Report: Fundraiser for Obama pushed loan help for Solyndra

A former fundraiser for President Obama lobbied the administration to approve a loan guarnatee for the now-bankrupt solar firm Solyndra despite a conflict of interest with his wife’s law firm, according to the Associated Press. 

The report on White House emails sheds new light on the role of a former fundraiser for President Obama in seeking financing for the solar company Solyndra.

From AP:

An Energy Department adviser and former fundraiser for President Barack Obama pushed to make sure that a California solar company got a half-billion federal loan, despite pledging to recuse himself because his wife’s law firm represented the company.

Newly released emails show that Steve Spinner, a former Obama fundraiser who helped monitor a clean energy loan guarantee program, was more actively involved in a loan for Solyndra LLC than administration officials have acknowledged.

Solyndra collapsed several weeks ago, prompting multiple probes into the $535 million loan guarantee it received in 2009 and the restructuring of the deal early this year.

An Energy Department spokesman told The Hill that Spinner’s advocacy for finalizing the Solyndra loan was not inappropriate even though his wife’s firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati – represented the company.

“Because his wife agreed not to participate in or receive any financial compensation from her law firm’s work on behalf of any loan program applicant, Mr. Spinner was authorized to oversee and monitor the progress of applications, ensure that the program met its deadlines and milestones, and coordinate possible public announcements,” Energy Department spokesman Damien LaVera said.

“He was not allowed to make decisions on the terms or conditions of any particular loan guarantee or decide whether or not a particular transaction was approved.  This arrangement was reviewed and approved by the Department’s career ethics officer,” LaVera said in a statement.

—Updated at 6:25 p.m.