Elizabeth Warren Blasts GOP Congressman And His Exxon Mobil Buddies

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has a message for Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and his climate denying, Big Oil-loving cronies in Washington: You picked the wrong fight.

Last week, Smith, who chairs the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, subpoenaed state attorneys general and environmental groups that are investigating whether companies like Exxon Mobil committed fraud by covering up the risks of carbon emissions and climate change.

Smith said the investigations led by the attorneys general of New York and Massachusetts “amount to a form of extortion,” and that the subpoenas are necessary to “protect the American people from further infringement of their free speech rights.”

In a storm of posts to Twitter on Wednesday, Warren blasted Exxon’s intimidation of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey and Smith’s crusade to protect the oil giant. She described Smith’s actions as “an outrageous abuse of Congressional subpoena power” and pointed out that the long-time climate denier has received $675,597 in donations from the oil and gas industry since 1989.

Want to see how giant corporations rig the system? Look at what @exxonmobil is doing to intimidate @MassAGO to stop fraud investigation.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

.@MassAGO Maura Healey is investigating whether @exxonmobil broke state laws by knowingly misleading people about climate change.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

First @exxonmobil tried to stop @MassAGO by suing Healey in a TX court & attacking her integrity because she’s doing her job.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

Now @exxonmobil got the Chair of the @HouseScience Committee — a TX Republican who has taken $675k from oil & gas — to subpoena @MassAGO.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

Yup, that’s right: House Republicans are interfering with a state AG’s ongoing investigation of a company violating state law.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

.@LamarSmithTX21 says he “takes very seriously his obligation to uphold & defend the Constitution” — but apparently not the 10th Amendment.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

For the @GOP, states’ rights only apply for restricting voting rights or regulating women’s bodies. Not investigating climate change fraud.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

This is an outrageous abuse of Congressional subpoena power to threaten a state AG and help a campaign contributor.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

Let me offer you a word of advice, @LamarSmithTX21 & your @exxonmobil buddies: you picked a fight with the wrong state & the wrong AG.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 20, 2016

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