedly concerned about leaks related to the investigation,viewing them as unfair smearing without due process. the case is viewed by experts and officials as weak on evidence and more a political issue then a prosecutable crime. <br \/> <!DOCTYPE html><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Homan bribery allegations based on weak evidence, experts say<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2238153\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Months before he became the Trump administration&rsquo;s border czar, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-homan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tom Homan<\/a> sat across from what he believed were immigration contractors at a Cava restaurant last September when one of them handed him a bag stuffed with $50,000 in cash. The men turned out to be undercover <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fbi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FBI<\/a>&nbsp;agents. <\/p>\n<p>Now, legal experts from across the political spectrum, as well as current DOJ officials, are questioning why the Biden DOJ pursued the case in the first place.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3821149\/former-fbi-agent-peter-strzok-loses-case\/\">Former FBI agent Peter Strzok loses case after being fired for anti-Trump texts in 2018<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3820633\/noem-newsom-social-media-post-secret-service\/\">Noem rips Newsom for &lsquo;menacing&rsquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-this-average-american-is-voting-for-donald-trump\/\" title=\"Why This Average American Is Voting for Donald Trump\">social media post<\/a> that triggered Secret Service intervention<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3820674\/ryan-routh-found-guilty-all-counts-attempting-assassinate-trump\/\">Ryan Routh tried to stab himself after being found guilty for attempting to assassinate Trump<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The exchange between Homan and the FBI agents was recorded, according to multiple news reports. For months, Homan was under investigation for possible bribery. However, after&nbsp;President<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Donald Trump<\/a>&nbsp;returned to the White House in January, the case quietly evaporated.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">White House border czar Tom Homan speaks with reporters at the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>FBI Director&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kash-patel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kash Patel<\/a>&nbsp;and Deputy Attorney General&nbsp;Todd Blanche&nbsp;confirmed this week that the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/justice-department\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Justice Department<\/a> closed its criminal investigation into Homan earlier this summer, calling it a politically motivated effort launched by then-President Joe Biden&rsquo;s DOJ, which also led two criminal cases against the current president in the run-up to the 2024 election.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This matter originated under the previous administration and was subjected to a full review,&rdquo; Patel and Blanche said in a joint statement to MSNBC. &ldquo;They found no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing. The investigation has been closed.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sources told MSNBC that the investigation into Homan began in August last year and stemmed from a separate, unrelated national security investigation. However, current DOJ officials see that narrative as dubious, with one DOJ source telling the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>the idea that the Biden FBI &ldquo;stumbled upon Homan is so bogus. No one stumbles upon Homan.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats in Congress are demanding answers about why the Trump DOJ closed the Homan case, even as prominent legal experts cast doubt on whether there ever could have been a credible case against Homan, based on what has been publicly reported.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.durbin.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/senate-judiciary-democrats-launch-inquiry-into-closure-of-tom-homan-corruption-investigation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coordinated letters<\/a> on Tuesday, House and Senate Democrats accused the Trump administration of a &ldquo;brazen cover-up&rdquo; and called on Patel, Blanche, and Attorney General&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pam-bondi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Pam Bondi<\/a>&nbsp;to release all FBI audio and video of Homan&rsquo;s meeting. Rep.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jamie-raskin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jamie Raskin<\/a> (D-MD)&nbsp;and Sen.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/adam-schiff\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adam Schiff<\/a> (D-CA)&nbsp;said Congress must look into the timeline, the prosecutorial decisions, and Homan&rsquo;s conduct before and after joining the administration.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We urgently request that you call him to testify before the committee on this matter without delay,&rdquo; Democrats on the&nbsp;House Homeland Security Committee&nbsp;wrote. Due to a Republican majority in the Senate, Democrats on the committee lack subpoena power to compel the release of the records they seek.<\/p>\n<p>The White House has defended Homan, a former&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>&nbsp;director and Fox News contributor who now oversees mass deportation operations. Press secretary&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/karoline-leavitt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Karoline Leavitt<\/a>&nbsp;was asked Monday if Homan would have to return the money.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Well, Mr. Homan never took the $50,000 that you&rsquo;re referring to, so you should get your facts straight,&rdquo;&nbsp;she said at a White House press briefing. Homan later told Fox News, &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/3819555\/tom-homan-nothing-criminal-cash-undercover-fbi-agent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">I did nothing criminal<\/a>. I did nothing illegal.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I think it is almost 100% certain that he didn&#8217;t do anything illegal. <\/p>\n<p>Had he done something illegal the Biden DOJ would have racked him. They had no reason not to, and a Presidential election as a reason to indict him. <\/p>\n<p>Nothing happened after the election so there is no&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4HOadTHoqS\">https:\/\/t.co\/4HOadTHoqS<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Shipwreckedcrew (@shipwreckedcrew) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shipwreckedcrew\/status\/1970285997188620787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 23, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>    <\/p>\n<p>Former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alec-baldwin-lawyers-up-for-multiple-rust-shooting-civil-suits\/\" title=\"Alec Baldwin Lawyers Up for Multiple &#039;Rust&#039; Shooting Civil Suits\">federal prosecutor&#038;nbsp<\/a>;Bill Shipley&nbsp;questioned the wisdom of Homan&rsquo;s categorical denial, noting that if a video or audio recording exists, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s a high-risk position to take in a press conference.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a post on X, the former prosecutor and prominent Jan. 6 defense attorney said it is &ldquo;almost 100% certain&rdquo; that Homan did nothing illegal, adding that if he had, &ldquo;the Biden DOJ would have racked him.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;They had no reason not to, and the presidential election was a reason to indict him,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Shipley told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that if the investigation had continued, prosecutors likely would have concluded the conduct didn&rsquo;t rise to a crime. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a private actor. Trump [wasn&rsquo;t] in office&rdquo; at the time of the alleged payment, Shipley said. &ldquo;Homan had no way to deliver on whatever promises he might make.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>A grand jury investigation into Homan was assembled in the Western District of Texas, sources told <em>Reuters <\/em>on Monday, though it was reportedly still in its early stages by the time Trump was sworn in for a second term in January.<\/p>\n<p>Other legal experts say the case likely fell short of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/from-the-hague-to-obamas-irs-scandal-meet-jack-smith-the-new-special-counsel-to-investigate-trump\/\" title=\"From The Hague To Obama\u2019s IRS Scandal: Meet Jack Smith, The New Special Counsel To Investigate Trump\">federal bribery statute<\/a>. On CNN,&nbsp;former federal prosecutor Elie Honig&nbsp;explained that &ldquo;it&rsquo;s not necessarily a crime for a person to take a bribe &hellip; on the promise of, &lsquo;If I get into office, I will do something for you.&rsquo;&rdquo; He added that under Supreme Court precedent, an &ldquo;official act&rdquo; defined under bribery laws requires something more specific than offering access or meetings.<\/p>\n<p>Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani noted that the Supreme Court has &ldquo;interpreted federal bribery laws very, very narrowly.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You really have to make sure you fit into the four corners&rdquo; of the law in order to support a bribery charge, Rahmani said, agreeing with Honig&rsquo;s assessment.<br \/><strong><br \/><\/strong>&ldquo;Even though he was likely to be a public official, he was not at the time that he allegedly accepted the cash. It would be a very <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-scrutinizes-trumps-requests-to-dismiss-classified-documents-case\/\" title=\"Court examines Trump&#039;s plea to drop secret papers lawsuit\">tough legal argument<\/a>,&rdquo; Rahmani added.<\/p>\n<p>Shipley also cast doubt on the possibility that Homan could face any conspiracy charges. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ve got a quid &hellip; but you don&rsquo;t have a quo,&rdquo; he said, noting the only other individuals Homan interacted with in the alleged money scheme were federal agents. Shipley argued that unless Homan had authority to act on a bribe at the time, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s just not there yet,&rdquo; calling it more of a &ldquo;PR problem&rdquo; than a serious offense.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, sources told <em>Reuters <\/em>that Homan placed the money he allegedly received into a trust that would remain there until he had completed his service in the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p>One administration source familiar with the matter told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> that disclosing the now-closed investigation to the press could be a criminal leak.<\/p>\n<p>But while sources within the administration declined to tell the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> whether the FBI is investigating it, Patel&rsquo;s posture on past leaks, including his vow to investigate the leak of the 2022 draft&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supreme Court<\/a>&nbsp;opinion that foreshadowed the fall of&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/roe-v-wade\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Roe v. Wade<\/a><\/em>, may signal his interest in uncovering who leaked details about the Homan investigation.<\/p>\n<p>A source within the DOJ told the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>the leak of the Homan investigation was seen as a grave betrayal internally, noting that the &ldquo;leakers smeared a great American without giving him a day in court.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Rahmani said that given the FBI&rsquo;s interest in investigating past leaks, &ldquo;I would not be surprised if they investigate this one.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3819441\/house-judiciary-democrats-fbi-doj-evidence-homan-bribe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HOUSE JUDICIARY DEMOCRATS ASK FBI AND DOJ FOR EVIDENCE OF HOMAN BRIBE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Shipley pushed back against the notion that the leak of the investigation would amount to a criminal offense, saying that unless classified material was disclosed, &ldquo;it&rsquo;s sensitive, but I don&rsquo;t think it&rsquo;s a crime.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The DOJ has not confirmed whether any recordings of the interaction with Homan exist, though Shipley said he would not be surprised if agents did possess recorded evidence.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Homan bribery claims lack strong evidence, experts say<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2490349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25251767635685.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[5609,20427,44787],"class_list":["post-2490348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-allegations","tag-bribery","tag-homan"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/AP25251767635685.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2490348"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490348\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2490352,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2490348\/revisions\/2490352"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2490349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2490348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2490348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2490348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}