Executives of Fremont's bankrupt solar company Solyndra consistently invoked the Fifth Amendment at a Congressional hearing Friday morning.
House lawmakers questioned the executives of the company about its recent financial fall from grace despite $535 million in federal loan guarantees.
Lawmakers wanted answers on whether the company was going to be able to repay its loans. But executives refused to answer any questions.
"While I hope to have an opportunity to assist this committee in the future, on the advice of my attorney, I must respectfully decline to answer any questions," Solyndra CEO Brian Harrison said.
The executives took the Fifth on most questions asked, which led to a testy exchange between Republican and Democratic members of the committee.
Earlier this month Solyndra, a major manufacturer of solar technology, abruptly shut its doors and laid off its employees.
Solyndra was held up by the Obama administration as an example of how green technology could deliver jobs.
Mr. Barack Obama visited the facility in May of last year and said "it is just a testament to American ingenuity and dynamism and the fact that we continue to have the best universities in the world, the best technology in the world, and most importantly the best workers in the world. And you guys all represent that. "
Meanwhile back in the Bay Area, out of work Solyndra employees were given an opportunity to find new jobs in the solar industry at a special job fair for them.
