What can one person do? If you don’t know already, you’d be surprised.
One person can do amazing things, if he puts his mind to it. One person can change the world, if he refuses to give up.
Sure, the reformer is bound to face opposition from vested interests, but, if he sticks to his guns and refuses to back down, others will notice. They may be timid by nature, but they’ll watch to see what happens – and, if the champion stands his ground, some of them will be emboldened to join forces with him and back his cause.
This is true of companies, as well. The managers of some are fainthearted, easily spooked by lawsuits, threats of lawsuits, and negative publicity. They’re always eager to settle and never inspired to fight, which only invites more attempts at intimidation.
ExxonMobil is not one of those pusillanimous companies. Exxon has fought back. In doing so, it has inspired others to join the fight.
Exxon fought back against California municipalities that filed suit against the oil company for its alleged contributions to the chimera of climate change, petitioning Tarrant County District Court for pre-suit discovery for a counter suit.
The municipalities unsuccessfully challenged the trial court’s jurisdiction, but won on appeal. Nevertheless, Exxon fought on, appealing to the Texas Supreme Court and arguing that “potential defendants use tort suits to impose their preferred climate and energy policies on Texas.”
In the last two months, two stalwart opponents of lawfare lawsuits, the Texas Civil Justice League (TCJL) and the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA), joined the battle.
TCJL filed a brief on behalf of Exxon, describing the West Coast litigation as “a wholesale attack on the most important sector of the Texas economy” and “a serious economic threat to this state and to every citizen who calls Texas home.”
Anxious to protect its members from “the same type of targeting to which ExxonMobil has been subjected,” TXOGA also entered the fray.
What can one person do? Ask yourself.