Democracy Dies in Darkness
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Contractor admits he lied to get nearly $40 million in N95 contracts from federal government

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February 4, 2021 at 12:53 p.m. EST
N95 masks were in extremely short supply when the government contracted with Robert Stewart Jr.’s company to provide millions of them. (Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post)

As coronavirus cases rose last spring and the federal government’s supply of protective gear ran perilously low, an Arlington Air Force veteran said his business could help.

Robert Stewart Jr. told procurement officials he had millions of coveted N95 masks “on hand,” waiting to be used. He was quickly given nearly $40 million in contracts from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.