Exxon to question those behind government shakedown efforts against fossil fuel companies

Washington Free Beacon:

A state judge in Texas has left the door open for ExxonMobil to seek deposition testimony from many of the key players who are the driving force behind climate change lawsuits from local governments like San Francisco, Oakland, and New York City.

Exxon is claiming it is the target of conspiracies by individuals and government officials who want to gain access to the energy giant’s internal documents, and regulate the company’s speech, especially as it relates to climate change and fossil fuels.

San Francisco, Oakland, New York City, and a handful of other smaller governments alleged in federal court that energy producers like Exxon, BP, and Chevron knew as early as the 1980s that their product contributed to climate change, but then ignored those conclusions in favor of a public relations campaign that would sow doubt about potential environmental harm.

Exxon's court filing in Texas, where it is headquartered, claims "the allegations in the [original lawsuits] are not honestly held and were not made in good faith," and further stated that a "collection of special interests and opportunistic politicians are abusing law enforcement authority and legal process to impose their viewpoint on climate change."

The legal moves by the oil giant are not currently a lawsuit, however, and are only a petition for "pre-suit depositions." A spokesman with the City of San Francisco's city attorney called the developments a "smokescreen."

Judge R.H. Wallace, Jr. issued "Findings of Fact" on the case last week that appeared to acknowledged many key claims by the company. In doing so, Judge Wallace confirmed the court had jurisdiction over the matter, meaning some of the primary movers in the federal complaints from places like San Francisco could be deposed. But at the same time, he foreclosed access to seven other individuals Exxon had hoped to depose.

The timeline for the conspiracy alleged by Exxon dates back to 2012, when attorney and environmental activist Matt Pawa was a featured speaker at a conference on "climate accountability" in La Jolla, Calif.

Exxon is painting an outline by which they say Pawa, who is also counsel on the litigation being brought by San Francisco and Oakland, spearheaded the litigation campaign for political reasons, and not because of "a bona fide belief in any tortious conduct by the defendants or actual damage to their jurisdictions."
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The suits have the appearance of a shakedown effort by liberal jurisdictions designed to drive up the cost of energy in order to make less efficient and less reliable alternative energy projects look more competitive.