This Oil Company May Have Committed Fraud- Bernie Sanders

Vermont senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has asked the Justice Department to investigate whether ExxonMobil broke any laws by trying to sow doubt about climate change, comparing the oil giant to tobacco companies. 

The request follows the publication of a series by the website InsideClimate News that outlined how Exxon — which merged with fellow major Mobil in 1999 — conducted groundbreaking early research into the effects of carbon emissions on the global environment. But when the science led to calls to rein in emissions from fossil fuels, Exxon tried to undermine any consensus that might hurt its business, the outlet reported.

“These reports, if true, raise allegations of a misinformation campaign that may have caused public harm similar to the tobacco industry’s actions — conduct that led to a federal racketeering conviction,” Sanders wrote to Attorney General Loretta Lynch this week, “Based on available public information, it appears that Exxon knew its product was causing harm to the public, and spent millions of dollars to obfuscate the facts in the public discourse.”

In an e-mail to VICE News, ExxonMobil said suggestions that the company suppressed its climate research “are completely without merit.”

“We unequivocally reject Sen. Sanders’ allegations, which are based on media reports that are inaccurate distortions of ExxonMobil’s more than 30-year history of climate research that was conducted in conjunction with the Department of Energy, academics, and the UN International Panel on Climate Change,” the company said.

Sanders is the second Democratic presidential contender to suggest ExxonMobil may have crossed a legal line. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley tweeted his support for a probe last week.

And Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, also urged Lynch to bring a civil racketeering suit similar to one that led to a judgement against cigarette makers in 2006.