There may be nothing to this at all. Then again, it could be the beginning of something big:
Three years ago, according to newly released emails, Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe dropped the name of Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) into an email to a DHS official requesting the official’s intervention on behalf of the company he chaired at the time, GreenTech Automotive. McAuliffe’s use of the Virginia Senator’s name may drag the Senator into an unwelcome political controversy.
The email in question from McAuliffe complains that he is having trouble getting the EB-5 funding GreenTech needed to begin operations. The portion mentioning Warner runs like so:
“As I mentioned to you, I am the chairmain of GreenTech Automotive (GTA)…partially funded by USCIS EB-5 program through Gulf Coast Funds Management (GCFM) regional center, which was initially approved in August 2008 to cover Mississippi and Louisiana. GCFM filed an Amendment Application in Jan 2010 to expand its operation to Virginia and Tennessee to support GTA’s efforts.”
“I have been extremely frustrated by the USCIS approval process which has delayed our business plan and job creation efforts. The major delay was caused by incorrect information given to us by USCIS officials regarding the extension process. You should be aware that Senator Warner and other Members of Congress have made inquiries on this project. I would greatly appreciate your attention to this matter as it is imperative to our country that we begin to get people back to work, especially in the manufacturing sector.”
It could be a simple case of name dropping on McAuliffe’s part. Or it could be that Warner was doing a bit of constituent service.
Nothing is simple and even less is clear with GreenTech.
But for me, the great question is where all the money GreenTech has raised through the EB-5 program and other means — upwards, I’ve been told, of $46 million — gone? It hasn’t gone into plant construction or car manufacturing. And it most certainly hasn’t gone toward hiring American workers.
So where is all that smash, Terry?
