A scandal that broke out earlier this year has put ExxonMobil in a difficult position yet again, and yet again it has resorted to borderline pathological lying to worm its way out. Their latest scandal is not that new; it’s actually been covered up since 1981, and the chance of lawsuit and negative repercussions is high, though not necessarily likely.
A Brief History on ExxonMobil’s CLD
Back in July, The Guardian broke the story about ExxonMobil being perfectly aware of the affects of fossil fuels on climate change as early as 1981 and didn’t change any policies; in fact, the company covered it up until the issue became relevant a few years later. A scandal broke out immediately, one more to add to the Exxon Valdes oil spill incident, lobbying to discredit climate change, drilling in countries under dictatorship, disrespect for human rights issues and influence on American foreign policy. ExxonMobil, which is the only remaining direct descendant of the John D. Rockerfeller’s Oil Company, has been under scrutiny for years, and seemingly to no avail.
This instance is comparable to the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the tobacco industry, who brushed the negative effects of tobacco smoking under a rug and gave millions in bribes to keep officials and regulators’ mouths shut. It’s only expected that the Department of Justice do the same now.
The Democratic Presidential Candidates Call for Action
It’s no surprise that climate change has evolved from being an ecological issue to a political one. Vermont Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders sent a letter to the US Attorney General to put ExxonMobil under investigation once again to investigate the emails released in the initial report. As retaliation, ExxonMobil’s compulsive lying was triggered. The company made a statement denying all claims and calling the accusations inaccurate and extremely misleading. One can assume the same was said in response to every other accusation based on solid fact.
Hillary Clinton has done the same, endorsing a thorough investigation of the claims given that research is plausible and should be considered. This caused some more impact because ExxonMobil members and supporters have endorsed her campaign, but the candidate seems to want answers.
