U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said this week that “nothing could be so important” as the U.S. Department of Justice taking action to hold Exxon and other oil and gas companies accountable “for lying to the American public about the devastating effects of these products on climate change.” 

He also urged Judge Merrick Garland, President Biden’s nominee to serve as the next U.S. Attorney General, to consider what action the department could take in light of the growing number of climate accountability lawsuits from state attorneys general and President Biden’s pledges to support holding the oil and gas industry accountable for lying about climate change.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who last year sued ExxonMobil for consumer fraud, was quick to say his office would welcome support from the federal government.

Cover image by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Flickr.