Thread by @SusanKBradford

More #Rethuglicans who cried foul on PPP loans got their own forgiveable loans, & even applied to have them forgiven!

GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne told WyoFile earlier in 2022 he regretted accepting fed agricultural subsidies totaling $109,000 for the yrs 2001-2005. #hypocrite

2/“Since then, I have learned that gov handouts are not for me,” the Wyoming GOP chair Eathorne said. “They don’t fit my political ideology. If a private business can’t remain in business on its own, it probably shouldn’t be asking for gov help.” 

#PPPLoanForgiveness

3/In January 2021, however, Eathorne was approved for a $20,883 PPP loan — the max amt that a sole proprietor or self-employed individual could borrow. The loan, taken out under his full name, “William Eathorne,” retained 1 job, according to the record.

#PPPLoans

4/PPP loans were designed to be forgiven, but forgiveness was not automatically given. It req’d a separate appl to either the SBA or the borrower’s lender that could be submitted once the entirety of the loan had been spent.

5/Eathorne had his loan fully forgiven in January of 2022 after applying through his lender, Converse County Bank in Douglas.

#WilliamEathorne #GOPHypocrisy

6/Similarly, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell had a PPP loan fully forgiven in Sept 2021. Rammell also received the max amt for a sole proprietor on account of Wyoming Veterinary Center, his animal clinic in Rock Springs.

#PPPLoanForgiveness

7/Additionally, Rammell received a $50,000 grant thru a federally funded state program meant to provide immediate pandemic relief to businesses that lost revenue due to COVID-19 local or state gov health orders.

#GOPHypocrisy

8/This year, Rammell has campaigned for governor on a platform to remove the fed gov from WY’s dealings, both by rejecting funding & by taking over federally managed land. Rammell reiterated his political opposition to fed gov assistance at a gubernatorial debate in Riverton,…

9/where he trumpeted his allegiance to free-market capitalism.

“I want ppl to attend to their resp for their own lives,” he said. “I want them to be prepared for whatever situation, & the last thing that the ppl of WY shld do is get more addicted to federal💰.”

10/Granted, Rammell lost the WY primary for gov, but he’s still got some “splainin to do” esp in light of his own statements— abt living off the gov teet — bec his loans were forgiven too & u have to APPLY for that! #RammellPPPLoanHypocracy how much did he get from PPP?

11/Some of the discussion on fed gov spending has taken a turn for the ugly this campaign season. In June, Rep. Pat Sweeney (R-Casper) was heckled during a candidate forum in Casper when he said he would not be in favor of eliminating federal 💵 from WY’s budget. Ironic bec…

12/“I understand the anger at the fed gov,” Sweeney told WyoFile. “But in reality, it can’t work that way,” referring to Wyoming’s 🏫 , 🏥 & NH which he said would cease to function w/out fed funding.

13/Both Sweeney & his primary opponent, Bill Allemand, are involved w private businesses that received PPP loans.

But Allemand took a diff tack at the June forum. Along w several other House candidates, Allemand said WY shld not accept any funding from the fed gov &…

14/ironically… he said, as a lawmaker he would vote according to that political ideology. Allemand owns & operates a 🛻 company out. When his 1st PPP loan was approved — April 8, 2020 — oil demand was sinking.

15/In WY, there were 230 confirmed cases of COVID-19 & a public health order closed public spaces such as 🏫, restaurants & gyms.

In order to survive what the gov was “doing to me” (w no closure mandates in WY only mask requirements), I did choose to use the PPP,” Allemand said

16/Allemand’s loans, totaling abt $70,000, were fully forgiven & his 🛻 company remains in business. Still, Allemand faults the feds. “The fed gov, who is to take care of this nation, failed,” Allemand said.

#ironyistrulydead #PPPLoanForgiveness

17/In April 2022, Harriet Hageman told WY Public Radio she decided to run for fed office instead of pursue another bid at the governor’s seat bec of “overspending” by Congress during the pandemic. Some of the spending that came WY’s way, however, buoyed her husband …

18/John Sundahl’s law firm as well as several of her family members’ agricultural ventures, incl 4 relatives on her statewide campaign team. The bulk of those 5 loans amounted to about $130,000 & retained 14 jobs. All were fully forgiven.

19/Hageman’s campaign declined to answer WyoFile’s questions. In an email, Hageman campaign advisor Tim Murtaugh characterized WyoFile’s inquiry as “political nonsense & journalistic malpractice.”

#Hypocrisy

20/Two of Hageman’s Republican opponents in the race for WY’s lone seat in the US House also received fed assistance thru PPP loans — Robyn Belinskey ($7,936) & Sen. Anthony Bouchard of Cheyenne ($25,000).

21/During a House debate in June, Belinskey & Bouchard were critical of fed spending when asked abt Pres Biden’s infrastructure law. Belinskey called it “gov overreach. Bouchard used his resp time to say he 🗳 against the bill in the WY Legislature used to appropriate ARAP funds.

22/“It’s a carrot that has a stick,” Bouchard said.

Bouchard’s PPP loan was for a septic services co. According to his lawmaker financial disclosure form, Bouchard is involved w the company in a directorship capacity.

23/However, the lawmaker told WyoFile the company belongs to his wife, Billie Jean, & she’s resp for taking out the loan. According to secretary of state records, a BJ Bouchard is president/director of the company.

Bouchard is a 🤥 🤥 👖 on 🔥

24/A federally backed loan from a private lender is different from other federal government spending, according to Bouchard. The senator abruptly ended a 📱interview bef WyoFile could get further clarification.

Ironic Bouchard lost his bid for Congress by ALOT! So did Belinsky!

25/Bouchard was not alone in his statehouse stand against ARPA. In the Senate, 6 other lawmakers 🗳 against the final passage of the bill on 3rd reading — 4 of which are involved to various degrees w businesses that received PPP 💵.

#PPPLoanForgiveness

26/They incl Sens. Bo Biteman (R-Ranchester), Cale Case (R-Lander), Troy McKeown (R-Gillette) & Tara Nethercott (R-Cheyenne).  

“I am not an opponent of fed funds or I wouldn’t be supporting MED expansion,” Case said. The lawmaker owns & operates a restaurant & 🏨 in Lander,

27/which took big hits early on in the pandemic, he said. But PPP loans, totaling $296,000, helped him retain 38 employees, most of which he was initially forced to lay off. 
Case said he 🗳against ARPA bill bec he was concerned abt inflation & short-term nature of its infusion.

28/but that didn’t 🛑 him from taking some for himself, aye? But I digress… moving on…

“The real problem in WY is that the ARPA funding disguised problems w our revenue structure & let us kick the can down the road w/out dealing w our serious structural deficit,” Case said.

29/Nethercott told WyoFile she wldnt have opposed the bill had the 🗳 bn closer.🤔“It wasn’t anything to do with, ‘we shouldn’t be taking these fed funds’ bec we’re in no position to deny them,” Nethercott said. Instead, her 🗳 was in protest of what had been left out of the bill

30/McKeown said it was a difficult decision to apply for PPP loans for his 2 grocery stores in Wright & Gillette, but he did so “to protect the livelihood of 38 employees & their families.” The opposition to the ARPA bill, however, was more pronounced down the hall in the chamber

31/Senate File 66 – 🇺🇸 rescue plan act recovery funds appropriations laid out how the state would spend some of the $1B-plus WY rec’d thru ARPA. Ultimately the bill passed both chambers & a jt conf committee, but not bef a grp of Republicans initiated a symbolic challenge.

32/During the 3rd reading of the bill, Rep. Bill Fortner (R-Gillette) brought an amendment to delete the enactment clause — a parliamentary maneuver that, if passed, would have killed the bill.

“There’s nothing free. Nothing comes without a price & we’re paying a huge price …

33/in WY every time we buy into 1 of these gov progs,” Fortner said on the House floor.

Fortner withdrew the amendment but several spoke in favor of it & 18 reps ultimately 🗳 against the passage of the spending bill on 3rd reading.

34/Of those 18, half own or are involved w private businesses or nonprofits that relied on fed 💵 to survive the pandemic, incl: Reps. Fortner, Ocean Andrew (R), Mark Baker (R), John Bear (R), Chuck Gray (R), Jeremy Haroldson (R), Christopher Knapp (R) & Rachel Rodriguez-Wms (R)

35/Bear, who owns & operates a dry-cleaning business in Gillette, also said the decision to take on fed loans was challenging. His business received abt $81,000 in PPP funds plus $36,000 thru a federally funded WY Business Council grant.

So again, irony is truly dead.

36/At the onset of the pandemic, Bear kept his business open & 14 ppl employed by pivoting. The business advertised laundry services for overworked 1st responders & clean bedding for those infected w the virus. But that didn’t last & business dried up, Bear said.

37/“We could have laid our employees off & closed our doors,” the hypocrite said. “We chose to provide confidence to our employees who depend on us for a secure living by offering them a reduced level of work but a consistent level of pay.

“We utilized CARES Act 💵 to do that.”

38/Still, Bear doesn’t see his political views at odds with his use of federal dollars for his private business dealings. The PPP loans are distinct from other forms of federal government assistance, he said. 

How VERY politically convenient for him. #PPPLoanForgiveness

39/there’s tons more irony in this article. Please read the rest.

#tethuglicans are complete hypocrites!

Some characters were shortened or made emojis to accommodate the 280 character limits on twitter. Any name calling was ME!

wyofile.com/ppp-loan-recor…

And then there’s more hypocrisy

thebrick.house/gop-reps-who-v…