Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign released a new television ad today accusing the White House of granting preferential treatment for funds distributed by the Department of Energy, emphasizing the campaign's latest message strategy.

The 30-second spot features images of burning dollar bills and indirectly references several companies Romney and his surrogates have criticized this week for receiving DOE loans or grants.

"Where did all the Obama stimulus money go? Friends, donors, campaign supporters, special interest groups," a narrator says as matching text appears on screen. "Where did the Obama stimulus money go? Solyndra, $500 million taxpayer dollars: Bankrupt. So where did the Obama stimulus money go? Windmills from China. Electric cars from Finland."

The ad concludes with undated video of Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) saying: "Seventy-nine percent of the $2.1 billion in stimulus grants awarded through it went to overseas companies."

Romney and the Republican National Committee have directly criticized a handful of energy firms this week as part of the message campaign, including Fisker Automotive, which told E&E Daily yesterday that the attacks are factually incorrect (E&E Daily, July 18).

The Romney campaign did not indicate where the new television ad will run or for how long and did not immediately respond to a request for that information.