By KENNY COLSTON
Kentucky Democratic Party
Frankfort, KY — Late Wednesday, news broke that former Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao illegally used her position to benefit herself, her family and her family’s business in her official capacity.
The behavior was so bad, an inspector general investigating Chao forwarded their findings to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution. Chao is married to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell.
In addition to the possible criminal behavior from Chao, the report raises even more questions about Chao, McConnell and their close ties to Chao’s family business - the Foremost Group.
From the New York Times:
“While serving as transportation secretary during the Trump administration, Elaine Chao repeatedly used her office staff to help family members who run a shipping business with extensive ties to China, a report released Wednesday by the Transportation Department’s inspector general concluded.”
The IG report lays out numerous instances of Chao using DOT employees to promote that business, her father who founded it and her sister who currently runs Foremost Group. That runs into direct conflict with Chao’s and McConnell’s previous statements about their involvement in the business.
Previously, Chao and McConnell have denied any involvement with the Foremost Group, including as recently as July 2020, when pressed about why that business received a PPP loan.
Specifically, a Chao spokesperson told the Courier-Journal that she had “no connection to the business.” McConnell himself repeated that lie again on July 8, 2020.
Here are the questions Mitch McConnell needs to answer for the benefit of all Kentuckians:
1. Why did you lie to Kentuckians about Secretary Chao’s involvement with the Foremost Group, claiming on July 8, 2020 that neither you or your wife had a connection to the Foremost Group, when in reality Secretary Chao was directing DOT staff to help with publicity interviews at the headquarters of the business?
2. Did you speak to anyone at the Trump White House, Department of Justice or a US Attorney about the investigation of your wife?
3. Now that it has been revealed that Secretary Chao was heavily involved with her father, her sister and the Foremost Group, did either of you play a role in the Foremost Group applying for and receiving a PPP loan when so many Kentucky businesses were able to secure a loan?
4. Will you support the Department of Justice now taking a second look at the inspector general’s report and pursuing it without interference from you or Secretary Chao?