Shadowy GOP-linked group seeks 'dirt' on people suing oil titans: report

A shadowy Republican-linked firm is trying to investigate people involved in a lawsuit against oil companies for their complicity in a major climate disaster, Politico reported Wednesday.

The firm, Argus Insight, "has made at least 10 public records requests for documents related to a lawsuit filed last year by county leaders in Oregon that accuses Exxon Mobil, the American Petroleum Institute, McKinsey & Co. and hundreds of other defendants of being responsible for a dayslong heat wave in 2021," reported Corbin Hiar.

The heat wave resulted in 69 deaths and melted power cables on Portland's streetcar system. Multnomah County filed a suit seeking over $51 billion to compensate for the damages and weatherproof its infrastructure in case a similar event occurs in the future.

A clear and overwhelming consensus of scientific evidence ties industrial activity and in particular the emissions from oil companies' activity, to warming temperatures around the world and an increased incidence of such extreme weather events. The forerunner company of ExxonMobil had evidence its business was driving climate change as early as 1981, according to an email from one of the firm’s own scientists.

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Argus Insight appears to be looking for any information possible to discredit people involved in the suit, according to the report.

"Three corporate litigation experts say Argus — a company with no apparent connection to the suit — appears to be digging for dirt on people who are supporting the lawsuits in hopes of using it to undermine individuals involved with the court case," the report said. "Two people targeted by the firm’s document requests argue that Argus is trying to intimidate them by seeking their correspondence with lawyers, local officials and climate experts."

Argus has previously done work for former President Donald Trump's campaign and the Republican National Committee. They won't publicly explain their intent in pursuing this data, and it's unclear who they are working for — however, the report noted, "one of the Virginia-based firm’s three partners is also employed by the conservative public affairs firm CRC Advisors, whose clients have included the oil giant Chevron and groups funded by the fossil fuel industry."

Trump has consistently denied the science on climate change, as have broad cross-sections of the Republican Party, and earlier this year, he solicited a $1 billion donation from oil executives in return for passing favorable policy.