As the nation’s gas prices skyrocket, critics argue that President Obama’s recent rejection of the $7 billion, “shovel-ready” Keystone XL oil pipeline, followed by his continued vow to “double down” on green energy, is a clear sign the administration plans to do little of substance in terms of American oil exploration. The move has also stirred controversy about the president’s real intentions concerning job creation and reducing pain at the pump for everyday Americans. But could there be a more sinister reason behind denying the pipeline’s requisite permits — namely, to benefit billionaire Obama-supporter Warren Buffett?

The evidence does seem to be mounting.

Background on TransCanada’s Keystone XL oil pipeline 

By now, most are likely familiar with the controversy surrounding the Keystone XL oil pipeline intended to transport crude oil from Alberta, Canada all the way to Texas’ Gulf Coast. The administration rejected permits to construct the northern portion of the pipeline, allegedly on the basis of “environmental concerns,” along with a purported lack of time to investigate said issues.

Adding salt to the wound, in March, Obama visited Cushing, Oklahoma , site of the world’s largest oil storage complex, to take credit for “approving” the stretch of pipeline construction that was already underway there. While Obama used the tour to prop up his administrations’ energy policy, TransCanada actually gained approvals to build the southern stretch of its pipeline months prior to Obama’s arrival in Oklahoma, and did so through no help of the president. As Forbes pointed out, pipelines that stay within U.S. borders are not subject to presidential approval like ones running from Canada into the U.S.

Regarding the northern portion, TransCanada filed an initial application to build the 1,179-mile underground pipeline  in 2008 , passing two State Department reviews and in February 2010, South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC)  granted a permit  based on a thorough work up of the project.

“There has been a great deal of work and due diligence leading up to this decision,” said South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Dustin Johnson in an interview with DownStreamToday. “The record compiled in this case is pretty impressive. In the end, I feel the conditions we have placed upon this project ensure that it will be constructed in a manner that is sensitive to South Dakota and her people.”

Another Public Utilities official said he believed “the process by which this application was considered was open, thorough and fair” and Keystone openly pledged to station full-time personnel in South Dakota to respond to any emergency situations that may have arisen, according to the report.

That