The US Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) this month quietly awarded a $30,000 no-bid contract for sniper and fight coaching to a Virginia agency run by Dan LaLota, the brother of US consultant Nick LaLota, a second-term Republican from New York.
Finalized on September 2, the award went to Goal Down Group of Mechanicsville, Virginia, which can present a five-day precision fireplace and remark course for the Homeland Safety Investigations’ Particular Response Workforce (SRT) sniper program. The course, meant to assist inform new DHS procedures, is “geared toward equipping them with the mandatory abilities and information to successfully conduct legislation enforcement sniper operations in high-risk environments,” per data reviewed by WIRED.
The SRT features because the company’s model of a SWAT crew, composed of particular brokers with superior tactical coaching for conditions deemed too harmful for traditional personnel. SRT members put on military-style camouflage and helmets, carry a variety of weapons, and practice in breaching, sniper ways, and close-quarters fight.
In keeping with federal procurement data, the SRT contract was issued on a sole-source foundation, with officers citing Goal Down Group’s prior work with Homeland Safety Investigations in addition to its pre-clearance to conduct live-fire workouts at a legislation enforcement facility in Arizona.
Congressman LaLota, who served on the Home Homeland Safety Committee within the earlier session, couldn’t be reached for remark. Calls to his New York and Washington, DC, places of work went unanswered Thursday.
DHS didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Reached by cellphone, Dan LaLota mentioned his agency’s cope with ICE has nothing to do together with his brother’s place in Congress. “I’m not a brand new man on the block,” he tells WIRED, including there’s only some individuals certified to offer the coaching DHS requested. “To say my firm can be the one one eligible wouldn’t be unsound.”
LaLota added he couldn’t converse on ICE’s behalf and declined to debate particulars of his firm’s work, calling the questions an invasion of privateness whereas directing reporters to his agency’s web site for details about its workers and experience.
Goal Down Group’s web site lists Dan LaLota, a retired Marine sniper, as the corporate’s president. In keeping with his brother’s congressional biography, LaLota served twenty years within the Marine Corps, together with excursions with Drive Reconnaissance and Marine Particular Operations Command, incomes a Bronze Star with Valor for actions in Fallujah, Iraq. LaLota instructed WIRED he additionally has seven years as a scout sniper teacher.
Federal procurement data listing Goal Down Group as a Virginia firm; nevertheless, state data present the agency will not be legally approved to function as a Virginia company presently, having been terminated in November 2024 after failing to satisfy yearly submitting and charge necessities with the state’s company registry. However, the corporate was registered individually in Florida as of July. (Requested in regards to the discrepancy, Goal Down Group CEO Christopher Allison acknowledged the inquiry however didn’t present remark.)
Federal acquisition guidelines permit sole-source contracts underneath sure situations, successfully bypassing the aggressive bidding course of usually required for federal awards. In a redacted justification memo, DHS mentioned Goal Down Group was the one vendor in a position to ship the coaching, citing a good operational schedule in addition to the agency’s prior work with its sniper program and established ties to Arizona police, a few of whom will take part within the train.
LaLota declined to debate any earlier work for the federal government. “I’m not at liberty to debate what enterprise I’ve with a stranger like your self. I hope you possibly can perceive that,” he mentioned.
In June, NBC Information reported that SRT models had been getting ready to deploy to a number of Democratic-led cities, together with Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, and New York. The deliberate deployments adopted immigration raids in Los Angeles that sparked days of protests and clashes with law enforcement. Philadelphia officers instructed NBC they’d acquired no discover of incoming ICE forces.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended sending federal legislation enforcement and Nationwide Guard troops into blue strongholds by claiming they’re tormented by “runaway crime,” an outline critics name exaggerated and politically pushed. In cities reminiscent of Chicago, Baltimore, and New Orleans, native and state officers have resisted the deployments, arguing they’re motivated by politics, not public security.
