In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joni Ernst cited a criminal investigation of Christopher Dawson, accused of hijacking small business funding intended to help Native Hawaiians.

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A top GOP lawmaker is calling on the Department of Defense to pause no-bid contracts through a small-business program for socially and economically disadvantaged companies, noting a scandal in which Native Hawaiian defense contractor Christopher Dawson was accused of cheating it for personal gain.

This week Sen. Joni Ernst, chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Heg

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