US lawmakers urge Justice Department to probe climate deception by Big Oil

U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat of Rhode Island) speaks during a news conference at House Triangle on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., April 26, 2023. REUTERS/Tom Brenner/File Photo

(Reuters) -U.S. lawmakers behind a congressional probe of major oil companies on Wednesday called on the Justice Department to investigate whether the industry deceived the public about fossil fuels' impact on climate change.

Two Democrats, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jamie Raskin, outlined the findings of a nearly three-year investigation into Big Oil and urged the agency to take action in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The lawmakers accuse companies Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP and Shell, oil and gas trade group American Petroleum Institute and business group the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of working together to mislead the public by making promises to reduce emissions while also seeking to protect oil and gas production.

Democratic Representative from Maryland Jamie Raskin sits in the House of Representatives ahead of US President Joe Biden's third State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 07 March 2024. SHAWN THEW/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

"This evidence, combined with the entities' failure to comply fully with validly issued congressional subpoenas, suggests that further investigation by the executive branch is warranted," the letter said.

A Department of Justice spokesperson said the agency had received the letter but would not comment on it.

Chevron, BP and Shell did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

An Exxon official pointed to a statement the company gave following a Senate Budget Committee hearing earlier this month, in which it said the allegations had already been addressed in congressional hearings and litigation.

Chamber Chief Policy Officer Neil Bradley said the lawmakers were attempting to criminalize a policy dispute.

"Their referral insinuates legal violations without identifying a single law that has allegedly been broken," Bradley said in a statement.

The American Petroleum Institute called the move a distraction.

“This is another unfounded political charade to distract from persistent inflation and America’s need for more energy, including oil and natural gas. U.S. energy workers are focused on delivering the reliable, affordable oil and natural gas Americans demand and any suggestion to the contrary is false,” an API spokesperson said in a statement.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; editing by Diane Craft)