Begich Earmarked Millions for Bankrupt Green Energy Company

As Sen. Mark Begich (D., Alaska) seeks to shore up his energy policy credentials, a now-bankrupt green energy company to which he steered federal subsidies could cloud his message.

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Begich’s office did not return a request for comment, but observers say such exchanges between lawmakers and subsidized industries are common.

“Alas, such quid pro quo dealings are a necessary element of the green energy business plan,” William Yeatman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said in an email.

“When your industry’s supply and demand curves are functions of government decisions, as is the case for the entire ‘green’ energy sector, you’ve no choice but curry favor with powerful politicians,” Yeatman said.

“Bluntly put, obtaining political favoritism requires much less investment than honest competition on the energy market.”