A House Judiciary Committee hearing turned sharply confrontational Wednesday when Rep. Jamie Raskin launched a blistering critique of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of misusing taxpayer funds and treating the Department of Homeland Security like a personal luxury operation.

Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, opened his remarks by accusing Noem of failing to adequately address the deaths of two Americans during a controversial protest response in Minneapolis earlier this year.

“We’re glad to meet you, even though it’s been 13 months since you took office and more than five weeks since two American citizens were shot dead in Minneapolis,” Raskin said.

He alleged that Department of Homeland Security agents killed protesters Renee Good and Alex Pretti without justification and criticized Noem for what he described as unsupported claims about the incident.

“Madam Secretary, you’ve provided no evidence to back up your defamatory lie against either of these American citizens,” he said. “There have been three homicides in Minneapolis in ’26. Your agents committed two of them.”

The hearing quickly shifted from the protest incident to broader accusations about how Noem has allegedly used department resources.

Raskin accused the secretary of treating billions of dollars allocated to DHS as a “personal slush fund” and criticized what he described as extravagant spending on public relations and travel.

“You budgeted an astonishing $220 million for media consultant contracts so you can star in self-promoting photo shoots,” he said.

He also claimed Noem had taken advantage of government housing, accusing her of living in the official waterfront residence typically reserved for the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The sharpest criticism focused on travel expenses.

Raskin alleged that the department spent $172 million to purchase two luxury jets for Noem’s use and is now leasing a third aircraft — a Boeing 737 Max — that he described as a lavishly equipped plane with a queen-sized bedroom, a serving bar and multiple flat-screen televisions.

“You spent $172 million to buy not one, but two luxury jets for your travel,” Raskin said. “And now you’re using taxpayer funds to lease a third jet, a $70 million luxury 737 Max.”

The Maryland lawmaker then shared a story that drew audible reactions from some lawmakers in the room.

According to Raskin, a blanket belonging to Noem had been left behind on one of the government aircraft and had not been moved to a different plane used for the trip.

He claimed that Corey Lewandowski — a political figure who has served in advisory roles tied to the administration — intervened after the blanket was misplaced.

Raskin alleged Lewandowski attempted to fire the pilot responsible for the flight while the aircraft was still in the air.

The pilot, whom Raskin described as a Coast Guard Academy graduate and a distinguished commander, reportedly had to be rehired shortly afterward because there was no one else available to fly the aircraft.

Raskin framed the story as an example of what he called an “airborne episode of entitlement, arrogance and contempt.”

“Apparently, when your special blanket — your blankie — was left on one of the government jets and not transported over to the new one,” he said, “your special government employee chivalrously stepped forward to fire the pilot, midair.”

He concluded his remarks with a warning about what he described as excessive privilege and misplaced priorities within the department.

“Secretary Noem, you’re flying high now, maybe even a little bit too close to the sun,” Raskin said.

“With all these free planes and houses and pilots, you’ve traveled a long distance from your actual job and the things you should be doing as head of Homeland Security.”