An attorney general for the Virgin Islands had dropped a subpoena demanding a decade of records from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). CEI announced the change on their website but said they will continue their own counter-effort to sanction AG Claude Walker:

U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Claude Walker (AG Walker) has withdrawn the District of Columbia subpoena action against the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), yet the original Virgin Islands subpoena remains, meaning AG Walker can move at any moment to continue his unconstitutional intimidation campaign against the free market group and others who oppose his view of climate change. CEI’s motion for sanctions against AG Walker is pending in court and the group continues its pushback against the AG’s wrongdoing.

AG Walker is part of a group of attorneys general seeking to go after oil-industry giant Exxon for allegedly lying about the risk of climate change. Fox News reports:

The probe into whether Exxon misled the public on the risks of global warming is itself part of a broader battle against the oil giant by a coalition of attorneys general, led by New York’s Eric Schneiderman, and environmental groups.

The coalition claims Exxon lied about the risks of climate change, similar to the way tobacco companies misled the public about the risks of smoking.

Walker’s subpoena against Exxon seeks 40 years’ worth of communications with 90 conservative groups, including CEI, “and any other organizations engaged in research or advocacy concerning Climate Change or policies.”

Last week, CEI and other groups targeted in the probe published a full page ad in the New York Times titled “Abuse of Power.” The group of AGs led by Schneiderman includes 15 state attorneys general plus the AG for the Virgin Islands and for the District of Columbia. All but one of the AGs involved is a Democrat.