Solyndra execs walked back from agreement to answer questions

The cheif executive of the failed solar firm Solyndra had agreed to answer questions from lawmakers before deciding this week to invoke his Fifth Amendment amendment rights, an email released by House Republicans shows. 

Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison and Chief Financial Officer W.G. Stover Jr. are slated to appear Friday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s investigative panel.

{mosads}Lawyers for the executives told top lawmakers on the panel Tuesday that they will invoke the Fifth Amendment and refuse to answer questions about the companies decision to file for bankruptcy and lay off 1,100 workers, citing an ongoing investigation into the firm by the Justice Department.

But a Sept. 10 email from the counsel to Solyndra’s estate — the counsel’s name has been redacted — said Harrison, Solyndra’s CEO, would answer lawmakers questions at the hearing.

“As I discussed a few moments ago, the CEO of Solyndra, Brian Harrison will appear voluntarily and answer the Committee’s questions on any day the Committee chooses, beginning next week and continuing thereafter,” the email to the committee’s staff shows.

Republicans on the subcommittee blasted the executives Tuesday night after their lawyers said they would invoke their Fifth Amendment rights at the hearing.

“Who exactly are Solyndra’s executives trying to protect and what are they trying to hide?” full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) said in a joint statement.

Republicans intend to pound the Solyndra executives on their apparent change of heart at Friday’s hearing, which is part of the GOP’s ongoing investigation into the Obama administration’s decision to greenlight a $535 million stimulus-law loan guarantee to Solyndra in 2009.

Committee Republicans have pummeled the administration for approving the loan guarantee in recent weeks, arguing that officials missed a series of red flags that hinted at Solyndra’s financial problems.