Before sending needed relief to millions of Americans and small businesses, the Biden Administration may want to consider barring some unworthy recipients from last year. In an exclusive investigation by the Associated Press, Catholic Church dioceses pocketed millions of taxpayer dollars in relief payments under the Paycheck Protection Program despite sitting on billions of dollars in available funds:
"As the pandemic began to unfold, scores of Catholic dioceses across the U.S. received aid through the Paycheck Protection Program while sitting on well over $10 billion in cash, short-term investments or other available funds, an Associated Press investigation has found. And despite the broad economic downturn, these assets have grown in many dioceses.
Yet even with that financial safety net, the 112 dioceses that shared their financial statements, along with the churches and schools they oversee, collected at least $1.5 billion in taxpayer-backed aid. A majority of these dioceses reported enough money on hand to cover at least six months of operating expenses, even without any new income." (our emphasis)
Holy scam! It gets worse:
"Overall, the nation’s nearly 200 dioceses, where bishops and cardinals govern, and other Catholic institutions received at least $3 billion. That makes the Roman Catholic Church perhaps the biggest beneficiary of the paycheck program, according to AP’s analysis of data the U.S. Small Business Administration released following a public-records lawsuit by news organizations." (our emphasis)
The Elmer Gantrys of the prosperity gospel sect have are pikers compared with these venal pros. They were clever (greedy?) enough to lobby for and receive an unprecedented exemption in last year's relief bill, a fact reported last summer by the AP. They're perfectly happy to accept Federal dollars at the same time they expect to be exempt from Federal laws (ACA, etc.).
Today's well sourced and detailed AP report will inevitably set off ridiculous accusations by the Church of media bias, etc. They got called out for their greed, diverting some $3 billion in aid to truly needy small businesses into their own hands, and if it happens again, shame on the Feds.
