WASHINGTON – More than 40 public companies are pledging to return money to the government's small business coronavirus fund now that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is threatening criminal prosecutions for violating the rules of the program.
The administration has given companies until May 14 to give back money without penalty. It's a key test for President Donald Trump's administration as it tries to ensure the $600 billion-plus emergency lending program helps small employers preserve jobs in an economy shedding them at a staggering rate.
The challenge is considerable. The Small Business Administration is pushing out unprecedented federal assistance at a rapid clip, but the pace of the program has raised questions about how thoroughly