PLAINVIEW HERALD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2020 POLITICS PAGE 5A GOP TRUMP GOP worries Trump’s Trump donors among early recipients divisive June imperils of coronavirus loans Senate control BY BRIAN SLODYSKO AND NewsMax, which was approved for a With money still available, Con- ANGELIKI KASTANIS loan up to $5 million on April 13, the gress voted to extend the program just BY ALAN FRAM States. Associated Press data shows. NewsMax CEO Chris- as it was expiring, sett ing a new date Associated Press John Bolton, his former topher Ruddy has donated $525,000 of Aug. 8. national security adviser, WASHINGTON (AP) — As much to political committ ees supporting Th e public may never know the WASHINGTON (AP) released a book claim- as $273 million in federal coronavirus Trump, records show. He did not identity of more than 80% of the — President Donald ing Trump asked China’s aid was awarded to more than 100 respond to a request for comment. nearly 5 million benefi ciaries to Trump’s June began with president to buy more farm companies that are owned or operated Muy Brands, a San Antonio, Texas- date because the administration has his Bible-clutching photo products to bolster his by major donors to President Donald based company that operates Taco refused to release details on loans op outside a church aft er reelection. Trump also used Trump’s election eff orts, according to Bell, Pizza Hut and Wendy’s fran- under $150,000 — the vast majority authorities used chemicals the month to refuse to erase an Associated Press analysis of federal chises, was approved for a loan worth of borrowers. and batons to scatt er peace- Confederate commanders’ data. between $5 million and $10 million. Th at secrecy spurred an open- ful demonstrators. It never names from U.S. military Many were among the fi rst to be ap- Its owner, James Bodenstedt, has do- records lawsuit by a group of news got less jarring or divisive. bases, retweet an image of a proved for a loan in early April, when nated $672,570 to Trump since 2016, organizations, including the AP. By month’s end, he was Florida supporter shout- the administration was struggling to records show. Th e company did not Still, the release of the data is the downplaying a coronavirus ing, “White power!” and launch the lending program. And only respond to a request for comment. most complete look at the program’s pandemic upsurge that was question reports that Russia eight businesses had to wait until early Irving, Texas-based M Crowd Res- recipients so far. forcing Western and South- had placed bounties on U.S. May before securing the aid, accord- taurant Group, which owns 27 Texas And Trump donors aren’t the only ern states to thrott le back troops in Afghanistan. ing to the AP’s review of data released restaurants including the Mi Cocina people with ties to the president who their partial reopening of “Republican Senate can- Monday. chain, was approved for between $5 have benefi ted. businesses. And Republican didates will have to defend Th e Trump-connected companies million and $10 million. Ray Wash- Th e Joseph Kushner Hebrew Acad- strategists already straining things President Trump obtained the aid through the Paycheck burne, one of the company’s founders, emy in New Jersey, which is named to retain Senate control in says and does between now Protection Program, which extends a was vice chairman of the Trump Vic- aft er Trump’s son-in-law and adviser November’s elections were and Election Day,” said lifeline to small businesses struggling tory Committ ee in 2016 and donated Jared Kushner’s grandfather, was ap- conceding that Trump’s Rory Cooper, a Republican to navigate the pandemic. Fast-food $100,000 to the PAC last August. Th e proved for a loan in the range of $1 performance could make strategist and longtime chains like Muy Brands, oil and gas company did not respond to a request million to $2 million on April 5. Jared it harder to defend their Trump foe. Cooper said companies and white-collar fi rms were for comment. Kushner’s parents’ family founda- majority. many Trump positions “are all granted a slice of more than $659 “Th e PPP was a huge success and tion supports the school, NBC News One said key Republicans toxic to mainstream voters billion in low-interest business loans saved 51 million American jobs, reported. were telling Trump they’re and will make down-ballot that will be forgiven if the money including at Joe Biden’s old law fi rm Kasowitz Benson Torres, the law worried about his campaign Republican candidates is used on payroll, rent and similar and many companies associated with fi rm founded by Trump’s longtime and he should heed polls equally toxic.” expenses. Obama Administration alums,” said personal att orney Marc Kasowitz, was showing him in trouble. Trump’s June outbursts All told, the Trump supporters who Trump campaign spokeswoman approved for a loan worth between $5 Another pointed to surveys came as polls showed him run these companies have contributed Samantha Zager. “When the rent or million and $10 million. showing diminished public trailing presumptive Demo- at least $11.1 million since May 2015 mortgage was due, tens of millions of Transportation Secretary Elaine optimism and many voters’ cratic presidential nominee to Trump’s campaign committ ees, the Americans kept receiving paychecks Chao’s family’s business, Foremost views that Trump is poorly Joe Biden nationally and in Republican National Committ ee and thanks to President Trump’s leader- Maritime Co., was cleared for a loan managing the surging virus several batt leground states. America First Action, a super PAC ship.” valued between $350,000 and $1 and languishing economy. A Gallup poll released that has been endorsed by Trump, the Government watchdog groups say million. She is married to the Senate Still another said Republi- Monday showed Trump AP review found. Each donor gave at they have litt le faith in the adminis- majority leader, Mitch McConnell, cans worry the GOP brand with a dangerously low 38% least $20,000. tration conducting oversight of the R-Ky. of cutt ing taxes could be job approval rating. Th ere is no evidence the compa- program, noting Trump has ousted Broadcasting company Patrick overshadowed by Trump’s Trump trailed in nearly nies received favorable treatment as a numerous inspectors general and has Broadcasting, which is owned by drive to defend Confederate all 2016 surveys until late in result of their ties to Trump, and the broadly resisted eff orts to add trans- Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a fi rebrand monuments. that campaign. businesses account for just a fraction parency. conservative and former talk radio All spoke on condition Both parties envision of the overall spending under the “When you don’t have proper host, received a loan of $179,000, of anonymity to describe tight Senate races in closely program. safeguards, such as timely disclosure according to Patrick’s senior adviser internal GOP thinking, divided states where mod- But the distribution of relief money and eff ective inspectors general, then Sherry Sylvester. Patrick is the Texas and each said Republican erate suburban voters, who is coming under heightened scrutiny all these things look more suspicious chairman of Trump’s presidential prospects for holding the have abandoned the GOP aft er the Trump administration ini- and raise more questions,” said Larry campaign. Senate remain viable. Yet over Trump’s penchant for tially refused to reveal which compa- Noble, a former general counsel at the Th e money was used to cover the their willingness to discuss sowing discord, could be nies received loans, only to cave under Federal Election Commission. “When payroll and expenses of 13 employees. the problem, plus carefully key. Th ese include Sens. growing bipartisan pressure from you see these people gett ing assistance “Th e loan did not cover his salary, worded assessments by Cory Gardner of Colorado Congress. On Monday, the Treasury quickly and they have contributed to but he was able to save the jobs of all Republican senators and and Martha McSally of Department released the names of the campaign, then it is going to raise his employees, many of whom have others in the party, high- Arizona, oft en seen as their companies that received loans that questions.” been with him for decades,” Sylvester light GOP worries about a party’s most vulnerable were greater than $150,000, though Companies typically must have said. June that saw Trump feed incumbents. they didn’t release specifi c dollar fewer than 500 workers to qualify for ___ infl ammatory rhetoric to his Also facing competi- fi gures and instead gave ranges for the the Paycheck Protection Program. Kastanis reported fr om Los Angeles. deeply conservative base, tive reelections are GOP dollar value of the aid. About $130 billion was unclaimed as Associated Press writer Dee-Ann Durbin risking support from more Sens. Th om Tillis of North Among the recipients named the application deadline closed June in Ann Arbor, Michigan, contributed to moderate voters. Carolina, Susan Collins of Monday was the conservative website 30. this report. “In all elections, the po- Maine, Joni Ernst of Iowa litical environment shapes and Steve Daines of Mon- how things come out, tana. Both Georgia Repub- and sometimes you can’t lican senators, particularly said task force member Dr. today receive it, just 6% need invasive testing to tell control that,” No. 2 Senate Kelly Loeffl er, may see close Republican leader John races. Sen. Doug Jones of Lung Michael Barry of Massachu- according to one study the if it’s really a tumor -- and Th une of South Dakota said solidly Republican Alabama From Page 3A sett s General Hospital. task force cited. In con- occasionally those lung last week. He said GOP is considered Democrats’ Importantly, more wom- trast, 60% to 80% of those biopsies can cause serious, candidates “need to do what most endangered incum- heavier, older smokers. en and African Americans eligible for breast, colon or even fatal, complications, they need to do to win. And bent. If fi nalized, the new rec- would qualify, he said. cervical cancer screening in some states, he will be a Republicans must ommendations would make Lung cancer screening get checked. said Dr. Otis Brawley of benefi t in some parts of the defend 23 Senate seats to Johns Hopkins University, a country. In other parts of Democrats’ 12. But several about 15 million Americans is complicated -- not every One reason: When lung the country, less so.” Democratic challengers eligible for screening, nearly hospital is equipped to off er cancer screening fi nds an cancer expert not involved “It is the reason the presi- have posted strong fund- double today’s number, it -- and few of those eligible abnormality, people may with the task force. dent is sitt ing behind in the raising numbers this year, polls right now, because he including Amy McGrath can’t stay on a message that in Kentucky, Mark Kelly in is a unifi ed message and one Arizona and Sara Gideon that is a positive one for the in Maine. Democrat Jaime country,” Rick Santorum, a Harrison, waging an uphill former GOP Pennsylvania fi ght to topple three-term senator who challenged South Carolina GOP Sen. Trump for the party’s 2016 Lindsey Graham, said he’d presidential nomination, raised nearly $14 million said Tuesday on CNN’s over the past three months. “New Day.” To Democrats, June Republicans control the merely underscores how Senate 53-47. Democrats this fall’s presidential and must gain three seats to gain congressional elections the majority if they win the will be dominated by how White House because of the Trump is viewed by voters. vice president’s tie-breaking “I think to a signifi cant vote, four if they don’t. degree, this campaign is Even measured against about Donald Trump vs. the warp-speed news cycle Donald Trump. And I think now routine under Trump, Trump is losing,” said Sen. June was remarkable. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who He repeatedly used cata- lost a bid for this year’s clysmic language to deni- Democratic presidential grate nationwide protests nod. Keeping OUR Community Safe! for social justice, mostly Stewart Boss, spokesper- peaceful gatherings that he son of the Democratic Sen- cast as mobs unleashing atorial Campaign Commit- violence. He called for the tee, said GOP candidates U.S. military to “dominate” would be damaged because the streets of American they’ve been “unwilling cities, drawing rebukes from to be a check” on Trump. military leaders and his own Jesse Hunt, spokesperson current and former top De- for the National Republi- fense Department offi cials. can Senatorial Committ ee, He held his fi rst cam- said Republicans “are well paign rally in the coronavi- positioned to draw im- rus era in Tulsa, Oklahoma, portant contrasts” against where many in a modest Democrats. crowd that Trump aides Scott Reed, the U.S. said would be far larger Chamber of Commerce’s wore no masks. Critics senior political strategist, called him racially insensi- said Trump has enunciated tive for choosing a city “zero” about his second- that saw one of the 20th term agenda and should century’s worst spasms of correct that. He said he racial violence and origi- believes independent swing nally scheduling it on June voters abandoning Trump 19, date of the Juneteenth will be willing to back GOP holiday celebrating the end Senate candidates and ex- Visit www.plainviewtx.org/covid19 of slavery in the United pressed cautious optimism.