 Kelly Johnston |
Campbell Soup fired VP-government affairs Kelly Johnston for spreading false information that billionaire philanthropist George Soros was funding the caravan of people from Central America heading for the US.
Johnston, on his personal Twitter account, charged Soros' Open Society Foundation with bankrolling "rail cars" for the migrants who are walking through Mexico heading for the US.
Keith McLoughlin, interim CEO of Campbell, sent a letter to Open Society to rebuke Johnston's remark.
“We expect our leaders to present facts, to deal with objective truths and to exercise impeccable judgment," wrote McLoughlin. “Mr. Johnston’s remarks do not represent the position of Campbell and are inconsistent with how Campbell approaches public debate.”
The Open Society said it was surprised to see a Campbell's executive spreading false stories, though it supports "the historic U.S. commitment to welcoming people fleeing oppression and violence in their homelands."
Johnston joined Campbell in 2002, Earlier, he was secretary of the Sentate under then Majority Leader Bob Dole and a PR staffer at the National Food Processors Assn.
Campbell is in the midst of takeover battle with investor Daniel Loeb.
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