Southern California Public Radio filed suit Tuesday in Los Angeles against the U.S. Small Business Administration, seeking disclosure, under the Freedom of Information Act, of records that would reveal the names of all Paycheck Protection Program loan recipients and the amount of their loans.
The radio network, which includes Pasadena-based public radio station KPCC-FM (89.3) and the online news site LAist, believes the public is entitled to know “how the hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars invested in the PPP have been spent.”
Because of the “taxpayers’ huge investment in the PPP, revelations that large corporations have applied for, received, and in some cases returned under public pressure funds received under this program, and representations by the government that the PPP is intended to help small businesses, it is of paramount importance that the requested information be disclosed,” the suit states.
An SBA spokesperson said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.
According to the complaint, filed in federal court, SBA has failed to comply with statutory deadlines imposed by FOIA, its own regulations, and has unlawfully withheld PPA records from Southern California Public Radio.