Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, Rep. James E. Clyburn, Chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, sent a letter to counsel for Robert S. Stewart, CEO of Federal Government Experts, LLC (FGE), regarding a failed $35 million contract to provide N95 masks to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the Trump Administration. This contract, along with a second multimillion-dollar contract to provide masks to FEMA, was canceled after the company failed to deliver any masks, and Mr. Stewart recently pleaded guilty to related fraud charges.
“These actions raise serious concerns about why FGE received these contracts and whether contracts for critical medical supplies awarded to inexperienced and unreliable suppliers like FGE hampered the federal government’s coronavirus response," wrote Chairman Clyburn.
The Select Subcommittee first sought documents related to the $35 million VA contract on July 14, 2020, but the company refused to comply.
On Feb. 3, 2020, Mr. Stewart pleaded guilty to wire fraud, making false statements, and theft of government property in connection with the VA and FEMA mask contracts and other conduct. His attorney asserted in court that Mr. Stewart is “engaged in some negotiations" with the Select Subcommittee that “may lead to Mr. Stewart providing some cooperation." However, Mr. Stewart and his company have never produced any documents to the Select Subcommittee, and his counsel has refused to communicate with Select Subcommittee staff.
Yesterday’s letter states: “The Select Subcommittee has made repeated efforts to seek voluntary compliance with its July 14, 2020 request, but Mr. Stewart has refused to comply."
The letter provides Mr. Stewart a final opportunity to comply voluntarily by March 31, 2021, and notes: “If Mr. Stewart fails to do so, the Select Subcommittee will have no choice but to consider alternative measures to obtain compliance."
