A Leonardo DiCaprio-funded law firm under Congressional investigation was just selected by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to serve as outside counsel in the state’s forthcoming lawsuit against oil and natural gas providers.
The Daily Caller first reported that Sher Edling, along with law firms DiCello Levitt LLP and Hausfeld LLP, have been selected following a public RFP process initiated by Nessel. According to the AG’s own timeline, the winning firms were supposed to have been announced two months ago in August.
The development comes just days after the release of a Congressional report detailing the dark money funding Sher Edling’s operations, and despite a string of recent failures that may spell doom for the climate lawfare movement. Michigan business groups have already widely panned the effort, calling it a “dangerous and inappropriate use of a state office” that would have a “negative and chilling effect on the state’s entire economy.”
Why file this lawsuit now?
The timing of this development doesn’t make sense with Election Day less than a month away. Michigan is a must-win state for Democrats – and as we’ve seen in other key swing states, anti-energy policies like climate litigation, fracking bans, and the Rockefeller-pushed LNG pause are unpopular with voters.
At the same time, Vice President and Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris has attempted to back away from hardline climate policies like her previous support of banning fracking, though has yet to weigh in decisively on climate litigation. Harris is currently polling poorly in Michigan, a reality that would likely worsen should the Democratic attorney general file a climate lawsuit.
Perhaps this is why AG Nessel blew past her own deadline, didn’t hold a press event to announce Sher Edling et al. as counsel, and has yet to file an actual case. But will a case come before Election Day? Or will it be sprung on Michiganders only after they’ve cast their votes in November?
Read more about the core players and fee agreement at EIDClimate.org.
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