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tactic." Increasing the pressure involves maximizing publicity, and Donziger always "does his<br />

best to arrange a good show."<br />

216. To that end, Donziger recruited Karen Hinton, a public relations specialist, to<br />

create and manage the RICO Defendants' and their co-conspirators' campaign of false and<br />

misleading public statements, and to coordinate the efforts to co-opt the media and well-meaning<br />

private citizens in the conspirators' pressure campaign. Stratus contributed to the effort as well,<br />

developing what Stratus referred to as a "comprehensive press kit." And political and<br />

communications consultant Chris Lehane was brought on board to help the RICO Defendants<br />

"leverage the criminal investigation of the Chevron executives" through extensive public<br />

relations efforts. In addition to recruiting reporters to cover the story, Lehane and the<br />

conspirators planned to "[b ]uild[] off the initial activity, we will want to consider several<br />

targeted specific mini-campaigns all designed to create pressure points on Chevron's<br />

economics." These "mini-campaigns" included filing a shareholder lawsuit against Chevron "for<br />

failure to disclose information," contacting the New York Attorney General "to see whether we<br />

can get Spitzer into the game," and manipulating students at a "major university that is invested<br />

in Chevron for a divestment campaign." In an email about hiring a new team member in<br />

Ecuador, Donziger described the ideal candidate as someone who would "raise some hell in<br />

Ecuador," and that the "job entails f1**]king up every machine you see that has<br />

ChevronTexaco's name on it. ... Being able to manufacture reality a plus."<br />

217. The conspirators also maintain relationships, in part through the provision of<br />

financial support, with various organizations that distribute false and misleading public<br />

statements to increase the public pressure on Chevron. Some of these organizations are<br />

dedicated to the fraud while others have broader functions, but all are knowing or unknowing<br />

accomplices ofthe RICO Defendants and their co-conspirators. Foremost among these are<br />

Amazon Watch, RAN, and Defendant the Front, organizations that knowingly operate and<br />

control significant aspects of the pressure campaign and overarching conspiracy to extort a<br />

payment from Chevron.<br />

86

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