ExxonMobil Defamation Lawsuit Against California Attorney General Allowed to Proceed: Legal Battle Unfolds
A federal judge in Texas has ruled that ExxonMobil can proceed with a defamation lawsuit against California’s attorney general regarding comments made about the company’s plastic recycling efforts. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale allowed the lawsuit to move forward, stating that California Attorney General Rob Bonta cannot claim official immunity for the statements he made, including one in a campaign email sent to Texas residents. Bonta had previously sued Exxon in 2024, alleging that the company misled consumers about the recycling of plastic products, while Exxon countered that the issue lies with California’s recycling system.
Exxon later filed a defamation lawsuit against Bonta in his individual capacity and environmental groups, claiming that the comments had a negative impact on their business contracts. The lawsuit was filed in Texas, near Exxon’s principal place of business. Judge Truncale dismissed the lawsuit against the environmental groups but allowed it to proceed against Bonta, citing a campaign email where Bonta accused Exxon of lying about plastic recycling efforts.
The judge highlighted that the campaign email included a contribution link, indicating that it was a campaign promotion rather than an official communication from Bonta as attorney general. Truncale emphasized that campaigning is not within Bonta’s scope of employment, leading to the decision to allow the defamation lawsuit to move forward. Bonta’s office did not provide an immediate response to the ruling.
ExxonMobil issued a statement calling for an end to the “campaign of lies” aimed at undermining their advanced recycling business. The company expressed its stance against the alleged misinformation spread about their plastic recycling efforts. The legal battle between ExxonMobil and California’s attorney general continues as the defamation lawsuit progresses through the court system.