WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The White House Friday said it would not comply with a congressional subpoena for documents regarding a loan for bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra.
In a letter to two top Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee -- Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan and Cliff Stearns of Florida -- White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler said the subpoena was motivated "more by partisan politics than a legitimate effort to conduct a responsible investigation."
Ruemmler suggested the White House might disclose further information on the loan, saying "we remain willing to work with the committee to accommodate its legitimate oversight interests in a balanced manner," CNN reported. She said the subpoena, as currently constituted, "is a significant intrusion on executive branch interests."
Upton said in statement Friday the White House "could have avoided the need for subpoena authorizations if they had simply chosen to cooperate."
White House spokesman Eric Schultz said this week the Department of Energy loan guarantee for Solyndra was merit-based and had nothing to do with support President Barack Obama has received from George Kasier, an investor in the company. Solyndra filed for bankruptcy in August after receiving a $535 million loan in 2009 to develop clean energy.
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