Exxon Mobil Corp. filed a federal defamation lawsuit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and several environmental groups, months after Bonta sued the oil and gas giant alleging that it deceived the public for half a century by promising the plastics it produced would be recycled.

Exxon accused Rob Bonta, the Sierra Group and others of making “false accusations” about its advanced recycling process.

Exxon lawsuit accuses California's attorney general, the Sierra Club and others of defaming the oil giant with negative comments about plastic recycling.

ExxonMobil on Monday sued California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and a group of environmental activist groups, alleging they colluded on a campaign of defamation against the oil giant’s plastic

The oil company's lawsuit rejects claims over its deceptive plastics recycling practices and pins the motive on politics from foreign interests.

In a retaliatory lawsuit, Exxon says claims against it are motivated by “sordid for-profit incentives and outright greed.”

The ExxonMobil lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleges Bonta and a collection of environmental groups engaged in business disparagement, defamation,