Exxon Says It Lost A Year’s Worth Of Tillerson Emails From Alias Account

"Exxon Mobil can’t locate a year’s worth of emails from an alias account used by former CEO Rex Tillerson, now the secretary of state.

In Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday, the company’s lawyers said the emails disappeared due to computer issues. The correspondence was sent between 2008 and 2015 under the name “Wayne Tracker.” Tillerson’s middle name is Wayne and he used the account to communicate more easily with others in the company on “a broad range of business-related topics.”

The judge ordered Exxon to work with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to find the emails, which were subpoenaed as part of an investigation into whether the oil and gas giant purposefully misled the public and investors about the impact of climate change.

Schneiderman’s investigation began in November 2015, long before Tillerson was tapped to serve in President Donald Trump’s Cabinet. Last October, the New York Supreme Court ordered Exxon to produce documents related to its knowledge on climate change, dating back as long as 40 years ago."

Teresa Welsh reports for Reuters March 22, 2017.