White House to Be Subpoenaed for Solyndra Documents

A Republican-led House panel has agreed to subpoena White House documents related to Solyndra Inc., the failed California solar company that received a half-billion-dollar federal loan.

By a 14-9 vote, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee authorized Chairman Fred Upton to issue subpoenas to top White House officials. GOP lawmakers say the subpoenas are necessary because the White House has denied or delayed requests for thousands of documents related to Solyndra. The Fremont, Calif., company received a $528 million federal loan before filing for bankruptcy protection and laying off 1,100 workers.

Upton, a Michigan Republican, said getting White House documents on Solyndra was like "extracting a tooth without anesthesia," painful and time-consuming.

An Energy Department spokesman said officials were cooperating with House investigators and have provided more than 80,000 pages of documents.