I will continue fighting to ensure I can keep doing my pro bono legal work without being subject to FOIA harassment. If you'd like to read more about this issue, I recommend the @aaup.org summary of how FOIA requests and lawsuits can interfere with academic freedom: www.aaup.org/NR/rdonlyres...

I'm deeply grateful to the @csldf.org for helping me through this experience; to many, many of my colleagues at the law school who have raised funds to cover the cost my local counsel; to @progressivereform.bsky.social for standing by me; and to my friends and family for their support.

I try to end the interview on a hopeful note, sharing how some environmental groups have stood by me, how I've managed the scarier aspects of this experience and how important it is for me to set a good example for my students as I navigate work on climate in this moment of rising authoritarianism.

I also talk honestly about how heartbroken I am by the way some environmental organizations, notably the Institute for Policy Integrity, have responded to the Michigan suit. Several months ago, the Institute told me they may end my affiliated scholar status because of concerns about litigation risk.

So, this is a pretty blatant attempt by the Chamber to hide behind an NGO that's personally threatening researchers, experts, and lawyers who work on this issue. As J. Timmons Roberts put it, the people involved in these attacks - or benefitting from them - should be ashamed of what they're doing.

In their initial legal complaint, the Chamber cites material that this fossil fuel funded NGO obtained from freedom of information act requests to various government entities. To be clear, this is *the same fossil fuel funded NGO suing Michigan for my emails.*

The states are now facing lawsuits from the Chamber of Commerce and American Petroleum Institute, who are arguing that state climate superfund laws are unconstitutional. And the fossil fuel funded NGO suing Michigan appears to be coordinating with the Chamber in order to bolster these lawsuits.

These laws will place fees on fossil fuel companies to compensate states for harms to natural resources and public health from climate change. Two states, Vermont and New York, enacted such legislation in 2024.

A couple key highlights: I was asked to give my thoughts about why this NGO filed a lawsuit against Michigan under the state's freedom of information act. As I explain, I've done a lot of pro bono work advising states and environmental groups on state climate superfund legislation.

Fair warning: the interview was . . . emotional. I wanted to speak very honestly about the difficult and scary aspects of facing a targetted, personal attack like this. I am grateful to Brent Efron and @timmonsroberts.bsky.social for joining me on the podcast to discuss their own experiences.