Washington DC — Only hours after 350.org and Greenpeace USA’s latest response to the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology was delivered, Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) gathered a press conference during which it was announced that the Committee is issuing subpoenas to 350.org, the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts, and seven other NGOs.
In response, 350.org Executive Director May Boeve issued the following statement:
This subpoena is an obvious attempt by Exxon’s Congressional allies to intimidate critics of the company. It’s going to have the opposite effect. We will continue to assert our First Amendment rights to speak the truth about climate change and Exxon’s ongoing history of deception. They may want to silence us, but we’re just going to keep getting louder.
We know what’s really driving this investigation. The 13 Republican Congress members who signed the first letter have collectively received more than $70,000 in contributions from ExxonMobil and hundreds of thousands more from other fossil fuel companies in the last decade alone. Still, the fact that they’re so blatantly acting on behalf of these corporations instead of the American people is rather astounding.
This Committee isn’t interested in science or free speech: they’ve attacked both on a regular basis. Their main interest is to defend the fossil fuel companies at the root of the climate crisis. This sham investigation is exactly why we need to get to the bottom of what Exxon knew and did. Until we can break the stranglehold these companies have on our political process, we won’t see the climate action we so desperately need.
We’ve been fully transparent about the motivations behind the Exxon Knew campaign and have offered to meet with the Committee to explain why we want to get the truth about Exxon’s lies. In fact, we’d appreciate the opportunity to ask them some questions of our own about how they may be colluding with Exxon or its front groups on this investigation. Instead, they have continued with their attempt to harass and intimidate us. It’s not going to work.
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Contact: Lindsay Meiman, (347) 460-9082
NOTES TO THE EDITOR:
The letter issued to 350.org and Greenpeace USA on July 6 can be found here.
The official response submitted on July 13 can be found here.
The official statement on 350.org and Greenpeace USA’s July 13 response can be found here.
For more information on the #ExxonKnew campaign, visit: exxonknew.org