WASHIGNTON, D.C. — Since 2017, the State Energy & Environmental Impact Center (SEEIC) at the New York University (NYU) School of Law allegedly has been doing the political lawfare bidding of Michael Bloomberg by placing climate fellows in various state attorneys general offices throughout the country.  Those climate fellows, whose salaries reportedly are paid through millions in Bloomberg grants, have worked to support targeted climate lawsuits against U.S. energy companies.  

Recent news that the U.S. House Oversight Committee is launching an investigation into SEEIC and its unethical practices is warranted and much needed. What follows is a statement in response to the investigation’s announcement from Timothy Lee, Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs at the Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF):

It’s high time that our federal lawmakers investigate this program and the lack of impartiality and transparency of lawsuits stemming from the state AG offices with these Bloomberg legal activists. The shakedown of America’s energy companies at the behest of a leftist-billionaire with a financial and ideological interest against fossil fuels should be appalling to all Americans.  

State attorneys general are meant to serve the public interest, not the interest of activist billionaires. These embedded climate attorneys are exerting outside influence over the litigation pursued.  Even more troubling is the impact of these state-sponsored climate suits and the local governments that have piggybacked on the various state suits that have been fueled by Bloomberg dollars and activists. 

CFIF commends the U.S. House Oversight Committee for launching this investigation.

CFIF is a constitutional and free-market advocacy organization with more than 300,000 activists and supporters nationwide. CFIF has long highlighted the dire need for legal reform at the federal, state and local levels.

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