Axelrod joins Solyndra chorus: ‘I know nothing about the project’

By C.J. Ciaramella | The Daily Caller

Former Obama adviser David Axelrod joined the growing list of administration officials with a case of amnesia about bankrupt solar company Solyndra.

Speaking to Chicago radio station WLS, Axelrod — now working on Obama’s re-election campaign — said he knew nothing about, or anyone associated with, Solyndra. The solar company received a $535 million loan from the Department of Energy (DOE) only to go bankrupt in August. It has since been raided by the FBI and come under the microscope of federal investigators.

“I don’t know anybody associated with Solyndra and I know nothing about the project,” Axelrod told the radio station Thursday.

“Now look, we have seeded clean-energy technology projects all over this country,” Axelrod continued. “Many of them are very promising. Many of them are already showing success. And the fact is, when you invest in a large number of projects, some of them are not going to perform as they should. This was one of those cases.”

Former White House chief of staff and current Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also denied any knowledge of the Solyndra deal last week.

“I don’t actually remember that or know about it,” Emanuel told WLS. (RELATED: Solyndra told Congress it was ‘on track’ before bankruptcy)

However, e-mails disclosed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee show contact between the White House (including Emanuel’s office), the DOE and the Office of Management and Budget regarding the Solyndra loan.

Republicans allege the White House used political pressure to fast-track the Solyndra loan to tout its green energy initiative. The Obama administration has denied any influence in the loan. The DOE says the loan process — started during the Bush administration — was properly vetted and given its due diligence.