by Kevin Killough
Just The News
ExxonMobil is continuing to push back against activists who have long demonized the company as “deceiving the public” about the impacts of fossil fuels. On Monday, Exxon filed a defamation lawsuit against in the Federal District of Eastern Texas against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and several environmental groups, including the Sierra Club.
The lawsuit alleges that Bonta and the activists groups coordinated a campaign to defame Exxon over its promotion of advanced plastics recycling, while acting in the interest of an Australian company hoping to produce renewable-produced hydrogen and compete with Exxon in the energy market.
The suit states that “In a staggering reversal and in a coordinated effort, Mr. Bonta, the Sierra Club, and a collection of erstwhile recycling enthusiasts are now attacking a Texas corporation for its advanced recycling operations—operations that are part of the solution to plastic waste, not the problem. Instead of coming alongside efforts to support a developing technology and an emerging business model designed to recycle otherwise difficult-to-recycle plastics […] the Defendants are repeatedly and publicly attacking ExxonMobil with false accusations of being a ‘liar’ and declarations that advanced recycling is a ‘myth’ and a ‘sham.’”…
Steve Milloy, senior legal fellow with the Energy and Environmental Legal Institute and publisher of “JunkScience.com,” told Just the Newsthat Exxon’s defamation lawsuit is a great step, but responses against these campaigns should have happened sooner.
“Exxon could have sued these people ages ago and possibly avoided a lot of the pain they’re going through now. But they always thought that they could be nice, play the game, slide by and get credit from the environmental groups. Of course, that never happened. They just got nastier, nasty, nastier,” Milloy said.
