Top Democratic governors, including Minnesota's Tim Walz, California's Gavin Newsom and Illinois's J.B.Pritzker are urging Congress to reject legislation that would shield oil and gas companies from climate-related lawsuits, arguing taxpayers should not bear the costs of pollution."Communities all across our nation, in red states and blue states, have suffered and face staggering costs from fires, floods, storms, and heat waves that, according to scientists, are becoming more destructive as a result of the burning of fossil fuels," reads a letter penned by 10 Democrat governors.The top state leaders, along with Democrat attorneys general, are pushing Congress to reject the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026, arguing it would protect oil and gas industries by granting immunity from lawsuits at the expense of taxpayers.
Republicans argue the bill protects American energy from lawsuits that could bankrupt the industry, lead to job loss and drive up the cost of electricity and gasoline.NEWSOM UNDER FIRE AS CALIFORNIA GAS TAX HIKE SENDS PUMP PRICES EVEN HIGHERPeople march as they take part in a strike to demand action on the global climate crisis on September 20, 2019 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)"Such a guide is sorely needed as litigation involving climate science only grows in prevalence and urgency in our courts.Furthermore, the chapter’s removal does not change the scientific reality of climate change," wrote more than 20 attorneys general in their letter to Congress.Jason Isaac, American Energy Institute CEO, told Fox News Digital that this is a "coordinated legal campaign to bankrupt lawful American energy producers through junk litigation.""These companies legally produced the energy that heats and cools homes, powers hospitals, and fuels the American economy — and now a coalition of activist attorneys general and climate advocacy groups want to make them pay retroactively for doing exactly that," said Isaac.GOP URGES SCOTUS TO REJECT 'W...