PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A federal program criticized by Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon for helping special interests provided a forgivable loan of between $1 million and $2 million to the law firm where her husband works, according to data released by the Small Business Administration on Monday. Other legislative leaders from both parties also benefited.
— Senate Republican leader Dana Dow’s furniture store in Waldboro received assistance of between $150,000 and $350,000, the SBA said. He’s listed as an owner while his wife and two dependents work at the store, according to a state disclosure form. Dow said the loan allowed him to keep his workforce employed for eight weeks when revenues were down by two-thirds.
— Assistant Senate GOP leader Jeffrey Timberlake received assistance of $150,000 to $350,000 for each of two businesses, Ricker Hill Farms Inc. and Richard Hill Orchards Inc, both in Turner.
— Senate Democratic leader Nate Libby is a paid consultant to Community Concepts Inc. in his hometown, Lewiston. Community Concepts received loans of between $1 million and $2 million.
The data shows entities from schools like Maine Maritime Academy and Waynflete School to breweries like Allagash Brewing Co. and Bissell Brothers to hoteliers like The Olympia Companies and Migis Hotel Group LLC received loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, designed to help businesses during the pandemic.
Most of the state’s biggest law firms including Lewiston-based Berman & Simmons, which employs Gideon’s husband, sought help under the program, according to the SBA.
Gideon criticized the program, co-sponsored by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, saying it benefited large corporations and special interests, not just smaller businesses it was intended to help. Gideon is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins in November.
“From when this crisis began, Sara has been clear that this is a time when Washington needs to put politics aside and do what’s best for workers and small businesses, not large corporations and the special interest,” said Maeve Coyle, Gideon’s communications director. She noted than more than 400 law firms received help under the program.
Collins’ office noted that the SBA concluded that nearly 80% of estimated small business payroll was covered by the loans in Maine. Notably, a hardware business run by Collins’ brothers, S.W. Collins in Caribou, returned its loans without using them.
“The Paycheck Protection Program has been a lifeline to small businesses and their employees during the pandemic,” Collins said last week when the program’s deadline was extended.
All told, Maine entities received more than 27,000 loans worth about $2.2 billion in Maine, according to the SBA.
On Monday, the SBA released the names of businesses receiving loans over $150,000, or less than 20% of all recipients.
