Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) announced yesterday that his committee plans to investigate government loan programs to private corporations out of a concern that politicians might exert undue influence to help those who donated to their campaigns. But Issa had sought government loans in the past for similar clean-energy products in his home state. Letters show Issa lobbying Energy Secretary Steven Chu to grant loans to a Aptera Motors, a California-based hybrid car company; a San Diego-area biofuels consortium; and Quallion, a lithium-ion battery manufacturer in Los Angeles. In one letter, Issa writes: