The Rockefellers directly lobbied New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and other state officials to launch a climate investigation into ExxonMobil, raising more questions about the role that the funders of the #ExxonKnew stories played in creating the campaign. In a column published by the New York Review of Books, David Kaiser and Lee Wasserman of the Rockefeller Family Fund (RFF) wrote:

“It is up to government officials, not public interest advocates, to determine whether ExxonMobil’s conduct has violated any state or federal laws within the relevant statutes of limitations. Recognizing this, the Rockefeller Family Fund (RFF) informed state attorneys general of our concern that ExxonMobil seemed to have failed to disclose to investors the business risks of climate change. We were particularly encouraged by Schneiderman’s interest in this matter, because New York’s Martin Act is arguably the most powerful tool in the nation for investigating possible schemes to defraud.” (emphasis added)

In a November 21 article, Kaiser told the New York Times that the Rockefellers had petitioned the government for this investigation, although he did not explicitly say at that point that it was Schneiderman who was approached.

“And we have exercised our right to petition the government for redress of grievances by informing elected officials about our concerns that in the course of its climate science campaign, Exxon may have violated the law. All of those rights are explicitly guaranteed to us by the First Amendment.” (emphasis added)

Additionally, Kaiser and Valerie Rockefeller Wayne of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) appeared on national TV last week to admit that they were the ones bankrolling the entire #ExxonKnew campaign, including the “news” outlets that have repeatedly disavowed any improper influence from the Rockefellers. As CBS This Morning with Charlie RoseView Full Article