The US supreme court on Monday cleared the way for the attorney-general of Massachusetts to obtain records from Exxon Mobil, to probe whether the oil company concealed its knowledge of the role fossil fuels play in climate change for decades. The justices declined to hear Exxon's appeal against a ruling by the top court in Massachusetts, holding that attorney-general Maura Healey, a Democrat, had jurisdiction to seek records to probe whether the company misled consumers and investors. The action by the high court marked the latest setback for Exxon in its efforts to halt the Massachusetts investigation and a similar one by New York's attorney-general, who filed a lawsuit against the company in October. New York's lawsuit accused Exxon of engaging in a systematic scheme to deceive investors about the impact that future climate change regulations could have on its business. Exxon has called the claims “meritless”. The Massachusetts and New York investigations were launched following 2...

Subscribe now to unlock this article.

Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).

There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.

Cancel anytime.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.