With a number of U.S. states proceeding with investigations of ExxonMobil Corp.'s (NYSE: XOM) record on climate change, the attorney general of Massachusetts and investment funds of the Rockefeller family on June 24 told a Congressional committee it lacked powers to oversee those probes.
The pushback is the latest chapter in a high-stakes fight between the world's largest publicly traded oil company and a coalition of state attorneys general who have said they would go after ExxonMobil to try and force action to tackle climate change.
The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology last week reiterated demands that state attorneys general hand over any records of consultations the prosecutors had with outside environmental groups before their probes were opened.
RELATED: US House Panel Claims Oversight Of ExxonMobil Climate Probes
Republicans on the committee have said about 20 state officials overreached when they jointly said in March they would participate in inquiries into whether ExxonMobil executives misled the public by contradicting research from company scientists that spelled out the threats of climate change.
State officials have said the committee has no right to get involved.
"The Committee lacks authority to interfere with an investigation by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office into possible violations of Massachusetts law by ExxonMobil," said a letter to the committee from the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey that was seen by Reuters.
In another letter to the House panel seen by Reuters, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Rockefeller Family Fund, two investment funds that have been critical of fossil fuels linked to climate change, said the committee's request "imperiled the funds' First Amendment rights" and said "Congress's investigatory power is not unlimited."
Last week, ExxonMobil asked a federal court to throw out a subpoena that would force it to hand over decades of documents on climate change to Healey's office.
Both sides in the standoff have sought to use the First Amendment of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom speech and freedom of assembly, among other protections, to press their cases.
The House committee has complained the inquiries risk stifling free speech and scientific inquiry, and that state officials were coordinating with special interest groups.
ExxonMobil, which declined to comment on June 24, has repeatedly said that it has acknowledged the reality of climate change for years and communicated this to investors.
Recommended Reading
Kissler: OPEC+ Likely to Buoy Crude Prices—At Least Somewhat
2024-03-18 - By keeping its voluntary production cuts, OPEC+ is sending a clear signal that oil prices need to be sustainable for both producers and consumers.
Oil and Gas Chain Reaction: E&P M&A Begets OFS Consolidation
2024-04-26 - Record-breaking E&P consolidation is rippling into oilfield services, with much more M&A on the way.
OGInterview: Building EIV Capital’s Midstream Investment Strategy
2024-05-01 - Midstream-focused EIV Capital has added non-operated assets and transition projects to its portfolio as a sign of the times.
Battalion in Compliance with NYSE American after 2023 Meeting
2024-02-13 - Previously, Battalion Oil was not in compliance with the NYSE after failing to hold an annual meeting of stockholders during the fiscal year ending Dec. 31.
JMR Services, A-Plus P&A to Merge Companies
2024-03-05 - The combined organization will operate under JMR Services and aims to become the largest pure-play plug and abandonment company in the nation.