Emails Prove Major Obama Donor Discussed Solyndra Loan With White House
- Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:32pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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WASHINGTON (The Blaze/AP) — A major donor to President Barack Obama discussed with White House officials a solar energy company that received a half-billion dollar federal loan and later went bankrupt, newly released emails show.
The emails released by a House committee appear to contradict repeated assurances by the Obama administration that the donor, George Kaiser, never talked about Solyndra Inc. with the White House.
Solyndra’s name came up at a White House meeting with Kaiser last year at a time when the California company was seeking a second federal loan, after it had already received a $528 million loan in 2009, the emails show.
The second loan was not approved. Instead, an investment venture controlled by Kaiser made a private loan that resulted in the firm and other investors moving ahead of taxpayers in line for repayment in case of a default by Solyndra.
Solyndra, the first renewable energy company to receive a federal loan under the 2009 stimulus law, declared bankruptcy in September and laid off its 1,100 workers, leaving taxpayers on the hook for more than a half-billion dollars.
The company’s implosion and revelations that administration officials rushed to complete the loan in time for a September 2009 groundbreaking have become an embarrassment for Obama and a rallying cry for GOP critics of his green energy program.
Kaiser, an Oklahoma billionaire, was a “bundler” for Obama’s 2008 campaign, raising between $50,000 and $100,000 for the president, records show. He also was a frequent White House visitor in 2009 and 2010. White House officials for months have denied that Kaiser talked about Solyndra during those visits. One the nation’s richest men, Kaiser owns an oil company and other energy interests and is chief donor to the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which invests in early childhood education and community health.
In one email released Wednesday by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Kaiser said that when he and a foundation official visited the White House last year, officials showed “thorough knowledge of the Solyndra story, suggesting it was one their prime poster children” for renewable energy.
In another email, a Kaiser associate appears confident that Energy Secretary Steven Chu would approve a second loan for Solyndra.
“It appears things are headed in the right direction and Chu is apparently staying involved in Solyndra’s application and continues to talk up the company as a success story,” Steve Mitchell, managing director of Kaiser’s venture-capital firm, Argonaut Private Equity, wrote in a March 5, 2010, e-mail. Mitchell also served on Solyndra’s board of directors.
The emails and other released Wednesday were obtained through a request to major investors for Solyndra-related documents, said Sean Bonyun, a spokesman for the Energy Committee.
The emails were released as the White House faces a Thursday deadline to respond to a committee subpoena for White House documents related to Solyndra.
White House officials accused the GOP-led committee of misleading the public by making it appear that Kaiser pushed for the original 2009 loan rather than the emergency loan last year, which was never approved.
“Even the documents cherry-picked by House Republicans today affirm what we have said all along: This loan was a decision made on the merits at the Department of Energy,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in an email Wednesday. “Nothing in the 85,000 pages of documents produced thus far by the administration or in these four (pages) indicate any favoritism to political supporters. We wish that House Republicans were as zealous about creating jobs as they were about this oversight investigation.”
Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who heads a subcommittee that is investigating the Solyndra loan, said the emails contradict White House claims that Kaiser did not actively lobby White House officials on Solyndra.
“It is clear from these documents that Kaiser and his employees enjoyed ready access to the West Wing of the White House and exercised influence throughout the loan process,” Stearns said
A spokesman for the Kaiser Family Foundation denied that Kaiser had lobbied for a Solyndra loan.
“To reaffirm our previous public statements, George Kaiser had no discussions with the government regarding the loan to Solyndra,” the spokesman, C. Renzi Stone, said in an email.
Hours after committee Republicans released the emails, Democrats on the panel issued an eight-page memo that disputed nearly all of the GOP claims. The memo quotes an interview Kaiser gave Tuesday by videoconference with Republican and Democratic staffers on the committee.
In the interview, Kaiser stated, “I have never lobbied for Solyndra.”
The Democratic memo cites several emails not included by Republicans in their release of documents Wednesday, including one in which Kaiser tells Ken Levit, executive director of the Kaiser foundation, that he sat next to Obama for two hours at a Las Vegas dinner fundraising dinner that also included Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
“I talked in general about the Chinese and solar, but I didn’t want to get too specific with him,” Kaiser wrote of his Oct. 22, 2010 dinner with Obama. “I never mentioned Solyndra directly.”
The emails also show Kaiser chiding subordinates who urged him to personally lobby White House officials on behalf of Solyndra. Kaiser’s foundation had invested $400 million in the solar company.
“I question the assumption that WH is the path to pursue when both of your issues here are with DOE,” Kaiser wrote in an email to Mitchell, referring to the White House and the Energy Department. If the White House intervened, Kaiser added, “I am concerned that DOE/Chu would resent the intervention and your problem would get more difficult.”
Democratic Reps. Henry Waxman of California and Diana DeGette of Colorado said that far from showing a concerted effort by Kaiser to lobby on behalf of Solyndra, the emails and the staff interview with Kaiser show the opposite.
To declare that Kaiser exercised improper influence “is a stretch, to say the least,” they wrote.
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Comments (65)
garygromele
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:23pm…”The emails released by a House committee appear to contradict repeated assurances by the Obama administration.”…
This whole administration is a contradiction to “We the People”.
Obama will be shelved in 2012
Report Post »AhLeahIris
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:25amThe real problem here is Obama. He’s a natural-born enemy: http://wp.me/p1HGwx-1sC
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:45amfile charges for taking a federal bribe ! And put the donar in jail !
Report Post »JRook
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 8:39amSo how does one use the term Prove and then put this in the report. “The emails released by a House committee appear to contradict repeated assurances by the Obama administration that the donor” Key word appear.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on November 11, 2011 at 11:27amTell us something we don’t know…
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:16pmOH GASP!!! You mean someone at the White House LIED????
Report Post »lylejk
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:04pmThe dangers of modern technology. Unless you erase all the date with multiple random 1‘s and 0’s, you will be found out. lol
:)
Report Post »jmgair
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:03pmThis is the Chicago WAY America, and Obama is counting on most of us to not know anything about this, that is how he defines transparency truth. These are just the first emails that contradict statements from the white house and the big bundler Kaiser.
Report Post »lodgerat
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:01amGee, didn‘t Chicago have a different way back in the 20’s and 33′s…just saying
Report Post »pludge
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 12:59amNo the Chicago way has always been to lie, steal, cheat, cover-up, pay off. and kill. I spent 50 years there it never changes.
Report Post »nobull14
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:54pmOTURD had another brain fart?????
Report Post »Dallasmarine
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:43pmKind of makes John Gotti look like a eagle scout!
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 2:12amLol…….:)
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:32pm.
Report Post »This has Bush’s finger prints all over it, because Obama told us so……..
capitalismrocks
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:23pmStarting to sound more and more impeachable…
Sounding like the Obama admin is falling into the “Clinton Syndrome”
Slick Willy was Impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:41pmYou know, the fact that he’s gotten away with so much unchallenged, he just may think he’s infallible…and that’s when the mistakes start to occur…and snowball.
Report Post »Impeach the marxist!
TyrannyNoMore
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:22pmThis story is very important and yet, all you will see on the evening news is; another woman has come forward to accuse Herman Cain. Rome is burning and all the evening news anchors are playing the fiddle.
Is there not one American in Congress that has the courage to stand up and protect the Constitution and our country from the full frontal assault being orchestrated from this seditious regime?? Have they no shame?? Will their families and grandchildren not suffer as a result of the actions of this corrupt abomination that is swiftly running our country off a cliff.
Dear father in heaven, we humbly beseech thee to instill your wisdom in the hearts of those who serve the American people in congress. Please, give them the strength, fortitude and courage to do what is right. Help them cut this cancer from the soul of America. Help them swiftly bring the Usurper in Chief and his minions to their end. In Jesus name we pray, Amen
Report Post »db321
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:40pmAmen!
Report Post »madasblazes
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 1:00pmAmen!
Report Post »Atlanticgrl
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 4:35pmAmen. God help us, God help this country and God please grant the strengthand protection to those who are in a position to help.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:13pmWe are getting closer.. lets hope we crack open and expose Obama and his administration for what they really are.. Chicago thugs!! Its time we take back our country.. Fire Obama in 2012 God help us!
Report Post »normbal
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:00pmOh, you silly racists.
Don’t make the left bring out their attack dogs over this.
Al Sharpton, Jeanine Garafalafalafalobuffalo, and the MSDNC bots.
They will make your life difficult.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:09pmYou can’t argue with proof even if you are a progressive weenie. Truth, at times, is said to set you free. In this case, truth may show that those involved in the Solyndra scandal should not be free at all. Let’s hope that justice prevails.
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:57pmI say, build a wall around the WH, and then cut all communications!
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:03pmThere is a wall around the White House already. It has been erected by those who insist they know what is better for America even though their track record is abysmal for fixing anything at all. It is an invisible wall that repels any criticism by claiming anyone who disagrees with them is a racist, extremist, or a downright terrorist. It is a wall that needs to come down in the next election when voters speak their mind.
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:09pmTrue dat!
Report Post »IMAWAKENOW
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 11:14pmI think the wall is already there, it is called the main stream media.
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:57pmSo, obama is a liar. We have all know that. What is Congress going to do about it? Nothing. The establishment has a yellow streak a mile wide. Time to throw the establishment republicans out of office. We need to take the republican party over. Not Romney for sure. Any of the other running republicans is conservative enough. Would like to see Paul Ryan get into the mix, but that won’t happen. Palin? I wish.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:17pmIt’s hard to clean house when those that made it filthy are still around to throw dirt. Until the chronic politicians are tossed off the island, any progress to improve things is going to be slow. Take heart that 2012 is drawing near…..maybe we can send more of those “permanent” politicians home where they belong.
Report Post »zoro51
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:56pmNAZI pelosis brother in law RAN syolandra this proves we need to FIRE evita obama TAX n speech NOW save alerica n TAKE REID N PELOSI wiht him as well.. CRONIES PAID n then THEy bailed… OBAMA FAILS ON SO MANY LEVELS 25th AMEND FIRE OBAMQ NOW
Report Post »TheePolitinator
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:55pmI have come to the realization, it don’t matter. this is one of many laws, and constitutional laws broken. The corruption is so deep nothing can and or will happen. Pathetic and sad.
Report Post »HARDWORKPAYS
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 10:14pmHe can do anything he wants, anytime he wants, to anyone he wants. It is for the good of the collective. Now everyone go lay down like good little Romans and enjoy your orgies.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:53pmSo. What will be done with this information? Obama is in deep (I believe). Who will have the courage to push the investigation all the way & indict the guilty? Who else will even report this information find? I agree wholeheartedly with Nobaloney. What about Sky Terra? Oh how I wish we had more honest leaders in our legislative branch.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 2:02pmNothing will be done because the House RINO‘s don’t have industrial grade clangers. Only the House can impeach the President and only the Senate can try the impeachment. I have no clue why Obama’s consistent usurpation of congressional powers and the breaking of federal law goes unpunished by the House.
Report Post »littlefish
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:52pmHow many times will the “Yeah but someone else did something a lot worse . . .sometime???” be a valid excuse
Report Post »Sy Kosys
Posted on November 10, 2011 at 9:56amAs long as there Spendocrats around … :/
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:49pmIt would be great if this turned out to be Barrys watergate so we could put him out of our misery.
Report Post »tmplarnite
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:48pmO’Vomit and all his cronies need to be arrested for this Gargantuan Theft …NOW!
Report Post »mils
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:54pmit doesn’t matter…as long as the media doesn’t run with it…
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:58pmForget any arrests with the current Justice Department. The Justice Department needs honorable lawyers who (with integrity) will stand by America’s rule of law, not these political animals who jump the hoops for their progressive masters. Congress needs to work harder at cleaning house over there.
Report Post »Shotgun167
Posted on November 11, 2011 at 1:42pmNot for this one. In this case, all they need to do is proclaim the second contract null and void, because it broke the law. That will turn the light on, because the people that SHOULD have lost their billions will go stupid crazy to keep it. At the point, the cockroaches will scramble and the real truth will come out.
Someone with clout will just have to simply file a lawsuit on behalf of the American taxpayer.
Report Post »RossPoldark
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:46pmIt’s a little thing called quid pro quo. I give you a bailout, and you vote for me or support me during the elections.
Report Post »TheePolitinator
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:56pmYou mean squid pro ro? LOL
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:42pmThat’s nice peanut
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:41pmThis BO scandal is not going away. The arrogance of the BO administration is mind bending.
Report Post »kraphtsman
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:40pmThe thoroughly corrupt Obama administration and its political cronies should be criminally prosecuted. And the House should begin impeachment hearings if he bum in the WH continues to stonewall their investigation.
Report Post »South Philly Boy
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:40pmGo straight to JAIL
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:37pmThere also needs to be an investigation into President Obama’s big investment in 2005 with Sky Terra that Lightsquared bought out.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:44pmJust like what happened with Nixon’s Oval Office tapes, you can run but you cannot hide from the recorded word. Bet these Dems are sorry they wrote incriminating emails that are now testaments to their greed and stupidity,
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 9, 2011 at 9:45pmAgreed .. this has been a big money laundering scam and worse .. played upon the American Taxpayers .. follow this all the way up !!! Green is all about MONEY and nothing else!
TEA!
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