Liberal senators slammed for asking Justice Department to prosecute fossil fuel industry

A group of liberal senators is asking the Justice Department to prosecute leaders of the fossil fuel industry for allegedly breaking laws by ignoring the "scientific evidence" related to climate change and by continuing to produce oil and gas.

The senators allege the companies have broken federal laws on racketeering, truth in advertising and consumer protection laws and other related laws in such efforts by ignoring "scientific evidence" of climate change and continuing to produce oil and gas.

"We write to strongly urge the Department of Justice to bring suits against the fossil fuel industry for its longstanding and carefully coordinated campaign to mislead consumers and discredit climate science in pursuit of massive profits," reads the letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The letter is signed Democrat Sens. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts; Jeffrey Merkley, of Oregon; and Edward Markey, of Massachusetts and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Senate Democrats.

In response, U.S. Oil and Gas Association Tim Stewart said: "Using their silly logic, the federal government would have to sue itself for its contribution to climate change."

He argued that, for example, the Justice Department could file suit against the Interior Department, considering the agency issues oil and gas leases.

Th Biden administration granted more permits than the Trump administration for drilling, according to multiple news outlets.

"For the past 100 years, the federal government itself [has been] one of the biggest fossil energy producers in the world," Stewart told Just the News. "This is an unserious letter signed by increasingly unserious people."

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