Posted on 09/28/2011 4:01:07 AM PDT by Libloather
GOP lawmaker demands independent probe into Solyndra
By Andrew Restuccia - 09/27/11 07:50 PM ET
A Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee is calling on the White House to appoint an independent investigator to examine the administration’s decision to approve a $535 million loan guarantee for a now-bankrupt solar company.
Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) said the Obama administration should have quickly appointed a special investigator to look into Solyndra, the failed California-based solar-panel manufacturer, after the company announced late last month it would file for bankruptcy and lay off 1,100 workers.
“My opinion is that it should have already happened. It hasn’t,” Burgess said Monday on Fox Business Network. “We’ll see where that goes, but clearly there needs to be a special master involved in the investigation.”
Burgess and other Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have launched an investigation into the Solyndra bankruptcy, alleging that the administration missed a series of red flags that hinted at the company’s financial troubles.
In addition, Republicans on the panel have released a series of emails they say show that the White House tried to rush a final decision on the company’s financing so that Vice President Biden could announce approval of the loan guarantee at the September 2009 groundbreaking for the company’s new factory.
The Solyndra debacle has ignited a firestorm in Washington, offering Republicans a new opportunity to bash the White House going into an election year.
The Justice Department has launched its own investigation into the Solyndra incident, but Burgess suggested Monday that the DOJ probe might not be adequate.
Asked by anchor David Asman if the Justice Department investigation would be impartial, Burgess laughed, then added, “I probably should not speculate on that.”
The White House has denied any wrongdoing related to Solyndra, arguing that the emails released by Republicans were a “scheduling matter,” not an attempt to influence the final decision on the loan guarantee.
The Energy Department has vowed to continue investing in clean-energy technology. Such investments, officials say, are necessary to compete with countries such as China, which has put billions into solar energy.
The department is in the process of finalizing a slew of loan guarantees for solar, wind and other projects during the next few days. The loan guarantee program expires Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year.
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Why in God's name would a Republican ask the White House to investigate its own crimes???
Where's the money, representatives? Perhaps the agitators sitting on Wall St. should be camped at the White House and the houses of Solyndra's executives. Need current real-time examples, agitators? Here's one.
One should also ask: Why did the FBI raid Solyndra and seize its records? Since the FBI doesn’t normally raid companies just because of bankruptcy, did the FBI smell something fishy at Solyndra? What triggered the raid?
Speculation says that Solyndra was a money laundering operation for the California Democratic Party. How would the laundering work? Obama could give Solyndra a half billion dollars of stimulus money, and Solyndra could say that it owes money to the California Democratic Party. Then Solyndra could funnel some of its stimulus cash to the Democratic Party. Sweet! What better way to slip taxpayer money into the hands of the California Democratic Party?
These guys are all crooks.
BUMP! BUMP!
My take on the FBI seizing records is that there is no better way to clean them up than to have them in your hands.
I am sure when the FBI releases them any indication of Democrat wrongdoings will have been conveniently destroyed.
Yes it’s pretty bad when you don’t trust the FBI, the ATF , the IRS, or even the Energy and Commerce Committee headed by Henry (pig nose) Waxman, who stole control of that Committee from his Colleague John Dingellberry.
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