Oil Giant Faces Lawsuits from 26 States and Municipalities for Lying About Products’ Role in Climate Change
BOSTON - A Massachusetts state court yesterday issued two rulings (here and here) that reject ExxonMobil’s motions to dismiss the state’s lawsuit seeking to hold the oil and gas giant accountable for using deceptive advertising to mislead consumers and investors about risks posed by fossil fuel-driven climate change.
The ruling from the Suffolk County Superior Court makes the Massachusetts case, first filed by Attorney General Maura Healey in 2019, the first of its kind to survive a motion to dismiss, bringing it one step closer to becoming the first of more than 20 similar climate liability lawsuits against Exxon to reach trial in state court. The attorneys general of Minnesota, the District of Columbia, Delaware, and Connecticut have since filed similar consumer fraud suits against Exxon and other oil and gas companies.
Richard Wiles, executive director of the Center for Climate Integrity, released the following statement:
“This ruling shows that it won’t be easy for Exxon to escape justice in the growing number of lawsuits seeking to hold the company accountable for lying about climate change. Courts across the country have agreed that these cases should proceed in state court, despite protests from the fossil fuel industry. By clearing this hurdle, the people of Massachusetts are now one step closer to finally having their rightful day in court, where Exxon will have to answer for its campaign of deception.”