Department Of Energy Loans Program To Be Reviewed By White House

WASHINGTON -- The White House on Friday called for an independent review of the Department of Energy's loans program, the latest move to address questions surrounding the collapse of Solyndra, the California-based solar company that filed for bankruptcy early last month, two years after receiving a $535 million federal loan guarantee.

The announcement comes as House Republicans prepare to hold a vote next week to consider a resolution authorizing a subpoena for internal White House communications relating to the Solyndra loan guarantee

White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley said the analysis of the program will be led by former Treasury Department official Herb Allison, who oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

"The president is committed to investing in clean energy because he understands that the jobs developing and manufacturing these technologies will either be created here or in other countries. And while we continue to take steps to make sure the United States remains competitive in the 21st century energy economy, we must also ensure that we are strong stewards of taxpayer dollars," Daley said in a statement on Friday.

The 60-day investigation will broadly examine the review process for DOE's multibillion-dollar loans, offering feedback on any federal loans that appear to be in trouble.

But Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), who chairs the subcommittee on investigations, are single-minded in their focus on Solyndra.

"Subpoenaing the White House is a serious step that, unfortunately, appears necessary in light of the Obama administration’s stonewall on Solyndra," they said in a statement on Friday. "What is the White House trying to hide from the American public? It is alarming for the Obama White House to cast aside its vows of transparency and block Congress from learning more about the roles that those in the White House and other members of the administration played in the Solyndra mess."

Comments

[bcarb]

03:30 AM on 10/31/2011

My gut tells me that Karl Rove and the Koch brothers had their dirty little hands in this.

[Pete Wood]

02:18 PM on 10/30/2011

QUOTES FROM ARTICLE...
"collapse of Solyndra, the California-based solar company that filed for bankruptcy early last month, two years after receiving a $535 million federal loan guarantee"

OBAMA took office January 20, 2009

2 years from last month is September 2009

OBAMA was in office when loan was given out.

[hhl482]

09:38 AM on 10/30/2011

"Loan guarantees aim to stimulate investment and commercialization of clean energy technologies to reduce our nation’s reliance on foreign sources of energy,” Bush’s energy secretary, Sam Bodman, announced in a press release on Oct. 4, 2007. The release said the Energy Department had received 143 pre-applications for the guarantees and narrowed the list down to 16 finalists — including Solyndra. Bodman said the action put “Americans one step closer to being able to use new and novel sources of energy on a mass scale to reduce emissions and allow for vigorous economic growth and increased energy security.”
Bush’s Energy Department apparently adjusted its regulations to make sure that Solyndra would be eligible for the guarantees.
sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Tex.), who has been a leader in the congressional probe of Solyndra’s ties to the Obama administration.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) was a major backer of the loan program, and is now railing against it. Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) supported the program’s creation, and is now trying to gut it. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) was a major supporter of the program, and now believes the very idea behind the program is offensive.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) seems desperate to make this story a “scandal,” he both helped create the loan program and tried to get funding through it for some of his constituents.

Just a little food for thought. Sorry to be a hypocrite sc@m name dropper.

[spud3]

10:51 AM on 10/30/2011

Apparently your not focusing on the present facts. When a major donor to Obama gets a loan and then files bankruptcy you don't apparently see anything peculiar?
Who benefited from the loan guarantee?
Was McConnell successful in getting loan approvals for his constituents as suggested?
Thanks for the history lesson but a rat is a rat is a rat.

[BIGTERRA]

07:56 PM on 10/30/2011

There are a lot of programs that are wonderful in conception and miserable in implemention.

The TARP idea under Bush was to help contain the damage that toxic assets could cause. Under Obamam trillions of TARP dollars were doled out to companies without specifying how the money was to be used., so executives of the troubled companies recieved multi-million dollar bonuses! Are these enriched executives contributing some of their ill-gotten fortunes to Obama's re-election fund in gratitude for Obama's gifts? Sounds kinda fishy doesn't it?

And now we find a somewhat similar situation with Solyndra! Bush was advised that a loan to Solyndra was going to end up throwing taxpayer money down the toilet, so he prevented a loan to Solyndra. Meantime Solyndra executives donated thousands of dollars to Obama's
presidential campaign and "friends" of Solyndra sarted "bundling" tens of thousands of dollars to Obama! Was this a money laundrying scheme?

Now there's a rumour that the Fast and Furiuos debacle was really planned by Holder to fatten Obama's re-election campaign cofferes! The "story" is that Holder SOLD the thousands of assault weapons to Mexican drug lords with the understanding that those drug lords would find ways to launder the payment money and get it into Obama's cofferes. Any truth to this "story"? I don't know, but knowing a little about Holder's past, it's a believeable story.

How many such situations are still hidden?

[CL38]

10:46 PM on 10/29/2011

What's wrong with this picture? The right got off for EVERYTHING they did under Bush--were never prosecuted, though that was the right thing to do. Yet they never hesitate to go after the left, even when there's no valid reason.

Let's get these guys OUT of the government they claim to hate and want to decrease, so it WILL become smaller, at least in terms of having far fewer right wing 1%.

[spud3]

10:52 AM on 10/30/2011

Name some areas or events that should have been prosecuted for a valid reason.

[CL38]

02:53 PM on 10/30/2011

Just to name a few: how about violating national and international torture laws? How about lying to take us into Iraq when Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11? Or violating people's privacy and civil rights when illegally spying on our emails, phone calls, library reading, bank records, etc. How about Cheney and Bush outing Valerie Plame?

I'll save you a response. You support all of those violations and don't see them as such. But the 99% do, so you are hugely outnumbered.

You're still for majority rule, aren't you spud?

[bcarb]

03:33 AM on 10/31/2011

War crimes for starters.

[BIGTERRA]

08:10 PM on 10/30/2011

Typical lib response....create a distraction to the subject at hand. So,CL38, where is the proof of your rediculous and asinine staements?

The "ones" that need to be purged from government positions are those libs and democrats that are the cause of our economy's distress! People like Nancy - you gotta pass the bill to know what's in it - Pelosi, Barney Frank, the liar who kept maintaining to the last minute that there was no housig bubble, The "ONE"..Obama who promised a multitude of "change" he never intended to implement.

And what about Obama dishonoring himself by abandoning his solemn oath to protect and preserve our Constitution? What gives him the right to decide which laws to defend and enforce? Obama has shredded our Constitution! This borders on treason! Obama should immediately be impeached!

Washington Times calls for Obama impeachment
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/22/the-case-for-impeachment-142967590/

[CL38]

09:56 PM on 10/30/2011

LIAR!

[yangcheng]

09:40 PM on 10/29/2011

[ SOS ] Complaint about Human Rights Violations by IBM China on Centennial

Please Google:

IBM detained mother of ex-employee on the day of centennial
or
How Much IBM Can Get Away with is the Responsibility of the Media
or
Tragedy of Labor Rights Repression in IBM China

[Jophoenix]

07:16 PM on 10/29/2011

Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the roof or the White House how many years ago,? and what happened to him!! We the so called people turned our backs to party hardy with the mantra "We are number one how great we are" ever since, And so here we are. We have NO energy policy because we put OUR collective heads in the sand, and imagincan do if we choose to lift our heads out of the proverbial sand box what we could do?? Think about it. I'm off to join occpuy wall street

[spud3]

10:53 AM on 10/30/2011

See ya when you get back.

[MarcusCassius]

04:21 PM on 10/29/2011

Thi is almost funny. The republicans spent $23 million "investigating" Whitewater.....for NOTHING. They started 2 wars based on lies and Obama backed away for the good of the country. How is that repaid? Another investigation .....for nothing! How much will the Republicans waste on this boondogle?

[spud3]

10:56 AM on 10/30/2011

Thats ok little buddy.....your suggesting that whatever wrongdoing is happening should be overlooked because of ?

[Aleks Hunter]

01:14 PM on 10/30/2011

If you want to investigate wrongdoing, how about the massive fraud and cherrypicking by the Intelligence community under the orders of Scooter Libby and Dick Cheney that led to the Iraq snipe hunt.

Its called Pareto analysis, you start by tackling the most expensive problem first.

[SueMVetforObama2]

12:57 PM on 10/29/2011

All of the loans under this 2007 Loan Program will be subject to scrutiny.

[Cynthia Johns]

12:39 PM on 10/29/2011

Didn't former President Bush hire men who worked for big oil companies to head this department? You didn't mention whose heads are going to roll, but I have a feeling that solar energy is not in their best interest. It's obvious to me that Republicans do not want to see oil being replaced at any time in our future. I see the commercials for cars that are going further and further on electricity--and they proudly display their cars as being the best that they can be for now. I know that we could have solar cars on the road by now if the automobile manufacturers could have begun work on them 25 years ago--but it took a very brave man, President Obama, to insist on designing them. That investment was one of his best ones, and it proves the character of a man who is taking control of our future as a planet while seeing that the future demands the latest in big business: technology! Peace, Stormy Shea

[afinch9]

03:33 PM on 10/29/2011

obama designed the electric car?? was that before or after algore founded the internet?

[MarcusCassius]

04:25 PM on 10/29/2011

Hey finch....drill baby drill. Your brains in there somewhere.

[hhl482]

09:41 AM on 10/30/2011

That was before virtually every name Republican in Congress got their boondogglin', pork grabbin' fingerprints all over SOLYNDRA. Can you say complicity?
Look it up.

[daveclementsusa]

11:18 AM on 10/29/2011

WARNING daveclementsusa Republican Reality Check.
PRESIDENT OBAMA KEEPS WORD ON TRANSPARENCY.

President OBAMA promised "Transparency" not absolute Transparency.
Do you expect the nuclear launch codes too?
Just because the general public was not informed directly, issues that are National Security sensitive are shared with Senior Congressional leaders with clearance and then members of Congress when appropriate thus informing the general public by way of Republican style of government this nation operates.

Weapons and drug dealing ... what happened to transparency under the Iran-Contra Affair?
Blocking 9-11 lawsuits?
World Trade Building # 7?
USA PATIOT ACT PASSAGE IN 3 DAYS?
The killing of Anti-Truss?
Until President Obama signed into law, justification for deniying women EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK?
Letting a majior US city drown and state "We were unaware help was needed" causing the Mayor to curse on national radio and tv?
Being against affirmative action but enter Yale on Legacy Clause with a "C" average?

Dave!
Yes Mr. President?
Remember in your previous post i reminded you we don't spike the ball!
Yes sir, but i'm on the the one yardline and i haven't mentioned Mr Burns from the Simpsions Cheney shooting friend in face, having no valid license and no criminal charges applied as well as the friend apologizing to Cheney for shooting him.

[media4me2]

11:17 AM on 10/30/2011

When all else fails, blame Bush and company.

[daveclementsusa]

01:00 PM on 10/30/2011

media4me2; Save the "He did it too..." defense.

When Billy the Kid from Texas is spoken about, it's not blame on his record, it's illustation of TRUTH that you can't stand hearing and supporters like you who commit to Yellow Journalism.

[Aleks Hunter]

01:15 PM on 10/30/2011

Render unto Bush the blame that is Bush's.

[daveclementsusa]

12:38 PM on 10/30/2011

YOU SAY TOMATO... I SAY TOMATO

Blame is what the GOP/TBAGGERS do to President Obama for how he cleans up the disastorous Bush years when TRUTH dictates Pres. Obama should'nt have to.

I appreciate my remarks were'nt disputed as factual TRUTH.

[sig226]

11:09 AM on 10/29/2011

More waste of money to conduct an investigation by the Obama administration. We all know how things will turn out. Americans know the truth though and in 2012 we will let him know how we feel.

[Virginia Robbins]

11:22 AM on 10/29/2011

The FOX watching the HENHOUSE.

[hhl482]

09:45 AM on 10/30/2011

Quit lying to yourself and check Republican involvement in this BUSH ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM.
Republicans pointing a finger at BO - sort of like finding out Ken Starr was b@nging Lewinsky himself.

[Marissa Schiffman]

10:47 AM on 10/29/2011

At the community college where I used to work, the administration hired an "independent" outside agency every few years to assess their salary competitiveness in the industry. Needless to say that the administrators received salary increases every time while professors and staff were left out. How can you expect unbiased and truthful reviews from people or agencies who are appointed and paid by the very same people who have a vested interest in the outcome of the findings? This review ordered by the White House is just a farce and a joke. It's another exercise in wasting public money, just like Obama's numerous campaign trips using taxpayer's money or his tweaking of regulations aimed at buying votes from targeted interest groups. They must underestimate the intelligence of the American citizens to think that they can wipe away their Solyndra debacle with this bogus review. And Obama must think that all of us have a handout-dependent attitude when he totes around his handouts for homeowners, students and so on. Obama's self-serving policies and actions get us deeper and deeper into debt. 2012 could not come soon enough!

[noknrc]

11:24 AM on 10/29/2011

This is nothing more then this administration trying to put smoke and mirrors in place and stop the house investigation into this Solyndra loan . The problem is who pressured the approval of this loan for a company being built on quicksand.

[CL38]

10:59 PM on 10/29/2011

Marissa:

I'm curious. Were you equally as vocal about all the 'boondoggle' policies of the Bush administration?? How about Cheney's conflict of interest in collecting millions? billions? from Halliburton, after Haliburton was handed the contract to go into Iraq?? Did you complain about a million and one other "vested interest" policies of the right? And how about their investigation into their own TORTURE policies? Or into their violations of all of our civil and privacy rights???

Did you cry out in shock, pain and outrage over any of that? No? I didn't think so.

Don't worry. 2012 will come much sooner than the right realizes!!

[hhl482]

09:50 AM on 10/30/2011

It's better than that: this IS a Bush administration boondoggle. McConnell, DeMint, Gohmert...is there a Republican who isn't hip-deep in this?
I'd love to see a dollar for dollar comparison to the Cheney Cabal's Halliburton giveaways.
Only the willfully blind take this seriously.

[media4me2]

11:20 AM on 10/30/2011

Why doesn't anybody talk about Haliburton no bid contracts under Clinton?

[LogicJack]

10:43 AM on 10/29/2011

Review? There should be a criminal investigation of the management of this company. When everyone and their brother predict the company will fail and get the date exactly right, they knew it before it was even given the money. There is a smell in the air obviously.

[Virginia Robbins]

11:25 AM on 10/29/2011

That is the Obama admin. u smell, stinks, doesn,t it?

[LogicJack]

12:50 PM on 10/29/2011

Actually washington has been stinking, since after WWII downhill since then. Just saying ;-}

[SueMVetforObama2]

12:55 PM on 10/29/2011

Actually, Applied Materials, the founding company od Soly-Ndra, was assisted by Neil Bush.

[BIGTERRA]

09:42 PM on 10/30/2011

Have you noticed that the Solyndra executives in their sworn testimony to congress have taken the 5th for every question? I wonder why? Could it be that theycontributed thousands of dollars to Obama's campaign fund? Do i smell "BRIBE"?

[miaontia]

10:13 AM on 10/29/2011

When I read about all of these failed Obama investments, all I can think of is Navin Johnson and the "Opti-Grab".

[nothingchanges]

10:08 AM on 10/29/2011

IMPO it would be far more productive, and far more revealing, to do an "independent study" of campaign contributions, and their connection to how our elected "representatives" vote.

Campaign finance..........Legalized bribery that pays very well, with no penalties.

Why wonder why things have gotten as bad as they have? The foxes are in charge of the hen house.

[TMS3100]

10:24 AM on 10/29/2011

The informant is at your finger tips. Go for it.

[jdfast]

10:33 AM on 10/29/2011

Gee, you would think that all the OWS crowd would be smart enough to go to DC and sleep on K St., in front of the WH and congress, but alas, they aren't.