Florida Democratic Party gives back PPP loan after backlash from Florida Democratic lawmakers

WASHINGTON –– The Florida Democratic Party announced Wednesday it would return a federal loan it received under a program designed to give relief to small businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic following a backlash from several Florida Democratic lawmakers.

Records released Monday by the Small Business Administration and the Treasury Department show the Florida Democratic Party received between $350,000 and $1 million through the Paycheck Protection Program to keep 100 jobs.

The Florida Democratic Party said in a statement it had applied for a loan out of concern about maintaining its payroll and workers but the application's approval had been a "mistake."

"The bank, the loan processor and agents of the Small Business Association approved the funding, " the party said. "It now seems they made a mistake in approving the funding so we are volunteering to return it."

Several Democratic members of the Florida House of Representatives and Senate had taken to Twitter earlier Wednesday to criticize their own party for getting a loan.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo said the state party had fundraising options that small businesses lacked, saying the party "should promptly return the $$," and state Sen. Annette Taddeo said she was "appalled" by the state party's decision to get a loan.

State Rep. Anna Eskamami replied to an Orlando Sentinel columnist's critique of the party for receiving a loan, writing "political parties should be helping small businesses get PPP not helping themselves to it."

The names of over 660,000 businesses that received more than $150,000 and up to the $10 million maximum were made public on Monday. The loans, which were intended to help businesses cover losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, are forgiven if they are used for payroll, rent, utility costs or mortgage interest. For the loan to be forgiven, SBA rules require that 60% be used for payroll costs.

Records showed that businesses linked to lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate were among those who received loans, though spokespeople for the lawmakers stressed their distance from the daily operations of their businesses.

The Ohio Democratic Party also received a loan under the program, which the records showed was between $150,000 and $350,000. The state party did not report how many jobs were retained as a result of the loan.

The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported the party received $333,867 from the SBA on May 6.

More: Auto dealers, restaurants with ties to lawmakers were among the firms that got PPP loans: Treasury/SBA data

More: Devin Nunes' winery, yacht clubs, a resort in West Virginia owned by its governor – here's who got PPP loans

Ohio Democratic Party spokesperson Kirstin Alvanitakis told USA TODAY the party had no plans to return the money and that the party used the loan as it was originally intended.

The loan was used to "ensure our entire team continued to work and earn a paycheck and retain their health coverage during an unprecedented public health crisis," Alvanitakis said.

No state Republican parties appeared to have received a loan, but conservative advocacy groups like Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform received a loan between $150,000 and $350,000.

The Women's National Republican Club in New York City received a loan between $350,000 and $1 million according to the filings. Although the club is not officially affiliated with a Republican Party organization, the club, which bills itself on its website as the "oldest national club for Republican women and the only one to provide its members with a Clubhouse," says its members "work closely" with the Republican Party.

The club disclosed it retained 64 jobs by receiving the loan.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida Democratic party gives back PPP loan after lawmaker backlash