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SCORE facing tough road ahead if SBA’s budget is cut

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4 months ago

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Small business advocates are sounding the alarm bells over the Small Business Administration’s fiscal 2026 budget request.

The White House is proposing to eliminate several long-standing programs that support the development of small business, including Women’s Business Centers and SCORE.

The administration released new details about its budget request on Friday showing SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs would see a reduction of more than 50% next year, receiving $150 million down from $317 million.

“The administration is committed to supporting small businesses throughout the United States through tax cuts, deregulation and responsible, targeted support. However, reforms at SBA are clearly warranted, as the previous administration unconstitutionally used the SBA to advance its divisive agenda, awarding billions in funding to certain businesses based solely on race and gender. Therefore, the Budget ends 15 specialized and duplicative programs, leaving only the Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) program,” the administration wrote in its May 2 “skinny” budget request. “Eliminated programs include, ‘Women’s Business Centers’ and SCORE, which in 2023 posted ‘Six Ways to Support LGBTQIA-Owned Businesses,’ and provided resources based on race. SBDCs would be directed to provide any of the appropriate services previously offered by the eliminated programs in a manner that is consistent with the administration’s priorities.”

The administration says, instead, the SBDC would receive a $10 million in crease to ensure small firms continue to receive technical assistance.

Bridget Weston, the CEO of SCORE, which is a 501(c)(3) organization and a resource partner with the SBA, said a cut to SCORE would have a severe impact on small businesses and force the organization to dramatically change how it meets its mission.

Bridget Weston is the CEO of SCORE.

“What that means is that if this administration’s proposed budget does come to fruition, the SCORE program would not have the sustainable funds from the federal government to operate as it has for the past 60 years, and that would mean that small businesses go unserved with the mentoring and education that helps them survive and thrive,” Weston said in an interview with Federal News Network. “It would mean that we’re unable to continue to help these businesses start, add jobs, stay in business and increase their revenue. I know the administration believes how important small businesses are to this country’s economy, and everything we can do to give them the support they need to succeed is paramount to the success of the entire nation. So we are hopeful that we can continue to speak to others, speak to Congress, get the word out so that people understand the importance of SCORE and the Small Business Administration to those small businesses who are vital to this economy.”

Weston said SCORE receives about 70% of its $24 million operating budget from the SBA with the other 30%, or about $7 million, coming from local grants and donations.

A group of business executives founded SCORE in 1964 and Congress codified it as part of the Small Business Act.

Today, Weston said about 10,000 volunteers provide free business mentoring and education to anyone looking to start or grow a business. She said SCORE serves, on average, about 300,000 small business owners or those looking to start a company each year across more than 340 chapters.

“The dollars go to helping raise awareness about this program, so that people know that we are there and can help them. It goes to recruiting, onboarding and certifying our mentors that are available across the country and supporting the systems that support them, the technology that connects them to the client, the technology that brings the content that supplements that excellent, best in class mentoring, the ability for our mentors to connect with each other and bring in resources across the country,” she said. “Those dollars really do standup this organization, help us to have that incredible impact. I mean, last year alone, SCORE helped to start over 53,000 new businesses and add over 84,000 jobs. That’s huge.”

Potential contractors would be impacted

This isn’t the first time there was a move to reimagine SCORE. A 2023 bill by Senate Republicans sought to rebrand the SCORE program as “Supporting Coaching Opportunities for Resilient Entrepreneurs,” and would launch a National Women’s Business Coach program as part of SCORE. The SCORE Act never got out of committee, though it did receive a hearing. It didn’t have a House companion bill.

Weston said defunding SCORE would hurt small businesses who are trying to get into the federal contracting space too.

“Unfortunately, the statistics of failure are pretty high for small business owners, 20% in the first year, 50% after five years, and with the support of mentoring, educational resources, frankly, having someone with you along that journey that is there to help you succeed, we know these small businesses are more successful and frankly, returning dollars back to the government,” she said. “For every $1 appropriated to score, $45 is returned back from those small businesses in federal tax revenue. So it makes sense all the way around.”

The SCORE board of director is starting to plan for “what if” scenarios and how they could keep the organization going.

In the meantime, Weston said SCORE and its volunteers are trying to educate lawmakers on the value of the mentoring and services the organization provides.

“We do believe that these federal dollars are impactful and making a difference and making a return on the investment that the federal government gives to us. And like we would tell any of the small businesses, we need to make sure that we have various scenarios to pursue, because I truly believe that SCORE’s mission, our volunteers, the people that we serve, this will be sustained,” she said. “This will continue, how it looks, how we get our funding, that may have to change, depending on what Congress decides, but it is too important what we do. We are looking, with our board of directors, with our expert mentors, on various other ways that SCORE’s mission can be sustained, but I know that it will because I believe in the power of our mission, the power of our volunteers and helping entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.”

The post SCORE facing tough road ahead if SBA’s budget is cut first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Black Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle

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19 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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Screencap of YouTube video.

A Black Lives Matter activist in Boston named Monica Cannon-Grant pleaded guilty to federal charges this week, admitting that she scammed donors and used their money to fund her own lavish lifestyle.

Cannon-Grant was previously held up as an admired figure. The city of Boston named her the Bostonian of the year at one point for her ‘social justice activism’ and she was even recognized by the Boston Celtics basketball team for her efforts.

She is now facing a minimum of two years in prison.

The New York Post reports:

BLM-linked activist admits conning donors to fund her lavish lifestyle

A once-celebrated Boston social activist has pleaded guilty to defrauding donors — including Black Lives Matter — out of thousands of dollars that she used as a personal piggy bank.

Monica Cannon-Grant, 44, pleaded guilty Monday to 18 counts of fraud-related crimes that she committed with her late husband while operating their Violence in Boston (VIB) activists group, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.

The activist scammed money — including $3,000 from a BLM group — while claiming it was to help feed children and run protests like one in 2020 over the murder of George Floyd and police violence.

Cannon-Grant also conned her way into getting $100,000 in federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits — which she used to pay off her personal auto loan and car insurance policy.

But she has now confessed to transferring funds to personal bank accounts to pay for rent, shopping sprees, delivery meals, visits to a nail salon — and even a summer vacation to Maryland.

Just amazing.

Here’s a local video report:

She should pay back every penny.

The post Black Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Keith Olbermann Backpedals Furiously With Apology for Threatening CNN’s Scott Jennings – Jennings Responds (VIDEO)

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19 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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As the Gateway Pundit reported yesterday, former MSNBC host and generally unhinged leftist Keith Olbermann, appeared to threaten CNN’s conservative pundit Scott Jennings on Twitter saying, ‘You’re next motherf**ker.’

Well, Olbermann may have gotten a phone call or a visit from the FBI because today he walked back those comments with a full-throated apology.

RedState has an update:

To quickly recap, Scott Jennings, a Salem Media Network radio host and conservative CNN political commentator, reacted to breaking news on Monday that Kimmel had been reinstated by tweeting, “So basically his employer suspended him for being an insensitive pr**k, and we don’t live in an authoritarian regime? Got it.”

This enraged Olbermann, who proceeded to tweet what many, including Jennings, perceived to be a threat. “You’re next, motherf**ker. But keep mugging to the camera.” Jennings tagged Patel and included a screengrab of the tweets in response.

Though the FBI hasn’t commented as to whether an investigation was launched, Olbermann ostensibly appears to have thought twice about what he tweeted and deleted, apologizing profusely in tweets posted on Tuesday and claiming what he wrote was “misinterpreted”:

See Olbermann’s tweet below:

Scott Jennings, always a class act, offered this hilarious response:

Keith Olbermann really needs help. The guy is just so out of control.

The post Keith Olbermann Backpedals Furiously With Apology for Threatening CNN’s Scott Jennings – Jennings Responds (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Where is Lance Twiggs? Kirk Assassin’s Transgender Lover Has Vanished

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19 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson and roommate Lance Twiggs

Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson lived with his transgender partner – a male-to-female trans named Lance “Luna” Twiggs.

The FBI used Robinson’s texts with his transgender partner to solidify that Robinson was the assassin. Lance Twiggs has not been charged with any crime; however, federal authorities are still investigating.

Last week, Utah authorities released the text exchange between Tyler Robinson and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs, sent shortly after Kirk’s assassination.

Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray announced seven charges against Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. They will also be seeking the death penalty.

Robinson was charged with:

– Count 1: Aggravated murder (capital offense)
– Count 2: Felony reckless discharge of a firearm causing bodily injury
– Count 3: Felony obstruction of justice for hiding the firearm
– Count 4: Felony obstruction of justice for discarding the clothing he wore during the shooting
– Count 5: Witness tampering for asking roommate to delete incriminating messages
– Count 6: Witness temperating for demanding trans roommate stay silent, and not speak to police
– Count 7: Commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child

Jeff Gray released the chilling texts between Tyler Robinson and his “love” Lance Twiggs.

Read the text exchange here:

Tyler Robinson texts with transgender lover Lance Twiggs / 1
Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson texts with transgender lover Lance Twiggs / 2

Lance Twiggs was reportedly cooperating with the FBI, however, according to the Daily Mail he has seemingly vanished.

“If [Lance Twiggs] ever comes back, it will be in a body bag,” a neighbor said to the Daily Mail. “That’s not a threat – I’m just saying that there are so many people who want a piece of him he’d be mad to show his face in public again. This was a generational event.”

The Daily Mail reported:

The Trans boyfriend of Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin has fled their former lovenest – and locals tell the Daily Mail they never want to see him again.

Lance Twiggs, 22, was led away for questioning when police swooped on the smart three-bed condo he shared with accused gunman Tyler Robinson, 22.

Shaken neighbors say the part time plumber has not been back to the $320,000 property in St. George, Utah – one declaring: ‘Good riddance. I never want to see either of them again.’

His beaten-up Infinity compact is still parked in his space with his work gear tossed across the back seat and a sandwich wrapper and a drink on the front passenger seat.

Upstairs lights have been left on for more than a week and notes and Amazon packages are piling up outside the home owned by Twiggs’s devout Mormon family.

The post Where is Lance Twiggs? Kirk Assassin’s Transgender Lover Has Vanished appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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