Senators Press DOJ to Pursue Fossil Fuel Giants Over Climate Deception

In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Sens. Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Elizabeth Warren argued that industry leaders like ExxonMobil and Shell systematically misled the public to protect profits. The lawmakers highlighted internal records dating back to the 1970s confirming that these corporations understood the climate implications of their products while simultaneously funding denial efforts through the American Petroleum Institute.

According to the senators, this coordinated misinformation strategy mirrors the deceptive practices of tobacco companies, which were found guilty of racketeering in 2006. The group noted that between 1990 and 2019, the six largest private fossil fuel firms generated $2.4 trillion in profits, even as their products fueled environmental disasters. With Deloitte estimating that climate-related costs could reach $14.5 trillion over the next half-century, the senators insisted that the DOJ must now collaborate with the Federal Trade Commission to hold these entities accountable under federal consumer protection and anti-racketeering statutes.