Lederman Bail Bonds Took $357K PPP Bailout

After my morning chiding, Pat Powers wakes from his slumber to grumble that the Billie Sutton Leadership Institute and Troy Heinert both took Paycheck Protection Program funds.

But clearly, Billie’s program has fallen on bad times, and has been endangered by COVID.. because he found it necessary to apply for a paycheck protection program loan from the SBA.

…If you’re not familiar with the terms of the loan, according to the SBA, “the Paycheck Protection Program is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll” and “SBA will forgive loans if all employee retention criteria are met, and the funds are used for eligible expenses.”

What service does Billie Sutton’s Leadership program provide that’s worth being bailed out with a loan that’s going to likely turn into a cash handout? I’m not sure. But I have no doubt the question will come up at a later date.

[Pat Powers, “Taxpayers Had to Bail out Billie Sutton? Billie Sutton Leadership Institute, Dem Senate Leader Receive PPP Loans,” Dakota War College, 2020.12.09].

Sutton received $17,800; Heinert, $9,200.

Powers makes it sound like taking coronavirus relief dollars signals some moral failing.

I’m surprised Pat wants to go down this road. But o.k.:

Clearly, South Dakota Republican Party Chairman Dan Lederman has fallen on bad times and has been endangered by coronavirus… because he found it necessary to apply for a paycheck protection program loan from the SBA:

According to SearchPPP.com, a website that bills itself as the “Covid Bailout Tracker,” Lederman Bonding Company, Lederman’s family business in Waterloo, Iowa (yes, Lederman’s business is based in Iowa, but he runs South Dakota’s GOP—go figure), needed $357,000 to protect itself from economic devastation amidst coronavirus.

What, Dan—did the Saudis stop cutting you checks?

Among the many agents whom Lederman employs as 1099 contractors to avoid the taxing burden of calling them employees is none other than Pat Powers, who peddles Lederman’s services to victims of the SDGOP police state in Brookings under Lederman Bonding Company’s fictitious name of Speedy Release Bail Bonds:

What service does Dan Lederman’s bail bonds program provide that’s worth being bailed out with a loan that’s going to likely turn into a cash handout? Keeping Pat Powers from panhandling? Did Pat partake of any of Dan’s bailout money? I’m not sure. But I have no doubt the question will come up at a later date.

Related Reading: If Pat decides to atone for his sin of hypocrisy, he may find a cranky ear at his Catholic confessional: South Dakota’s two Catholic Dioceses got $654,615 in PPP loans; the Sioux Falls diocese’s Catholic Family Services got another $40,850; and the Sioux Falls Catholic Schools Corporation needed a $3.11 million PPP bailout…

…Not that there’s anything wrong with taking PPP dollars… but—forgive me, Father, but I’m not the one who insinuated there is.

Full Disclosure: My daughter and dog are kept fed in part by income from Presentation College, which received $1.58 million from the PPP, and from income from Zion Lutheran Church of Aberdeen, which received $57,900. I thank the federal government for supporting Zion’s employees and families… and I invite all of you readers to search SearchPPP.com to find all the people and organizations you care about who have been kept afloat this year by our collective action through government to protect each other.

Further Federal Friendliness: Governor Kristi Noem was able to escort two of her children to out-of-state private colleges thanks in part to $56,100 in PPP money received by Noem Insurance, Inc., of Bryant.