There was a dramatic new wrinkle in the White House quest to make Susan E. Rice the next Secretary of State as it emerged she has a large portfolio of stock in the company seeking a permit to build the controversial Keystone XL pipeline.

The New York Times, citing financial disclosure documents, reported Thursday night that Rice owns from $300,000 to $600,000 of stock in TransCanada, a Canadian firm seeking a federal permits.

She and her husband earned a total of $32,500 on that investment, according to the documents .

While there is nothing wrong with government employees owning securities, Rice’s appointment could present a conflict of interest since the State Department oversees pipelines that cross over international borders.

That means the Secretary of State is ultimately responsible for whether the pipeline project will fly, the Times said.

Environmental groups immediately cried foul.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/rice-owns-stock-keystone/2012/11/29/id/465923#ixzz2DgvUwO4U