Minnesota Sues Oil Companies, Institute Over Climate Change

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is suing ExxonMobil, Koch Industries and the American Petroleum Institute, alleging they deceived and defrauded Minnesotans about climate change.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in state court in Minnesota accuses the oil companies and trade group of consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices.

It seeks unspecified restitution, a corrective public education campaign and an injunction against continued violations.

At least 15 other units of government have brought similar lawsuits, including Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island.

ExxonMobil denounced the lawsuit as baseless and without merit.