#ExxonKnew Escalates as NY Attorney General Subpoenas Oil Giant Over Climate Crimes
"'Exxon Knew' just joined the category of truly serious scandals," said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben
Seeking to find out exactly what Exxon knew, and when the oil giant knew it, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued the corporation an 18-page subpoena seeking four decades of documents, research findings, and communications related to climate change, according to news reports on Thursday.
Inside Climate News, one of two outlets whose investigative reporting spurred the inquiry, said the subpoena delivered late Wednesday "seeks documents from Exxon...related to its research into the causes and effects of climate change, to the integration of climate change findings into business decisions, to communications with the board of directors and to marketing and advertising materials on climate change."
According to the New York Times, which broke the news of Schneiderman's probe on Thursday: "The focus includes the company's activities dating to the late 1970s, including a period of at least a decade when Exxon Mobil funded groups that sought to undermine climate science. A major focus of the investigation is whether the company adequately warned investors about potential financial risks stemming from society's need to limit fossil-fuel use."
Following the reporting by Inside Climate News and the LA Times, presidential candidates, elected officials, climate leaders, and advocacy groups have all called for investigations into Exxon's corporate behavior.
"'Exxon Knew' just joined the category of truly serious scandals," said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben on Thursday. "Just as New York's Teddy Roosevelt took on the Standard Oil Trust a century ago, New York's attorney general has shown great courage in holding to account arguably the richest and most powerful company on Earth. We hope that other state attorney generals and the federal Department of Justice, and the Securities Exchange Commission will show similar fortitude."
Describing the subpoena development as "groundbreaking news," Greenpeace executive director Annie Leonard echoed McKibbens call for other entities to follow suit. "The door is now open for the Department of Justice to initiate a federal investigation," she said, "as people have repeatedly called for on different fronts."
Now, at least, there's little chance of this issue going away. "I went to jail a few weeks ago because I was worried this great reporting from Inside Climate News and the LA Times might disappear," McKibben added, referring to his October 15 act of civil disobedience at a Vermont gas station. "I'm not worried about that anymore."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Seeking to find out exactly what Exxon knew, and when the oil giant knew it, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued the corporation an 18-page subpoena seeking four decades of documents, research findings, and communications related to climate change, according to news reports on Thursday.
Inside Climate News, one of two outlets whose investigative reporting spurred the inquiry, said the subpoena delivered late Wednesday "seeks documents from Exxon...related to its research into the causes and effects of climate change, to the integration of climate change findings into business decisions, to communications with the board of directors and to marketing and advertising materials on climate change."
According to the New York Times, which broke the news of Schneiderman's probe on Thursday: "The focus includes the company's activities dating to the late 1970s, including a period of at least a decade when Exxon Mobil funded groups that sought to undermine climate science. A major focus of the investigation is whether the company adequately warned investors about potential financial risks stemming from society's need to limit fossil-fuel use."
Following the reporting by Inside Climate News and the LA Times, presidential candidates, elected officials, climate leaders, and advocacy groups have all called for investigations into Exxon's corporate behavior.
"'Exxon Knew' just joined the category of truly serious scandals," said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben on Thursday. "Just as New York's Teddy Roosevelt took on the Standard Oil Trust a century ago, New York's attorney general has shown great courage in holding to account arguably the richest and most powerful company on Earth. We hope that other state attorney generals and the federal Department of Justice, and the Securities Exchange Commission will show similar fortitude."
Describing the subpoena development as "groundbreaking news," Greenpeace executive director Annie Leonard echoed McKibbens call for other entities to follow suit. "The door is now open for the Department of Justice to initiate a federal investigation," she said, "as people have repeatedly called for on different fronts."
Now, at least, there's little chance of this issue going away. "I went to jail a few weeks ago because I was worried this great reporting from Inside Climate News and the LA Times might disappear," McKibben added, referring to his October 15 act of civil disobedience at a Vermont gas station. "I'm not worried about that anymore."
Seeking to find out exactly what Exxon knew, and when the oil giant knew it, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has issued the corporation an 18-page subpoena seeking four decades of documents, research findings, and communications related to climate change, according to news reports on Thursday.
Inside Climate News, one of two outlets whose investigative reporting spurred the inquiry, said the subpoena delivered late Wednesday "seeks documents from Exxon...related to its research into the causes and effects of climate change, to the integration of climate change findings into business decisions, to communications with the board of directors and to marketing and advertising materials on climate change."
According to the New York Times, which broke the news of Schneiderman's probe on Thursday: "The focus includes the company's activities dating to the late 1970s, including a period of at least a decade when Exxon Mobil funded groups that sought to undermine climate science. A major focus of the investigation is whether the company adequately warned investors about potential financial risks stemming from society's need to limit fossil-fuel use."
Following the reporting by Inside Climate News and the LA Times, presidential candidates, elected officials, climate leaders, and advocacy groups have all called for investigations into Exxon's corporate behavior.
"'Exxon Knew' just joined the category of truly serious scandals," said 350.org co-founder Bill McKibben on Thursday. "Just as New York's Teddy Roosevelt took on the Standard Oil Trust a century ago, New York's attorney general has shown great courage in holding to account arguably the richest and most powerful company on Earth. We hope that other state attorney generals and the federal Department of Justice, and the Securities Exchange Commission will show similar fortitude."
Describing the subpoena development as "groundbreaking news," Greenpeace executive director Annie Leonard echoed McKibbens call for other entities to follow suit. "The door is now open for the Department of Justice to initiate a federal investigation," she said, "as people have repeatedly called for on different fronts."
Now, at least, there's little chance of this issue going away. "I went to jail a few weeks ago because I was worried this great reporting from Inside Climate News and the LA Times might disappear," McKibben added, referring to his October 15 act of civil disobedience at a Vermont gas station. "I'm not worried about that anymore."