"Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), meanwhile, testified before the committee, blasting what she characterized as an “extortion” effort by Chevron Oil Co. to attempt to convince Congress and USTR to deny Ecuador ATPA benefits because of an oil contamination lawsuit filed by Ecuadorians against Chevron. Chevron is facing the possibility of a $27 billion pollution judgment against it in an Ecuadorian court." ~ "Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA) testified against Chevron's efforts to have ATPDEA benefits for Ecuador limited at the hearing yesterday. She pointed out that Chevron's complaints stem from a private lawsuit between thousands of Ecuadorians against Chevron alleging that it is liable for the damage caused by billions of gallons of toxic oil waste dumped into rivers and streams." ~ "Chevron is calling on Congress to curtail the country's trade benefits,which Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., labeled "little more than extortion." ~ "'Instead of settling with the plaintiffs, embarking on clean-up efforts, or even seeking mediation, Chevron has engaged in a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion,” Sanchez said in her prepared testimony. “Apparently, if it can't get the outcome it wants from the Ecuadorian court system, Chevron will use the U.S. government to deny trade benefits until Ecuador cries uncle.'" ~ "Last week, U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) excoriated Chevron's tactics in testimony before the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee. She testified that the company is engaging in "a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion." ~ “Their lobbying and PR efforts are really clumsy and very heavy handed, and I think that that’s why they’re experiencing a degree of backlash,” said Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.), who is circulating the first of what she promises will be three letters to colleagues blasting what she calls the company’s “misguided approach” to dealing with the case." ~ "In an interview, Sanchez, who will testify Tuesday at a hearing her House Ways and Means subcommittee is scheduled to hold on free trade agreements, said Chevron is “trying to leverage our trade policy in order to get a lawsuit dismissed that is currently pending before the Ecuadorean court. It is a way of trying to undermine the rule of law, and I just find that completely abhorrent. It’s shocking.” ~ "U.S. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez of California today urged Congress to reject Chevron’s attempts to co-opt US foreign trade policy and programs so that the company could gain an advantage in private litigation and to focus on the merits of renewing trade preferences in testimony before the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee...“Instead of settling with the plaintiffs, embarking on clean-up efforts, or even seeking mediation, Chevron has engaged in a lobbying effort that looks like little more than extortion,” Sanchez said in her testimony. “Apparently, if it can’t get the outcome it wants from the Ecuadorian court system, Chevron will use the US government to deny trade benefits until Ecuador cries uncle.”"
This just shows that Chevron will leave no stone unturned in its pursuit to deny the indigenous people of Ecuador the relief they need. If you added up all the money Chevron has spent on their PR and lobbying efforts, think of what could have been done to address the effects of the contamination. At minimum that money could have been used to provide access to clean drinking water.
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