‘ExxonMobil knew. They lied,’ Bernie Sanders says at debate. ‘They should be held criminally accountable.’

News & Analysis

March 15, 2020

At last night’s Democratic presidential debate, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders pledged again to “take on” the fossil fuel industry if elected president, specifically pointing to the industry’s knowledge and deception about climate change:

“Do we take on the fossil fuel industry? Look, in terms of the fossil fuel industry, these guys have been lying.

“They’ve been lying for years like the tobacco industry lied 50 years ago: ‘Oh we don’t know if, if fossil fuels, if oil, if carbon emissions, are causing climate change.’

“They knew! ExxonMobil knew. They lied. In fact, I think they should be held criminally accountable.”

Bernie is 100% correct, of course. To learn more about how Big Oil lied about climate change, explore the 'Lie-brary' here.

Senator @BernieSanders is 100% correct: #BigOilKnew and Big Oil lied. They are still lying — and they should be held criminally accountable.#MakePollutersPay #ExxonKnew (via @CNN) pic.twitter.com/3ozYXbQa2r
— Pay Up Climate Polluters (@climatecosts) March 16, 2020

It’s getting harder and harder for Big Oil to cover up its decades of deception. Both Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden have said at recent debates that Big Oil should be held accountable for lying about the climate crisis.

Just like tobacco companies, Big Oil spent decades lying to the public to protect their profits, while communities suffered and paid the price for the industry’s deception.

Whoever the Democratic nominee is, if elected, they need to keep their promise to make Big Oil pay for lying about climate change.