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John,
Fifty years ago, the fossil fuel companies knew the science: they knew their products would create unsustainable global warming.
But what did they do with this information? Did they use it to support efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and diversify the energy economy?
Of course not! Instead they spent billions of dollars to spread disinformation about the science, and worked hard to elect candidates who amplified these climate change doubts and denials.
That’s decades lost that could have been used to make the needed transitions to renewable forms of energy and prevent the climate catastrophe that is now upon us.
The fossil fuel companies knew about the impending disaster, and they purposely misled the public in the opposite direction. Sign the petition and tell the Department of Justice: It’s time to hold them accountable.
There is precedence for the DOJ suing companies over perpetuating a Big Lie. In the 1990’s, the DOJ sued the major tobacco companies under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The CEOs’ testimony before Congress was a major wake up call for the nation as their intentional misdeeds became public record. In the settlement, Big Tobacco agreed to pay more than $200 billion to the states over 25 years.
Now, Democratic senators are calling on the DOJ, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, to sue fossil fuel companies for their illegal actions, which violated truth in advertising, consumer protection, and federal racketeering laws.
Day by day, we continue to face the impact of climate and weather disasters, which in 2022 came to a total over $165 billion, one of the most expensive years on record. Marginalized communities are among those with the heaviest impact to health and livelihoods, even though they contribute less to greenhouse gasses than the more affluent.
Now, over five decades of lies and distortions must be held to account! Sign the petition and urge the DOJ to call the fossil fuel industry on the carpet now, just as they did with Big Tobacco.
Not only is there monetary compensation to consider, but public perception too needs to be fully aware of how the industry has been complicit in these lies.
Thank you for supporting the health of the biosphere!
- Amanda
Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund
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