The $700+ billion federal stimulus represented a massive pot of money. Given that kind of honey pot, it was inevitable that the politicians would direct some of it to their friends. The RGF’s investigative reporter, Jim Scarantino, has found an interesting confluence of political connections and federal stimulus money as it relates to one Albuquerque bar.
Update: Steve Haro, Rep. Heinrich’s chief of staff, states that Heinrich’s office had no communications with the Small Business Administration regarding O’Niell’s Irish Pub and that the bar did not request Rep. Heinrich’s assistance in obtaining the loan. Haro said Heinrich’s office has no record of any correspondence, e-mails or telephone calls on the subject.