A Manhattan federal judge denied on Thursday the latest bid by embattled attorney Steven Donziger to dismiss criminal contempt charges against him arising from his battles against Chevron Corp over pollution in the Ecuadorian rainforest.
Senior U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska said that Donziger, who is set to appear before the judge on Monday to face six counts of criminal contempt, failed to prove the case against him should be tossed out on the basis that the prosecution has violated his constitutional due process by acting in “vindictive and selective” ways. The judge reasoned that Donziger had provided conjecture and suppositions, but no evidence to support his claims.
Donziger’s attorney Martin Garbus of Offit Kurman said that Preska “continues to ignore the fact that this is a Chevron prosecution paid for by Chevron dollars by a judge who unconstitutionally appointed her.” Chevron spokesman Jim Craig said the company does not have a comment on the matter.
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