
Aurora Mayor’s Girlfriend Didn’t Disclose COVID Grant
Clip: 6/8/2023 | 3m 21sVideo has Closed Captions
A store owned by the Aurora mayor's girlfriend received a grant from the city for $10,000.
A review of the grant application for Laura’s Furniture in Aurora shows the company misrepresented whether it had previously received COVID-related government funding. The store's owner is the girlfriend of the town's mayor.
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Aurora Mayor’s Girlfriend Didn’t Disclose COVID Grant
Clip: 6/8/2023 | 3m 21sVideo has Closed Captions
A review of the grant application for Laura’s Furniture in Aurora shows the company misrepresented whether it had previously received COVID-related government funding. The store's owner is the girlfriend of the town's mayor.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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>> NICE JOB WITH THOSE DANCE MOVES.
WHO KNEW?
>>> THE GIRLFRIEND OF THE AURORA MAYOR HAS GOTTEN SOME BIG TAXPAYER FUNDED GRANTS AFTER SHE WAS LESS THAN HONEST ABOUT WHETHER HURT BUSINESSES GOT FEDERAL COVID AID.
TRAN34 BENEFITED FROM A ROUND OF GRANTS FOR AURORA BUSINESSES TO THE TUNE OF $10,000.
WE OBTAINED A GRANT APPLICATION, AND IT SHOWS IT WASN'T ALL UP FRONT.
WE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED THIS GRANT PROGRAM.
WHAT WAS THE ISSUE WITH THIS HANDOUT FROM THE CITY?
>> THAT GRANT PROGRAM THAT TRAN34 BENEFITED FROM WAS MEANT TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES STILL STRUGGLING WITH LINGERING EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
PART OF THE APPLICATION ASKS WHETHER THE COMPANY HAD EVER GOTTEN COVID RELATED FUND, LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL.
THE APPLICATION LAURA'S FURNITURE SAYS NOT APPLICABLE ON THAT PART OF THE FORM.
STATE RECORDS SHOW OTHERWISE.
THE STORE GOT $10,000 FROM THE STATE BUSINESS INTERRUPTION GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH WAS MEANT TO HELP KEEP SMALL BUSINESSES AFLOAT IN 2020 AND 2021 PASSING ALONG FEDERAL FUNDS.
WE TRIED TO ASK TRAN34 ABOUT THE MISREPRESENTATION, AND SHE DIDN'T RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR COMMENT.
WHEN WE VISITED LAURA'S FURNITURE EARLIER THIS WEEK, THE EMPLOYEE SAID SHE WASN'T THERE.
THE CITY OF AURORA SPOKESMAN ALSO DID NOT RESPOND.
>> WENT TO THE CITY ASKED BUSINESSES APPLYING FOR THE PROGRAM CAN >> AND ASKED THEM TO DESCRIBE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID ON THEIR BUSINESSES.
IT GAVE THEM THE CHANCE TO INCLUDE DOCUMENTATION TO BACK THAT UP.
WE REVIEWED TWO OTHER APPLICATIONS TO THIS GRANT PROGRAM.
THEY HAD EXTENSIVE RUN DOWN A BUSINESS OPERATION, PROFESSIONALLY PREPARED LOST RECEIPTS.
LAURA'S FURNITURE JUSTIN ROSE FOR SENTENCES SAYING THE COMPANY HAD $22,000 IN LOSSES IN 2021 AND 2022, AND IT INCLUDED AN UNSIGNED PROFIT AND LOSS SHEET WITH THE YEARS HANDWRITTEN ON AN OTHERWISE TYPE TO DOCUMENT.
LAST MONTH, THE MAYOR RECUSED HIMSELF FROM VOTING ON THE GRANT PROGRAM HIS GIRLFRIEND BENEFITED FROM.
FOR THE VOTE, HE PRAYS THE STAFF THAT OVERSEES THE PROGRAM AS PROFESSIONAL AND PRECISE.
>> THIS SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE FOLKS WE HAVE T. TEAM.
EVERY APPLICANT MET THE QUALIFICATIONS.
>> WE FIRST REPORTED ON THE GRANT LAST MONTH, HE WOULD NOT DO AN INTERVIEW WITH US, BUT A CITY SPOKESPERSON SAID THE PROCESS WAS ALL ABOVE BOARD AND APPLICANTS WERE EVALUATED ON MERITS.
>> HE WAS A GOP CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR THAT WE REPORTED EXTENSIVELY ON.
REMIND US OF SOME OF WHAT YOU FOUND WITH THE APPLICATION.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE 10,000 GRANT THAT WENT TO CSU FIVE GIRLFRIEND, WE FOUND $83,000 IN TAXPAYER FUNDED GRANTS THAT WENT TO THE AURORA BUSINESS CENTER.
THAT OFFICE BUILDING IS CO-OWNED BY THE HUSBAND OF THE CITY OF AURORA DIRECTOR OF CYBER AND TECHNOLOGY RISK AND TWO OF HIS CO-OWNERS WERE ALSO INVOLVED IN A SIDE CONSULTING BUSINESS THAT IRVIN QUIETLY STARTED IN 2020.
WE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO THOSE MEN AT THE
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