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Congress Created Virus Aid, Then Reaped the Benefits

At least a dozen lawmakers have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to newly released government data, showing how Washington insiders were both authors and beneficiaries of one of the biggest government programs in U.S. history.

WASHINGTON (AP) — At least a dozen lawmakers have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to newly released government data, showing how Washington insiders were both authors and beneficiaries of one of the biggest government programs in U.S. history.

Under pressure from Congress and outside groups, the Trump administration this week disclosed the names of some loan recipients in the $659 billion Paycheck Protection Program, launched in April to help allegedly small businesses keep Americans employed during the pandemic. Connections to lawmakers, and the organizations that work to influence them, were quickly apparent.

Among businesses that received money was a California hotel partially owned by the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a shipping business started by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao's family. Chao is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

FILE - In this July 12, 2018, file photo Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, listens to testimony from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin during a hearing with the House Financial Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. At least 10 lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to government data released this week. Among businesses that received money was a car dealership owned by Williams. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Car dealerships owned by at least three Republican House members — Reps. Roger Williams of Texas, Vern Buchanan of Florida and Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania — received money. So did fast-food franchises owned by Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., a law firm owned by the husband of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and the former law firm of Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., which employs his wife.

Money also flowed to a farming and equipment business owned by the family of Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., and a regional casino company led by the husband of Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev.

Members of Congress and their families are not barred from receiving loans under the Paycheck Protection Program, and there is no evidence they received special treatment. Loans were granted to Democrats and Republicans alike, something President Trump's campaign mentioned when records showed donors to his campaign were among the earliest beneficiaries.

Hundreds of millions of dollars also flowed to political consultants, opposition research shops, law firms, advocacy organizations and trade associations whose work is based on influencing government and politics.

While voting, lobbying and benefiting from legislation are not illegal, advocates say the blurred lines erode public trust in the federal pandemic response as Congress begins debating yet another round of coronavirus relief.

"It certainly looks bad and smells bad," said Aaron Scherb, a spokesman for Common Cause, a watchdog group whose education arm was approved for a loan through the program. Members of Congress should not be allowed to vote on bills in which they can personally benefit, he said.

As of June 30, the Treasury Department program had handed out $521 billion to industries including manufacturing, construction, restaurants and hotels.

Treasury identified just a fraction of the borrowers Monday, naming only companies that got more than $150,000. Those firms made up less than 15% of the nearly 5 million companies and organizations that received assistance.

Many of the lawmakers connected to loan awards said they were not part of the application process.

A spokesman for Pelosi said her husband, Paul, is a minority investor in the company that owns El Dorado Hotel in the wine-country town of Sonoma, Calif. Paul Pelosi has an 8.1% stake in the company, valued at $250,000 to $500,000, Pelosi's office said.

"Mr. Pelosi is a minor, passive investor in this company," said the Democratic speaker's spokesman, Drew Hammill. "He was not involved in or even aware of this PPP loan." The firm, EDI Associates, is listed as a recipient of a loan between $350,000 and $1 million.

New York-based Foremost Maritime Co., founded by Chao's parents and run by her sister, was cleared for a loan valued between $350,000 and $1 million. McConnell, a Republican seeking reelection in Kentucky, said Tuesday: "Neither my wife, nor I, have anything to do with that business and didn't know anything about it."

The Shaheen & Gordon law firm in Dover, New Hampshire, got a loan of $1 million to $2 million. The firm is owned by Jeanne Shaheen's husband, William Shaheen. A title company partially owned by William Shaheen got a $160,000 loan and a half dozen companies he partially owns or another relative owns got loans of less than $150,000.

Jeanne Shaheen said she "was not involved in any way in applying for those loans nor do I have anything to do with their businesses, and Congress had no role in processing PPP applications.''

FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2019, file photo Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., listens during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. At least 10 lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to government data released this week. Among businesses that received money was a dealership owned by Kelly. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

Four car dealerships owned by Kelly received $600,000 to $1.4 million. Mike Kelly Automotive Group, Mike Kelly Automotive LP and Mike Kelly Hyundai and Kelly Chevrolet-Cadillac, all near Pittsburgh, received the money. A spokesman for Kelly said he was not part of the loan application and is not involved in the operations of the dealerships, in accordance with ethics rules.

Williams, who reported a net worth of over $27 million in 2018, received a loan for his Roger Williams Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership in Weatherford, Texas. Williams is president and CEO of JRW Corp. of Fort Worth, which is listed as receiving a loan of $1 million to $2 million. "Like every other company who accepted a small business loan, our business qualified under law and regulation, and today over 100 of our employees are grateful that we did,'' Williams said in a statement.

Buchanan, whose net worth is estimated at $74 million, received three loans for car dealerships, totaling $2.7 million to $7 million. He told the Tampa Bay Times that he hoped any eligible small business "would use the program to make sure their workers continued to get paid during this difficult period."

At least five car dealerships owned by the husband of Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., also received loans, each ranging from $350,000 to $1 million, the data show.

Other lawmakers, while distancing themselves from the loan process, sought to portray the PPP program as a success story.

Hern's Tulsa-based KTAK Corp., a management company for several McDonald's restaurants, received $1 million to $2 million. Hern is not involved in the day-to-day operations, but "he is happy to share that the family business was able to keep all employees either at their current level of employment or move part-time employees to full time," Hern's chief of staff, Cameron Foster, said. Four businesses owned by fellow Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., received at least $800,000.

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2019, file photo Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. At least 10 lawmakers and three congressional caucuses have ties to organizations that received federal coronavirus aid, according to government data released this week. A regional casino company led by the husband of Rep. Susie Lee received money. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

Full House Resorts, a Las Vegas-based casino company led by Lee's husband, Daniel, got two loans totaling $5.6 million, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company said the money would be used to rehire several hundred employees and prepare to reopen two casinos in Indiana and Colorado.

A spokesman said Tuesday that Lee did not know about the company's intention to apply for a loan when she and other Nevada lawmakers pushed for a rule change to allow small casinos to receive the loans. She had no influence over the application or any aspect of Full House's business or decision making, spokesman Jesus Espinoza said.

Two wineries tied to Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and an Iowa farm run by his family received loans worth at least $2 million. The wineries got separate loans worth $1 million to $2 million, and an Iowa dairy farm that is tied to his relatives received $150,000 to $350,000.


By MATTHEW DALY and BRIAN SLODYSKO

Categories / Business, Financial, Government

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