Ed Markey Questions Trump Nominee on Audit Experience and Planned Parenthood PPP Loan

Inspector General Nominee's Audit Experience

• ❓ Senator Ed Markey questioned William Kirk, President Trump's nominee for Inspector General of the Small Business Administration (SBA), about his auditing experience.
• 💡 Kirk stated he has decades of oversight work experience, beginning his career as an auditor at Price Waterhouse.
• ⚠️ Markey noted Kirk's previous statement to staff that he did not participate in audits or investigations at the EPA's Inspector General's office, only checking reports for legal sufficiency.

Familiarity with SBA Programs and PPP

• 🎯 Kirk confirmed familiarity with the SBA's programs and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
• ❓ However, he was not completely familiar with the PPP's affiliation requirements for non-profits.

Planned Parenthood and PPP Forgiveness

• 📌 Kirk was aware of his predecessor's determination that Planned Parenthood met PPP affiliation requirements and was entitled to forgiveness.
• 🤷 He stated he did not have enough information to agree or disagree with that decision, as he had not read the relevant report.

Concerns About Bias and Predecessor's Decisions

• ⚖️ Markey expressed concern about potential pre-existing bias, referencing Kirk's past boycott of President Obama's commencement speech at Notre Dame, and its implications for decisions regarding Planned Parenthood.
• 🤝 Kirk committed to serving as an independent, objective, and neutral nonpartisan Inspector General, stating his personal beliefs are not relevant to his role.
• 📊 When asked about the weight he would give to his predecessor's determination, Kirk stated he would consider all available information, including previous findings.