Center for Climate Integrity

Leaders in Illinois’ largest county just passed a resolution to oppose giving Big Oil corporations legal immunity. 👏

“We all know the basic principle: you break it, you buy it,” Cook County Board Commissioner Bridget Degnen said during a press conference about the resolution. “For decades, fossil fuel companies were told by their scientists that their products caused climate change, resulting in significant costs to the public. Knowing they were responsible for climate change, fossil fuel companies led decades of disinformation campaigns to deflect and delay regulation, and inhibit clean energy, all with the goal to reap record profits.”

The Cook County resolution was passed the same week that Republican lawmakers introduced legislation that aims to put Big Oil above the law.

Minnesota’s consumer fraud case against ExxonMobil, the American Petroleum Institute (API), and Koch Industries is the latest lawsuit against Big Oil companies to move into discovery, after the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal from the three fossil fuel industry.

The victory for Minnesota comes at the same time that API and the fossil fuel industry are pushing federal legislation that would give the companies sweeping immunity from climate lawsuits before they can reach trial.

“The courts are doing their job, and their decisions in this climate deception lawsuit are clear: Minnesotans have a case to be made, and we deserve our day in court,” said Attorney General .  “As we have said all along, our taxpayers should not be on the hook for the enormous financial costs of surviving the climate impacts resulting from these defendants’ deceptive conduct. Onward to discovery and trial.”