NBC Chicago reports that newly uncovered e-mails indicate that former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel played an active role in urging the White House to promote Solyndra following the decision to award a $535 million loan guarantee to the recently bankrupted solar firm. This directly contradicts Emanuel’s earlier assertion that he had no knowledge of the Solyndra loan:
An e-mail from a White House official indicates Emanuel talked to Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, to plan an event in summer 2009, despite concerns raised by White House environmental adviser Heather Zichal about Solyndra’s finances.
“[Klain] has talked to Rahm about this and feels Rahm wants this too (barring any concerns)–POTUS’s involvement was Rahm’s idea,” wrote Aditya Kumar, a White House director of special projects, in an e-mail to other officials in August 2009.
In September, Emanuel denied any knowledge of the Solyndra loan to WLS Radio’s Bill Cameron.
“I don’t actually remember that or know about it,” Emanuel said.
More here.