Thread by @reveal

1/ The first $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program was supposed to help small businesses hurt most by #COVID19.

But that’s not what happened.

@Aaron_Glantz + @soo_oh analyzed 1.6M loans. Some takeaways: revealnews.org/article/bailou…

2/ Only 15% of small businesses in California got help, even though the state implemented America’s first stay-at-home order, which shuttered businesses the longest. Only 18% of businesses in NY and NJ got help, even though they’re at the epicenter of the pandemic.

3/ In those two states alone, more than 350,000 people have been infected and more than 20,000 have died. Both had early shelter-in-place orders.

4/ We talked to a Brooklyn restaurant owner. She furloughed all 42 workers when her restaurants were forced to close.

While she was in bed with 102 degree fever, her business partner applied for aid.

They never received an answer from their banks or @SBAgov.

You know where it was easy to get Paycheck Protection Program money? North Dakota!

Nearly 60% of small businesses there got help. Also, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Arkansas.

None of those states have stay-at-home orders.

You know what else those states have in common? They all voted for @realDonaldTrump in 2016.

In fact, small businesses in states that voted for Trump got more help on average than those that voted for @HillaryClinton.

7/ Rep. @JackieSpeier is calling for a probe into Paycheck Protection Program disbursements by the @USGAO, the investigative arm of Congress.

“If it is as it appears, it is downright criminal. So there has to be an investigation,” she says.

8/ On Thursday, Congress voted to put $310 billion more into this program but did not change the way the program is set up.

That means that the same pattern could repeat again.