OMB Disclosure of Energy-Loan Emails May Not Avoid House Subpoena

"The Office of Management and Budget this week provided the House Energy and Commerce Committee access to some 1,400 pages of emails concerning the Department of Energy's controversial loan guarantee program and promised to provide additional updates by the end of the week.

Following a meeting between OMB and committee staff on Monday, William Richardson, the office's deputy general counsel, sent a letter to committee leaders yesterday stressing that OMB is 'committed' to answering any questions in the committee's inquiry into a $535 million loan guarantee provided to Solyndra Inc. in 2009.

But OMB's efforts and Richardson's sentiments were not enough to satisfy Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and his top investigations deputy, who announced last night that they would seek a subpoena vote to compel OMB to release documents that they say the office has made a concerted effort to conceal."

John McArdle reports for Greenwire July 13, 2011.