Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Energy Secretary Chu yesterday alleging that new information in the probe of the administration’s green energy loan program reveals that Energy Department employees “deceptively and willfully” withheld documents relating to the probe. Specifically, it says they used non-government email accounts to keep them out of sight.
The letter was sent by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., along with Subcommittee Chairmen Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. It cites testimony from former DOE loan program officer Jonathan Silver telling the committee in July “no, unequivocally not” when asked if private email accounts were used to hide or hold back information. The letter then cites an email obtained via congressional subpoena sent by Silver in August, 2011, telling a DOE colleague: “Don’t ever send an email on DOE email with a private email address. That makes them subpoenable.” The letter also cites emails showing Silver regularly communicated with at least 13 other officials on private accounts regarding the loan program. The letter also alleges he used non-governmental accounts to communicate with the White House. It further suggests Chu was “complicit in an organized effort to deceive Congress” regarding these communications.
DOE Spokesman Damien LaVera said via email:
