Climate scientists and environmental lawyers gave guidance to US prosecutors as some members of a coalition of attorneys general opened investigations into Exxon Mobil Inc. for allegedly misleading the public about climate risks.
According to Reuters, they saw documents and emails between attorneys general in New York and Vermont listing Peter Frumhoff of the Union of Concerned Scientists, which has urged action on climate change, and Matt Pawa, who litigated against Exxon in a global warming case, as presenters at a March 29 meeting of more than a dozen state prosecutors.
The ertswhile unkown coordination with prosecutors and climate groups offered a glimpse into the ever expanding battle between Exxon and environmental activists. Exxon claims that climate activists are conspiring to convince the public to turn against it and it has been unfairly singled out for prosecution.
It went to court Wednesday to challenge a government investigation of whether the company conspired to cover up its understanding of climate change. This is a sign the energy company is gearing up for a drawn-out legal battle with environmentalists and officials on the politically charged issue, as noted by by the Wall Street Journal.
The U.S. Virgin Islands, one of several government officials pursuing Exxon, issued a subpoena in March to look into the company's records. On Wednesday, the company filed court papers in Texas to block it arguing that Exxon's constitutional rights had been violated as the subpoena is an unwarranted fishing expedition into its internal records.
"The chilling effect of this inquiry, which discriminates based on viewpoint to target one side of an ongoing policy debate, strikes at protected speech at the core of the First Amendment," the filing says.
Exxon denies any suggestion of a crime, saying Attorney General Claude Earl Walker "issued the subpoena without the reasonable suspicion required by law and based on an ulterior motive to silence those who express views on climate change with which they disagree."
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Massachusetts became the latest state to join New York and others investigating whether Exxon misled investors and the public about the effects of climate change.
The announcement of the state's probe was part of a larger news on Tuesday that attorneys general from California to New York have joined forces to fight global warming and investigate allegations that companies have deliberately understated its effects. The group of 17 states and territories may jointly investigate the climate change disclosures of individual oil and natural gas companies, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
"With more states jumping on board, these investigations are sure to generate some serious waves," May Boeve, executive director of 350.org, an environmental advocacy group, said in an e-mailed statement. "We'll be looking for the Department of Justice and many more cities and states to get involved."
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