Justin Sullivan/Getty Images politics Campbell Soup disavows lobbyist's unverified claim about Soros

Campbell Soup Company on Tuesday distanced itself from a company lobbyist who circulated a conspiracy theory on Twitter that prominent Democratic donor George Soros' foundation is supporting a caravan of Central American migrants heading toward the U.S. border.

The social media posts from Kelly Johnston, a former top aide to congressional Republicans, comes as President Donald Trump disseminates claims without evidence that the migrant caravan includes "unknown Middle Easterners" and is supported by Democrats. Johnston, the executive vice president of government affairs for Campbell, tweeted on Monday night that Soros' Open Society Foundation "planned and is executing" the migrant caravan, "including where they defecate."


A company spokesperson stated in response: "The opinions Mr. Johnston expresses on Twitter are his individual views and do not represent the position of Campbell Soup Company."

Campbell’s interim president and CEO, Keith McLoughlin, later added in a letter to Open Society that Johnston’s comments “are inconsistent with how Campbell approaches public debate.” While Johnston “has represented us ably for many years,” McLoughlin said, he was on track to leave next month before Tuesday’s comments.

Johnston deleted his Twitter account on Tuesday after his posts drew quick pushback from Open Society, hours after federal law enforcement officials responded to an explosive device found on Soros' property in New York.

But Patrick Gaspard, president of Open Society, followed up with a letter to Campbell's top executives that said the company's disavowal of Johnston's personal tweets were "not enough" of a gesture given that his claims "add to a toxicity in our communities and contribute to inciting hate and quite possibly violence."

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"Campbell’s has a responsibility to condemn these 'views' with the force of the moral suasion your brand has accumulated over decades of patronage from those of us who believe in good corporate citizenship," Gaspard wrote to the company's chairman of the board and CEO on Tuesday.

The migrant caravan, according to local reports, has gained members as it moves toward the U.S. border, fueled by unrest and gang activity in Central American nations. Trump has responded by threatening to close the southern border outright and seeks to make the migration a divisive issue ahead of the midterm elections.