Staff ReportsThere seems to be a new chapter unfolding in the saga of failed green energy projects that has all the excitement of a political thriller – only with a lot more solar panels and a lot fewer heroes. As the Biden administration made its final moves, unceremoniously late on election night, they pulled a remarkable stunt that looks suspiciously like a cover-up of epic proportions. This particular drama has deep roots, tracing back to the Obama administration’s ambitious, yet failed, forays into renewable energy splendors.
The scene is set on November 5, 2024, less than an hour before voting polls were to close. An attorney from the Justice Department, rather conveniently just before the anticipated electoral defeat of Kamala Harris, blasted out an email announcing the DOJ’s intention to dismiss a qui tam lawsuit. This lawsuit was aimed at recovering taxpayer dollars lost on the notorious Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project in Nevada. One can’t help but wonder if the electrical current was running high in DC that evening, as it seems they decided to flip the switch on taxpayer accountability just before facing the music.
The Green New Deal has cost taxpayers billions upon billions, leading to higher energy costs, inflation, & bankruptcies.
Crescent Dunes: Biden DOJ Moved on Election Night to Cover Up Alleged Solar Energy Scandal that Cost Taxpayers Hundreds of Millionshttps://t.co/RjMPEpbdEw
— Senator Chris Rose (@ChrisRoseWV) November 26, 2024
Crescent Dunes was launched with much fanfare and a hefty $737 million in taxpayer-backed loans but has since become more of a solar sinkhole than a shining example of renewables. Despite promises of clean energy and bird-friendly operations, this monstrosity of a solar plant went belly up in 2020, leaving taxpayers holding the bag for potential losses estimated to soar up to $700 million. Flaming birds and hospital-bound workers aside, it has raised serious questions about whether the green energy boondoggle was the way to go, or just another case of government overreach wrapped in a trendy bow.
With the Biden administration pulling the judicial rug out from under taxpayers mere moments before the likelihood of political power shifting hands, this decision has raised serious eyebrows in Congress. Accountability is suddenly in the spotlight, courtesy of Rep. Carol Miller’s letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, demanding answers. It’s amusing that a Democratic administration is learning the hard way that when the political winds shift, the scrutiny on past actions can be unrelenting. The shadows of the Obama era loom large, and the incoming Trump administration may be preparing to sift through the ashes of these failed green initiatives with a sharper eye.
The implications of this situation could be monumental, especially with the incoming Attorney General poised to conduct a thorough examination of the DOJ’s maneuvers. It seems that the supposedly benevolent push for solar energy might have morphed into a bureaucratic black hole, where taxpayer money has been sunk without so much as a thank-you note. As the new administration gears up, Secretary Chris Wright of Energy and Secretary Doug Burgum of the Interior may need to brace for some serious questioning about the future of these areas of energy policy and whether more taxpayer dollars will be used for projects resembling Crescent Dunes.
The industry might be facing a hard reset under the incoming administration, with a focus on accountability and a serious investigation into the use of taxpayer resources. The newly established Department of Government Efficiency, led by notable figures like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, could spearhead efforts to curtail wasteful spending on floundering projects. With a promise to revitalize American energy, Trump’s administration looks ready to bring a bright light to the dark corners of government-funded solar projects that have done little more than waste money and bird lives. Reflections on this saga might just inspire a renewed push for energy profitability, away from the costly pitfalls of leftist green fantasies.
