Biden Team Used “Benghazi” to Hide Millions

Biden administration officials allegedly used “Benghazi” as a secret codeword to hide nearly $90 million in taxpayer-funded COVID loans illegally funneled to Planned Parenthood, according to newly released documents that may expose a federal cover-up.

Story Snapshot

SBA officials used “Benghazi” in emails and meetings to obscure discussions about $90 million in PPP loans to Planned Parenthood affiliates deemed ineligible in 2020
Senator Joni Ernst demands DOJ investigation for potential Federal Records Act violations as FOIA documents reveal deliberate concealment tactics
Biden administration forgave 34 of 38 loans despite Trump-era SBA ruling that affiliates exceeded employee limits and affiliation rules
Current SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler launched reviews in January 2026 that could force repayment of the improperly forgiven loans

Biden Officials Deployed Politically Charged Codeword

Documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests reveal Small Business Administration General Counsel Peggy Hamilton initiated an email thread on April 30, 2021, with the subject line “Benghazi (PPP/PPH) Decisions.” The correspondence, which continued for months and culminated in a June 29, 2021 Microsoft Teams meeting organized by SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman, deliberately invoked the 2012 Libya terror attack that killed four Americans. This choice of terminology appears designed to obscure records from congressional oversight and public scrutiny while Biden officials reversed Trump-era eligibility determinations. The use of such a politically sensitive reference raises serious questions about intent to evade transparency requirements governing federal recordkeeping.

Planned Parenthood Received Loans Despite Clear Ineligibility

The Paycheck Protection Program, created under the March 2020 CARES Act, provided forgivable loans exclusively to small businesses with fewer than 500 employees. On May 19, 2020, the Trump administration’s SBA formally notified Planned Parenthood affiliates they were ineligible due to their affiliation with Planned Parenthood Federation of America and because individual affiliates exceeded employee thresholds. Despite this clear determination, 38 Planned Parenthood entities secured approximately $88 to $90 million in loans. After Biden took office, his SBA forgave 34 of these loans totaling the vast majority of funds, a reversal that occurred amid pressure from 41 Democratic senators who defended the organization’s eligibility. The Government Accountability Office confirmed $89 million was forgiven to these affiliates.

Taxpayer Funds Flow to Abortion Provider

Planned Parenthood already receives an estimated $832 million annually in taxpayer funding, equivalent to approximately $2.3 million per day, while reporting over 434,000 abortions performed in 2023-2024. The PPP loan forgiveness effectively added another $90 million windfall from American taxpayers to the nation’s largest abortion provider. This occurs as the organization operates as a national network that should trigger affiliation rules disqualifying local entities from small business aid. The financial assistance was intended for struggling mom-and-pop businesses devastated by COVID-19 lockdowns, not well-funded national organizations with substantial government revenue streams. SBA Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser characterized the revelations as shocking evidence of Democrats protecting what she termed extremism in the abortion industry.

Ernst Demands Criminal Investigation

Senator Joni Ernst, chair of the Senate Small Business Committee, publicly called for a Department of Justice investigation in April 2026, asserting the codeword scheme potentially violated the Federal Records Act. Ernst’s office stated officials deliberately hid information from records requests, a federal crime if prosecutors determine intent to obstruct transparency laws. The Oversight Project, which filed the original FOIA request uncovering the communications, provided Ernst with evidence showing the sustained effort to conceal deliberations about loan eligibility and forgiveness. Current SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler, appointed under the Trump administration’s second term, initiated reviews in January 2026 requiring Planned Parenthood affiliates to provide documentation justifying the loans, raising the possibility of clawbacks. As of late April 2026, no repayments have been confirmed and the DOJ has not publicly responded to Ernst’s request.

Cover-Up Erodes Government Trust

The allegations arrive as Americans across the political spectrum express mounting frustration with federal agencies perceived as serving partisan interests rather than the public. Using “Benghazi” as bureaucratic camouflage exemplifies the kind of insider manipulation that fuels distrust in government transparency mechanisms designed to hold officials accountable. Whether conservative critics concerned about abortion funding or liberal advocates demanding equal enforcement of program rules, the documented evidence points to deliberate efforts to circumvent oversight of nearly $90 million in taxpayer funds. The episode sets a precedent for scrutinizing other forgiven PPP loans and reinforces perceptions that well-connected organizations receive preferential treatment while ordinary citizens face rigid enforcement. The outcome of potential DOJ action and SBA reviews will test whether accountability applies equally to all recipients of pandemic relief or whether political considerations trump legal compliance.