The Department of Energy pushed “very hard” for failed solar panel maker Solyndra LLC to delay announcing layoffs until after the Nov. 2, 2010, midterm elections, contradicting claims that politics played no role in the administration’s handling of the now-bankrupt company.

Newly released emails show staff at one of the major investors for Solyndra discussing how the Energy Department was being cooperative, but “they did push very hard for us to hold our announcement of the consolidation to employees and vendors to Nov. 3rd – oddly they didn’t give a reason for that date.”

However, Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in a memo released Tuesday, said emails produced by the major investor, Argonaut Private Equity, reference how the layoff announcement was postponed because of the Nov. 2 elections.

via Solyndra put off word of layoffs until after election – Washington Times.