New ads from Youngkin and Sears speaks out against government relief spending after accepting two PPP loans for her business
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Sears speaks out against government relief spending after accepting two PPP loans for her business
by Brandon Jarvis
Winsome Sears has spoken out against government relief programs while on the trail for her lieutenant governor campaign, but records show that the company she owns has received over $100,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) federal relief funds since the pandemic began.
At a recent event for Republican House candidate Harold Pyon, Sears commented on Democratic leadership and government relief funds. “This is what you get,” Sears said when talking about Democrats in control of the government. “There’s not a tax they've not seen they don't like. Anything to separate us from our money because they want to help us. No, I don't want your help. We've got to do things differently."
Sears, however, received a first PPP loan for $55,900 in April of 2020 and a second loan for $46,267 in March of this year for her business, Shenandoah Appliance Plumbing & Electric.
PPP loans were established by the 2020 CARES ACT with the intention of helping businesses keep their workforce employed during a time when it was difficult for most businesses to remain open with COVID-19 restrictions in place.
In a statement to Virginia Scope, Sears blamed the government for creating the situation of businesses needing help to pay employees. "The government created the PPP when it shutdown private businesses and employees lost income. Therefore, the government needs to at least attempt to make whole those it injured,” Sears said on Sunday. “PPP would not have been necessary if the government let businesses and employees make the decisions that were right for them.”
The federal government has given out more than 225,000 PPP loans totaling $18.1 billion since the program began last year. As long as certain guidelines are followed by the companies who receive the loan, they will not have to be paid back. According to ProPublica, Sears’ first PPP loan has already been forgiven in full.
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Statement of Virginia House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert on the Fall of Afghanistan
House Republican Leader Todd Gilbert issued the following statement:
"The images from Afghanistan over the past 48 hours are horrifying. Innocent civilians attempting to flee 7th century barbarians, some so desperate to escape that they tried to cling to American military aircraft as they departed. They know the Taliban, and they know what is coming. Near certain death was preferable.
"We can disagree over the conduct of the war, and when it should have ended, but there is near universal agreement that we should not have abandoned those who risked all to help our troops. Our Commonwealth is only one state out of 50, and there is little we can do to influence events overseas. But we can help those who have reached safety on Virginia soil.
"I call on Governor Northam to do everything in his power to support the interpreters and other refugees who risked everything for us and who have found safety at Fort Lee. We should put the full weight of state government behind an effort to begin to repay our debt to these brave people.
"Further, I call on every Virginian to support those veterans who have been forced to watch the sacrifice they and their comrades in arms so valiantly gave vanish before their eyes. Rest assured, the fault here is that of the suits in D.C., not the boots on the ground. You accomplished your mission, and we will always stand behind you.
"Finally, I call on the Governor, Terry McAuliffe, and anyone else with the ability to reach President Biden to encourage him to not only take responsibility for this disaster, but also to lay out plans to ensure that all Americans and our allies are evacuated safely. This failure need not be total and complete. It is never too late to do the right thing."
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