Exxon Sues California Official, Claiming He Defamed the Company NYT | Top Stories Karen Zraick and Rebecca F. Elliott 7 January 2025 at 22:59 The lawsuit, an unusual strategy for the oil giant, comes after California’s attorney general sued Exxon last year alleging it misled the public about plastics recycling. © Shannon Stapleton/ReutersRob Bonta, the California attorney general, announcing his “campaign of deception” lawsuit against Exxon last September.