Trump DOJ Intervenes to Block Minnesota Climate Fraud Lawsuit

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison launched the original lawsuit in 2020 against the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, and Koch Industries, alleging a coordinated campaign of deception regarding the environmental impact of fossil fuels. The case recently moved into the discovery phase following a state Supreme Court ruling, a development that prompted the federal intervention.

Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward argued that the state’s pursuit of the case threatens national energy policy, claiming that Minnesota officials are attempting to impose their own regulatory standards on global emissions. Ellison rejected the federal filing, labeling it a meritless attempt to delay accountability and pledging to move for its immediate dismissal. Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, characterized the DOJ’s involvement as a desperate political tactic, noting that federal courts have previously dismissed similar attempts by the administration to intervene in state-led climate litigation.