Democratic lawmakers on Capitol Hill said Wednesday that they had turned over their vote results to the Justice Department investigation into major oil companies and whether the industry has deceived the public about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change.

IN letter to the Department of JusticeSenate Budget Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse and House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin said documents uncovered during the three-year investigation show the oil and gas industry uses “deceptive practices” to “enhance the use of fossil fuels” and mislead the public. including working with industry groups and academic institutions to “give an aura of credibility” to their claims.

The group accuses Exxon Mobil (XOM), Chevron (CVX), Shell (SHEL), BP (BP), the American Petroleum Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of engaging in a “public relations campaign based on deception and doublespeak,” while admitting internally that fossil fuels have been causing climate change since the 1960s.

“We believe there is sufficient evidence that fossil fuel companies and trade associations may have violated one or more federal statutes that further investigation is warranted,” the letter said.

The American Petroleum Institute called the move “another baseless political farce designed to distract from persistent inflation and America’s need for more energy, including oil and natural gas.”

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