In a vote along party lines, the committee's subcommittee on oversight approved a draft subpoena that calls for all "internal communications" among top White House staff during the period in 2009 when Solyndra sought a $535-million loan guarantee from the government, through its financial troubles in 2010 and, ultimately, during its move toward bankruptcy protection two months ago.
"The committee still hopes to work with the White House to obtain relevant communications from key personnel such as former White House Chief of StaffRahm Emanuel, senior advisor Valerie Jarrett, formerNational Economic Council Director Larry Summers and Ron Klain, former chief of staff to Vice President [Joe] Biden," the committee's Republicans said in a statement.
White House officials met with Republicans and Democratsfrom the committee on Wednesday and released 20,000 pages of documents that the Republicans dismissed as redundant. The various sides failed to strike a compromise regarding the Republicans' request.
"All of the materials that have been disclosed affirm what we said on day one: This was a merit-based decision made by the Department of Energy," said White House spokesman Eric Schultz in an emailed statement. "We are disappointed that the committee has refused to discuss their requests with us in good faith, and has instead chosen a partisan route."
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the committee, said he would finalize a subpoena and would take into account White House offers to cooperate. But committee Democrats decried the sweeping nature of the subpoena and insisted on a vote when the language and scope of the subpoena are ready.
The White House did not answer repeated questions about whether it would heed the subpoena. White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler said in an earlier letter to the committee that she believed the documents the administration had produced adequately addressed the committee's goal of understanding the White House role, which suggests that the administration might not comply with the new subpoena.