When Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) expressed concerns over his party’s Bain Capital criticism, it was considered a critically important development. With that in mind, we’ll see if it’s as important when a sitting Republican senator has no use for her party’s Solyndra criticisms.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is breaking with Mitt Romney and some Capitol Hill Republicans by expressing support for federal green-energy programs, including the one that provided loan help to the now-bankrupt Solyndra.
Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said she supports continuation of the Energy’s Department loan-guarantee program for green energy, and more broadly backs a federal role in boosting market deployment of alternative energy.
“I do believe there is a role, and perhaps that sets me apart from some of my other colleagues on Capitol Hill,” said Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Murkowski warned against a “knee-jerk” response to Solyndra — which seems to be a fair description of the Romney campaign’s message — adding, “We are focusing right now on the failures instead of also recognizing that we have done good things for the loan guarantee program.”









