During a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Oct. 19, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) grilled Jigar H. Shah, the director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, over the latter’s appearances at paid events. When asked if he thought it’s fine to attend events where “people who want to get loans from the government are paying to see you,” Mr. Shah was speechless for a moment.