Documents Reveal DC AG’s Bloomberg-hired “Climate” Prosecutor was also a Bloomberg-Referred “Climate” Prosecutor
Public record productions raise new questions about donor-funded activism in the DC Office of Attorney General — as well as nearby state and local offices. This is the first in a series of CLW posts on these revelations.
To begin this series let’s start with DC and its AG Karl Racine, one of Michael Bloomberg’s original partners in his Law Enforcement for Rent scheme. To consider the importance of documents which unearth an intriguing and major new aspect of Racine’s machinations, first consider the role of Bloomberg organizations in identifying and placing the more junior among the private climate prosecutors in Racine’s office.
Turns out Racine’s first Bloomberg-funded climate prosecutor happens to be the one recommended by…Bloomberg Philanthropies. To pursue the Bloomberg group-specified issues of concern to Bloomberg.
Public records show that, when Sarah Kogel-Smucker applied for the Bloomberg-funded placement in DC, she notified Daniel Firger, environmental program officer for Bloomberg Philanthropies (as if they would have some influence or something).
Firger promptly notified NYU’s David Hayes — hired to run Bloomberg’s SAAG-placement shop operating out of that school — who then forwarded the Bloomberg Philanthropies candidate’s resume and email to DC OAG.
In his email Firger touted Kogel-Smucker for the legal position as being “wonderful” and [REDACTED], though he couldn’t attest to her legal abilities (FOIA fans are rightly curious, given the context, about the propriety of REDACTED).
DC AG then told NYU that, you know, we really don’t need to publicly advertise this position now that we think about it. It decided to just consider those referred to it by the Bloomberg groups, with other applicants it had passed on for previous openings.
Toiling on the Bloomberg issues for DC OAG is why the AG brought Kogel-Smucker on board, and why Bloomberg is making sure she is paid.
The insertion of a Bloomberg “special assistant attorney general” seems to have paid dividends. Racine announced on March 15, 2019 his conclusion, after having his Office look into the matter, that he should hire outside to pursue energy companies for tobacco-style “climate” settlements.
A cynic might conclude that Bloomberg’s organizations staffed up DC OAG precisely to encourage investigations and litigation against energy companies.
CLW is happy to conclude otherwise. However, CLW withholds judgment until a few more facts come out about a particular, new revelation via public records, again about DC OAG, again involving privately employed climate litigators. Seems these AGs are tossing out badges to privately supported activist lawyers like Mardi Gras beads.
The revelation adds an entirely new element to the climate litigation industry and particularly the use of law enforcement by activists to advance their agenda.