Dallas megachurch that hosted Pence approved for millions in coronavirus aid

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Hill

A Dallas megachurch that hosted Vice President Pence last month amid the coronavirus pandemic was approved for millions of dollars in federal aid.

First Baptist Dallas was approved for a forgivable loan worth $2 million to $5 million, according to data released by the Small Business Administration (SBA) on Monday.

Pence spoke at the church last month at an event dubbed “Celebrate Freedom Rally” with a crowd of 2,000 people. The church has a maximum capacity of about 3,000.

Its pastor, Robert Jeffress, has also been on President Trump’s evangelical advisory board, Reuters noted..

-snip-

Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/finance/506151-dallas-megachurch-that-hosted-pence-approved-for-millions-in-coronavirus-aid

[BBG]

1. WTF?

What does a church need assistance for?

[Bayard]

2. WTF?!

This money was supposed to keep small businesses afloat--not go to presumably non-profit religious organizations! Is every church in the land getting this funding now? How about the non-Christian ones?

[William Seger]

3. The instant they applied for the loan, they admitted being a business

Last edited Tue Jul 7, 2020, 11:33 AM - Edit history (1)

... and should have lost their tax-exempt status. Taxpayers shouldn't have to keep tax dodgers afloat.

[KPN]

9. THIS.

[bobbieinok]

4. In early 40s SoBaptists boasted that they NEVER took 'government money'.

They said you had to really watch the Catholics, because they were always trying to get government money for their schools and hospitals. SoBaptists would NEVER do that!

Boy, I'd sure like to hear and see those SoBaptist preachers of my childhood when they learned the minister of a major SBC church was taking GOVERNMENT MONEY!

[patphil]

5. The key phrase here is "forgivable loan"

If forgiven, it turns into a gift.
My guess is it will be forgiven. The "pastor" is a big time Trump supporter, and this is essentially a kickback for that support; using taxpayer money to boot.

It's a clever way to get around the separation of church and state, and is probably illegal. But, that has never stopped Trump.

[keithbvadu2]

6. Religion and politics use each other to gain power and wealth.

[cstanleytech]

7. Churches are religious institutions not small businesses.

[rockfordfile]

8. This s should be investigated

[KPN]

10. This infuriates me. Every day I am infuriated by some blatantly corrupt action taken by

this administration. And every day I think, we Dems have to put this on a list of perfidious MF45/GOP acts that we must give priority to investigating, prosecuting and holding offenders accountable wherever possible, and then reversing or legislating away. The list is overwhelming. .... I fear it is too overwhelming and we consequently live with some of it for decades. But my biggest fear is we hold no one significant accountable and mistakenly move on "for the good of the nation".

[DENVERPOPS]

12. Couldn't agree more KPN

the entirety of their corruption is staggering and I bet we know a thousandth of what is going on in this direction......

It is truly like "open season" on the constitution and Rule of Law...............total lawlessness.........

[keithbvadu2]

11. Wonder if Jeffress/Pence ever said anything about Trump before the election?

Wonder if Jeffress/Pence ever said anything about Trump before the election?

Did they praise his witnessing for Christianity?

[not_the_one]

13. Can we say BRIBERY? I thought we could.

A 2 to 5 million $ loan that is forgivable (aka FREE MONEY), meant for SMALL businesses, given to the fundigelicals and their MEGAchurch (who are tax-free because they are OF THE GAWD), for purchasing a campaign site/platform, and to ensure the votes of the religious greedy.

They are getting desperate, and aren't even trying to hide their graft and corruption.

Biden needs to have someone researching all these scams by the turd to his donors, supporters, sycophants, FAMILY members. It would make one hell of a campaign ad, that the citizens would understand.

Start by explaining "the emoluments clause", then list all the ways the turd is cramming tax payer dollars into his OWN personal pockets, or using for the bribing of individuals, groups, companies, politicians.

Given sufficient education of the issue, the majority of Americans are NOT stupid. We can recognize a con-artist from a mile away. But we can be gullible. That is why we are such rich "marks". You have to spell it out, and we will "grok". (Robert Heinlein - Stranger In A Strange Land, to understand on all levels)

[LiberalLovinLug]

14. Why would any church need millions of dollars?

With no need to pay taxes, if any church cannot survive on the donations of its members, then it simply can't go on. If it can't get enough members to support a reasonable salary for its pastoral family, pay utility bills, and structural upkeep, then why should it exist?