Biden justice department covers up solar energy scandal

On November 5, 2024, while public attention was focused on the election results, the Biden administration's Justice Department took significant steps to dismiss a qui tam lawsuit related to the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. The qui tam suit, which was aimed at recouping losses supposedly incurred by taxpayers from a failed solar plant in Nevada, was impacted by an email from the Justice Department to the lawyers involved just before the polls closed. This correspondence followed years of delays and previous declines to intervene in the case, ultimately allowing plaintiffs to continue pursuing litigation against the project's defendants. The federal government had initially backed the Crescent Dunes project financially, guaranteeing loans in excess of $737 million. However, following the project's bankruptcy in 2020 and subsequent operational changes under new ownership, the taxpayers were estimated to possibly be responsible for over $200 million in losses. This controversy surrounding the project poses broader implications for future green energy initiatives, especially as incoming officials from the Trump administration will likely reassess green energy policies amidst ongoing concerns over the handling of taxpayer money.