Jennifer Granholm, former Energy Secretary, will join the boards of Southern California Edison and Edison International, shortly after her department awarded them $600 million. During her tenure, she faced numerous ethics accusations, yet was not charged with any wrongdoing.
• Board Appointment: Granholm's announcement to join the boards comes after significant funding directed to Southern California Edison by the Department of Energy.
• Ethics Violations: Granholm was accused of conflicts of interest and promoting companies in which she had financial stakes. Reports stated she provided false information about her stock holdings during her testimony.
• Early Controversies: Articles praised her vision for clean energy, but her administration was questioned for ethical breaches, including her connection to Proterra, an electric bus company that later faced bankruptcy.
• Capitol Hill Response: Calls for her resignation emerged from various political figures and public interest groups due to her mishandling of investments and ethical concerns.
• Interactions with Bill Gates: Granholm had previous undisclosed meetings with Bill Gates, whose companies received significant funding from the DOE under her leadership.
• Below-Market Loans: Just before leaving her position, Granholm's department authorized $14 billion in loans to renewable energy companies, raising further conflict-of-interest questions.
• Legislative Discussions: Granholm participated in discussions regarding climate legislation, which included monetary support that aligned with the interests of the companies she’d later join.
• Funding Source: The $600 million awarded to Edison came from the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, which is intended to enhance electric transmission, aligned with Granholm's clean energy goals.
Granholm's transition to influential roles at Edison International raises troubling ethical questions about her actions during her time as Energy Secretary. Critics argue that the close relationship between her tenure, financial dealings, and subsequent appointment illustrate potential instances of "crony politics" in the Biden administration.
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