Darrell Issa Attended Fundraiser Held By Solyndra Lobbyist

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) attended a fundraiser co-hosted by a lobbyist for Solyndra, the now-bankrupt solar energy company Issa is investigating as chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.

According to his hometown paper, Issa was featured on the invitation to a fundraiser in Washington for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign co-hosted by Alex Mistri of the Glover Park Group, a lobbyist for Solyndra. A spokesman said Issa attended the event in order to support the former Massachusetts governor, who he endorsed for president.

The Huffington Post's Sam Stein reported on the event held Wednesday morning at the American Trucking Association office with nearly two dozen members of Congress on the guest list. The Obama administration granted Solyndra a $535 million loan guarantee in 2009, and the company went bankrupt this September. Solyndra was to pay Mistri $20,000 for his lobbying services; however, the Glover Park Group said that the firm will have to eat the bill.

Issa said that he would launch a "broad" investigation into loan guarantee programs in late September. "There's been this attitude that government can weigh in with loan guarantees and money and pick winners, specific company winners, and losers," he said in a recent C-SPAN interview. "We see that as a backdoor easy way to end up with corruption in government."