Amazon Defense Coalition Watch: The press release spewing Amazon Defense Coalition cries about free speech

The Amazon Defense Coalition, an organization that pumps out press releases almost every week, cries about free speech in its latest message to the masses.  Karen Hinton, Amazon Defense Coalition’s prolific press release machine, leads her latest statement with the following headline:

“Chevron Facing Free Speech Problems In U.S. Over Defense of $27 Billion Ecuador Lawsuit”

This statement comes from Hinton, a public relations professional whose sole purpose is to distribute press releases to the widest possible audience. Hinton’s tool of choice is a paid service called Business Wire.

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Amazon Defense Coalition Watch: ADC spokesperson’s statement in a Financial Times article misleads readers

A statement by Karen Hinton, Amazon Defense Coalition’s spokesperson, misleads readers about her activities and attempts to discredit bloggers who are raising serious questions about the lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador.

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Chevron Ecuador Lawsuit Myth-Makers; Amazon Watch’s Daniel Herriges propagates Karen Hinton’s myths at The Huffington Post

A December 2009 article on The Huffington Post originally written by Amazon Watch’s Daniel Herriges titled: “Chevron’s Blogger Propagandists: Accuse First, Ask (No) Questions Later,” repeats several Karen Hinton myths that were debunked way back in May. Herriges is a program associate at Amazon Watch and self described myth-debunker. Sadly, the myth-debunker has been employed by Amazon Watch to spread myths that are easily debunked.

Democratic Party operatives promoting Amazon Defense Coalition’s lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador

Earlier this year the Amazon Defense Coalition (ADC) put out a press release announcing that “Four Senators Urge USTR to Ignore Chevron Petition on Ecuador Legal Case.”  Then on December 3^rd, the ADC announced that Rep. Linda Sanchez was among a group of “leading female environmental and human rights advocates” calling “for Chevron to clean up the company’s Ecuador environmental disaster…”  And more recently, on December 15^th an ADC press release proclaimed that, “Twenty-Six Members of Congress Ask USTR to Reject Chevron Interference in Landmark Ecuador Legal Case.”

So what do the “Four Senators” the “Twenty-Six Members of Congress” and Rep. Linda Sanchez all have in common? Surprise, surprise, they’re all Democrats.  The cold, hard, political reality is that most of these Democrats are motivated by liberal ideology, a desire to shore up their left-wing base, and rake in campaign contributions before, what most political analysts agree, will be a disastrous midterm election for the Democratic Party next year.  It’s an inside the Beltway tactic designed to target the anti-corporate and environmental extremists that make up the Democratic Party’s base.

Max German’s Chevron Ecuador Lawsuit Blog: What does Howard Glaser know about the lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador? Answer: Only what his wife tells him.

Why did Howard Glaser, a financial services industry analyst, write an article for The Huffington Post about the lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador? It seems to be a bit off-topic for him. Well, it turns out that he’s married to Karen Hinton, the thoroughly discredited spokesperson for the Amazon Defense Coalition, the organization suing Chevron for $27 billion. Maybe the financial angle is appropriate due to the fact that Karen Hinton has already made a small fortune from representing the ADC.

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Above Board?

Here’s a good article from The Amazon Post highlighting more of Karen Hinton’s sleazy PR tactics.

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Amazon Defense Coalition spokesperson Karen Hinton continues the smears

A great article by Max German exposing more of Karen Hinton’s smear tactics against critical bloggers.  Apparently anyone exercising their right to raise questions about Amazon Defense Coalition’s lawsuit against Chevron is now being “coached by high-priced PR firms that Chevron employs.”  More of the same from Hinton Communications…

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The Amazon Post: Amazon Defense Coalition Gets It Wrong — Again

Editor’s Note:  No surprise here!

Amazon Defense Coalition spokesperson Karen Hinton has admitted that several accusations made in a recent press release are false.

On Sept. 9, Hinton issued a press release on behalf of the Amazon Defense Coalition accusing Wayne Hansen, one of the individuals who videotaped meetings in Ecuador between himself, Judge Juan Nunez and other purported political operatives discussing how Chevron will lose the trial and any subsequent appeals, of having a past relationship with Chevron. Chevron had previously stated that Hansen had no ties to the company.

Despite that, the press release headline stated, “American Businessman Wayne Hansen Has Ties to Chevron in Bribery Scheme, Investigation Finds.” The release claimed the Amazon Defense Coalition had found several pieces of “evidence,” gathered in an “investigation” that proved a link between Chevron and Hansen.

“Apparently that’s not him,” Hinton admitted to the reporter.

Amazon Defense Coalition Blog / Hinton Communications Repeats Lies Disproven Months Ago

In a recent statement from Amazon Defense Coalition’s blog about “bloggers paid by Chevron” the organization said, “although we don’t have proof that he is paid by Chevron, Alex Thorne spends an inordinate amount of time blogging and tweeting for the oil company all over the place.” Listing me as a “paid blogger” and then saying that they don’t actually have any “proof,” is a perfect example of the pr tactics used by Karen Hinton, Amazon Defense Coalitions’ hired pr consultant, to attack the credibility of people raising legitimate questions about the case against Chevron in Ecuador.  Just Google “Hinton Communications,” and you’ll find plenty of information proving that Karen Hinton continually releases unfounded, false and misleading statements, not only about the Chevron lawsuit, but also about people raising reasonable questions concerning her PR tactics.

I’m not being paid by Chevron.  I’m a stay-at-home dad and part-time photographer.  Our family’s financial situation isn’t, in any way, affected by the outcome in Ecuador.  And while we’re discussing who is getting paid to do what, I’d like to know how much Karen Hinton is getting paid to represent the Amazon Defense Coalition.

The Amazon Defense Coalition has full confidence in the Ecuadorian judicial system?

An excerpt from a recent posting on The Amazon Post blog:

We have full confidence in the Ecuadorian judicial system, as does Chevron.
-Karen Hinton, spokesperson for the Amazon Defense Coalition.

Not true. Chevron has consistently asserted that the case has involved improper complicity between the plaintiffs and Ecuador’s executive branch and other legal irregularities. And Chevron has asserted that it cannot get a fair trail.

Ecuador’s Judiciary: The Reality:

Let us take a closer look at the judiciary being defended by the Amazon Defense Coalition. In a 2009 statement, the U.S. State Department, Investment Climate said, “Corruption is a serious problem in Ecuador. The courts are often susceptible to outside pressure and bribes. Neither Congressional oversight nor internal judicial branch mechanisms have shown a consistent capacity to effectively investigate and discipline allegedly corrupt judges.”

Read the full article.

Another Blogger Hits Back at Hinton Communications

Here are some choice words from a great article detailing more of Karen Hinton’s lies:

Ms. Hinton does a fairly good job of assassinating everyone over on the Chevron side. While I can’t speak about the opposing PR firms she faces with any authority nor is it worthwhile to review the entire history, she does factually lie about the role of bloggers.  For which I take offense.

Hinton says:

Chevron has taken several internet journalists and bloggers on all-expense paid trips to Ecuador in return for favorable coverage on their sites, without disclosing the fact they are paid. The company’s lawyers then cite information on the blogs as “evidence” in their court papers. The practice of paying seemingly independent journalists is considered highly unethical.

This is false, a lie, I know of no one having been paid, the all expense trip notwithstanding, as if I or any other blogger or journalist is going to pay for such a trip on their own.  Chevron can quote me!

Read the full article.

Amazon Defense Coalition’s PR Firm Questions Integrity of 60 Minutes Report

In a well-crafted statement, a Hinton Communications press release reads as follows:

The 60 Minutes segment was flat wrong in many respects. In typical fashion, 60 Minutes glossed over or failed to report facts that complicated its simplistic format — facts that would have altered the viewing public’s understanding…

Hitting Back at Hinton Communications. Amazon Defense Coalition’s PR Firm Spinning More Lies and Personal Attacks.

[UPDATE – Aug. 4, 2009, Several weeks after posting this article outlining Karen Hinton’s lies, she continues to repeat them in the comments section of the Ecuador Rising blog.  Click here to view the comment.]

Ok, so now I have to clean up the lies that Karen Hinton, Amazon Defense Coalition’s PR counsel, posted in the comment section of several articles slamming the Amazon Defense Coalition and their case against Chevron.

Amazon Defense Coalition Smoke and Mirrors

As I’ve outlined in a previous post, Hinton Communications does an exceptional job of flooding the internet with phony press and news releases about the Amazon Defense Coalition.  In one of the best articles written on this phony organization titled, “Amazon Defense Coalition A Fake Company Created By Hinton Communications For Chevron Ecuador Case,” Zennie Abraham Jr. does an excellent job of exposing the true connections between Hinton Communications, the Amazon Defense Coalition and many of the other players involved.  I really wanted to write this story but Mr. Abraham beat me to it.  Please read the full article, I highly recommend it. Mr. Abraham is a respected video-blogger that has appeared on CNN several times.

Phony News Article by Hinton Communications Slams Chevron for Producing “Phony” News

This one is just too good to be true, but it is.  The title of the article reads as follows:

Amazon Defense Coalition: Chevron produces

Phony Online News Coverage to Spread

Misinformation about Ecuador Disaster

Guess what?  It is a phony news article written and distributed by Hinton Communications for the Amazon Defense Coalition.

Chevron Gone Wild or Amazon Defense Coalition Spin?

Hinton Communications distributed the following press release not to try to influence the media or Congress, but to mislead members of the public who are following the activities of the Amazon Defense Coalition.  Please click here to read the full press release.

It is obvious to me that anyone having a basic level of knowledge of how the media operates would immediately determine that the release is not a serious attempt to influence media coverage.  Any credible journalist would read the release and come to the same conclusions that I have in this article.

An open letter to current and future Hinton Communications clients and the media.

In many of my posts to come, I will lay out examples of Karen Hinton’s work to support the case for why you should avoid using Hinton Communications as your pubic relations firm. In reviewing her communications products and tactics I have found her ethical standards to be lacking.

The tactics that Hinton Communications employs may result in short-term gains in media coverage and web prominence, but in the long-term, these tactics will damage your credibility with import groups such as critical stakeholders and influential journalists.