"Democrats Refer Big Oil Investigation To Justice Department"

"The industry called the move “another unfounded political charade.”"

"Two congressional Democrats are asking the Justice Department to pick up where they’ve left off in a yearslong investigation into an alleged climate misinformation campaign perpetuated over decades by Big Oil.

The decision by Senate Budget Chair Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and House Oversight and Accountability ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) to escalate the matter to Attorney General Merrick Garland marks a new phase in the lawmakers’ crusade to hold major oil and gas companies, and their trade associations, accountable for the extent to which their activities have contributed to global warming.

It also signals something of an admission about what Whitehouse and Raskin see as the limits of what they can achieve by solely continuing the investigation on Capitol Hill.

Whitehouse has called his subpoena power limited, and in the House, Raskin is in the minority party, meaning he can’t set his panel’s agenda or request new documents.

Still, at a press conference on Capitol Hill announcing the referral, Whitehouse emphasized that his and Raskin’s work was far from finished."

Emma Dumain and Lesley Clark report for E&E News May 22, 2024.

SEE ALSO:

"US Lawmakers Urge Justice Department To Probe Climate Deception By Big Oil" (Reuters)

Source: E&E News, 05/23/2024