Former Rep. Mark Neumann (R-WI), who is running in a three-way primary for the state’s open Senate seat on a platform of cutting government, has in fact taken government spending from a particular Obama administration initiative: stimulus grants. What’s more, the money was for his solar energy company.
This revelation doesn’t come at a great time for Neumann, who’s running to the right of the establishment favorite, former Gov. Tommy Thompson. Ever since the Solyndra collapse, the Obama administration’s support for renewable energy companies has been one of the GOP’s favorite talking points.
The Associated Press reports:
The Associated Press first reported Thursday that GOP candidate Mark Neumann’s company Neumann Solar Leasing received about $81,000 in grants last year. But Neumann said Friday that company and another one, MN Solar Leasing, had gotten even more in stimulus grants and other tax credits.
The U.S. Treasury Department confirmed Friday that MN Solar Leasing got nearly $418,000 in stimulus grants. Additionally, Neumann said the two companies collectively have received another $250,000 in income tax credits under the Bush tax credits.
Neumann’s explanation for accepting the funds is that the program is not really from the stimulus — it began as a set of tax credits under the Bush administration. However, its conversion into up-front stimulus grants by the Obama administration made the funds easier to access than waiting for a tax credit.
“We have very successful companies,” Neumann said. “I’m happy to reinvest the money.”
Neumann is supported by the Club For Growth, which opposes government support for renewable energy companies, and generally argues for lower taxes, spending, and regulation. The group affirmed to TPM that this story does not call their support of Neumann into question.
“We strongly support Mark Neumann, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that Mark Neumann is the Republican nominee in Wisconsin,” Club spokesman Barney Keller told TPM. “Mark Neumann has a strong record of opposing government spending. He’s consistently opposed policies that increase spending, and policies that increase taxes, and policies that increase regulation. And we believe that he would be a strong fiscal conservative in the Senate.”
Keller also told the AP: “The Club adamantly opposed the stimulus and continues to believe it is an utterly failed policy. However, we have never taken the position that a private company that’s eligible should reject funding.”
The Neumann campaign did not immediately return TPM’s requests for comment.
