Team Bloomberg “Doubles Down” on MA OAG
As CLW previously noted, the prospect of defending plainly unlawful hiding of public records before a court caused the Attorney General of Massachusetts to think a little more clearly about its actions.
Recently, it reversed course and released 309 pages of responsive records previously withheld in full, relating to its canoodling with Michael Bloomberg’s “Special Assistant AGs” effort and, it turns out, this AG’s investigation of ExxonMobil. Massachusetts AG Healey no doubt has other energy producers in her sights (and possibly, as with one misguided AG, non-profits and others as well).
After reviewing these emails, CLW is hard pressed to see what OAG could possibly have been thinking when claiming these documents were protected by privilege — they clearly are not, as OAG surely knew when first reviewing them (assuming OAG reviewed them before issuing its blanket denial). They largely just show the enthusiasm that Bloomberg’s group and Healey’s office had for each other.
And discussion of issues relating to this curious funding relationship.
Double-Down David Hayes.
Oh, and that these Bloomberg SAAGs were to beef up OAGs investigation of energy companies, including plainly ExxonMobil (given Healey had announced she was specifically targeting them, after being recruited to specifically target them…new developments in uncovering which scheme CLW will discuss soon).
That was also the case with New York’s and Minnesota’s successful applications (and maybe Maryland’s but, as EPA and GAO have pointed out recently to the court, AG Frosh doesn’t want the public to find out).
OAG thought they were made for each other.
Which they didn’t want the Bloomberg Center to miss.
But…you’re not to see why.
It might have to do with the remarkable, innovative relationship this represents.
More later on all of this.