More Money-Grubbing [PHIL-OSOPHY]

Planned Parenthood could be facing a Department of Justice investigation.

Thirty-seven Planned Parenthood affiliates applied for and were granted $80 million dollars in emergency funding, and that is causing clashes in Washington. The CARES Act allows nonprofits to be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program, but only if they and their affiliate organizations have no more than 500 employees. Planned Parenthood has 16,000 employees. How can anyone call this a small business?

The way I understand it, the Paycheck Protection Program was created by Congress in a rush to provide relief for small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. Just recently, Harvard returned the money they applied for and received after public humiliation, and I believe Planned Parenthood, which sits on $2 billion in revenue and $2.3 billion in assets, should also turn back the $80 million because these federal dollars were designed to protect small businesses, not monstrosities.

Twenty-seven senators have asked Attorney General William Barr to investigate because, according to the lawmakers, Planned Parenthood knew it was ineligible for the loans under the CARES Act before the affiliates fraudulently self-certified that they were eligible. Planned Parenthood's comeback is to blame President Trump. They say this is all politically motivated and the Trump Administration is using a public health crisis to advance its agenda and to distract from its own failures in protecting the public from the spread of COVID-19. You know, the usual running off at the mouth.

It's depressing to think Planned Parenthood got funding while actual small businesses were left in the dust. Planned Parenthood has to get the message that taxpayers weren't born with a silver spoon in our mouths. Give back the money.

Phil Paleologos is the host of The Phil Paleologos Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Contact him at phil@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @PhilPaleologos. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.