Federal judge dismisses Exxon’s effort to block climate change investigation News
Federal judge dismisses Exxon’s effort to block climate change investigation

A federal judge in Manhattan on Thursday rejected [PDF, text] Exxon’s lawsuit claiming officials in New York and Massachusetts were pursuing bad faith investigation in violation of the oil corporations rights.

The attorneys general are investigating whether Exxon’s securities filings misled investors and the public about its knowledge of climate change and the potential effects that climate change may have on Exxon’s business.

Exxon contends the investigations are being conducted to retaliate against the oil giant for its views on climate change and thus violate Exxon’s constitutional rights. The corporation asks that “two federal courts—first in Texas, not in New York—to stop state officials from conducting duly-authorized investigations into potential fraud.”

US District Judge Valerie Caproni dismissed the lawsuit for failing to state a claim, forbidding Exxon from bringing it again. Caproni said, Exxon’s allegations are “extremely thin” and speculative.”

Exxon filed a lawsuit against the New York and Massachusetts officials in 2016, claiming the probes were part of a conspiracy to “silence and intimidate one side of the public policy debate on how to address climate change.”

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.