Cruz accuses legal group of trying to influence judges in climate cases - E&E News by POLITICO
Cruz accuses legal group of trying to influence judges in climate cases - E&E News by POLITICO
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is demanding information from a legal education organization that has been criticized by oil and gas industry allies for providing courses on climate science to judges.
In a letter Friday to the Environmental Law Institute, the top Republican on the Senate Commerce Committee argues that ELI’s goal in providing the seminars “ may be to influence judges to side with plaintiffs in climate change cases.”
may be to influence judges to side with plaintiffs in climate change cases
The letter comes amid an uptick in cases against the fossil fuel industry brought by more than two dozen local governments that are trying to hold oil and gas producers financially accountable for climate change. Chicago last week became the latest municipality to accuse six oil companies and an influential industry ally of misleading the public about the dangers of burning fossil fuels.
to accuse six oil companies
Following a handful of losses at the Supreme Court, industry and conservative groups last summer began questioning the objectivity of judges handling the cases, including one who has attended ELI panels and last November ruled that a lawsuit against the industry by the city and county of Honolulu could proceed.
last summer began questioning
last November ruled that
Related Knowledge Center: Air emissions
More than 30 years after the last major update of the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Supreme Court has upended the ability of Congress to give the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies broad scope to combat air pollution, including the emission of greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, further Biden administration efforts to limit emissions face opposition in the courts.