"Lawmakers are calling out companies they say engaged in a 'sophisticated and deceitful campaign' to mislead the public."

"WASHINGTON ― Before national attention turns to the political party conventions, a group of Senate Democrats took to the floor this week to confront the 'many-headed dragon' of climate change denial.

The effort, which began Monday, is meant to call out more than 30 different organizations that are 'either co-opted or created by the fossil fuel industry in order to propagate climate [change] denial while obscuring the true hand of the fossil fuel industry in their efforts,' Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), who is leading the effort, told The Huffington Post.

The senators are also hoping to capitalize on attention surrounding the investigation of Exxon Mobil Corp. by several state attorneys general over allegations that its scientists knew about climate change even as the company publicly disputed the science."

Kate Sheppard reports for the Huffington Post July 12, 2016. [2]