Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison launched the original lawsuit in 2020 against the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, and Koch Industries, alleging a coordinated campaign of deception regarding the environmental impact of fossil fuels. The case recently moved into the discovery phase following a state Supreme Court ruling, a development that prompted the federal intervention.
In section Newsroom
Trump DOJ Intervenes to Block Minnesota Climate Fraud Lawsuit
The Department of Justice filed a complaint in federal court Monday to halt Minnesota’s long-running climate deception case against major oil companies. The move marks a significant escalation in the federal government’s effort to shield the fossil fuel industry from state-level litigation regarding climate change accountability and corporate transparency.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward argued that the state’s pursuit of the case threatens national energy policy, claiming that Minnesota officials are attempting to impose their own regulatory standards on global emissions. Ellison rejected the federal filing, labeling it a meritless attempt to delay accountability and pledging to move for its immediate dismissal. Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, characterized the DOJ’s involvement as a desperate political tactic, noting that federal courts have previously dismissed similar attempts by the administration to intervene in state-led climate litigation.
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