Former Clinton Honcho Now Key TransCanada Lobbyist

Speaking of lobbyists, Hillary Clinton isn't to be trusted, either.

Via Great Plains Tar Sands Pipelines, I learn that Friends of the Earth is alarmed that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton isn't one of them. Apparently, one Paul Elliott was national deputy director and chief of staff for delegate selection for Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. Paul Elliott is now a chief lobbyist for TransCanada in Washington, D.C. TransCanada needs Secretary Clinton to approve construction of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

“TransCanada clearly sees an opportunity to get this dangerous pipeline approved through Secretary Clinton's relationship with Paul Elliott,” said Alex Moore, dirty fuels campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “Mr. Elliott’s influence in the State Department’s consideration of the pipeline is yet another reason we believe that the White House should reassign review of this project. The stakes for the public are too high to have anything but rigorous and fair scrutiny of the environmental risks of this controversial pipeline and tar sands oil” [Friends of the Earth, press release, 2010.12.13].

Friends of the Earth says Clinton should recuse herself from the Keystone XL decision-making process. Clinton has already caught heck from Nebraska's leaders for saying she's inclined to approve the pipeline. Is there any chance our current South Dakota Congressional delegation, or maybe our lobby-favorite Congresswoman-elect, will join in turning up the heat on Clinton for her Big-Oil-lobbyist connections?