Comments about the Keystone XL pipeline and global warming could leave someone with their pants on fire.
PolitiFact nominated remarks from GOP Louisiana congressional candidate Lenar Whitney that, “Global warming is a hoax,” and jobs creation claims from Keystone XL-builder TransCanada Corp. CEO Russ Girling as candidates for the the political fact-checking website’s “Lie of the year.”
Whitney slammed climate change science in a five-minute video during the state representative’s unsuccessful campaign for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District. Scientists blame humans for climate change, largely though the burning of greenhouse gas-emitting fossil fuels.
“Energy security is real, global warming is not. It is merely a strategy designed to give more power to the executive branch while increasing taxes in a progressive stream to regulate every aspect of American life,” she said in the video.
Girling also got the nod for contending the proposed 1,700-mile Canada-to-Texas pipeline would create 42,000 “ongoing, enduring jobs.” That’s also not true — the State Department said the pipeline would support that many direct and indirect jobs during its one- to two-year year construction phase. After it’s built, 35 people would be employed permanently.
PolitiFact is asking readers to choose from 10 options, which include comments on Obamacare, immigration and Ebola.
