Legal battle heats up after jurors receive fake newspaper funded by questionable donors: 'We should be entitled to find out'

The $300 million legal battle between Greenpeace and dirty energy company Energy Transfer is heating up.

DeSmog posted about the underhanded tactics used to sway potential jurors in the February trial.

Last fall, North Dakota residents received a weird 12-page mailer called Central ND News with the motto — "Real data. Real value. Real news." Only the newspaper was fake.

The paper is considered pink slime journalism, named after the cheap filler used in processed meat. These faux newspapers promote partisan talking points and spread misinformation under the guise of reputable local papers.

The mailer contained negative stories about the Dakota Access Pipeline protests eight years ago. Per DeSmog, there's no record of Central ND News covering those protests until 2024.

At the same time, the paper ran a glowing story about Energy Transfer, the pipeline's owner.

Watch now: Here's why your morning cup of coffee might be at risk

The coverage coincided with a super PAC payment to an Illinois-based publisher linked to Central ND News.

One of the super PAC's megadonors? You guessed it — Energy Transfer's CEO, Kelcy Warren.

A lawyer for Greenpeace has called for an investigation into who paid for the mailers, suggesting it amounts to improper influence over potential jurors.

🗣️ Do you think misinformation is a major problem in America today?

🔘 Definitely 💯

🔘 Only for some people 😒

🔘 Only with certain issues 🤔

🔘 Not really 🙅

🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind

"The purpose of that publication is quite clearly to remind people about what was happening eight years ago," reported DeSmog. "We should be entitled to find out who made that decision."

Central ND News is operated by Metric Media, a notorious Koch-backed pink slime network behind thousands of locally branded websites across the United States.

Metric Media network has been linked to efforts to spread misinformation about solar energy. In swing states, they mounted a similar mailer campaign to target Catholic voters.

With more and more local newspapers closing, the number of pink slime sites will soon outnumber legitimate U.S. news outlets. Even dead billionaires have found ways to put their thumb on the scale with misleading propaganda. Disinformation is even finding its way into schools.

Journalists took to social media to expose these attempts to infiltrate local news. An alarmed user on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted, "This should be considered election interference."

Users sounded the alarm about Metric Media's shady practices. One Redditor warned a Wisconsin mailer was a "GOP Political ad disguised as a newspaper."

While another user on X posted, "Don't be misled by these newspapers arriving in swing-state homes.