Hirono, Colleagues Urge DOJ to Investigate Big Oil’s Climate Lies
Lawmakers: “The available evidence that these companies lied—and continue to lie—to the public about their central role in exacerbating the climate crisis demands further investigation.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and Senate Judiciary Committee, joined her colleagues in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch an investigation into Shell, ExxonMobil, and potentially other fossil fuel companies to determine whether their coordinated campaigns of climate change deception violated federal law.
“New evidence shows that major oil and gas corporations knew their products would fuel the climate crisis but intentionally deceived the public for decades in order to protect their profits,” wrote the lawmakers. “We write to renew previous calls for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Shell, ExxonMobil, and potentially other fossil fuel companies to determine whether their massive and coordinated campaigns of deception violated federal laws and constituted a corrupt enterprise.”
In their letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, led by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA), the lawmakers cite evidence that major oil and gas companies knew their products would fuel the climate crisis but intentionally deceived the public to protect their profits. The Members argue that the available evidence around these companies repeatedly lying about their direct role in worsening the climate crisis demands an investigation.
“The available evidence that these companies lied—and continue to lie—to the public about their central role in exacerbating the climate crisis demands further investigation,” continued the lawmakers. “In light of these latest revelations, we request that the DOJ investigate Exxon, Shell, and other members of the fossil fuel industry to determine whether they violated RICO, consumer protection, truth in advertising, public health, or other laws.”
In addition to Senators Hirono and Blumenthal, the letter was also signed by Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA). In the House, in addition to Representative Lieu the letter was also signed by Representatives Katie Porter (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Kim Schrier (D-WA), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Cori Bush (D-MO), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Kevin Mullin (D-CA), and Nanette Díaz Barragán (D-CA).
The full text of the letter is available here.
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