Shady.

(LA Times) — former Energy Department official linked to the failed Solyndra solar enterprise deal continues to raise campaign money for President Obama and helped plan a fundraising luncheon that the president will attend in San Francisco on Tuesday.

Steven Spinner, who remains in the top tier of Obama fundraisers, took part in a conference call in recent weeks devoted to planning the event at the W Hotel. He also has joined other Obama fundraising calls, according to a person familiar with Spinner’s participation who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

An Obama campaign official said Sunday that Spinner did not raise funds for the San Francisco event but is an “active fundraiser for the campaign.” He declined to comment on whether Spinner took part in conference calls about the luncheon.

Spinner could not be reached for comment.

His participation is controversial, even among Obama supporters. Some think Spinner should take a reduced role in the campaign given the uproar over Solyndra, but the White House considers it a manufactured controversy being exploited for partisan reasons.