Members of Congress may have benefited from small business funds, and government watchdogs are warning that the program appears susceptible to fraud.
by Peter Suderman
Reason.com
When President Donald Trump was asked in April if it was appropriate for large companies and institutions like Harvard to receive funds from coronavirus relief bills, he responded by insisting that he, at least, hadn’t benefited. “Well, I know one thing: I didn’t get any. That’s for sure. I didn’t get any,” he said.
Members of Congress appear to be a different story.
At least four representatives—two Republicans and two Democrats—have what Politico describes as “close ties” to businesses that have received federal relief funds, meaning that the companies are run by or employ members of their families. As Politico notes, there are likely more beneficiaries in Congress, but a lack of transparency in how the funds are being disbursed makes it impossible to know for sure.