Justice Samuel Alito Recuses From Exxon Mobil Climate Case
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from a climate change lawsuit involving Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy following pressure over his energy stock holdings.
Associate Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a Supreme Court case involving Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy. The energy companies are seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the city and county of Boulder, Colorado, which seeks damages for the impacts of climate change.
Alito's decision follows pressure from advocacy groups, including Consumer Watchdog, which argued that his stock holdings in energy firms like ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66 could benefit from a ruling that prevents climate lawsuits from proceeding in state courts. Alito had previously maintained that recusal was unnecessary because he held no direct financial interest in the specific parties involved in the case.
His recusal creates the possibility of a 4-4 split among the justices, a result that would leave the legal issues unresolved. In a separate development, some conservatives have called for Justice Elena Kagan to recuse herself from the court due to her involvement with a judicial reference manual.
