Amy McGrath Criticizes Paycheck Protection Program as Her Consultants Benefited From It

Reagan McCarthy | July 08, 2020 1:10 PM

Democratic Senate candidates criticize the Trump administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) but have benefited from the loan program in various respects.

Democrats’ newly-minted Senate nominee in Kentucky, Amy McGrath, said that the monumental forgivable loan program, one that delivered relief to small businesses across America, does not go far enough. The Senate hopeful even said took issue with members of Leader McConnell’s “already-super-wealthy” family receiving PPP loans:

(2/4) But let's be clear, the original bill didn’t go far enough on protections for our workers, help for our hospitals, or ensuring accountability in how relief is administered.
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) March 26, 2020

Now that Sen. McConnell's already-super-wealthy family got its taxpayer-funded financial relief, how about making sure that regular (i.e. not wealthy) folks get their unemployment extended and state & local gov'ts get some help so that they aren't forced to lay off vital workers? https://t.co/kywBSGHSJD
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) July 7, 2020

McGrath gives former Vice President Biden a run for his money with her infamous gaffes, but this criticism is particularly hypocritical. FEC filings show that McGrath’s digital, advertising and direct mail consultants all benefited from the PPP loan program. The New Politics Leadership Academy (NPLA), where McGrath was a fellow, also received loans from the program:

“Almost every word that escapes Amy McGrath’s mouth is a vacant Washington Democrat concocted untruth that her consultants believe will fool Kentuckians,” said Leader McConnell’s Campaign Spokeswoman, Katharine Cooksey. “The truth is that the Paycheck Protection Program saved thousands of jobs in Kentucky and across the country, and if anyone should know it’s Amy whose former employer and campaign vendors took the same loans.”

The program passed through the Senate on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis, but McGrath will take any avenue possible to attack Leader McConnell. This one is a swing-and-a-miss.