White House Rejects House Subpoena

President Obama’s top lawyer wrote to House Republicans on Friday, accusing them of playing politics by seeking additional administration documents relating to a $535 million loan given to now-bankrupt Solyndra.

In a letter to the two GOP-led committees that voted to issue a subpoena, White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler called the move “unnecessary.”

“I can only conclude that your decision to issue a subpoena, authorized by a party line vote, was driven more by partisan politics than than a legitimate effort to conduct a responsible investigation,” Ruemmler wrote.

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Obama: GOP Beholden To Millionaires

President Obama took a page right out of the Occupy Wall Street playbook on Friday, characterizing Republicans in Congress as being in the pockets of the nation’s wealthy.

During a press conference in France, the site of this week’s G20 economic summit, Obama accused GOP leaders who have unified their party against Democratic efforts to raise taxes of taking “rigid, ideological positions.”

Yesterday, Senate Republicans and a pair of Democrats blocked a phase of Obama’s American Jobs Act that contained $60 billion for transportation and infrastructure projects. The cost of the measure was offset by a small surtax on annual income over $1 million.

“If that’s their rationale than that doesn’t fly,” Obama said. The president later argued that Republicans are placing the nation’s 300,000 millionaires ahead of the millions of people who are currently out of work.

Obama Scolds Senate GOP Over Jobs Vote

President Obama issued the following statement Thursday evening in response to a vote in the Senate to block a portion his jobs package aimed at spurring transportation and infrastructure investment:

“For the third time in recent weeks, every single Republican in the United States Senate has chosen to obstruct a jobs bill that independent economists said would boost our economy and put Americans back to work.  At a time when more than a million construction workers are looking for a job, they voted “no” to putting them back to work doing the work America needs done – rebuilding  our roads, bridges, airports and transit systems.  That makes no sense.”

“It makes no sense when you consider that this bill was made up of the same kinds of common-sense proposals that many of these Senators have fought for in the past.  It was fully paid for.  And even though it was supported by more than 70 percent of the American people – Republicans, Democrats, and independents – 100 percent of Senate Republicans said no.  It’s more clear than ever that Republicans in Washington are out of touch with Americans from all ends of the political spectrum.”

“The American people deserve to know why their Republican representatives in Washington refuse to put some of the workers hit hardest by the economic downturn back on the job rebuilding America.   They deserve an explanation as to why Republicans refuse to step up to the plate and do what’s necessary to create jobs and grow the economy right now.  It’s time for Republicans in Congress to put country ahead of party and listen to the people they were elected to serve.  It’s time for them to do their job and focus on Americans’ jobs.  And until they do, I will continue to do everything in my power to move this country forward.”

White House Threatens To Veto GOP Transportation Bill

The Obama administration has threatened to veto a transportation bill championed by Congressional Republicans.

The legislation, an alternative to a $50 billion provision in Obama’s jobs plan focusing on infrastructure spending, would offset costs with $40 billion in cuts.

“The bill’s unspecified rescission of $40 billion in appropriated funds would cause serious disruption in the Federal Government’s basic services in support of critical national goals, such as supporting education, protecting public safety, and promoting economic growth,” a statement from the Office of Management and Budget says. “[Obama’s] senior advisers would recommend that he veto the bill.”

On Thursday, the Senate blocked Obama’s transportation bill in a 51-49 vote, 9 fewer than the 60 needed to override a filibuster.

GOP "Crowd Funding" Bill Gets White House Blessing

The White House is backing a GOP bill that would make it easier for people to invest in new businesses.

The Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act, introduced by Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry (N.C.), would allow start-up companies to receive up to $10,000 from investors over the internet without having to first register with the Securities and Exchanges Commission.

The administration on Wednesday released a statement saying that the bill “would enable greater flexibility in soliciting relatively small equity investments” and “will make it easier for entrepreneurs to raise capital and create jobs.”

The measure represents a rare example of agreement between House Republicans and the White House over how best to grow the economy.