Red Right Daily

Truth in Freedom

Granholm’s EV Road Trip: A Charged Investigation

Granholm’s EV Road Trip: A Charged Investigation

Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee are investigating Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s electric vehicle (EV) road trip that occurred this summer with a fleet of electric vehicles. The GOP-led House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Granholm on Tuesday, requesting documents and communications “to understand the purposes, costs, and consequences” of the excursion.

Both Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs Chairman Pat Fallon (R-TX) cited reports about some controversy during the road trip.

“We are alarmed by recent reports of your four-day summer 2023 electric vehicle (EV) road trip apparently intended to showcase the Biden Administration’s progress in achieving a radical green agenda,” the lawmakers wrote.

“Using an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, your Department of Energy (DOE) staff blocked off an EV-only charging station so you could stay on a schedule which was ‘painstakingly mapped out ahead of time’ because of limited, slow, and nonworking EV chargers along your route,” they added.

“In ‘sweltering’ Georgia heat, your staff’s actions caused a family with an infant child and low charge on their EV battery to call the police out of urgency while waiting at this charging station,” the lawmakers said.

NPR’s Camila Domonoske, who joined the caravan for the ride, shared details on what transpired after the call to police — which was later published by The Washington Free Beacon.

“The sheriff’s office couldn’t do anything,” Domonoske reported. “It’s not illegal for a non-EV to claim a charging spot in Georgia. Energy Department staff scrambled to smooth over the situation, including sending other vehicles to slower chargers, until both the frustrated family and the secretary had room to charge.”

Granholm, a former governor of Michigan, testified that she had seen the bad press about the debacle while speaking before the House Science and Technology Committee hearing earlier this month.

“Well, I wasn’t saving a spot, but I’ll just say I have a fantastic young staff. … It was poor judgment on the part of the team,” Granholm said, adding, “I can only imagine that they wanted to continue moving, but the bottom line is that it’s not going to happen again.”

Written by Mark Stevens - September 26, 2023