Posted on 06/30/2016 12:51:38 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh recently joined 16 other state Attorneys General to launch, in their own words, “an unprecedented, multi-state effort to investigate and prosecute the ‘high-funded and morally vacant forces’ that have stymied attempts to combat global warming—starting with holding ExxonMobil and other industry giants accountable for fraud and suppression of key climate science.”
In explaining his support of “AGs United for Clean Power,” Frosh said: “There is no doubt that climate change is an existential threat to our society and to our entire planet….I am deeply troubled that oil companies have contributed to the problem by intentionally promulgating misleading information, testimony and advertising. The Maryland Office of the Attorney General will continue to look for ways to address climate change, and to hold accountable any individuals and corporations who have intentionally contributed to it.” While Attorney General Frosh is certainly entitled to his own opinion, he abuses his office’s power by directing its considerable prosecutorial authority at specifically targeting those he disagrees with politically.
Despite the AGs’ rhetoric about focusing on oil companies misleading investors, their subpoenas were also directed at a dozen nonprofits and universities. As one of their targets, Alex Epstein of the Center for Industrial Progress points out, their claims about “fraud by concealing or fabricating evidence” are actually impossible because all the evidence about CO2 and climate is in the public domain, largely collected and disseminated by government agencies or government-funded educational institutions. Differences of opinion regarding climate change turn not on the underlying data, but on opinions regarding its interpretation.
Epstein is the author of the 2014 book The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, which tackles head-on the most common claims leveled at fossil fuels: they are dirty, unsustainable and harm the developing world. Epstein makes a case for the improvements that fossil fuels make to the quality of life for billions of people, especially in the developing world. Worldwide, 1.3 billion people continue to live without access to electricity. This is equivalent to 18% of the global population and 22% of those living in developing countries. Theirs remains a largely a pre-industrial experience. As Epstein illustrates, energy enables us to improve nearly every single aspect of life, whether economic or environmental. Calls to “get off fossil fuels” are calls to “degrade the lives of innocent people who merely want the same opportunities we enjoy in the West.”
On the very face of his book’s title, “Moral Case for Fossil Fuels,” Epstein offers his own opinion, not an alternative data set. Despite this, Epstein was subpoenaed by Frosh’s fellow AGs.
Other Attorneys General, all Republicans, have pointed the flaws in Frosh’s and his Democratic colleagues’ investigation. They observe that the Dems’ fraud investigation targets only “fossil fuel companies” and only statements minimizing climate change risks. Yet they point out that “if it is possible to minimize the risks of climate change, then the same goes for exaggeration. If minimization is fraud, exaggeration is fraud.”
At Frosh’s “AGs United for Clean Power” press conference, the senior partner at a major venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins with significant green energy investments, Al Gore, claimed that “manmade global warming pollution” is “the reason” for 2015 temperatures, the spread of Zika, flooding in Louisiana and Arkansas, Super Storm Sandy, and Super Typhoon Haiyan.”
The Republican AGs appropriately question this declaration, noting that “Some evidence may support these statements. Other evidence may refute them. Do these statements increase the value of clean energy investments offered for sale by Kleiner Perkins? Should these statements justify an investigation into all contributions to environmental non-profits by Kleiner Perkins’s partners? Should these questions be settled by our state courts under penalty of RICO charges?”
For example, would Brian Frosh object if an Attorney General in another state subpoenaed environmental groups for the details of their contacts with green tech companies and their investors, such as Al Gore? Presumably Frosh would strenuously object on First Amendment grounds. And yet it is a measure of Frosh’s extreme partisanship that he is entirely comfortable in using an AG’s office prosecutorial powers against those whose politics he disagrees with.
This is one of the biggest frauds in American history and propaganda on a level not seen in a LONG time.
GW does not exist!! I checked. It’s balmy and breezy outside in NYC. Even WITH NJ across from us.
When it snows in August, get back to me.
Trump HAS to win for so many reasns i’ve lost count.
You have been pinged because of your interest in environmentalism, alarmist wackos, mainstream media doomsday hype, and other issues pertaining to global warming.
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CBS Laments Obama Climate Change Summit ‘Overshadowed by Terrorism’
Maryland Attorney General Frosh Using Subpoenas to try to Silence Political Debate
Global Warming on Free Republic here, here, and here
Maryland: the most corrupt state in the country, even worse than Louisiana. Only DC is more corrupt.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Maryland: the most corrupt state in the country
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Just one of the many reasons that people are leaving the state.
A cursory Google search yielded no evidence of any scientific background, let alone climate science. He IS, an expert in Commercial Litigation and Real Estate law, so I guess that qualifies him.
The creationists are next.
All roads lead to freedom of speech, or suppression of speech, therefore we have to out speech them. They have no science to back them up. They haven’t anything, but the typical uninhibited bullying that goes with craniums void of content other than I, me, me, I.
This is really another fraudulent gift from Obama and his band of corrupt stooges. They are playing off of his corruption and fraud because they know nothing will be done about this kind of lawlessness.
Pray that Trump get elected. This must stop.
I wish to give these men a cigarette and a blindfold.
These are evil, fascist, horrible people.
Any FReepers with legal background who could indicate if there is a way to strike back at these AGs?
Screw that, I want them to see the bullets riddling their soon to be dead commie corpses.
Simple solution: vote Trump.
These Satanic forces are putting the moves on the First Amendment no less than the Second Amendment.
USA 3rd world Banana Republic bump for later.....
Liberals. Are. Vermin.
They need to be lamp post décor with informative signs.
I have the misfortune of having this idiot as the AG of my state. AGW is as fraudulent as Frosh is.
I’m in Phoenix today. It’s the desert and only high 90’s. No AGW here.
Apparently of of marylands legal issues are resolved.
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