Conservative power broker shields oil giants from climate lawsuits
Leonard Leo, the architect of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, is now allegedly leveraging a vast network of dark money groups to shield oil and gas companies from accountability for climate change damages. A ProPublica investigation reveals a coordinated effort to pass state laws that effectively immunize these corporations, raising serious questions about the influence of fossil fuel interests on state legislatures.
A flood of legislation, a rising tide of concern
Across eleven states, fifteen bills – some already law, others pending – aim to restrict public access to legal recourse against oil and gas companies. These measures, critics argue, undermine long-standing legal tools designed to hold corporations responsible for environmental harm. The scale of the operation is staggering: Leo, through a series of opaque nonprofits, has deployed a reported $1.6 billion since 2021, funneling funds through entities that obscure the origin and destination of the donations – a hallmark of “dark money” financing.
The ProPublica report details a disturbing pattern: these groups share staff, funding ties, and, crucially, have drafted and disseminated the model legislation. A well-connected lobbying firm, working for Leo, then ensures the bills find their way onto state legislative agendas. The motivation? A preemptive strike against lawsuits seeking compensation for climate-related damages—a strategy openly discussed at the annual States and Nation Policy Summit of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), that notorious legislative incubator.
The 85 Fund, a judicial advocacy group founded by Leo, serves as a central hub for this financial network, both receiving and distributing his substantial contributions. A significant portion of this money flows to Donors Trust, which then funds organizations like Consumers’ Research, which in turn contracts services to CRC Advisors – a consulting firm with deep ties to Leo.
But what does this look like on the ground? Consider Boulder, Colorado, a community grappling with intensified droughts, extreme precipitation, and increasingly devastating wildfires—all exacerbated by climate change. In 2018, Boulder County sued Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy, alleging a conspiracy to mislead the public about the dangers of fossil fuels. Now, these legal options may be vanishing, thanks to legislation championed by Leo’s network.
Leo, in a text message to ProPublica, framed the effort as a necessary response to what he perceives as a “woke” takeover of American institutions. He asserted that his organizations are committed to “restoring balance” – a sentiment many see as a thinly veiled attempt to protect corporate interests at the expense of environmental responsibility. The irony, of course, is that while Leo decries the alleged excesses of “woke” ideology, his actions seem driven by a fierce loyalty to the bottom lines of oil and gas corporations.
The scale of this operation—a billionaire quietly underwriting a campaign to limit legal accountability for climate change—highlights a troubling trend in American Politics: the erosion of corporate responsibility and the increasing power of dark money to shape public policy. The courts may ultimately decide the legality of these laws, but the current landscape reveals a disturbing willingness to prioritize profits over the planet.