Hawaii vs. Trump: Legal battle brews over climate accountability
KHON2 News
[{'start': '5.638', 'end': '8.474', 'text': "THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS   TAKING LEGAL ACTION TO BLOCK   STATES INCLUDING HAWAII FROM   SUING BIG OIL COMPANIES OVER   CLIMATE CHANGE. THE MOVE IS   SPARKING DEBATE OVER STATES   RIGHTS AND GOVERNMENT POWERS.   BRYCE MOORE REPORTS. PRESIDENT   TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION HAS   FILED A LAWSUIT TO BLOCK   FUTURE CLIMATES CASES   REGARDING DECEPTIVE PRACTICES   BY BIG OIL SUITS BROUGHT EVEN   BEFORE HAWAII OFFICIALLY SUIT   AND A FILE THAT WHEN YOU DON'T   KNOW WHAT HAWAII'S CLAIMS ARE   YET TO ME, IT'S A LITTLE BIT   DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.   >> THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT ARGUES   THAT LETTING STATES GO AFTER   OIL COMPANIES COULD INTERFERE   WITH NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY.   BUT LAW PROFESSOR SAY THE   TIMING AND THE TARGET SUGGEST   THE REAL GOAL IS TO SHIELD   CORPORATIONS. AND SO IN SENSE,   IT'S SORT OF LIKE A PROTECTION   RACKET FOR INDUSTRY.   THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S HOW I   READ HAWAII'S ATTORNEY GENERAL   SAYS SHE STILL PLANS TO HOLD   FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES   ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ROLE IN   CLIMATE CHANGE. FILING A   LAWSUIT THIS AFTERNOON   ALLEGING 7 FOSSIL FUEL   COMPANIES, QUOTE, PUTS PROFITS   AHEAD OF PEOPLE AND   FACILITATED THE INCREASED USE   OF THEIR DANGEROUS PRODUCTS   THROUGH DECADES OF DECEPTIVE   CONDUCT. CRITICS OF THE   STATE'S APPROACH SAID GOING   AFTER BIG OIL WILL ONLY LEAD   TO HIGHER GAS BILLS. THE WHOLE   ECONOMY IS POWERED ON OIL. SO   WE NEED OIL COMPANIES.   >> SHOULD THERE REGULATIONS?   SHOULD THERE BE CHECKS?   ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK   PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT STUPID   ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM FREE RANGE   OF THE LEFT WANTS THE BIG OIL   COMPANIES TO FOOT THE BILL.   BUT IN REALITY, IF WE CONTINUE   TO ALLOW THESE BLUE STATES TO   COMPANIES, WE'RE GOING TO   LETTING OUR OWN CITIZENS FOOT   THE BILL.   >> BUT OTHERS SAY COURTS   KNOTS, PRESIDENTS SHOULD   DECIDE WHETHER CLIMATE   DECEPTION CLAIMS HOLD WATER.   >> IF THERE'S NO MERIT TO   ALLEGATIONS, WE WE SHOULD   FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES PAY FOR   THE DAMAGES THAT THEY   ALLEGEDLY CAUGHT. AND IF   THERE'S NO MERIT TO THE   LAWSUIT, LAWSUIT SHOULD BE   DISMISSED. LAWSUITS WERE ALSO   FILED AGAINST VERMONT,   MICHIGAN AND NEW YORK OVER   CLIMATE LAWS. TODAY WE'LL LINK   TO HAWAII'S LAWSUIT AS WELL AS   THE STATE'S FULL RESPONSE ON   KHON."}]