Hillary Clinton evasive on Keystone XL

In an address to an environmental group that fiercely opposes the Keystone XL pipeline yesterday evening, Hillary Clinton made no mention of the project.

At a fundraising dinner for the League of Conservation Voters, Clinton spent most of her speech expressing support for the President’s environmental policies, the need to stay vigilant in combating climate change and the risks around natural gas drilling, but she ignored the pipeline.

The possible 2016 presidential candidate praised the “unprecedented action” President Obama has taken on climate change saying it “must be protected at all costs.”

Clinton has not weighed in on whether she supports Keystone, dodging questions on the issue previously, despite pressure from Republicans to state her position as well as the progressive wing of the Democratic Party to not only weigh in, but to oppose the pipeline. Clinton has said since she oversaw the permitting process for the project it would be inappropriate for her to state her position.

Gene Karpinski, President of the League of Conservation Voters spoke before Clinton and mentioned Keystone calling it “dirty and dangerous,” but speaking to reporters after the event he said “it’s not critical at this moment” for Clinton to express support for their side of the issue.

The former secretary of state has repeatedly dodged the Keystone question and gave the issue zero mentions in her 2014 memoir. Clinton usually tells interested audiences, usually groups in Canada or at environmental events, that she doesn't want to comment on an issue currently in the hands of her successor, Secretary of State John Kerry.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Sources: ABC News, CNN

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