Op-Ed: What's A Little Scandal When It Comes To Sex, Child Abuse And The Pentagon?

Here it comes folks, the Pentagon was in cahoots with the Warren Jeffs' little love fest. Maybe not directly but they signed over many a check to Jeffs. Over time the Pentagon has paid over $1.7 million in defense contracts to companies owned by the sect.

Do you want to get more incensed by the whole mess? As Jeffs was running around the country hiding out on the top ten list of the F.B.I. the Pentagon was making deals with the group. With all the contracts for defense going on with the Pentagon who can blame them if a little misunderstanding like dealing with a felon came up. Utah Tool and Die, Western Precision and NewEra Manufacturing all are owned by FLDS leaders. Today, the companies all operate under the master name NewEra Manufacturing which is owned by John C. Wayman a close associate to Warren Jeffs. What's more the checks were sent to FLDS Church/Warren Jeffs.

It was my understanding that Western Precision was paying roughly $50,000 a week into the coffers of the church," former sect member Richard Holm said. "It would have been close to $200,000 a month."

Gosh, now we know where the money came to keep this loving clan living so nicely. That's right, the Eldorado Ranch was quite possibly built with the taxpayers money. Of course the companies haven't done anything wrong. It's not their fault that they are owned by a felon in a round about way.

"The Department of Defense awards contracts on the basis of who can most effectively meet our requirements for supplies or services at the most reasonable cost to the taxpayer," he said.

"We do not consider religious affiliation or marital status when selecting vendors, but illegal activity is certainly cause for termination of a contract and perhaps even debarment, which could prevent a contractor from doing business with department ever again."

He added, "However, DoD is not aware of any criminal allegations against anyone managing the companies in question."

And the Pentagon does do background checks on bidding contracts. So was Jeffs name on the companies letterheads?

They're just going to shake their head and say here's another example of our tax money going down the drain to support this polygamist in Texas who abuses children and women," Maginnis said. "They'll be appalled and rightly so."

It's not like Jeffs committed crimes that would put the country at risk, just the children in his own little community. That's not that bad now is it? The President/CEO of NewEra Manufacturing is John C. Wayman. He has been identified as an FLDS leader and a close associate to Warren Jeffs. When it comes to the tax division of Utah they have had a little trouble getting answers from this company.

"He's been provided no records at all, and no one inside the organization has provided any inside knowledge. ... It's a very difficult thing to do," Bodily said. "Progress moves slow when dealing with these people. Texas has its hands full."

Another little tidbit about Wayman. When Jeffs was finally arrested he was motoring around in Wayman's Cadillac Escalade. Hey, did the Pentagon miss that in their background check? Jacob Jessop incorporated JNJ Engineering in Las Vegas in 2002. The company has owned millions in Las Vegas snaring $11.3 million from the Las Vegas Valley Water District. Oh, Jessop is part of the FLDS. Jeffs required most of these business giving him a certain amount of control in his followers' business.

"Warren has his hand in all these businesses," Wisan said, naming NewEra Manufacturing and JNJ Engineering, among others.

"Everything is micromanaged by Warren, especially if there is any money to be made out of it," said Brower, who works for a law firm that is suing Jeffs and the church on behalf of women who allege they were sexually abused within the church and on behalf of young men who were kicked out of the church.

But folks don't worry the Pentagon wouldn't make a big mistake like this again. Right?