Two U.S. Democratic lawmakers, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin, have called on the Department of Justice to investigate whether major oil companies deliberately misled the public about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change. This request comes after a nearly three-year congressional probe into the conduct of the oil industry.
In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Whitehouse and Raskin outlined the findings of their investigation, accusing prominent oil and gas companies such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, and Shell, as well as industry groups like the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, of working together to deceive the public.
The lawmakers allege that these entities made promises to reduce emissions while simultaneously seeking to protect and maintain oil and gas production levels. They argue that this behaviour constitutes a coordinated effort to mislead the public about the climate change implications of fossil fuel usage.
Whitehouse and Raskin are urging the Department of Justice to take action in response to their findings, which they believe demonstrate a concerted effort by the oil industry to undermine public awareness and understanding of the environmental impact of their activities.
“This evidence, combined with the entities’ failure to comply fully with validly issued congressional subpoenas, suggests that further investigation by the executive branch is warranted,” the letter said.
In response to the letter from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin, a spokesperson for the Department of Justice acknowledged receiving the communication but refrained from providing any further comments on the matter.
An Exxon Mobil official referred to a statement the company had previously issued following a recent Senate Budget Committee hearing. In that statement, Exxon Mobil asserted that the allegations had already been addressed in congressional hearings and litigation.
Neil Bradley, the Chief Policy Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, dismissed the lawmakers’ request, accusing them of attempting to criminalise a policy dispute regarding climate change and the fossil fuel industry.
The lack of immediate response from most of the implicated companies and the contrasting reactions from Exxon Mobil and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce highlighted the potential divisiveness and complexity surrounding the issue of alleged misinformation campaigns by the oil industry concerning climate change.
“Their referral insinuates legal violations without identifying a single law that has allegedly been broken,” Bradley said in a statement.
The American Petroleum Institute called the move a distraction.