Puerto Rican towns sue Big Oil under RICO alleging collusion on climate denial

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Puerto Rican municipalities have filed a lawsuit in federal court saying ExxonMobil Corp, Shell Plc, Chevron Corp and others colluded to publicly downplay the risks of their fossil-fuel products on climate change and are financially responsible for damages from the devastating 2017 hurricane season, which was made worse by global warming.

what they called a first-of-its-kind lawsuit last week against about a dozen fossil fuel companies and others. The towns say the companies coordinated a multibillion-dollar "fraudulent marketing scheme" to convince consumers that fossil fuel products do not alter the climate. That campaign ran contrary to the companies' own studies showing their products accelerate climate change, resulting in more deadly storms, the lawsuit said.

"Puerto Rico was hit by the perfect storm and is the ultimate victim of global warming," said Marc Grossman, a partner at Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, a firm representing the municipalities, in a statement. Exxon spokesperson Casey Norton said that legal proceedings like this “waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money and do nothing to advance meaningful actions that reduce the risks of climate change.”

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, featuring six major hurricanes and more than a dozen named storms, caused at least $294 billion worth of damages in the U.S. territory, according to the lawsuit. Hurricanes Irma and Maria contributed to an estimated 4,600 deaths and the failure of critical infrastructure in Puerto Rico, the municipalities said.

 

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I like their spirit.

Why don't Puerto Rico sue the latin kings under RICO for all a that, rainbow fentanyl and meth laced cocaine money

Stop sending them oil n gasoline

Oh no, not climate denial.

Climate change is a hoax

I hope Big Oil will stop sending gas to Puerto Rico. It should temper their tantrum

BaddCompani RICO!

Finally!!! How long did it take states to sue Big Tobacco knowing full well those companies knew for years that cigarettes caused cancer. It’s about time these HUGE fossil fuel companies are held liable for the climate situation. You know damn well they know what they’re doing.

😂😂😂

Puerto Rico’s friggin national pastime is RICO. It’s right in their friggin NAME. Irony

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