White House budges on Solyndra probe

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- House Republicans said the White House is allowing key players involved with a loan for bankrupt solar panel company Solyndra to speak.

U.S. President Barack Obama touted the company as a centerpiece of his green economic agenda prior to the company declaring bankruptcy in 2010.

The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations said the White House and Office of Management and Budget agreed to cooperate with its investigation into the $535 million loan guarantee for Solyndra.

U.S. Reps. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House energy and commerce committee, and Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., chairman of an investigative subcommittee, charge White House advisers meddled in Solyndra's affairs for political gain.

"All that we have asked for since Day One is the Obama administration's cooperation. We appreciate this willingness to comply and we continue to call on the White House to finally allow the truth to come out and fully comply and turn over all internal Solyndra documents responsive to our subpoena," Upton and Stearns said in a statement.

They said they canceled a meeting to consider a resolution to issue a subpoena to get key administration officials to testify about the company's loan. Officials from the OMB and White House staff members agreed to testify.

U.S. Energy Department officials had defended the decision to back the loan, which was vetted by the administration of President George W. Bush.