Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Wednesday that she has explored ways to “take action” on turning climate-change denial into a federal crime.
Democrat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse used a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to liken companies that refute certain environmental studies to the tobacco industry once downplaying the correlation between smoking and cancer. The Rhode Island senator then asked Lynch why the Obama administration has “done nothing” to civilly pursue energy companies in court.
“This matter has been discussed. We have received information about it and have referred it to the FBI to consider whether or not it meets the criteria for which we could take action on,” Lynch replied, CNS News reported Wednesday.
Whitehouse said something must be done about the so-called “mischief” of the energy industry and the “climate-denial apparatus” it has created.
“Are there any civil cases with the United States as plaintiff within DOJ’s civil division in which the FBI is preparing the case for the civil division?” Whitehouse asked, the website reported.
“Are you regarding climate-change issues?” Lynch replied.
“Regarding any matter,” Whitehouse asked.
“I couldn’t give you that information right now,” Lynch said.
