The US Supreme Court rejected ExxonMobil Corp.’s effort to block Massachusetts Atty. Gen. Maura Healy’s (D) subpoena for documents related to the multinational oil company’s research into global climate change. The nation’s highest court denied certiorari in the case of ExxonMobil Corp. v. Healey without comment on Jan. 8.
“The law is clear. The attorney general’s office has the authority to investigate Exxon’s conduct toward consumers and investors, and we are proceeding,” a spokeswoman for Healey’s office said following the high court’s action. “The public deserves answers from this company about what it knew about the impacts of burning fossil fuels, and when.”
ExxonMobil did not have an immediate comment. It sued after Healey’s office issued a civil investigative demand (CID) to the company on Apr. 19, 2016, demanding documents related to its correspondence starting on Jan. 1, 1976, with several politically conservative organizations concerning climate change and global warming.
Massachusetts Superior Court ruled in April 2018 that Healey has authority to investigate whether ExxonMobil suppressed information related to global climate change (OGJ Online, Apr. 16, 2018). The company had asked the court to modify or set aside the CID, arguing that ExxonMobil was not subject to personal jurisdiction in the state and the CID violated its statutory and constitution rights.
ExxonMobil also has criticized environmental activists’ claims that it has been aware of global climate change consequences for decades. “For the past several years, activist organizations have sought to punish ExxonMobil for voicing its opinion on climate policy, even though the company supports policies to limit climate change,” its web site said.
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