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Covid relief funds through local coverage
This week, the Small Business Administration released data on the companies that received loans through the Paycheck Protection Program, which was meant to keep small businesses afloat during the pandemic. The list of recipients includes chains, foreign-owned firms and companies connected to members of Congress and other politicians.
- The Montana Free Press reported that a religious sect with an apocalypse fixation received $350,000 to $1 million. About 30 years ago, the Church Universal and Triumphant built a mass of fallout shelters, and a series of its members were arrested on weapons charges. A Vice story from 2015 said the group “centered around Elizabeth Clare Prophet, who believed herself a reincarnation of Marie Antoinette and Guinevere who could channel a pantheon of saints that included Jesus, Hercules, and Shiva. Pictures show a woman with a perm and a dead-eyed grin—perhaps the most homespun-looking doomsday cult leader of all time.”
- From The Providence Journal: A subsidiary of Austria-based Swarovski Group received a loan worth $1 to $2 million.
- Two Congressmen from Oklahoma – Reps. Markwayne Mullin and Kevin Hern – own businesses that received loans through the relief program. Hern argued in favor of increasing relief funds given to franchises before his company, which manages a McDonald’s franchise, received a loan of $1 to $2 million.
- Conservative think tanks in Washington state, Oklahoma and elsewhere received loans in spite of positions against government spending. In Seattle, the Washington Policy Center received $350,000 to $1 million through the loan program after previously reporting a policy against accepting government funds.
- Local newspapers also took part in the program. In Montana, several dozen papers were awarded money, including the Yellowstone Newspapers chain, which received between $350,000 and $1 million.
New from Big If True
Some civil courts are turning to online negotiation as a way to save time and money. But this seemingly uncontroversial tool has garnered criticism from consumer advocates, legal aid attorneys and creditors that file debt collection lawsuits.
This week, I wrote about how this tool is replicating problems found in civil courts, and there are no standards to tell if these programs are working.
The New Mexico Legislature has given $550,000 to the state’s online negotiation program, which led to just 22 agreements over nine months.
On our podcast:
- Far-right extremists called the Boogaloo Bois have gained national attention, but are they really a movement? We spoke with Cassie Miller of the Southern Poverty Law Center about how the pandemic galvanized the Boogaloo Bois.
- Facebook is basically a giant surveillance company, creating a chilling effect for employees who may want to reach out to reporters with concerns. We spoke with tech journalist Jacob Silverman, who recently wrote about what it’s like to cover Facebook, a company known to lie to reporters.
Thank you for reading Hard Reset. If you like what we do, consider supporting Big If True. We’re a nonprofit, and we can’t do this without you.
Send me feedback, questions and tips: bryant@bigiftrue.org and 405-990-0988.
– Mollie Bryant