EDITORIAL: An Ecuadorian racket--Chevron takes the offense in enviro case

The Washington Times ^ | February 7, 2011 | Editorial

[jazusamo]

Ecuador‘s case against California's Chevron Corp. has boomeranged against the plaintiffs’ lawyers. Today in Manhattan, federal District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan is considering a RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) complaint Chevron filed Feb. 1 against attorneys and consultants targeting the oil giant.

Nineteen U.S. judges made preliminary rulings in Chevron‘s favor and at least four used the word “fraud” to describe the plaintiffs’ legal actions, but the Justice Department has yet to investigate. RICO, best known for nailing Mafia bosses, also is used (sometimes abusively) to bring down alleged corporate scofflaws when a pattern of fraud or corruption is broad enough to qualify as a “criminal enterprise.” Chevron is using part of the statute allowing private individuals to file civil RICO suits claiming they’ve been harmed by such an operation.

The original suit alleged that Texaco (later merged into Chevron) left environmental damage when its 20-year drilling lease in Ecuador expired in 1992. Quito’s previous government - before being replaced by radical, anti-American leftists - officially absolved Texaco of responsibility in 1998. The suit, however, persisted, driven mostly by U.S. plaintiff lawyer Steven R. Donziger...

[jazusamo]

I wonder if Donziger has ever advertised on TV for lawsuits, if so he won't be much longer. :)

[MsLady]

Haha!!!! That’s about all I need to say ;)

[Tzimisce]

Good job Chevron!