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Thursday, September 8, 2011

FBI to probe Solyndra energy firm

The FBI is serving search warrants on a California solar energy firm that has close ties to the Obama administration and recently declared bankruptcy after pocketing $500 million in federal loans to create green jobs.

“I can confirm that we are executing search warrants at Solyndra in Fremont regarding a joint FBI and Department of Energy Office of Inspector General Investigation,” FBI spokesperson Julianne Sohn told POLITICO on Thursday.

Sohn did not say why search warrants were being issued.

The firm has strong ties to the Obama administration, with President Barack Obama and Energy Secretary Steven Chu both having visited the company’s headquarters to highlight the need for green jobs.
Between March 2009 and April 2011, Solyndra officials and investors also made 20 trips to the West Wing, according to the Daily Caller. One of the primary investors for Solyndra is George Kaiser, a bundler who raised $50,000 for Obama’s campaign in 2008. Kaiser visited the White House at least 16 times.

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