Excluded Co-owner Keeps Ties to Pentagon Contractor
July 26, 2012
The co-owner of the Pentagon's top propaganda contractor in Afghanistan continues to receive payments from the company despite the Army's effort to exclude him from receiving government contracts.
Camille Chidiac, who owns 49% of Leonie Industries, was placed on the government's "excluded parties list" after admitting his role in an online smear campaign against two journalists from USA TODAY.
U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican who chairs the House oversight committee's panel on national security, called Chidiac's continued relationship with the company and the Pentagon unacceptable.
"The excluded-parties list has shown no teeth," Chaffetz said. "There should be a penalty for violating the very trust that's needed to execute on these contracts."