Criminal GOP anti-School Board political consultant benefitted from 5 PPP loans (286K)
Criminal GOP anti-School Board political consultant benefitted from 5 PPP loans (286K)
The loans went to different entities connected to the same address in Angleton, Texas that James Earl Dunn's "sole proprietorship" uses to do business. Dunn is a convicted felon and fraud.
The federal government issued — and forgave — five emergency PPP loans, totaling $286,242 (including forgiven interest), to five different entities using an Angleton, Texas business address directly connected to James Earl Dunn. This is documented on the website federalpay.org, which tracks PPP loans. The address is 1216 N Velasco St, Suite F, Angleton, TX 77515.
Dunn is running the campaigns for the CCDF’s slate of gross, bonkers, alt-right-type Polk County school board candidates — Rick Nolte, Terry Clark, and Jill Sessions. These candidates are trying to unseat the pro-public school incumbent School Board members.
The CCDF slate is well aware that Dunn served 33 months in federal prison for defrauding the federal government, veterans, and people with disabilities. Full story here. Note the part in bold.
He was indicted in May 2007 accused of submitting fraudulent claims against the government by fraudulently by claiming he was providing employment training and coaching to clients with disabilities when the clients were not receiving such training. Dunn allegedly obtained federal vocational rehabilitation funds in excess of $300,000, through DARS between 2002-2004.
That conviction did not prevent the federal government from issuing or forgiving the PPP loans in the last two years connected with Dunn’s business address.
The list of Dunn’s PPP businesses does not include one for political consulting
And interestingly, although the CCDF brags about how many political campaigns Dunn has won over the last 18 months, none of the businesses claim to focus on political consulting.
Here are the loans in chronological order, with the “industry” of the business, the number of “jobs” claimed, and the banks that serviced them:
April 30, 2020: 2D Development LLC, $61,242, “vocational rehabilitation services,” 3 jobs, Bank of America
May 1, 2020: James Earl Dunn, Jr., $125,000, “N/A” - no industry cited, 6 jobs, JP MorganChase
Feb. 20, 2021: Gulf Coast Community Action Agency Inc., $37,500, “other individual and family services,” 4 jobs, Regions Bank
April 30, 2021: Brazoria County Alternative Academy, $62,500, “elementary and secondary schools,” 6 jobs, Regions Bank
April 30, 2021: Black Republicans of Brazoria County, $62,500, “elementary and secondary schools,” 6 jobs, Regions Bank.
The loan sequence starts with “vocational rehabilitation services”
The first Dunn-connected business that received a PPP loan literally focused on “vocational rehabilitation services,” the very subject matter area that landed him in prison on a fraud conviction.
2D Development LLC received $61,242 on April 30, 2020. See screen shot below from the ProPublica PPP tracker.
The very next day, May 1, 2020, Dunn’s “sole proprietorship” received $125,000. I find it noteworthy that the businesses used two different banks for the loans.
In 2021, three other businesses registered to the Velasco Street address received PPP loans. The first was Gulf Coast Community Action Agency, Inc., which received $37,500 on Feb. 20, 2021.
Then came Brazoria County Alternative Academy on April 28, 2021, for $62,500.
And finally, two days later, on April 30, 2021, came Black Republicans of Brazoria County, which received $62,500. Curiously, the “industry” listed by Black Republicans of Brazoria County is “elementary and secondary schools.”
Ridiculous patterns, obvious questions
There are various absurdities to note here. Let me point out a few; and I’m sure you can find others:
Dunn became the registered agent for “Black Republicans of Brazoria County” and “Gulf Coast Community Action Agency” between March 1 and April 30, 2021, just before and just after both applied for the PPP loan, according to the Open Corporates website.
Three of the different businesses have exactly 6 jobs associated with them.
The first three loans came from three different banks. But after the third, the Dunn-connected companies went back to Regions Bank for the last two. Somebody might want to call the Regions Bank employee who serviced those three loans.
Two of the companies, “2D” and “Brazoria County Alternative Academy” were downgraded from “active” status to “in existence” either just before or just after receiving their loans for a combined total of more than $123,000. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“Aren’t you the former school board member fixated on pedophilia?”
I wanted to ask James Dunn about some of these absurdities, so I texted him at the number he’s been using for campaign activity. This is the actual exchange.
Seriously, this is real:
Hi Mr. Dunn
Yes
Hi my name is Billy Townsend. I’d like to ask you about your 126K PPP loan — and some other matters. Do you have time to chat this evening, perhaps?
Aren’t you the former school board member fixated on pedophilia? This is actually his wife. Please do not all my phone. Brittany Dunn
:) that’s funny you answered yes
Now I’m reporting you!!!
Mrs. Dunn are you on the 6-person payroll of the PPP loan? What is Mr. Dunn’s phone number then? He’s a public figure, and there are legitimate questions about his criminal background and role in Polk County.
No response came and a couple minutes later, I added:
In any event, if the holder of this number, who I understand to be the James Dunn who is acting as public spokesperson for three political campaigns does not want to be contacted, I will respect your wishes. Have a nice day.
Were felons like Dunn convicted of defrauding government and taxpayers eligible for PPP loans? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Honestly, it’s hard to tell. Here’s screenshot of guidelines. See what you think:
In any event, if I were the CCDF or its gross candidates, and I had inflicted this on myself and community, I would disband my organization and quit any campaign I was part of in abject shame. Then I would apologize over and over again.
But I’m a normal person; and the CCDF + criminal slate + James Dunn are not.
As a federal taxpayer, I damn sure hope Grady Judd and Brian Haas know how to make referrals to federal investigative agencies.
So, what I don't understand is that CCDF has a tax-exempt status which requires them to be apolitical and yet they are supporting school. board candidates who are running on the Polk County GOP website. Birds of a feather with Dunn seems to me.
He does this because he CAN in this wild, treacherous, fractured political system. It will take many “voices in the wilderness” like yours to end it. Thank you.