‘That Was a Unique Circumstance’: Fox News Anchor Hits Back at Guest For Jabbing Matt Gaetz For Having His PPP Loan Forgiven

A discussion on Fox News’s the Faulkner Focus with Democratic strategist Laura Fink ended with Fink throwing in a last-minute jab at Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and his PPP loan forgiveness, which guest anchor Martha MacCallum quickly dismissed.

The conversation took on a feisty, but civil tone as Fink and MacCallum debated the merits of President Joe Biden’s $300 billion student loan forgiveness order from Wednesday.

Fink argued that the policy was part of a broader package from the Biden administration aimed at boosting American families by creating new jobs with the infrastructure bill and lowering senior’s prescription drug costs via the Inflation Reduction Act.

MacCallum pushed back asking Fink, “How are we sending the right message to Americans that when you take out a loan you don’t have to pay it back?”

“We’ll I’d say education has gotten too expensive and the crippling debt is stopping people from my mom from having grandchildren. I know she would love to see my brother’s debt forgiven so he can possibly have another kid,” Fink responded.

MacCallum continued to push back, while Fink argued, “You got to look at the full package.” The two then spoke over each other before MacCallum got control and tried to wrap the segment.

MacCallum concluded by arguing Biden’s move sets a disturbing precedent that “government will pay for everything for you.”

“And we have to leave it there. But it’s a very different America than I think my parents and probably your parents grew up in, where we’re going to try to cover these costs. And I just don’t know where it ends. That is the point. But, John and Laura thank you both for being here,” MacCallum said, but Fink wasn’t done yet.

“What about the PPP loans that they forgave for Matt Gaetz,” Fink shot back as MacCallum interjected, “Well that was a unique circumstance in the middle of the pandemic, which is now over, according to the CDC. So. All right, guys, thank you very much for being here.”

Several PPP loans forgiven by the federal government have been raised in response to criticism of Biden’s student debt forgiveness. Reps. Gaetz (R-FL), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and Markwayne Mullins (R-OK) all denounced Biden’s loan forgiveness, with Greene calling the move “completely unfair” and Mullins tweeting, “There is no such thing as free lunch.”

Critics called them out for hypocrisy as they all applied for and were granted PPP loans, which were later forgiven. The comparison of PPP loans to student loans, however, is complicated as PPP loans were meant to be forgiven as long as businesses used 60 percent of the loan to fund employee payrolls within 24 weeks of receiving the money, which was MacCallum’s point.

You took out a $988,700 PPP loan and got it forgiven. https://t.co/TSbMrXPXCS

— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) August 24, 2022