Romney Attacks Obama Green Loan Record in New Ad

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney takes aim at alternative energy loans made by the Obama administration in his new campaign video “Not Even Half.” Here’s a look at the charges made in the video and the underlying facts.

$16 Billion Plus Committed to Cronyism?

“Not Even Half” alleges that the Obama administration has distributed more than $16 billion to alternative energy companies like Solyndra, linked to big Democrat donors.

Solyndra, it says, got $535 million in taxpayer-backed loan guarantees before going bankrupt. First Solar’s stock is at an all-time low and is cutting jobs after receiving $3 billion. Sunpower is laying off workers and lost $500,000,000 last year, despite a $1 billion public investment. ECOtality is under investigation after receiving $126 million in taxpayer funds and losing $45 million.

The Big Picture

According to the Daily Beast, about three quarters of the loans made by the Department of Energy under the alternative energy program, $16.4 billion of a total $20.5 billion, went to “companies either run by or primarily owned by Obama financial backers-individuals who were bundlers, members of Obama’s National Finance Committee, or large donors to the Democratic Party.”

These winners in the competitive grant and loan program included at least 10 members of Obama’s finance committee and more than a dozen of his campaign bundlers, as well as several politicians who supported Obama and formed alternative energy companies, the Daily Beast said.

Connections

Solyndra was backed by Oklahoma oil billionaire George Kaiser. According to the Atlantic Wire, Kaiser bundled at least $50,000 for Obama’s campaign in 2008.

ECOtality is under investigation for insider trading by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Its chief executive officer Jonathan Read is a strong supporter of Democratic Sen. Harry Mitchell. He is also the father of corporate vice president Colin Read, who served as assistant finance director for Democratic Sen. Harry Mitchell’s 2006 campaign according to Twitchy.

Hot Air noted that Michael Ahearn was a key investor in First Solar and also a regular Democratic party contributor whose donations totaled $123,000 over the last three election cycles.

SunPower is linked to Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid through a close confidant and lobbyist, Patrick Murphy, Hot Air said.

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