Ever since Shopfloor began blogging about the Ecuador-based litigation against Chevron in May 2007, we’ve argued that the lawsuit was a blatant shakedown by U.S. trial lawyers. In claiming Chevron owed $27 billlion — and then $113 billion — for environmental damage from Texaco’s oil drilling in the Amazon, the U.S. attorneys and Lago Agrio plaintiffs in Ecuador were really trying to pressure Chevron (which had bought Texaco in 2001) into a huge settlement. The bigger the settlement, the bigger the check for the U.S. lawyers being paid on a contingency basis.

Their preposterous claims relied not on facts or the law, but rather a multifaceted and ugly public relations and political campaign. At work was a combine of U.S. trial lawyers, environmental activists and anti-corporate bloggers, magnifying their accusations through a sympathetic mainstream media. The shakedown campaign recorded several PR victories, including a  “60 Minutes” hit piece against Chevron and most notably a full-length, overwhelmingly pro-plaintiffs’ film, “Crude,” by well-known documentarian Joe Berlinger.

In Ecuador the plaintiffs’ team manipulated the court system and made common cause with the leftist, anti-American regime of President Rafael Correa. (More on that in a later post.)

The response to our arguments? Chevron lies, America exploits the Third World, Ecuadorians are dying and you’re an inhumane corporate shill.

Now, thanks to outtakes from “Crude” that Chevron successfully obtained through the U.S. courts,  the trial lawyer/activist/media combine can no longer pretend any sort of moral high ground. Footage reveals Steven Donziger, the lead U.S. attorney who has directed the anti-Chevron campaign in Ecuador and the United States,  to be a cynical, arrogant and foul-mouthed commentator. And, unfortunately for the plaintiffs’ case, Donziger is remarkably frank.

Take for example, this video below. At a June 6, 2007, meeting Donziger outlined the plaintiffs’ strategy to intimidate the Ecuadorian courts through the show of brute force. [Warning: Language]

Excerpts:

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The National Association of Manufacturers launched a new website and branding on February 22. Now are graphics gurus are moving on to Shopfloor.org, the blog. In the process we’re trying the concept of crowd sourcing, that is, seeking wisdom from the millions on the Internet.

Using the CrowdSpring web service, the NAM has posted a $500 prize for the designer of a new Shopfloor logo. From the creative brief:

The Shopfloor logo should reflect the voice of modern manufacturing’s vital leadership in innovation, job opportunity, technological progress and economic security. It should reflect the positive attributes of modern manufacturing: clean, innovative, efficient, sleek, technology.

HERE IS WHAT WE NEED:

The Shopfloor logo should be consistent with the logo of the National Association of Manufacturers in terms of typography and color. It should be consistent with the look and style represented by our website nam.org. However, the Shopfloor logo should maintain its own unique identity.

The logo primarily used on websites and HTML emails. In rare cases it will be printed on stationery or used on a banner so the logo will need to work on multiple media.

Much more detail at the CrowdSpring site.