Pat Stryker is a name well known to Colorado politicos. The billionaire heiress who has given millions of her inheritance to liberal attack groups and Democrat politicians may now become a national name herself, with Abound Solar's massive Colorado layoffs making headlines only 18 months after receiving a $400 million loan from the Obama administration.
Reported ABC News last week:
Issa's letter, however, suggests that House Republicans believe the DOE loan to Abound Solar follows a troubling pattern. In addition to raising questions about the degree of risk involved in putting taxpayer funds into Abound, Issa also inquires about the company's political ties to the Obama administration. Namely, Issa notes that a major investor in Abound Solar, the Bohemian Companies, is run by Pat Stryker.
Forbes puts Stryker's net worth at more than $1.3 billion, and Stryker has donated nearly $500,000 to Democrats in the past five years, including $50,000 to Obama's inaugural fund and $35,800 to his victory fund, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
A message left at Stryker's office in Colorado has not been returned. [Peak emphasis]
As far as we can tell, Stryker has yet to comment on this issue.
Pat: We'd be glad to publish your take on these pages. Email us at tips (at) coloradopeakpolitics.com
Coloradans know, of course, that Stryker has given way more than the amounts listed above, through the millions she has given to outside liberal attack groups that play heavily in electoral politics.
Todd Shepherd of Complete Colorado helpfully drew the connections for anyone interested between the White House, Abound Solar and Pat Stryker.
ABC News reports that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is looking into the political pay-to-play aspect of various green energy loans.
That could be a serious problem for Obama and the Democrats considering damning information such as this. Reports investigative reporter Peter Schweizer (remember him, Jared Polis?):
In the 1705 government-backed-loan program, for example, $16.4 billion of the $20.5 billion in loans granted as of Sept. 15 went to companies either run by or primarily owned by Obama financial backers—individuals who were bundlers, members of Obama’s National Finance Committee, or large donors to the Democratic Party.
Pat Stryker has been glad to add her name on large checks to Democrats and liberal attack groups, but it will be interesting to see how she deals with her name being added to a growing green energy backlash.
We'd suggest starting by calling back ABC News.