Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich joined 10 Republican state attorneys general who are protesting an investigation into Exxon Mobil.

Top Republican prosecutors in 11 states filed a brief this week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan to support a lawsuit by Exxon that says a probe by two Democratic attorneys general violates free speech. 

A.G.s from New York and Massachusetts are looking at whether Exxon violated consumer protection laws by selling fossil fuels and failing to reveal information about the effects of burning fossil fuels on the climate.

In their protest, the 11 Republican A.G.s say the investigation into Exxon is an abuse of power, that it is not appropriate to use law enforcement authority to resolve a public policy debate.

They also argue the climate change debate is not yet settled and cannot be used as a means to investigate.