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Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-Calif.), on the House Hearing into Department of Energy loans to green energy companies such as Solyndra.
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And and of course she sat in on part of this hearing today not all of them but some of it I wanted to play a little sound from the -- of people get a sense of what it was like.
Here's a hearing.
Who in the world is funding these projects.
So the -- week.
This is not the DOE's money.
This hardworking American taxpayers' money on this issue.
Potential political influence on these loans ought to be looked at.
So just a minute ago you tell me there was no political influence in deciding this and yet in an email you send to the guy who's making the decision -- referenced the president United States.
So interesting here I think people -- started to.
Be critical of these hearings because it seems like Republicans.
Our after as a lender and the Department of Energy that you're -- consider such a Democrat saying here.
That there are big problems may be some public influence that peddling here.
What do you make of it.
Well I think -- -- his -- did rightfully so say that there comes a point in which even a a longtime Democrat says wait a second here.
This is a kind of of wrongdoing that that hurts from the the efforts the Democrats often promote.
And this is a good example because today Jim Jordan chairman of this committee along with Mike Kelly whose voice -- -- and others.
They made it very very clear that this there were political influence there were direct conversations with the chief of staff with the president and perhaps many others.
Doctor -- went from being an outsider and they chair every chair of the of the board of one of these companies to be the secretary of commerce in just two months from his last contact with the right house.
You know Steven Chu is going to be back in front of our committee in all likelihood because what he said before us in testimony and what we heard today there were inconsistencies.
And I think that's -- rug mr.
Kucinich rightfully so it's taking note of that end and saying we do need to look further.
Well congressman -- -- all gonna end up do you think -- in the day is this just bad judgment on the patent part of -- Department of Energy.
-- be able to -- the program down what's gonna happen.
But I think there are two problems here -- one is clearly mistakes is is a poorly managed Department of Energy is poorly managed.
But there's also an ideology that crept into decision making.
And when you take bad management bad loans and then you have an ideology that says we don't care drive it make it happen anyway.
You end up with these kind of results and that's what are are hearing today was about was to see that there was high ranking including President Obama political influence.
Certainly she's seen in the discovery.
But also that there are simply bad management.
I I think certainly First Solar was pretty clearly a company that tried to make the case.
That they would somehow be solvent if not for these loans if not for these guarantees and mandates and was pretty clear they wouldn't be and remember.
You often hear them talk about natural gas and oil subsidies in electricity natural gas gets by their estimates about 64 cents worth of of subsidy per megawatt.
Solar gets about 775.
Dollars per megawatt.
We're talking about huge subsidies that you're paying for in every electric bill.
Are right I of course we know the taxpayer money gamble and lost here with some 570 million but I do want you to explain one thing he gets that.
The president is dead that there was no personal influence here that he wasn't.
You know -- pressing the -- for any specific.
Company.
Do you have evidence hard evidence that that's not true.
But one thing we have -- as we have an email.
That shows that.
The head of Pacific gas and electric had a conversation directly with the president.
That kind of direct contact between a utility that was going to buy.
For twenty years guarantee the purchase.
Of solar and other you know if you will above ground fuels.
Having a direct conversation with the president does seem to be pretty out of line.
If when the president says there was no influence well is there any greater influence than talking directly to the president for whom each of the cabinet officers work.
And a vast array of up hundreds and hundreds of people.
Are at the -- and call the president the White House tell me that that's not in fact inconsistent with the president's statement.
I'm afraid it is inconsistent with the president's statement and we would hope that we can get -- clarified.
-- congress tonight the thanks for coming on tonight it's always a pleasure to have you on the show.
Well thank you and then Jim George did a great job today and I hopefully you'll continue to cover his hearings -- -- --
