Attorney General's Office set to appeal injunction against state's anti-ESG law

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 19, 2024) – The Oklahoma Office of the Attorney General (OAG) indicated it will appeal today’s decision by a judge to continue halting enforcement of Oklahoma’s anti-ESG (environmental, social and governance) law.

“The ruling comes as no surprise given the fact that Treasurer Russ and his hand-picked legal counsel already lost the initial hearing to defend the law. At that time, the judge ruled the plaintiff had established a ‘substantial likelihood’ of success on the merits of the case,” said OAG Communications Director Phil Bacharach. “We plan to appeal and hope we will be able to repair the damage at the Oklahoma Supreme Court.”

In May, Attorney General Gentner Drummond took over from Treasurer Russ the defense of a lawsuit challenging the Oklahoma Energy Discrimination Act of 2022. The move came after an Oklahoma County District judge issued a preliminary injunction against the statute.

The law prohibits state contracts and pension system investments with financial institutions that discriminate against the oil and gas industry.