The State Department’s top oversight official has recused himself from all matters relating the private military firm Blackwater after admitting his brother served on the company’s advisory board. Inspector General Howard Krongard announced the move Wednesday just hours after initially denying that his brother, Alvin “Buzzy” Krongard, is a Blackwater board member. The State Department has already come under criticism for its lax oversight of Blackwater since the September 16th killing of 17 Iraqi civilians by Blackwater guards. Howard Krongard has previously been accused of thwarting probes of contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan to avoid embarrassing the White House. Krongard is said to have refused to send investigators to Iraq and Afghanistan to probe $3 billion in contracts.