Strand bookstore to pay nearly $1.5 million over Covid loan tied to Sen. Wyden's wife

The Strand , the iconic New York City bookstore, agreed to pay nearly $1.5 million in a civil settlement for accepting a Covid government loan that was off-limits because the store is owned by the wife of Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. The Strand applied for the $932,350 loan in February 2021 from the Paycheck Protection Program administered by the Small Business Administration , U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro 's office said Tuesday. Store owner Nancy Bass Wyden certified on the loan application that "the spouse of a Member of Congress does not directly or indirectly hold a controlling interest in the applicant," Pirro's office said. "Ms.