Press ReleasePartisan Attack2026-07-23

Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Communist China’s Infiltration of American Judiciary

ClimateEnvironmentForeign PolicyChina

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This press release from Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was published on 2026-07-23 and titled "Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Communist China’s Infiltration of American Judiciary".

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Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Communist China’s Infiltration of American Judiciary

Letter Urges Federal Judicial Center to Cut Ties with Environmental Law Institute WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to Director of the Federal Judicial Center, Judge Robin L. Rosenberg , about a concerning new report regarding the Environmental Law Institute's (ELI) Climate Judiciary Project, which has reportedly provided training to more than 2,000 judges on far-left climate ideology. The ELI has worked for decades to advance the People's Republic of China's national security and energy policies. Earlier this week, President Trump called for a review into the far-left climate manual for judges. More Than 2,000 U.S. Judges Received Far-Left Climate Training from CCP-Linked Group "I write to express my deep concern about a revealing new report regarding the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) infiltration of our nation's judiciary. The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) has worked for decades to advance the People's Republic of China's (PRC) national security and energy policies. And now, under the guise of educating American judges on 'the scientific and technical evidence before them,' ELI's Climate Judiciary Project (CJP) has reportedly provided training to more than 2,000 judges on far-left climate ideology. When judges receive continuing education and training, it should pertain to the impartial, fair administration of justice - not political, left-wing programming from a CCP-linked group." For Three Decades, ELI Has Worked to Advance Chinese Interests and Undermine American National Security "According to the national security organization State Armor, over the course of three decades, 'ELI's work has uniformly advanced Chinese strategic and national security interests while undermining American national security . . . and simultaneously pushing America toward dependence upon energy sources dominated by the PRC.' In 2018, that very same group launched its Climate Judiciary Project 'in coordination with the [Federal Judicial Center] . . . in response to demand from the judiciary for education about climate science.' While the stated goal was to provide 'neutral, objective information to the judiciary,' it's clear that ELI's goal was to 'make judges more receptive to climate litigation' and, even more troubling, 'target' judges in states 'where [climate] cases were being brought.' The substance of CJP's programming is equally as concerning. According to State Armor's report, CJP's materials instruct judges on how to 'frame' climate change matters and 'influence colleagues who may be "opposed to action on climate change."' The CJP programming also includes material that has little to do with standard continuing legal education content, including lesson plans on 'implicit bias' and 'Resistance to Change.' Critically, according to the report, the majority of CJP's materials were 'created by scholars who have called for liability for oil and gas companies,' including a scholar who has labeled the oil and gas industry as 'diabolical.'" ELI Lesson Plans Steer Judges to Rule in Favor of Far-Left Climate Lobby, Threatening Judicial Independence "Ultimately, as State Armor notes, these lesson plans are not standard judicial educational materials. Instead, they are blatant efforts to encourage judicial activism, attempting to steer judges across the United States to rule in favor of the far-left climate lobby. The Federal Judicial Center states that its mission is to 'support the efficient, effective administration of justice and judicial independence.' It is clear, however, that - through its partnership with the ELI - your organization has done the exact opposite. The federal judiciary should be in no way linked to a left-wing, CCP-affiliated group that pushes climate activism. For all of these reasons, I urge you to immediately cease any judicial programming that involves ELI's Climate Judiciary Project in any way." Click here to read the full letter.

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Blackburn Sounds the Alarm on Communist China’s Infiltration of American Judiciary Letter Urges Federal Judicial Center to Cut Ties with Environmental Law Institute WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent a letter to Director of the Federal Judicial Center, Judge Robin L. Rosenberg , about a concerning new report regarding the Environmental Law Institute's (ELI) Climate Judiciary Project, which has reportedly provided training to more than 2,000 judges on far-left climate ideology. The ELI has worked for decades to advance the People's Republic of China's national security and energy policies. Earlier this week, President Trump called for a review into the far-left climate manual for judges. More Than 2,000 U.S. Judges Received Far-Left Climate Training from CCP-Linked Group "I write to express my deep concern about a revealing new report regarding the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) infiltration of our nation's judiciary. The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) has worked for decades to advance the People's Republic of China's (PRC) national security and energy policies. And now, under the guise of educating American judges on 'the scientific and technical evidence before them,' ELI's Climate Judiciary Project (CJP) has reportedly provided training to more than 2,000 judges on far-left climate ideology. When judges receive continuing education and training, it should pertain to the impartial, fair administration of justice - not political, left-wing programming from a CCP-linked group." For Three Decades, ELI Has Worked to Advance Chinese Interests and Undermine American National Security "According to the national security organization State Armor, over the course of three decades, 'ELI's work has uniformly advanced Chinese strategic and national security interests while undermining American national security . . . and simultaneously pushing America toward dependence upon energy sources dominated by the PRC.' In 2018, that very same group launched its Climate Judiciary Project 'in coordination with the [Federal Judicial Center] . . . in response to demand from the judiciary for education about climate science.' While the stated goal was to provide 'neutral, objective information to the judiciary,' it's clear that ELI's goal was to 'make judges more receptive to climate litigation' and, even more troubling, 'target' judges in states 'where [climate] cases were being brought.' The substance of CJP's programming is equally as concerning. According to State Armor's report, CJP's materials instruct judges on how to 'frame' climate change matters and 'influence colleagues who may be "opposed to action on climate change."' The CJP programming also includes material that has little to do with standard continuing legal education content, including lesson plans on 'implicit bias' and 'Resistance to Change.' Critically, according to the report, the majority of CJP's materials were 'created by scholars who have called for liability for oil and gas companies,' including a scholar who has labeled the oil and gas industry as 'diabolical.'" ELI Lesson Plans Steer Judges to Rule in Favor of Far-Left Climate Lobby, Threatening Judicial Independence "Ultimately, as State Armor notes, these lesson plans are not standard judicial educational materials. Instead, they are blatant efforts to encourage judicial activism, attempting to steer judges across the United States to rule in favor of the far-left climate lobby. The Federal Judicial Center states that its mission is to 'support the efficient, effective administration of justice and judicial independence.' It is clear, however, that - through its partnership with the ELI - your organization has done the exact opposite. The federal judiciary should be in no way linked to a left-wing, CCP-affiliated group that pushes climate activism. For all of these reasons, I urge you to immediately cease any judicial programming that involves ELI's Climate Judiciary Project in any way." Click here to read the full letter.