Sen. Durbin says his son was a victim of PPP fraud, calls for more oversight of federal COVID-19 funds
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Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., pushed for more federal oversight of COVID-19 relief funds on Monday, saying that his own family was victim to fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program. Durbin stated that he believed that a lot was stolen and wasted.
“I have a family example where my son was accused of defaulting on a $140,000 PPP loan for the Durbin construction company. He said that there is no Durbin construction firm. “Somebody had stolen his identity and secured [a] $140,000 loan. “
Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, during a hearing in Washington, D.C., US, on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
(Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Fraud related to PPP loans could be upwards of $100 billion, Department of Justice Inspector General and Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Chair Michael Horowitz told Fox News earlier this year. Durbin’s family was revealed during a discussion on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flying 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last week, which the Washington Post first reported was done using federal COVID-19 funds.
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The American Rescue Plan set aside about $350 billion for states and local governments through the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund. Interest on earnings associated with Florida’s share of those funds, about $12 million, were appropriated to the Department of Transportation to implement a “program to facilitate the transport of unauthorized aliens from this state consistent with federal law. “
“The legislature gave me $12 million,” DeSantis said at a press conference on Friday. “We’re going spend every penny to protect the people of Florida. “
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Sen. Durbin called the flights to Martha’s Vineyard a “political stunt.”
“He’s moving people from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard. This money should be used for at least the benefit of Floridaans and for a noble purpose. “
Fox News’ Kelly Phares contributed to this report.
Paul Best is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Paul.best@fox.com and on Twitter: @KincaidBest.
I have been writing professionally for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional elements that affect people. I’m an experienced ghostwriter and editor, as well as an award-winning author of five novels.
