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Six House Democrats on Wednesday called for Attorney General Merrick GarlandMerrick GarlandSix House Democrats ask Garland to review case of lawyer placed under house arrest over Chevron suit DOJ rescinds Trump-era 'sanctuary cities' policy The Hill's Morning Report - Census winners and losers; House GOP huddles MORE to review the case of a lawyer who claims his yearlong house arrest is retaliation for his work against Chevron.

In a letter Wednesday, Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezNYPD cancels use of robotic dog after backlash Trump supporter found guilty of threatening to kill lawmakers Six House Democrats ask Garland to review case of lawyer placed under house arrest over Chevron suit MORE (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibSix House Democrats ask Garland to review case of lawyer placed under house arrest over Chevron suit OSHA sends draft emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 to OMB review Imperative that Democrats figure out what went wrong in 2020 MORE (D-Mich.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) and Jamie RaskinJamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinSix House Democrats ask Garland to review case of lawyer placed under house arrest over Chevron suit Democrats seek to keep spotlight on Capitol siege Congress and the administration cannot play games with the Congressional Review Act MORE (D-Md.) called on Garland to review the case against Steven Donziger.

Donziger sued the energy company on behalf of Ecuadorian farmers and indigenous people and won $9.5 billion in an Ecuadorian court.

Chevron then took legal action against Donziger in the U.S. under the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute. District Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled in the companys favor, and Donziger has been under house arrest since August 2019 over criminal contempt charges incurred during his appeal.

Kaplan took the unusual step of appointing private counsel to prosecute the case against Donziger after prosecutors with the Southern District of New York refused.

Seward & Kissel, the firm Kaplan named in the case, has at least two clients who have received significant funding from an investment fund whose vice chairman sits on Chevrons board, according to a filing from Donzigers lawyers.

We have deep concerns that the unprecedented nature of Mr. Donzigers pending legal case is tied to his previous work against Chevron. It is vital that attorneys working on behalf of victims of human rights violations and negative environmental impacts of corporations not become criminalized for their work. If these restrictions are permitted, advocates across this country will feel as though tactics of intimidation can succeed in stifling robust representation, the letter states.

The results of this case will have a lasting impact in the legal practice, suggesting that representation and advocacy can then impede ones ability to exercise fundamental protections, it adds.

A spokesperson for Chevron declined to comment.

The Hill has reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

Updated at 8:23 p.m.

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