Republicans have been making a huge dog and pony show out of the failure of green energy startup, Solyndra. It goes without saying that they are trying to hang the failure around Barack Obama’s neck, and oppose green energy (except when they take credit for federal money spent on it in their districts). However, Republicans don’t want you to know just how deeply Republicans were involved in that company.
Republicans have been celebrating the bankruptcy of taxpayer-funded solar energy company Solyndra as a scandal that will taint the Obama administration and its “green jobs” push. But it’s not just Democrats who are entangled in this one.
Solyndra’s director of government relations since October 2010 was Victoria Sanville. According to her Linked In profile, she had spent the previous seven years working as a congressional staffer for three Republican congressmen, John Sweeney, Peter Roskam, and Michael Graves.
Another Washington-based Solyndra government-relations professional was Joseph Pasetti; his Capitol Hill experience came as an aide in the office of Alfonse D’Amato, a Republican senator from New York.
Solyndra’s registered outside lobbyists at the Glover Park Group included Alex Mistri, who worked from 2005 to 2008 as special assistant to President George W. Bush, a Republican. Before that, he was chief of staff to congressman Bill Shuster, a Republican.
In 2010 and 2011, according to Senate lobbying records, Solyndra spent $130,000 on lobbyists at the Washington Tax Group LLC. Solyndra’s lobbyists there included Greg Nickerson, a former aide to Republican congressmen Bill Thomas and Jim McCrery. Mr. Nickerson “served on the Delegate and Caucus Team at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York and worked as an attorney advisor to the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 2004 and 2006 elections,” according to his biography on his lobbying firm web site. Also on the Solyndra account at Washington Tax Group LLC was Jan Fowler, whose Capitol Hill experience came as an aide to another Republican, Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio.
One of Solyndra’s lawyers or restructuring advisers is reportedly William Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, a Republican.
And let’s not forget that the $535 million federal loan guarantee Solyndra was eventually granted by President Obama’s energy department was made under the authority not only of the Obama stimulus bill but also a program established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed into law by President George W. Bush, a Republican. The final Senate vote on that bill was 74-26, with the 26 senators opposed consisting of a mere 6 Republicans… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Reason>
Obama’s error in supporting the loan, originally vetted under the Bush Regime, was bipartisanship. He should not have picked a company, so loaded down with Republicans, that the incompetence level there virtually guaranteed failure.
17 Responses to “The rest of the Solyndra story”
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Though this is the first I have heard of their entrenchment so deeply into that particular company, why am I not surprised. Not surprised that there were so many republican plants in the company and not surprised that th White House did not vet the place before allowing Obama to go there and look like a fool two months later?
His advisers sure screwed the pooch on that one.
RepublicanTs practicing deception? why do I find this so easy to believe?
Could it be that they’re crooks? 😉
We are surprised ? Now tell me just why ? They will blame President Obama for bad weather if they could .
What do you mean Phyllis, ‘IF they could they’d blame Obama for bad weather’….I do believe the Tea Bags HAVE blamed him for the weather…at least they direct it at Obama & blame his ‘policies’…Bachmann & her earthquake & hurricane comments is one example…Nut Gingrich blames the GAYS! and we all know how the Democratic Party is the only Party that contains gays! AND, BEST YET, NOT a ONE of them can get what THEY prey for!
Right. From now on they will cause those big storms Obamacanes, 😈
A word to the wise: ANY time Republicans start squawking about ANYTHING, just disregard them completely and do exactly the opposite of what they are suggesting. That is the only way to restore peace and justice and also to protect the middle class and workers.
That’s why I watch Faux Noise at times. Whatever they say, I research the opposite
Love your last sentence! Once again, republicans prove their incompetence.
Thanks Jerry. I think it summed it up.
Once again it only shows the incompetency of this administration! Why is it that there “appears” to be a surprise here – it almost seems like this administration and the neo-cons are in “cahoots”. His failure to “vet” and his consistent capitulations are constantly landing the democrats in deep doo doo!!
That’s a stretch Lee.
This whole this stinks to high heaven. Something is being covered up.
That would not surprise me at all!
Here we go round the mulberry bush. Pop goes the weazel!
If the Republicans wanted to throw stones, they should have checked to see what their own house was made of first! Or did they just think that nobody would notice? Well I guess Obama didn’t notice, but they eventually found the deception and the weazel was dead.
They have their own media, posting their own made up facts.