On 8 January 2018, ExxonMobil filed a request at the Tarrant County District Court in Texas asking permission to question and obtain documents from 16 government officials from California cities and counties suing oil companies in relation to their alleged climate change contribution. ExxonMobil alleges that the local governments failed to inform their potential investors about the climate change-related risks they claim to face and accuse oil companies to be responsible for, citing " irreconciliable differences" between disclosures in the municipal bond offerings and the allegations contained in the lawsuits targeting oil companies. Exxonmobil further alleges that local governments conspired in order to vilify the oil industry and achieve political objectives.

ExxonMobil's petition indicates that the company is planning to file a lawsuit with potential claims of abuse of process, civil conspiracy, and violations of ExxonMobil’s constitutional rights. The California communities targeted by the filing said the company’s action was an effort to distract from the issue and an abuse of the legal process.