Solyndra Subpoena Deadline Comes and Goes; Update: White House Agrees to Turn Over ‘Some’ Documents
**Written by Doug Powers
Last week, the White House all but said they wouldn’t comply with a House Republican subpoena seeking all remaining documents concerning Solyndra, alleging that doing so would be an “unreasonable burden on the president’s ability to meet his constitutional duties.”
They said they wouldn’t comply with the subpoena, and that’s one thing they were very transparent about, because the deadline has just passed:
The White House on Thursday missed the deadline for responding to the Republican-approved subpoena issued last week demanding the White House turn over “all documents” pertaining to the Solyndra loan guarantee.
White House aides told Fox News there are no plans to produce more documents on the bankrupt solar panel firm until Republicans agree to narrow the scope of their request.
When Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee last week approved the subpoena, they requested documents “referring or relating in any way” to the loan guarantee. The White House rejected the request as “overbroad” and accused Republicans of playing “partisan politics.”
The stonewall continues, and an executive privilege claim looms.
Most transparent administration in history?
Update from CNN: White House agrees to turn over some documents. What’s the definition of “some”? We’ll find out… maybe.
Update II: The veep’s office was apparently pretty excited about Solyndra:
A series of emails provided to the House Energy and Commerce Committee from individuals tied to Solyndra offer striking characterizations about running strategy with the White House to secure assistance for the now-bankrupt solar energy firm.
Emails among George Kaiser, head of the George Kaiser Family Foundation; Ken Levit, the executive director of the Foundation; and Steve Mitchell, who manages Argonaut Private Equity and was a member of Solyndra’s board; show that Vice President Joe Biden’s office were very gung-ho.
“They about had an orgasm in Biden’s office when we mentioned Solyndra,” reads a Feb. 27, 2010, email from Levit to Mitchell. A follow-up email from Mitchell to Levit later that day responds with: “That’s awesome! Get us a (Department of Energy) loan.”
Bankruptcy-gasm!
**Written by Doug Powers
Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
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Toothless eggsucking weasels all.
Cricket Chirping
Apparently only subpoena’s issued by Democrats matter. After all, how dare Republicans question their betters?
Really, why aren’t warrants being issued and served? We talk sarcastically about out-right violations of the law but there is never any real followup. These people are subject to the law and must comply.
Contempt of Congress resolutions are voted out by the relevant committee to the full House, and then turned over to the US Attorney for the District for prosecution.
Or, the GOP can P*ss in the wind, because an Obama/Holder lackey will sit on the referral. If we had an independent media, this gross breach of the law would be reported on.
Obama is essentially above the law. The DoJ is corrupt and politicized, and the US Senate can prevent any independent counsel who could investigate his myriad crimes.
Now we will see if the GOP will actually do anything or allow more of their Legislative powers to dissapate.
Imagine if…
bho and team know’s that most of the dc bunch will not do a flying thing about the fact the don’t respond to the courts or congress! In fact, I think they do this on purpose to see if someone has the guts to ACTUALLY bring them to justice? The ‘race’ thing will be the days send out to all the msm outlets and a ‘crisis’ could happen? Believe me or not?
L
They have no legislative powers. Anything they do is blocked by the Senate anyway. As I asked the other day, (stolen from an unremembered politician), how many divisions does Boehner command? They can’t enforce their will on the administration and Obama certainly learned from Clinton’s mistake of allowing the appointment of special prosecutors. What bewilders and frustrates me is the number of self-described conservatives who are working tirelessly to make sure that the conservative/Republican vote gets split enough to re-elect him.
They ignored the War Powers Act and got away with it, why would this be any different?
Call it.
The ‘Rule of Law’ died on 10 Nov 2011.
More like January 4, 2009.
How that Bible never burst into flames, is beyond me.
The only thing Boehner can do, with Obama owning DoJ and the Senate blocking independent counsel, is either hold daily press conferences and be screamingly direct, or consider filing suit with SCOTUS over Obama’s extra-legal and extra-constitutional actions.
But Boehner doesn’t quite have the cojones for that. Darn, he needs to be primaried next year. I’ll send money…
Perhaps the Republicans are just waiting until the Reggie Love Mourning Period has passed before sending in some Federal Marshals?
This is not true in this case. They can acutally issue a contempt of Congress citation to the heads of the departments in which the documents were demanded. This can be done without need to go to the Senate and carries some weight:
AMEN!
Nah. The Bible always stands.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4
How someone could put his hand on Lincoln’s Bible and make an oath he had no intention of keeping, lying through his teeth and invoking “so help me God” is the stunner. In time, Zero will be a pile of bones and a brief chapter in history book:
Chapter 172 – The Darker Ages
Presidente Zero: He Came, He Saw, He Failed.
The Bible however, never fails and will stand forever.
The passage you quote makes no mention about who would actually enforce that contempt citation. They have theoretical powers, but they have no actual powers without the acquiescence and support of the executive branch.
Tru dat!
I meant for Swede and Bible.
I have a question that nobody has brought up: How the hell can 80,000 documents on one loan be generated in less than three years?????
Very true, but they ought to at least attempt the citation. If the Executive branch refuses to do anything then take that to the people to show just how badly this administration is failing in their sworn duties.
I am under no illusion that anything will actually be done, but the message the GOP is sending by not attemtpting is that the Exuctive branch can do whatever it wants. At least if they attempt to do something and then take it to the voters as just more proof as to why Obama needs to go in 2012 it may do some good (and keep them from looking weak).
I blame Bush.
Easy, just look how many times Obama has gone to the airwaves to make a speech.
Interesting, maybe I’ll try that “unreasonable burden” crap on my tax return.
Jobs created or saved! Ask a Demonut, they will tell you how that happens. Busy work. Reminds me of the movie by Terry Gilliam “Brazil” A bureaucrat in a retro-future world tries to correct an administrative error and himself becomes an enemy of the state. All the workers were doing Busy Work for the state. Nothing got done. Weird movie. Unfortunately, it is all coming together.
swede,
Nicely put as always. The Obama’s are no longer interested in being President. Not that they ever were, beyond the glitz and glamor.
Reality… ( and it’s raining cold_hard_FACTS up in this mutha’ ) are coming down in the form of Soilynpoenas and it just ain’t FUN like it used to?
I’ll exercise my option then Sir to interpret your non-compliance with lawful subpoenas as Declining a 2nd Term. Agreed?
By “constitutional duties” I assume they mean his trip to Hawaii so he and Michelle can share their economic wisdom at APEC?
Here’s just ONE of the big questions going into the 2012 elections. “When can the WH ignore the Congress?” Right now, the answer is apparently…”Whenever it wants.”
I’ve got your “constitutional duties” right here. And I’m not even from New York City.
“I am the Law!”
Judge Dredd
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws.
Sound like anyone we know?
Didn’t put the quotes in–it’s right out of the Declaration of Independence…
If Obamacare, the stimulus and the free falling economy don’t convince them, esoteric separation of powers arguments aren’t going to do it.
That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t do it, just don’t expect that Obama or anybody else in the Administration or Democrat Party will pay any attention at all.
Book him Danno
And as usual, Republicans will do nothing about this administration’s lawlessness.
Since when has the Constitution figured into anything that this POS president does?
Barrack Obama’s Constitution:
A troublesome tome, used mainly as a convenient excuse for non-cooperation, and as a delaying tactic for coverups. Used sparingly, or not at all, when signing Executive Orders, but liberally when caught violating the law.
“unreasonable burden on the president’s ability to meet his constitutional duties.”
This PRESENTdent doesn’t do anything but play golf and go on vacation.
And hurt non-cronies using the government.
Now that Odopey doesn’t pay attention to rules and laws can we assume he is KING now?
You can bet him and his gang of thugs are looking for away to delay or eliminate elections next year. Be prepared to man your pitch forks.
What you said!!! +2000
The silence from our resident Lefties is deafening and telling.
Without complete and overwhelming control of both House and Senate, there is little the GOP will do, except voice its concern….the leadership has no guts for what needs to be done.
You betcha. For most of us it was transparently obvious what TEH WON was before he set foot in the White House.
Thanks Happy! I nominate Happyscrapper to the office of MM.com offficial scorekeeper. All in favor say aye [or risk the skillet] I think that puts me ahead of Phyl.
Saaaaay, wasn’t Ozero in the middle of this circus not so long ago? Why, yes.
Yes he was.
Righteous indignation with a twist of BS. By way of response, I’m thinking Cheneys “Go f*** yourself” was more eloquent (and honest) than “unreasonable burden on the president’s ability to meet his constitutional duties.” More than a little irony that brain fart. His “constitutional duties” would be, ummm…“to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Right.
By ramming through then signing legislation with unconstitutional mandates?
By circumventing the balance of powers vala executive fiat.
By engaging the military in battle on foreign soil with no Congressional authorization or oversight?
By not only ignoring his duty to enforce and protect our borders, but suing states who attempt to do so on their own?
Hypo-cretin.
And putting border agents in jeopardy and getting them killed by supplying guns drug lords, and prosecuting border agents who do actually do their jobs.
By systematically destroying the very freedoms the constitution was designed to provide. We could go all night, no?
I like it. You’ll need the TurboTax 9.0 with the “Tiny Geitner Smoke&Mirror” App.
Oh for the muddy waters of true transparency. Where are they (the forces of evil) going to bury all these skeletons.
JAIL THEM ALL!
The definition of “some” documents–only those that are least incriminating. If you want the rest, too bad.
You’re so right. When they have little to no power, the Republicans feel free to oppose and vote against power grabs, executive overreach, and the like–see voting against Obamacare and Porkulus for example. They grow a backbone then because although it is worthless as far as achieving anything, it will make the base happy to see them actually fighting. But when they get enough power to see that something might get done, then they turn all status quo and refuse to fight. Witness the budget deal and debt ceiling debacle this year. Both times they let Democrats push them to the wall, threaten them, and run out the clock, and both times, they caved mightily and achieved nothing. Take Planned Parenthood for example. There is no bigger no-brainer than defunding that. But when the Dems said they would go so far as to shut down the government over it, R’s wouldn’t call their bluff (how popular would the Dems have been to shut down the government over funding the nation’s largest abortion provider, a seriously scandal-ridden organization? Not very!!!), they caved, voted for a deal that included PP funding, and PP’s still receiving our money to kill babies and cover up sexual exploitation. The Repubs love to talk about things like defunding Planned Parenthood, but isn’t it curious that they never actually *accomplish* the things they like to talk about?
Exactly!!
White House: So, we said we would turn over some documents relating to Solyndra. Here’s a copy of the memo we passed around when we heard about your investigation’s request for documents. And here’s an e-mail someone sent telling us about it. Oh, and here’s a doodle someone scribbled down during your hearings. There. That’s “some documents.”
And I thought my mortgage had a lot of paperwork.
Barak Webster’s defines “some” as: “none that would be useful or possibly implicate anyone of wrongdoing”.
The Sargent at Arms Could/Can deliver those papers. It his job.
Oh you mean THAT subpoena. We thought you meant something else. We’ll get back to you on that.
How do these people sleep at night? Really. I’m asking. Never mind.
SCOTUS and the appellate courts are becoming increasingly compromised. When they are fully co-opted, as the legislative/regulatory processes have been, you are looking at a super Venezuela. This is how republics fall. And there is nothing we can do short of becoming renegades operating outside the “law”.
I am not trying to hassle anyway to vote in any particular way, just encourage them by promoting who I think is best.
Ron Paul would never allow 500+ million to be allocated to any private company, so Solyndra scandals wouldn’t happen under him.
I believe that’s true – though technically it’s not an allocation, it’s a loan guarantee – which in the case of default ammounts to the same thing.
I like most of Ron Paul’s agenda, but his theories on world economy and foreign policy concern me. While the US should not be nation building – the opposite end of that spectrum is the isolationism Paul advocates, which I find equally undesirable.
And I wonder if the austerity he preaches could ever really be put into practice. So far, Cain’s still my man. Worts and all.
So? No one is saying that Ron Paul doesn’t have any good ideas. He is a staunch Libertarian and has true Libertarian/Conservative beliefs. Good for him. However, some of his agenda is so wacky that it negates the other stuff and definitely excludes him from the Presidency!
Our foreign policy is already terribly screwed up, thanks to Odumbo. Ron Paul would put the final nail in. We would have WWIII in no time.
Please, stop with the Ron Paul cheerleading. He is unelectable. You know it, I know it, and HE knows it.
Meanwhile, Romney, Cain and Gingrich are currently in a statistical dead heat. Why has Gingrich climbed so quickly? The debates! I really would like to see a debate between Gingrich and Obama! Obama would look like the buffoon he is. Obama fights dirty and would probably bring up every personal failure of Gingrich. I would expect that Gingrich would be prepared to return the favor and ask questions about Obama’s past! That would be fantastic!! McCain didn’t dare. Gingrich would do it!
What kind of grades did you get and why are you keeping them a secret?
Who were some of your friends in college and high school and why don’t we know about any of them?
How did you get into those expensive colleges when you were brought up by a single Mom?
How could you have been a member of a Black Liberation church for 20 years and not been affected by it?
When you said, “MY Mooslum faith”, what did you mean?
Oh, there are so many many question. If he was asked, he would stammer worse than he usually does when he doesn’t have TOTUS with him.
That one’s easy. Underpriviliged minority from overseas. Columbia and Harvard probably paid him to go there. At that time in his life it was to his advantage to be a foreigner. While I’m not a birther, I firmly believe info about this period of his life will leak sooner or later, and we’ll see the only real talent this cretin has is smoke and mirrors and gaming the system.
I pray this stuff starts coming out sooner rather than later…like, before the country is completely destroyed.
Does anyone really think that the Jackass-In-Chief is going to expose himself to impeachment? The Chicago way is to NOT have any fingerprints on such absolute corruption. If there are fingerprints, ELIMINATE them if whatever way is necessary. “Paging Tony Rezco…”