Federal prosecutors on Monday sued the State of Minnesota and Attorney General Keith Ellison, asking a federal judge to block the state's years-long consumer-protection case that accuses major oil companies of misleading Minnesotans about the causes and costs of climate change. In its new filing, the Justice Department says Minnesota is effectively trying to regulate global greenhouse-gas emissions through state law, something it argues is the federal government's job.
In a press release from the Department of Justice, the agency said it filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota to stop enforcement of Minnesota's state-court litigation and to "vindicate the supremacy of federal law." The DOJ argued the state action "seeks a global remedy for a global issue" and "undermines affordable and reliable American energy," Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward wrote in the release.
Ellison filed the original suit in June 2020 against Exxon Mobil, Koch Industries, Flint Hills Resources, and the American Petroleum Institute, alleging deceptive advertising and other unlawful business practices. The procedural history and the state's account of the case are outlined on the Minnesota Attorney General's website, which notes appeals and venue fights that have stretched the litigation for years.
Ellison condemned the DOJ filing as an effort to shield "Big Oil" and said he would move to have the federal complaint dismissed immediately. "The American people deserve a Department of Justice that fights for us," Ellison told KSTP.
What's At Stake Legally
The DOJ's complaint contends that Minnesota's state-law claims are preempted by federal law and inconsistent with the Clean Air Act, and that the state's effort unlawfully projects Minnesota law beyond its borders. The filing asks the federal court to declare Minnesota's case unlawful and to enjoin its enforcement; the department's complaint is available from the Department of Justice.
What Happens Next
The United States filed the case on May 4, 2026, seeking preliminary and permanent injunctive relief while the litigation proceeds. The move comes after months of procedural skirmishes, and the Minnesota Supreme Court recently denied the companies' motions to dismiss and freed the case to move toward discovery, as reported by KSTP.
Why It Matters
The complaint fits a broader White House push to limit state climate and energy actions: President Trump signed an executive order on April 8, 2025 directing the attorney general to identify state laws and civil actions that the administration deems to burden domestic energy production. The full text of that order is posted on the White House website.
If a federal judge grants the relief the DOJ seeks, Minnesota would likely be barred from enforcing its state-court claims and other states could face limits on similar litigation. For now, both sides are preparing briefs and the federal case will be the next legal test of whether state courts can continue to be a venue for climate-related accountability claims.
