{"id":6318,"date":"2011-11-08T00:01:38","date_gmt":"2011-11-08T08:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2011\/11\/08\/new-keystone-xl-investigation\/"},"modified":"2011-11-08T00:01:38","modified_gmt":"2011-11-08T08:01:38","slug":"new-keystone-xl-investigation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2011\/11\/08\/new-keystone-xl-investigation\/","title":{"rendered":"New Keystone XL Investigation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Like so many of you, I have fully supported the demonstrators who have opposed the Keystone XL Pipeline.  Their efforts have won a reprieve for the earth, as they have publicized the corruption in the review process and corporate lies about the jobs the project will create.<\/font><\/p>\n

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\"8keystone\"The State Department\u2019s inspector general has agreed to do a \u201cspecial review\u201d of whether the department\u2019s analysis of TransCanada\u2019s Keystone XL pipeline project has been done properly.<\/p>\n

Deputy IG Harold Geisel \u2014 the highest-ranking official in the department\u2019s IG office \u2014 will look into the matter amid allegations of bias, influence peddling and conflicts of interest raised by environmental activists and more than a dozen congressional Democrats<\/font><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In a memo<\/a> Friday to Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, Geisel said he will grant a request from 14 members of Congress to conduct a review.<\/p>\n

One of those members, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), said in a statement Monday that he appreciates Geisel\u2019s \u201cwillingness to treat this important matter, and the allegations of conflicts of interest, with the seriousness it deserves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a critically important issue for our environment and the energy future of our country,\u201d added Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats. \u201cAt a time when all credible scientific evidence and opinion indicate that we are losing the battle against global warming, it is imperative that we have objective environmental assessments of major carbon-dependent energy projects<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geisel\u2019s memo, which was obtained by POLITICO, said the \u201cspecial review\u201d will aim \u201cto determine to what extent the Department and all other parties involved complied with Federal laws and regulations relating to the Keystone XL pipeline permit process<\/strong>.\u201d\u2026 [emphasis added<\/em>]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inserted from <Politico<\/a>><\/p>\n

Keith Olbermann covers the investigation, the corruption, and the lies about jobs with Bill McKibben on Countdown<\/a>.<\/font><\/p>\n