Solyndra, a California solar company backed by a half-billion dollars in loan guarantees from the Obama administration, announced it was shutting its doors and laying off 1,100 employees.
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White House orders review of Energy Department loans in wake of Solyndra bankruptcy Another Obama fundraiser is investor in car company that won federal loan Investigators have questions about Solyndra investor's charitable tax status More e-mails show Solyndra concerns Solyndra investor asked for White House publicity as firm sought federal funds Government adviser defends Solyndra despite ethics agreement Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison resigns Solyndra loan deal: Warnings of legality came from within Obama administration Head of DOE program to quit amid Solyndra controversy Obama fundraiser took interest in Solyndra loan despite wife’s involvement with company Second Solyndra loan was in works
Rep. Diana DeGette (Colo.), ranking Democrat on the panel, called it a “sad day” for the committee and “an act of irresponsible partisanship,” stressing that the committee had never before subpoenaed the White House. She noted the administration had already turned over thousands of pages of documents and said a subpoena should be issued only after all alternative routes have been abandoned.
Republicans said they had hoped to avoid the step, but that the committee’s [url=]long-running investigation[/url] had failed to get to the bottom of why Solyndra, which collapsed in August and is now under criminal investigation, was selected to receive the Obama administration’s first loan guarantee under the stimulus act. President Obama last year visited the company’s California operation, whose biggest investors were venture capital funds linked to Tulsa billionaire George Kaiser, a major Obama fundraiser.
Some Republicans have questioned whether the administration rushed stimulus funding out the door to benefit its political supporters. On Oct. 14, the White House told the committee that it would not comply with a request for all internal White House communications regarding the Solyndra loan.
Following the vote, a White House official said the administration had cooperated extensively with the committee’s investigation, producing more than 85,000 pages of documents, including 20,000 pages Thursday afternoon, and having administration officials provide multiple briefings and hearings.
“The White House has also already provided over 900 pages of documents in response to requests we have received. And all of the materials that have been disclosed affirm what we said on day one: This was a merit-based decision made by the Department of Energy,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.
“We’d like to see as much passion in House Republicans for creating jobs as we see in this investigation. The White House has been clear with the committee that we are willing to cooperate with legitimate oversight requests that are tailored to balance the important institutional interests of both branches. We are disappointed that the committee has refused to discuss their requests with us in good faith, and has instead chosen a partisan route, proceeding with subpoenas that are unprecedented and unwarranted.”
“I regret that we have reached this place,” Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), chairman of the subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, said Thursday morning at a meeting of the panel. “The committee has been investigating this for over eight months and has clearly established the legitimacy of our investigation. Two of the first three companies to receive loan guarantees have now filed for bankruptcy protection. |
