Slipknot, KoЯn, Nickelback and Smashing Pumpkins are among the artists included in Kentucky senator Rand Paul’s (12/23) annual report on wasteful government spending.
The report identified $900 billion in federal waste this year, including monies provided to “dozens of famous music artists” under the Small Business Administration’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant designed to “provide a lifeline to small entertainment businesses nationwide.”
Smashing Pumpkins (pictured above) were identified as among the acts who received up to $10 million while Nickelback, a Canadian band, received $2 million.” KoЯn got $5.3 million and Slipknot was given $9.7 million, with the band’s Knotfest music festival receiving a $1.05 million grant.
“We have no way of determining how these blank checks were used,” Paul wrote.
