Not to worry, though. A 3-judge panel made up of Clinton and Obama appointees will likely throw out any inconvenient evidence gathered in the raid, anyhow.
The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have raided the offices of Solyndra, the now bankrupt solar energy company that the Obama administration helped secure $500 million in federally-backed loans.
[…]
“Everything is under seal,” FBI spokeswoman Julianne Sohn told the paper, refusing to comment on what investigators are looking for.
The Obama administration’s relationship with the company has come under scrutiny since the bankruptcy was abruptly announced last week. The Daily Caller reported that between March 12, 2009, and April 14, 2011, “Solyndra officials and investors made no fewer than 20 trips to the West Wing.”
Solyndra left 1,100 workers jobless when it filed for Chapter 11 protection last week.
I’m sure this is nothing more than a raid for the sake of optics. Anything worth taking into evidence was likely long ago destroyed — and there is simply no chance in Hell that this Administration would allow some pissant federal agency that it controls become a thorn in its side.
So. Before you gloat, consider what the likely outcome is, and what this accomplishes, politically speaking: either the Administration comes out looking concerned and impartial and is willing to scapegoat Solyndra to achieve that posture; or else both the Administration and Solyndra are cleared of wrong-doing, forestalling any moves by Congressional Republicans to launch deeper investigations.
Today’s raid, apparently, was conducted by request of the Department of Energy. Who, my guess is, is hoping to get out in front of any politically compromising narrative.
****
update: or, you know — not.
More here.
does this mean these FBI agents have green jobs now?
As long as we’re all hip to changing definitions these days, I propose that a green job be considered one that consumes enormous amounts of cash. That seems to fit better than the way they’ve been using it.
One can only imagine the collective pants-shitting when the FBI rolled up in their black Priuses, brandishing their Earth-friendly, but no less deadly boomerangs.
Today’s raid, apparently, was conducted by request of the Department of Energy. Who, my guess is, is hoping to get out in front of any politically compromising narrative.
Looks like Issa will be keeping busy for another year…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq58zS4_jvM
I believe this was requested by the Inspector General for the DoE, which is a different matter entirely. If so, this didn’t originate with the Administration itself and we’ve got another IG that may want to study the Walprin precedent rather closely.
somewhere over the rainbow
way up high
theres a land that i heard of
once in a lullaby
Err, Walpin, not “Walprin”, which may just be a Canadian generic formulation for asthmatics.
And.
Thanks, zamoose. Will update.
This plus Restrepo being up to his eyeballs in Operation Gunwalker (see http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/584023/201109071801/A-White-House-Gunrunner-.htm) may make the next few months rather interesting for the White House.
Walpin had the administration covering some pedestrian graft from an Obama hoops buddy, and that was while we were in full thrall of the promise of Hopenchange.
This is half a billion down the crapper and with Obama’s toothy grin all over it. This was Hopenchange, and nobody’s buying that crap anymore. Walpin should take cold comfort, but this IG won’t be joining him.
Any idea who it is?
Oh, now I get it!
Congress: “We’d like to look more closely at the sweetheart deals (or should we say giveaways) that Solyndra got from Obama’s people.”
Dept of Energy: “Love to, but it’s under investigation by the FBI and we’re not going to jeopardize their investigation.”
Dept of Justice: “Yeah, um, we’ll get back to you Real Soon Now, Representative.”
Yep.
The DoE IG is a Clinton appointee. Gregory H. Friedman. Not much else out there about him.
Pablo:
The fact that they crucified Walpin over what now amounts to tiddlywinks just furthers my point: why won’t they go to all-out lengths to try to assassinate this guy as well?
Because of the increased visibility? Because even the most Hopenchanged morons can figure out that giving grenades to the Mexican drug lords is mind-bogglingly stupid?
Jeff,
I think you are barking up the wrong tree here.
The FBI is there to gather anything incriminating so that Holder can stuff it up his already distended bunghole before the public has a chance to see it. No one needs to know about this absolutely insane effort by ObaMao to get at least half of this “down-the-toilet-money” into his own insatiable wallet.
I hate these motherfuckers.
zino3:
I disagree. This has gotten too much press and GrassIssaley have smelled too much blood in the water already. They’ll be keeping tabs on the DoEIG/FBI joint op. In fact, I’d wager “retain all findings associated with this case” memos are already sitting at the cubicles of every Agent involved in it.
#11 Thank you Zamoose I was looking for that earlier.
In re: my #15 comment:
This is Solyndra. Duh.
Unless they were running solar-powered weaponry to MS-13, in which case –yikes!
Total conspiracy theory moment here:
Recall that article from Claremont the other day that essentially cast Obama as a legitimate CIA Manchurian candidate, “handled” by his grandparents and then Ayers and the Chicago machine. Under that conspiracy theory, he’s basically a Chauncey Gardener whose value lies primarily in his ability to symbolize just about anything while his handlers run the show and lard the bureaucracy, allowing the true “change” to well outlive Obama’s term[s] as President.
His value as a blank slate is completely shot at this point.
So what if we suddenly have evidence that shows direct ties to Obama’s office for Gunwalker, Solyndra, etc., to such an extent that an impeachment hearing might well be convened? What if he, “for the good of the country”, steps down, Biden promises to be a “caretaker” for the remainder of the term and the Dems then get to run a preferred candidate in ’12? I would imagine the President’s resignation would constitute a large enough scalp to satisfy even the most partisan GOPer out there and any further attempts by Issa, et al., to ferret out the corruption infesting our permanent bureaucratic class are looked upon as unnecessary, etc.
The Dems nominate a “reluctant” Hillary whose comparative “moderation” send her skyrocketing in the polls and they manage to blunt any momentum the GOP field might have had.
Dunno. Stranger things could happen.
Because this is too big and his well of goodwill is too empty. And because his very own smiling face is all up in this one.
There wasn’t all that much there in the Walpin case, aside from the report he was about to drop. This one’s already got Congressional investigations and an FBI raid, along with the half a billion. He’s up to his jug ears in this one and the media isn’t even going to let him bury it.
As per your #20:
Kevin O’Reilly who originally got the emails and shared them with the other two is now at State under Hillary.
“zamoose posted on9/8 @ 3:33 pm
zino3:
I disagree. This has gotten too much press and GrassIssaley have smelled too much blood in the water already. They’ll be keeping tabs on the DoEIG/FBI joint op. In fact, I’d wager “retain all findings associated with this case” memos are already sitting at the cubicles of every Agent involved in it.”
Problem is – Holder has a giant poop chute that he hides everything in. Why do you think that he is called “ObaMao’s firewall”?
This man is a piece of shit, and has been ever since he was Assistant AG with Janet Reno, and probably since he was a teenager..
His anus is HUGE, and an autopsy (if he were to die) would probably bring the Democratic leadership to exile in Hell forever.
solzhenitysen is not my favorite russkie writer cuz he never talks about sunny subjects but i like his books cuz
they lean open my bathroom door and my farts dissapate
i like his ‘spoon’ story how he dug out of gulag and took a wrong turn..