YOU DOWN WITH PPP? — For months, Washington has whispered about who might be benefiting from the small business loans program, which Congress created to help struggling businesses during the coronavirus crisis. House Democrats even unsuccessfully tried to force disclosure of some of the loan recipients. But now, thanks to newly released data from the Small Business Administration, we know.
At least nine lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received aid from the Paycheck Protection Program, for a total of at least $11 million in federal assistance. Overall, 650,000 businesses and nonprofits received money from the $670 billion program, which only released a portion of the loan recipients on Monday after facing intense public pressure and complaints over a lack of transparency.
Among the members who have in some way benefited from the program, but were previously unknown, are Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.), the founder of a construction company; Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), who owns several car dealerships; Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), the owner of multiple McDonald’s franchises; Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who owns a plumbing business; and Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.), whose wife is a partner at her family law firm.
Meanwhile, the educational arms for the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus each took loans between $350,000 and $1 million. And the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, which is associated with the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, also accepted a loan in the same range.
It’s not illegal for lawmakers to apply for or accept PPP money, and members emphasized that they had no role in the application process and that the companies took the loans legally in an effort to keep people employed. But the program’s connections to Congress have raised new questions about the administration’s secrecy of the program, as well as potential conflicts of interest ahead of the next coronavirus rescue package. The latest from your Huddle host, Zachary Warmbrodt and Sam Mintz: https://politi.co/38x1wCJ.
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For months, Washington has whispered about who might be benefiting from the small business loans program, which Congress created to help struggling businesses during the coronavirus crisis. But now, thanks to newly released data from the SBA, we know. https://t.co/amzdr1O1vt
— POLITICO (@politico) July 7, 2020
Kanye West's company gets PPP loan https://t.co/aG2Bea89aO pic.twitter.com/R7AaKpAXhA
— The Hill (@thehill) July 7, 2020
Dallas megachurch that hosted Pence approved for millions in coronavirus aid https://t.co/mRgO1zbuZ9 pic.twitter.com/KESmgVp4zx
— The Hill (@thehill) July 7, 2020
So weird!https://t.co/gjkzuUXMeR
— John Schindler (@20committee) July 7, 2020
One of the beneficiaries of the program, Rep. Mike Kelly of PA, issued a statement saying he had nothing to do with the application for PPP done by his dealerships and that the day-to-day operations for his businesses are handled by his son. Well, the son may be in charge of the businesses while the congressman serves, but I’ll bet you dollars to donuts Kelly had something to do with that loan for his businesses.
Meanwhile, a number of small businesses which applied for the program received nothing.
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